Activities of Tonino PICULA related to 2021/2182(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2021 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2021 (debate)
Amendments (60)
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Parliament has a duty and responsibility to exercise its democratic oversight over the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and the common security and defence policy and should have the necessary and effective meansuse fully and effectively the means at its disposal to fulfil this role;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas recent international developments and multidimensional challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent rapid collapse of the state structures of Afghanistan, and the still unfolding humanitarian emergency, have accelerntuated existing trends affecting key aspects of the EU’s CFSPthe need for the EU to be able to autonomously set its own strategic objectives and develop capabilities to pursue them;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas a number of multidimensional challenges exacerbated in the recent years, such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the questioning of arms control agreements, climate change, pandemics, financial crimes, the aggravation of regional conflicts that have generated population displacements, competition for natural resources, the energy and water scarcity, failed states, terrorism, organized transnational crime, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns, among others;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
B b. whereas the world has entered in a new era of "unpeace", a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty with multiplying regional conflicts and great power competition that have significant implications for the EU security;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the EU needs to act on the global stage with one coherent voice rooted in a common strategic culture to develop its leadership role and to actively push for the revitalisation of multilateralism guided by its democratic values, social fairnessjustice, fundamental rights including gender equality and its vision for a sustainable future;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – indent 1
Paragraph 1 – indent 1
- taking the lead in strengthening multilateral partnerships on global priorities, and in the protection and promotion of democracy and human rights in the world,
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – indent 2
Paragraph 1 – indent 2
- improving EU decision-making and making full use of the EU’s hard and soft powers, including the complete development of its own instruments,
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – indent 2
Paragraph 1 – indent 2
- improving EU decision-making and making full use of the EU’s hard and soft power instruments,
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – indent 3
Paragraph 1 – indent 3
- achieving European sovereignty by intercoherently linking the EU’s external actionnd internal policies, such as trade, JHA, aid, development cooperation, and security to its overall foreign policy goals,
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – indent 4
Paragraph 1 – indent 4
- further developing regional strategies, including ondiplomatic and economic engagement and security cooperation,
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – indent 5
Paragraph 1 – indent 5
- strengthening democratic oversight, accountability and the parliamentary dimension of the EU’s CFSP;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Taking the lead in strengthening multilateral partnerships on global priorities and in the protection and promotion of democracy and human rights in the world
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the EU’s growing ambition and initiatives to take the lead in promoting global partnerships on key priorities and in strengthening the multilateral order through a reform of key institutions and organisations; calls on Member States and governments worldwide to attribute more competences, resources and capacity of intervention to UN bodies;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the EU’s growing ambition and initiatives to take the lead in promoting global partnerships on key priorities and in strengthening the multilateral order through a reform of key institutions and organisations improving their effectiveness;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for the EU to promote alliances of democracies worldwide; insists on the need to pool resources and exchange best practices between like-minded democracies, including as regards countering malign interference and disinformation by authoritarian states and organisations; believes that, for this to be successful, the EU should promote on the global stage a whole-of-government and whole-of- society approach to, but also anti-democratic actors within the democratic societies; believes that, for this to be successful, the EU should effectively counter hybrid threats;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Calls on the EU to develop its toolbox for countering foreign interference and influence operations, including new instruments that allow imposing costs on perpetrators, as well as strengthening the EEAS strategic communication activities and taskforces; welcomes the ongoing revision process of the Code of Practice on disinformation as a tool for countering disinformation in the context of the coronavirus crisis, vaccination and foreign interference;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Is deeply concerned by the continuous democratic backsliding and human rights setbacks in an increasing number of third countries; deplores current attacks on human rights, particularly with regard to political rights and electoral integrity, such as the excessive use of violence performed by public authorities, the misuse of administrative resources by governing parties, clampdowns on political opponents, censorship and threats to independent media, or the misuse of surveillance technology, among others; urges the EU to enhance its promotion of “democratic resilience” and to take concrete and effective actions on promoting human rights, democratic values and free and fair elections worldwide;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Condemns the continuous breakaway of authoritarian and illiberal regimes from the path of mature democracies, creating a false impression of legitimacy through fake electoral processes; reaffirms the importance of the EU’s continuous support to electoral processes in the world by means of election observations missions, among others, and recalls the fundamental role of the Parliament in this regard; stresses that it is of utmost importance to provide domestic electoral observers with the highest level of protection; calls the EU to further strengthen its cooperation on election observation with all relevant partners such as the OSCE, the CoE and the endorsing organisations of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Highlights the need for the EU to defend and promote democracy globally by leading by example, including by ensuring strict compliance with the principles of democracy, human rights and rule of law in all EU Member States, at a time when democracy is being increasingly challenged by authoritarian actors both inside and outside the EU;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages the EU to develop its leadership role in the defence and promotion of human rights in multilateral forums, and in particular the UN; believes that the EU should ensure an effective use of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EU Magnitsky Act), including the development of a complementary EU anti- corruption sanctions regime, and better enforce the human rights provisions of the international agreements it has concluded; recalls the political nature of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, which is part of an integrated and comprehensive policy approach of the Union; stresses that the application of the EU’s toolbox on foreign affairs and human rights issues can be combined and complementary, thus the application of one tool does not prevent or exclude the adoption of others;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages the EU to develop its leadership role in the defence and promotion of human rights, in multilateral forums, and in particular the UN; believes that the EU should ensure an effective use of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EU Magnitsky Act), including the development of a complementary EU anti- corruption sanctions regime, and better enforce the human rights provisions of the international agreements it has concluded;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Recalls the EU's Gender Action Plan III, which reflects that women and girls with disabilities, of minority groups, migrant women and girls and LGBTIQ persons are among those most particularly at risk; urges to further strengthen efforts in particular on gender equality and the rights of LGBTIQ persons in its human rights policies, in order to fully implement the external dimension of the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy and the Council's LGBTI Guidelines;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Recalls the need to consolidate the European Union as an influential global actor that invests in conflict prevention and mediation, and a leading actor in the promotion and implementation of peace at the international level;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the EU to develop a robust global health strategy, including global and EU efforts to ensure preparedness and an effective response to upcoming crises and to secure fair and equitable access to vaccines around the world; welcomes the EU - US partnership on to the COVID-19 global vaccination campaign;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Urges the EU to develop global partnerships for the establishment of norms and standards on a rules-based, ethical use of technologies, in particular as regards artificial intelligence; ensuring the respect for international and humanitarian law addressing conflicts with fundamental rights;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
Improving EU decision-making and making full use of the EU’s hard and soft powers, including the complete development of its own instruments
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Underlines that the EU's foreign policy is mature enough to have its own instruments on foreign affairs, human rights, and security and defence; calls in this view on the EU to begin a process of decoupling from the use of Member States’ traditional instruments in this regard and to keep moving forward to fully autonomous EU’s instruments as forenamed, specially to its autonomous European Diplomacy;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Highlights the need for the EU to strengthen its ability to act efficiently and to shape the EU’s response to ongoing and upcoming challenges; thereforestresses the urgency for the EU to set up a mechanism of automatic exchange of information and intelligence between Member States and the EU on foreign affairs and security issues occurring outside the Union; calls the EU to establish an own “EU intelligence service” with information collection powers and which can provide the Union with its own, reliable and direct information in order to be able to autonomously make decisions on the forenamed challenge and to better protect its interest abroad; welcomes the ongoing Strategic Compass process as the starting point for the development of a common strategic culture and expects that it will help shape a shared vision for EU security and defence; stresses that the outcome should be reflected in a revised version of the 2016 EU Global Strategy;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Highlights the need for the EU to strengthen its ability to act efficiently and independently and to shape the EU’s response to ongoing and upcoming challenges; therefore welcomes the ongoingdevelopment of the Strategic Compass process as the starting point for the development of a common strategic culture and expects that it will help shape a shared vision for EU security and defence towards achieving strategic autonomy; stresses that the outcome should be reflected in a revised version of the 2016 EU Global Strategy;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls that the Treaties provide for the possibility to improve decision-making procedures for the CFSP; stresses that unanimity hampers the EU’s ability to act and therefore calls for the Member States to use qualified majority voting for specific aspects of the CFSP; in particular, reiterates its call for the introduction of qualified majority voting for the adoption of sancttatements on international human rights issues, introduction and implementation of sanctions and all decisions regarding civilian CSDP missions; stresses that the use of Article 44 TEU could improve the EU’s flexibility and capacity to act on a broad range of foreign policy issues;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls that the Treaties provide for the possibility to improve decision-making procedures for the CFSP; stresses that unanimity hampers the EU’s ability to act and therefore calls for the Member States to use qualified majority voting for specific aspects of the CFSP; in particular, reiterates its call for the introduction of qualified majority voting for the adoption of sanctions; stresses that the use of Articles 31 and 44 TEU could improve the EU’s flexibility and capacity to act;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates its call for the establishment of new formats of cooperation such as the European Security Council, in view of an integrated approach to conflicts and crisis; recalls that the ongoing Conference on the Future of Europe provides a relevant framework to shape innovative proposals in this respect;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Stresses that the Union's own instruments as prior mentioned should include the creation of an European Diplomatic Academy, where EU diplomats are prepared as such from the very beginning and converge on common EU values and interests, moving towards a true esprit de corps determined by a common diplomatic culture from an European perspective: calls for the full implementation of the Pilot Project “Towards the creation of an European Diplomatic Academy”, which can pave the way for setting up the forenamed Academy as explained above and which should include establishing a selection process for entry into the EEAS and EU Delegations;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14 b. Highlights that culture has become a useful diplomatic tool and a fundamental part of the EU’s soft power; underlines that culture has a major potential to promote EU values and to fulfil its objectives worldwide, and that European culture should be an integral part of the EU’s external action; calls for the EU to include the New European Bauhaus as a new instrument in the EU’s external action toolbox by creating all- inclusive European Bauhaus’ ateliers in third countries, which can perform as focal points between the EU and third countries’ civil society, contributing to the promotion of EU values and interests; calls for a closer coordination between Member States’ cultural diplomacy institutes and EUNIC;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Regrets thatCalls on the EEAS and the Council have not yet taken anyto take steps to review the scope and mandates for the EU Special Representatives and Special Envoys and to ensure greater transparency and visibility of their work, as requested by Parliament in its recommendation of 13 March 20191 ; _________________ 1European Parliament recommendation of 13 March 2019 to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the scope and mandate for EU Special Representatives, OJ C 23, 21.1.2021, p. 146.
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3
Subheading 3
Achieving European sovereignty by interlinking the EU’s external actions and internal policies
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls for the EU to ensuredevelop its strategic sovereigntautonomy in specific areas that are fundamental to the Union’s existcontinued pre-eminence on the global scene, such as economics, security and technology,promotion of EU values, fundamental rights, equitable trade, security and technology, social justice, green and digital transition and to establish a European Defence Union;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Highlights the importance of reinforcing and guaranteeing cooperation in intelligence matters in the EU, given that terrorism continues to be a threat to our European values and security and requires a multidimensional approach that involves border, police and judicial authorities, and intelligence of all Member States, as well as third states, as well as inclusive long-term policies that address the root causes of terrorism; calls for starting the necessary works to develop full and autonomous intelligence capacities for the EU;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that EU sovereignty in the field of security and defence means the development, coordination and deployment of strategic capabilities, an efficient division of labour between the Member States and the EU’s ability to decide and act autonomously, in line with its own interests, principles and values; stresses that this approach reinforces cooperation with partners, in particular within the framework of NATO; welcomes in this regard the Commission President’s announcement that the EU and NATO will present a joint declaration on cooperation by the end of 2021; welcomes the discussion on an ‘initial entry force’ as presentIs concerned by the Turkish Government’s increasingly assertive foreign policy, which is repeatedly putting the country at odds with the EU and individual Member States; takes note of the recent resumption of dialogue between the EU and Turkey on different areas of common interests and amidst lower tensions in our relations; deplores, however, the lack of progress in the long- deteriorating situation regarding human rights and democracy in Turkey which continues to be the main obstacle to advance on any positive agenda that could be offered to the country; insists in its call on Turkish authorities to prove the sincerity of their commitment to closer relations and alignment with the European Union through specific actions and reforms concerning fundamental freedoms and rule of law, including by abiding with ECtHR rulings on the cases of Osman Kavala and Selahattin Demirtaş; recalls, that Turkey will continue to be a country of key strategic interest for the EU and that engagement needs to continue in a phased, proportionate and reversible manner, keeping the country as closely anchored byto the VP/HREU as possible;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Reiterates its call for accelerating the enlargement process, with a focusand for opening of the accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia without further delay; calls to refrain from jeopardizing the integrity and credibility of the process; emphasizing that the enlargement process should be based on strengthening democracy, the rule of law, and human rights, as well as fostering reconciliation in the Western Balkans, as prerequisites for durable stability and prosperity;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Reaffirms its unwavering support to the Eastern Partnership countries, and in particular as regards their independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within their internationally recognised borders; condemns Russia’s and other external actors’ direct and indirect involvement in armed conflicts, occupations and military build-ups inside the region or on its borders with the region; urges the Eastern Partnership countries, and in particular those that have chosen to pursue the path of European integration, to ensure that fundamental freedoms, human rights and rule of law are upheld and to continue implementing the necessary reforms; reiterates that the EU’s support is conditional upon concrete progress on those reforms;
Amendment 361 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Expresses deep concern about the situation in Belarus; calls for continued EU efforts to maximize pressure through the strictest and broadest possible sanctions and continued international coordination aimed at the enhanced isolation of the Belarusian dictator and his regime;
Amendment 366 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24 b. Calls on the EU and its Member States to play a more pro-active role in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, notably by pressing Azerbaijan and Armenia to address post-war issues, including the demarcation of borders and release of all remaining prisoners of war; reminds that the OSCE Minsk Group remains the only internationally recognized format for the resolution of this conflict, on the basis of the principles of territorial integrity, self-determination and equal rights, and peaceful resolution of conflicts, and calls for its swift return to its mediating role;
Amendment 379 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Supports the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the state of Israel and the state of Palestine living side-by-side together in peace, security, and mutual recognition along the 1967 borders and with Jerusalem as capital of both states; calls, in this spirit, for the resumption of genuine peace efforts aimed at achieving tangible results between both sides with the support of the international community; calls for an immediate end to all acts of violence and incitement to hatred, and for full respect for international law by all actors involved in the conflict; calls for an end to unilateral actions which undermine the viability of the two-state solution on the ground, in particular the building of Israeli settlements and the demolition of Palestinian homes and infrastructure in the occupied West Bank, including in East Jerusalem; emphasises the importance of Palestinian elections for restoring the democratic legitimacy of and popular support for political institutions in Palestine; commends UNRWA for the essential services it provides to Palestine refugees across the Middle East and calls for continued international and EU support for the Agency; calls for a political solution for ending the blockade of and easing the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, along the necessary security guarantees to prevent violence against Israel;
Amendment 393 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Is concerned by the Turkish Government’s increasingly assertive foreign policy, which is repeatedly putting the country at odds with the EU and individual Member States; deplores the long-deteriorating situation regarding human rights and democracy in Turkey; recalls, however, that Turkey will continue to be a country of key strategic interest for the EU and that engagement needs to continue in a phased, proportionate and reversible mannerreas of common interests, keeping the country as closely anchored to the EU as possible;
Amendment 410 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Underlines the need to strengthen EU-US transatlantic cooperation on the basis of an equal partnership; welcomes in this context the statement ‘Towards a renewed Transatlantic partnership’ from the EU-US summit 2021, which provides a good basis for an ambitious transatlantic agenda; fully supports and commits to pursuing synergies and shared foreign and security objectives by further deepening cooperation in the framework of the EU- US transatlantic dialogue; highlights that the EU should be prepared to reflect on how to adapt todevelop capabilities to act autonomously in pursuit of its foreign policy goals, given the changing role of the US on the global stage;
Amendment 425 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Emphasises that the EU’s relations with Africa are of utmost importance and that this relationship with our ‘sister continent’ should reflect a common destiny and focus on creating a credible perspective in particular for the newest generations; welcomes the joint communication of the Commission and the VP/HR entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa’3 ; calls on the Commission and the VP/HR to deepen discussions with the EU’s African partners in order to prepare for a successful EU- African Union Summit; _________________ 3 JOIN(2020)0004.
Amendment 430 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29 a. Welcomes the conclusion of Post- Cotonou Agreement, in April 2021, and strengthening our links with OACPS countries and cooperation in multilateral forums on sustainable development agenda and climate action;
Amendment 442 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Is gravely concerned by the developments in Russia and reiterates the EU’s interest in maintaining freedom, stability and peace on the European continent and beyond; believes that the EU should deter Russia from carrying out destabilising and subversive actions in Europe and from repressingincluding through electoral interference, disinformation campaigns and support for the far right parties, and raise the cost for the Russian authorities of the repression of its own citizens; underlines that closer coordination, cooperation and unity among the EU Member States are necessary in order to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Russian authorities based on the five guiding principles, which is only possible if both parties are genuinely interested in it; urges the EU to engage more closely with the people of Russia, including by developing a clearly defined ‘engagement’ objective, which should focus not only on traditional selective engagement with the Kremlin, but also on ‘strategic’ engagement with Russian civil society;
Amendment 463 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Reiterates, as underlined in its resolution of 16 September 2021 on a new EU-China strategy4 , its call for the EU to develop a more assertive, comprehensive, and consistent EU-China strategy that unites all Member States and shapes relations with China in the interest of the EU as a whole; emphasises that this strategy should promote a rules-based multilateral order, have the defence of EU values at its core and should be based on the three principles of cooperating where possible, competing where needed, and confronting where necessary; strongly advocates for Taiwan’s full participation as an observer in meetings, mechanisms and activities of international organisations; deplores the deterioration of among others civil and democratic freedoms and free press in Hong Kong and Macau; reinforces its commitment to the targeted sanctions under the EU Human Rights Global Sanction Regime against the Chinese officials involved in human rights violations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang; reiterates its strong condemnation of the baseless and arbitrary sanctions imposed by the Chinese authorities on several European individuals and entities, including five MEPs; repeats its call on the Chinese government to lift these wholly unjustified restrictive measures; _________________ 4 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0382.
Amendment 475 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Welcomes the Commission President’s announcement of plans to present a new joint communication on a partnership with the Gulf region; calls for the EU to present a coherent strategy for balanced EU engagement in the region, with the promotion of regional security and cooperation as a key strategic objective; reiteranotes that the EU’s priority is to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as a matter of security for Europe and thesuch engagement should strive to build synergies with the efforts of the regional players, such as the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, including through an increased EU support for Track II dialogue initiatives involving academics, civil society, religionus leaders and othe only way to stop Iran’s worrying nuclear activitier actors; is encouraged by the de-escalation of tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia and calls on both countries to swiftly conclude the process of re- establishing full diplomatic relations;
Amendment 482 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33 a. Reiterates that the EU’s priority is to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as a matter of regional security and non-proliferation and the only way to stop Iran’s worrying nuclear activities; insists that the path towards the revival of the JCPOA lies through the lifting of all JCPOA-related U.S. sanctions which should go hand in hand with Iran’s full return to its obligations under the JCPOA; commends the role of the HR/VP for Foreign and Security Policy and EEAS in mediating between the U.S. and Iran in efforts to revive the JCPOA;
Amendment 489 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Underlines that the situation in Afghanistan is a wakeup call for the EU to deployreassess its external actions and means and its approach to nation-building abroad; is concerned by the dramatic humanitarian and security situation in Afghanistan; stresses the need for those in power across Afghanistan to bear responsibility and accountability for the protection of human life and property and for the restoration of security and civil order; reiterates that Afghan women and girls, professions linked with Afghan civil society, human rights defenders, political activists, journalists, academics, artists and other groups at risk, like all Afghan people, deserve to live in safety, security and dignity and welcomes the broad international support for their rights and freedoms; calls for the EU to preserve the achievements of the last 20 years and to ensure that Afghanistan does not descend into a safe haven for terrorist groups; emphasises the importance of cooperating with neighbouring and regional countries to ensure global security and regional stability; emphasizes the need for the EU to conduct a thorough scrutiny of its engagement in Afghanistan since 2002, with a view of applying the lessons learned to present and future missions;
Amendment 506 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Highlights India’s rising regional and geopolitical influence; underlines that increased political engagement is required to reinforce the EU-India partnership and unleash the full potential of the bilateral relations; reiterates the need for a deeper partnership which should be based on shared values and full respect for human rights;
Amendment 512 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Calls for special attention to be paid totepping up and enhancing cooperation with our partners in Latin America; believes that a strengthened relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is central to the EU’s geopolitical strategy in the world; stresses the need for the Union to strengthen the ties that unite the EU with LAC countries, particularly in defending the rules-based multilateral order; calls for the EU to use all available tools to deepen its cooperation with LAC partners, ensure the swift ratification of the EU-Mexico agreement, deliver on the sustainable and environmental protocol with Mercosur so that the EU association agreement with Mercosur can be ratified, and conclude the negotiations for updating the EU association agreement with Chile; urges the EU to recover its position as the preferred partner of Latin American countries in view of other geopolitical actors occupying increasing space in the region, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine diplomacy;
Amendment 519 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. WelcomesCalls for a full use of the increased involvement of the European Parliament in the programming of Global Europe and IPA III as well as the introduction of a biannual High-Level Geopolitical Dialogue as a critical tool to not only scrutinize, but also actively shape the EU foreign policy priorities;
Amendment 525 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Reminds the Council to keepof the right of the Parliament to be informed about all the stages of the procedures connected to negotiations and conclusions of the international agreements and its prerogative to grant or to withhold consent to such agreements; is determined to use these powers, as defined in the Treaties, in order to ensure transparency and democratic oversight over the international agreements negotiated on behalf of the EU, as well as the implementation of the European Peace Facility, as pointed out in its recommendation of 28 March 20195 , including as regards its complementarity with other EU instruments in the field of external action; _________________ 5European Parliament recommendation of 28 March 2019 to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning the Proposal of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, with the support of the Commission, to the Council for a Council Decision establishing a European Peace Facility, OJ C 108, 26.3.2021, p. 141.
Amendment 526 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 a (new)
Paragraph 42 a (new)
42 a. Is concerned by the growing number of actors at EU level with regard to the implementation of EU foreign policy and external action as, if not correctly managed and coordinated, it can bring confusion among our partners, harm the necessary unity of action and severely deteriorate our effectiveness and image in the world; believes that all EU actors dealing with EU foreign policy should be subject to the control of the Parliament in order to ensure democratic accountability of their actions;
Amendment 527 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 a (new)
Paragraph 42 a (new)
42 a. Underlines the importance of the Parliamentary Assemblies as spaces for cooperation and institutional dialogue and their valuable contribution to European foreign action also in matters of security, as well as the need to promote their activity and guarantee their correct functioning and development;
Amendment 528 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 b (new)
Paragraph 42 b (new)
42 b. Calls to strengthen the European Parliament’s oversight of EU Delegation’s work in representing EU values and principles abroad and seeking the fulfilment of EU interests without disregarding the human rights approach; highlights the need for EU Delegations to have all the necessary and appropriate resources and capabilities to act effectively in these tasks;