On 17 June, members of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) adopted the draft opinion on the EU-China strategy by 38 votes to 0 with 3 abstentions. They expressed many concerns about China’s influence in world trade.
One of the main issues that overhangs this opinion is the China-EU investment agreement. For rapporteur Iuliu Winkler (EPP, Romania), who supports the agreement, the time has not yet come to ratify it. “As long as the Chinese sanctions against elected EU officials and its institutions are in place, CAI is off the table for INTA and for the European Parliament as a whole”, he told EUROPE (see EUROPE 12723/16).
MEPs have insisted on this point through amendments. They recalled that China had not signed all the core conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO). They call on Beijing to ratify these texts, but also “to comply with international standards for the environment, biodiversity, poverty, health, working conditions, and human rights”.
MEPs accept that EU-China trade relations need to be rebalanced and that the agreement could go some way to addressing this, but they want more assurances on China’s commitment. They would also like to have more certainty on the rebalancing of trade potentially allowed by the agreement.
In addition, the EU must have effective instruments against foreign subsidies, due diligence, and coercive practices, they say.
Furthermore, it is essential for Parliament that the EU member countries speak with one voice on China. They refer to the bilateral agreements signed between 26 Member States and Beijing.
Finally, they recall the importance of EU-Taiwan ties. INTA Committee members regularly call on the European Commission to open negotiations for a free trade agreement with Taiwan.
See the draft opinion: https://bit.ly/2TKI0PW (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)