37 Amendments of Marita ULVSKOG related to 2015/2105(INI)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 a (new)
Citation 2 a (new)
– having regard to its recommendations to the Commission for the negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the Trade in Services Agreement of 8 July 2015 and 3 February 2016 respectively,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on International Trade to the report on Transparency, accountability and integrity in the EU institutions,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15
Citation 15
– having regard to the principle of policy coherence for development as stated in the TFEU,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris agreement are of the highest importance for global sustainable development and EU trade policy has to contribute to the fulfilment of their key elements;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas, in times of low economic growth, the contribution of foreign trade to the recovery of the European economy is of key importance in delivering concrete and measurable results and contributing to decent jobs and sustainable economic growth and equality in Europe and beyond;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas new-generation trade policy needs to respond to people’'s concerns; whereas trade can help fighting poverty and improve the living and working conditions of the people in Europe and in our trading partner countries whereby a fair and equitable wealth distribution in society is indispensable;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas on-going trade negotiations such as ACTA, TTIP, CETA and TiSA have brought European trade policy increasingly to the public’'s attention, and whereas more and more citizens are worried that European regulation and standards could be undermined by the CCP;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the European Commission made a clear pledge that no trade agreement will ever lower levels of regulatory protection, that any change to levels of protection can only be upward and that the right to regulate will always be protected;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that the involvement of civil society and stakeholdocial partners, including through appropriate public online consultations and communication campaigns, is crucial in order to strengthen the legitimacy of trade policy and to improve its content;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses that, where possible, EU institutions documents should be published. Reminds that where confidential information is beyond the reach of public access it must be available to parliamentarians who scrutinise trade policy on behalf of citizens; considers that there should be clear criteria for classifying documents to avoid ambiguity and arbitrary decisions; notes that the case law of the ECJ makes it clear that where a document originating in an EU institution is covered by an exception to the right to public access, the institution must clearly explain why access to this document could specifically and effectively undermine the interest protected by the exception, and that this risk must be reasonably foreseeable and not purely hypothetical; calls on the Commission to implement the recommendations of the European Ombudsman of July 2015 with particular regard to access to documents for all negotiations;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Asks the Commission to where possible, conduct negotiations with no less transparency than those organised in the World Trade Organisation (WTO); stresses, however, that the Commission must also persuade negotiating partners to increase transparency at their end to make sure that this is a reciprocal process in which the EU's negotiating position is not compromised and to include the aspired level of transparency in its scoping exercises with potential negotiating partners; stresses that meaningful transparency can strengthen global support for rules-based trade;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recalls that the CCP is to be conducted in the context of the principles and objectives of the Union’'s external action as set out in Article 21 TEU; recalls that the EU’'s trade and investment policy must be consistent with other external policies, such as development policy; stresses that the EU has a legal obligation to respect human rights, and should foster the sustainable economic, social and environmental development of trading countries; points out that in some cases trade and investment agreements may have negative effects contrary to the EU’'s external objectives as enshrined in the Treaties; is of the opinion that the EU has a responsibility to help tackle any negative impact caused by its CCP; recalls that only fair and properly regulated trade, if aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), could have potentialities for development and reduce inequality;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses the co-legislator role played by the Parliament and therefore calls on the Commission to build upon and improve its cooperation with the Parliament and to enhance its efforts in order to constructively work with the other Institutions prior to taking decisions;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Welcomes the Commission's support of the extension request for pharmaceutical intellectual property by LDCs until these countries no longer are considered LDCs; regrets the final WTO TRIPS Council decision to grant only a time limited extension of 17 years; asks the Commission follow through on its initial position by supporting all developing countries in making full and effective use of all flexibilities built into the TRIPS Agreement and recognised by the TRIPS Agreement and affirmed by the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS agreement and Public Health adopted on 14 November 2001, in order to be able to provide affordable medicines under their domestic public health programmes;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recognises the Commission’'s efforts to strengthen sustainable development and promote human rights, labour and social standards and environmental sustainability worldwide through its trade and investment agreements but urges determined efforts to fully implement and enforce the corresponding chapters in practice; shares the Commission’'s view that the EU has a special social responsibility as regards the impact of its trade policies on least- developed countries (LDCs); calls on the Commission to adopt accompanying measures in trade agreements with developing countries;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Considers that in particular for partner countries undergoing an economic crisis above all the objective of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (DCFTA) must be tangible and sustainable improvements to the living conditions of ordinary people;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Stresses that Everything But Arms (EBA), the General System of Preferences (GSP) and the GSP+ schemes are tools which enable fundamental values to be upheld; insists on the importance of their effective implementation and monitoring and welcomes the Commission's commitment to strengthening cooperation with beneficiary countries in this regard;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Calls on the Commission to develop legislation with the aim of forbidding imports of goods produced with any form of forced labour or modern slavery and in the meantime, strengthen import and supply chain controls on ethical grounds;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Highlights the importance of Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) and the involvement of civil society in joint fora under the free trade agreements (FTAs) that monitor and comment on the agreements' implementation and the parties respect for their commitments and obligations on human rights, labour standards and environmental protection; calls for the further strengthening of the work of DAGs; stresses that they should be fully independent; calls on the Commission to take measures to improve the work of DAGs such as providing financial resources, prior information and the possibility of using more advanced media in order to facilitate civil society participation; and to thoroughly take into account the Domestic Advisory Group's recommendations; calls on the EU to reinforce its monitoring capacity in the EPAs dedicated to sustainable development and human rights that ensure the proper and transparent involvement of civil society organisations;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Notes with concern that there has been little interest on the EU side so far among civil society to participate in certain EU civil society advisory groups provided for under the Agreements and calls on the Commission to draw appropriate conclusions to invigorate these mechanisms and ensuring their representative character in line with recommendations from the European Economic and Social Committee;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls that the ILO estimates that 865 million women around the world, if better supported, could contribute more robustly to economic growth; notes that women-owned businesses represent an underutilised lever to boost competitiveness, accelerate business and sustain growth; states that trade policy can have differing gender impacts across the various sectors of the economy; and that more data on gender and trade is needed regrets that the Commission does not address the gender dimension of trade agreements in its ‘'Trade for All’' communication; calls on the Commission to step up its efforts to use trade negotiations as a tool to promote gender equality worldwide, as well as to ensure that both women and men can take advantage of the benefits of trade liberalisation and be protected from its negative effects; to this aim, the Commission should make sure that the gender perspective is included, horizontally, in all future trade agreements and also, as an essential part of the EU mainstreaming strategy and proposes, the Commission should guarantee a thorough monitoring and evaluation of the gender impact of the trade agreements in force;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Commission to make its trade and investment policy fully aligned with the ILO Decent Work Agenda;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Acknowledges that the internationalisation of the world’'s production system has resulted in new openings for economic development and an employment-based path out of poverty for hundreds of millions of people; recalls that, according to the ILO, around 780 million active women and men are not earning enough to be lifted out of poverty; underlines that the expansion of GVCs has created job opportunities but also propelled some supplier firms to ignore labour laws, engage workers in unsafe and unacceptable conditions, demand exhaustive working hours and deny workers their fundamental rights; recalls that these practices create unfair competition for suppliers that are compliant with labour laws and international labour standards and for governments that want to improve wages and living standards; concludes therefore that mutual respect for labour and environmental standards is an indispensable tool to ensure there is no race to the bottom; calls on the Commission to improve conditions in GVC in close cooperation with the ILOs; emphasises that the EU’'s further integration into GVCs must be driven by the dual principles of safeguarding the European social and regulatory model and securing and creating sustainable and equitable growth and decent jobs in the EU and for its partners;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Believes that trade policy must ensure a transparent production process throughout the value chain, as well as compliance with fundamental environment, animal welfare, social and safety standards; stresses the need for mandatory due diligence throughout the supply chain; welcomes the Commission’'s desire to work closely with the ILO and the OECD to develop a global approach to improving working conditions especially in the garment sector; underlines the importance of identifying and assessing new sectoral or geographic opportunities for additional responsible supply chain partnerships; looks forward to the Commission’'s upcoming communication on CSR; and calls on the Commission to move from voluntary initiatives to binding obligations;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes that limited improvements were achieved at the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi in 2015; recognises the differences among WTO members on how to proceed as regards the Doha Round, including the need to consider new approaches to solve outstanding issues; welcomes the interest of some WTO members in starting to address new negotiating areas; believes that the outcome of the Nairobi Ministerial Conference provides an opportunity to give new life to the WTO’'s negotiating function; urges the Commission to take the initiative in reforming and strengthening the WTO in order to ensure greater effectiveness, transparency and accountability including by strengthening coordination with the ILO and other Environment and Human rights related UN Agencies;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Believes that it is vital to conclude the longstanding Doha Round with its developing mandates fulfilled; recalls the crucial role of Aid for Trade (AfT) in trade-related capacity building and technical assistance to developing countries and LDCs; in this regard, calls on the EU and its Member States to commit to increase AfT, enabling developing countries to benefit from a bigger share of the value added in GVCs; calls on the Commission to address fair and ethical trade in the upcoming revision of Aid for Trade strategy; welcomes the EU engagement of targeting EUR 400 million in funding over 5 years to support and provide technical assistance to developing countries, especially LDCs, in their efforts to implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Considers plurilateral negotiations within the WTO such as the Information Technology Agreement and the Environmental Goods Agreements to be the second-best option; emphasises that trade policy should also be used as a tool for increasing the competiveness of environmentally beneficial products; stresses the importance of maintaining an open door of any plurilateral initiative so interested WTO members can join and of multilateralising the ‘'green goods’' initiative and of considering whether bilateral or unilateral trade agreements could provide premium preferences for environmental goods;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls for a strong and effective parliamentary dimension of the WTO in order to enhance the transparency of the organisation and to strengthen the democratic legitimacy of global trade policy; urges the WTO to make full use of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO, ensuring that parliamentarians have access to all the information they need to carry out their oversight role effectively and contribute meaningfully to trade policies;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Stresses the importance of deepening and redefining the EU's relationships with its partners on the African continent and in the Caribbean and Pacific region; regrets that the communication "Trade for All" does not make any reference to the Cotonou Agreement, which expires in 2020, and stresses that the human rights clauses in the EPAs and trade agreements with a link to the Cotonou Agreement should not lose their effect after the 2020 expiration date; calls on the EU to engage in a broad consultation and dialogue process, including with ACP countries, about the post-Cotonou framework;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Recalls that the EU plays a leading role in the services sector; stresses that the opening up of new market opportunities must be an essential element of the EU’'s international trade strategy; stresses that including services in trade agreements is of the utmost importance, as it gives opportunities to European companies and domestic employees; while also excluding, in line with Articles 14 and 106 TFEU and Protocol 26, current and future services of general interest and services of general economic interest from the scope of application of any agreement; fully reiterates its recommendations for the negotiations of a Trade in Services Agreement in this regard with the emphasis on the ultimate goal of a multilateral agreement;
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Shares the Commission’s viewConsiders that the temporary movement of professionals has become essentialis a factor to increasing business internationally; stresses that a labour mobility chapter should be included in all EU trade and investment agreements; recalls however that Mode 4 commitments must only apply to the movement of highly skilled professionals for a specific purpose, for a limited period of time and under precise conditions stipulated by the domestic legislation of the country where the service is performed and by a contract respecting such domestic legislation while ensuring that nothing will prevent the EU and its Member States from maintaining and improving labour standards and collective agreements";
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Welcomes the Commission’'s intention to use trade policy to tackle new forms of digital protectionism and to set rules for e-commerce and cross-border data flows in compliance with EU data protection and privacy law and safeguarding fundamental rights; believes that much more needs to be done to create a climate favourable to e-commerce and entrepreneurship within the EU; stresses that ensuring regulatory cooperation, reducing online fraud, mutual recognition and harmonisation of standards in the digital trade sector is vital;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Is aware that the inclusion of provisions relating to financial services in trade agreements has raised concerns regarding their potential negative effects where money laundering, tax evasion and avoidance are concerned; supports the Commission in its fight against corruption; insists that clauses on corruption, money laundering and tax fraud be included in all trade and investmentthe Commission and Member States address anti money laundering, anti-corruption and anti-tax evasion and tax avoidance rules, including country-by- country reporting obligations and automatic exchange of information in appropriate international agreements;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38a. Asks the Commission to better support the internationalisation of SMEs by developing specific and clear guidebooks for SMEs about the opportunities and benefits offered by each trade agreement concluded by the EU;
Amendment 370 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 a (new)
Paragraph 43 a (new)
43a. Emphasizes that the EU investment policy has to tackle broader issues than merely investment protection but addressing also investment facilitation and governance, thus, ensuring foreign direct investment serves the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals; considers investor obligations based on inter alia the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Corporate Social responsibility and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights an indispensable part if a such an investment policy; urges Member States to work towards progress within the UN on the elaboration of a legally binding instrument on business and human rights;
Amendment 375 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Calls for the elimination of the current imbalances as regards the degree of openness of public procurement markets between the EU and other trading partners; calls on the Commission to go even further in seeking an ambitious and reciprocal opening up of international public procurement markets, while guaranteeing the exclusion of services of general economic interests and making sure states remain free to adopt qualitative rules for their procurement procedures including social and environmental criteria; stresses that European economic operators, but especially European SMEs, need better access to public contracts in third countries;
Amendment 413 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51 a (new)
Paragraph 51 a (new)
51a. Points out that the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund could also be an important instrument; believes however that the current use of the EGF to tame the adverse impacts in some sectors resulting from increased international competition is not satisfactory; stresses that this instrument should be reformed and adequately funded whereby it proactively anticipates risks and adaptation of sectorial, regional and national production structures in cases in which the sustainable impact assessment indicates that these might be endangered as a consequence of trade agreements;