Activities of Adam SZEJNFELD related to 2016/2301(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the impact of international trade and the EU’s trade policies on global value chains
Amendments (34)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas the ‘Trade for All’ communication bases EU trade policy on three key principles – effectiveness, transparency and values – and has a dedicated section on responsible management of supply chains;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. Whereas there is an obligation on producer countries in particular to create appropriate legal and economic conditions for businesses to operate and find a place in global supply chains; they must also be able to implement international standards and norms, including drawing up, implementing and enforcing appropriate legislation, particularly in the area of establishing the rule of law and combating corruption;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas global value chains (GVCs) have become a key feature of today’s global economy; whereas, on the one hand, GVCs offer new prospects for growth, development and jobhave helped developing countries to integrate into the global economy, reduce poverty and create jobs, while at the same time boosting production capacity, including by diffusing technology and skills, but on the other hand, their complex nature, lack of transparency and dilution of liabilities has led to a higher risk of human rights violations;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Emphasises that the globalisation of value chains has helped developing countries to integrate into the global economy, reduce poverty and boost jobs, while at the same time boosting production capacity, including by diffusing technology and skills.
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is deeply concerned by cases of human rights violations committedthat are occurring as a result of some corporations’ management decisions;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Stresses the importance of implementing, enforcing or transposing existing laws on regional, national and international levels;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reaffirms the urgent need to act in a continuous, effective and coherent manner at national, European and global level, in order to address effectively the legal problems resulting from the extra- territorial dimension of companies and of their conduct, and the related uncertainty as to where the liability for human rights violations lies;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes theStresses that businesses, in their international activities, must take account of the need to comply with fundamental values and standards, in particular human rights; in that context, welcomes businesses' existing practice of incorporating responsibility for respecting human rights into the binding contractual obligations between companies and their clients and suppliers; notes that such requirements can, in most cases, be enforced by judicial means;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas there is an obligation on producer countries in particular to create appropriate legal and economic conditions for businesses to operate and find a place in global supply chains; whereas they must also be able to implement international standards and norms, including drawing up, implementing and enforcing appropriate legislation, particularly in the area of establishing the rule of law and combating corruption;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the EU should respond even more effectively to social and environmental dumping and unfairunfair competition and trade practices, and ensure a level playing field;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Warmly welcomes the drafting of a binding UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights and reiterates its calls for the Member States and the EU itself to promote and participate in this processwhich clearly sets out how governments and businesses must protect and uphold human rights at every stage of the supply chain, regardless of the country in which production takes place, and reiterates its calls for the Member States and the EU itself to support the adoption of those guidelines and assist with their implementation;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the EU has developed binding corporate due diligence regulations in sectors such as timber and conflict minerals; whereas some Member States have also developed legislation, such as the UK Modern Slavery Act and the French bill on the duty of care of MNCs; whereas Parliament has repeatedly called for the EU to develop a binding framework on corporate due diligence;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Welcomes the many promising initiatives taken by the private sector, such as codes of conduct, labelling, self- assessment and social audits, which have significantly contributed to recent improvements in human rights and workers' rights standards in global supply chains;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Stresses that the coordination and exchange of information and best practices can help to make private and public value chain initiatives more effective;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Member States to compelTakes the view that the new conflict minerals regulation is a good due diligence model for companies using certain raw materials or commodities that might have originated from conflict-affected areas (for example, so-called conflict minerals) to disclose their sourcing and use of such materialsfrom conflict areas, and takes the view that this practice could also be extended to other raw materials, where reasonable;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Commission to step up initiatives relating to businesses' social responsibility and due diligence across the whole supply chain;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Stresses, therefore, the need to draw up an overview of existing corporate social responsibility measures being implemented by European businesses, in order to be able to identify good practices more effectively and contribute to the creation of a common action framework at European level;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas makingimproved access to customs data on imports entering the EU publicly available would increase GVC transparency and accountability;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 (new)
National legislation Stresses the importance of implementing, enforcing and transposing existing laws on GVCs at regional, national and international levels;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Acknowledges the smart mix of regulatory and voluntary action, but recalls that voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) creates unfair competition for suppliers that have chosen to comply with international labour and environmental standards; reiterates its call for the systematic inclusion of binding and enforceable rules, associated sanctions, remedies and independent monitoring mechanismsenforceable rules, remedies and independent monitoring mechanisms; stresses, therefore, the need to draw up an overview of existing CSR measures being implemented by European businesses, in order to be able to identify good practices more effectively and contribute to the creation of a common action framework at European level;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Acknowledges the smart mix of regulatory and voluntary action, but recalls that voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) may creates unfair competition for suppliers that have chosen to comply with international labour and environmental standards; reiterates its call for the systematic inclusion of binding and enforceable rules, associated sanctions, remedies and independent monitoring mechanisms;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the green card initiative launched by some national parliaments following the adoption of the French bill on MNCs’ duty of care; calls on the Commission to work on a legislative proposal for mandatory corporate due diligence for EU companies operating both in and outside the EU;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recalls that CSR policies should take into account the special characteristics of micro- and small enterprises, so as not to impose a very heavy administrative burden;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Welcomes the many promising initiatives taken by the private sector, such as codes of conduct, labelling, self- assessment and social audits, which have significantly contributed to recent improvements in human rights and workers' rights standards in global supply chains;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Stresses that the coordination and exchange of information and best practices can help to make private and public value chain initiatives more effective;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point a
Paragraph 9 – point a
(a) implementing fully Parliament’s recommendations of 2010 and 2016 with respect to TSD chapters in FTAs, including by developing an upgraded TSD chapter model with binding and enforceable provisions;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point b
Paragraph 9 – point b
(b) including enforceable anti- corruption and whistle-blower protection provisions in all future FTAs;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point c
Paragraph 9 – point c
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the EU to work towards the introduction of a mandatory ‘social and environmental traceability’ labelling system along the entire production chain for products sold on the EU market, in compliance with the WTO TBT Agreement;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls for improved, clear labelling legislation on the origin of products entering the EU market;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Reiterates its call for the strengthening of import and supply chain controls to ensure that only child labour- free products, as defined by the International Labour Organisation, enter the EU market;