P6_TA(2006)0489

The European Union's Generalised Systems of Preferences

European Parliament resolution on the European Union's Generalised Systems of Preferences

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 980/2005 of 27 June 2005 applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences [1],

- having regard to Commission Decision 2005/924/EC of 21 December 2005 on the list of the beneficiary countries which qualify for the special incentive arrangements for sustainable development and good governance provided for by Article 26(e) of Council Regulation (EC) No 980/2005 applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences [2],

- having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the special incentive arrangements for vulnerable countries which meet objective criteria for sustainable development and good governance (GSP+) involve granting preferential access to European markets for goods originating in developing countries that implement certain international standards in human and labour rights, environmental protection, the fight against drugs and good governance,

B. whereas the criteria for obtaining tariff preferences under GSP+ include ratification and effective implementation of core UN and ILO conventions as well as conventions related to the environment and governance principles, as listed in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 980/2005,

C. whereas, in Decision 2005/924/EC, the Commission granted special incentive arrangements to Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, Sri Lanka, Republic of Moldova, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, El Salvador and Venezuela,

D. whereas the new GSP+ scheme should act as an incentive for beneficiary countries to attain development objectives, including the setting up of appropriate institutions to comply fully with the rights enshrined in the UN and ILO conventions,

E. whereas the effectiveness of the implementation of the relevant UN and ILO conventions should be assessed on the basis of the conclusions of relevant monitoring bodies, including the annual ILO "Report of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations", and with due regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

F. whereas, under Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 980/2005, safeguard clauses and temporary withdrawals can be applied to countries that commit serious and systematic violations of the principles laid down in the international conventions listed in Part A of Annex III to the Regulation,

1. Notes the decision by the Commission to grant preferences under the GSP+ scheme to the countries listed in Decision 2005/924/EC;

2. Notes that the economic development and integration into the world trade system of GSP+ beneficiary countries is crucial to achieving sustainable development objectives, including stability and good governance;

3. Calls on the Commission, in cooperation with GSP+ beneficiary countries, to strengthen its commitment to promoting and ensuring effective implementation in those countries of the core human and labour rights of UN and ILO conventions, as well as of the conventions related to the environment and governance principles; calls on the Commission to extend the commitment to respecting the ILO and UN rules also to GSP beneficiary countries, particularly as regards child and forced labour; believes that, as a general rule, granting preferential access to countries which do not respect human rights and international labour conventions tends to weaken the incentive for countries to comply with ILO standards;

4. Notes that, despite their ratification of the relevant ILO conventions, repeated infringements of workers' rights have been reported in several GSP+ beneficiary countries and that if these infringements are found to constitute serious and systematic violation of the ILO's core labour rights they could, as laid down in Article 16 of the Regulation, provide grounds for the temporary withdrawal of GSP+ preferences;

5. Calls on the Commission to strengthen its monitoring of the implementation of ILO conventions in GSP+ beneficiary countries, as well as of the conventions related to the environment and governance principles, and, in particular, to carry out its obligations under Article 18 of the Regulation, namely to inform the Generalised Preferences Committee of reported infringements of labour rights and to consult on whether an investigation should be carried out into the existence of serious and systematic violations of the ILO's core labour rights conventions, particularly as regards child and forced labour;

6. Stresses particularly the need to cooperate effectively in this field with the ILO and other relevant local bodies; requests the Commission to make recommendations to the governments of beneficiary countries and to stress that their failure to demonstrate progress towards effective implementation should lead to the temporary withdrawal of GSP+ privileges;

7. Asks the Commission to keep Parliament regularly informed of the results of its monitoring of the implementation of the UN and ILO conventions and of the level of compliance by GSP+ beneficiary countries, especially in the areas of freedom of association, collective bargaining, non-discrimination in employment and the elimination of child and forced labour, and, in particular, to specify whether there are cases of serious and systematic violation of the principles laid down in human rights and international labour conventions and environmental agreements in any of the current GSP+ beneficiary countries;

8. Calls on the Commission to inform Parliament at an early stage of any recommendation for the temporary withdrawal of preferences in accordance with Article 16 of the Regulation; stresses that a Commission decision to apply a temporary withdrawal of preferences in the event of serious violations of principles laid down in the ILO conventions should be based on the findings of the appropriate monitoring institutions, and that due regard should be had to the opinion of the European Parliament;

9. Calls on the Commission to carry out a mid-term review of the GSP instrument; insists that an assessment of the effectiveness of implementation of the GSP+ requirements must be carried out before any renewal of GSP+ preferences is granted on the expiry of the current Regulation in 2008; calls on the Commission and the Council to ensure that Parliament's views on the extension of the GSP+ scheme to specific countries and on any renewal of the current Regulation in 2008 are taken into account;

10. Asks the Commission to produce a comprehensive, annual, country-by-country report not only detailing the situation in the beneficiary countries but also indicating the actions undertaken by the Commission;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

[1] OJ L 169, 30.6.2005, p. 1.

[2] OJ L 337, 22.12.2005, p. 50.

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