Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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There are three Schedule A proposals for decision. There are 12 items listed on Schedule B for decision. I propose we deal with Schedule A first. The first proposal in Schedule A is COM (2014) 345, proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules for imports of textile products from certain third countries not covered by lateral agreements, protocols or other arrangements or by other specific Union import rules recast. It is proposed that this proposal does not warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The second proposal is COM (2014) 503, proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union and its member states of the additional protocol to the trade agreement between the European Union and its member states of the one part and Colombia and Peru of the other part to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union. It is proposed that this proposal does not warrant further scrutiny. We have agreed that it does warrant further scrutiny and we are going to make a political report on it.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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I wish to reiterate in a public session that a number of the members of this committee have met with representatives of human rights organisations and unions in Colombia. They have articulated, very harrowingly, the level of human rights abuses in Colombia currently, the number of killings - killings that are often linked to groups supportive of the state - and the number of people from a human rights and civilian background who are jailed for their views. Their experience is that a large section of Colombian society has been excluded from normal social and economic activity.

This has not improved as regards the negotiations on free trade between the European Union and Colombia. This matter will be debated in the Chamber and it is welcome that the Minister has accepted the request from the committee for a full debate on it. A number of Deputies from other political parties were very supportive of the request. It is necessary to have within the trade agreements an oversight facility to ensure the position on human rights in Colombia improves before proceeding to full free trade. My worry is that if that does not happen, the abuses in Colombia will continue.

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy.

We will move to COM (2014) 504, a proposal for a Council decision on the signing on behalf of the European Union and its member states and provisional application of the additional protocol to the trade agreement between the European Union and its member states of the one part and Colombia and Peru of the other part to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union. The same decision applies to this proposal. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Schedule B includes COM (2014) 516; COM (2014) 517; COM (2014) 539; COM (2014) 573 and COM (2014) 574. It also includes EWN (2014) C 217-10 - Biodiesel USA; EWN (2014) C 217-11 - Biodiesel USA; EWN (2014) C 250-07; EWN (2014) C 252-05; EWN (2014) L 192-42; EWN (2014) L 246-1 and EWN (2014) C 295-6. It is proposed that the proposals and notices listed, other than COM (2014) 539, COM (2014) 573 and COM (2014) 574, do not warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.