Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) heard, on Monday 24 January, from the French Minister for International Trade, Franck Riester. Many questioned him on how he intends to implement the French Presidency of the EU Council’s programme on trade, based on openness, sustainability, but also firmness.
Trade agreements under negotiation or ratification featured prominently in the discussion. On the right, MEPs asked how France intended to pursue the conclusion of new agreements. Christophe Hansen (EPP, Luxembourg) asked what France was going to do about the agreement with Chile, which the European Commission said was ready in substance (see EUROPE 12831/5).
Geert Bourgeois (ECR, Belgium) insisted on the same point, mentioning Mercosur, but also India. According to him, it is only through these agreements that the principle of openness can be applied.
MEPs from the left, and sometimes from the centre, reiterated their demand for concrete action to ensure that trade agreements respect sustainable development. “It will be really difficult for our group to accept the conclusion of new agreements, which do not have sufficient guarantees on the trade and sustainable development chapters”, said Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D, Belgium).
Franck Riester was responsive to this request: “The protection of sensitive sectors and sustainable development must be taken into account in the agreements.
In the case of Chile, he also indicated that he was waiting for the position of the new government in place in this third country and to see “what the European Commission will propose”.
The minister also explained the French desire to introduce mirror clauses for imports as well as EU-China relations.
Finally, he joined the newly re-elected Chair of the INTA Committee, Bernd Lange (S&D, Germany), on the ambition to reach a trilogue agreement by the end of March on the instrument on public procurement. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)