Text tabled : A6-0117/2009

  Bernard Lehideux (ALDE), in writing. – (FR) Our position on the Economic Partnership Agreement is still critical. We believe that the negotiations have got off to a very bad start, with no respect shown for the specific circumstances of our partners. We are also still convinced that we should not rush negotiations with them, and, above all, should not impose on them sudden reforms that could prove disastrous for their social cohesion and their economies.

However, our vote does take account of the very encouraging positions adopted by Commissioner Ashton in the plenary session of Monday 23 March. That is why we abstained and did not vote against, as we certainly would have done only a few weeks ago.

Nevertheless, our abstention is a warning: we intend to judge the Commission’s action on the basis of actual evidence, and do not want to give it a blank cheque for the future.