On Thursday 5 October, MEPs approved the proposal to extend the current Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) for a further 4 years (see EUROPE 13215/17). The text is necessary to avoid the end of preferential tariffs for around sixty countries, the text’s rapporteur, Heidi Hautala (Greens/EFA), insisted to her colleagues on the eve of the vote.
She went on to point out, however, that the extension was merely “the unfortunate consequence” of the failure of negotiations with the Council (‘trilogues’) on the revision of the current GSP. In order to conclude these negotiations and bring the new system into force, it is up to the Member States to change their position on the two sticking points in the text: the readmission of nationals of the beneficiary countries and the safeguard measures to protect European producers (especially of rice).
Spanish MEP Jordi Cañas also regretted the Council’s “absolute inflexibility” on these issues.
See the text adopted: https://aeur.eu/f/8we (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)