During the meeting of Committee on International Trade (INTA), MEPs vote on establishing a framework for screening of foreign direct investments into the European Union. The results are: 30 in favour, 7 against and 0 abstentions. Statement by Franck PROUST (EPP, FR), rapporteur.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

vote

Committee on International Trade

PROUST, Franck (EPP, FR)

EU trade policy (T)

Establishing a framework for screening of foreign direct investments into the European Union: extracts from the vote and statement by Franck PROUST (EPP, FR), rapporteur

Arrival in the meeting room, atmosphere ahead the meeting  (6 shots)

President lunching the vote, cutaways of the vote (12 shots)

SOUNDBITE (French), Franck PROUST (EPP, FR), rapporteur, Europe was the last power in the world to not have this kind of filter of the foreign investments. There were 13 member states of 27 having this filter system, but we all considered that, to be efficient and pragmatic the single dimension available was the European dimension.

SOUNDBITE (French), Franck PROUST (EPP, FR), We see very well that that between the member states which are having a filter system, and those which are not having it, important is that there is a share of information. I think also that it is important to say that Europe - as all the member states - is not against foreign investors, but against strange investments, which means those what are not answering to an economic sense, but to a political reason.

SOUNDBITE (French), Franck PROUST (EPP, FR), Of course we spoke within this rapport about China, but there are also other countries, like Russia, or any other power which via an foreign investment wants to take control of a sector. When you give the control of a line you are in a situation of dependency , and that can become a threat for the employment in that sector. There are strategic sectors, having incidence on security of states. I mean the energy policy, infrastructure, airports, harbour. I also deliberately introduced the notion of agricultural land, as we have seen that in certain member states there are some foreign powers investing in agricultural land, so it's at the same time the losing of autonomy concerning food resources, but also the loss of a know-how and tradition, that may sometimes bring to an artificial price increase, so that can put in difficulties all the farmers. So all what is in touch to public order and security must be analysed with an extreme vigilance.

SOUNDBITE (French), Franck PROUST (EPP, FR), We were &ndash; if I can say so &ndash; "In Search of the Lost Time" because all the big powers, the US, Japan, Russia, China, they are all having this system, except Europe. I hope that in a few weeks and month all this will become history and that Europe will gain this tool.