25 Amendments of Joachim SCHUSTER related to 2018/2005(INI)
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that in the course of globalisation, international value chains have emerged; points out that these value chains restructure the international division of labour as well as the interdependence of countries; recalls that their extremely complex nature, lack of transparency and dilution of liabilities may lead to a higher risk of human and labour rights violations, factual impunity for environmental crimes and large-scale tax avoidance and tax fraud;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Notes that as a side effect of globalisation, finance has tended to generate huge private rewards disproportionate to its social returns and non-financial corporations have also become adept at using rent-seeking strategies to bolster their profits, therefore contributing to rising inequality; Notes with concern that despite the efforts since 2009 to address the excesses of the financial sector the underlying macro- financial structures have remained broadly intact and there has been almost no effort to tackle the connections between inequality and instability that have marked the rise of unregulated finance;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the benefits of globalisation are unequally distributed between regions and within societies; some regions and sectors profit to a large extent, while others suffer from structural change and rising unemployment; notes that this is a reason for the rising scepticism or rejection of globalisation within societies; notes that the financial and economic crises had a particularly negative effect on mid-range incomes; notes that the middle class has shrunk in many EU Member States, while their share of the overall income equally decreased; expresses the view that the combination of a declining middle class, citizens’ fears over losing their social and economic position, and scepticism towards globalisation, can result in nationalist and authoritarian tendencies, which then lead to the promotion of protectionism as an easy answer to common fears; notes that in this context, neither nationalist-protectionist nor business-as-usual policies are the adequate response;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that the economic importance of China and other Southeast Asian countries is growing significantly; points out that this trend will persist within the next years, while understands that this leads to a relative loss of importance for the present global economic centres of Europe and North America;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Notes that the Chinese new silk road strategy is China’s attempt at becoming the leading world economic power, while the America First strategy is an attempt at confronting the United states’ downturn that willingly accepts its own destructive force for the rule-based world economic order;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that the multilateral world economic order with the WTO in its centre does not achieve the incorporation of these profound changes as well as the changed interests of countries in international agreements; notes that the increasing protectionism in the United States and beyond, as well as the lack of consideration for the needs and expectations of developing countries in international agreements, shows the weakness of the WTO; underlineregrets the lack of integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the world trade agenda;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. NAgrees with the Commission that the preservation of the international competitiveness is a prerequisite for a successful European strategy; notes that strengthening the EU’s internal market as well as consolidating the economic union is vital, since a solid internal market is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of international strategies; points out that being internationally competitive depends strongly on shaping digitalisation successfully and in a socially and environmentally responsible manner; notes that the shift to renewable energies needs to happen as soon as possible;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Points out that in accordance with article 12 of the Treaty on the functioning of the EU which recognises that consumer protection requirements shall be taken into account in defining and implementing other Union policies and activities, a dedicated chapter on consumer protection could contribute to achieve a high level of consumer protection by means of legal safeguards, for instance on the right to regulate and the precautionary principle but also to deliver tangible benefits to consumers and foster consumer trust, including online services, to promote sustainable consumption, integrate the consumer interest in the implementation of the whole agreement and to contribute to the effective enforcement of consumer law, also in cross border situations;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. APoints out that there is no level playing field for SMEs; asks the Commission to create a European trade strategy for SMEs in order to integrate SMEs into international value chains and overcome trade-specific hurdles such as non-tariff barriers; points out that access to information is one of the biggest obstacles to the market participation of SMEs, meaning that transparency and support need to increase; notes that the utilization rate of Free Trade Agreements, especially by SMEs, needs to increase as well;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that effective trade defence instruments are needed, welcomes the recent reform of EU trade defence instruments which must be checked regarding its capacity as a protective measure against arbitrary protectionism, on top of its ability to protect against dumpingeffectively implemented in order to protect industries and jobs from dumped and unfairly subsidised imports; supports the Commission's measures put in place following the US imposition of steel and aluminium tariffs; points out that the rules on investment screening need to be put in place as soon as possible in order to prevent foreign investments that are merely motivated by industrial policy and serve to acquire European technologies;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that, as a minimum reply to globalisation-induced job losses, a reform of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund is needed; stresses that the EGF must become more proactive tool aiming at preparing workers and companies to fight the negative impacts of globalisation; points out that the Commission needs to reform the preconditions for receiving support; notes that employees of smaller enterprises must have access to EGF funding; notes that the resources of the fund must be increased ; points out that its scope should be widened to other policy-induced adjustments; calls for a reform of the programs monitoring and evaluation- mechanism;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission to meet scepticism towards globalisation with a credible initiative on transparencywhich strengthens transparency on trade agreements, monitoring of EU rules and legislations and inclusiveness towards its citizens; Calls on the Commission to conduct negotiations in full transparency, through constant dialogue with European Parliament, national parliaments, social partners and civil society; Calls on the Council to inform and involve national parliaments and civil society before the approval of the negotiating mandate and during the negotiations until after the implementation of a new agreement; ; Regrets that the Council has decided, in its 22 May Conclusions, to maintain the status quo by deciding to publish the negotiating directives of EU FTAs on a case by case basis; calls on the Council to make all negotiating mandate's public;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission to make the SDGS and the Paris agenda the guiding principles of trade policy, notes that in order to do so, reforms that were mentioned in the trade for all strategy are not sufficient; Calls on the Commission to include sustainability-related measures in every chapter of trade agreements and not to reduce them to one toothless chapter;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission to include sustainability-related measureobligations in every chapter of trade agreements and not to reduce them to one toothless chapter;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Recalls that the European Court of Justice stated, in its 2/15 Opinion on EU- Singapore FTA, that sustainable development forms an integral part of the common commercial policy of the EU and therefore the EU has a legal obligation to integrate the objective of preserving and improving the quality of the environment and the sustainable management of global natural resources into the EU’s common commercial policy, that trade and sustainable development chapters have a direct and immediate effect on trade and that a breach on sustainable development provisions authorises the other Party to terminate or suspend the liberalisation provided for on other provisions of the FTA;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that impact assessments conducted before the start of negotiations must take their possible effects on the fulfilment of the SDGs into account; notes that national sustainability strategies and implementation plans for the Paris Agreement must form the starting point for impact assessments; points out that every single provision of an agreement and its possible impacts must be checked on its compatibility with the SDGs; notes that if parts of an agreement hamper the fulfilment of the SDGs or the Paris Agreement, adjustments must be made; notes that breaches of sustainability provisions must be counterweighted by corrective measures or lead to a sanction- based dispute settlementwithin the monitoring process the effect of the agreement on the fulfilment of the SDGs equally needs to be checked; calls for corrective measures or a sanction based dispute settlement in case of infringements of all trade and sustainable development related provisions throughout the entire agreement; Therefore reiterates its call on the EU to always include in its TSD-chapters binding and enforceable provisions which are subject to suitable and effective dispute settlement mechanisms, and consider, among various enforcement methods, a sanctions-based mechanism;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes that, in lincoherence with SDG 17, the Commission mustneeds to reform its system foron implementing policy coherence for development; points out that the reciprocal effects of trade-, agricultural-, external-, fisheries-,environmental-, tax- and other policy areas must be evaluated on an equal footing between civil society, commission and parliaments; notes that breaches of sustainability provisions must be counterweighted by corrective measures and lead to a sanction-based dispute settlement;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. ANotes that the EU has regulated the supply chains of timber, fish and conflict minerals and several Member States have developed due diligence frameworks in different sectors, showing the need to develop a broad EU framework in order to ensure a level playing field; therefore asks the Commission to meet the growing complexity of value chains and the increasing interdependence of producers with clear transparency and due diligence obligations for the whole supply chain; since the weak enforcement of existing labour laws and occupational safety standards – introduced to protect workers from exhaustive working hours and unacceptable conditions – in sourcing countries remains a pressing issue; notes that GVCs have also propelled some supplier firms to ignore labour laws, reallocate their economic activities outside the EU, engage workers in unsafe and unacceptable conditions, demand exhaustive working hours and deny workers their fundamental rights; recalls that these practices create unfair competition for suppliers that are compliant with labour laws and international labour and environmental standards, and for governments that want to improve wages and living standards; calls on the Commission to study the impact of the rise of GVCs and to present concrete proposals to improve conditions in them and to work towards a legally binding framework for corporate accountability and responsible business conduct (RBC) with regard to decent work, environmental sustainability and respect for human rights in close cooperation with the ILO and the OECD;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Points out that active measures aiming to enhance opportunities for women to benefit from the opportunities provided by an FTA are necessary to reach the goal of gender equality; calls for trade agreements that include a specific chapter on trade and gender equality and women's empowerment, foreseeing to provide for measures aimed at, inter alia, a better work-family life balance and access to social and health services, to pursue an enhanced participation of women enterprises (particularly micro-enterprises and SMEs) in public procurement, to support the internationalisation of women enterprises and the participation of women in Mode 4 opportunities;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Underlines that tax fraud and tax evasion limit the capacity of EU countries to raise money and implement their economic and social policies; it represents a huge problem and affects all European citizens; notes that tax fraud and evasion knows no borders; therefore trade agreements should include binding tax good governance clauses and transparency standards that reaffirm the parties’ commitment to implement international standards in the fight against tax evasion, avoidance and elusion, in particular the relevant OECD recommendations on taxation and that includes obligations for country-by- country reporting, automatic exchange of information and the establishment of public registers of beneficial ownership; asks the Commission to start leading by example regarding tax havens and start working with Member States towards this aim;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c. Urges the Commission to include in its FTAs anti-corruption provisions that are enforceable and which must be effectively and fully implemented;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that, in view of attacks on the multilateral world economic order, it is vitally important to preserve this order since any backsliding into protectionism would be damaging and would lead to trade war; notes that the multilateral order can only be upheld if it is reformed; notes that it is not the goal to secure free trade but to secure fair trade that fulfils the SDGs and gives room to the needs of developing countries, as referenced in the trade for all strategy; notes that, since multilateral initiatives currently bare little chance for success, the EU should strive for bilateral and plurilateral agreements in the meantime, in which fair trade is one of the guiding principles;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that free, fair and sustainable trade is economically desirablerelevant and has vital political implications; notes that it isn the light of the America First strategy as well as the new silk-road strategy it is of vital strategic importantce for Europe, to use trade as an instrument for the promotion of a democratic and sustainable development in the states of the Eeastern Ppartnership as well as the African states; points out that trade and investments need to be interlinked with strategies for sustainable development, both in the eastern and the African states; calls on the Commission to push for coherent implementation of the association agreements with the states of the eastern partnership in order to develop stable economic relations with the Eurasian economic union; notes that in the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreements with the African regions and states not only the trade related aspects are important but that interlinking them with the requirements of sustainable development in the African states is the vital element;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Notes that this is the first Commission paper mentioning the importance of enhancing animal welfare standards through the EU trade and investment agenda; welcomes the willingness expressed by the Commission to work towards enhanced global governance in the field; calls on the Commission to expressly include animal welfare in its next trade policy strategy and to use the review clauses in existing FTAs to further improve animal welfare provisions; calls on the Commission to ensure trade preferences are conditional upon compliance with EU animal welfare standards, guaranteeing a better level playing field and respecting the wishes of most EU citizens; calls on the Commission to recognise the important role higher animal welfare standards can play in achieving several SDGs, notably on health in connection with antimicrobial resistance, and on climate change;