Activities of Marietje SCHAAKE related to 2014/2252(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on Annual reports 2012-2013 on subsidiarity and proportionality
Amendments (6)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the importance of the common commercial policy, in which the EU can leverage its scale for maximal impact in negotiations, and EU economic relations with third countries and regional organisations for EU growth and jobs; is therefore of the view that the principle of proportionality and, where applicable, subsidiarity should be duly respected also in these policy areas, particularly when trade agreements are required to be of a mixed nature;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Welcomes the Commission's initiative to seek clarity on the issue of mixity of trade agreements by referring the EU Singapore Free Trade Agreement to the European Court of Justice; Stresses that clarity should lay the foundations for a more effective negotiating position for the EU and for a speedier ratification procedure of trade agreements between the EU and third countries;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises the need to determine how the principle of subsidiarity should apply when trade policies include provisions on investments different from the foreign direct ones covered by the EU's exclusive competence under the common commercial policy as stated in the Treaty; notes namely the most recent controversies regarding the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the EU- Singapore Free Trade Agreement anddiscussions on investor-to-state dispute settlement and the European Commission's proposals to update and reform the current model, emphasises in this regard that the member states should also take responsibility for their part in this process, given their existing commitment through bilateral agreements with third countries; calls on the Member States to sign the UN Convention on Transparency in Treaty- based Investor-State Arbitration; calls for respect for the proportionality principle to be enforcrespected when bilateral safeguard clauses are negotiated and applied;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. With respect to EU financial assistance to other countries, namely macro-financial assistance, calls for a more in-depth ex- ante and ex post impact assessments regarding the proportionality of the proposed measures in order for the assistance to be efficient and genuinely helpful to our partners in need; insists on the necessity of establishing greater conditionality for disbursement of the assistance, including human rights conditionality clauses and proper control of the use of the funds, including substantial scrutiny by Parliament, as well a strong integration of the EU's external instruments, combining trade, development and foreign and security policy; stresses that member states have to show more commitment in this regard;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes with regret that the Commission's ex-ante impact assessments of envisaged far-reaching trade agreements often prove to be excessively optimistic and raise false hopes about their positive impact on EU citizens and businesses, in particular on SMEs; points out that the assessment of economic, social and environmental implications is carried out only after the launch of negotiations in the form of the so-called sustainabilitythat existing preferential trade agreements have shown that they can be beneficial for the European economy, and lead to growth and jobs; Stresses that the effects of trade agreements depend on the outcome of negotiations and that impact projections therefore are always based on certain assumptions; Stresses that carrying out impact assessment;s is convinced that these two assessment tools should be merged so as tonot only a task for the Commission, but that the Member States should also play a key role in assessing the economic, social and environmental implications bpotential benefits and impacts of prefoere launching trade negotiations, and calls on Parliament and the Commission to fully cooperate in this regardntial trade agreements for their own economy;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points out the utmost importance of proper consultation, dialogue and involvement of citizens (starting at grass- roots level), businesses (namely SMEs) and civil society in the EU decision- making process for trade policy.