Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-11-14-Speech-2-441"
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"en.20061114.41.2-441"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I fully agree with Commissioner Mandelson’s statement and, as rapporteur for the report on the generalised system of preferences, I would also stress the importance of GSP+ as an incentive to commit the more vulnerable countries to sustainable development and good governance.
I take a positive view of the Commission’s decision of 21 December to grant benefits to fifteen countries that requested it and the steps taken subsequently by countries such as Colombia, Venezuela and El Salvador, ratifying important ILO conventions.
With regard to the functioning of the system, I would like to mention three fundamental issues. Firstly, the aim of GSP+ is to promote, amongst other things, human and labour rights through trade. This association is essential and must not be squandered. Trade must provide an incentive in terms of human and labour rights. We must ensure that protectionist tendencies do not undermine this aim.
Secondly, in order to ensure that the system is successful, the number of benefiting countries must be increased. One of the Commission’s priorities must be to ensure that that number increases significantly, since those countries currently represent just 3% of the world population.
Thirdly, the effectiveness of the system must be guaranteed, by ensuring that it is applied intelligently, with the participation of the European Parliament. It is important that the Commission cooperate with the benefiting countries in their efforts to meet their commitments, by means of various initiatives and, in particular, by strengthening the rigorous and regular control and assessment of their implementation, transparently and with the participation of the main social actors and benefiting countries, as stated in Parliament’s report.
Furthermore, the sanctions provided for must be applied in the event of serious and systematic violations of the principles. Those violating them must be punished, but not operators who are fulfilling their commitments properly.
Finally, as the motion for a resolution reiterates, the Commission, before the next review of the Regulation, must carry out a study to assess the impact of the system, to analyse its operation and to lay the foundations for the reforms carried out."@en1
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