On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on applying a generalised scheme of tariff preferences and repealing Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council

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SHORT JUSTIFICATION

The GSP is one of the EU’s key trade instruments for supporting developing countries in their efforts to promote sustainable development, reduce poverty and ensure respect for human rights.

The rapporteur points out that GSP is primarily a development tool, and that any proposals to extend the Positive Conditionality, currently applied exclusively to GSP+ beneficiaries as part of the special incentive arrangements, would be counterproductive to this fundamental principle.

Plans of Action

The new GSP provides for GSP+ beneficiaries to submit an accompanying Plan of Action as part of their binding undertakings to maintain ratification of the relevant conventions and to ensure their effective implementation.

The Plans of Action will help to ensure timely and effective implementation of the relevant conventions, a process that can be aided by the input of third-party stakeholders. This will only be possible if the concluded Plans of Action are publicly available.

It is therefore necessary to include a specific requirement for the publication of finalised Plans of Actions. This will aid their enforcement, and can contribute to the wider aims of improving transparency surrounding the monitoring and evaluation procedures associated with the special incentive arrangements provided to GSP+ beneficiaries.

Rapid Response Mechanism

The new GSP provides for a Rapid Response Mechanism that can be activated in cases of exceptionally grave violations, for which a reaction is deemed urgent.

The introduction of this mechanism takes note of the fact that all previous withdrawal of preferences under GSP have taken up to two years to conclude.

Given the exceptional circumstances and degree of urgency under which this mechanism is intended to be used, the current seven- month timeframe is insufficiently rapid and should therefore be further reduced.

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible, to take into account the following amendments:

Amendment 1

Proposal for a regulation

Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point d

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(d) it gives a binding undertaking to maintain ratification of the relevant conventions and to ensure the effective implementation thereof, accompanied by a plan of action for the effective implementation of the relevant conventions;

(d) it gives a binding undertaking to maintain ratification of the relevant conventions and to ensure the effective implementation thereof, accompanied by a plan of action, which shall include clear roadmaps for the effective implementation of the relevant conventions, including any necessary legislative changes;

Or. en

Amendment 2

Proposal for a regulation

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

1a. The plan of action referred to in paragraph 1, point (d) shall be made publicly available after having been jointly agreed between the Union and the GSP beneficiary;

Or. en

Amendment 3

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 16

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

16. Where the Commission considers that there is sufficient evidence to justify temporary withdrawal for the reason set out in paragraph 1, point (a) and the exceptional gravity of the violations calls for a rapid response in view of the specific circumstances in the beneficiary country, it shall initiate the procedure for temporary withdrawal in accordance with paragraphs (3) to (15). However, the period referred to in paragraph 4, point (b) is reduced to 2 months and the deadline referred to in paragraph 8 is reduced to 5 months.

16. Where the Commission considers that there is sufficient evidence to justify temporary withdrawal for the reason set out in paragraph 1, point (a) and the exceptional gravity of the violations calls for a rapid response in view of the specific circumstances in the beneficiary country, it shall initiate the procedure for temporary withdrawal in accordance with paragraphs (3) to (15). However, the period referred to in paragraph 4, point (b) is reduced to 1 month and the deadline referred to in paragraph 8 is reduced to 3 months.

Or. en