Compte rendu in extenso des débats

Jeudi 25 octobre 2012 - Strasbourg

14.4. Protection des indications géographiques des produits agricoles et des denrées alimentaires (A7-0272/2012 - Vital Moreira) (vote)

– Prima della votazione

  Vital Moreira, rapporteur. − Mr President, I have something important to say and I will be brief. First of all, as rapporteur, I call on the House to consent to this agreement because it is a good one and should be welcomed as a template for future agreements on the same subject. I am hoping for your unanimous support.

However, in approving the agreement we are not voting to accept the Council decision on this matter while it includes a provision establishing a comitology mechanism allowing the Council to control Commission decisions on the application of the agreement. In my view, Parliament should not accept the Council deciding unilaterally on something which, by definition, ought to be co-decided by this House – let alone accept the Council abusing comitology to control, unduly and unilaterally, the Commission’s powers in relation to application of the agreement.

Therefore, let it be clear that we are not endorsing the draft Council decision on this matter, and that if the draft remains unchanged – which I hope will not be the case – we will not allow it to be considered as a precedent for future international agreements. Unfortunately there is no Council representative here, but I am sure this message will reach the Council.