10 Amendments of Catherine GRÈZE related to 2010/2152(INI)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Notes that the New Trade Strategy aims to reinforce an economic model based on export, hence, on increased transportation; recalls that the ongoing rise of CO2 emissions related to transport and international trade undermines the effectiveness of the EU climate change strategy; takes the view that, in line with the principle of policy coherence for development, a trade strategy should be designed to enable endogenous development consumption and production patterns;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that, in order to foster inclusive and pro-poor economic growth, the EU, in its trade policy, must strive for the conclusion within two years of a development-friendly Doha Round and give additional support for South-South trade and regional integration; Notes that the New Trade Strategy marks a clear shift away from multilateral trade talks towards new bilateral free trade agreements; reiterates its commitment to the multilateral approach to trade policy; stresses that an equitable outcome of the DDA implies taking into account the concerns of poorer WTO members to reach the Millennium Development Goals;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the EU to reduce certain non- tariff barriers, particularly Stresses that increasing technology transfer to developing countries will be a critical compon environmentt of a post-2012 climate regime; callys friendly products from developing countries which contribute both to economic and environmental sustainabilityor the removal of the salient barriers to the dissemination of technologies in developing countries to address climate change; considers that changes in WTO rules are needed to ensure coherence and consistency with the commitments under the Kyoto Protocol and multilateral environment agreements (MEAs);
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that trade-related assistance can support developing countries in areas such as trade facilitation, the implementation of the Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and on Technical Barriers to Trade, and increase competitivenNotes with concern that the EU is seeking liberalisation commitments from developing countries on services, intellectual property and the so-called Singapore issues (investment, public procurement, competition policy and trade facilitation) that go well beyond what they could agree to in multilateral fora such as the WTO; urges the EU to refrain from imposing its agenda on TRIPS plus and the ‘Singapore issues’, considering that many developing countries have long made clear that they are opposed to negotiating enhanced patent protection and investment agreements both in the WTO and in other Free Trade Agreements with the EU; recalls that trade-related assistance should support developing countries to diversify their economiess and decreaseto reduce export dependencey on preferenceraw materials;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Points out that the introduction of the reciprocity principle regarding public procurement can be extremely harmful for developing countries, as it will among others hamper the development of infant industries and processing; urges therefore the EU to define its new trade strategy in full respect of the ‘special and differential treatment’ granted to developing countries;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Notes that the Commission is pushing for a comprehensive investment liberalisation framework with the aim of achieving maximum protection for EU investors; recalls that most successful developed and developing countries have restricted foreign investment to promote industrialisation; accordingly, urges the EU to refrain from exerting undue pressure on developing countries to conclude investment agreements that limit their ability to regulate in favour of social development objectives;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Reasserts that governments and parliaments must retain the right to regulate investment, both to discriminate in favour of investors that support the country’s development and to ensure that there are obligations and duties on all investors, including foreign, so that labour, environmental, human rights and other standards are respected;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the need to foster sustainable development by negotiating trade agreements and investment treaties that take into account the economic, environmental and social factors conducive to effective development and that allow policy space for partner countries to ensure food security, to build local and regional markets and; deems in this context that the implementation of the national treatment in investment treaties, whereby foreign investors will be accorded the same rights as domestic investors, will curb developing countries’ ability to give preferential treatment to domestic investors, such as small or infant enterprises; calls on the Commission to formulate a coherent strategy on the extraction of raw materials; considers that such a strategy can rendershould ensure that the extractive process is environmentally and socially sustainable by means of adherence to international standards and render itis economically sustainable by securing for those countries a fair amount of revenue and, if convenient, could also allow the preservation of commodities for later use;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Expresses its deep concern about the Commission’s objective to secure unrestricted supply of raw materials for EU companies; points out that such a strategy on raw materials is not consistent with the overarching goal of eradication of poverty and policy coherence as enshrined in Article 208 of the Lisbon Treaty, as it is likely to prevent countries from diversifying production, while reinforcing their dependence on unprocessed raw material exports; reasserts that the main priority of the EU should be to reduce its own consumption of raw materials;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Points out that the EU’s attempts to ban or curb the use of export taxes on raw materials goes against the objective of enabling countries to generate sufficient public revenue to meet MDGs and more broadly, to secure endogenous development; hence, urges the EU to acknowledge that export restrictions can be part of some countries’ development strategies or justified for environmental protection;