Activities of Tokia SAÏFI related to 2015/2038(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
Social and environmental standards, human rights and corporate responsibility (A8-0217/2016 - Eleonora Forenza) FR
Social and environmental standards, human rights and corporate responsibility - A forward-looking and innovative future strategy for trade and investment (debate) FR
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on implementation of the 2010 recommendations of Parliament on social and environmental standards, human rights and corporate responsibility PDF (482 KB) DOC (192 KB)
Amendments (40)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)
Citation 13 a (new)
– having regard to the Commission’s report of 28 January 2016 on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences covering the period 2014-2015,
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls for the respect of the ILO’s eight core labour standards and the four ILO Priority Conventions for the industrialised countries to be systematically included in allin the framework of the bilateral EU trade agreements;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas EU trade policies could contribute positively to the harmonisation process in the direction of implementation and development of human rights (HR), social and environmental sustainability; whereas it must be ensured that trade and investment agreements not reduce their ability to meet their HR obligations, which must prevail over investors and profits interests; whereas there is public concern about the detrimental impact on the concrete enjoyment of HR and labour standards of non-tariff barrier reduction; whereas the new generation of trade agreements risks acting as a back-door deregulation instrumentcontribute to promoting and protecting the values the EU holds dear, including respect for human rights, as well as Europe’s trade interests; whereas one of the aims of EU trade policies is to eliminate non-tariff barriers, while guaranteeing that European standards cannot be compromised, safeguarding human rights and ensuring compliance with social and environmental rules;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the European Parliament’s contribution can be measured in terms of the effective implementation of its recommendations, so that a constant and systematic monitoring exercise is of paramount importance, inter alia in order to narrow the gap between commitments and the concrete impact of trade policies on HR and social sustainability; whereas the implementation of the agreements must be monitored periodically to ensure compliance with the objectives and commitments enshrined in trade agreements, particularly those on protecting human rights;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas women’s rights are a constitutive part of HR; whereas trade agreements and liberalisation affect women and men differently owing to structural gender inequalities; whereas sustainable and inclusive development, growth and trade agreements must pay due account of human rights, including from a gender perspectivegender equality falls within the scope of the chapters of trade agreements on sustainable development; whereas the specific impact of trade and investment agreements on women and men differs according to the structural organisation of national markets and policies;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas a regulatory framework on the way corporations comply with HR obligations with respect to social and environmental standards is still lackingthe EU’s new generation of trade investment and agreements comprise chapters on sustainable development that call on the parties to undertake to protect human rights, comply with social and environmental standards and ensure corporate social responsibility;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to include systematically in all free trade agreements negotiated with non-EU countries a series of high social standards that include the fullin line with the implementation of the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda in order to better promote jobs, to obtain recognition and respect for the rights of workers, to extend social protection and to promote social dialogue;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Encourages the Commission to bring strong pressure to bear with a view to a reform of WTO governance leading toStresses how important it is for the EU to build cooperation at multilateral level and encourages the Commission to support a reform of the WTO leading to, in particular:
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a
Paragraph 1 – point a
(a) effective cooperation and regular dialogue of the WTO with other UNUN human rights agencies, and in particular with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the OECD and with the ILO,
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) a reform of WTO trade policy review mechanismsthe establishment of a committee for trade and decent work within the WTO, as requested in its recommendations of 2010, to include the impact on the social, environmental and HR dimension in the implementation of multilateral and plurilateral agreementsinternational trade policy;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to incorporate a gender- sensitive approach into all their policies, as well as into EU trade strategtake account of gender equality in its trade policy, guaranteeing inter alia effective compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); calls on the Commission to draw up an in-depth, binding impact assessment of the EU trade strategy from the perspective of women, HR and gendertake aspects related to gender equality into account in its impact assessment of the EU trade strategy;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to step upcontinue its efforts towards policy coherence between EU trade, development and environmental policies in all the treaties in ways consistent with international commitments to HR, decent work, gender equality and environmental sustainability and social and environmental standards, while serving the EU’s trade interests and ensuring its competitiveness;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the Commission and Council’s efforts to insert legally binding HR clauses into all the free trade and investment agreements (FTAs) in accordance with the common approach; regrets that HR clauses are not included in treaties such as those with Korea and Canada (CETA) or in the TTIP and Vietnam negotiationstresses that the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Canada contains provisions to ensure respect for human rights; calls for the ongoing trade negotiations with the EU’s other partners, particularly those on TTIP, to ensure the inclusion of ambitious chapters on sustainable development in line with the EU’s new generation of agreements;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – introductory part
Paragraph 5 – introductory part
5. Remains concerned about the too limited effects of traditional HRcalls the importance of respecting and implementing HR clauses in trade agreements; adds that these clauses in ensuringe that the EU fulfils its HR obligations and commitments; calls on the Commission and the Council to comprehensively rethink the protection and guarantees offered to HR in FTAs and IPAs and to propose a new model for a set of binding HR clauses, in particularmaintain such clauses in agreements it negotiates and to implement the following approaches through:
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point a
Paragraph 5 – point a
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point b
Paragraph 5 – point b
(b) introduction of mechanisms for mandatory periodic HR impact assessments, including through the establishment of an interinstitutional committeeperiodic, in-depth monitoring of the implementation of trade agreements, particularly with regard to human rights and social and environmental standards, such as by publishing regular reports;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point c
Paragraph 5 – point c
(c) a civil society monitoring mechanism that is dedicated to dealing withconsulting and involving civil society in the process of monitoring the implementation of trade and investment agreements, particularly with regard to compliance with social and environmental standards and respect for human rights; recalls in this connection the HR impact of the agreement, ortance of involving the public in efforts and negotiations to ensure transparency;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point d
Paragraph 5 – point d
(d) the possibility of introducing direct domestic complaint mechanisms enabling individuals and communities whose HR areiterates its request for sustainable development forums or advisory groups to be set up at the various stages of drafting, negotiating and implementing an agreement so as to ensure, affected by trade and investments to address the EUmong other things, consultation with the social partners and civil society representatives;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – introductory part
Paragraph 6 – introductory part
6. Firmly demands thatAsks for all future EU trade agreements to have ambitious sustainable chapters (TSD) with:
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point a
Paragraph 6 – point a
(a) a preliminary commitment by each of the parties to ratify and transpose into national lawprovisions ensuring that the chapters on sustainable development seek to apply and to implement the eight core and four priority ILO Conventions,ILO Conventions and their contents; these chapters must continue to seek to strengthen social and environmental standards and respect for human rights;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point b
Paragraph 6 – point b
(b) a general dispute settlement mechanism directly accessible to the social partners and civil society,able to ensure compliance with human rights and social and environmental standards;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – point c
Paragraph 6 – point c
(c) more than a merely incentives-based approach: sanctions must cause an effective suspension of trade benefits in the form of countervailing duties. In addition to sanctions, a decision may require an action plan that could include legislative and/or regulatory reformthe introduction of deterrent measures to slow down the implementation of the agreement or reduce the scope of benefits in the event of serious, proven breaches of the provisions of the agreement’s chapter on sustainable development; stresses that the introduction of action plans with our partners could help remedy non- compliance with certain commitments made in trade and investment agreements;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Points out that EU trade policy can help to set high international standards in areas including human rights, as well as social and environmental standards; draws attention, in this connection, to the need for the EU to maintain a close and regular dialogue with the WTO, the ILO and the OECD;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets the lack ofCalls on the Commission to involvement of the EP in assessmore closely ing the compliance of FTAs with HR obligations, and calls on the Council to consult Parliament on any decisions to revise or even suspend the application of an agreement if this is necessaryprocess of monitoring the implementation of trade and investment agreements with regard to compliance with human rights and with social and environmental standards;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Welcomes the Commission’s decision to carry out ex ante and ex post sustainability impact assessments for all trade agreements in accordance with the integrated guidelines, while notand asks it to involve Parliament at every stage ing their limited capacity to influence the concis process; calls on trade and investment agreement negotiators to take greate outcomes of the FTAs and IPAr account of the findings of such assessments during negotiations;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. RegretNotes the Commission decision to finalise the agreement with Vietnam before the conclusion of the human rights impact assessment (HRIA); calls on the Commission to conduct that assessment at the earliest opportunity;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Firmly demands that HRIAs andStresses that human rights impact studies complement the sustainability impact assessments (SIAs) become binding and begin at an early stagcarried out and that the fin order to inform negotiating positions even before they are formulatedding must be taken into account by negotiators;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Recognises that universal access to common goods such as water and sanitation, education, healthcare and medicines is a key component of Member States’ucation is an important reflection of a country’s capacity to guarantee human and social rights;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Welcomes the entry into force of the new Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) (Regulation (EU) No 978/2012) on 1 January 2014; points out that the 14 GSP+ beneficiary countries are required to ratify the 27 core international conventions and to ensure that they are applied in accordance with the criteria laid down in those conventions; welcomes the publication of the first GSP monitoring report for the period 2014- 2015 and stresses that cooperation with Parliament on this issue must continue and that Parliament must be given regular progress reports on GSP+;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Draws attention to the commitment made by the Commission on 6 November 2015 to promote relevant objectives at global level with a view to putting an immediate and definitive end to the worst forms of child labour and to cracking down on all forms of forced or compulsory labour; reiterates the call it made on the Commission in 2010 to submit a balanced and realistic proposal for legislation combating forced labour, in particular where the most vulnerable social groups are involved;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11c. Stresses the importance of including the objective of combating forced labour and child labour in EU trade agreements, in the chapters on sustainable development, so that the parties sign up to that objective; points to the need for the EU be involved in international discussions with the ILO, the OECD, the United Nations and the WTO, so that progress may be made in combating forced labour and child labour;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Acknowledges the Commission’s efforts to negotiate a plurilateral agreement on green goods and calls for those negotiations to produce an ambitious and balanced agreement; calls on the Commission to focus on a diversified strategy that can also address anti-dumping policies in the renewable energy sector, intellectual property regimes, tight financing programmes and the lack of national environmental policies that create the demand for such goods;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Regards as insufficient the efforts towardsCalls for the inclusion of CSR clauses in the TSD chapters and asks the Commission to step up its efforts towards achieving compliance by companies, throughout their supply chains, and full respect for ILO core labour standards and internationally recognised CSR standards;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls on the Commission to update its strategy on CSR, with a view to tightening up social and environmental standards and, in particular, to making sure that CSR is taken into account in trade and investment agreements negotiated by the EU; calls on the Commission to step up discussions on CSR at international level, in particular with the ILO and the OECD;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Draws attention to the Sustainability Compact launched by the Commission together with Bangladesh, the ILO and the United States following the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013; stresses the importance of continuing to pursue the pact’s sustainability objectives in order to improve workers’ rights, as well as the need for more responsible management of supply chains at international level; calls on the Commission to pursue similar programmes and measures with other EU trade partners;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Believes it is crucial to ensure increased access to information on the conduct of enterprises; considers it fundamental to introduce a mandatory reporting system and due diligence for EU companies that outsource their production to third countriecontinue efforts to ensure transparency with regard to access to information on the conduct of enterprises, and points to the importance of companies meeting their due diligence obligations;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on the EU and the Member States to promote binding measures to ensure that companies pay taxes where economic activities take place and value is created, and to promote compulsory country-by- country reporting by the private sector;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for the EU and the Member States to engage actively in the work of the UN’s Human Rights Council and of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on an international treaty to hold transnational corporations accountable for HR abuses and violations ofthe drafting of high international standards for compliance with human rights and with social and environmental standards;