Press room 

European Parliament INTA committee delegation holds talks in Japan on 18-20 September 2018, prior to taking its final stand on the Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and Japan.

Members of the International Trade Committee backed a proposal to offer a third macro-financial assistance (MFA) of €45 million to Georgia on Tuesday.

Imposing restrictions on EU steel and aluminium exports to the US is unacceptable and calls for a firm response, say International Trade Committee MEPs.

The EU could protect itself better against unfairly cheap imports and combat environmental or social dumping more effectively, under a draft law agreed on Tuesday.

Chairman Bernd Lange (S&D, DE) made the following statement, on behalf of the Committee for International Trade, after the announcement of the WTO ruling in the Airbus case.

All of the EP’s 20 standing committees and two subcommittees held their constitutive meetings on Wednesday to elect their chair and vice-chairs.

The Committee on International Trade backed the free trade and investment protection agreements between the EU and Vietnam on Tuesday.

Parliament must use its influence on framing the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) rules to ensure that they serve all EU citizens, not just a few economic players and must therefore insist that the talks are more democratic and more transparent, said trade committee chair, Bernd Lange (S&D, DE), on Wednesday

Negotiations on a Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), with countries representing 70% of world trade in services, should deliver international rules and more opportunities for EU firms to supply services such as transport and telecoms in third countries. But "nothing should prevent EU, national and local authorities from maintaining, improving and applying their laws", notably on labour and data protection, say international trade MEPs in recommendations, voted on Monday, to EU negotiators.

EU export controls will be extended on goods and technologies designed for civilian use but possibly used for human rights violations, Trade Committee MEPs voted on Thursday.

International Trade Committee MEPs, farmers, businesses, public health and trade union representatives debated the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada on Wednesday morning. CETA can only enter into force with the European Parliament’s approval.

EU jobs and industry will be better protected against dumping and subsidised imports, under a draft law agreed on Tuesday.

All but the smallest EU importers of tin, tungsten, tantalum, gold and their ores will have to do "due diligence" checks on their suppliers, and big manufacturers will also have to disclose how they plan to monitor their sources to comply with the rules, under a draft EU regulation on “conflict minerals” agreed by MEPs, ministers and the EU Commission on Tuesday in Strasbourg. It aims to stop the financing of armed groups and human rights abuses through trade in minerals from conflict areas.

Protecting EU jobs and industry against unfair competition requires tougher anti dumping rules, Trade Committee MEPs say in a resolution adopted on Tuesday.

Women’s Rights and International Trade MEPs call for provisions in EU trade agreements to promote women’s rights, in a resolution voted on Wednesday.

Ministers are outlining the priorities of the Croatian Presidency of the Council of the EU to parliamentary committees, in a series of meetings.

An EU-US trade deal should deepen EU access to the US market, but must not undermine EU standards or the right to regulate in the public interest, say Trade Committee MEPs in draft recommendations voted on Thursday. Tools for resolving disputes between investors and states should be reformed and improved, they add.

All Members of the European Parliament will have access to all categories of confidential documents relating to the EU’s Transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP) talks with the USA, under a European Parliament/European Commission agreement approved by the College of Commissioners on Wednesday. The accessible documents will include the so-called “consolidated texts”, which reflect the US position.

The European Parliament’s Trade Committee gave its recommendation to approve the EU’s landmark trade agreement with Japan on Monday.

The International Trade Committee questioned Phil Hogan, candidate for the trade portfolio, on future trade deals and the respect of EU values.