Activities of Judith SARGENTINI related to 2009/2219(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION Human rights, social and environmental standards in International Trade agreements
Amendments (9)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2a (new)
Paragraph 2a (new)
2a. Regrets that a holistic approach regarding the way corporations abide by human rights globally is still lacking, which allow certain States and companies to circumvent them; calls on the Commission to take initiatives to rationalise and benchmark private initiatives in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility, notably by establishing a single document of reference on the appropriate rules and practices that a socially responsible corporation should follow;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2b (new)
Paragraph 2b (new)
2b. Takes the view that voluntary initiatives by business in the field of human rights should be complemented by a binding approach that focuses on the accountability of business for human rights violations; calls on the EU to strive for a clear international legal framework over the responsibilities and obligations of business with regard to human rights;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes free-trade agreements and all efforts to encourage trade with and betweenCalls on the Commission to strive for the development of fair trade with developing countries as a reliable route towards solid, sustainable development; particularly encoaccordingly, urages regional free-trade areas as a the EU to include a strong business and human rights dimeans to promote, through tariff reductions, trade between developing countries, whilst respecting WTO ruion in its development agreements, including sectoral trade agreements concerning i.e. fisheries, steel and textiles;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Insists upon the duty of the State to protect against violations of human rights, including on the part of businesses; and stresses upon the need for effective remedies to punish the guilty corporations of violation of human rights and to provide redress for the victims of such violation;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls onUrges the EU to actively to promotemainstream corporate social responsibility in all its policies and notably through its trade agreements, with a view to a more ethical global trading environment in social and environmental terms; more broadly, calls on the EU to reconsider the all-voluntary approach of the EU CSR policy; to identify clear legal obligations for corporations, and effective ways to hold them accountable in case of breach and to elaborate benchmarks in the field of corporate social responsibility, with the view to promote fair trade;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urges the Commission to insist on respect for ILO core labour standards as a pre-condition for entering into trade agreements and to encourage widespread adherence to schemes which protect workers"’ rights and the environment, such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative or the Kimberly process in the diamond industry; welcomes in this context the adoption of the new US "Conflict Minerals" Law and requests the Commission and the Council to examine a legislative initiative on this line;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Expresses its concern about the scope of investment policies enshrined in investment treaties which, while granting legitimate protection to foreign investors, allow them to challenge before arbitral tribunals legislation of the host State aiming at advancing protection of human rights; urges accordingly the Commission to gear its foreign investment policy toward corporate respect of human, social and environmental rights;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Highlights the vast disparities between developed economies and the poorest nations in terms of capacity and potential; calls therefore for the Commission to adopt abetter respflectful, pragmatic and sensitive the needs of the ACP countries in its negotiating approach tof Economic Partnership Agreements, allowing for adequate transitional periods and support for adaptation,(delete) and ensuring that countries preferring not to sign EPAs are not penalised as a result;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Calls on the Commission to make a better use of the conditionality mechanisms present in instruments like GSP and the Cotonou Agreement to enforce human rights; urges the Commission to upgrade its support in third countries regarding the development of judicial institutions capable of holding corporations accountable for human rights violations;