REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the elimination of customs duties on certain products
12.11.2020 - (COM(2020)0496 – C9‑0284/2020 – 2020/0253(COD)) - ***I
Committee on International Trade
Rapporteur: Bernd Lange
DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION
on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the elimination of customs duties on certain products
(COM(2020)0496 – C9‑0284/2020 – 2020/0253(COD))
(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2020)0496),
– having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 207(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9‑0284/2020),
– having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
– having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the report of the Committee on International Trade (A9-0217/2020),
1. Adopts its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal;
2. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;
3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
In a Joint Statement, on 21 August 2020, Commissioner Hogan and United States Trade Representative Lighthizer announced a package of tariff reductions meant “to mark just the beginning of a process that will lead to additional agreements that create more free, fair, and reciprocal transatlantic trade”[1].
With this regulation, the Commission proposes to eliminate a number of customs tariffs on lobster. The elimination of these duties is subject two conditions: a) the effective reduction by the U.S. for the tariff lines on a selected number of products (prepared meals, certain crystal glassware, surface preparations, propellant powders, cigarette lighters and lighter parts) and b) the abstention by the U.S. from introducing new measures against the European Union that undermine the objectives pursued by the Joint Statement.
The Commission presented this initiative as the first U.S.-EU negotiated reductions in duties in more than two decades and as a first step to improve EU-U.S. relations. It is thus understood that this “mini-deal”, despite being very limited in scope, could also support the settlement of on-going disputes. In addition, tariffs are eliminated erga omnes in line with to the Most Favoured Nation principle of the World Trade Organisation.
Notwithstanding the on-going disputes relating to U.S. tariffs on European steel and aluminium and agricultural products, Parliament should support this agreement as a basis for renewed constructive transatlantic engagement, which is in the interest of the citizens and the economies of both the EU and the U.S.. Hopefully, this package of tariff reductions will pave the way towards further balanced, more ambitious and comprehensive negotiations with the U.S., in which Parliament will fully play its institutional role.
In the light of the above, Rapporteur agrees with the proposal as presented by the European Commission.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
Title |
Elimination of customs duties on certain products |
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References |
COM(2020)0496 – C9-0284/2020 – 2020/0253(COD) |
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Date submitted to Parliament |
8.9.2020 |
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Committee responsible Date announced in plenary |
INTA 17.9.2020 |
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Rapporteurs Date appointed |
Bernd Lange 10.9.2020 |
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Discussed in committee |
24.9.2020 |
15.10.2020 |
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Date adopted |
10.11.2020 |
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Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
40 2 0 |
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Members present for the final vote |
Barry Andrews, Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, Tiziana Beghin, Geert Bourgeois, Saskia Bricmont, Udo Bullmann, Jordi Cañas, Daniel Caspary, Miroslav Číž, Arnaud Danjean, Paolo De Castro, Emmanouil Fragkos, Raphaël Glucksmann, Markéta Gregorová, Enikő Győri, Roman Haider, Christophe Hansen, Heidi Hautala, Danuta Maria Hübner, Herve Juvin, Karin Karlsbro, Maximilian Krah, Bernd Lange, Gabriel Mato, Sara Matthieu, Emmanuel Maurel, Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó, Samira Rafaela, Inma Rodríguez-Piñero, Massimiliano Salini, Helmut Scholz, Liesje Schreinemacher, Sven Simon, Dominik Tarczyński, Mihai Tudose, Kathleen Van Brempt, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Jörgen Warborn, Iuliu Winkler, Jan Zahradil |
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Substitutes present for the final vote |
Marek Belka, Jean-Lin Lacapelle |
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Date tabled |
12.11.2020 |
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
40 |
+ |
ECR |
Geert Bourgeois, Emmanouil Fragkos, Dominik Tarczynski, Jan Zahradil |
ID |
Roman Haider, Herve Juvin, Maximilian Krah, Jean-Lin Lacapelle |
NI |
Tiziana Beghin, Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó |
PPE |
Anna Michelle Asimakopoulou, Daniel Caspary, Arnaud Danjean, Enikő Győri, Christophe Hansen, Danuta Maria Hübner, Gabriel Mato, Massimiliano Salini, Sven Simon, Jörgen Warborn, Iuliu Winkler |
RENEW |
Barry Andrews, Jordi Cañas, Karin Karlsbro, Samira Rafaela, Liesje Schreinemacher, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne |
S&D |
Marek Belka, Udo Bullmann, Miroslav Číž, Paolo De Castro, Raphaël Glucksmann, Bernd Lange, Inma Rodríguez Piñero, Mihai Tudose, Kathleen Van Brempt |
VERTS/ALE |
Saskia Bricmont, Markéta Gregorova, Heidi Hautala, Sara Matthieu |
2 |
- |
GUE/NGL |
Emmanuel Maurel, Helmut Scholz |
0 |
0 |
Key to symbols:
+ : in favour
- : against
0 : abstention