Download en en draft opinion - European Parliament

European Parliament
2014-2019
Committee on International Trade
2016/2140(INI)
11.11.2016
DRAFT OPINION
of the Committee on International Trade
for the Committee on Development
on EU flagship initiative on the garment sector
(2016/2140(INI))
Rapporteur: Sajjad Karim
PA\1112087EN.docx
EN
PE592.396v02-00
United in diversity
EN
PA_NonLeg
PE592.396v02-00
EN
2/3
PA\1112087EN.docx
SUGGESTIONS
The Committee on International Trade calls on the Committee on Development, as the
committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a
resolution:
A. whereas the global apparel trade is worth an estimated USD 3 trillion and employs up to
75 million people; whereas about three quarters of these workers are female;
B. whereas Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union establishes
the principle of policy coherence for development; whereas the ‘Trade for All’
communication bases EU trade policy on three key principles – effectiveness,
transparency and values – and has a dedicated section on responsible management of
supply chains;
C. whereas all recently concluded EU free trade agreements include ‘Trade and sustainable
development’ chapters;
1. Supports the Commission’s examination of a possible EU-wide initiative on the garment
sector; notes, in addition, that the current multiplication of existing initiatives could result
in an unpredictable environment for companies;
2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the collection of data on social, environmental
and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain; points out that the
industry-driven Higg Index covers all key impact areas;
3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs and base its
approach on the scalability principle;
4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving
sustained change; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on
sustainability be made available to consumers;
5. Believes that the development of industrial relations and collective bargaining and the
establishment of easy-to-access and effective grievances mechanisms, according to
internationally agreed standards, are among the main guarantees for the proper respect of
labour standards and human rights in supplier countries;
6. Calls for the gender aspect to be taken into account in the EU garment initiative.
PA\1112087EN.docx
3/3
PE592.396v02-00
EN