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Saturday, 20.04.2024, 11:37
EU regions in implementing European trade agreements
There is a clear
need for practical guidance on how SMEs (and regions in the member states) can
engage in external trade (i.e. with third countries) and get information on trainings,
seminars and workshops, which can help improve the reach of practical
information and provide support to SMEs in the regions. In this way the regions
will develop tools and find out methods that can be used to increase the FTAs
implementation, particularly among micro-enterprises and SMEs.
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is
the voice of regions and cities in the European Union; it represents local and
regional authorities across from the states and advises on new laws that have
an impact on regions and cities (70% of all EU legislation).
The EU’s advisory
body, Committee of the Regions (CoR) and its commission for economic policy
(ECON) assist the regions in the states and local communities in increasing their
growth potentials.
More in: https://cor.europa.eu/en/about/Pages/default.aspx
Recent CoR’s survey
EU trade agreements with third countries cover more than 70
markets and approximately 41% of the EU trade in goods worldwide. Currently
about 36 million jobs in the EU depend on exports to the rest of the world.
Despite the important potential that trade continues to deliver in terms of
growth, employment, job creation and investment in the EU, more needs to be
done to increase the effect of the EU’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) for SMEs
in the member states’ regions.
The ECON adopted some
recommendations on FTAs implementation, on budgetary instruments for
convergence, competitiveness and the service package.
Attention to states’ regions is crucially important for
efficient socio-economic development and the progress of EU policies in
general. The SMEs efficiency is based on their export activities; hence, the
CoR’s intention to activate businesses’ added value to states’ regions.
In the joint survey
by CoR and Eurochambres (the
association of Chambers of Commerce in the states) performed over several months, the objectives have been identified as
well as opportunities and obstacles facing the FTAs implementation in the
states. The survey’s outcomes will help small businesses and local
communities in the EU member states to seize the FTAs potential.
The Survey-2019 shows that effective trade implementation
requires addressing the knowledge gap
surrounding EU FTAs by providing practical information on how SMEs can make use
of them in practice.
More on survey in: https://cor.europa.eu/en/news/Pages/Chambers-and-Regions-said-a-collective-effort-is-needed-to-boost-uptake-of-EU-Free-Trade-Agreements-FTA
Perspectives
The COR’s implementation reports on FTAs is a crucial step
towards effective instrument for “transposing” growth opportunities brought to local
communities on export-import trade agreements. European FTAs should be made fit
for SMEs with regional authorities playing a vital role in disseminating information
about the benefits of FTAs to SMEs.
Quire often some EU’s territories are not prepared to deal
with international competition; in this regard, territorial “impact assessments” can be a powerful tool helping
to identify and quantify possible impacts and thus allowing cities and regions
to put the right policies in place.
More on Implementation of Free Trade Agreement (FTAs): the
regional and local perspective in: https://cor.europa.eu/EN/our-work/Pages/OpinionTimeline.aspx?opId
A user guide is
available at https://memportal.cor.europa.eu/
The Committee’s first draft opinion on implementation of
Free Trade Agreements in regions has a key role in implementation. As the draft
opinion suggests, regions and their local business and citizens are key
beneficiaries of FTAs; thus, the draft opinion will be the beginning of a more
systematic engagement between the Commission and the Committee of the Regions
in relation to implementation of EU’s trade agreements. As a part of closer
cooperation the COR suggested to maintain the Expert Group on Trade Agreements
in which it will play a more active role with the appointment of a Chief Trade
Enforcement Officer who will be in charge of monitoring the implementation of
climate, environmental and labour protections enshrined in EU trade agreements,
and reiterated cities' and regions' offer for close cooperation.
After the debate with Commissioner Hogan, ECON members
adopted opinions on "the budgetary instrument for convergence and
competitiveness" and "the service package: An updated view from
Europe's local and region authorities"; they also discussed the 2020
action plan for cooperation with the European Investment Bank.
More information in:
= European Commission factsheet:
2019 annual report on the implementation of EU Trade Agreements;
= Survey on
Free Trade Agreements: Report.
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