33 Amendments of Françoise CASTEX related to 2008/2004(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
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 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
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 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
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 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas trade in services so far only amounts to 25% of world trade; whereas the sector has a huge potential and a lot to be gained from liberalisedthe equitable opening up of trade in services; whereas more jobs are created in this sector than in any other sector of the economy,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
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 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
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 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
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 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
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)
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
Recital G
G. whereas an efficient services infrastructure is aone of the preconditions for economic success, together with the average level of education and public health standards; whereas access to world- class services helps exporters and producers of goods and services in developing countries to capitalise on their competitive strength; whereas a number of developing countries have also been able, building on foreign investment and expertise, to advance in international services markets; whereas services liberalisation has thus become a key element of many development strategies,
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
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)
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)
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 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
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)
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 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
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 fair, progressive and reciprocal liberalisation ofopening up of trade in services and a policy of increased transparency and predictability of rules and regulations, 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; stresses that it is essential to strike the right balance between the equitable and progressive opening of services and regulation of the services market with regard to the relevant international trade issues;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that the Commission must take the different Member State interests and those of the developing countries into account when negotiating commitment schedules;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
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 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the need for rules and standards to govern liberalisationensure the successful opening up of the services market; encourages compliance with social and environmental and quality standards in a reasonable and objective manner, without constituting unnecessary barriers to trade;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
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 shall be directed to the reduction or elimination of the adverse effects on trade in services of measures as a means of providing effective market access;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls, on the one hand, that the principles of GATS do not prohibit require neither privatisation nor deregulation; underlines therefore that each state is free to liberalise any service sector and do not seek any degree of liberalisation as such and do not exclude the imposition of public service obligations; recalls, on the other hand, that the GATS acknowledges the right of WTO members '(...) to regulate (...) the supply of services within their territories (...) to meet national policy objectives (...)'; stresses that GATS schedules deal with the bound commitments of each WTO member in terms of trade in services and that each member is free to open its market beyond its GATS commitments provided that the Most Favoured Nation principle or Article V of GATS on Economic Integration is respected;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. ConsiderRecalls that the Doha Development Round must focus on development and, accordingly, that negotiations on trade in services must serve both the interests of the EU and the economic growth of the poorest countries;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
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 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
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)
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 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
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)
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 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
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, particularly those relating to basic needs - this, however, should not prevent private companies filling in the gap where the state fails to provide services required by citizens;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes that no WTO member has yet made any commitments on the water distribution sector; recalls nonetheless, that any state is free to do so should it consider itself unable to provide the service which its citizens need; stresses that should a such commitment be made it does not prohibit the state from setting levels of quality, safety, price or other policy objectives as they see fit, and the same regulations would apply to foreign suppliers as to local suppliers;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25