Activities of Ernest URTASUN related to 2021/2065(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
The functioning of the EEAS and a stronger EU in the world (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy taking stock of the functioning of the EEAS and for a stronger EU in the world
Amendments (31)
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
— having regard to the Council Conclusions on women, peace and security of 14 November 2022,
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
— having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security of 25 November 2020 entitled ‘EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III – an ambitious agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU external action 2021-2025’(JOIN(2020)0017), and to the accompanying Joint Staff Working Document entitled ‘Objectives and Indicators to frame the implementation of the Gender Action Plan III (2021-25)’ (SWD(2020)0284),
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 b (new)
Citation 8 b (new)
— having regard to the EU Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) 2019-2024 of 5 July 2019,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 c (new)
Citation 8 c (new)
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the structure of the EEAS should be reformed, using the pragmatic space created by the recent crises and whereas these reforms should reduce the persistent inter-service rivalries with the Commission and clarify some of the unclear boundaries and competences between the EEAS, the Commission, the Council and the structures of the Member States;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
G a. whereas the EEAS structure should be reformed in order to meet the objective of an enhanced gender- responsive leadership as formulated in the Gender Action Plan III and the EU Action Plan on WPS by attaining the 50% target of women in senior and middle management positions in EEAS services and an inclusive and harassment-free working environment,
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a
Paragraph 1 – point a
(a) take effective steps to improve the coordination and integration of EU foreign policy and the external dimension of EU internal policies, notably migration, trade and energy; ensure that development cooperation, trade policy and security and defence policy are coherent with the overall goals of the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP), as enshrined in Article 21 TEU and the EU’s Integrated Approach to external conflicts and crises;
Amendment 68 #
(a a) ensure that all Union external action and policies contribute to the Treaty-based obligation to consolidate and support democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the principles of international law;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point a b (new)
(a b) ensure that the EEAS has overall responsibility and lead institutional role for the conduct of all EU external relations, including in relation to the external dimensions of internal policies, and that the High Representative has preeminence in case of differences within the Commissioners’ Group on a Stronger Europe in the World;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(b a) create new positions of permanent deputies to the High Representative;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c
Paragraph 1 – point c
(c) increase leverage by introducing qualified majority voting for certain foreign policy areas, such as human rights and the protection of international law, and for imposing sanctions, as well as for interim steps in the accession process, and with the exception of decisions creating and deploying military missions or operations with an executive mandate under the CSDP, for which unanimity must still be required, in order to increase the effectiveness of the EU’s foreign policy;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
(c a) demonstrate flexibility and creativity in order to avoid statements or other forms of action in the field of EU external action being obstructed by one or a small group of Member States;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
(d a) make a more active use of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime; establish a new sanctions regime dedicated to targeting individuals and entities responsible for grand corruption;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) integrate fully the ‘more for more’ principle into relations with third countries, whereby the EU will develop stronger partnerships with those that share the CFSP’s principles and the fundamental values of the Union; conversely, apply the "less for less" principle in relation to third countries which display a manifest disregard for human rights and international law, and adapt the level and intensity of EU engagement accordingly, notably in terms of development cooperation, trade benefits and access to EU programmes;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) adapt the structure of the EEAS to the new enlargement policies, hybrid threats and disinformation, the development of defence instruments and other emerging challenges; expand the resources and expertise in the EEAS and EU delegations in relation to climate diplomacy;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
(h a) improve the internal coordination between the geographical and horizontal services of the EEAS;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point h b (new)
(h b) improve the flow of information and coordination between EEAS headquarters and EU delegations, as well as between Delegations on a regional level;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k
Paragraph 1 – point k
(k) end the dual Commission and EEAS division of staff, resources and responsibility in EU delegations; convert the EU delegations into genuine EU embassies, with one clear chain of command led by the EU ambassador to each given country, and under the single responsibility of the EEAS;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l
Paragraph 1 – point l
(l) establish the consular function in EU embassies in third countries in order to be able to help EU citizens in times of crisis as well as to those on long-term prison sentences or on death row, or are facing such sentences in criminal proceedings in a third country, without adequate support from their national embassy or consulate;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o
Paragraph 1 – point o
(o) better match the relevant Council working parties and preparatory and political bodies, including the EU Special Representatives, to the structure of the EEAS to the structure of the EEAS; integrate fully EU Special Representatives and Envoys as EU Ambassadors within the EEAS structure and place them under the single authority of the High Representative;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) task the EEAS with preparing a revision of the Global Strequire the High Representative to adopt a work programme with political priorities at the beginning of each mandate, which notably outline the plans to integrategy EU for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy of 2016eign policy and the external dimension of EU internal policies, and task the EEAS to carry out a regular strategic review of the document;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
(q a) significantly and urgently strengthen the Union’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) which should be established as the preferred command and control structure also for executive military operations, in particular of operations of the future Rapid Deployment Capability; urges to reach the MPCC’s Full Operational Capability (FOC) immediately in line with the Council conclusions of 19 November 2018, which foresaw a 2020 deadline including a considerable staff increase of up to 250 personnel as well as an upgrade of infrastructure and equipment;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point q b (new)
(q b) insists on keeping civilian and military chains of command, such as the ones of Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) and Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC), separate, while increasing civilian- military cooperation on a case by case basis;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point q c (new)
(q c) acknowledge the distinct role and value of parliamentary diplomacy in complementing and reinforcing the visibility and impact of EU external action; ensure that the Parliament is effectively incorporated across EU external policies and action, as an integral player of "Team Europe";
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
(r a) provide the EEAS with a proper political mandate that gives the Service a real and substantial role in shaping and driving policy planning, beyond its current prime focus on its Brussels- centered, consensus-seeking and management role;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s
Paragraph 1 – point s
(s) promote common training and other concrete measures for the consolidation of an esprit de corps among all EEAS staff who have differing diplomatic, cultural and institutional backgrounds, including training on gender equality and women's empowerment and GAP III, on WPS, sexual exploitation and abuse including sexual harassment, at headquarters and EU Delegation level to counter unconscious bias and enhance gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and to provide joint training initiatives for EEAS staff and national diplomats as part of their continuous professional development;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point s a (new)
(s a) allow for full functional autonomy of the EEAS in terms of recruitment and careers within its structure, including in relation to HRVP cabinet positions; take steps to ensure that secondment by Member States to the EEAS represents an attractive career step;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point s b (new)
(s b) strengthen and enforce the rules on post-public employment of EEAS and EU Delegation staff and exercise strict scrutiny to avoid conflict of interest and revolving doors; adopt and implement without any further delay its self-standing implementation provisions on outside activities and assignments, which create a sui generis legal basis for Heads of Delegations to better protect the image and reputation of the EU as a whole; nurture a culture of integrity within the EEAS and EU delegations by fostering staff knowledge and understanding of ethics rules; ensure that such rules also apply to current and former mandate holders at the head of EU external affairs;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point s c (new)
(s c) to ensure that the appointment of EUSRs, EU Envoys and of EU Ambassadors may only be confirmed after a positive evaluation by Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point u a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point u a (new)
(u a) lead by example through enhanced gender-responsive and gender-balanced leadership that increases number and percentage of women in senior and middle management positions in EEAS services to 50% through gender- responsive recruitment procedures that actively aim to reduce gender bias in recruitment processes and apply gender- based preferential selection when job candidates are equally competent;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point u b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point u b (new)
(u b) update the EEAS Gender and Equal Opportunities Strategy 2018-2023 by including concrete, measurable and binding political commitments on the presence of women in management positions in line with the targets and objectives of GAP III and by including diversity targets, especially with regard to race, ability and ethnic background;