24 Amendments of Ignazio CORRAO related to 2018/2098(INI)
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24
Citation 24
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas respect for and the promotion, indivisibility and safeguarding of the universality of human rights are the cornerstones of the EU’s ethical and legal acquis and its common security and defence policy (CFSP), as well as of all its external action; whereas the EU should continue to strive to be a leading player in the universal promotion and protection of human rights, including at a multilateral level, in particular through an active and constructive role in diverse UN bodies; whereas even though the powers conferred on it in this field by the Member States are limited, the EU should strive to implement the most effective and firm actions possible, for instance by employing the lever of trade agreements to the utmost;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Praises the work done by the EU’s Special Representative for Human Rights (EUSR), Stavros Lambrinidis, in increasing the effectiveness, cohesion and visibility of human rights in EU foreign policy and recalls its request for histhe mandate of the high representative to be made permanent; welcomes the recent approach on the EU’s Good Human Rights Stories initiative, which focuses on the best practices employed by various countries;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World 2017 and notes that it was adopted much earlier this year, in line with Parliament’s expectationsrequest; asks that the Council continue its efforts to finalise these annual reports earlier in the year; encourages the Council to ensure that the adoption of the next annual report is based on an adequate consultation process; considers the annual report to be an indispensable tool for scrutiny, communication and debate on the EU’s policy on human rights and democracy in the world; calls therefore for it to be promoted widely among both the EU and non-EU public;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls, in this regard, the crucial support provided by EIDHR in the implementation of the EU’s Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy and its Human Rights Guidelines and country strategies, which has enabled the EU to act more strategically in this area and has ensured, accountability, visibility and effectiveness; calls strongly for this instrument's inclusion in the architecture of the next multiannual financial framework to be upheld and rejects strongly any proposals that might cause this instrument to vanish into a vague external action fund;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Expresses its grave concern at the gradual shrinking of civil society space in 2017 and deplores the fact that human rights defenders and NGOs are too often the target of violence, harassment and intimidation; is concerned about the continued imposition of travel bans on human rights activists who wish to attend sessions of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and other international institutions and calls forfirmly condemns these bans, calling on the governments involved to lift these bansm; emphasises that it is unacceptable that representatives of civil society and the media are prevented from participating in the work of international bodies, and insists that the fundamental human and political rights of civil society representatives be respected;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Denounces the fact that media freedom had never been so threatened as it was in 2017; reiterates the importance of freedom of expression, both online and offline, as it fosters a culture of pluralism; strongly condemns the threats, intimidation and attacks against journalists, independent media, bloggers and whistle-blowers, as well as hate speech, defamation laws and incitements to violence, as they constitute a threat to the rule of law and the values embodied by human rights; believes that the free expression of legitimate and peaceful grievances must be allowed; condemns any restriction to the online or offline exercise of this freedom, such as the removal of online content; emphasizes the importance of ensuring effective and systematic implementation of the EU Guidelines on Freedom of Expression Online and Offline and of regularly monitoring their impact;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Emphasizes the core importance of academic freedom, as a human right protected by international treaties; strongly condemns any attack on academic freedom such as killings, forced disappearances, violence, imprisonment, loss of employment, attacks to the reputation and wrongful prosecutions; condemns any attack on academic freedom as a grave act, since academic freedom is essential in the creation of a pluralistic and democratic society;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Strongly condemns the fact that so many human rights defenders faced digital threats in 2017, including compromised data through the confiscation of equipment, remote surveillance and data leakages; condemns the practice of online surveillance and hacking, for the purposes of gathering information, which can be used in legal cases or defamation campaigns; expresses its deep concern at the ever-increasing use of certain cyber surveillance dual-use technologies against politicians, activists, bloggers and journalists; welcomestrongly calls, in this regard, the EU institutions’ ongoing efforts to to urgently and effectively update the dual-use export control regulation;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Reasserts that the independence of the judiciary and the absolute transparency of a system for administration of justice in which all the operators are required to carry out their roles in an upright and independent manner are prerequisite conditions for the development of a democratic state and legal protection for human rights ; condemns roundly all attempts to place restrictions on the freedom of judges, public prosecutors and lawyers, and all forms of direct and indirect violence employed against them; calls on the EU to pay the utmost attention to this point in the context of its diplomatic relations with non-EU countries;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Acknowledges that the open internet and technological advances have enabled human rights abuses to be reported more swiftly; criticises the attempts by some governments to control mass communication tools, including internet; is concerned at the prevalence of fake news and disinformation generated by state and non- state actors in 2017, which may have contributed to the spreading of anti-human rights narratives, limited access to free, accurate and impartial information, incited violence, hatred or discrimination against certain groups or individuals, and affected the outcomes of elections; stresses that the only way to tackle this phenomenon is to work in order to increase people's education, culture, knowledge and critical spirit and not censorship of news; stresses the importance of alphabetization, education and culture to fight against fake news;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reaffirms that freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief, and the rights to apostasy and to espouse atheistic views, must be enhanced unconditionally through interreligious and intercultural dialogue; condemns the persecution of and attacks against ethnic and religious groups in 2017; deplores the attempts by state actors to limit freedom of religion and belief and freedom of expression by adopting and implementing blasphemy laws, among other means; requests that further action be taken to protect religious minorities, non-believers and atheists, including the victims of blasphemy laws, and calls for the EU and its Member States to increase their engagement in political discussions to repeal such laws; supports the EU’s efforts to implement the Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief and to step up their efforts to enhance respect for freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief and to promote inter-religious dialogue when engaging with third countries; supports the EU’s efforts to implement the Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief; supports the work of the EU Special Envoy for the Promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief outside the European Union and reiterates the call for the institutionalization of this mandate;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Strongly condemns all heinous crimes and human rights violations committed by state and non-state actors; urges the EU and its Member States to fight crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and to ensure that their perpetrators are brought to justice; calls for the EU to provide support for organisations that collect, keep and protect evidence – digital or otherwise – of the crimes committed by any parties to these conflicts, in order to facilitate their prosecution at an international level; calls on the Members States and the EU Genocide Network to support the UN Investigative Team in collecting, preserving, and storing evidence of crimes committed by ISIS in Iraq; supports the key role played by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in cases where the states concerned are unable or unwilling to exercise their jurisdiction; calls on all the signatories of the Rome Statute to coordinate and cooperate with the ICC; reiterates its call for the VP/HR to appoint an EUSR on International Humanitarian Law and International Justice with a mandate to promote, mainstream and represent the EU’s commitment to the fight against impunity;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Views with concern all those declarations in which some states parties to the Rome Statute have threatened to withdraw from the Rome Statute; is extremely concerned by the fact that one state party has already withdrawn during 2017 and notes with great concern that another has already followed in its steps in 2018; urges the EU to address this issue as a priority in diplomatic relations with the countries that have withdrawn, are threatening to do so or may be tempted to go down this route in the near future;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Stresses that corruption undermines the rule of law, democracy and the competitiveness of economies, and puts human rights at risk; calls for improvements to anti-corruption mechanisms and practices, such as the imposition of sanctions on those individuals and countries that commit serious corruption offences; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to devise joint programming on human rights and the fight against corruption, in particular initiatives for improving transparency, fighting impunity and strengthening anti- corruption agencies; calls on Member States to enhance their national legislation, in accordance with EU ruling, in order to tackle with effective criminal sanction all the cases of international corruption that can be covered by their jurisdiction;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. WelcomesTakes note of the EU’s signature of the Istanbul Convention and stresses the need to combat by all means violence against women, including domestic violence; supports, in this connection, the joint EU- UN Spotlight Initiative; urges countries to step up their legislation in order to tackle, at the earliest possible stage, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and sexual violence, while promoting gender equality; condemns the frequent violation of women’s sexual and reproductive rights; emphasises that proper, affordable healthcare and universal respect for and access to sexual and reproductive rights and education should be guaranteed for all women;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Deplores that at least 218 million children are exploited as child labour, mainly with the aim of reducing costs; calls on the EU to ensure that goods circulated in the EU under ethical certification schemes are free from forced and child labour, to guarantee the reliable use of the labels fair and ethical, as well as the informed choice of the consumer;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23 b. Denounces recruitment, harbouring, transportation, patronizing, or soliciting of a minor for the purpose of a commercial sex act; stresses the need for international assistance for children who remain trapped in child prostitution work;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 c (new)
Paragraph 23 c (new)
23 c. Expresses deep concern for the persisting phenomenon of child soldiers; is deeply worried over the recruitment of children remained in the captivity of ISIS and the other terrorist group, and expresses the need of promoting special programmes for treatment within the EU of children former captives;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the EU and its Member States to establish full transparency as regards the funds allocated to third countries for cooperation on migration and to ensure that such cooperation should not benefit, either directly or indirectly, security, police and justice systems involved in human rights violations; strongly warns against the instrumentalisation of EU foreign policy as ‘migration management’ and emphasises that all attempts to work with third countries on migration must go hand in hand with improving human rights conditions within these countries; calls on the Commission to continue to treat the protection and promotion of the rights of migrants and refugees as a priority in its policies; insists on the need to develop and better implement protection frameworks for migrants; calls for the European Parliament to have oversight of migration agreements;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Denounces and explicitly rejects trafficking in human beings; underlines the fact that trafficking in human beings is a modern kind of slavery, and a serious crime which constitutes one of the worst forms of human rights violations; emphasiszes, in this respect, the importance of a consistent approach to the internal and external dimensions of the EU’s policies for combating trafficking in human beings; calls for the EU and the Member States to increase cooperation with third countries in order to investigate all stages of trafficking in human beings and all forms of exploitation of persons, especially women and children, such as sexual trafficking in organs, forced labour, exploitation, forced prostitution and surrogacy;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Encourages all countries, including the Member States, and the EU to engage in the negotiations to adopt a legally binding international human rights instrument for transnational corporations and other companies with respect to human rights, through active participation in the UN-established open-ended intergovernmental working group; welcomes the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and calls for their universal application; recognises the major importance of the UN Global Compact and the National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights; encourages companies to exercise due diligence; calls on all countries to swiftly implement the UNGPs and guarantee that businesses in their jurisdictions abide by human rights and social labour standards; encourageregrets that the Commission did not act according to the calls contained in the European Parliament resolution of 25 October 2016 on corporate liability for serious human rights abuses in third countries, notwithstanding the long time elapsed and strongly call for an urgent action according to these calls; calls all countries to tackle companies which use raw materials or other commodities originating from conflict zones; reiterates its call to include thebindings rules of corporate liability for human rights violations into trade and investment agreements; emphasises that the victims of business- related human rights abuses should be guaranteed effective access to remedies;
Amendment 363 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Reiterates the importance of efficient implementation by both the Member States and the EU institutions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; stresses, in particular, the need to credibly mainstream the principle of universal accessibility and all rights of persons with disabilities throughout all relevant EU policies, including in the area of development cooperation, and underlines the prescriptive and horizontal nature of this issue; emphasizes that disability does not deprive a person of human dignity, which entails that states have the duty to protect people with disability from premature death; calls on the EU to include the fight against disability discrimination in its external action and development aid policies;
Amendment 368 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Takes notes of the manifold benefits the internet provides; is strongly concerned, however, at large commercial operators’ mass collection, for marketing purposes, of users’ personal data without their full awareness and/or consent, which could then be used in potentially harmful ways, including in affecting electoral outcomes and political decision-making; calls on data companies to undertake human rights assessments; deplores business models that are based on human rights violations and calls for personal data to be collected in accordance with data protection rules and human rights; strongly calls the EU and Member States to enhance and implement urgently an effective legislation on this field;