Trade Policy Review: Openness, resilience and values-based trade must to be at the heart of the EU Trade policy.
Today, the European Parliament has adopted its priorities as clear guidelines for the Commission on future direction of the EU Trade, in the context of the Trade Policy review.
Renew Europe welcomes this resolution, particularly in this uncertain global context. Our group is working to ensure that the European Union builds back in a manner that is more resilient to external shocks.
Multilateralism and rules-based trade remain a priority to Renew Europe. The European Union must to demonstrate that it will not be turning inwards. Renew Europe calls on the Commission to take the lead internationally to promote a WTO reform working to strengthen the organisation.
Renew Europe has also committed to putting openness and resilience at the heart of EU trade policy which is why the group welcomes the debate surrounding the concept of « open strategic autonomy ». We cannot and should not separate « open » from « strategic autonomy ». We need to achieve diversification of our supply chains which requires fostering strong and positive trading relations with our partners.
Renew Europe is committed to empowering and supporting SME’s. SMEs are key to economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Barry Andrews (Fianna Fáil, Ireland), Renew Europe shadow rapporteur on this file said:
« Global markets are a crucial source of growth for SMEs however, they often struggle to access the benefits of preferential trading agreement negotiated by the Commission on our behalf. There is a huge, untapped potential there and one of the priorities of our new trade policy should be to address this »
Furthermore, Renew Europe strongly believes that our trade policy has the potential to contribute significantly to the advancement of the strategic objectives, including the digital transition and the green transition. Renew Europe calls on the Commission to explore ways to better enforce the EU's trade agreements including the Trade and Sustainable Development chapters (TSD), and explore options of incorporating more granularity into enforcement of these chapters.
« It is not enough for us to quietly mainstream these objectives into our trade policy. Our trade policy should not just contribute to their advancement but also be seen to contribute to their advancement. This will in turn facilitate ownership of this policy by European stakeholders », added Barry Andrews.
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