2007/2184(INI) | [ParlTrack]

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2007/2184(INI) Towards a reformed World Trade Organisation

Role	Committee	Rapporteur
Opinion	DEVE	VAN HECKE Johan (ALDE)
Opinion	ECON	HÖKMARK Gunnar (PPE-DE)
Lead	INTA	MUSCARDINI Cristiana (UEN)

Lead committee dossier: INTA/6/53440
Legal Basis RoP 052

Subjects

6.20.01 Agreements and relations in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Links

Activites

2008/04/24 Results of vote in Parliament
- Results of vote in Parliament
- T6-0180/2008 summary
  
  The European Parliament adopted, by 495 to 15 with 53 abstentions, a resolution on "Towards a reform of the World Trade Organisation".The own-initiative report was tabled for consideration in plenary by Cristiana MUSCARDINI (UEN, IT) on behalf of the Committee on International Trade.MEPs consider that it is now more necessary than ever to resume the debate on the functioning and future of the WTO with a view to the possible reform of this organisation. The European Commission is called to present a strong initiative in Geneva with a view to re-launching this debate. Parliament calls on the Commission to make contact informally with other WTO members likely to support such an initiative and with the Director-General of that organisation, and to report to him, by the end of 2008, on the outcome of these consultations. Parliament takes the view that the exercise should focus on the very aims of the multilateral trade system, to ensure that they are mutually supportive and consistent with the action being taken by other international organisations. In particular, the coordination of WTO activities with those of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Kyoto programme on renewable energy, should be strengthened. Furthermore, the ILO should be granted observer status before the WTO. Members feel that the most challenging requirement for consistency between the UN system and the WTO will be the need for the latter to ensure trade rules fully respect human rights law and social and environmental standards. Parliament supports an incentives-based approach concerning the observance of environmental and social standards by WTO members but equally calls for the examination of WTO- compatible measures for addressing social and environmental dumping. Parliament considers it neither realistic nor desirable to call into question the principle of consensus in the WTO decision-making process, which guarantees the equality of all members. However, they take the view that various solutions could be examined with a view to facilitating, on a case-by-case basis, the emergence of such consensus. Furthermore, they believe that the WTO’s institutional structure could be improved and stress the need to create a WTO parliamentary assembly with consultative powers, given the WTO’s lack of democratic accountability and legitimacy.Recalling the importance of trade as an effective tool for poverty reduction, Parliament points out that effective participation by all members, including LDCs, must be given due consideration in any reform. MEPs insist on the introduction of a more democratic decision-making system in the WTO enabling an increase in the active participation of developing countries, so that they feel fully represented in the negotiating process. They support the proposal to include, as a contractual right for least developed countries (LDCs), funding arrangements for technical assistance so that they can participate meaningfully in the multilateral trading system.MEPs also wish to see the issue of the role of the WTO secretariat and Director-General carefully considered and call for the financial and human means and resources available to the WTO secretariat to be strengthened. Considering that transparency in the drawing up and pursuit of trade policies represents a legitimate demand on the part of society, citizens and parliamentarians, MEPs support the ideas proposed by the WTO Director-General seeking to strengthen the ‘active transparency’ mechanisms and to monitor and supervise effectively the application of the rules and undertakings approved by the WTO members, with a view to ensuring that they are genuinely and fully implemented.Although the WTO dispute settlement mechanism has, overall, fulfilled its role successfully up to now, MEPs believe that certain adjustments are necessary, in particular with regard to the implementation of the recommendations and decisions of the dispute settlement body. They also stress the need to ensure that the Dispute Settlement Body interprets WTO rules in such a way that it takes into due account applicable international environmental and social law. Parliament envisages the possibility of introducing sanctions against those countries which refuse to ensure that their measures comply with their obligations, to the benefit of the countries harmed by such measures, especially if they are small economies which cannot credibly resort to retaliation measures. Moreover, given the judicial nature of the dispute settlement procedure, MEPs support the idea that substantive meetings with the parties, special groups and the appeal body should in future be held in public.Lastly, Parliament calls on the WTO members to consider the idea of a special pre-accession status for candidate countries which, while not having yet concluded their bilateral market access negotiations with their key partners in the organisation, pledge to take on, without delay, all the obligations resulting from the application of the existing rules. The decision on whether or not to admit a new member country to the WTO should always be adopted on the basis of strictly commercial considerations.
2008/04/23 Debate in Parliament
- Debate in Parliament
2008/04/03 Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
- A6-0104/2008
#2859
2008/03/10 Council Meeting
2008/02/26 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
2007/09/27 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading

Documents

Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A6-0104/2008
Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T6-0180/2008

Amendments	Dossier
67	2007/2184(INI) 2008/02/11 DEVE 7 amendments... Amendment 1 # Glenys KINNOCK Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Calls for the introduction of a more democratic system of decision making at the WTO that takes into account the views of the entire membership, which comprises countries at varying levels of development; Amendment 2 # Glenys KINNOCK Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Stresses that the role of the WTO Secretariat is critical, and believes that it is important that the Secretariat has a proportionate representation of developed and developing countries in order for it to discharge its mandate more effectively; Amendment 3 # Frithjof SCHMIDT Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses the need to create a WTO parliamentary assembly with consultative powers, given the WTO's lack of democratic accountability and legitimacy, and welcomes any reform that will strengthen the association of parliamentarians with the WTO; stresses however that, ultimately, the legitimacy of the WTO can only derive from statutory changes that make the organisation part of the family of UN agencies and subject its rule-setting to the basic rights embodied in the UN Charter; Amendment 4 # Frithjof SCHMIDT Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4b. Recalls still unimplemented GATT Article XXXVIII, paragraph 2(a), laying down the commitment of all WTO members to stabilise and improve market conditions for primary products of particular interest to less-developed countries, and regards decisive action on this Article as an important feature of a reformed WTO; Amendment 5 # Frithjof SCHMIDT Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Regards, in the light of the fact that tariffs have been reduced to historical minimum levels, the maintenance of multilateral rules through the Dispute Settlement Mechanism as probably the main function of the WTO in the future against which the efficiency and legitimacy of the WTO will be measured; perceives this WTO function less as one of arbitrating in rules infringements than as a means to fairly achieve compromises between different interests and values; therefore regards it as necessary that a standing body of elected judges, including experts from the UN specialised agencies, be appointed to the Dispute Settlement Unit, that proceedings be open to the public, and that financial and technical support be made available to all members in filing disputes for settlement; Amendment 6 # Frithjof SCHMIDT Draft opinion Paragraph 7 b (new) 7b. Stresses the need to ensure that the Dispute Settlement Body interprets WTO rules in such a way that it does not prevail over applicable international environmental and social law and, where needed, calls on the Commission and WTO membership as a whole to amend WTO rules in this regard; Amendment 7 # Frithjof SCHMIDT Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Stresses the ~~need for closer~~immediate need for structured cooperation between the WTO and ~~other~~ UN Specialised Agencies, ~~such as~~especially UNCTAD, WHO and ILO, as an essential step towards a more sustainable model of globalisation; source: PE-402.525 2008/03/03 INTA 60 amendments... Amendment 1 # Harlem DÉSIR Motion for a resolution Citation 1 having regard to its resolutions of 15 December 1999 on the Third Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation in Seattle17, of 25 October 2001 on openness and democracy in international trade8, of 13 December 2001 on the WTO meeting in Qatar29, of 25 September 2003 on the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation in Cancun310 , of 12 May 2005 on the assessment of the Doha Round following the WTO General Council Decision of 1 August 20044511, of 1 December 2005 on preparations for the sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation in Hong Kong512 and of 4 April 2006 on the assessment of the Doha Round following the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong6, 1 OJ C 296, 18.10.2000, p. 121. 2 OJ C 177 E, 25.7.2002, p. 290. 3 OJ C 77 E, 26.3.2004, p. 393. 4 OJ C 92 E, 20.4.2006, p. 397. 5 OJ C 285 E, 22.11.2006, p. 126. 6 OJ C 293 E, 2.12.2006, p. 155 7 OJ C 296, 18.10.2000, p. 121 8 OJ C 112 E, 9.5.2002, p. 326. 9 OJ C 177 E, 25.7.2002, p. 290. 10 OJ C 177 E, 26.3.2004, p. 393. 11 OJ C 92 E, 20.4.2006, p. 397. 12 OJ C 285 E, 22.11.2006, p. 126. 13 OJ C 293 E, 2.12.2006, p. 155,13 , Or. fr Amendment 10 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas, in spite of d~~elay~~ifficulties in the negotiations, the efforts to conclude this Round successfully are continuing and must be encouraged, Amendment 11 # Vittorio AGNOLETTO Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas today, two and a half years after the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong (2005) and with no evidence of any substantial advancement in the Doha Round negotiations, we have the historical opportunity to set talks on a better course to achieve the agreed objective of rebalancing trade rules so that developing and poor countries can benefit more, and we could do it by opening a debate on the principles that have driven the WTO so far and questioning the lack of democracy that this organisation has shown from 1995 onwards, Amendment 12 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas the various bilateral and regional trade negotiations recently initiated by the EU with various partners across the world ~~may on no account be~~shall be complementary and not an alternative to the conclusion of the Doha Round, Amendment 13 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Recital E ~~E. whereas useful lessons may already be learned from the progress of the Doha Round negotiations since they began in November 2001,~~deleted Amendment 14 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Recital I I. whereas the ~~systemic~~institutional debate in the WTO called for by the European Parliament is in no way incompatible with the continuation and possible conclusion of the Doha Round, Amendment 15 # Ignasi GUARDANS CAMBÓ Motion for a resolution Recital I I. whereas the ~~systemic~~institutional debate in the WTO called for by the European Parliament is in no way incompatible with the continuation and possible conclusion of the Doha Round, Amendment 16 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates its appeal to all parties concerned to show flexibility in order to revive the Doha Round and reach an agreement that is complete, balanced and beneficial both to the recovery of international trade and world growth and to the development of the poorest countries on the planet; regrets that the EU's substantial offer has not been matched up to now by equivalent concessions by other important trading partners; Amendment 17 # Carlos CARNERO GONZÁLEZ, Javier MORENO SÁNCHEZ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates its appeal to all parties concerned to show flexibility in order to revive the Doha Round and reach an agreement that is complete, balanced and beneficial both to the recovery of international trade and world growth and to the development of the ~~poorest~~least-developed countries on the planet; Amendment 18 # Vittorio AGNOLETTO Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Declares itself in favour of a fair and just international trade system and a completely new multilateral organisation where basic human rights always come before financial and industrial interests; Amendment 19 # Carlos CARNERO GONZÁLEZ, Javier MORENO SÁNCHEZ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Considers, moreover, that it is necessary now more than ever to resume the debate on the decision-making process, mandate, functioning and future of the WTO with a view to the possible reform of this organisation; Amendment 2 # Harlem DÉSIR Motion for a resolution Citation 4 – having regard to the ~~ministerial~~ declarations of the WTO Ministerial Conference, adopted in Doha on 14 November 2001 and in Hong Kong on 18 December 2005, Amendment 20 # Carl SCHLYTER Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to present, a~~s soon as possible, a strong~~n initiative in Geneva with a view to relaunching this debate; calls on the Commission to make contact informally, in this regard, with other WTO members likely to support such an initiative and with the Director- General of that organisation, and to report to him, by the end of 2008, on the outcome of these consult, aimed at a WTO reform increasing both the democratic legitimacy and the efficiency of the organisations; Amendment 21 # Carl SCHLYTER Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Points out that the WTO is the only global organisation with rule-setting functions that is not part of the family of UN organisations, which has negative consequences on the coherence of global trade rules with other globally decided policies, and thus greatly impedes WTO rule-setting that restricts itself to the remit of simple trade policy; calls on the Commission to put this structural dilemma high on the agenda of WTO reform; Amendment 22 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Takes the view that the proposed exercise should focus first and foremost on the very aims of the multilateral trade system, to ensure that they are mutually supportive and consistent with the action being taken by other international organisations; considers in particular that the coordination of WTO activities with those of the ILO, UNEP, WHO and UNCTAD should be strengthened, in order to ensure greater consistency in the decision-making process of those organisations; takes the view that, in this regard, consideration could be given to the possibility of granting the ILO observer status and of setting up a Committee on Social Affairs; Amendment 23 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Takes the view that the proposed exercise should focus first and foremost on the very aims of the multilateral trade system, to ensure that they are consistent with the action being taken by other international organisations; considers in particular that the coordination of WTO activities with those of the ILO, UNEP, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), WHO and UNCTAD should be strengthened, in order to ensure greater consistency in the decision-making process of those organisations; takes the view that, in this regard, ~~consideration c~~observer status should be g~~iven~~ranted to the ~~possibility of granting the ILO observer status and of setting up a Committee on Social Affairs~~ILO in the same way that it has been to the IMF and proposes that a 'trade and decent employment' committee be set up at the WTO modelled on its Committee on Trade and Environment; Amendment 24 # Carlos CARNERO GONZÁLEZ, Javier MORENO SÁNCHEZ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Takes the view that the proposed exercise should focus first and foremost on the very aims of the multilateral trade system, to ensure that they are consistent with the action being taken by other international organisations; considers in particular that the coordination of WTO activities with those of the I~~LO, UNEP, WHO and UNCTAD~~nternational Labour Organisation ( ILO), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ( UNCTAD) and the Kyoto programme on renewable energy, should be strengthened, in order to ensure greater consistency in the decision-making process of those organisations; takes the view that, in this regard, consideration could be given to the possibility of granting the ILO observer status and of setting up a Committee on Social Affairs; Amendment 25 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls for thorough consideration on the issue of better accommodating non trade concerns in the scope of WTO rules, in order to allow members to pursue legitimate policy objectives, while safeguarding market access; stresses in that respect that efforts for the adoption of international standards should be strongly supported by the EU and that the necessary aid should be granted to developing countries in order to meet such standards; Amendment 26 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Requests that consideration be given within the United Nations, in liaison with the WTO, to the new relations that should be forged between multilateral organisations so as to ensure consistency in their actions and in the various international agreements and conventions, in the interests of sustainable development and poverty eradication; Amendment 27 # Carl SCHLYTER Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Is of the opinion that the single most challenging requirement for consistency between the UN system and the WTO will be the need for the latter to ensure trade rules fully respect human rights law and social and environmental standards; Amendment 28 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Supports an incentives-based approach concerning the observance of environmental and social standards by WTO members but equally calls for the examination of WTO compatible measures for addressing social and environmental dumping; Amendment 29 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Supports the requirement that an analysis of social, gender and environmental concerns, including employment, workers’ rights and related provisions, should be mandatory in future trade policy review mechanism (TPRM) examination of WTO members; Amendment 3 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Citation 5 a (new) – having regard to the WTO’s 2004 World Trade Report on the role of trade unions and the lack of scope for representation of workers’ interests in the WTO, Amendment 30 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Calls on those participating in the debate to question the limits of the approach whereby trade negotiations are held in long-term ‘rounds’, involving all member countries in discussions on a wide range of subjects on the basis of a ‘single undertaking’; acknowledges the historical merits of this approach in establishing and developing the multilateral trade system ~~but believes that other, less ambitious but~~and allowing for progressive liberalisation, reciprocal and mutually beneficial engagements; believes however that in areas where sufficient progress has been achieved, (as it is the case currently for Trade Facilitation) recourse could be made to other, (deletion) more flexible and effective formulas ~~should be preferred~~ in future; Amendment 31 # Ignasi GUARDANS CAMBÓ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Calls on those participating in the debate to question the limits of the approach whereby trade negotiations are held in long-term ‘rounds’, involving all member countries in discussions on a wide range of subjects on the basis of a ‘single undertaking’; acknowledges the historical merits of this approach in establishing and developing the multilateral trade system but believes that other, less ambitious but more flexible and effective formulas should be preferred in future;deleted Amendment 32 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Asks that the WTO’s dispute settlement understanding (DSU) provides a fuller role for UN agencies concerned specifically in any particular complaint and opens dispute panel and appellate body hearings to the public developing criteria and procedures requiring acceptance of amicus curiae submissions; Amendment 33 # Carl SCHLYTER Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Regards, in the light of tariffs reduced to historic minimum levels, the maintenance of multilateral rules through the dispute settlement mechanism as probably the main function of the WTO in the future on which the efficiency and democratic legitimacy of the WTO will be measured; perceives this function of the WTO less as an arbiter in infringements of the rules, but as a means to mitigate fairly between different interests and values; regards it as necessary, in this light, that a standing body of elected judges including experts from the UN specialised agencies be appointed to the DSU, that proceedings are open to the public, and that financial and technical support is made available to all members to file cases for dispute settlement; Amendment 34 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Suggests that the relevance and applicability of the multilateral trade rules in force should be subject to regular revision with a view to ~~abolishing those which appear to be obsolete or inapplicable and those which do not meet, or no longer meet, the objectives governing their adop~~their possible adaptation; Amendment 35 # Carl SCHLYTER Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Suggests that the relevance and applicability of the multilateral trade rules in force should be subject to regular revision with a view to abolishing those which appear to be in conflict with evolving international human rights law, which are obsolete or inapplicable and those which do not meet, or no longer meet, the objectives governing their adoption; Amendment 36 # Carl SCHLYTER Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Stresses the importance of the parliamentary dimension of the WTO in order to enhance the democratic legitimacy and transparency of WTO negotiations; stresses the importance of the work done by the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO, which is organised jointly by the European Parliament and the Inter- Parliamentary Union, whose activities could be stepped upunderlines, however, that, ultimately, the legitimacy of the WTO can only derive from statutory changes that make the organisation part of the family of UN- agencies and subject its rule-setting to the basic rights as embodied in the UN Charters; Amendment 37 # Erika MANN Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Recalls that parliamentarians, as elected representatives of the citizens, have an important role to play in trade negotiations and, in particular, in WTO negotiations; Amendment 38 # Erika MANN Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 b (new) 9b. Calls on WTO members to provide sufficient support to their parliamentarians to take part in the development of a parliamentary dimension to the WTO; urges the Commission to take initiatives to this end at the WTO; stresses that, until the WTO assumes this responsibility, the parliamentary dimension on the WTO will be granted by the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO jointly co- organised by the European Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union Amendment 39 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Considers it neither realistic nor desirable to call into question the principle of consensus in the WTO decision-making process, which guarantees, unlike majority (or weighted) voting, the equality of all members; takes the view, however, that various solutions could be examined with a view to facilitating, on a case-by- case basis, the emergence of such consensus; Amendment 4 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Citation 5 b (new) – having regard to paragraph 56 of the Hong Kong Declaration, on the necessary steps to ensure the full involvement and assistance of key UN agencies including the ILO in WTO processes and in the current negotiations, Amendment 40 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a 11a. Points out that equal and effective participation by all members, particularly LDCs, must be a priority for any reform of the multilateral trade system; Amendment 41 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Considers it essential to increase the active participation of developing countries, so that they feel fully represented in the negotiating process and are able to identify, express and defend their own trade interests, ~~for instance by introducing a system of representation by coalition rather than by a set group of countries, and by earmarking resources that are sufficient to develop the knowledge~~by earmarking resources that are sufficient to develop the knowledge and technical know-how of those countries; stresses that adequate resources are also necessary for developing countries to effectively implement WTO rules, adjust to reforms and, t~~echnical know-how of those countries~~hus, better integrate into the world trading system; Amendment 42 # Carlos CARNERO GONZÁLEZ, Javier MORENO SÁNCHEZ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12 a. Urges that efforts be made to enhance the participation and representation of developing countries on the executive councils, as well as to strengthen their internal systems for reporting, transparency and good governance; Amendment 43 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Considers that the recurrent question of the establishment of a kind of WTO ‘restricted Council’ or ‘Steering Committee’ to prepare and facilitate consensus-based decisions in the General Council should be looked into more closely; questions though how representation on a case by case basis could be achieved and stresses that there is a strong need for such a body to be ~~representative and~~ internally transparent; Amendment 44 # Carl SCHLYTER Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Considers that the recurrent question of the establishment of a kind of WTO ~~‘restricted Council’ or~~ ‘Steering Committee’ to prepare and facilitate consensus-based decisions in the General Council should be looked into more closely; stresses that there is a strong need for such a body to be representative, accountable to the entire WTO membership and internally transparent; Amendment 45 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Wishes to see the issue of the role of the WTO Secretariat and Director-General carefully considered; queries the limits of an excessively stringent application of the principle of the management of the system by the governments of the member countries (the member-driven organisation concept); notes, however, that granting powers of initiative to the WTO bodies in order to promote the 'collective' interest, raises issues of democratic legitimacy, accountability and transparency; Amendment 46 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Wishes to see the issue of the role of the WTO Secretariat and Director-General carefully considered; queries the limits of an excessively stringent application of the principle of the management of the system by the governments of the member countries (the member-driven organisation concept); considers it necessary to strengthen the financial and human means and resources available to the WTO secretariat; Amendment 47 # Carl SCHLYTER Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Wishes to see the issue of the role of the WTO Secretariat and Director-General carefully considered~~; queries the limits of an excessively stringent application of~~, while upholding the principles of the management of the system by the governments of the member countries (the member-driven organisation concept); Amendment 48 # Ignasi GUARDANS CAMBÓ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Suggests that some leeway could also be given to the WTO Secretariat, allowing it to adopt measures of ~~systemic~~institutional interest, propose compromise formulas in the case of deadlock, or even chair the meetings of certain bodies, in the interest of continuity and impartiality; stresses the need for such proposals to be accompanied by serious reflection on the arrangements for recruiting members of the Secretariat and on the appropriateness of its resources for the tasks with which it is entrusted; Amendment 49 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Is convinced that the failure to differentiate sufficiently between developing countries, in spite of the wide variety in economic development levels and the specific needs of those countries, could be an obstacle to adopting effective measures to benefit these countries in accordance with the stated objective of the Doha Round; and is to the detriment of developing countries which are mostly in need; urges advanced developing countries to take up their share of responsibility already during the current Round and make contributions commensurate to their level of development and (sectoral) competitiveness; Amendment 5 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas the WTO plays a key role among the multilateral organisations which contribute to international economic governance and must strive jointly to achieve the Millennium sustainable development goals, Amendment 50 # Ignasi GUARDANS CAMBÓ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Considers that serious consideration should be given to the issue of categorisation or sub-categorisation, not only of developing countries but also of all other WTO member countries, on the basis of objective criteria which are not exclusively linked to gross national product, with a view to a possible differentiated application of existing agreements or of those under negotiation;deleted Amendment 51 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. WConsiders that transparency in the drawing up and pursuing of trade policies represents a legitimate demand on the part of society, citizens and parliamentarians; welcomes the genuine progress achieved by the WTO in terms of external transparency since its establishment in 1995, and the effectiveness of its communication policy; stresses the importance for economic operators and for all the civil society ~~segment~~actors concerned to have permanent access to quality information on the multilateral trade rules and their actual application, and on any exemptions of member countries; Amendment 52 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a 18a.Considers that NGOs should be able to forward analyses and written proposals to the various WTO bodies in line with procedures to be laid down for each individual body (General Council, other councils, committees, etc.); Amendment 53 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b 18b. Asks to increase transparency and accessibility through the creation of a formal consultative structure such as the trade union advisory committee (TUAC) to the OECD, as recommended by the ILO’s World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation; Amendment 54 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Points out that the Dispute Settlement Understanding has, since 1997, been the subject of negotiations designed to clarify some of its rules and improve their application; regrets the prolonged lack of results in these negotiations; points out the divergent positioning of WTO members on the nature of the dispute settlement mechanism and its future direction (more judicial/diplomatic); supports the EU proposal for an enhancement of the autonomy of the dispute settlement bodies; Amendment 55 # Harlem DÉSIR, Kader ARIF Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a 20a. Advocates that, under the dispute settlement procedure, the substantive meetings with the parties, special groups and the appeal body, given the judicial nature of the proceedings, should in future be held in public as is usual for court hearings, and that the documents concerned, in particular the communications from the parties or experts, should be publicly available, except in rare and justified cases; Amendment 56 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Takes the view that the WTO dispute settlement mechanism has, overall, fulfilled its role successfully up to now, but that certain adjustments are necessary, in particular with regard to the implementation of the recommendations and decisions of the dispute settlement body; supports that the judicialisation of the dispute settlement system has enhanced the credibility of WTO commitments, placing WTO members on a more equal footing; Amendment 57 # Ignasi GUARDANS CAMBÓ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Envisages the possibility of introducing sanctions against those countries which refuse to ensure that their laws or measures comply with their obligations, to the benefit of the countries harmed by such laws or measures, especially if they are small economies which cannot credibly resort to retaliation measures;deleted Amendment 58 # Ignasi GUARDANS CAMBÓ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Calls on the WTO member countries to take this opportunity for a more wide- ranging debate on a possible reform of this organisation in order to continue and conclude the process of revising the Dispute Settlement Understanding;deleted Amendment 59 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 a (new) 23a. Considers that in the WTO framework positive integration should also be promoted among its members, in addition to the reduction or elimination of trade barriers (negative integration); Amendment 6 # Georgios PAPASTAMKOS Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas the WTO constitutes a key forum for the better management of globalisation and fairer distribution of its benefits, Amendment 60 # Ignasi GUARDANS CAMBÓ Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Believes that the issue of accession should also be included in the programme for such a debate; regrets that some negotiations for accession to the WTO sometimes last longer than is reasonable because they are blocked by one or a few member countries alone;deleted Amendment 7 # Vittorio AGNOLETTO Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas when the current WTO round was launched in Doha, Qatar in 2001, it was officially named the “Doha Development Agenda,” emphasising the priority of helping developing and poor countries gain more from trade liberalisation, and this priority was a consequence of the global solidarity that emerged in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Amendment 8 # Vittorio AGNOLETTO Motion for a resolution Recital A b (new) Ab. whereas despite that ensuing moment of enlightenment, many of the major players, including the United States and the European Union, soon gave short shrift to the development agenda and reverted to their traditional priority of gaining market access for their own competitive firms and sectors, Amendment 9 # Carl SCHLYTER Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the EU is well-advised to attaches the utmost importance to safeguarding what has so far been achieved by the multilateral trade system ~~and remains firmly committed to the success of the Doha Round~~, source: PE-402.732

Amendments

Dossier

2007/2184(INI)

2008/02/11 DEVE 7 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Glenys KINNOCK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Calls for the introduction of a more democratic system of decision making at the WTO that takes into account the views of the entire membership, which comprises countries at varying levels of development;

Amendment 2 #

Glenys KINNOCK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Stresses that the role of the WTO Secretariat is critical, and believes that it is important that the Secretariat has a proportionate representation of developed and developing countries in order for it to discharge its mandate more effectively;

Amendment 3 #

Frithjof SCHMIDT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the need to create a WTO parliamentary assembly with consultative powers, given the WTO's lack of democratic accountability and legitimacy, and welcomes any reform that will strengthen the association of parliamentarians with the WTO; stresses however that, ultimately, the legitimacy of the WTO can only derive from statutory changes that make the organisation part of the family of UN agencies and subject its rule-setting to the basic rights embodied in the UN Charter;

Amendment 4 #

Frithjof SCHMIDT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4b. Recalls still unimplemented GATT Article XXXVIII, paragraph 2(a), laying down the commitment of all WTO members to stabilise and improve market conditions for primary products of particular interest to less-developed countries, and regards decisive action on this Article as an important feature of a reformed WTO;

Amendment 5 #

Frithjof SCHMIDT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Regards, in the light of the fact that tariffs have been reduced to historical minimum levels, the maintenance of multilateral rules through the Dispute Settlement Mechanism as probably the main function of the WTO in the future against which the efficiency and legitimacy of the WTO will be measured; perceives this WTO function less as one of arbitrating in rules infringements than as a means to fairly achieve compromises between different interests and values; therefore regards it as necessary that a standing body of elected judges, including experts from the UN specialised agencies, be appointed to the Dispute Settlement Unit, that proceedings be open to the public, and that financial and technical support be made available to all members in filing disputes for settlement;

Amendment 6 #

Frithjof SCHMIDT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Stresses the need to ensure that the Dispute Settlement Body interprets WTO rules in such a way that it does not prevail over applicable international environmental and social law and, where needed, calls on the Commission and WTO membership as a whole to amend WTO rules in this regard;

Amendment 7 #

Frithjof SCHMIDT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Stresses the ~~need for closer~~immediate need for structured cooperation between the WTO and ~~other~~ UN Specialised Agencies, ~~such as~~especially UNCTAD, WHO and ILO, as an essential step towards a more sustainable model of globalisation;

source: PE-402.525

2008/03/03 INTA 60 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Harlem DÉSIR

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1

having regard to its resolutions of 15 December 1999 on the Third Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation in Seattle17, of 25 October 2001 on openness and democracy in international trade8, of 13 December 2001 on the WTO meeting in Qatar29, of 25 September 2003 on the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation in Cancun310 , of 12 May 2005 on the assessment of the Doha Round following the WTO General Council Decision of 1 August 20044511, of 1 December 2005 on preparations for the sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation in Hong Kong512 and of 4 April 2006 on the assessment of the Doha Round following the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong6, 1 OJ C 296, 18.10.2000, p. 121. 2 OJ C 177 E, 25.7.2002, p. 290. 3 OJ C 77 E, 26.3.2004, p. 393. 4 OJ C 92 E, 20.4.2006, p. 397. 5 OJ C 285 E, 22.11.2006, p. 126. 6 OJ C 293 E, 2.12.2006, p. 155 7 OJ C 296, 18.10.2000, p. 121 8 OJ C 112 E, 9.5.2002, p. 326. 9 OJ C 177 E, 25.7.2002, p. 290. 10 OJ C 177 E, 26.3.2004, p. 393. 11 OJ C 92 E, 20.4.2006, p. 397. 12 OJ C 285 E, 22.11.2006, p. 126. 13 OJ C 293 E, 2.12.2006, p. 155,13 , Or. fr

Amendment 10 #

activities	date: 2007-09-27T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: DEVE date: 2007-10-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Development rapporteur: group: ALDE name: VAN HECKE Johan body: EP responsible: False committee: ECON date: 2007-06-19T00:00:00 committee_full: Economic and Monetary Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE-DE name: HÖKMARK Gunnar body: EP responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2007-05-07T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: UEN name: MUSCARDINI Cristiana date: 2008-02-26T00:00:00 body: EP committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: DEVE date: 2007-10-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Development rapporteur: group: ALDE name: VAN HECKE Johan body: EP responsible: False committee: ECON date: 2007-06-19T00:00:00 committee_full: Economic and Monetary Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE-DE name: HÖKMARK Gunnar body: EP responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2007-05-07T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: UEN name: MUSCARDINI Cristiana type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: CSL meeting_id: 2859 council: General Affairs date: 2008-03-10T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting date: 2008-04-03T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2008-104&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A6-0104/2008 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading date: 2008-04-23T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20080423&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament date: 2008-04-24T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=14840&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2008-180 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0180/2008 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
commission	body: EC dg: Trade commissioner: MANDELSON Peter
committees/0	type Responsible Committee body EP associated False committee_full International Trade committee INTA date 2007-05-07T00:00:00 rapporteur name: MUSCARDINI Cristiana group: Union for Europe of the Nations abbr: UEN
committees/0	body EP responsible False committee DEVE date 2007-10-03T00:00:00 committee_full Development rapporteur group: ALDE name: VAN HECKE Johan
committees/1	type Committee Opinion body EP associated False committee_full Development committee DEVE date 2007-10-03T00:00:00 rapporteur name: VAN HECKE Johan group: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe abbr: ALDE
committees/1	body EP responsible False committee ECON date 2007-06-19T00:00:00 committee_full Economic and Monetary Affairs rapporteur group: PPE-DE name: HÖKMARK Gunnar
committees/2	type Committee Opinion body EP associated False committee_full Economic and Monetary Affairs committee ECON date 2007-06-19T00:00:00 rapporteur name: HÖKMARK Gunnar group: European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats abbr: PPE-DE
committees/2	body EP responsible True committee INTA date 2007-05-07T00:00:00 committee_full International Trade rapporteur group: UEN name: MUSCARDINI Cristiana
council	body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 2859 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2859*&MEET_DATE=10/03/2008 date: 2008-03-10T00:00:00
docs	date: 2008-02-11T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE398.648 title: PE398.648 type: Committee draft report body: EP date: 2008-03-03T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE402.732 title: PE402.732 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP date: 2008-03-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE400.399&secondRef=03 title: PE400.399 committee: DEVE type: Committee opinion body: EP date: 2008-03-26T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE396.438&secondRef=02 title: PE396.438 committee: ECON type: Committee opinion body: EP date: 2008-04-03T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2008-104&language=EN title: A6-0104/2008 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP date: 2008-05-28T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=14840&j=1&l=en title: SP(2008)3169 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary date: 2008-06-25T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=14840&j=0&l=en title: SP(2008)3407 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
events	date: 2007-09-27T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP date: 2008-02-26T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP summary: The Committee on International Trade adopted an own-initiative report by Cristiana MUSCARDINI (UEN, IT) on the reform of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). MEPs consider that it is now more necessary than ever to resume the debate on the functioning and future of the WTO with a view to the possible reform of this organisation. The European Commission is called to present a robust initiative in Geneva, as soon as possible, with a view to relaunching this debate, and to report to the Parliament before the end of 2008. According to the report, the debate should focus first and foremost on the very aims of the multilateral trade system, to ensure that they are mutually supportive and consistent with the action being taken by other international organisations . In particular, MEPs consider that the coordination of WTO activities with those of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Kyoto programme on renewable energy, should be strengthened. The parliamentary committee is of the opinion that the most challenging requirement will be the need for the WTO to ensure trade rules fully respect human rights law and social and environmental standards. The committee supports an analysis of social, gender and environmental concerns, including employment, workers’ rights and related provisions in the future trade policy review mechanism examination of WTO members. MEPs consider it neither realistic nor desirable to call into question the principle of consensus in the WTO decision-making process, which guarantees the equality of all members. However, they take the view that various solutions could be examined with a view to facilitating, on a case-by-case basis, the emergence of such consensus. Furthermore, they believe that the WTO’s institutional structure could be improved and stress the need to create a WTO parliamentary assembly with consultative powers, given the WTO’s lack of democratic accountability and legitimacy. Recalling the importance of trade as an effective tool for development and poverty reduction , the report points out that equal and effective participation by all members, including LDCs, must be given due consideration in any reform of the multilateral trade system. MEPs insist on the introduction of a more democratic decision-making system in the WTO enabling an increase in the active participation of developing countries, so that they feel fully represented in the negotiating process. They support the proposal to include, as a contractual right for least developed countries (LDCs), funding arrangements for technical assistance so that they can participate meaningfully in the multilateral trading system. MEPs also wish to see the issue of the role of the WTO secretariat and Director-General carefully considered and call for the financial and human means and resources available to the WTO secretariat to be strengthened. Considering that transparency in the drawing up and pursuit of trade policies represents a legitimate demand on the part of society, citizens and parliamentarians, MEPs support the ideas proposed by the WTO Director-General seeking to strengthen the ‘active transparency’ mechanisms and to monitor and supervise effectively the application of the rules and undertakings approved by the WTO members, with a view to ensuring that they are genuinely and fully implemented. Although the WTO dispute settlement mechanism has, overall, fulfilled its role successfully up to now, MEPs believe that certain adjustments are necessary, in particular with regard to the implementation of the recommendations and decisions of the dispute settlement body. They also stress the need to ensure that the Dispute Settlement Body interprets WTO rules in such a way that it takes into due account applicable international environmental and social law. Moreover, given the judicial nature of the dispute settlement procedure, MEPs support the idea that substantive meetings with the parties, special groups and the appeal body, should in future be held in public. Lastly, the parliamentary committee calls on the WTO members to consider the idea of a special pre-accession status for candidate countries which, while not having yet concluded their bilateral market access negotiations with their key partners in the organisation, pledge to take on, without delay, all the obligations resulting from the application of the existing rules. The decision on whether or not to admit a new member country to the WTO should always be adopted on the basis of strictly commercial considerations, according to MEPs. date: 2008-03-10T00:00:00 type: Resolution/conclusions adopted by Council body: CSL summary: The Council examined the state of play in the WTO DDA negotiations, ahead of possible WTO Ministerial discussions in Geneva. The Council reconfirmed the importance of achieving a comprehensive, ambitious and balanced final outcome within and across all of the areas of the DDA, in agriculture and non-agricultural market access and also including services, rules, trade facilitation and geographical indications. It also reconfirmed its commitment to a successful result, meeting the main objectives of the EU and the needs and interests of developing countries, in particular LDCs. To that end, the Council urged WTO partners to make meaningful contributions to the negotiations, commensurate with their level of development. For emerging economies, in industrial tariffs in particular, this requires granting additional market access. In this context, the Council expressed its support for the Commission in seeking the further improvements of the Chairs' negotiating texts needed to move the negotiations forward, alongside further progress on the Single Undertaking as a whole, including services and geographical indications. The Council agreed that a special session of the Council, as well as meetings of the Article 133 Committee, would be convened in the margins of the possible WTO DDA ministerial negotiations in Geneva. The date will be determined by the Presidency in the light of developments. date: 2008-04-03T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2008-104&language=EN title: A6-0104/2008 date: 2008-04-23T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20080423&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament date: 2008-04-24T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=14840&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament date: 2008-04-24T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2008-180 title: T6-0180/2008 summary: The European Parliament adopted, by 495 to 15 with 53 abstentions, a resolution on "Towards a reform of the World Trade Organisation".The own-initiative report was tabled for consideration in plenary by Cristiana MUSCARDINI (UEN, IT) on behalf of the Committee on International Trade. MEPs consider that it is now more necessary than ever to resume the debate on the functioning and future of the WTO with a view to the possible reform of this organisation. The European Commission is called to present a strong initiative in Geneva with a view to re-launching this debate. Parliament calls on the Commission to make contact informally with other WTO members likely to support such an initiative and with the Director-General of that organisation, and to report to him, by the end of 2008, on the outcome of these consultations. Parliament takes the view that the exercise should focus on the very aims of the multilateral trade system, to ensure that they are mutually supportive and consistent with the action being taken by other international organisations. In particular, the coordination of WTO activities with those of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Kyoto programme on renewable energy, should be strengthened. Furthermore, the ILO should be granted observer status before the WTO. Members feel that the most challenging requirement for consistency between the UN system and the WTO will be the need for the latter to ensure trade rules fully respect human rights law and social and environmental standards. Parliament supports an incentives-based approach concerning the observance of environmental and social standards by WTO members but equally calls for the examination of WTO- compatible measures for addressing social and environmental dumping. Parliament considers it neither realistic nor desirable to call into question the principle of consensus in the WTO decision-making process, which guarantees the equality of all members. However, they take the view that various solutions could be examined with a view to facilitating, on a case-by-case basis, the emergence of such consensus. Furthermore, they believe that the WTO’s institutional structure could be improved and stress the need to create a WTO parliamentary assembly with consultative powers, given the WTO’s lack of democratic accountability and legitimacy. Recalling the importance of trade as an effective tool for poverty reduction, Parliament points out that effective participation by all members, including LDCs, must be given due consideration in any reform. MEPs insist on the introduction of a more democratic decision-making system in the WTO enabling an increase in the active participation of developing countries, so that they feel fully represented in the negotiating process. They support the proposal to include, as a contractual right for least developed countries (LDCs), funding arrangements for technical assistance so that they can participate meaningfully in the multilateral trading system. MEPs also wish to see the issue of the role of the WTO secretariat and Director-General carefully considered and call for the financial and human means and resources available to the WTO secretariat to be strengthened. Considering that transparency in the drawing up and pursuit of trade policies represents a legitimate demand on the part of society, citizens and parliamentarians, MEPs support the ideas proposed by the WTO Director-General seeking to strengthen the ‘active transparency’ mechanisms and to monitor and supervise effectively the application of the rules and undertakings approved by the WTO members, with a view to ensuring that they are genuinely and fully implemented. Although the WTO dispute settlement mechanism has, overall, fulfilled its role successfully up to now, MEPs believe that certain adjustments are necessary, in particular with regard to the implementation of the recommendations and decisions of the dispute settlement body. They also stress the need to ensure that the Dispute Settlement Body interprets WTO rules in such a way that it takes into due account applicable international environmental and social law. Parliament envisages the possibility of introducing sanctions against those countries which refuse to ensure that their measures comply with their obligations, to the benefit of the countries harmed by such measures, especially if they are small economies which cannot credibly resort to retaliation measures. Moreover, given the judicial nature of the dispute settlement procedure, MEPs support the idea that substantive meetings with the parties, special groups and the appeal body should in future be held in public. Lastly, Parliament calls on the WTO members to consider the idea of a special pre-accession status for candidate countries which, while not having yet concluded their bilateral market access negotiations with their key partners in the organisation, pledge to take on, without delay, all the obligations resulting from the application of the existing rules. The decision on whether or not to admit a new member country to the WTO should always be adopted on the basis of strictly commercial considerations. date: 2008-04-24T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
links
other	body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade commissioner: MANDELSON Peter
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee	Old INTA/6/53440 New INTA/6/53440
procedure/legal_basis/0	Rules of Procedure EP 52
procedure/legal_basis/0	Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
procedure/subject	Old 6.20.01 Agreements and relations in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO) New 6.20.01 Agreements and relations in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

activities	date: 2007-09-27T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: DEVE date: 2007-10-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Development rapporteur: group: ALDE name: VAN HECKE Johan body: EP responsible: False committee: ECON date: 2007-06-19T00:00:00 committee_full: Economic and Monetary Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE-DE name: HÖKMARK Gunnar body: EP responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2007-05-07T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: UEN name: MUSCARDINI Cristiana date: 2008-02-26T00:00:00 body: EP committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: DEVE date: 2007-10-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Development rapporteur: group: ALDE name: VAN HECKE Johan body: EP responsible: False committee: ECON date: 2007-06-19T00:00:00 committee_full: Economic and Monetary Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE-DE name: HÖKMARK Gunnar body: EP responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2007-05-07T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: UEN name: MUSCARDINI Cristiana type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: CSL meeting_id: 2859 council: General Affairs date: 2008-03-10T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting date: 2008-04-03T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2008-104&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A6-0104/2008 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading date: 2008-04-23T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20080423&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament date: 2008-04-24T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=14840&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2008-180 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0180/2008 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
committees	body: EP responsible: False committee: DEVE date: 2007-10-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Development rapporteur: group: ALDE name: VAN HECKE Johan body: EP responsible: False committee: ECON date: 2007-06-19T00:00:00 committee_full: Economic and Monetary Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE-DE name: HÖKMARK Gunnar body: EP responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2007-05-07T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: UEN name: MUSCARDINI Cristiana
links
other	body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade commissioner: MANDELSON Peter
procedure	dossier_of_the_committee INTA/6/53440 reference 2007/2184(INI) title Towards a reformed World Trade Organisation legal_basis Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052 stage_reached Procedure completed subtype Initiative type INI - Own-initiative procedure subject 6.20.01 Agreements and relations in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

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