Trade Policy Review: Renew Europe will have an attentive look on the Commission’s proposals
By Jennifer Richard
Today, the Commission has published its proposals concerning the Trade Policy Review. This Communication is a step in the right direction, remain open but protect our interests in a more assertive way, without being protectionist, with strong emphasis on multilateralism, sustainability, levelling the playing field and enforcement of our rights and values. Renew Europe welcomes this communication and will now begin to scrutinise it with attention. “We welcome the strategy, and we have high expectations on the EU to put action behind words and the Renew group in the European Parliament is ready to renew the EU trade policy”, declares Karin Karlsbro, Renew Europe’s Coordinator in INTA committee.
This is an important moment for the EU and the way its trade with the rest of the world. We are facing a lot of challenges which has evolved with time. The European Union has the duty to adapt to the current world, which is profoundly different than before 2015.
The Trade Policy Review’s launch by the Commission is a great opportunity for Renew Europe to express its priorities in this framework. Openness, resilience and values-based trade must to be at the heart of the EU Trade policy. Multilateralism is also a priority to Renew Europe. The European Union must to demonstrate that it will not be turning inwards. “I strongly welcome the emphasis and priority on openness and the Commission’s renewed commitment to winning the argument in support of multilateralism”, says Barry Andrews, Renew Europe shadow rapporteur on this file.
Renew Europe remains convinced that the European Union, by means of the Commission, has to take the lead internationally to promote a WTO reform working to strengthen the organisation. The recent appointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the new WTO’s Director-General is an opportunity to embrace this need for changes in the WTO. “Reforming the World Trade Organisation for the benefit of a predictable, rules-based multilateral system and efficient and functioning dispute-settlement mechanism is key. We must also seize the opportunity to make climate action an integral part of the WTO system, it is only with a multilateral approach and more open and rules-based trade can we tackle the global challenges”, says Karin Karlsbro.
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 is committed to empowering and supporting SME’s. SMEs are key to economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic. The Commission must to take them into account in its Trade Policy Review. “Covid-19 has demonstrated our inter-dependence and the importance of resilient supply chains. We will examine the detail in our Group and in INTA with Commissioner Dombrovskis next week”, adds Barry Andrews.
