The European Parliament's political groups confirmed their position on the EU-Vietnam trade agreements, a free trade agreement (FTA) and an investment protection agreement (IPA) (see EUROPE 12408/27) on Tuesday 11 February in a debate at the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg. Smooth parliamentary consent is expected during the vote scheduled for Wednesday, February 12.
While these agreements will provide privileged access to the dynamic Southeast Asian region, there is of course an admission in the corridors of Parliament that the human rights situation is far from ideal. However, the European Parliament, with the support of the Commission, has been working since the beginning of the negotiations to set Hanoi on the road to reform.
The glass is therefore being seen as half full, and the supporters of the agreement are calling for attention to be turned from now on to the implementation of the agreement's provisions, particularly with regard to human rights.
No surprise
For rapporteur Geert Bourgeois (ECR, Belgium), eight years after the start of negotiations, the opportunity exists to support "the most comprehensive trade deal between the EU and a middle-income country," a "benchmark" for the EU's engagement with a developing country. He made it a question of "credibility": the EU must, by ratifying these treaties, keep the promises it had made during the talks.
Speakers on behalf of the EPP, including Iulius Winkler (Romania) and Christophe Hansen (Luxembourg), also noted their enthusiasm for these agreements (see EUROPE 12408/27).
For Socialist Bernd Lange (Germany), Chairman of the Trade Committee (INTA), the way forward with Hanoi was set out by Willy Brandt, when the German Vice-Chancellor stressed the importance of "engaging in dialogue with countries that have fundamentally different opinions and discussing how the situation of local people can be improved".
"Tomorrow we can make history", said Karin Karlsbro (Renew Europe, Sweden). And she urged MEPs not to disappoint "reformists or the freedom fighters who want more EU presence" in their countries.
The Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL groups reiterated their reluctance and called for the rejection of this type of trade agreement, which guarantees rights to "foreign investors and multinationals through the arbitration clause, but doesn't provide a mechanism for sanctions for non-compliance with social and environmental standards", in the words of Mick Wallace (GUE/NGL, Ireland).
"Let's ask the Commission to renegotiate and align the Vietnam deal with the European 'Green Deal'", urged Anna Cavazzini (Greens/EFA, Germany). "And let's send a strong signal to the Vietnamese government to improve the devastating human rights situation before we sign the deal, and not after", she concluded.
The debate revealed contradictions inherent in the Identity and Democracy group. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)