mr president the proposal of a free trade agreement between the european union and south korea has been considered unfair and unbalanced by the catalan and the european car industry
this industry and also the european textile sector have expressed concerns on specific issues such as the duty drawback system and the safeguard clause
also the european trade unions federation has criticised this free trade agreement
south korea has not ratified any of the fundamental conventions of the international labour organisation
south korea persists in repressing trade union rights
moreover we are aware that for this free trade agreement with south korea there was a clear division among the european commission college and also among the european commission services in particular between dg taxation and customs union and dg trade on the duty drawback system
as far as the dg taxation and customs union is concerned the duty drawback system creates economic distortion as it is actually an export subsidy
this should create a clear competitive advantage against european industry in favour of korean industry in the european union
the same korean trade investment promotion agency has calculated this advantage as at least eur one three hundred per car
therefore does the new commission consider this free trade agreement a fair trade agreement
will the new commission provide parliament with a full up-to-date impact assessment and analyses about this duty drawback system
