MEPs are preparing to vote in plenary session on Wednesday 13 February in Strasbourg on two trade agreements with Singapore, on global free trade (FTA) and investment protection (IPA). After the support shown by two thirds of the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) during the vote on 24 January, the suspense is no longer really assured.
While the support of all MEPs from the centre to the right of the assembly should not be lacking in both agreements, MEPs from the GUE/NGL and Greens/EFA have tabled new amendments. These include financial services liberalisation and prudential exceptions, which they consider weaker than those in the CETA with Canada. They also recall their reluctance to sign with the city-state when it has not yet ratified fundamental ILO conventions (see EUROPE 12152).
Finally, they call for postponing parliamentary consent on the IPA after the EU Court of Justice ruling on the conformity of the Investment Court system (ICS) as designed in the CETA. However, the opinion of Advocate General Yves Bot, delivered on 29 January, that there is no incompatibility with European law, will weigh in favour of immediate consent (see EUROPE 12182).
The rapporteur, David Martin (S&D, UK), is, for his part, "confident that MEPs will confirm the vote of the INTA committee, and support these deals by a broad majority", he told EUROPE. "These are two progressive agreements in line with EU values. The FTA includes strong protection for workers and the environment, while the IPA includes the EU reformed investment protection model which, albeit not perfect, goes into the right direction. Furthermore, last week, AG Bot's opinion sent a positive sign that this new model is not breaching the EU law."
Commissioner Hogan in Singapore
Meanwhile, Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan is already working on the implementation of the agreements. In Singapore, on Thursday, February 7, he met with his counterparts to ensure, among other things, the prompt establishment of a system for the registration of the 196 European geographical indications (GIs) that the peninsula has committed to protect in the FTA, and to promote the EU's agri-food sector. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)