Progress: Procedure completed
Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
---|---|---|---|
Lead | INTA | KAMALL Syed ( PPE-DE) | |
Committee Opinion | ECON | SCHMIDT Olle ( ALDE) | |
Committee Opinion | IMCO | BUŞOI Cristian-Silviu ( ALDE) |
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54
Legal Basis:
RoP 54Subjects
Events
The European Parliament adopted by 525 votes to 77, with 7 abstentions, a resolution on trade in services.
The own initiative report had been tabled for consideration in plenary by Syed KAMALL (EPP-ED, UK) on behalf of the Committee on International Trade.
The resolution recalls that services make up an increasing percentage of GDP. In 2007, the total percentage of the share of GDP in the EU25 was comprised of more than 75% for the service sector, whereas, in the same year, the share of GDP for services was around 78% for North America, 52% for Africa and 60% for Asia. MEPs are convinced that services play an important role in every economy and consider that a wider opening of access to the services market is important not only for developed countries, but also for developing countries.
Progressive and reciprocal liberalisation : drawing attention to the high level of external competitiveness of European services providers, the Parliament calls on the Commission to pursue, in trade negotiations, both the progressive and reciprocal liberalisation of services and a policy of increased transparency and predictability of rules and regulations, accompanied by strict rules and sanctions to fight against corruption and monopolies, so that citizens and entrepreneurs of both parties to an agreement can have access to a wider range of services.
MEPs also reiterate the need to address the interaction between trade and social issues by recalling that: (i) an international trade system which serves the needs of development and poverty reduction should also contribute to social progress and decent employment; (ii) trade rules should not impinge on the social standards established by the ILO; (iii) the fight against all forms of labour exploitation (prohibition of forced labour and child labour, in particular), together with respect for trade union freedoms, is vital to the organisation of a fair trade system that serves the interests of everyone.
The Commission is called upon to take the different Member State and developing country interests into account when negotiating commitment schedules. MEPs consider that the EU cannot and should not impose a one-size-fits-all model on other countries and that it must take the different stages of development into account when calling for the deregulation and liberalisation of services.
Furthermore, the resolution acknowledges states' sovereignty and thus their right to regulate in all areas of services including in the area of public services , irrespective of whether commitments have been undertaken in the framework of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATS), provided that any such regulations are made in conformity with GATS. MEPs also encourage compliance with environmental and quality standards in a reasonable and objective manner, without constituting unnecessary barriers to trade.
Doha Development Round and GATS : MEPs recall that these negotiations take place in the framework of the single undertaking principle and, therefore, have to be balanced against interests put forward in other areas of negotiations. They consider that negotiations on trade in services must serve both the interests of the EU and the economic growth of the poorest countries. The resolution also stresses the need to allow developing countries political space regarding the level of reciprocity in the opening up of trade by enabling them to decide for themselves the depth and the speed at which liberalisation may be pursued.
Bilateral and regional agreements : the Parliament encourages a clear and ambitious level of commitments in the upcoming bilateral and regional trade agreements and stresses the importance of including therein provisions relating to human rights and social standards. It supports specifically the agreement on the Movement of natural persons (Mode 4) in the EU-CARIFORUM agreement, considering this to be a means of avoiding the brain drain. It also calls for universal, accessible, sustainable and affordable public services with high-quality standards to be ensured for all. The resolution stresses that, when full Economic Partnership Agreements with the ACP countries are to be finalised, they could cover not only goods but also services and investment, but only if this is the wish of those countries.
With regards to the negotiation of the EU-Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Agreement (FTA), MEPs consider that aspects of the agreement affecting public procurement, investments and services should recognise the varying level of development of ASEAN members.
Specific sectoral issues : the resolution underlines the need to deal with a certain number of specific sectoral issues, such as: the commitments of WTO members with regards to the water distribution sector; balanced trade in cultural services; respecting the protection of intellectual property rights; assistance for the tourism sector through development cooperation and technical assistance; strengthening the security of electronic transactions and trade and stronger action against counterfeiting; taking full account of the existence of general interest services and the potential impact of market opening on their organisation.
The European Commission is called upon to pursue a balanced package with an ambitious offer in services, especially in financial services, where the EU has competitive expertise and has strong potential for growth. The Commission must also promote better access to financial services in developing countries (micro credits, access to bank accounts, basic banking services, mortgages, leasing and factoring, insurance, pensions and local and international transfers) and encourage sound prudential regulation, the development of competitive markets and financial services education.
The Committee on International Trade adopted an own initiative report by Syed KAMALL (EPP-ED, UK) on trade in services.
The report stresses that the total percentage of the share of GDP in the EU25 in 2007 was comprised of more than 75% for the service sector, whereas, in the same year, the share of GDP for services was around 78% for North America, 52% for Africa and 60% for Asia. The European Union is the world's largest exporter and the biggest service provider with more than 28% of total global exports. Convinced, that services constitute the backbone of every economy, MEPs reiterate that liberalisation of services is therefore important not only for developed countries, but particularly for developing countries .
Drawing attention to the high level of external competitiveness of European services providers, the report calls on the Commission to pursue, in trade negotiations, both the progressive and reciprocal liberalisation of services and a policy of increased transparency and predictability of rules and regulations and rigorous sanctions in order to combat corruption and monopolies.
MEPs also reiterate the need to address the interaction between trade and social issues by recalling that: (i) an international trade system which serves the needs of development and poverty reduction should also contribute to social progress and decent employment; (ii) trade rules should not impinge on the social standards established by the ILO; (iii) the fight against all forms of labour exploitation (prohibition of forced labour and child labour, in particular), together with respect for trade union freedoms, is vital to the organisation of a fair trade system that serves the interests of everyone.
The Commission is called upon to take the different Member State and developing country interests into account when negotiating commitment schedules. MEPs consider that the EU cannot and should not impose a one-size-fits-all model on other countries and that it must take the different stages of development into account when calling for the deregulation and liberalisation of services.
Furthermore, the committee acknowledges states' sovereignty and thus their right to regulate in all areas of services including in the area of public services , irrespective of whether commitments have been undertaken in the framework of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATS), provided that any such regulations are made in conformity with GATS. MEPs also encourage compliance with environmental and quality standards in a reasonable and objective manner, without constituting unnecessary barriers to trade.
The report also stresses that an effectively functioning internal market in services is important for the global competitiveness of EU enterprises and calls for the timely and correct implementation and transposition of Community legislation, including Directive 2006/123/EC on services in the internal market.
In terms of the Doha Development Round , the report recalls that Article XIX of the GATS states that ‘members shall enter into successive rounds of negotiations, beginning not later than five years from the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement and periodically thereafter, with a view to achieving a progressively higher level of liberalisation’. MEPs recall that these negotiations take place in the framework of the single undertaking principle and that, as a result, it is necessary to ensure a balance with the interests defended in other areas of negotiation.
The report also recalls that each state is free to liberalise any service sector and stresses the need to leave developing countries a degree of freedom concerning the degree of reciprocity in opening exchanges by letting them decide on their rate of liberalisation.
MEPs encourage a quick resolution on the package of modalities on negotiations on agriculture and on Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) so as to move on with the negotiations on GATS. They welcome, in this respect, the announcement of a signalling conference to advance the stalled Doha Development Round negotiations on services.
The committee encourages a clear and ambitious level of commitments in the currently negotiated and upcoming bilateral and regional trade agreements . It considers that trade in services is a vehicle for development provided that a solid and transparent national normative framework is put in place for services. In this regard, the committee notes the results achieved in the Economic Partnership Agreement with the Caribbean Forum of ACP States (CARIFORUM).
Lastly, the report stresses the need to deal with a certain number of specific sectoral issues , such as: support for the development of solid national rules for the service sector in countries such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda; commitments among WTO members on the water distribution sector; balanced trade in cultural services, respecting the protection of intellectual property rights; assistance for the tourism sector through development cooperation and technical assistance; stronger action against counterfeiting or even the progressive opening of the financial services sector in developing countries.
Documents
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2008)6486
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2008)6073
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament: T6-0407/2008
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A6-0283/2008
- Committee report tabled for plenary: A6-0283/2008
- Committee opinion: PE404.510
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE407.724
- Committee opinion: PE404.423
- Committee draft report: PE405.975
- Committee draft report: PE405.975
- Committee opinion: PE404.423
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE407.724
- Committee opinion: PE404.510
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A6-0283/2008
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2008)6073
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2008)6486
Activities
- Timothy KIRKHOPE
Plenary Speeches (2)
- Inés AYALA SENDER
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Wolfgang BULFON
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Christine DE VEYRAC
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Robert EVANS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Małgorzata HANDZLIK
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Stanisław JAŁOWIECKI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Georg JARZEMBOWSKI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Eva LICHTENBERGER
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Mario MAURO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- James NICHOLSON
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Zita PLEŠTINSKÁ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Reinhard RACK
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Mechtild ROTHE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Gilles SAVARY
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Brian SIMPSON
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Ulrich STOCKMANN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Silvia-Adriana ȚICĂU
Plenary Speeches (1)
- MARIAN ZLOTEA
Plenary Speeches (1)
Votes
Rapport Kamall A6-0283/2008 - am. 2 #
Rapport Kamall A6-0283/2008 - am. 5 #
Rapport Kamall A6-0283/2008 - am. 11 #
Rapport Kamall A6-0283/2008 - résolution #
Amendments | Dossier |
151 |
2008/2004(INI)
2008/04/23
IMCO
12 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls that services account for more than three quarters of the European economy and that many services are vital for competitiveness and innovation in other
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Welcomes the Commissions' emphasis on ensuring that the positive effects of globalisation are passed on to consumers; stresses that, in combination with a high level of consumer protection, fair competition in services is crucial to ensure that consumers benefit from the European open market.
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Stresses the need for a Community framework directive on public services which takes account of the particular nature of public services and ensures the protection thereof for the benefit of all European citizens.
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Trade in services within the internal market must develop in such a way as to guarantee social cohesion in the European Union and secure high quality public services while ensuring the more effective monitoring of service standards.
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. In establishing fair trade in services it is necessary to ensure compliance with the principles set out in Article 2 of the EC Treaty;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Takes the view that an effectively functioning internal market in services is important for the global competitiveness of
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Believes a
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Points out that freedom of establishment and the free movement of services must not oblige Member States to liberalise services of general economic interest or to privatise public bodies providing this type of service; account must be taken of the above so as to ensure progress in the current World Trade Organisation (WTO) round of negotiations;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Notes that the lack of skilled workers is an emerging challenge for the service sector in Europe and that there is a need to develop measures to tackle this, inter alia by way of
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Welcomes the Commissions' emphasis on ensuring that the positive effects of globalisation are passed on to consumers, while at the same time seeking to avoid the sometimes unfavourable impact of globalisation, resulting in increased inequalities between individuals and encouraging the concentration of wealth; stresses that fair competition in services is crucial to ensure that consumers benefit from the European open market.
source: PE-405.753
2008/04/29
ECON
26 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 (new) -1. Notes that services, in particular financial services, affect many fields of competence and underlines that the focus of this Resolution is on trade in services, i.e. achieving market access by the voluntary opening of markets through the request and offer method of negotiations; suggests that areas such as financial supervision, regulation and other issues dealing with different aspects of financial services should be dealt with in the appropriate forum;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Notes that
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Notes that with
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Notes that within financial services, the EU has one of the most open markets in the world, but underlines that the European Union has to pursue more offensive trade in services negotiations and endorse the principles of openness, development and, in particular, reciprocity;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Stresses the importance of financial service authorities successfully keeping pace with all developments on the European and global financial services markets; calls on the Commission and the Member States to enhance the European regulatory frameworks as well as to intensify the regulatory dialogue between the European Union and its trading partners;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Points out that, in the financial markets sector, regulation and supervision play a part in competition and calls on the Commission to be vigilant with regard to unfair practices;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Calls on the Commission to combat the ‘offshore’ practices of third countries which jeopardise a mutually beneficial opening up of markets;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 d (new) 3d. Draws the Commission’s attention to the extraterritorial nature of some measures, particularly in the financial services area, that may be adopted by the EU’s partners and do not comply with the spirit or the letter of reciprocity in the opening up of markets;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Calls on Member States to work towards a more integrated and coherent trade policy with the Commission, in particular in the area of investments;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Calls on Member States to work towards a more integrated and coherent trade policy
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Strongly supports the Commission's view that market access, in particular free trade in services, is an essential component of the Lisbon agenda for growth and jobs; underlines that well-regulated free trade in services benefits all participating countries and regions;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Draws the Commission’s attention to the potential risks, with regard to compliance with the competition rules within the European Union, of the lack of reciprocity in the WTO agreement on public procurement;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Calls on the Commission to take stronger action against counterfeiting, particularly via the Internet, among other measures by encouraging better cooperation between national administrations;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Supports the Commission's strong support for multilateral trade negotiations
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Underlines that effective market access for financial services creates better opportunities for competition, transparency and diversification; notes that, in the emerging economies in particular, effective market access could lead to a stronger local financial market development for the benefit of firms wishing to establish themselves, as well as provide consumers with more choice and better products;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Mindful of the weak financial, administrative and institutional capacity of the ACP countries, invites the Commission to ensure respect for the internationally agreed standards for regulation and supervision in the financial services sector when negotiating and implementing trade agreements with countries that are considered to be tax havens;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls on the Commission, in the context of both the multilateral WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and bilateral negotiations, not to enter into new market access commitments in sensitive areas of public general interest services; points out that in particular the EU and the Member States must continue to maintain their unlimited right to regulate general interest services in the public interest;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Considers that access to financial services (micro credits, access to bank accounts
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Notes that European companies are increasingly active internationally, that global economic growth is, to a large extent, driven by third countries, and that improved market access would therefore contribute towards strengthening the European Union's competitiveness;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Considers that trade in services is a necessary complement to trade in goods and that they should not be considered as distinct from one another;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Considers that the service economy has become the most quantitatively important economic sector in the OECD economies and that increased trade and availability of services will increase economic growth and facilitates business growth and development, improving the performance of other industries, as services provide key intermediate inputs especially in an increasingly interlinked globalised world;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Recognises that achieving market access for services is a difficult process within the ongoing Doha Development Agenda negotiations; calls on the Commission to pursue within the multilateral WTO framework a balanced package with an ambitious offer in services, especially in financial services, where the European Union has a strong potential for growth which should go hand in hand with the concomitant development of effective supervision systems;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Recognises that achieving market access for services is a difficult process within the ongoing WTO/Doha Development Agenda
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Recognises that achieving market access for services is a difficult process within the ongoing Doha Development Agenda negotiations; calls on the Commission to pursue a balanced package with an ambitious offer in services, especially in financial services, where the European Union has competitive expertise and a strong potential for growth;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Commission to take full account in trade negotiations of the existence of general interest services and the potential impact of market opening on their organisation;
source: PE-405.915
2008/06/04
INTA
113 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas the European Union is the most competitive actor regarding trade in services; whereas the Union is the world's largest exporter and the biggest service provider with more than 28% of the world total export and its transnational undertakings therefore ha
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas services are only partly tradable and therefore cannot be compared to trade in goods; whereas trade in services
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Notes that no WTO member has yet made any commitments on the water distribution sector
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22.
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Underlines the importance of cultural services, such as the audiovisual, musical and publishing sectors for both European industries and for our trading partners; calls on the Commission to ensure that trade in cultural services is therefore better balanced, while respecting the protection of intellectual property rights;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Notes that in some countries such as Pakistan and India the private
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Believes that opening up the market in financial services in developing countries
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Believes that, on the basis of prior established sound and transparent domestic regulation, a cautious and phased opening up of the market in financial services in developing countries may offer
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 a (new) Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas trade in services so far
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 b (new) 25b. Calls on the Commission, in the light of the current financial crisis, to withdraw its request to Brazil, Chile and India and other countries to liberalise according to the far-reaching GATS' Understanding on Commitments in Financial Services' which requires that foreign financial service providers be given permission to introduce any kind of new financial service, until the FSF has made precise recommendations about the required regulatory supervision;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 c (new) 25c. Calls on the "Friends of Financial Services" led by Canada to withdraw, in the light of the current financial crisis, their request on various developing countries to permanently open their markets for trade in "derivative products including, but not limited to, futures and options", as well as investment banking and asset management, given that these products are not yet adequately regulated, thereby contributing to financial instability;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 d (new) 25d. Calls especially on raw materials producing developing countries to not engage in new commitments in financial services which would prevent them from intervening in their domestic financial markets to curb speculative activities and financial products, including derivative trading in commodities and food in times of crises and rising prices;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 e (new) 25e. Warns against the further weakening of prudential measures in the financial service sector through proposed language in the GATS Working Party on Domestic Regulation requiring service regulations to be made "as simple as possible”, thus increasing the uncertainty on whether measures that are introduced to avoid a financial crisis and adapt a country to changing circumstances might be considered as restrictions to trade;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas trade in services so far
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas the development of quality employment is accompanied by a quantitative increase in jobs; notes that it is in the services sector that the highest level of enforced part-time and precarious employment is being created and that, for the development of this economic sector, account must be taken of ILO recommendations,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas services, especially in sectors such as health, education and business support, contribute decisively to the basic functioning and the social fabric of a society; whereas, with information technology advancing rapidly, an increasing percentage of service jobs not requiring personal presence becomes subject to offshore outsourcing; whereas the liberalisation of trade in services therefore is a sensitive issue in most countries,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D b (new) Db. whereas social services of general interest such as health and education are essential to the principles of the European social model and must also be taken into account for the purposes of international trade,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the multilateral trading system,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas the liberalisation of services had the following results: - the poorest or most isolated sections of the population have been deprived of essential services, the latter having been reserved for the more affluent, - national and regional service providers have gone into liquidation, - capital from the sale of services has been exported instead of being reinvested into the region providing the service,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas GATS is a
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas the European Union is the most competitive actor regarding trade in services; whereas the Union is the world's largest exporter and the biggest service provider with more than 28% of the world total export and therefore has a strong interest in ensuring that
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas GATS is and must be the multilateral framework for the regulation of trade in services; whereas this does not prohibit states and notably the EU from negotiating bilateral agreements which have further
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) Fa. whereas GATS is a source of concern for European citizens; whereas, therefore, transparency in the negotiation process and evaluation of the impact of liberalisation in the services sector are essential,
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) Fa. whereas Article V of the GATS requires substantial liberalisation of services, thereby preventing the selective liberalisation of sectors genuinely needing foreign investment; taking the view in addition that the provision authorising greater flexibility for developing countries is not being implemented to a sufficient degree by the EU,
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F b (new) Fb. whereas the services sector encompasses different types of service of varying importance in terms of essential human needs and the public wellbeing; takes the view therefore that certain services, for example those which are of a non-commercial nature and not motivated purely by profit, must be respected,
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F c (new) Fc. whereas certain products such as water must be considered as a world resource belonging to all and related services should therefore be given special status in so far as they have a considerable direct impact on the day-to- day life of the population and contribute to sustainable development,
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G G. whereas an efficient services infrastructure is
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G G. whereas
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G a (new) Ga. whereas, in numerous developing countries, service infrastructures, particularly for health education, have been dismantled following structural adjustment policies imposed by international financial institutions. These basic services, which are a precondition for development, are in many cases to be restored with the support of the international PDA,
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G b (new) Gb. whereas the developing countries agreed at Marrakech to commence negotiations on services subject to total flexibility as to whether the negotiations would include or exclude any services sector,
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G c (new) Gc. whereas trade in services can represent a major social and economic development instrument if countries are able to protect their markets initially, progressively opening them up when they have a firm institutional framework in place, accompanied by clearly defined social and environmental rules and clear wealth redistribution mechanisms,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas, in view of its economic weight, the EU has a particular responsibility to ensure that international trade facilitates the harmonious development of the various sectors of the economy, that the liberalisation of services does not hamper development, or destroy any sectors of the local economy or public services and that the poorest sectors of the population are not excluded from financial services as a result of the liberalisation thereof,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas the WTO's agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) are frameworks setting out the conditions for trade in goods; whereas obstacles to trade and behind-
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas obstacles to trade and behind the border barriers not only
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H a (new) Ha. whereas in opening up the services market a clear distinction should be made between industrialised countries and developing countries and between the individual developing countries in order to take into account different levels of development,
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H b (new) Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph -1 (new) -1. Notes that international trade geared to development and poverty reduction must also contribute to social progress and quality employment; trade regulations must comply with ILO social standards; measures to combat all forms of exploitation at the workplace (prohibiting forced labour and child labour in particular), together with respect for trade union liberties, are essential for balanced trade in the interest of all; reaffirms the need to examine the interaction between trade and social issues;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph -1 a (new) -1a. Stresses the need for a differentiated approach to the opening of the market in services of general interest; points out that social services of a general interest such as health and education should not be liberalised in the same way as tertiary trade sectors in view of their specific contribution to social protection and solidarity;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Draws attention to the high level of external competitiveness of European services providers; calls on the Commission to pursue, in trade
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Draws attention to the high level of external competitiveness of European services providers
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Draws attention to the high level of external competitiveness of European services providers; calls on the Commission to pursue, in trade negotiations, both the progressive and reciprocal liberalisation of services and a policy of increased transparency and predictability of rules and regulations, accompanied by strict rules and sanctions to fight against corruption and monopolies, in order that citizens and entrepreneurs of developing countries can have access to a wider range of services, some of which may be provided by highly competitive European services providers;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas economic development is based on three sectors of equal importance for the purposes of growth: agriculture, industry and the tertiary (services) sector; to ensure human development and sustainable development, the three sectors must be given balanced support,
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Fully recognises the existing distinction among the different nature of services, with or without economic and market value or based on the necessity of satisfying public and general interest needs;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Notes that public services are essential for the functioning of democracy; considers that the EU must refrain from encouraging competition between essential services such as those providing access to water, health, education or energy, which inevitably leads to their privatisation;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that the Commission must take the different Member State interests and those of the developing countries, together with economic inequalities between individuals, into account when negotiating commitment schedules;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that the Commission must take
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Is convinced, that services constitute the backbone of every economy; reiterates that for this reason the greatest prudence on the part of the European Union regarding liberalisation of services is therefore important not only for developed countries, but particularly for developing countries;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Is convinced that services
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises th
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that developed countries and trade blocs such as the EU cannot and should not impose a one-size-fits-all model on
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Acknowledges states' sovereignty and thus their right to regulate in all areas of services, in
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the total percentage of the share of GDP in the EU 25 in 2007 was comprised of more than 75% for the service sector,
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Acknowledges states' sovereignty and thus their right to regulate in all areas of services in
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Observes that it is necessary to make a clear distinction between commercial and public services; stresses the need to exclude public services from the scope of the negotiations, in particular those helping to ensure public access to essential services such as health, education, drinking water and energy, and those making a significant contribution to cultural identity, such as audiovisual services;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Is concerned, in this regard, about the draft on new domestic disciplines proposed by the Chair of the WTO Working Party on Domestic Regulation in January 2008 which proposes to move non-discriminatory domestic regulation from its current green light status under the GATS Article VI to "yellow light" status, thus creating legal uncertainty in an area that is already a difficult environment for national regulation;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Takes the view that, in order to ensure favourable results, liberalisation of a new services sector, particularly in the developing countries, must in every case: - be accompanied by new regulations and supervision and implementation mechanisms, so as to contain the impact on the population and the environment and limit any abuses of a dominant position or concentration; - be phased in and accompanied by the necessary ancillary measures; - be limited to services whose liberalisation is considered necessary and which cannot be supplied by local or regional providers;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Is alarmed by some of the proposed new disciplines in the draft of January 2008 that would weaken the regulatory authority of governments, particularly sub-national governments, and subject regulatory autonomy to rules aimed at minimising trade restrictive effects, thus creating new grounds on which non- discriminatory regulations might be challenged;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 c (new) 5c. Calls on the Commission to not support the proposed deletion of the recognition of the right to regulate in order to meet sub-national as well as national objectives, the proposed imposition of ever more onerous requirements to submit to the WTO “detailed information” on regulations, and the proposed narrowing of requirements to only consult “service suppliers” instead of all “interested persons” on regulations, which could have the effect of excluding all but commercial interests from reviewing new regulations;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 d (new) 5d. Warns that the right to regulate and to introduce new regulations, and in general the degree of regulatory diversity that is needed globally, would inevitably be curtailed by new disciplines requiring WTO members to ensure that licensing and qualification procedures are “as simple as possible”, that those wishing to supply services can only be required to approach “one competent authority”, and that international standards are to be taken into account when formulating national or sub-national technical standards;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 e (new) 5e. Is aware that the newly proposed disciplines on domestic regulation would be added in the form of an annex to the GATS requiring an amendment to the agreement; calls on the Commission to keep the Parliament informed about the proceedings of the GATS Working Party on Domestic Regulation and to submit any decision about an amendment to the GATS Agreement to Parliament under the codecision procedure;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Suggests that
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas, of total world trade, trade in services accounts for 25% and trade in goods for 66%, whereas agricultural products account for only 9%,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Suggests that the efficiency gains that could be obtained thanks to opening markets to services competition, when accompanied by domestic regulatory measures, would allow less developed countries to provide services in areas that would otherwise be out of reach for the state due to its limited resources;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Suggests that the efficiency gains that could be obtained thanks to opening markets to services competition
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines the need for rules and standards to
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines the need for rules and standards
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Points out that trade in services is in large measure a transfer of expertise between countries and that, therefore, free trade in services is an important part of any development strategy since it enables know-how to be transferred in breadth in a swift and effective way;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Recognises that too frequently some of the problems regarding fairness and transparency in the provision of services in some developing countries are only brought about with the complicity of companies from developed economies.
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Requests from the Commission a detailed overview about specific service sectors like software, film, logistics and financial services which play a crucial role in certain developing countries and which are provided and distributed worldwide; further requests from the Commission a detailed analyses how this effects the European service market;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 b (new) 8b. Requests from the Commission a detailed overview about substantial data mining services which are operating on a global scale; further requests from the Commission detailed information about location, operators, size and quality of service;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Recalls Article XIX of the GATS stating that members shall enter into successive rounds of negotiations, beginning not later than five years from the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement and periodically thereafter, with a view to achieving a progressively higher level of liberalisation;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the share of GDP for services in 2007 was around 78% for North America, 52% for Africa
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Recalls Article XIX of the GATS stating that members shall enter into successive rounds of negotiations, beginning not later than five years from the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement and periodically thereafter, with a view to achieving a progressively higher level of liberalisation; recalls that such negotiations
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Recalls, on the one hand, that the principles of GATS
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Considers that the Doha Development Round must focus on development and, accordingly, that negotiations on trade in services
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11.
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Stresses the need to allow developing countries a degree of latitude regarding the level of reciprocity in the opening up of trade, so as to protect the most vulnerable by enabling them to decide for themselves the speed at which liberalisation should be achieved;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Encourages a
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Stresses the need for a fair and progressive liberalisation of trade in farm products with a number of derogations and together with timetables for progressive and asymmetric implementation, taking account of the differences between the agricultural sectors of the various Member States and their specific characteristics;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 b (new) 12b. Expresses concern at the consequences of abrupt liberalisation of trade in farm products and speculation in basic food commodities; stresses the economic and social importance of this sector for developing countries and the need to avoid impoverishment of rural populations, which causes people to leave the countryside and concentrate in already overpopulated urban centres;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Considers that, as services account for 25% of trade whereas agriculture accounts for 9%, it is indefensible not to negotiate seriously on this matter before the negotiating texts in the agricultural sector are ready;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas a quantitative assessment of the respective contribution of the three sectors to GDP fails to take account of the significance of each in qualitative terms. Agriculture, for example, relates directly to world challenges arising in connection with nutrition, hygiene and food sovereignty. It is therefore natural for this sector to receive particular attention in the course of multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations and to be given aid in order to prevent world food crises,
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Takes note of the
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Takes note of the
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 15. Encourages a clear and ambitious level of commitments in the currently negotiated and upcoming bilateral and regional trade agreements; stresses the importance of including therein provisions relating to human rights and social standards;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Stresses that the developing and the least advanced countries must not be subjected to pressure to liberalise their services, in particular SGI; considers that any failure of the current round of multinational negotiations could lead to additional pressure being brought to bear under bilateral agreements for poor countries to open up their markets, particularly in the services sector;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16.
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a.Is concerned at the fact that free trade agreements, such as that negotiated by the EU with the CARIFORUM countries: - do not allow countries to select a limited number of services sectors for negotiation purposes, since Article V of the GATS requiring substantial liberalisation and the EU does not authorise sufficient use of the flexibility offered to developing countries, - have a regulatory framework which seeks above all to protect investors rather than ensuring access to quality services in the recipient countries, thereby limiting the partnership arrangements now negotiated by the European Union, - limit the possibility for these countries to regulate capital movements, - contain an MFN clause, which does not allow these developing countries to sign more advanced agreements with other countries of the south; calls on the Commission to remedy these problems in the course of negotiations, including those currently underway;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Calls seriously into question the fact that the CARIFORUM EPA applies to the regulation of services and investments at all levels of decision making, including village councils and non-governmental bodies exercising delegated powers, while the GATS only requires states to take ‘reasonable steps to ensure compliance’ at lower levels;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 b (new) 16b. Is concerned that in the CARIFORUM EPA the EC has narrowed the ‘right to regulate’ further than the GATS requires, by determining that regulation has to meet 'legitimate policy objectives’, though ‘legitimate’ is not defined and might exclude social or public service objectives; is equally concerned that the EPA does not contain safeguard provisions which would allow states to suspend their commitments if their domestic services or providers were threatened by a sudden influx from the EU;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 c (new) 16c. Notes that Title II of the CARIFORUM EPA combines investments in services and non-services activities, and thus extends GATS-style rules of ‘national treatment’ and ‘market access’ to foreign investment in non-services activities; is concerned that foreign investors are only required to consult local communities ‘where appropriate’ and when doing so does not impair their expected benefits from commitments made under the agreement, while there is no comparable concern for human rights, despite numerous reports from the UN Commission on Human Rights that agreements on trade in services have serious potential to undermine fundamental human rights;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Supports specifically the agreement on Mode 4 in the EU-CARIFORUM agreement; considers this to be a means of avoiding
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C b (new) Cb. whereas industrialisation contributes to the economy of developing countries; taking the view, therefore, that the latter are entitled to protect their fragile or emerging industries and to benefit from technology transfers,
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Believes with regards to the negotiation of the EU-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that aspects of the agreement affecting public procurement, investments and services should recognise the varying level of development of ASEAN members and respect the right of all participants to regulate public services
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Is
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Stresses with regards to the negotiation of the EU-India FTA the importance of our partnership with India and the need to get
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Stresses with regards to the negotiation of the EU-India FTA the importance of our partnership with India and the need to get
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Is concerned with regards to the negotiation of an EU- GCC FTA about the level of transparency and accountability in financial services and, in particular, in the area of investments made by sovereign wealth funds;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Is concerned about the Commission's far reaching demands on India with regard to the opening of its financial service sector in the context of the bilateral requests in the GATS negotiations, including a request that money reserves for lending do not need to be located in the country itself by foreign owned bank branches; recalls from past experience, especially the financial crisis in Argentina in 2001, that there is no guarantee that parent banks transfer the necessary financial reserves in times of financial crisis in a country in which they do not hold reserves; reminds the Commission to follow the recommendations of the Financial Stability Forum ("Enhancing market and institutional resilience", April 2008) with regard to capital requirements and cross- border liquidity;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 b (new) 20b. Is aware that India has banned futures trading in key agricultural commodities over concerns that speculation has caused sharp increases in the price of food staples; reminds the Indian negotiators that this ban could be challenged under the FTA or the GATS dispute settlement procedures once India has made commitments on these financial services;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Recommends to the Commission to offer assistance to developing countries to create public understanding and a state driven response to the concept of services of general interest;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Takes note of the latest study by the World Bank showing that in some countries, such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda more than 40 % of people in the lowest economic quintile receive their health care from private, for profit providers; underlines the necessity of investments being made in this sector in order to meet these needs; stresses furthermore that
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Notes that no WTO member has yet made any commitments on the water distribution sector;
source: PE-407.724
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