A review of European trade strategy is needed, particularly in view of the crisis in the current Doha round of WTO negotiations. This review must find ways of giving practical effect to the stated principles and objectives of the European Union's trade policy. The EU must effectively promote a more progressive multilateral system, which gives priority to development and ensures that trade rules take account of non-trade policy goals, such as environment, health, poverty eradication, social standards, and respect of decent work norms. The conclusion of the Doha round in accordance with these principles must remain a key objective of the Union. All future negotiation on regional and bilateral trade agreements must fully involve the European Parliament, to ensure democratic control over trade negotiations whose impact on our societies and those of our trading partners can be far-reaching. That's why we also insist on closely involving the social partners and civil society in our reflection on the economic, social and environmental dimensions of European trade strategy.

 

Following the July 2008 WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, the PES Group regrets the collapse of the Doha Development Round and its economic and political costs and laments that major developed countries lost sight of the central development objectives of the Round. A successful conclusion to the round remains an EU trade priority, but the WTO's Post-Doha agenda must give urgent attention to the democratic reform of the WTO and to its place in a reformed global governance - including the relationship between WTO rules and other international treaties and organizations, such as the ILO. There must also be greater coherence between trade and development policies.

 

The Socialist Group believe strongly in multilateralism and the positive contribution that trade could bring to alleviation of poverty and promotion of economic development and social welfare. But to achieve that, trade rules must be re-focused to support the ability  of poorer countries to integrate better into the multilateral trading system and ensure they benefit more fully from that participation. Developed countries should not only open up their markets and phase out trade distorting measures, but also provide aid for trade and technical assistance to the poorer and more vulnerable countries. .

 

Although sustainable development objectives are indeed mentioned in the draft free trade agreements currently being negotiated by the EU - for example with the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) of the Cotonou Pact, and separately with India, Korea and ASEAN - enforceable provisions on fundamental social standards, in particular trade union freedoms, are notable by their absence. The Socialist Group will use the European Parliament's trade powers to push in addition to biding human rights clauses,  for high and enforceable social and environmental standards in all new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and we shall continue to combat social, environmental and fiscal dumping in the EU and in third countries. 

 

The Socialist Group has published a series of publications (in EN, FR, DE and ES) on the relationship between trade and development (See below).

 

Our Vice-President responsible for trade policy is:
Harlem Désir (FR) (harlem.desir@europarl.europa.eu)

Our Socialist Group spokesperson in the EP trade committee is:
Erika Mann (DE) (erika.mann@europarl.europa.eu)

 

 

 

 

 

1. "Inclusion of social and environmental norms in FTAs"

2. "Multilateralism and Bilateralism", 

3. "Trade policy and national sovereignty",

4. "Trade and climate change",

5. "Trade and employment",

6. "Hong Kong - Time to deliver on Trade and Development"

7. "Looking beyond Doha?"

 

 

 

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