Activities of Phil BENNION related to 2018/0356M(NLE)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Amendments (8)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that Parliament gave its consent to the EU-Viet Nam Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA) on 17 December 20151 , which defines future relations and aims to enhance further cooperation on global and regional challenges; regrets that the commission has failed to undertake a comprehensive human rights impact assessment in advance; calls for the commission to do it now; notes with concern that serious human rights violations have intensified since the entry into force of the PCA; _________________ 1 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0467.
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges Viet Nam’s efforts to undertake an ambitious reform agenda, notably on the environmental and labour rights of the sustainable development chapter of the FTA; welcomes the ratification of six out of eight core ILO Conventions, namely No. 29 on forced labour, Nos. 100 and 111 on non- discrimination, Nos. 138 and 182 on child labour and most recently No. 98 on the right to organise and collective bargaining; calls on the Vietnamese Government to quickly ratify and fully implement the outstanding Conventions; regrets that the text of the sustainable development chapter does not create any obligation for the ratification of these outstanding Conventions; calls to extend the effective mechanism applying to trade disposals of the FTA also to the TSD Chapter and a clear, public and binding timeline for the ratification of ILO Conventions No.87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize and No. 105 on the Abolition of Forced labour;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Remains concerned about human rights violations, including the application of the death penalty in Viet Nam; calls on Viet Nam to introduce a moratorium and move towards abolition; deeply regrets that the number of political prisoners, human rights, labour, religious and environmental activists, journalists and bloggers has dramatically increased in recent years and calls for the immediate release of all persons detained for peaceful activities; highlights that human rights should constitute a cornerstone of the trade and sustainable development chapter of the FTA; regrets that the FTA focuses on a limited range of rights, mainly the core ILO conventions; calls therefore for a comprehensive human rights chapter to be accompained by an enforcement mechanism to ensure its imprementation in practice; calls for periodic independent evaluation of the impact of the agreement;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines that Article 13 of the FTA embodies a cooperative approach based on common values and interests, taking into account the differences in the Parties’ respective levels of development; welcomes the possibility of first resolving matters that fall under Article 13 on trade and sustainable development through exchange in the Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development; recalls thatgrets that in case that the matters are not resolved, the second mechanism that allows a Party mayto request that aan independent Panel of Experts be convened to examremaines such matters in the event that the Committee is unable to resolve them satisfactorilybordinated to the willingness and own precedure of the Parties;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Urges the establishment of a monitoring mechanism on human rights and an independent complaint mechanism providing affected citizens and local stakeholders with effective recourse with a view to addressing potential negative impacts on human rights and the establishment of a dispute settlement mechanism with provision for fines and the suspension of trade benefits equivalent to mechanisms for market access provisions;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Encourages the Commission to step up technical assistance and available funding to Viet Nam and its independent civil society in order to support Viet Nam’s compliance with its international human rights obligations and the monitoring of the proper implementation of Article 13 of the FTA.; notes with concern that Vietnamese independent civil society has been harshly repressed and largely operates underground for fear of persecution and retaliation;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Underlines the need for the European Parliament to closely follow and monitor developments in Viet Nam and the implementation of all parts of the FTA, once it enters into force, so that the European Parliament can respond to developments on the ground in the event of documented and proven serious breaches of human rights;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Strongly believes that improvement of the rule of law, good governance, sustainable development and the respect of human rights in Viet Nam are necessary; Recommends that the European Parliament should consider giving its consent only when the government of Viet Nam has agreed a timetable with the EU Commission for the improvement of human rights in Viet Nam including proposals for revisions to those aspects of the penal code that currently legislate against freedom of speech, association and assembly.