8 Amendments of Saskia BRICMONT related to 2021/0297(COD)
Amendment 175 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) The reasons for temporary withdrawal of the arrangements under the scheme should include serious and systematic violations of the principles laid down in international conventions concerning core human rights (including certain principles of international humanitarian law enshrined in those conventions), labour rights, climate and environmental protection, and good governance, so as to promote the objectives of those conventions. Tariff preferences under the special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance should be temporarily withdrawn if the beneficiary country does not respect its binding undertaking to maintain the ratification and effective implementation of those conventions or to comply with the reporting requirements imposed by the respective conventions, or if the beneficiary country does not cooperate with the Union's monitoring procedures as set out in this Regulation. The temporary withdrawal should continue until the reasons justifying it no longer apply. In situations characterised by an exceptional gravity of the violations, the Commission should have the power to respond rapidly by adopting measures within a shorter timeline. Under the Union’s zero tolerance approach for child labour the reasons for temporary withdrawal should include exports of goods made by internationally prohibited child labour, as well as forced labour including slavery and prison labour, as identified in the relevant Conventions in Annex VI. Child labour cannot be eradicated overnight, especially in countries where no alternatives such as decent working conditions, free schooling and a social safety net are available. However, favourable framework conditions should progressively be created to sustain a positive dynamic. The International Labour Organisation and the Commission can support the beneficiary countries towards this goal by means of technical assistance, capacity building and other financial aid.
Amendment 227 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Exporters of certified sustainable products shall, upon request, be granted a “sustainability certificate”, proving the eligibility of their goods for preferential market access.
Amendment 229 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. The Commission shall also, as appropriate, periodically verify that recognised voluntary sustainability certification schemes continue to fulfil the criteria that led to their recognition in accordance with paragraph 1a.
Amendment 230 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 c (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 c (new)
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 d (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 d (new)
1 d. If there is evidence of repeated or significant cases where economic operators implementing a scheme recognised in accordance with paragraph 1a have failed to fulfil the requirements of this Regulation, the Commission shall examine, in consultation with the operator of the recognised scheme, whether those cases indicate deficiencies in the scheme.
Amendment 232 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 e (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 e (new)
1 e. The Commission shall establish and keep up-to-date a register of recognised voluntary sustainability certification schemes. That register shall be made publicly available on the internet.
Amendment 233 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 a (new)
Article 6 a (new)
Article 6 a Where the Commission identifies deficiencies in a recognised voluntary sustainability certification scheme, it may grant the scheme operator an appropriate period of time to take remedial action.
Amendment 327 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Paragraph 1, point (b), does not apply with respect to child labour if: - the beneficiary country has adopted in consultation with the International Labour Organisation and the Commission a roadmap in order to decrease child labour. The roadmap will lay out measures to be taken to achieve verifiable and quantified objectives under a certain timeframe; and, - the monitoring report of the Commission in liaison with the ILO shows steady progress towards the agreed objectives.