Question 9682 — European Union

Summary

On October 25, 2017, the French government adopted an action plan on the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the European Union (EU) and Canada (CETA/CETA). This action plan takes into account the recommendations of the report of the committee of experts delivered in September 2017 on the impact of CETA, particularly in terms of sustainable development. In its primary axis, it aims to ensure exemplary implementation of the agreement. The second axis of this action plan aims precisely to advance, beyond bilateral cooperation with Canada, multilateral cooperation on climate issues. France has therefore asked the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to develop guidelines allowing the inclusion of environmental clauses in all chapters of free trade agreements. (ALE). The third axis plans to strengthen the consideration of sustainable development issues in EU trade agreements, by enriching the chapters relating to sustainable development and strengthening their binding nature. France therefore requests, across all current negotiations, that respect for the precautionary principle, as established within European treaties, be included in each agreement. France also wishes to reaffirm the preservation of the capacity of States to regulate, for legitimate public policy objectives. Likewise, it calls for a commitment to move towards the best environmental value. With regard to international transport, France calls for the introduction of specific clauses committing to reducing emissions from maritime and air transport, and support for initiatives multilateral activities carried out within the framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It thus obtained in the negotiating mandates with Australia and New Zealand that reference be made to the work underway at the International Maritime Organization. Specific commitments are requested regarding the ratification and implementation of standards and conventions international standards for sustainable development. The EU-Japan agreement, the negotiating texts with Mercosur and the negotiating mandates with Australia and New Zealand thus provide a global commitment relating to respecting commitments in terms of sustainable development and make explicit reference to the conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Paris Agreement. In addition, France carries, within of the Council, the request that in all current negotiations, respect for the Paris Agreement be among the essential clauses of the agreements and that the binding nature of the sustainable development chapter be effective. It supports the approach which consists of making its provisions enforceable before the interstate dispute settlement mechanism of FTAs. However, these requests have not yet achieved consensus within the Council. of the European Union.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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• Sylvain Waserman · auteur

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