During the plenary session (5-8 July 2021) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, presents her report on Trade related aspects and implications of COVID-19. The presentation is followed by a statement by Dubravka ŠUICA, Vicepresident of the European Commission. This transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

VAN BREMPT, Kathleen (S&D, BE)

ŠUICA, Dubravka (EPP, HR, EC)

EU trade policy (T)

EU's response to covid-19 (T)

Trade related aspects and implications of COVID-19: statements by Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur and by Dubravka ŠUICA, Vicepresident of the European Commission

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, Dear chair, Ms Vice-President of the Commission. Dear colleagues, when the world recovered the former century from two world wars, it became clear that the international trade policy would become in the centre of recovery, and it brought us a full century of prosperity.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, Today, we are recovering from a pandemic and are heading towards the same direction, putting trade in the centre of recovery. But we have to take care that we do it in a different way, that we make sure that a 21st century recovery instability puts sustainability in the centre. And that's why Europe European trade policy should change.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, With this pandemic, we saw the face of biodiversity degradation and what will increasingly happen if we do not make sure that our economy becomes climate neutral, a global actions cannot be limited to statements and non-binding commitments on big conferences.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, International trade policy in Europe needs to walk the talk of the green deal. That means, for instance, that we need to bring an end to fossil fuels, that green goods need to receive preferential treatment over brown goods. And it means that as each chapter become really sanction based during the crisis.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, We also saw the decline of multilateralism. While health care workers around the world had to combat dangerous virus, governments struggled to buy personal protective equipment and basic medicines.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, Prices surged and there was no transparency on available stock and production capacity weakened already by the Trump presidency, the World Trade Organisation and the World Health Organisation struggled to come up with real answers, and instead national responses took over with dramatic export bans and disrupted supply chains.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, Next time, when the world faces a new pandemic, cooperation should be the first answer, not the last one, with strong international bodies to take on leadership. And in this report, European Parliament ask strong support for an international pandemic treaty with a real and very robust trade pillar.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, We ask to establish a trade and health committee in the 12th more than ever. We also faced global inequalities. While the West was in the lockdown, workers in the East were working around the clock to make our facemasks unprotected and with hunger wages for their services to the world.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, And while the economic figures are rising in Europe, we see that women in Africa are struggling to make a living in their micro businesses with debt and inflation just around the corner. That's why we need mandatory due diligence across the supply chain and fair and ethical trade schemes.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, While the EU is a producer of the most vaccines in the world and an exporter, we see that the bulk of these productions go to G20 countries. Europe's global vaccination strategy is not guided by political leadership, but by companies. At a time of crisis, the rest of the world needs to know that they can count on Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, This is a stance warning not to isolate ourselves in the current discussion on intellectual property rights. Go and set yourself at the right side of history. Of course, at the same time, we need to be assertive towards countries which undermine human rights, rule based trade and democracy.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, A Ban on products with forced labour and upgrader trade defence toolbox. Effective sanction mechanisms on human rights need to be in place before the European Parliament even can think of starting the ratification of the investment agreement with China.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, Dear colleagues, trade policies is the most powerful and the most important tool the EU has at the international stage. It is the lever which can unlock the green deal. And Europe's industrial strategy for a climate neutral continent is the key for unlocking potential of developing partners and bringing stability to our neighbourhoods.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, It is the vehicle with which Europe can force alliances and use its economic power partner and power to tackle global changes and global challenges, such as pandemic. We need to do that together. Thank you,

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, Thank you, president, honourable members. On behalf of Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, I want to thank the parliament and the entire committee and our rapporteur, Kathleen Lamebrained for the attention, work and time that you invested in this report.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, I also want to thank you for your involvement in the trade policy review process, which led to the adoption by the Commission of the Communication on an open, sustainable and assertive trade policy on 18 February. I fully share your analysis about the special context in which the trade policy review is taking place.

SOUNDBITE (English),  Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE), rapporteur, As you rightly pointed out, trade policy finds itself at a crossroads. This is why there is a need for a new EU trade and investment strategy. This must take into account the difficult current geopolitical reality, including the challenges of the covid-19 crisis and also those stemming from our ambitions linked to the green and digital transitions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, The new trade policy strategy is built on three pillars openness, sustainability and assertiveness. The key challenge we face is to find the right balance between these three elements on openness. Reaffirming our commitment to open, fair and rules-based trade is not just EU idealism or idealism.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, It is an economic and political necessity, the compact that the competitiveness of our economy depends on it. This is particularly evident in the multilateral space. Again, I thank you for supporting our plans to lead and in that reform of the World Trade Organisation, it is in this spirit of openness that European Union has proposed, that WTO members agree as soon as possible on a global trade initiative for equitable access to covid-19 vaccines and medicines.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, The European Union also stands ready to support close cooperation between international bodies, especially the recently announced intensified collaboration of the WTO, the World Health Organisation and the World Intellectual Property Organisation in fighting the pandemic.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, In your report, you underlined the need for the European Union to enhance its strategic autonomy, notably to secure access to critical raw materials, goods and services, especially medical or pharmaceutical goods. This is a legitimate request that is supported by the openness of our economy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, This is why the overarching concept guiding the strategy is the model of open strategic autonomy to address today's most pressing challenges, such as climate change and biodiversity loss or the covid-19 crisis. We need more rather than less global cooperation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, A policy of open strategic autonomy will therefore allow the European Union to continue reaping the benefits of international opportunities, while at the same time assertively defending our interests, protecting our economy from unfair trade practises and ensuring a level playing field.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, I welcome that sustainability is very much at the forefront of the European Parliament's priorities in your resolution. This is in line with the new strategy, which represents a clear choice for a green and progressive trade policy. It was the green transition and protection of labour rights at the very heart of European Union trade policy more concretely.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, I also agree with a view expressed by the European Parliament that we need work further on issues such as Furt resilient and sustainable value chains, the possibility of trade and sustainable development chapters, and the importance of delivering an efficient Coreper border adjustment mechanism, which will also continue our efforts in promoting resource efficient and circular economy models around the world through the trade lever levers.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, The dialogues on these issues will continue, in particular during the review of the 15 point Action Plan on Trade and Sustainable Development, which will be launched very soon on assertiveness. I certainly agree with many of the points made in this resolution.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, In particular, I agree with the idea that our openness should go hand in hand with effective rules, ensuring fair competition and the level playing field for European businesses. I also agree with you that the cooperation is not possible.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, The European Union should pursue its interests through autonomous measures to protect its values and fight against unfair trade practises in accordance with international law. So this is very much in line with our clear shift towards stronger implementation and reinforcement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA,  Vice-President of the European Commission, And with the new instruments that we are proposing, such as the foreign subsidies instrument and the future anti-coersion instrument. Finally, I would like to emphasise that the Commission intends to build on the very positive trade policy review process and continue the dialogue and engagement on trade policy with all key stakeholders. I want to thank you honourable members and president.