9 Amendments of Angelo CIOCCA related to 2017/9999(INI)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that Australia has a very competitive, export-focused agricultural sector; points out that the size of agricultural holdings and scale of livestock farming in Australia are generally larger than in Europe; emphasises, therefore, that securing increased access to the vast EU market through the removal or lowering of tariff and non-tariff barriers in the sector will undoubtedly be a priority for Australia; points out that the removal or lowering of tariff and non-tariff barriers will do particular damage to European crop and livestock farmers;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Warns, therefore, against the danger of a serious imbalance in the agricultural provisions of the agreement, to the detriment of the EU, and against the temptation once again to use agriculture as a bargaining chip to secure increased access to the Australian market for industrial products and services, as had happened with CETA;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Wishes to draw attention to the extremely sensitive nature of some sectors of the European farming industry, such as beef and veal, sheepmeat, sugar, cereals and dairy products; takes the view that a further opening-up of the market in these sectors could have disastrous consequences for European producers, who have already been negatively affected by previous free- trade agreements; points out that, following those agreements, raw agricultural materials from third countries are now easily imported and processed European food products are mainly exported, which encourages the European food industry to use foreign raw materials for a cost that is generally lower;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes the view that the EU must refrain from making any sort of commitment concerning the most sensitive agricultural products, such as beef and veal and sheepmeat, cereals, dairy products and special sugars;
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Points out that, following Brexit, all tariff quotas which might be granted to Australia will apply to a smaller EU market; eEmphasises that from now on the EU will have to take careful account of Brexitthe impact of the UK leaving the EU when deciding what concessions and associated quotas it can offer;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on the Commission to outline a uniform approach for the agricultural sector and to publish, without delay, its analysis of the potential impact of an EU- Australia FTA, also allowing for the objective evaluation of the potential advantages and disadvantages for European producers, including an estimation of the consequences for employment and the possible implementation of specific aid for European supply chains;
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Acknowledges theRecognises the potential importance for the EU of an agreement with Australia which would reduce tariff barriers for some processed agricultural products, relax overly strict health checks in Australia and protect all geographical indications effectively; whereas clear provisions safeguarding all GIs should be a prerequisite for any agreement; reminds the Commission, however, that it would be unacceptable to sacrifice the interests of European agriculture and its sensitive sectors again in order to secure an agreement.
Amendment 102 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Notes that the GI ‘coexistence’ scheme dealing with the occurrence of private labels with similar names in third countries does not go far enough to protect European products on the market, given that it offers end customers a misleading and unclear impression of the food product’s origins; calls on the Commission, if it is not going to propose ways to protect European products, to evaluate the exclusion of free-trade agreements from the European agricultural sectors where commercial competition would jeopardise their existence or which have experienced crises in the past few years;
Amendment 112 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Stresses that several European agricultural sectors have experienced the negative impact of the ongoing Russian embargo and extreme price volatility and points out that the negotiations should give consideration to the interests of all European producers;