A reaction to Commissioner Dalli’s sudden resignation, and two MEPs weigh up the pros, cons and must-do-betters of the Free Trade Agreement with South Korea.

Talking point: Commissioner resignation, Free Trade Agreement

The resignation of Health Commissioner  John Dalli in an anti-fraud investigation

concerning a Maltese businessman  allegedly using his contacts with him

came as a surprise, but not, according to  some MEPs, as an unwelcome one.

It looks like we have control systems  that actually work.

There was a potential  conflict of interest there.

A commissioner might not have done what  he was supposed to, so now he resigns.

And even though  we want to avoid cases like that,

it’s positive it had the consequence it did  when it happened.

The EU’s Free Trade Agreement with South  Korea came into force just over a year ago.

The negotiations were difficult, but just wait  for negotiations with mightier partners

Two MEPs take a look at FTAs, addressing  first the benefits of the one with Seoul.

The trade agreement has been brilliant  for the European Union.

I’ll pick one out which has been  fairly controversial, motor cars.

Export of European cars to Korea  is up round about 70%.

We can already see that  the benefits for the EU are big.

Our exports to Korea  have increased over 35%.

When we start to talk  to countries like India or China,

not only on the Korean basis  but on exactly what you’re talking about:

climate change, the effects on the  environment that these countries have.

Fair trade is founded  on three principles:

reciprocity, balance and compliance  with international standards,

social, environmental,  democratic and humanitarian.

Technology is now the  be all and end all, and services,

and Europe has to get involved  in these negotiations.

There’s growth there. 90% of growth  will be experienced by these countries

But we all have our role, because  we still have a big technological lead,

we have lots of resources  in terms of grey matter.

to be able to benefit from  the take-off of the emerging countries.