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14 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 29 JUNE 2022 EUROPE THE European Parliament has backed a report advocating the use of trade policy to equalize relations between African coun- tries and the European Union. "For too long, Africa has been reduced to a supplier of raw ma- terials, with the result that the continent's immense economic potential remains untapped," Kathleen Van Brempt, a Belgian Social Democrat member of the European Parliament, said in a statement. The 27-country bloc should focus on five strategic areas as set out in the report, according to fellow Belgian MEP Saskia Bricmont of the Green Party: efficient infrastructure, food se- curity, civil society, fair-trade agreements and sustainable eco- nomic development. Trade still linked to colonial era In the European Parliament report on the future of African trade relations, one major issue highlighted is how the majority of goods imported into the EU from Africa are cheaper prima- ry goods such as food, drink and energy, while the EU ships most- ly higher-value manufactured items the other direction, such as machinery and pharmaceuti- cal products. "Due to the continued direc- tion of trade from colonial times, wealth is being transferred con- tinuously from the African pe- riphery to the industrialized and increasingly digitized centers," the report states. The EU therefore ought to share more of its technical knowledge with Africa to en- courage on-the-ground manu- facturing, Van Brempt told jour- nalists in a briefing. Countering Chinese, Russian influence As well as mutual commer- cial benefits in areas of strate- gic importance, like the supply of hydrogen for green energy, Van Brempt said overhauled trade ties could help bring Af- rica back to the EU. Chinese and Russian investment has been booming in Africa in re- cent years. "On China, for sure the ad- vantage that we have right now is that I think a lot of African countries, not all of them, but a lot of African countries have had negative experiences the last couple of years with Chinese investments," Van Brempt said. Many are now having to pay back loans from Beijing in an "indecent way," she added. The European Parliament itself has limited powers in foreign policy and trade. "We want to push the [European] Commis- sion to fundamentally rede- fine relations with Africa," Van Brempt said. Relations between African countries and the EU have been strained in recent years by, among things, a dispute over whether to waive intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, many of these being produced by EU firms. The EU executive branch un- der President Ursula von der Leyen has made closer ties to Africa one of its major foreign policy goals. At a summit of European and African leaders earlier this year, the commis- sion announced plans to invest €150 billion ($156 billion) in Africa. European Parliament advocates equalising EU trade relations with Africa These articles are part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. These articles reflect only the authors' view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. The European Union should change the way it does business with Africa to redress imbalances left over in part from the colonial era, EU lawmakers have said MEPs will negotiate the final wording of the reform with the member states this autumn Africa exports primary goods to Europe, while importing higher-valued manufactured goods THE European Parliament has approved a reform of the emis- sions allowance system that had been initially rejected at a previ- ous meeting in June. According to the compromise proposal, MEPs agreed that the free allocation of allowances will end gradually be- tween 2027 and 2032. The new obligation to pay for heating emissions from buildings should only apply to commercial spaces and not all real estate, as initially proposed by the European Commission. By 2030, the EU should elimi- nate 63 percent of the emissions produced by sectors covered by the allowance system in 2005, MEPs said Starting this autumn, MEPs will negotiate the final wording of the reform with the member states, whose position will be coordinat- ed by the Czech presidency. Emissions reform is a crucial part of the package proposed a year ago by the European Com- mission, which is seeking to steer the EU towards meeting its 2030 emissions targets. Initially, European lawmakers disagreed on the pace of abolish- ing free emissions allowances for some sectors. The right-wing, in- cluding the EPP Group, wanted to postpone them, resulting in left- wing MEPs rejecting the entire proposal. However, a compromise proposal was presented, which won with a majority of 439 votes out of 628. The compromise text also in- cludes the possibility for Brussels to intervene more effectively in the functioning of the emissions market in the event of a significant rise in allowance prices. MEPs have also proposed the commis- sion draw up rules restricting speculators' access to buying and selling allowances. European Parliament finally approves reform of emissions allowance system Ukrainian flags in front of the European Parliament building