Member States’ ambassadors to the European Union (Coreper II) were asked to approve their negotiating mandate on the Regulation revising the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) on 30 November, but in the end they did not support the text proposed by the Czech Presidency of the EU Council. The current GSP expires at the end of 2023.
The GSP is a facility granted to developing countries to help them export to the EU, i.e. without tariffs. The Commission presented its proposal for a revised GSP in September 2021 (see EUROPE 12796/1) and Parliament adopted its negotiating mandate in May (see EUROPE 12944/25).
The two points of contention concern, on the one hand, the inclusion of obligations relating to the readmission by the beneficiary countries of their nationals who are in an irregular situation in the EU (as proposed by the European Commission) and the safeguard measures to protect the European market from excessive imports of certain products (such as rice).
A total of seven countries rejected the compromise proposal presented on 30 November, according to an EU source. Germany is particularly opposed to the idea of making GSP preferences conditional on commitments by beneficiary countries to readmit their nationals.
Parliament’s rapporteur, Heidi Hautala (Greens/EFA, Finnish), expressed disappointment and concern at the lack of agreement in the EU Council. “The EU Council should do its utmost at all levels to solve the final pending issues and reach a common position as a matter of urgency”, she said.
The MEP also spoke out against an extension of the current GSP beyond the end of 2023. According to her, “The EU must not lose this opportunity to put forward a strong trade and development instrument to support the poorest countries”. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)