European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström defended two draft negotiating mandates with the United States before Parliament's plenary session in Brussels on Wednesday 30 January (see EUROPE 12183, 12175).
While Washington is sending contradictory messages to the EU on its vision for the negotiations, with the preparation of an expanded mandate including agriculture (see EUROPE 12171), Malmström stressed to MEPs the need to maintain a positive platform for exchange, which is the basis for these draft mandates.
However, Malmström insisted that negotiations would be suspended if new sanctions on European cars were to be imposed and could not be concluded without the cancellation of the sanctions imposed by the United States on imports of European steel and aluminium.
Finally, she recalled her commitment, sometimes to sceptical MEPs, that agriculture was and would remain excluded from the talks.
Doubts about the American mandate
In the ensuing debate, MEPs from all sides were doubtful as to whether the EU and Washington could agree on a common transatlantic negotiating agenda.
For Luxembourg MEP Christophe Hansen, speaking on behalf of the EPP, "from the continued push [by the United States] to include agriculture products, to downright hostility on the protection of GIs, the American negotiating objectives at time seem diametrically opposed to what presidents Juncker and Trump agreed upon in July last year".
They also deplored the lack of significant progress on this positive agenda on the American side: "A truce was reached last summer, but the illegitimate US steel and aluminium tariffs remain and the Trump administration continues to block the appointment of judges in the WTO Appellate Body", said Marietje Schaake (ALDE, Netherlands).
However, Conservatives and Liberals have supported the European Commission's approach, which they believe avoids trade escalation. "It is not ideal, but it is the best option for now and it is important to keep the dialogue going", Schaake said, while calling on the EU to "stay our own course and continue to move forward with rules, values-based trade agendas and plans".
A gun (always) pointed at the temple
This logic was denounced by the groups to the left of the assembly and by the ELDD group, which are opposed to the launch of trade negotiations under these conditions and despite Mrs Malmström's commitment to not "negotiate with a gun to the head".
Belgium's Maria Arena (S&D) said: "the opening of these negotiations is a tactical error, a political error, and we hope that the Council will not accept the mandates you have proposed to it".
"These mandates are neither realistic nor honest", added Helmut Scholz (GUE/NGL, Germany), Mr Trump "will continue to press for the inclusion of agricultural products, because agriculture is at the heart of the Congress’ fast track mandate".
These groups also denounce the lack of references to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Yannick Jadot (Greens/EFA, France) and Helmut Scholz also took the opportunity to challenge the Commission's decision, the day before, on the Biodiesel Fuel Directive, allowing US soya beans to be used in biofuels in the EU (see EUROPE 12182).
The Parliament Committee on International Trade will debate its resolution on these mandates on Monday 4 February.
Member States are unlikely to take a decision before the informal Trade Council in Bucharest on 22 and 23 February. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)