27 Amendments of Alessia Maria MOSCA related to 2018/2106(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 a (new)
Citation 3 a (new)
– having regard to the European Parliament Resolution of 31 May 2018 on the situation in Nicaragua (2018/2711(RSP)),
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 b (new)
Citation 3 b (new)
– having regard to the Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the situation in Nicaragua of 2 October 2018,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 c (new)
Citation 3 c (new)
– having regard to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly Resolution on the Governance of Globalisation, adopted on 20 September 2018, in Vienna,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 d (new)
Citation 3 d (new)
– having regard to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly Resolution on Corporate Social Responsibility in the EU and in Latin American and Caribbean countries, adopted on 20 September 2018, in Vienna,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
– having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development Chapters in Free Trade Agreements 1a, __________________ 1a https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:5201 7IE5323&from=EN
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 b (new)
Citation 4 b (new)
– having regard to Report on the fourth meeting of the Association Committee of 14 June 2018;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
– having regard to the "Joint Declaration on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment on the Occasion of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires in December 2017",
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas Opinion 2/15 of the European Court of Justice affirmed that the CCP is a values-based policy and promoting sustainable development constitutes an integral part of the CCP;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas the European Parliament has repeatedly urged the Commission to strengthen the monitoring, implementation and enforcement mechanisms of TSD Chapters, including by considering, among others, a sanctions-based dispute settlement mechanism;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
Dc. whereas since April 2018 violence has escalated in Nicaragua, leading to hundreds of civilians, particularly students, being killed, injured or arrested, which constitutes a severe violation of human rights and, particularly, of fundamental civil and political rights and freedoms, as well as the rule of law;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
Dd. whereas respect for democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law forms an essential part of the Association Agreement, whose violation by one Party allows the other Party to take appropriate measures, including, as a last resort, suspending the Agreement;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Recalls the importance of strengthening bi-regional cooperation to preserve and to reinforce the multilateral trade system, as an essential pillar to achieve the SDGs and to guarantee an economic governance based on rules, ensuring a more fair, inclusive and sustainable trade; in particular, recalls its support for the WTO, stressing its role in creating economic stability and supporting growth and development, and calls on the Parties to make use of the dialogue fostered by the Agreement to identify and to develop joint strategies towards the necessary modernization of the WTO;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights that the AA relies on a rules-based fair and predictable relationship which promotes a more secure economic environment built upon the principles of sustainable development; considers that such predictability fosters the exchange of goods, the provision of services, participation in public procurement and the attractiveness of investment which, even if the flows do not always evolve in a linear fashion, are aimed at creating opportunities for quality employment, improved working conditions and living standards on both sides; recalls that liberalisation of trade and investment must go hand in hand with respect of human rights, labour and environmental standards and that this shall apply to all actors concerned, including companies and investors;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to deliver updated and comprehensive annual reports on the implementation of the AA as requested in the relevant implementing regulations; is of the opinion that the information included in the Report on Implementation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) is not sufficient and, in order to adequately assess the implementation of the AA, suggests that the parties improve the provision of updated, comparable and reliable statistical data; Urges the Commission to establish a mandatory review covering the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the Trade Pillar, which shall be conducted by independent experts; Recalls the commitment by the EU and other signatories of the "Buenos Aires Declaration on Gender and Trade" to mainstream gender equality into trade policy and, particularly, to carry out evaluations on the basis of gender- disaggregated data; Calls on the Parties, equally, to provide with regular and accurate data on the sectors and the degree of consolidation of SMEs' activities, in view of the opportunities created by the Agreement;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the fact that trade flows between the parties have generally proven to be resilient despite an unfavourable international economic context ; takes note that: a) EU exports have grown by 22 %, while imports from five Central American countries have increased by 18.3 %, b) the main destination of EU exports to CA is Costa Rica, followed by Panama and Guatemala, and c) the main exporter of goods to the EU is Costa Rica, followed by Honduras and Guatemala; notes with concern the significant drop in 2015 of 40.4% in exports of Costa Rica to the EU due to the relocation of a major IT equipment producer to South-East Asia, leading to an overall fall in imports from Central America of 16.8%;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note that neither CA nor the EU make full use of their granted tariff rate quotas (TRQs) and therefore identifies potential sectors where further exchanges should be encouraged; regrets that figures on preference utilisation rates are only available in Costa Rica and strongly encourages other Central American partners to take the appropriate measures to start collecting such data; is concerned that only 16.6 % of the eligible EU exports to Costa Rica benefited from the FTA while the rate was 92 % for Costa Rican exports to the EU; recalls the key importance of making trade more inclusive and facilitating an appropriate integration of SMEs and particularly of small-scale farmers into value chains; in this regard, requests the Commission to take active measures to increase knowledge and to facilitate the use the opportunities created by the AA among European producers, particularly SMEs, with a view to increase preference utilisation rates and the use of existing TRQs;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets that neither the Third Annual Report nor the latest Report on Implementation of FTAs covering 2016 include relevant data for evaluating investment flows; calls on the Commission to include such data in future reports;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Regrets the lack of a specific chapter on SMEs in the existing AA, and encourages the Commission, the EEAS, Member States and CA to include such a chapter in a future review of the Agreement; Calls on the Parties to place at the disposal of SMEs all the tools required to foster greater exchanges and enhance participation in order to reap the benefits of the AA, including through active measures to foster the internationalisation of SMEs and the setting up of contact points and a specialised website for SMEs; reiterates its call for action to raise awareness of the AA among stakeholders in both regions; reiterates its call for the promotion of cooperation with appropriate technical and financial resources in strategic sectors for both regions;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Insists on the effective implementation of the specific commitments related to Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) provisions, which are an integral part of the AA and are essential to the accomplishment of the objectives set; welcomes, in particular, the fact that civil society advisory mechanisms are now established in all CA countries; regrets, in thisrecalls that the TSD chapter of the Trade Agreement envisages that each Party shall establish Domestic Advisory Groups or committees relevant for matters related to labour, the environment and sustainable development, comprising independent representative civil society organisations, with balanced representation of economic, social and environmental stakeholders, and that this commitment is an indispensable and essential element for the full implementation of the Agreement; welcomes the fact that civil society advisory mechanisms are now established in all CA countries, but notes that serious concerns have been raised with regards to their independence and capacity to participate in some CA countextries; regrets, equally, that the meetings of the Association Committee and Subcommittees and the Civil Society Dialogue Forum have not always taken place as foreseen, and insists that meetings take place on an annual basis;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Welcomes the recommendations made during the 3rd Joint Meeting of the EU and CA's DAGs on 16 June 2016 and calls on the Parties to implement them, particularly, with a view to ensuring the independence and balanced representation of DAGs, bi-annual meetings of the Parties with their DAGs and a full DAGs’ participation in the evaluation of the AA; Regrets that no joint meeting of the EU and CA DAGs have taken place since 2016 and calls on the Parties to include this practice into the institutional setting of this and all other EU Trade Agreements, as an important tool for improved exchange of information, best practices and the elaboration of joint recommendations to be presented to the Parties;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Takes note of the Commission 15- point plan to make TSD chapters more effective and recalls the need to continue its dialogue with the different actors involved, including the European Parliament, in order to design and ensure an effective enforcement mechanism for the human rights, labour and environmental protection commitments included in Trade Agreements;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12c. Recalls that the Trade and Sustainable Development chapter of the trade agreement includes legally binding provisions to effectively implement human rights, labour and environmental protection standards; Welcomes the fact that the Agreement has set the path for a regular dialogue on the implementation of the shared commitments; Regrets, however, the lack of enforceability of this chapter; Calls on the Parties to review the Agreement to introduce a suitable and effective dispute settlement mechanism, including sanctions as a deterrent measure to be used, as last resort, in the case of serious breaches, and enabling social partners and civil society to participate appropriately;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 d (new)
Paragraph 12 d (new)
12d. Urges the EU and all CA countries to ratify and fully implement the Multilateral Environmental Agreements on fighting climate change, especially on the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement; Highlights the need to for the EU and CA step up cooperation in this regards;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Takes note of the different country reports carried out by the ILO and of the challenges that still remain; notes with concern the non-compliance by Guatemala and Honduras with the fundamental Freedom of Association Convention (No. 87) and by El Salvador with priority Tripartite Consultation Convention (No.144); highlights its particular concern about the anti-union violence in Honduras, including extra- judicial killings and impunity for the perpetrators; calls on the CA countries concerned to eradicate violence against trade unionists and indigenous peoples, and to take legislative measures to effectively implement and enforce ILO fundamental conventions on freedom of association, collective bargaining and non- discrimination, ands well as child labour; stresses the importance of strengthening labour inspections and enhancing social dialogue;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Recalls that, in the light of the Stabilisation Mechanism and safeguard clause introduced in the Agreement, more thorough and regular information on market developments should be made available by the Commission, both to the European Parliament and the industrial sectors concerned;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses that recent political and economic developments in some Central American countries can have a negative impact on the region as a whole and might lead to the destabilisation of the region; Strongly condemns the political violence in Nicaragua which erupted in April 2018, leading to hundreds of civilians, particularly students, being killed, injured or arrested, which constitutes a severe violation of human rights and, particularly, of fundamental civil and political rights and freedoms, as well as the rule of law; recalls, in this regard, that respect for democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law forms an essential part of the Association Agreement, whose violation by one Party allows the other Party to take appropriate measures, including, as a last resort, suspending the Agreement; Calls on the government of Nicaragua to ensure restoration of democratic principles and respect for human rights in full, ceasing violence, intimidation and repression against the opposition and protesters, as well as to immediately engage in dialogue with civil society, with a view to resolving the conflict; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to continue monitoring carefully the situation in Nicaragua and consider its trade relationship with the EU accordingly;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Recalls the obligation of the EU, as enshrined in Art. 8 of the TFUE, to mainstream a gender perspective in all its policies, including Trade; Calls on the Parties to visibly reinforce the gender focus of the Agreement and to include, in a future review, a specific chapter on gender and trade;