Activities of Michel DANTIN related to 2015/2105(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
A forward-looking and innovative future strategy for trade and investment (A8-0220/2016 - Tiziana Beghin) FR
Amendments (23)
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers the opening of new markets for EU agricultural productions, such as dairy products, meat and live animals (pig, poultry and bovine), and fruits and vegetables, to be of the utmost importance in the context of the current farming crisis and accordingly favours the balanced negotiation of bilateral or multilateral agreements with third countries, provided that the most sensitive sectors are adequately protected;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that Europe's agrofood industry is an efficient sector of the EU's economy which is distinguished by quality, diversity and innovation in production and which makes a vital contribution to food security;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. recalls the multifunctional nature of the agri-food sector and its specific sensitivities and constraints and demands that such sensitivities and constraints be considered in the conduct of EU trade policy;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. calls EU negotiators, in all free trade negotiations, such as those ongoing with the US and Mercosur, to strive to achieve a balanced result within the agricultural chapter of such negotiations with market access opportunities which are equivalent on both sides; invites them therefore to resist the temptation of cross concessions at the expense of European agriculture;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Oopposes any form of negotiation involving the treatment of European agriculture as an expendable bargaining chip and warns ofabout the cumulative effect of tariff concessions granted under different trade agreements, whether resulting from multilateral or bilateral negotiations or from autonomous schemes such as the GSP; points out that a zero rate of duty is imposed onalready applicable to 71 % of all EU agri- food imports;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas, in its trade policy and the trade negotiations it conducts, the European Union must take into account the sensitivity of certain sectors in terms of market opening, particularly the agricultural sector;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. considers that the free trade agreement about to be concluded with Canada and those currently under negotiation with the USA and Mercosur or envisaged with Australia and New Zealand will open up the EU market to the most competitive agricultural producers in the world and those with the greatest export potential ; calls therefore on the Commission to defend sensitive agricultural products in a appropriate way;
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Uurges the Commission to assess the impact on Europe of fresh trade concessions to third countries and forwardthoroughly assess the cumulative impact on the agri-food sector of current and pending trade concessions to third countries, especially with respect to sensitive products, and to submit its findings to the European Parliament before acceptmaking or makrevising any commercial offermarket access offer; recalls that the Commission also has to present an individual impact assessment for any new proposal for a trade agreement;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Calls for special protection for certain sensitive product sectors such as poultry, beef, pigmeat, cereals and sugar, which means excluding them from tariff reductions;
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes the view that trade agreements should ensure a considers that the EU trade strategy should be coherent with the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy as set out in the TFEU; warns in this regard against the risk of disrupting the "level playing field" between the differentEU and its tradinge partners in the agricultural sector, taking into account the high environmental, food safety and social costs to be met by European farmers, so as to ensure that the latter are able to benefit fully from the opening of new marketf free trade is introduced without any consideration for the domestic policies conducted on both sides and for the high costs borne by European farmers as a result of strict environmental, food safety and social standards;
Amendment 100 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Cconsiders that the protection of geographical indications should be a sine qua non in trade negotiations with third countries, especially the USA; calls on the Commission to stand firm on this matter and to not consider GI protection as a substitute for genuine market opening from the other party; considers that sensitive agricultural products should be excluded from any "cumulation of origins" for products imported from third countries with which the EU and its FTA's partners already have a free trade agreement in order to protect the real European origin in the agriculture, instead of opening the EU origin to third countries;
Amendment 105 #
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 and with other policies that have an external dimension; 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;
Amendment 119 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Sstresses the importance of progress regarding sanitary, phytosanitary barrierand other non-tariff barriers to agricultural trade, in all free trade negotiations, paying particular attention to the red lines drawn by the European Union that might have implications for the health of consumers.;
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. welcomes the realistic assessment of the Commission concerning the persistent lack of progress in the DDA; believes that, even if multilateral negotiations are indispensable, the DDA has clearly not met the expectations of the European agri-food sector despite unilateral concessions from the EU such as those made at the 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi; calls therefore on the EU to define a new and more effective strategy concerning multilateral negotiations at the WTO;
Amendment 132 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. believes that, in the conduct of trade negotiations affecting directly European agricultural interests, the Commissioner for agriculture should be recognised as a leading role on all agricultural aspects; considers also that, in the functioning of collegiality in the European Commission, no decision concerning the conclusion of trade agreements should ever be taken against this Commissioner's assessment of the fundamental interests of EU agriculture;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the Commission to improve the quality of both ex-ante and ex- post assessments and emphasises in particular that such impact assessments should take account of sensitive sectors and of the potential effects of any trade agreements on the outermost regions and their local production, so that specific measures can be put in place for the operators and produce concerned and potentially affected; stresses the need to always submit a deep sustainability impact assessment, including on human, social and environmental rights, for any trade policy initiative; expresses its concern at the lack of interim and ex-post assessments and that the quality of the existing ones is very low, as demonstrated in the European Court of Auditors Special Report 02/2014; insists that high-quality interim and ex-post evaluations be carried out in respect of all trade agreements in order to allow policymakers, stakeholders and European taxpayers to assess whether trade agreements have achieved the intended results; asks the Commission to provide data on the impact of the trade agreements which have been concluded with special regard to SMEs and the creation of jobs;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls on the Commission to focus in a balanced way on the conclusion of the ongoing trade negotiations in a spirit of reciprocity and mutual benefit, and to show the potential benefits of the concluded trade agreements before launching new FTA negotiations, while bearing in mind the sensitive nature of certain products and sectors; reminds the Commission to carry out a thorough, impartial and unprejudiced ex-ante evaluation of European interests before deciding on future FTA partners and negotiation mandates;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Underlines, particularly in the context of the current talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the EU- Japan FTA, the high importance for all trade negotiations of focusing on core sensitive issues such as the recognition and protection of geographical indications (GIs) andccess to public procurement and exclusion of public services and audiovisual services from negotiations when negotiating FTAs;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls on the Commission to start negotiations for an investment agreement with Taiwan in parallel with the one with China; underlines that, in the context of the migration challenges, special focus should be put on the post-Cotonou framework; asks for further impetus to be given to negotiating FTAs with both Australia and New Zealand all the while keeping in mind during said future negotiations that the agricultural sector is very sensitive, as noted in its resolution of 17 February 2016 on the opening of FTA negotiations with Australia and New Zealand;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Calls on the Commission to assess the possibilities and impact of cumulation, in particular for those sensitive products affected by quotas or liberalisation under ongoing negotiations or trade agreements already concluded; reiterates that exclusions for the most sensitive products should be examined on a case by case basis, as should limited volume quotas or appropriate transitional periods;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Stresses that further trade liberalisation measures require the EU to be able to respond even more effectively to unfair trading practices and ensure a level playing field; underlines that TDIs must remain an indispensable component of the EU’s trade strategy and enable greater competitiveness by re-establishing where necessary the conditions for fair competition; recalls that the current EU trade defence legislation dates back to 1995; stresses that the Union’s trade defence system needs to be modernised urgently without being weakened; points out that EU trade defence law must be more effective, accessible for SMEs and adapted to today’s challenges and trade patterns, and also increase transparency and predictability; regrets that the TDI modernisation proposal is blocked in the Council; regrets that the Commission does not refer at all to the need for TDI modernisation in its ‘Trade for All’ communication; calls on the Council to boost its efforts regarding TDI modernisation urgently, especially at a time when China is firmly requesting recognition of MES, and asks the Commission to present a new proposal;
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34a. Points out that the Commission has undertaken to exclude public services from EU trade agreements and reiterates that public services shall not figure in trade negotiations;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 b (new)
Paragraph 34 b (new)
34b. Reiterates that all trade negotiations shall respect the cultural exemption and exclude audiovisual services; reiterates the importance of being able to preserve, protect or promote cultural and linguistic diversity, abiding fully by the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions;