Motion for a resolution - B8-0348/2014Motion for a resolution
B8-0348/2014

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Commission delegated regulation of 19 August 2014 amending Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences

10.12.2014 - C(2014)05833 – 2014/2805(DEA)

pursuant to Rule 105(4) of the Rules of Procedure

Franck Proust, Alain Cadec, Gabriel Mato, Françoise Grossetête, Antonio Tajani, Yannick Jadot, Aldo Patriciello, David McAllister, José Blanco López, Fernando Ruas, József Nagy, Barbara Matera, Jarosław Wałęsa, Michel Dantin, Sofia Ribeiro, Maurice Ponga, Lara Comi, Anne Sander, Jérôme Lavrilleux, Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Seán Kelly, Marc Joulaud, Angélique Delahaye, Rachida Dati, Marco Affronte, Joëlle Bergeron, Rolandas Paksas, Annie Schreijer-Pierik, Ricardo Serrão Santos, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Heinz K. Becker, Clara Eugenia Aguilera García, Remo Sernagiotto, Renata Briano, António Marinho e Pinto, Emmanuel Maurel, Arnaud Danjean, Cristian Dan Preda, Alain Lamassoure, Michèle Alliot-Marie, Salvatore Cicu, Salvatore Domenico Pogliese, Elena Gentile, Ulrike Rodust, Karima Delli, Ska Keller, José Bové, Isabelle Thomas, Eric Andrieu, Jean-Paul Denanot, Virginie Rozière, Guillaume Balas, Sylvie Guillaume, Pervenche Berès, Edouard Martin, Christine Revault D’Allonnes Bonnefoy, José Manuel Fernandes, Paulo Rangel, Carlos Coelho, Nadine Morano, Georges Bach, Reimer Böge, Lambert van Nistelrooij, Monika Hohlmeier, Ivo Belet, Miroslav Mikolášik, Philippe Juvin, Bart Staes, Renaud Muselier, Igor Šoltes, Miroslav Poche, Zigmantas Balčytis, Tokia Saïfi, Nuno Melo, Giovanni La Via, Constance Le Grip, Brice Hortefeux, Francesc Gambús, Norica Nicolai, Richard Corbett, Dominique Riquet, Alessandra Moretti, Daniele Viotti, Ole Christensen, Linnéa Engström


Procedure : 2014/2805(DEA)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B8-0348/2014
Texts tabled :
B8-0348/2014
Debates :
Texts adopted :

B8‑0348/2014

European Parliament resolution on the Commission delegated regulation of 19 August 2014 amending Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences

C(2014)05833 – 2014/2805(DEA)

The European Parliament,

–       having regard to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 732/2008[1], and in particular Article 9(b) and Annex III and Article 10(4) thereof empowering the Commission to adopt delegated acts in order to establish or to amend Annex III in order to grant a requesting country the special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance by adding that country to the list of GSP+ beneficiary countries,

–       having regard to the Commission delegated regulation (C(2014)05833) of 19 August 2014 amending Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences with regard to the Philippines,

–       having regard to Regulation 1005/2008 of 29 September 2008 of the Council establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, amending Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1936/2001 and (EC) No 601/2004 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1093/94 and (EC) No 1447/1999[2],

–       having regard to its resolution of 17 November 2011 on the fight against illegal unreported and undeclared fisheries[3],

–       having regard to the Commission’s decision of 10 June 2014 on notifying a Third Country (the Philippines) that the Commission considers as possible of being identified as non-cooperating Third Countries pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing[4],

–       having regard to its previous resolutions on the Philippines, notably that of 14 June 2012[5],

–       having regard to the report of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) of the International Labour Office (2014 Report III Part 1A on the Philippines),

–       having regard to the report of the Special rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, presented to the UN Human Rights Council on 19 April 2013,

–       having regard to Rule 105(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.     whereas the Generalised System of Preferences consists of a general arrangement and two special arrangements, including the special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance (GSP+), charging no duties on imports from beneficiaries for 66 % of all EU tariff lines;

B.     whereas on 28 February 2014 the Commission received a GSP+ request from the Republic of the Philippines (‘the Philippines’);

C.     whereas its resolution of 17 November 2011 on the fight against IUU fishing clearly states that IUU fishing jeopardises the sustainability of fish stocks; whereas it further states that ‘market state responsibility must be more fully developed as a means of closing down the markets for the products of IUU fishing’;

D.     whereas Article 19.1(e) of the GSP+ Regulation refers to obligations on the part of third countries to implement the objectives of Regional Fishery Organisations, one of which is the fight against IUU fishing;

E.     whereas the Commission published a decision on notifying a Third Country that the Commission considers as possible of being identified as non-cooperating Third Countries pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, targeting the Philippines as regards the risk of being considered a non-cooperative state in the fight against illegal fishing (IUU) in accordance with Article 32 of Regulation 1005/2008, thereby sending a yellow card and launching an IUU procedure, during which the Philippines was allowed a reasonable amount of time to answer the notification and remedy the situation;

F.     whereas the EU is not empowered to authorise preferential access to the European market for fisheries products from the Philippines without securing a guarantee of their legal origin; whereas it is essential to insist on the absolute necessity of coherence and credibility of European policies in order to prevent discrimination and unfair competition for European fishermen and protect European consumers;

1.      Objects to the Commission delegated regulation (C(2014)05833) of 19 August 2014 amending Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences concerning the Philippines pursuant to Article 36 (5) of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012;

2.      Underlines the contradiction between the position of the Commission stating in its report on assessment of the application for GSP + by the Philippines that ‘there are significant elements of progress … to protect the rights of women’ and the fact that the report of 19 April 2013 of the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, following her mission to the Philippines (A/HRC/23/48Add.3), observed that ‘trafficking of persons, mostly women and children, for labour exploitation was proliferating in various sectors, including agricultural, construction, fishing, manufacturing and services industries’;

3.      Asks that GSP+ status not be granted before the Commission has rescinded its notification to the Philippines as a possible identified non-cooperating third country in the fight against IUU fishing;

4.      Recalls that it does not oppose any future application by the Philippines or consequent granting of GSP + status by the EU at a later stage;

5.      Confirms its position following its resolution of 17 November 2011 to the effect that the concept of market state responsibility must be more fully developed as a means of closing down the markets for the products of IUU fishing; stresses that it would be contradictory to grant a country GSP + access for its products, particularly fisheries products, while it is under an IUU procedure from the Commission;

6.      Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Committee on Fisheries and the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and to notify the Commission that the delegated regulation cannot enter into force.