09/12/2019 (Agence Europe) – Jan Zahradil MEP (ECR, Czech Republic) is reportedly considering resigning from his position as rapporteur on trade agreements between the European Union and Vietnam, according to parliamentary sources (see EUROPE 12364/18), on Monday 9 December. Mr Zahradil was accused by the EU Observer newspaper of a conflict of interest for failing to report his role in a group with links to the Hanoi regime. However, via Twitter, Mr Zahradil denied these accusations and promised clarification on them. The left-wing MEPs, led by the Greens/EFA, denounced Mr Zahradil’s reports on two trade agreements - one on free trade and the other on investment protection - as inappropriately dissociating them from human rights issues in the Indochinese country. (HD)