MEPs debate level of aggressiveness for anti-coercion tool

MEPs on the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade Committee (INTA) debated, on Monday 16 May, the anti-coercion tool to deter and sanction coercive practices by third countries. The rapporteur and Chair of the INTA committee, Bernd Lange (S&D, Germany), had sent his proposal for a report to MEPs a few weeks ago (see EUROPE B12940A20).

The different political groups were generally satisfied with the proposal. In particular, they welcome the clarification of the definition of “Union interest” and the addition by the rapporteur of clarifications on the procedure to be followed by the Commission. It is a question of imposing time limits on the various stages of the procedure so that it cannot be blocked and the Commission can act. “It is clear that this regulation should not be an offensive instrument which leads to an escalation [...] Nevertheless it needs to be effective”, justified Bernd Lange.

The EPP agreed with this balance, while cautioning against a tool with too many automatic procedures. “If we try to prescribe processes with high degree of automaticity, we'll run the risk of unintended consequences and end up with something that we can't stop once set in motion”, said Ánna-Michelle Assimakopoúlou (EPP, Greece).

For Renew Europe and for the Greens/EFA, however, sufficient means must be given in the regulation to be able to act effectively. Reinhard Bütikofer (Greens/EFA, Germany) even considers that the “last resort” principle of the instrument should be set aside. “If there is something we have to do to get a result, we have to do it, and it does not presuppose you have to take all kinds of other measures first before getting there”, he said.

The INTA Committee is expected to vote on Bernd Lange’s report in June, who hopes to start inter-institutional negotiations before the end of the year.