The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Niccolò RINALDI (ADLE, IT) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the exercise of the Union's rights for the application and enforcement of international trade rules.
The committee recommended that the European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading, following the ordinary legislative procedure, should amend the Commission proposal as follows:
Including services: Members proposed including services into the array of commercial policy measures at the disposal of the Union as long as international or bilateral trade dispute settlement bodies permits it. Some ongoing WTO cases shows that the Union already requested countermeasure in the field of services.
Trade policy measures: the Commission should duly justify to the European Parliament the choice of the specific commercial policy measures adopted. It should also justify to the European Parliament when it envisages suspending, modifying or terminating a measure.
As regards information gathering, the Commission should inform the European Parliament of the outcome of such information gathering and outline in its proposal for an implementing act how it has determined the Union's general interest in the specific case in question.
Dispute Settlement and Enforcement dialogue: the Commission should regularly participate in an exchange of views with the European Parliament's Committee responsible for international trade on the management of trade disputes, including ongoing cases, effects on Union industries, envisaged measures, justification and impact of the envisaged measures, and on the implementation of commercial policy measures pursuant to this Regulation.
Review clause: a longer review clause (5 years instead of 3) is suggested as it is expected that the Commission will have the resort to enforcement mechanisms less often.