Text tabled : A7-0388/2012

  George Lyon (ALDE). - Mr President, I voted in favour of this Free Trade Agreement today and welcome the liberalisation of trade with the South American countries. However, we must also make it clear that the European Parliament has only ratified this agreement on condition that the human rights concerns in the report are addressed. The safeguards that the European Parliament has negotiated are indeed unprecedented in any Free Trade Agreement and we need to ensure that we follow developments in these countries closely.

That said, I welcome the opportunity this Free Trade Agreement brings to EU businesses at a time when growth is our top priority. In particular, the deal offers great benefits to the Scottish whisky industry and supports the growth of a key sector of the Scottish economy in an important emerging market. Scotland currently exports whisky to Colombia and Peru to the tune of GDP 42 million per year. This agreement would end the 15% tariff on exports to Colombia over the next ten years and overnight would put an end to a 9% tariff for Peru. This is a very nice Christmas present for an industry which produces a superb product. Could I suggest to colleagues that a bottle of Laphroaig, or indeed a bottle of Bunnahabhain, would make an excellent early Christmas present to your friends and family?