Activities of Marietje SCHAAKE related to 2017/2271(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the state of EU-US relations PDF (377 KB) DOC (81 KB)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the state of EU-US relations
Amendments (43)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that the US was the largest market for EU exports and the second- largest source of EU imports in 2017; notes that there are differences in the trade deficits and surpluses between the EU and the US for trade in goods, trade in services, digital trade and foreign direct investment; emphasizes that the EU-US partnership is one of the most important drivers of global economic growth, trade, and prosperity;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Takes note of President Trump’s announcement in March 2018 to impose import tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium on illegitimate grounds of national security; notes the exemptions to these tariffs granted to a number of countries, including Canada and Mexico; regrets that the EU has so far only been temporarily exempted until June 1st 2018; reiterates that the EU, as a political, military and economic ally of the United States, should be granted a full and permanent exemption to the measures; emphasises that the on-going uncertainty only adds to market volatility and has negative economic consequences for business and consumers both in Europe and the United States;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Takes note of the United States' decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA); regrets the effect this decision will have on European companies doing business in Iran through the likely extraterritorial impact of secondary sanctions; welcomes the actions announced by the European Commission on May 18th to preserve the EU's autonomous policy space, the interests of European companies investing in Iran and which demonstrate the EU's commitment to the JCPOA;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls the central role the WTO plays within the multilateral system; reiterates its support for the WTO’s role withfurther strengthening the multilateral system; calls ontrading system; supports the work undertaken by the Commission to work with the US on a positive response to the current institutional and systemic challenges;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to engage with otherStresses the role of the WTO in settling trade related disputes; calls on all WTO members to ensure the proper functioning of the WTO Dispute Settlement System and to explore ways of reforming it in order to overcome the current impasse on; regrets in this regard the blocking of new nominations to filling the vacancies in the Appellate Body, if necessary excluding the US which threatens the very functioning of the WTO dispute settlement system; calls on the Commission and all WTO members to explore ways to overcome this impasse;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas in a global, complex and increasingly multipolar world, the EU and the US should continue to play key constructive roles by strengthening and upholding international law, promoting and protecting fundamental rights and principles and jointly addressing regional conflicts and global challenges;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. While regretting the lack of results at the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11), welcomes the signature of the joint statement on elimination of unfair market-distorting and protectionist practices by the US, the EU and Japan, which was also highlighted in the Statement by the G20 in July 2017; calls on the EU and US in this regards to continue working together to address unfair trading practices such as discrimination, limiting market access, dumping and subsidies;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to establish a work plan with the US and other WTO members on the elimination of distorting subsidies in the cotton sector and in the fisheries sector (relating in particular to IUU fishing); calls for ambition and cooperation in advancing the multilateral agenda on new issues such as e-commerce and trade and gender, digital trade including digital development as well as gender and environmental aspects of trade;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls for the EU and the US to pool resources to fight unfair trade policies and practices, while respecting multilateral rules and the dispute settlement process in the WTO and avoiding unilateral actions; deeply regrets, therefore, the uncertainty in the international trading system caused by the US’s reliance on instruments and policy tools (e.g. Section 232 from 1992, Section 301 from 1974) that were created before the creation of the WTO and its dispute settlement system; notes in this regard that the US decision to impose steel and aluminium tariffs under section 232 cannot be justified on the grounds of national security;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Commends the EU and the US for the good bilateral cooperation on a wide range of other regulatory issues, as evidenced by the recently concluded bilateral agreement on prudential measures regarding insurance and re-insurance or the mutual recognition agreement on recognition of inspections of medicines manufacturers;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls andthat the EU and US are political, economic and military allies; insists that the longstanding EU-US partnership is based on sharing and promoting together common values including freedom, rule of law, peace, democracy, equality, rules- and values-based trade, market economy, social justice and respect for the rule of law and human rights, including minority rights, both online and offline, as well as collective security;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for the EU and the US to agree on a joint framework for digital trade which respects EU legislation on the protection of personal dataithout prejudice to the EU's data protection and data privacy rules;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Shares the US concerns regarding global steel overcapacity; is at the same time convinced that unilateral, WTO- incompatible measures will only undermine the integrity of a rules-based trading order; underlines that even a permanent EU exemption from the US tariffs cannot legitimise this course of action; Calls on the Commission to cooperate with the US in strengthening the efforts to fight steel overcapacity within the framework of the G20 Global Forum.
Amendment 55 #
2. Highlights that the EU-US relationship is the fundamental guarantor for global stability and has been the cornerstone of our efforts to ensure peace and stability for our societies since the end of the Second World War, and stronger multilateral economic cooperation and trades well as the building up of a multilateral economic and trade system based on rules and values; believes that the current ‘America first’ policy will harmbe detrimental to the interests of bnoth only the EU and the US but to stability and prosperity globally;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Reiterates its support for the EU’s comprehensive strategy that considers all legitimate policy responses to address the thcalls that the EU stands for an undistorted market economy as well as open values- and rule-based and fair trade; reiterates its support for the Commission strategy in response to the current trade policy of the United States, while complying with the rules of the multilateral trading system; calls for unity among all EU member states in addressing this situation; recalls that under no circumstance will the EU negotiate any sort of trade agreement under threat; reiterates that the EU stands reatdy to the EU economy and the globwork with the United States on trade related issues of mutual concerns within the rules of the multilateral trading system;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that the partnership goes far beyond stricto sensu foreign policy and trade issues and also includes other topics such as (cyber) security, economic, digital and financial issues, climate change, energy, culture as well as science and technology; stresses that these issues are closely interlinked and should be considered under the same overarching framework;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is concerned about therecent diverging views on addressingthe manner in which global issues and regional conflicts that have appeared sinceshould be addressed; is worried about the elffection of President Trump; seeks clarity as to whethers these developments have on the transatlantic relationship, which whas been defined over decades, still has the same relevance todayand strengthened over decades of cooperation; stresses that the values-based overarching framework of our partnership is essential to securupholding and further strengthening the architecture of the global economy and international security;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Expresses its concern over the continued use of the death penalty in the US as well as the continued use of prolonged or indefinite solitary confinement in the US penitentiary system in the United States; reiterates the EU’s strong and principled position against the death penalty and in favour of a universal moratorium on capital punishment with a view to its global abolition;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls the high potential and the strategic interest of this partnership for both the US and the EU in aiming to achievestrategic interest both the US and the EU have in the trans- Atlantic partnership, which allows them to work towards mutual prosperity and, security and to strengthen a rules- and values-based global order; calls therefore for the fostering of our dialogue and engagement on all aspecelements of this partnership; highlights thatreiterates that in an increasingly interconnected world, our decisions and actions also have an impact on the global economy and international security architecture, and the interests of both partners;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines that the EU and the US are each other’s most important partners and that unilateral moves serveand opportunistic moves only to weaken the transatlantic partnership, which has to be a partnership of equals based on dialogue;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the VP/HR, the Council, the Commission and the EU Member States to enhance their coordination of EU policy vis-à-vis the US administration, so as to send out a convincing message that the EU is a coherentmake a connection between the various EU policy areas that relate to transatlantic cooperation, in order to present the EU as a unified and effective international player with a coherent message;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for an EU-US Summit to be held as soon as possible to decide on a common agenda on bilateral matters and global and regional issuesReiterates the EU's willingness to work with the United States on issues of mutual concern; recalls however that the EU will not negotiate under pressure; calls for an EU-US Summit to be held as soon as possible in an effort to overcome current challenges and to continue working on issues of mutual, regional and global concern; calls on the EU to seek avenues to increase our cooperation with decentralised US bodies and actors as well as increased engagement with the private sector in the US;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Insists that a structured dialogue on foreign policy at transatlantic level, involving also the EP and the US Congress, is key to thestrengthening transatlantic architsectureity cooperation and calls for an expansion of the foreign policy scope of the EU-US dialogue;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the ongoing and uninterrupted work of the TLD in fostering EU-US relations through parliamentary dialogue and coordination on issues of common interest; reiterates the importance of people to people contact and dialogue for strengthening transatlantic relations;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recalls that both in the EU and the US, our societies are strongdemocratic and resilient because they are built on a plurality of actors, including among others our governments, parliaments, various political institutions, civil society organisations, a free press and independent media and religious groups; highlights that we should foster links across the Atlantic to promote the merits of our transatlantic partnership, including by allocating appropriate funding, at different levels and not only focusing on the East and West Coasts;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Insists that the EU and the US should continue playing key constructive roles by jointly addressing regional conflicts and global challenges; recalls the importance of multilateralism in tackling global issues and insists that these should be addressed in the relevant international forums; is therefore concerned that recent decisions of the US – disengagement from key international agreements, disenrollment from international forums, the undermining international rules and the fomenting of trade tensions – may diverge from these common values and put strain on the relationship;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes noteStresses that other major world powers, such as Russia and China, have robustdeveloped political and economic strategies, many of which may go against our values, and it is therefore essential to foster the EU-US partnership, to continue to promote our common values, including compliance with international law, and to set up a joint which seek to undermine the rules based global order and go directly against our values; recalls that such developments make EU-US cooperation all the more essential in order to be able to continue upholding open societies, promote and protect our common rights, principles and values, including compliance with international law; calls in this respect for increased coordination between the US and EU sanctions policyies;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines that security is multi- faceted and intertwined and that its definition not only covers military but also environmental, energy, trade, cyber and communications, health, development, accountability and humanitarian, etc. aspects; therefore underlines that a transatlantic trade agreement, balanced and mutually beneficial, would have an impact that would go far beyond trinsists that such security issues should be tackled jointly through a broade and economic aspects; insists that security issues should be tackled jointly through a broad approach; in thisoperative approach; in this context, is concerned about unilateral US military action in countries such as Syria and Yemen as well as the export of US arms to countries in which those arm supplies run directly countext, isr to EU policies; is also concerned about budget cut decisions, for example the cuts on state building in Afghanistan and the 50 % US budget cut to development aid in Africa; , the cuts to humanitarian aid and accountability mechanisms for Syria and the 50 % US budget cut to development aid in Africa as well as the reinstatement of the “global gag” rule which obliges US-funded foreign NGOs to certify that they will not perform or actively promote abortion;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses the importance of cooperation, coordination and synergy effects in the field of security and defence and insists that burden sharing should not be solely focused on the target of spending 2 % of GDP on defence; statwelcomes the fact that defence is becoming a higher priority area for the EU and its Member States, which generates more military efficiencies to the benefit of both the EU and NATO; emphasises that NATO is still crucial for the collective defence of Europe;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on the EU to strengthen and speed up the European Defence Union with a view to creating more synergies in defence spending; insists that more defence cooperation at EU level strengthens the European contribution within the NATO alliance and reinforces our transatlantic bond; supports, therefore, the recent efforts to step up the European defence architecture, including the European Defence Fund and the newly established Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO); stresses that PESCO is of common interest to both the EU and NATO and should be a driver for further cooperation between the two organisations in capabilities development, as with regards to military mobility; notes that after Brexit, the EU will be deprived of its second-largest defence spender and80% of NATO’s defence spending will be non-EU;
Amendment 217 #
18. Reiterates the need for the EU and the US to enhance their cooperation in the field of cybersecurity and defence including in working together to establish norms for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace; considers it vital that the EU and NATO step up the sharing of intelligence in order to enable the formal attribution of cyber-attacks and consequently enable the imposing t of restrictive sanctions for those responsible for cyber-attacks;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Calls on the US Congress to include the European Parliament in its cyber threat information sharing program with the parliaments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Britain in the run up to the European election in 2019;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Reiterates that net neutrality is enshrined in EU law; regrets the decision by the Federal Communications Commission to reverse net neutrality rules; welcomes the recent vote of the US senate to reverse this decision; calls on the US Congress to follow this decision in order to maintain an open, safe and secure internet that does not allow for the discriminatory treatment of internet content online;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Emphasises that an important part of strengthening EU-US counter-terrorism efforts includes the protection of critical infrastructure as well as a comprehensive approach to fighting terrorism, also via coordination in global forums; expresses its concern over the recent appointment of Ms Gina Haspel as director of the Central Intelligence Agency given her poor human rights track record, including her complicity in the CIA rendition and secret detention program;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses that the EU is committed to strengthening thedemocracy, human rights, the rule of law, prosperity, stability, resilience and security of its neighbours first hand through non-military means, notably through the implementation of association agreements;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Reiterates its commitment to international laws and universal values, and in particular accountability, nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful resolution of disputes; underlines that the consistency of our nuclear non- proliferation strategy is key for our credibility as a key global player and negotiator;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Is concerned about US security and trade policy in East and Southeast Asia, including the political vacuum resulting from its TPP withdrawal, and welcomes the active trade policy of the EU in this part of the world, also for sake of political balancereiterates the importance of constructive EU engagement in East and Southeast Asia, amongst others through its trade policy;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Calls for enhanced cooperation between the EU and the US on the peaceful resolution of regional conflicts ands well as the proxy war in Syria a; reiterates the lack of a common strategy could undermine the peaceful resolution of conflicts and invitescalls on all parties involved to refrain fromin the conflict in Syria to refrain from violence and any other actions that might aggravate the situation; reaffirms the primacy of the UN- led Geneva process in the resolution of the Syrian conflict, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, negotiated by the parties to the conflict and with the support of key international and regional actors; calls for the full implementation and respect of the UN Security Council Resolutions which are being violated by the countries of the Astana negotiations; urges increase EU-US cooperation, both bilaterally and in international for a in order to ensure that those responsible for grave human rights violations such as crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide will be held to account;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Recalls that the EU supports the resumption of a meaningful Middle East Peace Process towards a two-state solution and insists that any action that would undermine these efforts must be avoided; underlines that the question of Jerusalem must be part of a final peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians and regrets in this regards the unilateral US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; stresses that the joint road map should the strengthened;
Amendment 354 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Reiterates that we have shared interests in Africa where we must intensify our support for good governance, democracy, human rights, sustainable development and security issues;
Amendment 357 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Points to our common political, economic and security interests with regard to the economic policies of countries such as China and Russia and recalls that joint efforts, including at the WTO, could be helpful to address imbalances in global trade deals with foreign ambitions, as on Ukraine and on the silk road and its dispute settlement bodies are essential in order to address the current imbalances in global trade; calls therefore on the US administration to refrain from further blocking the nomination of judges on the WTO appellate body;
Amendment 385 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Regrets the US’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement but praises the continued efforts of individuals, companies, cities and states within the US to uphold their commitments;