Recommendations to the European Commission on the negotiations for the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA)
2015/2233(INI) - 25/01/2016
The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Viviane REDING (EPP, LU) containing the European Parliaments recommendations to the Commission on the negotiations for the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA).
Members addressed, in the context of the ongoing negotiations on the Trade in Services Agreement, the following recommendations to the Commission:
Scope and context:
- ensure that these negotiations contribute fairly and significantly to job creation and inclusive growth;
- provide tangible benefits to consumers and grant access to the talks to interested parties so as to facilitate future multilateralization;
- propose specific safeguards for tourists, in order to make international roaming fees and fees applied to international calls and messages transparent, so as to limit the excessive fees charged to consumers using their credit cards outside Europe and to preserve the EUs and Member States' right to issue safety warnings about tourist destinations.
Market access:
- exclude public services and audiovisual services from the scope of application of the agreement;
- seek ambitious commitments across parties, sectors, and levels of government, in particular the further opening of foreign markets as regards public procurement, telecommunications, transport and financial and professional services;
- ensure reciprocity at all levels;
- respect Member States' sovereign right to choose which sectors to open to foreign competition and to what extent by means of limitations and exemptions;
- exclude current and future services of general interest and services of general economic interest from the scope of application of the agreement (including, but not limited to, water, health, social services, social security systems and education, waste management and public transport).
Rules on the digital economy:
- ensure that European citizens personal data flow globally in full compliance with the data protection and security rules in force in Europe;
- ensure that national security clauses are grounded in appropriate necessity;
- prevent geoblocking practices and to uphold the principle of open governance of the internet.
Rules on mobility:
- limit EU commitments only to the movement of highly skilled professionals, for a specific purpose, for a limited period of time and under precise conditions stipulated by the domestic legislation;
- oppose any provisions regarding visas and other entry procedures except those aimed at increasing transparency and streamlining administrative procedures;
- strive to create a framework for the mutual recognition of training, academic levels and professional qualifications, in particular in the architectural, accounting and legal sectors.
Rules on financial services:
- commit TiSA parties to the implementation and application of international standards for the regulation and supervision of the financial sector;
- ensure that a level-playing field between European and foreign companies, irrespective of their jurisdiction of establishment, is achieved;
- request a thorough ex-ante independent impact assessment to evaluate the economic and social effects of further financial liberalisation under TiSA.
Rules on domestic regulation and transparency:
- legally secure European, national and local authorities right to regulate in the public interest;
- promote good governance and transparency and to foster good practice in administrative, regulatory and legislative processes;
- maintain the EU practice of carrying out public consultations prior to legislative proposals.