Activities of Robert STURDY related to 2010/2301(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EU and China: unbalanced trade? (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on EU and China: Unbalanced Trade? PDF (320 KB) DOC (243 KB)
Amendments (14)
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas trade relations between the two regions have developed considerably since the signature of the EU-China cooperation agreement in 1985, and the agreement should thereforeit is essential that this agreement be renewed;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the Commission to apply the principle of open reciprocity in the EU's common trade policy with developed and emerging countries such as China, in order to ensure a level playing field where all forms of protectionism are avoided;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the Chinese economy does not yet fulfil the criteria of a market economy as defined by the WTO; calls on the Commission to cooperate with the Chinese government in order to eliminate the remaining obstacles standing in the way of market economy status; emphasises that this status should only be accorded once China has fulfilled these criteria; asks the EU to carry out regular assessments, in the form of an annual report, of China's compliance with the obligations included in its protocol on accession to the WTO;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Regrets the existence of numerous tariff and non-tariff barriers to the Chinese market, such as certain forms of discrimination against foreign operators, particularly in the banking, insurance and telecommunications sectors, the complexity of the tariff structure and technical barriers to trade such as the lack of transparency of technical rules and conformity assessment procedures or the Chinese Compulsory Certification System (CCC); noteregrets that China, contrary to the provisions of the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM), does not systematically give notification of specific subsidies;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is concerned about the problems foreign businesses encounter in accessing Chinese public procurement whereas access to European public procurement is guaranteed; regrets that China has not acceded to the plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement (AGP) even though it committed to do so in its protocol on accession to the WTO; calls on the Commission to make haste in developing a European instrumentuse a judicious selection of available policy instruments with a view to ensureing better access for European businesses to foreign public procurement markets and to encourage the EU's trading partners, such as China, to open up their public procurement markets and eliminate protectionist measures;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Deplores the inadequate protection of IPR in China and regrets the lack of specific means available to European businesses, and particularly SMEs, to counter IPR infringements effectively; welcomes the Commission's decision to proposer a review of the directive on the enforcement of IPR; calls on the Commission to better defend IPR in all the multilateral organisations of which China is a member (the WTO, the World Health Organisation and the World Intellectual Property Organisation); wants China to continue to transpose current international law on the protection of IPR into its national legislation to close the gap between substantive IPR protection in the EU and in China, and more specifically to combat counterfeiting and piracy, and urges the Chinese authorities to appensure enforcement, especially iat correctlya regional level; regrets that China ihas not takingen part in the negotiations on the next international agreement to combat counterfeiting (ACTA); urges the Commission and the Member States to step up customs cooperation in the EU and with third countries, particularly on the seizure of counterfeit goods, and to simplify customs procedures; asks the Commission and Member States to cooperate more closely in the EU and third countries on copyright issues and licensing;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Deplores the inadequate protection of IPR in China and regrets the lack of specific means available to European businesses, and particularly SMEs, to counter IPR infringements effectively; welcomes the Commission's decision to proposer a review of the directive on the enforcement of IPR; wants China to continue to transpose current international law on the protection of IPR into its national legislation, and more specifically to combat counterfeiting, and urges the Chinese authorities to apply it correctly; regrets that China ihas not takingen part in the negotiations on the next international agreement to combat counterfeiting (ACTA); urges the Commission and the Member States to step up customs cooperation in the EU and with third countries, particularly on the seizure of counterfeit goods, and to simplify customs procedures;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that China produces 97 % of the rare earths used in the world and calls on it to guarantee the fair and sustainable supply of these rare earths to its trading partners; calls on the Commission to pay particular attention to any potential restrictions by China on the export of its raw materials; recalls in this context the WTO ruling of 5 July 2001 against China for having placed restrictions on the export of certain raw materials; calls on the Commission to develop a European strategy for the proper management of raw materials involving increased energy efficiency, recycling, lower use of resources and the development of industrial cooperation in the green economy growth sectorsinnovative and pro-growth sectors of the economy; including the green economy;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Points out that China holds sovereign debt of Member States in the eurozone; stresses that this fact has taken on a new political dimension as a result of the serious debt problems within the eurozone; calls on the Commission to start discussions with the ECB and Member States on the creation of a coordinated system to identify which parties hold sovereign debt; wis condcers abouned that the EU's negotiating capabilities in trade negotiations with China are being undermined in view of the latter's contribution to the financial stabilisation of the eurozone;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Member States to demandensure that foreign enterprises respect Europeanoperating in the EU respect all legislation in force in the Single Market, including social and environmental standards and ensurecontribute to promoting the sustainability of employment when they purchase European businesses or set up subsidiaries in the EU; asks the Commission to set up a body entrusted with theand Member States to look into the possibility of carrying out ex ante evaluation of foreign strategic investment, along the lines ofthat done by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), in order to obtain a clear picture of businesses operating and investing in the territory of the EU;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the EU to propose a reformlaunch a joint reflection ofn the rules ongoverning the organisation of trade governed by the WTO, including binding social and health standards, drawn up in conjunction with the WTO, the ILO and the UNinternational trade in conjunction with other stakeholder such as the WTO, the ILO, the OECD and UN, including the possibility for WTO members to consider common social and health standards to improve the level of consumer protection and safety worldwide;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Draws attention to the fact that China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases; calls on the EU to propose that the WTO include ecological and climate chengage with the Chinese authorities and exchange best practices on ways to improve compliangce impwith internativeonal environmental conventions when laying down effective environmental standards in its rules on the organisation of international tradfor the Chinese market; Considers that China's economic strength and its capacity to foster technological innovation should be used in support of the global fight against climate change;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the EU to develop an ambitious common industrial policy based on research and innovation that benefits fromand efficient energy use that benefits from existing EU funding and makes use, where appropriate of innovative financing arrangements such as project bonds andto supports the development of SMEs, including e-businesses, particularly via access to public procurement, in order to maintain its competitiveness vis-à-vis new major players in industry and research; calls on the EU to enhance the value of European production, particularly and consumer information, for example through improvements in ‘made in’ labelling;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Urges the EU to strengthen itsimplement the EU2020 targets and complete the Single market, which are key measures contributing to improve the economic, budgetary, fiscal and political governance to give it a credible and imposing voice on the international stage; calls on the Council and the Commission to speak with one voice coordination of its Member States, while enhancing EU's credibility and economic competitiveness on the international stage; calls on the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament to join forder to preventces with the aim of establishing partnerships and bilateral agreements weakening the EU position; urges the EUbetween the EU and third countries that do not weaken the EU position and aim at mutually beneficial outcomes; urges the EU in this regard to implement a long-term strategy with regard to China;