The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the European Union (EU) and Colombia and Peru was signed in Madrid on 19 May 2010 during the EU-Latin America and Caribbean Summit. For the Agreement to enter into force, however, it must be endorsed by the European Parliament and the Peruvian and Colombian Congress. It seems likely that additional ratification by the parliaments of the EU member states will also be required. The European Parliament is expected to hold its crucial debate on the ratification of the FTA in early 2011.
We urge Members of Parliament not to ratify the EU-Colombia Agreement as it stands for the reasons stated above. The Agreement is to be regarded as a “mixed agreement” and early implementation should be rejected, in order to avoid creating a de facto situation which preempts parliamentary debate and decision-making in the individual EU Member States. We call on Parliament to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the human rights impacts of the Agreement, focussing not only on political but also on economic, social and cultural human rights.
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