The draft report and amendments tabled by MEP Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (Renew Europe, France) on the revision of the EU Enforcement Regulation should receive broad support at the vote in the European Parliament Committee on Trade on Monday 6 July (see EUROPE 12495/17).
The revision of this Regulation will enable the EU to avoid blockage of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism.
On the scope of this text, first of all, a majority of groups are in favour of extending the scope of the Regulation to services and intellectual property, for their growing place in the economy, and in European free trade agreements (FTAs). “It is a question of coherence and strengthening our credibility”, Mrs Vedrenne stressed during a debate in committee on 25 June (see EUROPE 12490/26).
Several groups also support the inclusion of interim measures to strengthen the EU’s response capacity and thus better protect European businesses, a suggestion which the European Commission does not support (see EUROPE 12515/18, 12495/17). But broad support for this amendment by MEPs would put pressure on the Commission to put its money where its mouth is. By proposing a specific instrument, the institution would enable the EU to deal with any constraint exercised by a non-Member State against its interests.
A number of amendments also call for the enforcement of FTAs to be strengthened, in particular in the event of a non-Member State’s breach of the provisions on sustainable development. However, the Commission informed Parliament that the Enforcement Regulation could not apply if no sanctions are provided for in the FTA.
On Monday, remote voting is scheduled in the morning and evening. The results will not be known until early evening. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)