We need to protect European companies in international trade!

Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) held an exchange of views with the Portuguese Presidency yesterday on the review of EU trade policy, and later discussed the unresolved issues of British-EU relations. In her speech, Fidesz MEP Enikő Győri called for responsible solutions with special attention to Europe’s competitiveness.

Enikő Győri pointed out that when reviewing trade policy, we must keep in mind the interests of European companies: “By establishing mandatory due diligence we impose excessive expectations and unachievable goals on our companies. This hinders the operation of European companies and jeopardizes the competitiveness of the whole continent. In times of crisis, this is unacceptable”.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva agreed that EU trade policy should strike the right balance. Although we must not lose sight of the values and principles of the Union, it is a mistake to expect trade policy to remedy all the problems of the world.

The committee also held a discussion on the open questions of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Until these are clarified, the agreement cannot be approved by the EP, and is only in provisional.

Enikő Győri pointed out that the main task is to properly implement the agreement in order to quarantee the interests of EU citizens and companies: “In case the Brits introduce unlawful state aid and thus damage market competition, the EU needs to react as quick as possible”.

The EPP Group MEP also advocated the protection of sectors in difficulty after Brexit. The same volume of products granted by quotas in free trade agreements and imported from third countries continue to enter the internal market, while the market has shrunk following the leave of the United Kingdom. MEP Győri asked the Commission to find a solution for the crowding-out effect of Brexit and help the agri-food sector in addition to fisheries, from the 5 billion EUR Brexit Adjustment Reserve, provided that the sector is also severely and directly affected by the problem.