Activities of Joachim SCHUSTER related to 2020/2273(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives (debate)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives
Amendments (12)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that the damage to the planet’s biodiversity is almost at the point of no return and that biodiversity loss is a driver of zoonotic pathogens such as COVID-19; highlights the scientific evidence on the role of trade in biodiversity loss, in particular with regard to trade in minerals, biomass and certain agricultural commodities, and biodiversity loss due to land-use changes, invasive alien species, overexploitation of resources and pollution; underlines that the contribution of trade to the dramatic biodiversity loss is very inadequately addressed both by the structure of the existing FTAs and the current WTO rules; stresses that the precautionary principle must be the guiding principle with regard to the protection of biodiversity;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the importance of systematically including a biodiversity dimension to all sustainableility impact assessments (SIAs) that must follow a more robust methodology than previously, as suggested by available Commission studies, and to consistently factor in biodiversity issues; requests that the Commission secure adequate funding for carrying out such analyses on biodiversity; calls for SIAs to be launched as part of the scoping exercise phase on future free trade agreements and for them to be regularly updated as negotiations develop in order to adequately identify and address possible risks to biodiversity in the region concerned as well as in the EU as early as possible, and to shape relevant bilateral commitments outlined in the negotiations; stresses the importance of systematically conducting regular ex post sustainableility evaluations and impact assessments to ensure consistency with the EU’s international commitments on biodiversity; calls for trade and sustainable development chapters to include time-bound roadmaps that provide verifiable commitments and objectives, which are to be regularly monitored by, evaluated and adjusted by and in accordance with ex post SIAs and for the lowering of (non- )tariff barriers be made conditional thereon; invites the Commission to update existing chapters of FTAs accordingly at the earliest convenience;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Asks the Commission to use the indicators developed in the search for possible risks to biodiversity to formulate short-, mid- and long-term goals for the protection of biodiversity; requests annual updates from the Commission to the European Parliament on the status of implementation of said goals;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Asks the Commission to evaluate the existing FTAs as well as texts currently in legal scrubbing with regard to their effect on biodiversity and to present the results and planned adjustments to the European Parliament;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Asks the Commission to use a different approach in its trade negotiations with the goal of facilitating preferential access to the EU market only for those trade partners that successfully implement all multilateral environmental agreements relevant to the protection of biodiversity or to keep up tariffs on raw materials, goods and services that are considered harmful to biodiversity in accordance with the SIA and scoping exercises; asks the Commission to develop a swift snap-back option in case of violations or non-implementation under which tariffs are re-established towards the trading partner in violation;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. asks for an independent in depth- analysis of the effects of the remaining ISDS and ICS-provisions in trade agreements as well as the energy charter on biodiversity and requests swift adaptations in case negative effects are proven;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that the EU’s trade policy and green diplomacy should aim to phase out fossil fuels and environmentally harmful subsidies as a matter of urgency in accordance with the commitments taken at the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh in 2009; invites the Commission to agree on a roadmap with each trade partner covered by a trade agreement, with milestones in place, and to show leadership in relevant international forums; create a link between the proven implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and the lowering of tariffs in current and future agreements; invites the Commission to show leadership in relevant international forums especially in the WTO, in this multilateral context; asks the Commission to strive for the creation of possibilities of raising tariffs on products and services that have a scientifically proven region- specific negative effect on biodiversity; underlines the necessity of creating a legal framework within the WTO that enables the creation of non-tariff barriers and trade bans on raw materials, goods and services that endanger biodiversity in order to disincentivize trade in- and production of such raw materials, goods and services;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. In this context, asks the Commission to investigate the necessity of prohibiting trade in certain products in order to protect biodiversity;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Requests that the Council in its draft mandate of future agreements and, on the occasion of the review of existing agreements, make the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), together with the Paris Agreement, an essential element of free trade agreementhe Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) together with the Paris Agreement, an essential element of free trade agreements, since the EU must set a high standard and produce incentives and enforcement mechanisms for Conventions and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) that do not have direct access to remedies and redress;
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to present a legislative proposal in Spring 2021 that will prohibit the placing of products whose production processes are associated with deforestation or forest degradation from the EU market; calls on the Commission to adopt a moratorium on imports of wild animals or any other species from reported emerging infectious disease hotspots; asks the Commission to ensure better implementation of the customs provisions at border inspections in order to improve the preventive measures on the inflow of invasive species;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission to prioritise capacity building for beneficiary countries to implement the CBD, the CITES and other Conventions and Agreements essential to the protection of biodiversity under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument and Aid for Trade.; underlines in this context also the necessity for supporting the restructuring in third countries whose entire development model relies on exports of goods and services harmful to biodiversity;