29 Amendments of Helmut SCHOLZ related to 2023/2868(RSP)
Amendment 1 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Citation 6
Citation 6
– having regard to the results of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference held in Buenos Aires in December 2017 (MC11), which include a series of ministerial decisions and joint statements on electronic commerce, on investment facilitation, on domestic services regulation, and on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), as well as to the Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment endorsed on 12 December 2017 in the margins of MC11,
Amendment 3 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
– having regard to the Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment endorsed on 12 December 2017 and the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender established on 23 September 2020,
Amendment 4 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Citation 6 b (new)
Citation 6 b (new)
– having regard to the Bali Ministerial Decision of 7 December 2013 on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes7a _________________ 7a https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/min ist_e/mc9_e/desci38_e.htm and https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/min ist_e/mc9_e/nov14stockholding_e.htm
Amendment 5 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Citation 6 c (new)
Citation 6 c (new)
– having regard to the communication submitted by India and South Africa on the legal status of Joint Statement Initiatives in March 2021; the communication from the African group on perspectives on institutional reform in July 2023 [WT/GC/W/895] and on The Role of Transfer of Technology in Resilience Building [WT/GC/W/883]; and the G90 declaration on special and differential treatment from July 2021,
Amendment 6 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the WTO was created to further the liberalisation of trade in goods and services in a manner that is consistent with countries' respective needs and different levels of economic development, strengthen multilateralism and foster an open, inclusive, rules-based and non- discriminatory multilateral trading system, in order to improve the welfare of people around the world; whereas the WTO members recognise that trade and economic relations among them should aim at raising standards of living, ensuring full employment and a large and steadily growing volume of real income, while seeking both to protect and preserve the environment; whereas the overall objective of EU’s trade policy is to contribute to the harmonious development of world trade, the progressive abolition of restrictions on international trade and on foreign direct investment, and the lowering of customs and other barriers; whereas EU’s trade is vital andpolicy should be consistent with the general provisions guiding its external action that aim to foster the sustainable economic, social and environmental development of developing countries, with the primary aim of eradicating poverty; whereas international trade should be a key instrument for supporting and complementing efforts to advance sustainequitable gprowthsperity and improve standards of living, ensuring full employment and a large and steadily growing volume of real income in accordance with the objective of sustainable development; whereas global trade has failed to deliver shared prosperity across the globe;
Amendment 11 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas a strong, open and inclusive multilateral trading system shall plays an essential role in reaching global goals on climate change and achieving net zero through, for example, the exchange of the goods and services essential for clean- energy technologies and a circular economy; whereas global trade shall contribute to the goal of minimising maritime transport emissions; whereas, in line with the COP28 outcome, WTO initiatives should only facilitate sustainable investment;
Amendment 16 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas international trade and related intellectual property rules should provide more flexibility for developing countries to put in place industrial and innovation policies to nurture their nascent industries so that new green technology sectors can emerge;
Amendment 17 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the WTO rules-based multilateral trading system is currently under a great deal of pressure, subject to geopolitical tensions and unilateral measures, as well as an unjustified reliance on General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) exceptions by some of its members, which is already resulting in a more fragmented and less predictable context for trade policywhich is already resulting in more fragmentation and diminishing trust in trade policy; whereas an insufficient number of developing and least developed countries have economically evolved beyond the need for General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) exceptions; whereas the reliance on the GATT exceptions must be addressed in the context of the WTO Reform agenda; whereas the outcome at MC12 proved that the WTO can still deliver multilateral agreements and respond to emergencies;
Amendment 30 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. wheras the MC12 Ministerial Decision on the TRIPS Agreement concerning a TRIPS waiver is of limited scope covering only vaccines; whereas diagnostics and therapeutics are essential tools for a comprehensive approach to fight the pandemic, which is not over; whereas the WTO Council for Trade- Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is holding negotiations related to the extension of the WTO TRIPS waiver on COVID-19 vaccines;
Amendment 32 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates its full commitment to the enduring value of multilateralism and underlines that a multilateral system to govern trade is essential; calls for a trade agenda based on fair and rules-based trade for the benefit of all, which contributes to sustainable economic development, beyond the narrow definition of GDP growth, and prosperity, thereby strengthening peace and security; emphasises the importance of the SDGs, social, environmental and human rights and ensuring that multilaterally agreed and harmonised rules are applied by all;
Amendment 35 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Urges all WTO members to commit to a successful outcome of MC13 that delivers on mandated issues; believes that MC13 should be the starting point for advancing and modernising the WTO to ensure it can play a role in addressing the challenges of the 21st century, including issues such as climate change and sustainability, food security, loss of biodiversity, access to medicines, sustainability, and poverty reduction; urges all WTO members to step up their efforts to focus on tangible outcomes that show that the WTO can address current challenges; welcomes the guidance given by the Senior Officials’ Meeting on 22 and 23 October 2023; asks WTO members, in particular, to conclude the second phase of the multilateral agreement on fisheries subsidies, and permanent solution for public stockholding for food security, the extension of the COVID-19 vaccine waiver to include diagnostics and treatments and to adopt a comprehensive package on institutional reform, including a decision that would lead to a fully functioning dispute settlement system;
Amendment 40 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that it is now a matter of urgency to proceed to a substantive reform of the WTO and that this should be reflected in the outcome of MC13; welcomes all the work that has been carried out in this regard since the last Ministerial Conference; calls on WTO members to adopt a comprehensive package reviewing the monitoring, negotiating, deliberative and dispute settlement functions of the WTO, in which due attention should also be given to the parliamentary dimension of the WTO, with a view to increasing the WTO’s effectiveness, inclusiveness, transparency and legitimacy; recalls that a binding, two- tier and independent process should remain the core objective;
Amendment 42 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 45 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges all WTO members which have not yet done so, to swiftly ratify the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, in order for the agreement to enter into force as soon as possible, for which ratification by two thirds of the membership is required; stresses the crucial importance of also reaching an agreement on disciplines on fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, in order to achieve ocean sustainability; while respecting the needs for special and differential treatment in line with SDG 14.6;
Amendment 48 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Welcomes the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the WTO and FAO during COP28, which will strengthen collaboration in 17 areas of common interest, including climate change, food security and support for the WTO's ongoing negotiations on agricultural reform, the implementation of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies adopted at the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference, including on projects funded through the Fisheries Funding Mechanism Trust Fund; notes with interest the pledge to develop joint publications on topics around the nexus between food security, agriculture, fisheries, biodiversity, climate change, nutrition and trade;
Amendment 53 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the need to mainstream the development dimension of the WTO, including through the WTO reform process and through makwhile respecting the special and differential treatment fit for purpose for the 21st centuryprinciple; welcomes, in this context, the decision already taken on the extension of support measures to assist least-developed countries (LDCs) on the path to graduation from LDC status, in order to provide a smooth and sustainable transitional period for the withdrawal of trade preferences;
Amendment 54 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Takes note that WTO Members increasingly consider Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) as useful tools of industrial development and economic diversification; recommends to endeavour on modernising the WTO TRIMS Agreement of 1995, as in the context of global supply-chain disruptions, pandemics and geo-political conflicts and the reconfiguration of globalization, it is important to focus on how these tools can be used to respond to the challenges of the moment; points out that the heightened focus on strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation bring into sharp focus the need for the development of capabilities that enable structural transformation and decarbonization in response to these imperatives; is convinced that increased policy space would allow developing countries to make good on the benefits arising from trade, alongside achieving their industrial diversification, climate goals and digital transformation;
Amendment 57 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the need to reinvigorate discussions on Sstimulating industrialisation and trade, particularly on how WTO rules can facilitate the structural transformation, diversification and industrialisation of developing economies, the need for technology transfer to support green industrialisation, and state support for industrial sectors within the WTO, with a view to increasing transparency and adapting the WTO rulebook on subsidies and policy space for industrialisation in order to respond to contemporary challenges and effectively address negative spillover effects such as overcapacity; takes the view that MC13 should launch a time- limited work programme to allow for deliberation on State intervention in support of industrial sectorthese issues, in order to provide recommendations for MC14;
Amendment 59 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Stresses the importance of starting negotiations on technology transfer to developing countries in order to meet their industrialisation and climate goals;
Amendment 62 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses the need to make progress in the agriculture negotiations in order to obtain credible results on issues such as public stockholding for food security purposes, domestic support, market access, cotton, export restrictions and export competition, and strengthening the agricultural sector to respond to contemporary challenges, including food safety and food sovereignty, decent work, rural livelihoods and environmental sustainability; calls on members to support a permanent solution for public stockholding (PSH) programs for food security as requested by many developing countries;
Amendment 66 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Stresses the need to immediately extend and expand the TRIPS waiver to include diagnostics and therapeutics in order to increase the world-wide preparedness for pandemics as decided during MC12;
Amendment 67 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Backs the call of WTO director- general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for relaunching negotiations on Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA), which could help to facilitate global efforts to harness trade for decarbonisation purposes;
Amendment 69 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Expects the WTO reform to create an easier path for opento abide by the rules of Articles IX and X of the WTO agreement that require consensus and overall transparency as necessary conditions for plurilateral agreements to be integrated into the multilateral architecture; in order to ensure progress in areas not mature enough fors concerned about the risks of eroding the eintire membership; invites all WTO members to reflect on a way to develop a new system for enhanced cooperation such as is used in the European Union, and on that basis establish a straightforward mechanism which allows the resulting agreements to be incorporated into the WTO structureegrity of the rule-based multilateral trading system, calls on Members to focus their discussions on mandated issues and seek consensus on new ones;
Amendment 72 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. WelcomNotes the conclusion of the negotiations on the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement in order to create a more transparent, efficient and predictable environment for facilitating cross-border investment and the participation of developing countries in global investment flows; supports the incorporation of this agreement into the WTO rulebook under Annex 4 on Plurilateral Trade Agreements, as established in Article X.9 of the WTO Agreement and considers that this can serve as a model for future plurilateral agreementis concerned that the disciplines included would expose the policy and regulatory space of governments vis-a-vis foreign investments to external scrutiny and pressure, at a time when more policy and regulatory tools are required to align investment with sustainable transformations in the economy; stresses that the the incorporation of this agreement into the WTO rulebook needs to be done by consensus;
Amendment 74 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Highlights the importance of regulatingat digital trade, as it currently accounts for 25 % of total trade, both at multilateral and plurilateral level; supports the efforts to find a fair and permanent solution for electronic transm; highlights the importance of the digital economy for SMEs and developing countries; takes note of the United States decissions related to the moratorium; welcomes and to not longer supports the broad membership, ambitious negotiating agenda and progress made to date in the WTO plurilateral negotiations on e- commerce; highlights the importance of the free flow of electronic transmissions, which are fundamental to digital trade and reduce trading costs, increase consumer welfare as well as export competitiveness, and bring significant benefits, particularly to SMEs and developing countries; recalls its position that a potential agreement needs to guarantee market access for e-commerce- related goods and services in third countries, as well as the protection of consumer and labour rights, and facilitate business innovationinclusion of rules on cross border data flows and source code in the negotiation the Joint Statement Initiative on e- commerce, which gathers 90 countries member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including the EU; call on the EU to rethink its digital trade policy to better preserve its policy space; stresses that a potential agreement on e-commerce needs to comply with existing as well as future EU legislation related to data privacy, data flows, data localisation and source code, and that it guarantees sufficient policy space to regulate the digital realm; calls on all partners to fully engage in and support efforts to conclude negotiations by MC13;
Amendment 80 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Agrees with the African group in the WTO that while e-Commerce can be used as a powerful tool to integrate marginalised communities and enterprises into the global economy, steps must be taken to address the digital divide which is pronounced in terms of existing digital infrastructure, data processing skills and digital technologies; points out that according to the UNCTAD Digital Economy Report, out of a total of 4,422 so-called colocation data centres, 80 per cent are in developed countries, with the United States accounting for about 40 per cent, while Africa and Latin America together account for less than 5 per cent of the world's colocation data centres, with the Cloud market being highly concentrated as well, with 4 out of the five providers based in US;
Amendment 81 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Calls on the WTO Members to explore mechanisms to address deepening digital inequities, mechanisms to encourage the diffusion of software technology, assess ways to foster regulatory compliance in the digital space and address anti-competitive practices by some of the prominent digital giants which are enforced through terms and conditions imposed on customers to use their digital platforms; points out the unfair trade practices which have arisen, in part, from market dominance which in turn arises from access to data;
Amendment 86 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Believes that the outcome of MC13 should provide an action-based agenda for trade policy supporting the 2030 SDGs and the Paris Agreement and addressing the adverse impacts of current trade rules on climate change; strongly encourages WTO Members to consider all possible measures to contribute to limiting greenhouse gas emissions in line with the UNFCCC , reinforce alignment with the Paris Agreement and climate neutrality, and enhance cooperation in the WTO on measures adopted domestically; welcomes the constructive discussions carried out in the framework of the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD); emphasistresses the need to advance the discussion on goods and services that help address environmental and climate challenges; urges the EU to raise awareness about its sustainability legislation such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and deforestation regulation, and explain the motivations behind it to make sure it is recognised as a genuine attempt to make trade more sustainable;
Amendment 92 #
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on WTO members to enhance the exchange with all stakeholders, including civil society, trade unions, and business organisations, and to step up cooperation with other international organisations such as the International Labour Organization and more broadly the UN system; expects leaders to communicate more at different levels about the benefits of rules-based trade;