Representative Jonathan Parra of the ruling Alliance of National Democratic Action (ADN) chairs the parliament’s Committee on International Relations and Human Mobility, where he says they are “stepping on the accelerator” to process various issues. Signed trade agreement with China It is one of them because they have to prepare the report by next January 4.

How is the treatment of the trade agreement with China progressing?

According to the legal procedure, the Commission respects the time and shuts down the accelerator because we only have 20 days to send the report in question.

How do you evaluate the speeches of representatives of different sectors regarding the agreement?

We call all actors. On Tuesday, for example, we had five appearances, three supported and gave information about how positive it will be for the economy of the country and two because they do not consider it positive, the automotive industry considering the issue of car sales. China in relation to those assembled in the country, also the textile sector which is at an advantage due to protection, this was the dynamic.

We will hold more sessions to listen to more people because we haven’t exhausted the discussion yet.

The competition of Chinese products worries companies that take their positions before the Assembly, which is working on a trade agreement with China

When will the next multi-appearance session be held?

The issue of China will be discussed this Friday and next Tuesday in person in Quito, but it is being considered whether there will be a fifth session or whether it will remain at four sessions, because the deadline has already expired on January 4. (On this date) we already have to send this report, collecting observations, contributions from all members plus those who intervened with members of the assembly.

So you have to submit this report by January 4th?

Exactly. We have 20 days for processing and discussion in the Committee, after which the report should be sent to the Presidency of the Assembly, which will have to find time to put it on the agenda and discuss it at the plenary session. there are only two possibilities: we approve it or we don’t test it, no changes can be made to the contract, which was already closed and negotiated between the parties at that time.

How long would it take to put it on the agenda?

This will be the decision and authority of the President of the National Assembly when it is put on the agenda.

Is there a specific time when the President of the Assembly should set the agenda?

The Presidency of the Assembly will have to agree on this in time or consider putting it on the agenda.

How many votes are needed to be adopted at the plenary session?

What will be required in the plenary session is an absolute majority of 70 votes. Regardless of whether 70 votes, 75 or 137 will be reached, what I would like is for the Committee to make a report in the debate that is so comprehensive that when a representative who was not in the Committee finds out about it in the plenary session, she has all the tools to the voice should be effective with bases, with argumentation, that’s why I was very involved in how the discussion in the committee would go, so that they would say, in fact, the committee invited everyone, no one left, it was not that he only invited panas, gallada.

The trade agreement between Ecuador and China continues its approval process, creating concern on the one hand and optimism on the other

You are part of the ruling party, suddenly you are looking for yourself, you are creating a vestibule get votes?

My position as the president of the Commission, as a member of parliament, regardless of whether I am from the ruling party or not, is to listen to all voices. Why am I concerned about this problem? Because I saw in the presentation of the Minister of Production (Sonsoles García) that it was very positive in terms of creating jobs, opportunities and increasing exports, yes, in fact there will be, that’s what even people who might want to will not be in favor of ratifying this agreement.

But what worries me a little bit or what I wanted to hear is what impact it could have on our local industry, on our manufacturing, on the weak sectors that could be like the textile sector, that were invited and passed on to us good news, that is, that certain items or certain tariff exemptions are protected or protected so that they do not affect the local industry.

What is your attitude?

I did not publicly state my point of view on the agreement with China, you are the first person and the first media with whom I talked about the procedure we carry out in the Commission, but I do not predict or set a criterion. What I think is that I will listen to all sides and on January 4th, which is the last day to issue the report and we will hold a session for its adoption, I will publicly state my position after I have all the valid inputs and arguments from all sectors where we can define will we as a country win within this opening agreement with China.

The trade agreement with Costa Rica already has a positive opinion from the Constitutional Court

Has the trade agreement with Costa Rica already reached the Assembly and then the Commission?

Regarding the trade agreement with Costa Rica, we as the Commission still have no knowledge, as far as I understand, it will come to the National Assembly already if it hasn’t already, and after this what is appropriate is to inform us, send us to the international relations commission for the same treatment, i.e. 20 days. What we have to do, after being informed, is to analyze the problem in the same way as we did with China.

Did the businessmen ask that priority be given to contracts, is that respected?

That’s why there is no time to lose, the Commission has done what is procedurally appropriate, i.e. stepped on the gas, we are already meeting and will continue this way this week and next. We will give him the urgent and necessary treatment, in addition to complying with the 20 days required by law, because it is an economic issue and when there is a free trade agreement such as the one with China or What comes from Costa Rica includes opportunities for progress for Ecuadorians.

What other topics do you discuss in the Commission?

We have a very broad agenda. We have a trade agreement with China, the issue of tourism that we even raised with the intervention of the minister (Niels Olsen). We have reforms of the Organic Law on Human Mobility, which is very important because of the delicate and urgent issue.