The European Parliament’s plenary session debate on preparation of the European Council of 20-21 October, in Strasbourg on Wednesday 5 October, showed that, despite the support of MEPs from the four major political groups (EPP, S&D, ECR and ALDE) for the EU-Canada free-trade agreement (CETA) to be signed forthwith, doubts or indeed hostility with regard to negotiations on the EU-United States free-trade agreement (TTIP) and current conduct of EU trade policy are still strong on the left and far right of the Parliament.
Slovak Secretary of State for European and Foreign Affairs Ivan Korcok confirmed that the leaders of the member starts will have a “policy debate” on EU trade policy, including on finalisation of CETA, the fate of TTIP negotiations and the decision to be taken on granting market economy status (MES) to China.
“We have an issue as far as trade is concerned”, acknowledged Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. “I am not a blind free trader, but I know that trade is essential. €1 billion more trade with the outside world leads to the creation of 14,000 jobs”, he stated. He pointed out that the EU-South Koprea free-trade agreement, which came into force in 2011, generated €15 billion in exchanges and created 210,000 jobs in Europe. “So trade is not neutral, trade is a job creator. And we have to make sure that the agreement with Canada will enter into force after a certain number of months”, he stressed.
Juncker also urged the member states to come to agreement on strengthening trade defence instruments (TDIs). “In the Council of Ministers you have 12 states being in favour of enhancing, strengthening the trade defence instruments, and you have a group of 12 member states who do not like the idea. They have to find an agreement amongst themselves, because you cannot explain to the public opinion – and mainly to those who are working – that we are opening the way for trade agreements with other nations without reinforcing the instruments we have to defend our industry and mainly our steel industry”, he stated.
The EPP Group is “in favour of swift ratification of CETA”, said its leader Manfred Weber (Germany). “We have to say yes to trade, we have to move forward on CETA and TTIP”, added his Christian Democrat compatriot Herbert Reul, hailing the “valuable intervention” by Juncker on the impact on job creation of the EU-South Korea trade deal.
“I agree that trade is a driver of growth but we must avoid dumping. International trade is good but only if there is no dumping. We cannot lower European citizens’ living and working standards, or social, environmental and health standards. That is a red line for us”, said Gianni Pittella (Italy) for the S&D Group. “While steps have been taken on CETA, we continue to have severe doubts over TTIP which is not acceptable to us as it stands at the moment. We confirm our opposition to granting market economy status to China”, he added. “We have to be open to trade while protecting our standards”, argued his Portuguese Socialist colleague Maria Joao Rodrigues.
Speaking for the ECR Group, Evzen Tosenovsky (Czech Republic) said he was “concerned over the doubts cast by some leaders on the chances of concluding the CETA and TTIP agreements which are important for the future”. “Our leaders must show their desire to close these crucial agreements”, he stressed, highlighting the risk of the EU’s losing credibility with its partners.
“Yes to TTIP, yes to CETA: there are sound arguments for these agreements. But we must also have good trade defence instruments and protect our steel industry against dumping”, argued Pavel Telicka (Czech Republic) on behalf of the ALDE Group.
For the GUE/NGL Group, Eleonora Forenza (Italy) called for TTIP and CETA to be halted. “The agreement with Canada could mean the loss of 200,000 jobs in Europe and its energy provisions are inconsistent with COP 21”. “That trade policy only harms European workers”, she added. “CETA will threaten our legislation, our labour law, our health, environmental and social standards and will put pressure on our agriculture and SMEs. It is an assault on democracy”, railed Marina Albiol Guzman (Spain).
“CETA could benefit some of our multinationals but at the cost of 200,000 jobs, increased pressure on our farmers and an increase in the power of the multinationals to the disadvantage of our democracy and the environmental footprint”, warned Philippe Lamberts (Belgium) for the Greens/EFA Group.
“What’s happening with TTIP, CETA and granting MES to China show us that we now only need a few people to take decisions that have an impact on millions of people. Trade policy should be a common good serving everyone and taking account of the needs of all”, argued David Borrelli (Italy), on behalf of the EFDD Group. He was critical of the Council for being unable to overcome internal division on strengthening trade defence instruments and protecting “Made in …”
For the ENF Group, Marine Le Pen (France) condemned “those who, like weathervanes that feel the wind turning, criticise TTIP in the media while quietly passing CETA”. “Just like TTIP, CETA will put in place an exceptional private justice system so that multinationals can challenge states in court. CETA will also exacerbate the pressure on our suffering farmers by putting them in competition with Canadian farmers whose production costs are 30-40% lower”, she stated.
Lastly, for the non-attached, Georgios Epitideios (Greece) from the Golden Dawn party called on the EU to “get rid of TTIP and relaunch the partnership with Russia”. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)