Progress: Procedure completed
Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
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Lead | INTA |
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 136-p5
Legal Basis:
RoP 136-p5Events
The European Parliament adopted a resolution tabled by the Committee on International Trade on EU-Taiwan trade relations.
Members recalled that the total amount of bilateral trade between EU and Taiwan had increased more than twelvefold in the past two decades, exceeding EUR 40 billion in 2011.
They also recalled that in 2010 the EU accounted for 31.5 % of all foreign direct investment (FDI) flows and 21 % of FDI stocks in Taiwan, and was the largest foreign investor in the country.
In this context, and considering that the overall trade relationship between the EU and Taiwan is currently performing well below its potential, Parliament felt that the EU should respond positively to Taiwan's willingness to launch parallel negotiations for bilateral agreements on investment protection and market access in order to strengthen further the legal certainty of investments, and increase the volume and quality of investment flows.
It believed that the decision to start such negotiations with Taiwan should be based on economic reasons, and should not be interlinked with an assessment of relations between the EU and China.
Investment protection : Parliament underlined the fact that it is in favour of agreements on investment protection and market access with Taiwan, which would lead to deepening the existing economic relations between the EU and Taiwan. It also noted that any agreement should duly take into account SMEs and improve their ability to invest abroad.
Members stressed that investment agreements concluded by the EU must respect the capacity for public intervention, in particular when pursuing public policy objectives such as social and environmental standards, human rights, security, workers' and consumers' rights, public health and safety and cultural diversity. They called for specific clauses on these objectives to be included in the agreement.
Social and environmental standards : lastly, Members reiterated their call for an effective corporate social responsibility clause and effective social and environmental clauses in the agreement and stress that the latter must oblige foreign investors in the EU to abide by European social standards and social dialogue requirements.
Documents
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament: T7-0412/2013
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0435/2013
- Oral question/interpellation by Parliament: B7-0509/2013
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE516.720
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE516.720
- Oral question/interpellation by Parliament: B7-0509/2013
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0435/2013
Amendments | Dossier |
40 |
2013/2675(RSP)
2013/08/22
INTA
40 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 1 a (new) - having regard to Article 3.5 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 7 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union respectively establishing that "in its relations with the wider world, the Union shall contribute to the strict observance and the development of international law" and that "the Union shall ensure consistency between its policies and activities".
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G G. Whereas open and fair trade is
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G a (new) G a. Whereas duties are already at very low levels between the two trade partners; whereas EU and Taiwan have a regular structured dialogue addressing trade and investment matters of common interest and concern; whereas, within its framework, four technical working groups have been set up to deal with IPR, TBT, SPS related issues and the pharmaceutical sector;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. Whereas, despite relatively low tariffs, bilateral trade volumes between the EU and Taiwan lag behind the bulk of EU's trade exchanges with its other main trading partners; whereas however EU-Taiwan trade increased by 31.4% year-on-year in 2010;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I I. Whereas, the ICT industry is a high- added value sector and a source of growth in both the EU and in Taiwan, especially with respect to further development of smart products and services; whereas however the EU has had considerable trade deficits in this sector with Taiwan over the years;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I a (new) I a. whereas the EU and Taiwan can further deepen their economic relations in a way that really is mutually beneficial also with a view to common societal challenges;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I b (new) I b. Whereas however the EU has not yet built up a strategic vision on its industrial policy driving its defensive and offensive interests in trade and investment relations;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Recital J J. Whereas Taiwan - in the name of "Chinese Taipei" - is a full member of the WTO since 2002, as well as full member of APEC and - in the name of "Taipei, China" - of the Asian Development Bank;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K K. Whereas Taiwan's accession to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement in July 2009 was a substantial
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Recital L L. Whereas Taiwan
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Recital M M. Whereas other constructive alternatives have led Taiwan
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 11 a (new) - having regard to its resolution of 7 July 2005 on relations between the EU, China and Taiwan and security in the Far East12, __________________ 12 OJ C 157 E, 6.7.2006, p. 471
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Recital N N. Whereas the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States and the American Institute in Taiwan have agreed on a Joint Statements on Principles for International Investment and on ICT services; whereas, similarly, Taiwan maintains comprehensive income tax agreements with 25 countries, including 9 EU Member States;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Recital O O. Whereas
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Recital O O. Whereas closer economic ties with Taiwan should
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Recital P Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 – point 1 (new) (1) Recalls the Commission's decision of 23 May 2013 to ask the Member States for their agreement on its negotiating directives for an investment agreement with the People's Republic of China and recommends in line with the Union's respect for the 'One China Policy' (one country, two political systems) that the Commission requests in due time Member States' approval for the negotiation of a similar agreement with Taiwan.
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Considers that, while the EU is working on upgrading its economic relations with China, it should consider the possibility of doing the same with Taiwan in order to consistently keep the track of giving support to Taiwan's democratic system, social pluralism and good record in respecting human rights and the rule of law;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 Considers
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 Considers
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 Considers however, that the EU should positively respond to Taiwan's willingness to
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Believes that the decision to start such negotiations with Taiwan should be based on economic reasons, and should not be interlinked with the evaluation of the relations between EU and China;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. Whereas the rule-based multilateral trading system, established through the World Trade Organisation (WTO), is the most suitable framework for to achieve open and fair trade worldwide
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Recalls however that the EU has not yet elaborated a strategic vision on its industrial policy driving its defensive and offensive interests within the framework of the new EU competence in FDIs; recalls, moreover, that Commission's resources are already overstretched and that these should be allocated where real priorities for the EU economy are;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Notes that any agreement should duly take into account SMEs and improve their ability to invest abroad;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Recalls also that EU and Taiwan already have a well integrated economic relation, low customs duties on both sides and a well structured dialogue, which meets regularly in order to solve bilateral trade and investment issues;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Stresses that the agreement should include a strong commitment of the parties to sustainable and inclusive development in economic, social and environmental dimensions in relation to investment;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 c (new) 4 c. Stresses that investment agreements concluded by the EU must respect the capacity for public intervention, in particular when pursuing public policy objectives such as social, environmental, human rights, security, workers' and consumers' rights, public health and safety and cultural diversity; calls to include respective specific clauses into this agreement;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 d (new) 4 d. Recommends that with regard to market access, both parties may exclude certain sectors from the liberalisation commitments in order to shield national strategic interests
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 e (new) 4 e. Reiterates its call for a binding corporate social responsibility clause and effective social and environmental clauses;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 f (new) 4 f. Stresses that the agreement obliges foreign investors in the EU to obey to European social standards and social dialogue;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 g (new) 4 g. Stresses that investors shall be subject to national legislation and civil actions for liability in the judicial process of either their home or host state, in particular for the acts or decisions made in relation to the investment where such acts or decisions lead to significant environmental damage, personal injuries or loss of life in the host state;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 h (new) 4 h. Insists to include in the agreement a clause which prohibits the watering-down of social and environmental legislation in order to attract investment, and that neither party shall fail to effectively enforce those laws through a sustained or recurring course of action or inaction, as an encouragement for the establishment, acquisition, expansion, or retention of an investment in its territory;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. Whereas the EU remains fully committed to achieving a balanced outcome of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) as its preferred approach, considers progressing in parallel with bilateral trade agreements with other industrialised countries
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 Calls on Commission to
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. Whereas the EU remains fully committed to achieving a balanced and fair outcome of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) as its preferred approach, considers progressing in parallel with bilateral trade agreements with other industrialised countries is also a valid option;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. Whereas, Taiwan is EU's 7th largest trading partner in Asia, and EU's
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. Whereas EU holds 31.5% of all FDI in Taiwan in 2010, being the largest foreign investor in Taiwan; whereas, therefore, investment is the area where there is the smallest untapped potential in economic terms between the EU and Taiwan as compared, for instance, to the goods area;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. Whereas EU holds 31.5% of all FDI flows and 21% in FDI stocks in Taiwan in 2010, being the largest foreign investor in Taiwan;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. Whereas, currently the overall trade relationship between EU and Taiwan performs well below the potential; whereas, however, the EU has had overall trade deficits with Taiwan, which are of a structural nature given the trade pattern between the EU and Taiwan;
source: PE-516.720
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