4 Amendments of Georgios EPITIDEIOS related to 2016/2324(INI)
Amendment 14 #
2. Considers that the EU should use its foreign policy instruments, including human rights and development instruments, to deal with the structural roots of the shrinking space problem and to design a multifaceted approach, since regimes are now using not only draconian NGO laws but also a wi that will meet the requirements and resolve the problems facing society within these countries; great care will be needed range of directegarding the functioning and ifundirect tactics to limit the operation or financing of civil society organisations (CSOs), such as arbitrary registration and reporting requirements, distorted criminal charges, raids andng thereof, especially with regard to NGOs and civil society organisations (CSOs), so as to ensure transparency, given that many of them are involved in unlawful activities; it is therefore necessary for the above organisations to submit activity reports and justification of costs incurred; in cases where certain Member States are bringing distorted criminal charges against NGOs and CSOs, subjecting them to raids, audits, and counterterrorism measures, the EU should protect them by taking measures to prevent such arbitrary action by the Member States in question;
Amendment 29 #
3. Calls on the Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the Member States and the EU Special Representative for Human Rights to be more vocal, consistent and timely in expressing objections to restrictive CSO laws and to exert effective and tailored pressure on the host governments in question and raise this issue systematically in political and human rights dialogues; considers that and display the necessary determination in the face of any governments infringing the rights of CSOs; EU actors could exert more positive conditionality by allocating additional funds to those governments allowing a wider space for civil society;
Amendment 49 #
5. Requests the establishment of a ‘Shrinking Space Early Warning’ mechanism, with the involvement of the relevant EU institutions, capable of issuing an alert when a given government is preparing serious new restrictions againstinstitutional changes affecting civil society so that the EU is able to examine them objectively and respond in a timelier, coordinated and tangible, open and impartial manner;
Amendment 53 #
6. Calls on the Commission to increase the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) funds relevant to the shrinking space, since the annual sums per country are at an extremely low level; calls on the Commission to identify new forms of activism to be funded by the EIDHR and to put in place a more flexible and simplified procedure for accessing EIDHR funding, including more significant exceptions for those CSOs in particular danger and support for unregistered groups; considers that greater emphasis should be put on local groups and actors, since human rights issues are often experienced in a more real and acute way at local level;