Activities of Agnes JONGERIUS related to 2021/2177(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on EU-India future trade and investment cooperation
Amendments (31)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)
Citation 10 a (new)
— having regard to its resolution on the 15th of January 2020 on the European Green Deal(2019/2956(RSP)),
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 b (new)
Citation 10 b (new)
— having regard to its report of 2 June 2021 on the trade-related aspects and implications of COVID- 19(2020/2117(INI)),
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 c (new)
Citation 10 c (new)
— having regard to the joint motion for a resolution of 29 January 2020 on India’s Citizenship (Amendment)Act, 2019 (2020/2519(RSP))
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas India abstained during the 11th Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the resolution 'Humanitarian consequences of the aggression against Ukraine' while 140 countries voted in favour;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EU is India’s third- largest trading partner and leading foreign investor, while India is the EU’s ninth- largest trading partner and only accounted for less than 2.1 % of its total trade in goods in 2021; whereas there is untapped potential for stronger, deeper and mutually beneficial economic cooperation, as long as European standards are protected;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas India still faces important challenges in relation to sustainable development, human rights and the environment, notably with respect to the situation of minorities and the fundamental freedoms; whereas the European Parliament voiced its concern on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act,2019 (CAA), excluding Muslims to citizenship protection;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
E b. whereas India has not yet ratified all fundamental ILO conventions, namely the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention (No. 87)and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (No. 98); whereas the workforce of the informal economy of India still accounts for more than 90 % of the entire workforce; whereas this leaves millions of people without social insurance and a life in uncertainty1a; _________________ 1a https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public /---ed_emp/--- ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_73 4503.pdf
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E c (new)
Recital E c (new)
E c. whereas agriculture is only 20 per cent of India’s GDP, it employs 42 % of the total employment1a; whereas India ranks second globally in food and agricultural production; whereas India is one of the largest milk producers globally, it excluded dairy products in its agreements with Australia and the United Arab Emirates; whereas food security is a right, but stock piling global supplies is problematic, especially of perishable foods; whereas Indians farmer’s protested for more than a year against laws passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that would have allowed farmers to sell produce directly to buyers; whereas the laws were retracted in the end; _________________ 1a https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.A GR.EMPL.ZS?locations=IN
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E d (new)
Recital E d (new)
E d. whereas the European Commission presented the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on 23 February; whereas the European Parliaments has called for a legislative proposal on an effective traceability mechanism for goods produced through forced and child labour;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E e (new)
Recital E e (new)
E e. whereas COVID-19 has caused a global pandemic, giving rise to an unprecedented global health, economic, social and humanitarian crisis, which has created bottlenecks and disruptions of an unprecedented scale to international trade; whereas major fashion brands refused to pay for $16bn of goods during COVID-19, leaving overseas suppliers unable to pay garment workers;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Stresses the economic and strategic importance of this agreement, which will only succeed if it manages to align the EU and India agenda and values in relation to sustainable development – to stimulate growth and employment, boost competitiveness, fight against poverty, make progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and support workers’ rights and fundamental freedoms;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that the existing negotiating mandate is comprehensive and broad enough for negotiations to restart; takes the view, however, that an addendum is necessary to ensure thatNotes that for a swift adoption a trade agreement a complete revision of the negotiating mandate is not possible due to time restraints; stresses that the current mandate should be interpreted to be in line with modern standards to ensure that the environmental and human rights standard are at the core of the prospective comprehensive trade agreement; contains as integral parts thereof a dedicated chapter for SMEs, a dedicated chapter on raw materials to remove all export duties on raw materials, and an ambitious and enforceable trade and sustainable development chapteralls for an ambitious, binding and enforceable trade and sustainable development chapter which is subject to suitable and effective dispute settlement system with a sanctions-based mechanism that fully respects international commitments, and is aligned with the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal,;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Urges the Indian government to urgently ratify the two remaining fundamental ILO conventions 87 and 95 and makes it a precondition for the EU before signing any prospective trade agreement; stresses that given the informal nature of the Indian labour market there are many challenges regarding the implementation and enforcement of the International Labour Standards; calls upon the Commission to ensure that all fundamental ILO conventions are applied in the prospective trade agreement; calls upon the Commission to ensure that the prospective trade agreement between the EU and India is in line with the European Green Deal, the Farm2Fork strategy and COP26;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – introductory part
Paragraph 6 – introductory part
6. Encourages the negotiators to make good progress in achieving a comprehensive, state-of-the-art and WTO- compatible free trade agreement, giving priority to areas conducive to sustainable growth, addressing inequalities, and the digital and green just transitions, as follows:
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point i
Paragraph 6 – point i
i. the comprehensive elimination of tariffs and quotas on a reciprocal basis, while paying attention to sensitive products and ensuring that reductions will not be compensated by an increase in taxes and levies, including at state level, on imported, with a view to sensitive products;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point ii
Paragraph 6 – point ii
ii. expedited, more transparent and less onerous customs, sanitary and phytosanitary procedures as well as a comprehensive single-window electronic certification process and the removal of disproportionate import bans;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point iii
Paragraph 6 – point iii
iii. the elimination of onerousunjustified technical barriers to trade, including a review of the increasing number of obstacles of late such acurrent technical barriers ion ICT, medical devices, toys, alcoholic beverages, polished diamonds, food and steel; the agreement should seek to ensure compliance with the international standards of the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), go beyond the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement, ensurepreventing that there is no duplication of testing and certification, and streamline licensing schemes, quality control orders and clinical investigations;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point iv
Paragraph 6 – point iv
iv. a comprehensive chapter on public procurement at all levels of governance in order to enforce the principles of transparency and non-discrimination in public procurement through effective remedy procedures; calls, in this respect, for India to accede to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement and to prohibit ‘buy national’ practices;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point v
Paragraph 6 – point v
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point vi
Paragraph 6 – point vi
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point vii
Paragraph 6 – point vii
vii. the establishment of modern rules of origin, in line with the EU’s other modern and comprehensive free trade agreementsexpected future directive of the recently presented Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 proposal by the European Commission to ensure supply chain accountability;
Amendment 103 #
vii a. the inclusion of the newly presented circular economy action plan to ensure less waste, consumer empowerment, making sustainable products the norm and lead global efforts on circular economy
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point x
Paragraph 6 – point x
x. effective bilateral measures on safeguards in addition toline with the existing WTO trade defence instruments;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Believes that the agreement should remove all discriminatory and disproportionate obstacles to establishment in services and manufacturing sectors in order to ensure a level playing field between EU and Indian operators, subject to special and differential treatment as appropriate;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers it expedient to provide interoperable data flows between the jurisdictions of India and the EU in total compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)5 and to agree upon international standards on intercompany transfer pricing, subject to special and differential treatment as appropriate; _________________ 5 OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1.
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Invites the EU’s negotiating team to make best use of India’s commitment to multilateralism and an international rules-based trading orderRegrets the lack of progress to reform the WTO and to urges India to play a more decisive role in ongoing efforts to reform the WTO; applaudto secure meaningful results at the next MC 12 in line with its economic and political weight; notes the EU and India’s co-sponsored reform proposal for the WTO Dispute Settlement Body and calls on India to join the multi- party interim appeal arbitration arrangement; commends the commitment of EU and Indian leaders to enhancing coordination on global economic governance, notably in the WTO and G20; expects to be briefed about the results of the EU-India Senior Officials’ Dialogue, which aims to deepen bilateral cooperation on WTO issues under the auspices of the High-Level Dialogues on Trade and Investment;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. ReaffirmNotes that an investment protection agreement could be an adequate stepping stone for further strengthening bilateral trade relations; encourages the negotiators to agree onput more pressure on the founding of a multilateral investment court, and to only accept a dedicated EU- India investment court system as a stepping stone to a multilateral investment courtmporary solution, to which both the EU and India should adhere;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. WelcomNotes the establishment of two joint working groups to ramp up regulatory cooperation on goods and services, including on green and digital technologies and on resilient supply chains with representatives from different stakeholders, including social partners, NGOs and business representatives, on equal footing; stresses the crucial role of the High-Level Dialogues on Trade and Investment for ensuring good progress overall, including on long- standing market access issues; expects to be briefed and consulted promptly and regularly about the results of these dialogues;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the negotiators, as a matter of priority, to agree on the establishment of a bilateral ex ante consultation platform between the EU and India designed to facilitate discussions and consultations in advance of any new measures ;believes that such a platform subsidies that could negatively affect trade or investment; takes the view that business and industry associations should be able to bring any new trade or investment irritants to the attention of the secretariat of this platform; believehould have representatives from different stakeholders, including social partners, NGOs and business representatives, on equal footing; considers that the platform shcould eventually be made an integral part of the governance framework of the future trade agreement;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers that the conclusion of the EU-India free trade agreement should be supported with the establishment of a joint committee to provide joint monitoring, structured dialogue, and oversight by the European Parliament and both chambers of the Parliament of Indiato improve coordination, implementation and review of the measures of the TSD chapter and the agreement as a whole by the European Parliament and both chambers of the Parliament of India; stresses that the involvement of civil society in monitoring the implementation of the agreement is crucial, and calls for the swift establishment of Domestic Advisory Groups following the entry into force of the agreement and for the balanced representation of civil society therein, including independent organisations from the labour and environmental sectors; highlights that the Commission is failing to take into account the repeated demand from the European Parliament for greater enforceability and monitoring of commitments, for instance through the use of sanctions and a reform of the Domestic Advisory Group system;