The slow down of trade due to the economic crisis has multiple effects on EU growth and competiveness but most importantly it severely touched the most vulnerable communities in the EU and in developing countries. In fact, though this crisis originated in the developed countries, developing countries are the first victims of it. Indeed the number of unemployed in 2009 could reach 59 million, 70 per cent of them in developing countries. Furthermore, it is foreseen that some 53 million people could de driven in absolute poverty, on top of the 135-150 million that were already pushed there in 2007-08.  For all those reasons our Group insisted to have in the oral question the request to the European Commission to make an impact assessment on the effects the crisis on jobs in Europe but also in the developing countries. Furthermore we demand that the Commission integrates the social and environmental dimension of trade in international WTO rules.

The report sets out the S&D's position following the failure in Copenhagen in Dec 2009 to adopt a legally binding agreement. This report states its disappointment at the lack of result in Copenhagen and at the lack of unity of the European Union during the negotiations in Copenhagen. It calls on the EU to build an 'Alliance of Responsibility' with countries willing to go further and to prioritise 'climate diplomacy' when dealing with third countries in order to get agreement on a legally binding global agreement during the next UNFCC meeting in Mexico at the end of 2010. It also asks the Europe Union to continue to pursue the already adopted position of 'high end of 25-40 % Co2 emission reduction target by 2020, as well the issue of long-term financing, deforestation.