Brussels, 08/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht has called on the European Parliament (EP) to finalise its examination of the draft review of trade defence instruments, unveiled in April.
On 7 November, six months ahead of the European elections, De Gucht urged MEPs to make progress in their examination of his plan to tweak the EU's toolbox of trade defence measures and to shift up a gear in their deliberations (see EUROPE 10824). The EP is preparing to examine the proposed changes and the international trade committee is due to examine a draft report by Christopher Fjellner (EPP, Sweden) at the end of November, ahead of a committee vote in January 2014 and a vote in plenary scheduled for February 2014.
One of De Gucht's big ideas is to give the Commission the option of opening investigations on its own initiative (ex officio investigations) when companies are threatened with reprisals when doing business outside the EU, even if companies do not specifically request an investigation. (EH/transl.fl)