EU-China Agreement: Renew Europe welcomes an agreement which protects 100 European Geographical Indications.

Today the European Parliament gave its consent to the EU China agreement on cooperation, and protection of, geographical indications, the first significant bilateral trade agreement the EU concludes with China.

Renew Europe is committed to protect our farmers and their products in our globalized world, and welcomes this agreement that will protect 100 European Geographical Indications. Renew Europe underlines the need to go further.

Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (MoDem, France), Renew Europe shadow rapporteur on this file declared:

This agreement is a first step, which provides a high and unprecedented level of protection in China for 100 European Geographical Indications for wines, spirits and agro-food products. It will protect the quality and the know-how of European products and it is a real protection for European farmers, especially in fighting against unfair competition and counterfeiting. Our objective is to rapidly expand the number of geographical indications protected.

Renew Europe is also vigilant about the importance to ensure that the agreement is properly implemented and fully respected by China. Renew Europe urges the recently appointed Chief Trade Enforcement Officer to play a key role in monitoring the good implementation and to immediately intervene in case of alleged violations of the agreement. Furthermore, special attention must be paid to ensure that the agreement between the United States and China will not interfere with the implementation of our agreement.

Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (MoDem, France), Renew Europe shadow rapporteur, added:

This agreement contributes to the strengthening of our dialogue with China. However, we must be very clear with our partner: China must strengthen its involvement in the World Trade Organization, and the current negotiations for an investment agreement between China and the EU will have to be based on our values. Uighurs, Hong-Kong, Tibet: we cannot think about strengthening EU-China relations at the cost of our silence on the alarming human rights situation in the country. The cooperation with China must go hand in hand with firmness on the issue of human rights, minority rights and respect for climate objectives.

ENDS