Activities of Louis MICHEL related to 2018/2107(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the implementation of the GSP Regulation (EU) No 978/2012
Amendments (13)
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Recalls that GSP helps industries in developing countries overcome the difficulties these countries face on export markets as a result of high initial costs; recalls that, in line with Unctad objectives, the aims of the GSP are to increase the export revenue and promote the industrialisation of developing countries and consequently LDCs, and to accelerate their growth with a view to eradicating poverty;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes with satisfaction that the preference utilisation rate for EBA beneficiaries is high, meaning the potential benefit for the world’s poorestleast developed countries (LDCs) is also high; stresses that EBA should be complemented with trade-related assistance and capacity-building if it is to become more useful;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the acknowledgement of the need to enhance transparency and accountability by the participation of civil society and other actors such as social partners, the Parliament and the Council in monitoring the effective implementation of human rights commitments set out in international conventions; calls on the Commission to consider establishing joint oversight commissions or domestic advisory groups with the participation of local civil society and trade union representatives;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the fact that the GSP has contributed to social development and human rights, in particular employment of women, implementation of good governance practicesfundamental labour rights, observation of environmental standards, implementation of good governance practices including combating drugs, corruption, money laundering and terrorism, and ratification of core ILO conventions; stresses the importance of continued engagement and monitoring, together with the participation of civil society in these processes;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that the full potential of the GSP+ scheme to improve the situation with regard to workers’ rights, promotion of gender equality and abolition of child labour and forced labour can only be fulfilled if monitoringreporting requirements and monitoring mechanisms of effective implementation of obligations under the 27 conventions is improved and the incentive of trade preferences is accompanied by other support measures as to provide to the European Commission all necessary information to assess the respect of the binding commitments;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Recalls that the EU must encourage, in the interests of the coherence of the policies of other international players, such as multinationals, full participation in improving respect for human rights, rights of the child, social rights, environmental rights and public health in the world; calls on the EU to ensure that human rights in relation to the right to work in global value chains, i.e. throughout the supply chain, are respected;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Recalls that the GSP covers the textile and clothing production sector more than any other; that the low investment costs and availability of low- skilled jobs mean that the textile and clothing industries are an important sector in terms of the industrialisation of LDCs; that textiles and clothing play a key role in the empowerment of women; is calling on the EU to establish a legally binding due diligence framework for companies and to extend the models developed in the context of conflict minerals, particularly in terms of transparency and traceability, to the textile sector;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Underlines that progress at legislative level has not yet been matched by progress at the level of implementation in many beneficiary countries;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to address shrinking space for civil society, threats to independent trade unions, risks and threats to human rights defenders and obstacles to EU funding to NGOs in scorecards and GSP+ dialogues, as these issues are directly related to legal obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and relevant provisions of the International Labour Organisation core conventions;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses that human rights defenders should be able to perform their task freely and unhindered and that the circumstances in which they must work should be benchmarked in the assessment of GSP+ compliance;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Supports more engagement with least developed countries under the Everything But Arms scheme with regard to preventing and addressing cases of serious and systematic violation of human rights; notes that the threat of withdrawal of trade preferences may in itself not be a sufficient measure to promote real compliance with international human rights principles., and may need additional political initiatives;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls to reform WTO rules to institute supply chain due diligence and transparency requirements, building on the UN guiding principles on business and human rights;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Recalls that the EU should, on behalf of the coherence of their policies, encourage other international actors, such as multinational enterprises to participate fully in the improvement of human rights, social rights and environmental standards worldwide; calls on the EU to take leadership in order to get human rights and labour rights in global value chains fully respected;