11 Amendments of Keith TAYLOR related to 2009/2219(INI)
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls therefore for the European Union’s future trade strategy to preserve European commercial interests and for the EU and its trading partners mutually to respect the application and implementation of clauses on human rights and social and environmental standards; considers that the EU should adopt a positivevigorous approach in its negotiations; underlines that including provisions on sustainable development, particularly in bilateral agreements, will benefit all parties;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – point b
Paragraph 4 – point b
b) proposes setting up a committee on trade and decent work within the WTO, on the lines of the Committee on Trade and Environment; and insists that both committees are given a clearly defined remit, and have tangible influence;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reaffirms that the objectives of maintaining and preserving an open and non- discriminatory multilateral trade system on the one hand, and protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development on the other hand, should be mutually supportive; underlines that, pursuant to Article 20 of the GATT, the Member States may adopt trade measures to protect the environment, as long as they do not abuse such measures for protectionnd encourages Member States to make full use of thist purposesrovision;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the work of the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment, which is, given a more clearly defined remit with increased responsibility, could become an essential forum for pursuing integration and strengthening the link between environment and trade;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the importance of improving access to green goods and technologies to achieve sustainable development objectives, and encourages all the parties to the negotiations to redouble their efforts to reach a rapid conclusion to the negotiations on reducing or removing tariff and non- tariff barriers for environmental goods and services, in order to promote growth opportunities for European industries;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Underlines the need to make progress in the negotiations on the other points at Article 31 of the Doha Declaration concerning the relationship between existing WTO rules and specific trade obligations set out in multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), and to promote closer cooperation between the MEA secretariats and the WTO committees, a key factor in ensuring that trade and environmental regimes develop coherently., grant the MEAs full observer status in WTO proceedings as well as the right to give their opinion prior to WTO rule changes and prior to any final judgment of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Considers that a multilateral agreement including all the main emitters of CO2on climate would be the best instrument for internalising negative external environmental factors relating to CO2, but that there is a risk that this will not be achieved in the near future; considers therefore that the European Union should continue to study the possibilities of putting in place for the sectors of industry likely to be subject to carbon leakage appropriate environmental instruments, particularly a ‘carbon inclusion mechanism’ which, while, complying with WTO rules, would make it possible to combat the risk of CO2 emissions being transferred to countries which do not respect the same objectives as the EU in terms of g and combined with the auctioning of ETS CO2 quotas; stresses that the free allocation of allowances may lead to undue profits and does not prevenhouse gas emissions reduction, and would also constitute a lever in international negotiations to encourage all countries to make firm commitments in this areat undertakings from transferring all or part of their production unless the allowances are withdrawn in the event of total or partial transfer;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10a (new)
Paragraph 10a (new)
10a. Asks the Commission to engage in an international debate with a view to drawing up an International Legal Framework on the Responsibilities and Obligations of Business with regard to Human Rights;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Firmly supports the practice of including human rights clauses in the EU’s international agreements but points out that major challenges persist with regard to monitoring and implementing these clauses; reiterates the fact that these clauses must also be included in all trade and sectoral agreements, with a clear and precise consultation mechanism modelled on Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement; in this respect welcomes the inregrets the lost chance with regard to the Multiparty Commercial Agreement with Colombia and Peru, where just a standard human rights clausion of such a clause in the free trade agreement with Colombiae has been introduced instead; and invites the parties to explicitly upgrade the clause and provide it with a clear monitoring mechanism before sending the agreement for approval to Parliament;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15a (new)
Paragraph 15a (new)
15a. Asks the Commission to present a study on how to substantially improve protection of victims complaining of human rights abuse by subsidiaries of EU based-corporations and ensuring they have access to courts and adequate redress;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19a (new)
Paragraph 19a (new)
19a. Calls on the Commission to ensure, in the development of a common framework on investment, the introduction of human rights criteria, including host state regulatory space and clear accountability and definition of applicable law for Transnational Companies (TNCs); Calls on the Commission to screen existing provisions in the trade chapters of its agreements, with a view to revising provisions that encourage investment which has the effect of lowering human rights, social and environmental standards.