Brussels, 27/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - In a resolution compiled by Helmut Scholz (Germany, GUE/NGL), which was adopted by 499 votes in favour, 61 against and 86 abstentions at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday 26 November, the European Parliament supports the plans for Ecuador to join the multipartite trade agreement between the EU on one side, and Colombia and Peru on the other. The Parliament nevertheless asks the government of Ecuador to focus on issues such as child labour, women's rights and deforestation before MEPs vote on Ecuador joining the multipartite agreement between the EU and these Andean countries.
In its resolution, the Parliament recognises the benefits that the free trade agreement with the EU will bring Ecuador - both in terms of its economy and reducing social inequalities. However, it urges the government of Ecuador to take concrete measures on human rights and sustainable development (labour rights and environmental protection) similar to the action plans that the authorities of Colombia and Peru had put forward, before the European Parliament gives its approval to the multipartite agreement.
MEPs hail the recent measures taken by the government of Ecuador ($40.8 billion investment over eight years) to reduce inequalities and fight organised crime and drugs trafficking, but they urge Ecuador to step up its efforts to provide access to education, fight against child labour and guarantee total respect of women's and union rights. The Parliament is also concerned about Ecuador's intensive deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
In addition, Ecuador is one of the world's biggest banana producers and the Parliament calls on the European Commission to activate the safeguard mechanism that suspends the exemption of duties on imports of bananas from Ecuador to the European market if they exceed a certain volume that is considered harmful for banana-producing regions of the EU, both on the economic level and in terms of employment.
Risk of serious degradation. “It was important to me that the Parliament clearly expresses that the social progress of Ecuador must be protected and not undermined by the clauses of a trade agreement. On this, the Commission has received a clear message”, Scholz stated on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group. The Parliament calls on the Commission to “actively push” Ecuador for compliance with the obligations to which Colombia and Peru committed as part of the roadmap on environmental protection, workers' rights and human rights (an accompanying part of the agreement), Scholz said. “NGOs, as well as the Commission's own sustainability impact assessment of a free trade agreement with the Andean states, warned that the access of corporations to mining concessions and land which will be facilitated by the agreement, will lead to severe environmental degradation and social tensions, and the likely expulsion of small farmers and indigenous populations. Therefore, the resolution calls on the Commission and the government of Ecuador to take counter-measures, including accompanying programmes”, Scholz concluded.
In mid-December 2014, the EU and Ecuador initialled the memorandum of understanding that was concluded in July 2014 and which will enable Ecuador to join the multipartite trade agreement between the EU and the Andean countries. This trade agreement was concluded in 2012 and entered into force in 2013 after the Parliament's approval (see EUROPE 11217). (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)