During the meeting of the Committee on International Trade (INTA), MEPs exchange views withCecilia MALMSTRÖM, Member of the EC in charge of Trade, in the European Parliament in Brussels. Statements by Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE), Godelieve QUISTHOUDT-ROWOHL (EPP, DE), Alessia Maria MOSCA (S&D, IT), Maria ARENA (S&D, BE), Anne-Marie MINEUR (GUE/NGL, NL) and Cecilia MALMSTRÖM, Member of the EC in charge of Trade.

Exchange of views with Cecilia MALMSTRÖM, Member of the EC in charge of Trade: extracts from the meeting of the Committee on International Trade

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/9879215/I159764Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

Atmosphere ahead the meeting, entering the meeting room, handshake (2 shots)

SOUNDBITE (German), Bernd LANGE (S&amp;D, DE), chairman INTA, Edit I cant&rsquo;s understand why the president of the US sees this as so critically , because that the way are the rules within the WTO.

SOUNDBITE (German), Godelieve QUISTHOUDT-ROWOHL (EPP, DE), Edit how can we make progress with the US when we are in a situation when every day we are getting a different message from them, different analysis, different announcements. When ever you talk to on the American side you got a different message from them. You can also speak with the same person the next day and they will tell you something completely different. So how can we move forward?

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Alessia Maria MOSCA (S&amp;D, IT), The US behaving attitude and drop off participation to Paris agreement and all international work which is still ongoing and their attitude toward environmental agreement, it is a huge obstacle for having a fruitful dialogue with the US. So I will like to see how we can bring pressure and continue to work in those circumstances.

SOUNDBITE (French), Maria ARENA (S&amp;D, BE), Recently you said &lsquo;we don&rsquo;t negotiate under treats&rsquo;. What kind of guarantees did you get regarding tariffs, and also unblocking American attitude on multilateralism. Looks to me that we have negotiations where Trump is coming with a whole set of cards where he has all the assets and where Europe is just flatten out its demands.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Anne-Marie MINEUR (GUE/NGL, NL), Why is EU agreeing to imports from soya from the US when we know that 90% of that is GMO&rsquo;s , and that transports represents a huge burden on the environment . We know that these products are dangerous. Which measures will the Commission undertake to prevent the import of this soya? Also why is the EU importing liquid natural gas from US when we know that in the US this comes from schist gas?

SOUNDBITE (English), Cecilia MALMSTR&#214;M, Member of the EC in charge of Trade, We disagree with the imposition of tariffs with US. The tariffs on steel and aluminium are- in our view and I have said it many times - illegal. They are not compatible with WTO. You cannot motivate them from internal security reasons. So we have taken that decision to the WTO alongside with many other colleagues and friends.

SOUNDBITE (English), Cecilia MALMSTR&#214;M, We would under no circumstances go into any area we will lower our standards. Of course not. Why would we ? This is the trade policy we have: we are not lowering any standards ! I know you don&rsquo;t believe me but show me an issue where we have. We will not do this! So we will not start discussing GMO's or issues that that are of concern. During the talks we will try to identify points and this is the technical part, on a voluntary basis but of course in full transparency on issues of mutual at interest.

SOUNDBITE (English), Cecilia MALMSTR&#214;M, They would also give licenses for exporting of energy. Now that is not for the Commission to decide that you should buy or not should buy energy, but I note that some member countries would like to buy American gas. Then they should if they want to. We could facilitate that process, and then it is between them. Infrastructure is ready in several countries, that could be done. So the aim is to see, ken we sketch out a possibility of a limited trade agreement based on this.

SOUNDBITE (English), Cecilia MALMSTR&#214;M, We have not started negotiations we had made no concessions , Mr rapporteur, we have tried to see if there is a positive agenda.

SOUNDBITE (English), Cecilia MALMSTR&#214;M, We are today importing increasingly amount of soya beans from the US . Why are we doing this? Well because of the tariff war between the US and China. So China are buying their soya beans not from the US but from Brazil. That means that Brazil cannot sell as much as they used to do to us. The importers have said that 'we need soya beans where can we buy them from? From the US '. So the input have increased massively. And these are soya beans that are approved, they are not new soya beans, they are not GMO's , these are soya beans that are approved by EFSA and others. The US want a market for them and we have a supply for them. That's market economy and I think that is a good thing.

Exchange of views with Cecilia MALMSTRÖM, Member of the EC in charge of Trade: extracts from the meeting of the Committee on International Trade

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Exchange of views with Cecilia MALMSTRÖM, Member of the EC in charge of Trade: extracts from the meeting of the Committee on International Trade

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