RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products

14.7.2017 - (12146/2016 – C8‑0129/2017 – 2016/0293(NLE)) - ***

Committee on International Trade
Rapporteur: David Borrelli

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products

(12146/2016 – C8‑0129/2016 – 2016/0293(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the draft Council decision (12146/2016),

–  having regard to the draft Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products (12147/2016),

–  having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 207(4), first subparagraph, and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C8‑0129/2016),

–  having regard to Rule 99(1) and (4) and Rule 108(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on International Trade (A8-0256/2017),

1.  Gives its consent to conclusion of the agreement;

2.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Iceland.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The EU and Iceland are Parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement) which provides for free movement of goods, with the exception of agricultural and fisheries products. Article 19 stipulates that every two years the Parties review the conditions of trade in agricultural products and decide on the further reduction of any type of barriers.

The previous EU-Iceland agreement on liberalising agricultural trade entered into force on 1 January 2007. It set the duty-free access of Icelandic agricultural products to the EU market to 51.9 % of trade and the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Icelandic market to 66.4 % of trade. The latest round of negotiations aimed at increasing the degree of liberalisation on both sides, extending the current tariff rate quotas and opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products.

The negotiations were conducted from 4 July 2012 to 17 September 2015 in parallel to the talks on a separate agreement on geographical indications. The Agreement was initialled on 17 September 2015. It includes additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions for more sensitive products, such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants. As a result of the negotiations almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will have duty-free access to the Icelandic market. As a net exporter of basic agricultural products to Iceland, the EU will benefit from increased quotas, in particular for cheese, beef, pig meat and poultry whereas Iceland will gain additional access for its skyr exports. Overall, almost all trade on processed agricultural products will be duty free, with some exceptions, notably of fermented milk products.

In 2015, EU exports of agricultural products to Iceland were worth EUR 290 million while the value of imports reached EUR 44 million. The main products exported by the EU are fruit, vegetables and cereals, which now largely enjoy duty-free access to the Icelandic market. Imports from Iceland are mainly seaweed and algae, sheep meat, live horses and fur skins.

In accordance with Article 218(6) TFEU, consent of the European Parliament is needed in order for the Council to adopt a decision concluding the Agreement.

The Rapporteur is of the view that the negotiations have led to a balanced outcome, in particular, taking the simultaneously negotiated agreement on GI protection into account.

In the light of the above, the Rapporteur recommends that the Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Title	Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the EU and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products
References	12146/2016 – C8-0129/2017 – COM(2016)0563 – 2016/0293(NLE)
Date of consultation / request for consent	30.3.2017
Committee responsible        Date announced in plenary	INTA 6.4.2017
Committees asked for opinions        Date announced in plenary	AGRI 6.4.2017
Not delivering opinions        Date of decision	AGRI 29.9.2016
Rapporteurs        Date appointed	David Borrelli 12.10.2016
Discussed in committee	20.6.2017
Date adopted	11.7.2017
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	35 0 3
Members present for the final vote	William (The Earl of) Dartmouth, Maria Arena, Tiziana Beghin, David Campbell Bannerman, Daniel Caspary, Salvatore Cicu, Santiago Fisas Ayxelà, Eleonora Forenza, Karoline Graswander-Hainz, Heidi Hautala, Yannick Jadot, Jude Kirton-Darling, Bernd Lange, David Martin, Emma McClarkin, Anne-Marie Mineur, Sorin Moisă, Franz Obermayr, Artis Pabriks, Franck Proust, Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández, Tokia Saïfi, Marietje Schaake, Helmut Scholz, Joachim Schuster, Joachim Starbatty, Adam Szejnfeld, Hannu Takkula, Iuliu Winkler
Substitutes present for the final vote	Dita Charanzová, Edouard Ferrand, Agnes Jongerius, Sajjad Karim, Gabriel Mato, Georg Mayer, Fernando Ruas, Jarosław Wałęsa
Date tabled	14.7.2017

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

35	+
ALDE	Dita Charanzová, Marietje Schaake, Hannu Takkula
ECR	David Campbell Bannerman, Sajjad Karim, Emma McClarkin, Joachim Starbatty
EFDD	William (The Earl of) Dartmouth, Tiziana Beghin
ENF	Edouard Ferrand, Georg Mayer, Franz Obermayr
GUE/NGL	Anne-Marie Mineur, Helmut Scholz
PPE	Daniel Caspary, Salvatore Cicu, Santiago Fisas Ayxelà, Gabriel Mato, Artis Pabriks, Franck Proust, Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl, Fernando Ruas, Tokia Saïfi, Adam Szejnfeld, Jarosław Wałęsa, Iuliu Winkler
S&D	Maria Arena, Karoline Graswander-Hainz, Agnes Jongerius, Jude Kirton-Darling, Bernd Lange, David Martin, Sorin Moisă, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández, Joachim Schuster

0	-

3	0
GUE/NGL	Eleonora Forenza
Verts/ALE	Heidi Hautala, Yannick Jadot

Key to symbols:

+  :  in favour

-  :  against

0  :  abstention