Emergency autonomous trade preferences for Pakistan
26.6.2012
Question for written answer P-006289/2012
to the Council
Rule 117
Mário David (PPE)
‘Against the background of the … devastating July floods, the European Council … resolved to mandate Ministers to agree urgently a comprehensive package of … measures which will help underpin Pakistan’s recovery and future development. These should, inter alia, comprise ambitious trade measures granting exclusively to Pakistan increased market access to the EU through the immediate and time limited reduction of customs duties on key imports from Pakistan’. This quotation is the beginning of the answer to my question to the Commission (E‑7522/2010, 24 September 2010) on the above subject (my emphasis).
The floods occurred nearly two years ago; EUR 320 million in humanitarian aid was granted in 2010 (by Member States and the Commission, according to the October 2010 figures), followed by EUR 94.9 million in 2011 and EUR 55 million in 2012 (Commission), in order to deal with the emergencies caused by floods, fighting, and Afghan refugees; the total amount of humanitarian aid granted to Pakistani populations by the Member States and the Commission for the period from 2009 to 2013 stands at EUR 2 458 million, which we applaud and endorse unreservedly. Given those facts, however, we fail to see the logic in the continued determination to set a precedent by using trade policy as a means of humanitarian aid.
Another point to take into account is the reprehensible actions of the Pakistani authorities, including the recent repeated blocking of NATO supply routes to Afghanistan; the 33-year prison sentence passed on Shakeel Afridi, a doctor who allegedly helped the CIA to find Osama bin Laden; the attacks — which are going unpunished — on places of worship for faiths other than Islam; the suspicion that Pakistan is serving as a ‘haven’ for terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan; and the indisputable truth that there is no such thing as ‘emergency measures’ or ‘immediate reduction’ two years after the event.
1. In the light of the foregoing, does the Council believe that this initiative should remain in place?
2. Is it in any way coherent, rational, logical, fair, intelligent, and right to continue applying autonomous trade preferences to Pakistan?
3. Would not the obvious course be to end this measure immediately?
4. Does Pakistan deserve such a ‘reward’?
OJ C 183 E, 28/06/2013