Last week, the plenary adopted a resolution on the controversial free trade agreement CETA between the EU and Canada. Despite the outdated nature of this agreement, which promotes trade in climate-damaging goods and grants investors special powers to sue states, the resolution calls on the remaining 11 states to also ratify the agreement. This is completely incomprehensible to me, which is why I voted clearly against the resolution! In the video I explain why I voted against it.

 

Work is also continuing on other agreements. For example, the Trade Committee is already voting on the updated EU-Chile agreement today. Like most EU free trade agreements, this one does not contain any enforceable sustainability standards, while foreign investors can take action against environmental and social rights using special legal powers.

 

Another agreement continues to occupy us: Despite resistance, the EU Commission is still sticking to the EU-Mercosur Pact. Despite a right-wing populist president in Argentina and considerable protests from trade unions, farmers and environmental associations on both sides of the Atlantic, it is desperately trying to reach a conclusion this month.

 

It is therefore clear to me that we must continue to be vigilant and critical of trade policy in the future. As long as EU free trade agreements exploit the weaker partners, jeopardize social and ecological achievements and include special rights of action, I will not agree to them!