Activities of Sarah WIENER related to 2021/2177(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the EU-India future trade and investment cooperation
Amendments (13)
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Highlights that any potential trade and investment cooperation agreement should include ambitious provisions on an enforceable Trade and Sustainable Development chapter aligned with the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Highlights the sensitivity of certain agricultural sectors in both the EU and India alike; notes in particular that, although India is one of the largest milk producers globally, its dairy sector is nevertheless considered sensitive;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1 c. Stresses the need for the EU to champion human rights and the right to food as a central principle and priority of food systems and as a fundamental tool to transform food systems and ensure the rights of the most marginalised to access nutritious foods and to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Draws attention to the fact that India’s legal order allowso regulates the cultivation of genetically modified organisms for the purpose of processing them into food and feed, with only genetically modified cotton and soybean currently permitted for cultivation; Recalls that the importation of genetically modified organisms is governed by Directive 2001/18/EC; Stresses the need to ensure that the parties respect the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Draws attention to the fact that, in many cases, India imposes animal welfare requirements that are less strict than the European Union counterpart, notably as concerns cage sizes for laying hens, and elements of calf and dairy cattle welfare (tethering, tail docking); Highlights nevertheless that, as in the EU, surveys show that the population is similarly concerned for animal welfare; Recommends that the EU and India develop a cooperation mechanism on animal welfare, covering all animals, to exchange knowledge and undertake capacity building programs, in order to improve the standards and implementation of both parties;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that, under India’s legal order, multinational corporations can abuse patent protection for plants and animals to exploit farmers to a level comparable to slavery the Commission, in discussion with trade partners, should not seek to enforce stricter intellectual property rights and enforcement thereof for plants, in particular seeds, and animals; considers that this can result notably in restrictions on farmers' choice in seed saving and sharing; highlights that this freedom to save and share seeds is particularly important in developing countries as well as countries where agriculture constitutes a significant source of income and employment, such as India;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that the above circumstances give Indian companies and multinational corporations involved in trading in Indian agricultural products and foodstuffs an unfair competitive advantage over EU farmers that can be classified as dumpingin the trade of agricultural products and foodstuffs, equal standards should be ensured between EU and Indian farmers;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that, as a result of the above circumstances, the EU-India agricultural and food trade balance last year reached a deficit of EUR 1.8 billion, andwhich reflects a relatively symmetrical trade balance, notes that this imbalances in agricultural trade between the EU and India is steadily increasingalso relatively stable;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls onNotes that the Commission tois negotiate aing a potential separate agreement on the protection of geographical indications before negotiating anlaunched at the May 2021 EU- India trade agreemensummit;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission not to negotiate a reduction in the existing tariff and non-tariff protection of the EU’s common internal market for agricultural products that can be grown in the EU and for foodstuffs produced from them; Highlights the need to assess the social and gender implications of any proposed agreement, particularly as concerns the partner's freedom to adopt and adapt government procurement rules and tariff levels, as these are not only economic but also social and developmental policy tools;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the text of the agreement provides protectione protection and upholding of the EU’s common internal market by preventingstandards in particular as concerns: (i) the importation of genetically modified organisms in foodstuffs, feed and seeds, governed by Directive 2001/18; (ii) the importation of agricultural products and foodstuffs with higher levels of pesticide residues than provided for in EU law; (iii) the importation of agricultural products and foodstuffs in whose production hormonal preparations which are banned in the EU have been used; (iv) the introduction of antimicrobial-resistant strains of microbes.
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Considers that the EU should support developing countries to help them reduce the imprudent use of pesticides and promote other methods to protect plants and fishery resources; notes, in this respect, that agri-food products from non- EU countries must be subject to the same requirements as domestic producers, including zero-tolerance of residues of substances meeting the cut-off criteria;