Activities of Helmut SCHOLZ related to 2021/2178(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
Future of EU-Africa trade relations (debate)
Future of EU-Africa trade relations (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the future of EU-Africa trade relations
Amendments (106)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
— having regard to the African Union initiatives Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa (AIDA), Programme for Infrastructure Development for Africa (PIDA), Boosting Intra-African Trade (BIAT), and Africa Mining Vision (AMV) launched to achieve Agenda 2063,
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 b (new)
Citation 7 b (new)
— having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific(OACPS) States, of the other part,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9
Citation 9
— having regard to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), those concluded and those under negotiation, between the EU and 14 sub-Saharan African countries and regions, and other EU free trade agreements with Northern African countries,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
— having regard to African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government decision 692 on the African Continental Free Trade Area2a _________________ 2a (Assembly/AU /Dec.692(XXXI))
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 b (new)
Citation 9 b (new)
— having regard to the Kigali Decision of July 2016 of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government, on financing the African Union3a _________________ 3a Kigali Decision (Assembly/AU/Dec.605 (XXVII))
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 c (new)
Citation 9 c (new)
— having regard to the Communication on a new Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs: Taking our partnership for investment and jobs to the next level4a _________________ 4a COM(2018) 643 final
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12
Citation 12
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 a (new)
Citation 27 a (new)
— having regard to the Declaration of the Africa-Europe Forum of Local and Regional Governments of the Member States of the African Union and of the European Union on 15 February 2022 in Brussels,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 b (new)
Citation 27 b (new)
— having regard to the Joint Declaration of the Business Organisations of the 7th EU - Africa Business Forum on the 14th of February 2022 in Brussels,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 c (new)
Citation 27 c (new)
— having regard to the Africa - Europe Week CSO Forum outcome document,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 d (new)
Citation 27 d (new)
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 29 a (new)
Citation 29 a (new)
— having regard to the recommendations in the final report of the Land Reform Panel, established by Cyrill Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 32 a (new)
Citation 32 a (new)
— having regard to the address of Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, to the European Parliament on December 2021 in Strasbourg;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 32 b (new)
Citation 32 b (new)
— having regard to the United Nations’ General Assembly resolution on Aggression against Ukraine, adopted on March 2022
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas achieving the SDGs by 2030 must become the central guideline and benchmark of success of EU-Africa cooperation, including trade and investment relations;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the EU Trade Policy Review acknowledges the strategic importance of deepening active and fair engagement with the African continent and African states; whereas Europe and Africa are neighbouring continents whose prosperity and stability are closely interlinked and need to be supported by closer economic integration between the two continents;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas the EU and its Member States are the world’s largest providers of Aid for Trade with 38% of global contributions; whereas Africa continued to receive the largest share of AfT commitments in 2019; whereas the EU intends to increase the share of EU AfT allocated to LDCs to help double their share of global exports, as LDCs’ share on global exports has remained at 1% and on exports to the EU at 2% in 2020;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EU is one of the most important trading partners for Africa; whereas 90 percent of African exports enter the EU market free of import duties; whereas in 2020 over 61 % of goods imported to the EU from Africa were primary goods andsuch as food and drink, raw materials and energy, and whereas in 2020 almost 70 % of goods exported from the EU to Africa were manufactured goods; whereas such trade relations continue to lock the African continent at the lower value end of global value chains;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas the value of trade between Africa and China has reached a record high and rose by 35% from 2020 to $254 billion in 2021, mainly due to an increase in Chinese exports to the continent; whereas much of this growth can be attributed to China’s export of essential pandemic goods such as pharmaceuticals, PPEs, masks, hazmat suits, chemicals, and digital hardware; whereas exports to China by African countries also increased, with exports from Libya and Benin going up by more than 400%, while those for Togo, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, and Eswatini doubled;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
D b. whereas the United States did trade in goods with Africa in 2021 of approximately $26 billion exports and $35 billion imports; whereas despite of the Prosper Africa initiative launched by the previous US administration, US trade with sub-Saharan Africa is stagnating and represents less than 1 percent of all US trade in goods;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
D c. whereas Africa's share in global trade has declined steadily over the past 50 years and accounts for 2,9 % of world trade according to UNCTAD; whereas the continent has a high level of dependence on imports and commodity-based natural resource exports; whereas interregional trade accounts for only 14,4% of total continental trade;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas strengthening the intra- continental trade in Africa is way below its potential, and strengthening it is essential for itAfrica’s economic developmentstructural transformation; whereas- in comparison - trade in goods between EU Member States is continuously higher than extra-EU trade and was valued - in terms of exports - at EUR 2 843 billion in 2020; whereas the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gives new momentum to pan-African trade and investment opportunities;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas within AfCFTA, tariffs on 90% of tariff lines are to be eliminated, with a commitment of Non-Least Developed Countries to liberalise tariffs of non-sensitive goods over 5 years and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) over 10 years; whereas 7% of tariff lines can be sensitive goods, and Non-Least Developed Countries will liberalise tariffs of sensitive goods over 10 years and LDCs over 13 years; whereas 3% of tariff lines can be excluded from liberalisation;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
E b. whereas AfCFTA is an important step to leave behind the current model for formal trade in the Africa which is characterised by long border crossing times, extensive regulatory requirements and high taxes, by that encouraging bribes and deepening corruption structures;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas AfCFTA will become the world’s largest free-trade area in terms of participating countries –, including currently 54 out of 55 AU Member States, and started on 1 January 2021 to create a market of 1.2 billion people, making it the eighth biggest economic bloc in the world with a combined GDP of USD 3 trillion, which is expected to more than double by 2050;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G b (new)
Recital G b (new)
G b. whereas with regard to trade and in particular rules of origin and cumulation, the EU’s diverse arrangements with African countries have led to a fragmentation of the African continent, thus creating tariff-related barriers and hindering the building of cross-border value chains within the AfCFTA;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G c (new)
Recital G c (new)
G c. whereas the African Union Assembly decision 692 endorsing the AfCFTA, committed to engage external partners as one block speaking with one voice and urged Member States to abstain from entering into bilateral trading arrangements until the entry into force of the Agreement establishing the AfCFTA; whereas the implementation of phase I of AfCFTA is not yet concluded;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G d (new)
Recital G d (new)
G d. whereas in July 2016 in Kigali, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government adopted the Decision directing all African Union Member States to implement a 0.2% levy on eligible imports to finance the African Union;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas Africa is a continent of hope and opportunity and perceived as such by a growing number of its young population; whereas Africa is today home to four times as many children as Europe and 70 percent of the population of sub- Saharan Africa are under 30; whereas Africa’s Youth are in need of quality education, employment and business opportunities, and sustainable development; whereas Europe’s population is aging and many economic sectors are already reporting shortages in qualified labour and report problems in finding apprentices;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
H a. whereas Africa is projected to be home to at least 25% of the world’s population by 2050, which will be a significant challenge to the economies and democratic governance of African countries, and have an impact on geopolitics, global trade and migration;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas climate change and environmental degradation are existential threats to Africa, the EU and the entire world, and require joint responsiveness and substantive investments in sustainable and inclusive economic development and provision of access to public goods; whereas EU has committed to turn itself into the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and to decouple its economic growth from resource use; whereas Africa contributes very little to greenhouse gas emissions, regardless of whether this is measured through historical, current or expected emissions and in total or per capita terms, while nevertheless areas of the continent are among those worst impacted by the effects of climate change; whereas COP27 will take place in the African state of Egypt in 2022; whereas the transition to a decarbonised world must be just and equitable; whereas the EU has proposed to make energy access one of the main pillars of the Green Deal cooperation with Africa;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the EU and the AU have announced an Africa-Europe Investment Package of at least EUR 150 billion that will support common ambitions for the 2030 Agenda and the AU Agenda 2063, composed of an investment, a health and an education part; whereas these investments should not add to the debt burden of African countries;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
J a. whereas about 34% of African households live below the $1.90 per day international poverty line, and around 40% of the total wealth is owned by approximately one ten-thousandth per cent of the continent’s population; whereas large disparities remain in development of African countries; whereas given the expected rapid population growth, it is even more essential to ensure that it will be accompanied by sustainable development, quality education and decent job creation;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)
Recital J b (new)
J b. whereas the EU Commission has launched the Sustainable Cocoa Initiative, in the co-leadership of DG TRADE and DG INTPA, focused on Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire and with Cameroon as an observer, with the main objectives to ensure a sustainable living income for farmers, to achieve the elimination of child labour in the cocoa supply chain, and the elimination of deforestation due to cocoa plantations;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences set back growth across Africa in 2020, may have thrown an additional 30 million people into poverty and exacerbated the prevalence of child labour; whereas post-pandemic recovery packages expressed a momentum of change of policy consensus; whereas the capacity to support recovery by public funds differs across regions, causing an imminent risk of exacerbating inequalities; whereas the current vaccination rate for the African continent is at only 11%; whereas the EU and the AU have committed to supporting the full- fledged African health sovereignty, in order for the continent to respond to future public health emergencies, and to supporting, to this end, a common agenda for manufacturing vaccines, medicines, diagnostics, therapeutics and health products in Africa, including investment in production capacities, voluntary technology transfers as well as the strengthening of the regulatory framework to enable equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
K a. whereas a sustainable and inclusive recovery in Africa from COVID- 19 will require an additional $1 trillion annually, on top of the $2.5 trillion annual gap in finance for the SDGs that predated the crisis; whereas this endeavour constitutes an important investment opportunity; whereas the European Investment Bank stepped up its efforts to help African partners respond to the COVID-19 health and economic crisis by providing €5 billion to support more than EUR 12 billion of transformational private and public investment across Africa in 2020;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the 6th EU-AU-Summit underlined the urgency of the WTOs contribution to the fight against the pandemic and to the recovery of the global economy, and committed to engage constructively towards an agreement on a comprehensive WTO response to the pandemic, which includes trade-related as well as intellectual-property-related aspects;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
L a. whereas the European Commission, the governments of the United States of America, the Republic of India, and the Republic of South Africa have presented a compromise proposal to the WTO Member States, which would waive certain criteria of compulsory licensing provisions under TRIPS, but falls short of the above;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
Recital M
M. whereas according to the IMF, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, about 60 % of low-income countries are at high risk of , or are already in, debt distress, while in 2015 that figure was below 30 %; whereas governments of highly indebted countries both in Europe and Africa find it difficult to mobilise much needed investments into the pre-conditions of economic development such as a qualified work force and modern infrastructure;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas the AfCFTA Secretariat has established a USD 1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, funded by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), which is aimed at supporting countries that would in the short term experience revenue losses as a result of reducing or eliminating their tariffs; whereas AfCFTA Secretariat estimates the actual need to be about USD 7 billion;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
Recital O
O. whereas EU-Africa trade in agricultural products needs to be revised; the EU is the world’s biggest importer and exporter of agri-food products; whereas the external dimension of EU companies’ agri-food supply chains had a negative impact on agricultural self-reliance and food security in Africa; whereas despite the fact that Africa has the most arable land in the world, AU countries remained net food importers, partially due to the negative effects of European domestic subsidies and classifications on prices for products from African farmers, increased by tariffs that render African processed food exports uncompetitive; whereas EU-Africa trade in agricultural products needs to be generally revised, in order to give room for sustainable agriculture reform models on both continents that will offer farmers dignity, strengthen domestic and regional resilience, and can mobilise the potential for both continents to produce abundant nutrition and become food self-sustaining, as well as contributors to food-security in other regions of the world; whereas family farming provides for up to 70% of food supply in the continent that is actually consumed by Africans, rather than being farmed for the purpose of exporting;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O a (new)
Recital O a (new)
O a. whereas a number of African states have some of the world’s richest renewable energy resources; whereas nearly two-thirds of the African population lack access to electricity; whereas the African Union launched in June 2021 the African Single Electricity Market that is the world’s largest energy trading programme meant to interconnect all 55 African Union Member States through an efficient, affordable, and sustainable electricity market and is expected to be fully operational by2040;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O b (new)
Recital O b (new)
O b. whereas the AfCFTA members consider the automotive industry as a potentially very strong driver for African industrialisation as well as an opportunity for inclusivity; whereas a 1.2 billion dollar automobile fund is being established by the AfCFTA Secretariat and funded by Afreximbank, aimed at assisting countries interested in participating in an African automobile value chain, to either produce vehicle components or assemble cars, as most African countries could have an opportunity to participate in a broad- based inclusive value chain, with copper, rubber and various minerals that are required to manufacture vehicles being available for processing on the continent; whereas African vehicle demand over the next 15 years is expected to surpass 4.5 million units; whereas this demand for mobility requires sustainable solutions and research cooperation with international partners;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O c (new)
Recital O c (new)
O c. whereas micro, small and medium- sized enterprises (MSMEs) in low and middle-income countries across Africa suffer in intra-African trade from significant transaction costs and delays caused by limited cross-border relations between banks, foreign currency availability, high service costs for intermediaries, and the need to rate both currencies against the Dollar; whereas technological developments and cooperation between central banks such as in the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) can offer a way out of this problem;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O d (new)
Recital O d (new)
O d. whereas Africa has the fastest crypto adoption rate in the world, recording 1,200 % growth between July 2020 and June 2021, with Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania ranking already in the top 20 of the Global Crypto Adoption Index, and with peer-to-peer transactions being the most important driver of this development;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital P
Recital P
P. whereas the AU’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020- 2030) envisions a secured digital single market for Africa by 2030 where movement of persons, services and capital is ensured and individuals and businesses can seamlessly access and engage in online activities in line with AfCFTA; whereas the digitalisation of trade and the promotion of paperless trading systems has significant potential to support small- scale traders, including women-led enterprises and young entrepreneurs; whereas substantive investment into internet infrastructure is needed to facilitate the digital participation of the African population, of which only 33 percent had access to the internet in 2021;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital P a (new)
Recital P a (new)
P a. whereas negotiations are taking place in AfCFTA on the foreseen liberalisation of services, starting with five priority sectors identified by the AU, namely transport, tourism, communications, financial and business services; whereas services account for 54 percent of African GDP and 75 percent of foreign direct investment;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital P b (new)
Recital P b (new)
P b. whereas peace is a pre-condition for sustainable development and for a stable trade and investment environment; whereas the United Nations’ General Assembly condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine with an overwhelming majority of 141 votes in favour, 35 abstentions, and 5 against; whereas the African Union condemned Russia’s aggression, and 28 of its Member States supported the resolution, while 16 abstained and 9 chose not to vote; whereas Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has devastating consequences for global value and supply chains, but in particular on the access to wheat and other commodities in the world, which puts additional millions of people in Africa at risk of food shortage;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Affirms that EU-Africa trade and investment relations form part of our joint endeavour to achieve the UN SDGs by 2030 and the objectives of the Paris Agreement; stresses that the modernisation of EU-AU trade and investment relations must adhere to the principle of policy coherence for development as enshrined in Article 208 TFEU and contribute to the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by means of the green and digital transformation of the economies in both the EU and the AU, as well as among our global trading partners;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Urges the EU Commission to help end the ´fill and finish´ role of African nations by supporting a multi-stakeholder system which will allow AU nations to produce their own vaccinations, an ability already demonstrated in the production of HIV-vaccines, which will open spaces for the development of scientific potential and decrease globally the dependence on a handful of corporations;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the importance of creating a solid infrastructural and industrial basis in Africa, as laid down in the AU Agenda 2063, aiming at the development of resilient value chains and high added value processing of raw materials in Africa as a major avenue towards quality job creation; calls on the EU Commission and European enterprises and investors, including the EIB, to apply modern sustainable and wherever possible climate neutral production technologies in African industrialisation projects; stresses, in this regard, the need to support Africa in tailoring its own independent macroeconomic, fiscal, monetary and trade policies and to provide for the right to legislate for the protection of its infant industries; stresses that efforts to protect the environment should be put at the centre of cooperation policies and programmes in support of industrialisation and the creation of decent jobs in Africa, to be established and implemented by all responsible stakeholders from the two continents;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Calls for sustainable development to be placed at the heart of the EU-Africa trade relations, with priority given to addressing poverty and inequalities, creation of decent jobs, comprehensive and well-structured education and professional training facilities, ensuring transparency and good governance, as well as the respect for and implementation of environmental norms and human and social rights, while always ensuring that both women and men benefit from trade- related growth and economic opportunities;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that the EU needs an entirely new foundation for its economic partnership with Africa, on equal grounds and based on mutual respect and understanding, taking into account the changing dynamics and addressing historical imbalances and shortcomings; emphasises the need for the EU and AU to develop a mutually beneficial sustainable partnership based on solidarity and cooperation, and to reshape the economic, commercial and trade relations with the aim to empower Africa, including by ensuring fair and ethical trade relations, which favour African continental integration;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Reiterates the importance of peace for positive social, environmental and economic development; takes note of the lack of support for the UNGA resolution condemning the aggression against Ukraine among many African governments, and that African support for European Union positions cannot be taken for granted; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to explore the variety of reasons for the scepticism, and to increase diplomatic efforts to build common positions against military aggressions on both continents;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Supports the objectives of AfCFTAand aspirations of AfCFTA as expressed in its preamble; stresses that indicators in measuring economic success in Africa and Europe should be diversified beyond GDP growth and recommends to refer also to indicators such as GINI index, genuine progress indicator, human development index, and in particular the SDG progress reports;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. recalls that between 2014 and 2020, the EU has been supporting the setting up of the AfCFTA through its Pan-African Programme with more than EUR 74 million and that the funding has been used for capacity building in the negotiation, ratification and implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement; calls on the EU and its Member States to continue its financial and technical support to the implementation of AfCFTA; notes that for AfCFTA to deliver its promises and go beyond mere trade liberalisation and lift people out of poverty, countries in Africa need the policy space to adopt policies that enhance consistency between trade measures, diversification objectives, responding to population needs, sustainability and inclusive growth;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Calls on the EU and the AU Commissions to introduce a transparent and trustworthy framework of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) metrics that facilitates benchmarking and accurate tracking of emissions and other environmental impacts for being able to make “no uninternalized externalities” principle effective, including the full implementation of the polluter pays principle, government-mandated corporate ESG reporting as well as a robust framework of mandatory corporate sustainability disclosure based on a strong due diligence legislation;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commissions of both AU and EU to facilitate the development of regional value chains and better regional infrastructures in Africa; stresses the need for consistent investments and public oversight in the development of general and cross-border sustainable infrastructures, in order to facilitate regional trade and thus the diversification and resilience of local, regional and continental value chains; calls on the African Union partners to swiftly respond to the proposals of Team Europe for joint infrastructure projects; calls on both EU and African partners to implement the jointly identified priority projects without further delay, and to create project related profit opportunities for local companies, and job opportunities for the local population, while strictly observing high environmental and labour standards; points out that in Sub-Saharan Africa an estimated 40% of staple foods being transported do not make it to the market due to poor infrastructure and deficits in cooling and storage;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. stresses the importance to further develop the infrastructures and connections between Sub-Saharan Africa and Northern Africa, and between West and East Africa;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to assist and cres of both AU and EU to create and facilitate conditions for African countries to change the nature of their integrateion into the world economy, not only as the source countrifrom sources of primary commodities, but asto exporters of intermediate and final products, while maintaining policy space for the safeguarding of infant industries; recommends enhanced cooperation with universities and other research facilities in Africa in order to establish a platform for technology and know-how exchange; recommends to consider targeted patent waivers in sectors where this is identified as most supportive for a holistic, sustainable and climate- neutral African industrial development;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. takes note of China’s announcement to promote the total investment of Chinese enterprises in Africa of no less than $10 billion in the next three years, that China will assist Africa in implementing 10 industrialization and employment promotion projects, and provide African financial institutions with a credit line of $10 billion; observes China’s announcement to help Africa implement 10 poverty reduction and agricultural projects, and to send 500 agricultural experts to Africa, to establish a "green channel" for African agricultural products to be exported to China, to expand the scope of zero-tariff treatment products from the least-developed countries; takes note that China has set a goal to achieve a total import volume of $300 billion in products from Africa in the next three years;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. is aware of the expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) of the USA in 2025, encourages the Biden-Harris administration to give early signals for the continuation of AGOA, and calls on the TTC between EU and US to put cooperation and trade with Africa on the agenda; considers the Prosper Africa portal of the US government a positive example for providing support for enterprises both in Africa and the US to do transatlantic business; notes that the USAID Trade and Investment Program for Africa has a contract ceiling of $464 million over its life span from 2021 - 2026;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. NoReiterates that the future of the international trading system depends onEU and the African Union share a common interest in a stable and rules-based multilateral trading system; calls on the partners to work together to create a fair and equitable trade and financial global architecture through the revitalisingzation of the WTO and, finalisingation of the Doha Round, on which African countries have placed their hopes as agreed on by the WTO membership, and establishing transparency in the international finance governance;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Believes that trade can achieve greater impact by working collectively with our international partners; calls therefore on the Commission to deepen its cooperation with our African partners and to establish a regular high-level policy dialogue, including with a parliamentary dimension also involving the European Parliament;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Stresses that accountable and transparent global governance should feature greater participation of parliamentary bodies, as directly elected parliamentarians can function as a crucial link between citizens and the multilateral system; emphasises the importance of the work of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO jointly organised by the European Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and calls for more efforts to better involve Parliamentarians from Africa and in particular the Pan-African Parliament; underlines the need to ensure that parliamentarians have better access to trade negotiations and are involved in the decision making and review processes of the WTO; calls for a strengthening of the role of both the European Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament as well as the national Parliaments of all Member States in the mandating phase of international trade and investment negotiations;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that the renewed EU- Africa relationship should have at its heart the best shared interests of both continents and should not become subject to geopolitical rivalry; points out that a fair competition of interests is not alien to market economies and that African partners can reserve their right to benefit from a demand situation in their favour;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission to foster investment in the African continent through innovative financial instruments to increase capital flows and reduce risksat promote economic, social and cultural rights, as well as environmental rights, enhance capacities of governments to regulate in the public interest, and balance the rights and obligations of investors, communities and the environment through innovative financial instruments to increase capital flows and reduce risks; recalls the key importance of consistent public investment in public services, in research capabilities and in the promotion of economic sectors in which a country or region has potential to acquire a comparative advantage;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Urges the Commission and the EIB to prepare an effective and easily accessible microcredit scheme, that would offer access to credit without need for collateral or other financial guarantees; stresses the importance of such a scheme for women and youth empowerment; calls, in this regard, for appropriate accompanying measures, such as technical and legal assistance and counselling, as well as alliances with local partners on the ground, in order to make such microcredits really accessible;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls for the EU to reinforce its support to the African countries and the AU on combating illicit financial flows and tax evasion by multinational companies; recalls that Africa loses about US$ 88.6 billion in illicit capital flight every year, equivalent to 3.7 per cent of the continent’s gross domestic product; calls for joint efforts to ensure that taxes are paid where profits and real economic value are created, in order to stop continued tax base erosion and profit- shifting; calls for increased cooperation between the African Union and the European Union and their member states in the implementation of legislation addressing corporate tax transparency issues, e.g. the EU’s financial reporting directive;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Calls on the Commissions of both AU and EU and the respective member states to step up cooperation in the implementation of due diligence concepts, both with regard to existing legislation such as the EU’s conflict minerals regulation, as well as in the design and implementation of upcoming horizontal and sectoral binding due diligence legislation to report and prevent human rights violations and environmental damages caused by corporations and their operations along the entire value chain;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes the graduation of several African countries from LDC status in the near future and the need to support their smooth transition; is of the opinion that these countries would benefit from the GSP+ status and encourages them to consider applying, while calling on the EU Commission to pro-actively approach these potential candidates, to offer support in their steps towards meeting the criteria, and to identify on a country-by- country basis a roadmap for a transition from LDC to GSP+ partner country;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses that the trade partnership between the EU and Africa must prioritise food sovereignty and quality nutrition self- sufficiency; identifies a need for re- structuring of value chains so that more of the processing and value-adding part of the production takes place in source countries; calls on the Commission to provide better assistance on aligning with the highest standards for sustainable agri- food systems;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Is convinced that the EU should take its responsibility as a major global player in the agri-food sector to cooperate with African countries in further developing the benchmarks and international standards for sustainable food systems, based on respect for human and labour rights, fair competition, the precautionary principle, environmental protection and animal welfare in accordance with WTO rules;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16 b. Calls on the EU Commission to support local agricultural business; calls for improving the conditions for small and family owned farms to increase their capability to compete with large scale corporate farms, both for the benefit of decent job creation and improved labour conditions in the agricultural sector; emphasises the importance of farmers for the strengthening of circular economies within the various African regions and by that responding to challenges from climate change and the ongoing loss of biodiversity, while uplifting local economies;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16 c. calls for joint efforts with our African partners at the WTO level to find multilateral solutions for major divisions in global agricultural policy issues such as domestic support, market access, export restrictions, export competition, cotton, public stockholding for food security purposes, and a special safeguard mechanism;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)
Paragraph 16 d (new)
16 d. Stresses the need for multilateral trade rules that are supportive of substantial and sustainable agricultural- and soil-concepts based on comprehensive Agrarian reforms in various African States to be carried out for guaranteeing food-security all across the continent;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 e (new)
Paragraph 16 e (new)
16 e. Points out that in comparison with other regions of the world, the distribution of added-value in agricultural value chains is mostly unfavourable for African smallholders, as can be observed also in the effects of market concentration on farmers and producing countries in the case of cocoa; shares the views expressed by the Cocoa Coalition that the EU’s due diligence legislation, including the regulation on deforestation, should aim to deliver living incomes for cocoa farmers as an essential step in achieving a sustainable cocoa sector;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 f (new)
Paragraph 16 f (new)
16 f. Recalls the fact that more than 800 million people go to bed hungry every night, is concerned that the FAO forecasted a significant increase of hunger for Africa (from more than 280 to 300 million people), placing it by 2030 on par with Asia as the region with the highest number of undernourished people; points out that food insecurity has worsened in the continent since 2019 and there are currently 346.4 million individuals suffering from food insecurity in Africa, and 21% of the population in 2020 was malnourished; deplores that driving these unwelcome trends are the increasing frequency and intensity of conflict, climate variability and extremes, economic slowdowns and downturns, and high levels of inequality, the latter increased by economic downturns in 2020, which were mainly a consequence of COVID-19 containment measures all over the world;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 g (new)
Paragraph 16 g (new)
16 g. Recommends to turn around this trend by integrating humanitarian, development and peace building policies in conflict-affected areas, by scaling up climate resilience across food systems, by strengthening resilience of the most vulnerable to economic adversity, by intervening along the food supply chains to lower the cost of nutritious foods, by tackling poverty and structural inequalities, ensuring interventions are pro-poor and inclusive, and by strengthening food environments and changing consumer behaviour to promote, including by trade measures, dietary patterns with positive impacts on human health and the environment;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Reiterates that the different EPAs should have contributed to developing intra- African integration and to the development of a fair and sustainable trade model; Is concerned that the EU’s trade policy towards Africa is very fragmented;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Recommends starting a review process for the existing EPAs with a view towards their reorientation to supporting the AfCFTA process and continental integration in Africa;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17 b. Recalls that the Commission had received a mandate to negotiate a region- to-region EPA with the East African Community, and not for an EPA with Kenya alone; notes that the EAC Summit of February 2021 accepted an approach of variable geometry for the EAC members regarding their trade relations with third parties; calls for an impact assessment for a potential iEPA between the EU and Kenya on the other EAC member states, and on the EAC and regional integration; is aware of the talks between the EU Commission and other EAC Member States, notably Tanzania, on remaining issues with signing and ratifying an EU - EAC EPA, in the light of concerns expressed by CSOs from Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya; is aware of the interest in negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement between Kenya and the USA;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)
Paragraph 17 c (new)
17 c. Deplores the confusion created by the trade rules established in the three parallel EPAs in West Africa, each with divergent sets of rules; notes that 15 West African countries have signed the region- to-region EPA, and that for the EPA to enter into force, Nigeria would also have to sign, and at least 11out of 16 countries would have to ratify the EPA; calls on the Commission to analyse the deadlock and to seriously engage with Nigeria, including analysing the call for a rethink of the EPA approach by President Muhammadu Buhari and his ideas for a new economic deal focussing on job creation in Africa and overcoming commodity dependency; welcomes in this regard the 8th EU - Nigeria Ministerial Dialogue foreseen for 2022; takes note of the advanced implementation of the EPAs with both Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, and welcomes the policy dialogue on Cocoa, and on Pharmaceuticals; emphasises the positive development in Ghana’s cocoa exports, which now have reached a 40 percent share of processed products, while Côte d'Ivoire has unfortunately not achieved more than a 20 percent share yet; deplores the renewed increase of child labour in the cocoa sector, particularly in Cote d’Ivoire, including child trafficking from neighbouring countries for work in CIV cocoa plantations;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 d (new)
Paragraph 17 d (new)
17 d. Is concerned by reports that the SADC EPA has led to an increase of exports to the EU only in the case of the Republic of South Africa, while in regard to all other SADC partner countries, trade has developed to the benefit of the EU; takes note of Angola’s request to join the SADC EPA, and of the preliminary impact screening results of the sustainable impact assessment, which identified alongside economic opportunities also a risk to increase existing deficits and vulnerabilities with regard to human rights and environmental impacts in Angola;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 e (new)
Paragraph 17 e (new)
17 e. Recalls that sustainable development in the form of diversification of value chains and regional integration had been communicated by the EU Commission as highly important accompanying goals of the SADC EPA; is concerned that neither seems to be the focus of the agreement’s implementation nor the review process; observes that the main exports from the SADC region to the EU remain agricultural products and raw materials to the largest extend, and that diversification of and a moving up in the value chains has not materialised in the SADC region, except for South Africa; whereas South African exports of cars to the EU increased by 250 percent and accounted for 31 percent of RSA exports to the EU in 2019;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 f (new)
Paragraph 17 f (new)
17 f. Reminds the EU Commission of the contractually agreed capacity development to be provided by the EU to the SADC EPA states, inter alia with regard to facilitation of an improved trade data infrastructure, cooperation in fiscal adjustments to mitigate the net impact of the agreement in the SADC EPA states, of customs procedures, facilitation of transit movements and measures related to technical barriers to trade, facilitation of harmonisation of standards in the SADC EPA states, facilitation of the distribution of information on EPA usage and also with regard to an early warning system on new EU standards and requirements;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 g (new)
Paragraph 17 g (new)
17 g. Reminds the Commission of the promise that the EU side would make sure to establish and facilitate a civil society dialogue between civil society of the EU and the SADC EPA states; notes that during the one civil society forum that was organised by the EU Commission, civil society present was mostly from South Africa;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 h (new)
Paragraph 17 h (new)
17 h. Warns that the negotiations for a comprehensive ESA EPA should not establish facts while negotiations on inter alia services liberalisation are still ongoing among the AfCFTA partners; recalls in this regard the spirit of the commitment of African Union Heads of State to refrain from concluding bilateral agreements with third parties until the entering into force of the AfCFTA; points out that any existing EPA should be modernised primarily with the aim to serve as a building block for the AfCFTA, should take into account the Pan-African Investment Code, and include provisions that support cross-border value-chains; welcomes the progress made in the negotiations on the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter, but calls on the Commission to negotiate in accordance with the result of the ongoing TSD review;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 i (new)
Paragraph 17 i (new)
17 i. notes that Madagascar has become the number one in textile exports from sub-Saharan Africa to the EU, and third to the US, with textiles and clothing accounting for more than a third of Madagascar’s exports to the EU; points out that the reason companies shifting production from Bangladesh to Madagascar is a local minimum wage as low as 43 Euro per month; calls for an obligation for European brands to ensure decent wages along their entire supply chains;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 j (new)
Paragraph 17 j (new)
17 j. emphasises that building blocks of a sustainable business model for the fair and ethical fashion and apparel industry must be based on supply chains consistent with the priorities which contribute to mitigate climate change and reduce global inequalities; recommends to make use of the African Cotton and Textile Industry Federation (ACTIF) project experience to create Textile Industry Hubs across the African continent, aiming at creating added value in proximity to natural resources while benefitting from common infrastructure; suggests to use preferential tariffs and access to finance as incentives for compliant actors applying ESG responsible business models supporting due diligence along the value chain, with a focus on support for SMEs, MSMEs, small farmers, women- led businesses and young entrepreneurs; calls on the EU and AU Commissions to support the setting-up of ESG traceability capacity building programmes to support African producers to meet the forthcoming EU due diligence normative requirements, enhance visibility and foster a competitive industry through tech transfer; calls on the buyers to pay their share in the costs for sustainability compliance measures;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 k (new)
Paragraph 17 k (new)
17 k. Notes that despite of the EPAs, EU trade with North African countries accounts for 48 percent of EU trade with the continent, with oil and gas being the main export commodities for Algeria and Libya;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 l (new)
Paragraph 17 l (new)
17 l. Welcomes the launch of negotiations for an EU - Angola Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement; stresses the need for strong provisions on the right to regulate, on decent work and the protection of ILO labour standards, on climate change and the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and for strong provisions on environmental protection; welcomes the reference to corporate social responsibility, responsible business conduct and due diligence implementation by investors; considers that the two paragraphs proposed under the heading investment and gender equality could be expanded;
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Stresses the importance of cities and towns in promoting the spirit of fair trade; commends the Commission for launching an award for the European City of Fair and Ethical Trade; commends Vice-President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis for his commitment to continue this important initiative; calls on the EU Commission to seek cooperation with the AU Commission to enhance direct cooperation between cities and towns in both continents, in order to promote fair and ethical trade relations, and to increase visibility of the many respective initiatives of city councils;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18 b. Welcomes the declaration agreed by the meeting of leaders of local and regional governments of the Member States of the African Union and of the European Union on 15 February 2022 in Brussels, which emphasised inter alia that 65 percent of the 169 targets underpinning the SDGs cannot be reached without the engagement of local and regional governments;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the agreement of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers on common rules of origin for the bloc for 87.7 % of goods or 3 .800 tariff lines covered by AfCFTA; calls on the European Commission to harmonise the rules of origin in alland to develop a proposal for unified Rules of Origin for trade with all African countries, based on the recently agreed rules within the AfCFTA, to replace the patchwork of rules of origin in the different EUtrade agreements withand arrangements of the EU with African regions and countries; in Africa with the common AfCFTA rules; s convinced that this would also be to the benefit of European companies and customs authorities; calls on the Commission’s to explore further possibilities and measures to enhance links and synergies between the EU’s different trade arrangements with African countries and the AfCFTA;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Welcomes the launch of the Pan- African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) by the AfCFTA in collaboration with the African Export-Import- Bank (Afreximbank) enabling instant cross- border payments in local currencies, thus potentially saving five billion Dollar transaction costs annually and eliminating transaction time losses on the African continent, while helping to formalise economic activities; calls on the EU Commission and the EIB to encourage participation and to promote the system among partners and in business communities;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19 b. Welcomes that in November 2021, the EIB opened its first hub in Africa, in Kenya’s capital Nairobi;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 c (new)
Paragraph 19 c (new)
19 c. Points out that Small Scale Cross Border Trade (SSCBT) is a major form of trade between African countries; calls on the Commission to continue its funding for the SSCBT Initiative carried out by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Secretariat and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and to share with the AfCFTA Secretariat the experiences made with creating dedicated border posts for small-scale cross-border traders, and with a special focus on female traders, to successfully reduce bribery, corruption and harassment experienced by them;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Appreciates the initiative by the Council and the Commission to organise the first Africa-Europe Week, which was held in February 2022 in Brussels; congratulates the several thousand representatives from youth organisations, civil society organisations, local authorities, from the cultural sector and the business forum for their fruitful work; regrets in this context that the European Parliament was not better involved and that the events took place in parallel with Parliament's plenary week in Strasbourg;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Stresses the necessity to increase the involvement from stakeholders, in particular business associations of SMEs throughout the African continent, and the increasingly important civil society organisations from both the EU and the AU into the debates anchoring the new dimension of trade, investment and economic cooperation, which is aimed at fair and ethical relationships;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes that transport networks are critical enablers of trade and prosperous economies; stresses the need to better connect African rural and urban areas; underlines that Team Europe proposals for the realisation of infrastructure projects shall build on the needs identified by the African Union in PIDA; calls in this regard for the inclusion of politicians from the various affected regions as well as elected representatives of the respective municipalities into the decision-making process on the nature and volume of infrastructure projects; reminds of the fact that currently an estimated 53% of roads in Africa are unpaved and isolated from trade hubs, and less than half of the population in rural areas has access to functional roads year round, which illustrates the need to invest not only in flagship projects; calls for investments also in cold chain logistics and modern storage facilities, and generally improved logistics between production and consumption geographies, given also the rapid urbanisation of Africa;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Encourages a broad debate with an aim to re-consider models and plans to develop infrastructure and to identify alternative mobility models and 21st century modern mobility solutions for everybody within the regions as well as across the continent, based on lessons learned in the EU and other industrialised countries in order to avoid mistakes made there;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Welcomes the EU’s Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative and the EU’s continued support to the African Single Electricity Market; stresses that access to energy must be guaranteed at an affordable price to everyone as a common good and a basic right; welcomes the commitment under Global Gateway to mobilise €2.4 billion grants for Sub-Saharan Africa and € 1.08 billion for North Africa to support renewable energy, energy efficiency, the just transition and the greening of local value chains; calls for a gender-smart investment approach in energy sector that would empower women as energy leaders, workers and consumers;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls for reinforced cooperation on EU-AU digital agendas based on the principles of democratic governance, supportive multilateral rules on e- commerce, effective regulatory mechanisms across the digital domain and global-to-local governance mechanisms for data and digital infrastructures that place people- centred development at the core; takes note of the creation of the Digital Economy Task Force; stresses that EU- AU digital relations should promote Africa's drive for digital transformation and respect governments' right to maintain data ownership and regulate their digital economy according to their development needs;