Shipowners Caught in the Middle of Free Trade Battle
Protectionism and long hauled free trade negotiations can be an expensive battle for the Danish shipowners, if the market outside the European Union are not included in free trade negotiations.
The Danish Shipowners’ Association hosted a verbal rumble between the Danish Social Democrat Ole Christensen and the Belgian Socialist Maria Arena from the European Parliament at the European Shipping Week Tuesday afternoon.
Lately free trade has been widely debated in the European Parliament due to the vote for the Canadian free trade agreement CETA. The social democratic group S&D has had internal disagreemeents on whether to vote for or against the agreement that was recently passed. The two members of the European Parliament brought this debate to the free trade fight club Tuesday afternoon.
Maria Arena disagrees with the way CETA has been passed. She is also known for her opposition to the TTIP negotiations between the EU and the US. She claims that the free trade negotiations lack transparency and are agreements from the past. Maria Arena suggests a modernisation of the free trade agreements build on transparency, democracy, responsibility and solidarity.
”They call CETA a free trade agreement of the future, but it is an agreement of the past. It was negotiated before 2014, and today a new parliament must pass the agreement without having any say in it,” says Maria Arena and adds: “Some day I would like free trade agreements with China and the US, but I will not accept agreements of the past, where we are not being heard. That is not respectful to the members of the parliament.”
Two thirds of Danish shipping is outside of Europe. Thus the Danish Social Democrat Ole Christensen understands the Danish shipowners’ need for more transatlantic free trade agreements.
”Free trade is good. CETA is the best free trade agreement ever. I want to create safe and good jobs in Europe. We do that with free trade agreements,” says Ole Christensen and continues: “I understand why investors on both sides of the Atlantic are afraid of the politicians. The investors cannot be sure as to how the politicians will regulate the market in the future ahead.”
The Danish Shipowners’ Association supports more free trade agreements across the Atlantic as well as in Africa. Free trade agreements are necessary in order for Denmark to keep its lead as one of the greatest shipping nations in the world. CEO Anne H. Steffensen also participated in the free trade fight club.
“Shipping is about connectivity and creating jobs. We are dependent on the market access outside the EU, and we are looking to the EU to facilitate free trade with these markets,” says Anne H. Steffensen.
