Activities of Marielle DE SARNEZ related to 2010/2301(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
EU and China: unbalanced trade? (debate)
EU and China: unbalanced trade? (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on EU and China: Unbalanced Trade? PDF (320 KB) DOC (243 KB)
Amendments (24)
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas trade relations between the two regions have developed considerably since the signature of the EU-China cooperation agreement in 1985, and the agreement should therefore be renewadapted;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas the divergent social, economic, and democratic models in China and in the EU, as well as their respective demographics and natural resources, play a large role in the trade imbalances between the two regions;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
D b. whereas the participants of the last United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban did not reach a binding agreement, and that countries' commitments concerning greenhouse gas reduction are not sufficient, given the urgency in terms of climate change to limit the increase in temperatures to two degrees during the 21st century;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. whereas China's accession to the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) should be eased by the revision of the GPA's rules and the broadening of its scope agreed on 15th December 2011 during the last WTO Ministerial Conference;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas in 2010 over 103 million products suspected of infringing intellectual property rights (IPR) of a value totalling 1.11 billion euros were seized at the EU's external borders and China is the country of origin for 85 % of these goods; whereas an important feature of intellectual property protection is the proper enforcement of existing laws and international commitments, including penalties;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Making reciprocity a principle of EU trade policy with China
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the Commission to apply the principle of reciprocity in the EU's common trade policy with developed and emerging countries such as China, in order to ensure a level playing fieldrestore fair competition where all forms of protectionism are avoided;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Considers that it is of interest for the European Union to ensure an improved market access for European companies in China, possibly via an ambitious and balanced economic partnership agreement on which negotiations would take into account the commercial requests of both sides, including the recognition by the European Union of China's market economy status;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Regrets the existence of numerous tariff and non-tariff barriers to the Chinese market, such as certain forms of discrimination against foreign operators, particularly in the banking, insurance and telecommunications sectors, the complexity of the tariff structure and technical barriers to trade such as the lack of transparency of technical rules and conformity assessment procedures or the Chinese Compulsory Certification System (CCC); notes that China, contrary to the provisions of the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM), does not systematically give notification of specific subsidies;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Notes that China deplores the existence of trade barriers to the European market such as the EU's significant agricultural subsidies for European farmers, the complex system of agricultural tariffs, technical obstacles to trade, as well as barriers to third country investments in certain Member States;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is concerned aboutNotes the problems foreign businesses encounter in accessing Chinese public procurement whereasile substantial access to European public procurement is guaranteed; regrets that China has not acceded to the plurilateralwelcomes the revision and the broadened scope of the Agreement on Government Procurement (AGPA) even though it committed to do soagreed on 15th December 2011 during the last WTO Ministerial Conference; therefore encourages China to make an accession offer to the GPA which is comparable to the level of other Parties to the GPA in line with its commitment in its protocol on accession to the WTO; calls on the Commission to make haste in developing a European instrument to ensure better access for European businesses to foreign public procurement markets and to encourage the EU's trading partners, such as China, to open up their public procurement markets and eliminate protectionist measures;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the EU to make use, wherever necessary, of trade defence instruments that are consistent with WTO rules, such as anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard measures, in the event of illegal trade practices by China and to also make greater use of the WTO dispute settlement rules in order to ensure a level playing field for EU-China trade;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Deplores the inadequate protection of IPR in China and regrets the lack of specific means available to European businesses, and particularly SMEs, to counter IPR infringements effectively; welcomes the Commission's decision to proposer a review of the directive on the enforcement of IPR; calls on the Commission to better defend IPR in all the multilateral organisations where China is a member (the WTO, the World Health Organisation and the World Intellectual Property Organisation); wants China to continue to transpose current international law on the protection of IPR into its national legislation to close the substantive IPR protection gap between the EU and China, and more specifically to combat counterfeiting, and urges the Chinese authorities to appensure enforcement, especially iat correctlya regional level; regrets that China ihas not takingen part in the negotiations on the next international agreement to combat counterfeiting (ACTA); urges the Commission and the Member States to step up customs cooperation in the EU and with third countries, particularly on the seizure of counterfeit goods, and to simplify customs procedures; asks the Commission and the Member States to cooperate more closely in third countries on copyright issues and licensing;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that China produces 97 % of the rare earths used in the world and calls on it to guarantee the fair and sustainable supply of these rare earths to its trading partners; calls on the Commission to pay particular attention to any potential restrictions by China on the export of its raw materials; recalls in this context the WTO ruling of 5 July 20011 against China for having placed restrictions on the export of certain raw materials; calls on the Commission to develop a European strategy for the proper management of raw materials involving increased energy efficiency, recycling, lower use of resources and the development of industrial cooperation in the green economy growth sectors; calls for negotiations aiming to adopt common rules and principles on trade in raw materials, thereby creating a framework for the use of export restrictions at the WTO but also at the G20, as this issue mainly concerns industrialised countries and China;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Urges the Commission to negotiate an ambitious and balanced EU-China investment agreement that seeks to create a better environment for EU investors in Chinaas well as improved market access for EU investors in China and greater transparency regarding the governance of Chinese businesses which invest in the EU whilst increasing the level of Chinese capital flows to the EU;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises that the chronic undervaluation and non-convertibility of the yuan gives Chinese exports an unfair competitive advantage when China holds one-third of the world’s foreign exchange reserves; points out that economic stability and global trade is at risk unless there is acalls for strengthening of international financial regulations and macroeconomic coordination between G20 countries, without which economic stability and global trade is at risk; calls on China to allow the yuan to appreciate to reach an appropriate exchange rate; points out that it is laid down in the European Treaties that the EU can, in the case of unsustainable global monetary imbalances, adopt an exchange rate policy;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Member States to demand that foreign enterprises respect European social and environmental standards and ensure the sustainability of employment when they purchase European businesses or set up subsidiaries in the EU; asks the Commission to set up a body entrusted with the ex ante evaluation of foreign strategic investment, along the lines of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), in order to obtain a clear picture of businesses operating and investing in the territory of the EU and to report to the Parliament on a regular basis;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Emphasises China's growing influence in the theatre of international trade; calls on the EU therefore to remain vigilant concerning the economic, social and environmental impact of increasing Chinese investment in developing countries, particularly in Latin America and in Africa;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Reaffirms the need for Chinese investments in Latin America and in Africa, particularly in Special Economic Zones (SEZ), to contribute to economic development and to the development of local production chains by using the local labour force;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17 b. Is concerned that some European companies invest in China mainly because of the low cost of production caused by lower social, environmental and human rights standards; strongly recommends that the Commission and the Member States promote effective corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices by European companies in China and encourage the dissemination and publicity of best practice of CSR initiatives; furthermore, requests that the Commission assesses how CSR provisions could be included in the future EU-China investment agreement;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Considers that the efforts made by the Chinese authorities concerning certain basic rights in China, particularly social and labour rights, do not go far enough; encourages, therefore, the EU and China to develop a closer and more responsible strategic dialogue based on mutual understanding;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 6
Subheading 6
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the EU to develop an long-term based ambitious common industrial policy based on stimulation of research and innovation that benefits from innovative financing arrangements such as project bonds and supports the development of SMEs, particularly via access to public procurement, in order to maintain its competiveness vis-à-vis new major players in industry and research; calls on the EU to enhance the value of European production, by providing better information to consumers and particularly through improvements in ‘'made in’' labelling;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Urges the EU to strengthen its economic, budgetary, fiscal and political governance to give it a credible and imposing voice on the international stage; calls on the Council and the Commission to speak with one voice in order to prevent partnerships and bilateral agreements weakening the EU position; urges on the Member States to work closely with the Commission when defining their commercial policy; asks the EU to implement a long-term strategy with regard to China;