In a resolution approved by 38 votes, with one vote against and three abstentions, the Trade Committee backed the EU’s agreement with China, signed in September 2020. It will ensure that one hundred European products bearing Geographical Indications (GIs) such as Cava, Feta, Münchener Bier, Polska Wódka, Prosciutto di Parma and Queso Manchego will be protected against imitations and misuse of a product’s name. In exchange, one hundred Chinese products will enjoy the same type of protection in the EU.

Within four years, the agreement will be extended to include a further 175 European and Chinese products.

While trade MEPs welcomed the agreement they see primarily as a confidence-booster, they call on China to extend the constructive cooperation to the ongoing negotiations on a bilateral investment agreement, as well as into areas of conflict such as on industrial subsidies, state-owned enterprises, forced technology transfer, reciprocity in public procurement and overcapacity in steel, aluminium and high-tech.

Rapporteur Iuliu Winkler (EPP, RO), said:

“The EU-China Agreement on the protection of GIs is a positive step forward in the bilateral relationship and a good tool to promote and protect the authenticity of high-quality products on our respective markets. It is primarily a confidence-building exercise, serving as a measurement of the parties’ ambition to ensure the deal is implemented effectively. The trade committee will actively participate in monitoring and scrutinising the agreement’s effective implementation, seeking frequent reporting from the European Commission.”

Next steps

Parliament is set to vote on its consent to the agreement and the accompanying resolution at its first November session (11-12 November). With Parliament’s consent, the Council has to adopt the agreement so that it can enter into force at the beginning of 2021.

Background

In 2019, China was the third largest destination for EU agri-food products worth €14.5 billion. It is also the second largest destination for EU exports of GI products, accounting for 9% in value, including wines, spirit drinks, and agri-food products. In 2018 and 2019 however, 80% of seizures of counterfeit and pirated goods originated in China, causing €60 billion loss to EU suppliers, says the report.

The new Group presidents have been elected following the vote held on the first day of the inaugural plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and will serve for the 2020-2023 period of the coming term of office.

Three new presidents of the EESC Groups were elected on the first day of the EESC’s “Inaugural plenary session – EESC term of office 2020-2025”, 27 October 2020.

The new Group presidents are:

– Employers Group (Group I): Stefano Mallia (MT)

– Workers Group (Group II): Oliver Röpke (AT)

– Diversity Europe Group (Group III): Séamus Boland (IE)

The Group presidents will remain in office for the next two and a half years until 2023. The vote took place during the respective Groups’ constitutive meetings.

For further information, please click on the following links:

Employers’ Group

Stefano Mallia takes over as President of the EESC Employers’ Group

Workers’ Group

Oliver Röpke will continue as Workers’ Group President during the new EESC mandate

Diversity Europe Group

Séamus Boland from Ireland is the new President of the EESC Diversity Europe Group

On Tuesday, the Civil Liberties Committee approved a draft resolution that takes stock of the state of European values in the context of national measures taken to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, with 50 votes to 11 and 3 abstentions.

MEPs concluded that national emergency measures pose a “risk of abuse of power” and stressed that any measure affecting democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights must be necessary, proportional and time-limited. They call on governments to consider terminating their “state of emergency” or at least to clearly define the delegation of powers to their executives, and to ensure that appropriate parliamentary and judicial checks and balances are in place.

MEPs urge the Commission to conduct an evaluation of “first wave” measures, in addition to the initial comments included in its first annual rule of law report, and emphasise the need for a permanent, effective monitoring mechanism.

Personal freedoms

EU countries have to “exercise utmost restraint” when restricting the freedom of movement (especially in relation to the right to family life), while the Commission should scrutinise the application of Schengen rules.

MEPs warn against undue restrictions to the freedom of assembly and changes in legislation while citizens are unable to protest. In this context, the need to guarantee free and fair elections becomes even more important, especially with regards to implementing changes to electoral legislation, ensuring equal rights in campaigning, and alternative forms of voting.

Disinformation and media freedom

Disinformation threatens citizens’ health and their trust in public institutions, and has also been used as a pretext to restrict freedom of expression. The best way to tackle this, MEPs say, is by supporting independent journalism and media pluralism (including through transparent allocation of funds to media) as well as by improving journalists’ working conditions.

Right to education and protection of vulnerable groups

Member states should guarantee the right to education by ensuring that classes continue and students have access to them. Furthermore, they should find solutions through technology or judicial cooperation to safeguard the rights of defendants, and to protect the rights of all persons in their prisons.

MEPs finally warn that disinformation stigmatises migrants and has increased discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and hate speech against persons with disabilities, asylum seekers and refugees, people of Romani heritage and LGBTI+ persons.

Quote

The rapporteur Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, ES), commented that “the member states have adopted a vast number of emergency measures, at different times and with different impacts on the right to healthcare, to privacy and data protection, to equality before the law, to non-discrimination or freedom of expression and information. The piecemeal approach has produced an EU patchwork in unchartered territory. Our message is that even in times of crisis, there is no room for trade-offs when it comes democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law”.

Next steps

Parliament is scheduled to vote on this resolution during the 11-13 November plenary session.

The (virtual) press briefing ahead of the videoconference of Eurogroup of 3 November 2020 will take place on 29 October 2020 at 13.30.

The briefing will be “off the record” and will be given by Tuomas Saarenheimo, President of the Eurogroup Working Group.

EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions remotely. If you hadn’t registered for one of the previous virtual Eurogroup press events, please use this link to do so and have the possibility to ask questions.

Deadline: Thursday, 29 October 2020, 12.00

Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants after the deadline.

Visit the meeting page