47 Amendments of Urmas PAET related to 2024/2080(INI)
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – indent -1 (new)
Paragraph 2 – indent -1 (new)
– achievements of the EU enlargement policy, particularly 20th anniversary of the “big bang” enlargement when ten countries joined the EU; reiterates that enlargement is of the utmost strategic importance for the EU as it represents a geostrategic investment in long-term peace, democracy, stability, security, climate protection and prosperity across the continent and all the more so in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and other common geopolitical challenges; stresses that preparation for enlargement requires reforms on the EU side and calls on the EU Institutions and Member States to undertake the necessary reforms to ensure that their absence does not delay the accession of new Member States;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – indent 2
Paragraph 2 – indent 2
– the opening of accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina; encourages the authorities to take all of the relevant steps set out in the Commission’s recommendation of 12 October 2022; deplores the recurring inflammatory rhetoric and secessionist laws and policies of the leadership of the entity ‘Republika Srpska’ and, recalls in this context the importance of EUFOR Althea being visibly present and the need for an effective strategic communication to fight against information manipulation;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – indent 6
Paragraph 2 – indent 6
– the successful resumption of the CFSP dialogue between the EU and its partners in the Western Balkans and the importance of these partnerships for peace and security; recalls that EU enlargement is a geostrategic investment, which requires commitment from both the EU and the enlargement countries on their pathways to accession; recalls in this context it is a merit-based and reversible process, entailing the continued need for reforms regarding the rule of law, fundamental rights and public administration, and for alignment with the CFSP, including on sanctions;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – indent 7
Paragraph 2 – indent 7
– the decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova; commends the fact that the CFSP alignment rate of Moldova has substantially increased from 54 % in 2022 to 86 % in 2024; welcomes the results of the constitutional referendum in Moldova, expressing the will of the people to join the EU; calls for the acceleration of the screening process and the timely organisation of the subsequent intergovernmental conferences;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 2
Paragraph 3 – indent 2
– the role of the illegitimate regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka in effectively surrendering national sovereignty to the Kremlin in order to maintain its grip on Belarus and its active support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; reiterates its call for EU sanctions against Belarus to be extended by mirroring EU sanctions against Russia; calls for continued support from the EU and Member States for Belarusian democratic forces, political prisoners and their families; given the repressive environment in Belarus, does not believe that the announced presidential election to be held in January 2025 will be free or fair;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 2 a (new)
Paragraph 3 – indent 2 a (new)
– North Korean interference in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine by sending military equipment and ammunition to Russia as well as by sending thousands of soldiers to train in eastern Russia and join the fight against Ukraine;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 3
Paragraph 3 – indent 3
– the increasing malicious activities, interference and hybrid warfare deployed by the Russian Federation, its institutions and proxies in undermining and subverting the democratic stability and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova, including the recent interference in the constitutional referendum on EU accession and the presidential elections;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 5
Paragraph 3 – indent 5
– Iran’s persistent non-compliance with its legal safeguard obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the advancement of its nuclear programme beyond all credible civilian justification; expresses concern at the growing military cooperation between Iran and Russia, in particular the intention to sign a treaty on a comprehensive strategic partnership, and strongly condemns Iran’s provision of drones and ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine and its people;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 6
Paragraph 3 – indent 6
– the wrongful detention of European citizens in Iran and the recent resort to the death penalty against a European citizen; urges the VP/HR to do the utmost to free these citizens and to put an end to the practice of Iranian hostage diplomacy;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 7
Paragraph 3 – indent 7
– the recent adoption of the law on the ‘promotion of virtue and prevention of vice’ in Afghanistan, as well as the systematic violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular the extreme interpretation of sharia which erases women from public life, bars them from working, hinders their access to healthcare without being chaperoned by a male relative and to education beyond the sixth grade amounting to gender apartheid; demands from the de facto authorities of Afghanistan that all gender- based restrictions on women be lifted and stresses that this must be a key condition for any engagement of the international community with the Taliban; insists on maintaining strict, conditional engagement with the Taliban based on the five benchmarks set by the Council for engaging with the de facto authorities and by holding the perpetrators of these grave violations of girls’ and women’s rights accountable, including through restrictive measures;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 8
Paragraph 3 – indent 8
– the increasing breadth and intensity of operations of Chinese Government vessels and aircraft, FIMI and cyber- attacks intimidating China’s neighbours; denounces the government-led system of forced labour and China’s crimes against humanity in Xinjiang;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 8 a (new)
Paragraph 3 – indent 8 a (new)
– North Korea’s continued weapons testing and development of its nuclear programme, further escalating tensions in the region, and the recent deployment of thousands of North Korean troops to Russia to support its war effort against Ukraine;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 9
Paragraph 3 – indent 9
– the decision of the central Sahel military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to leave the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), thus plunging ECOWAS into a deep political crisis; takes note of the de facto closure of the European Union Capacity Building Mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger) and the non-renewal of the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM); deplores the rise of terrorist attacks and heavy civilian losses in the region as well as the presence and predation activities of Russian paramilitaries;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 9 a (new)
Paragraph 3 – indent 9 a (new)
– the despicable large-scale use of rape as a weapon of war and drastic worsening of the humanitarian situation in Sudan;
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 9 b (new)
Paragraph 3 – indent 9 b (new)
– the risk of collapse of the state structures and difficult humanitarian situation in Haiti due to rampant gang violence;
Amendment 380 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
– the continued backsliding of democratic standards in Georgia, in spite of and in parallel to the granting of EU candidate status on 14 December 2023, as made evident by the intimidations and irregularities observed during the 26 October 2024 parliamentary elections; the fact that the law on ‘transparency of foreign influence’, the law on ‘family values and protection of minors’, as well as the changes to the Electoral Code in Georgia, are incompatible with EU values and democratic principles; recalls that Georgia’s bid for accession to the EU will be assessed on the basis of its own merits and of the country’s success in meeting the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership; concurs with the European Council’s conclusions of 27 June 2024 that failure to reverse the current course of action jeopardises Georgia’s EU path, de facto leading to a halt of the accession process; calls on the EU to react meaningfully to the watershed implications of the recent unfair elections for democracy and rule of law in Georgia;
Amendment 381 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
– the fact that the law on ‘transparency of foreign influence’, the law on ‘family values and protection of minors’, as well as the changes to the Electoral Code in Georgia, are incompatible with EU values and democratic principles; recalls that Georgia’s bid for accession to the EU will be assessed on the basis of its own merits and of the country’s success in meeting the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership; deeply regrets the uneven playing field in the recent parliamentary elections, the divisive campaign rhetoric that further polarised the population, and the reported irregularities that raise concerns about the ability of some voters to cast their ballot without fear of retribution; calls on the Georgian authorities to heed the will of the Georgian people to join the EU and therefore to ensure free and fair elections, to stop democratic backsliding, to abandon the laws that jeopardise Georgia’s European future and to pursue pro-European democratic reforms;
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
– the fact that the law on ‘transparency of foreign influence’, the law on ‘family values and protection of minors’, as well as the changes to the Electoral Code in Georgia, are incompatible with EU values and democratic principles; recalls that Georgia’s bid for accession to the EU will be assessed on the basis of its own merits and of the country’s success in meeting the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership; considers it extremely unfortunate that the Georgian authorities did not allow its citizens to choose freely in the parliamentary elections between returning to the path of joining the European Union and deepening authoritarianism;
Amendment 458 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for the EU and its Member States to provide continuous and timely humanitarian assistance, military support, economic and financial aid and political support in every possible way until Ukraine’s victory in order to ultimately stop Russia’s war of aggression and allow Ukraine to liberate all its people and re- establish full control within its internationally recognised borders; underlines in particular the urgent need to provide Ukraine with increased air defence capacities to defend its critical energy infrastructure ahead of the forthcoming winter, and calls on the Member States to immediately lift restrictions on the use of Western weapons systems delivered to Ukraine against legitimate military targets on Russian territory;
Amendment 459 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls for action by the EU and the Member States to address Russian violations of the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War, in particular denial of access to humanitarian organisations, medical treatment of prisoners and executions of prisoners; reiterates its call for the necessary measures to be taken to return forcibly deported and illegally adopted Ukrainian children from Russia or occupied Ukrainian territory; deplores Russian actions, also involving the Belarusian regime, to re-educate Ukrainian children and erase their national Ukrainian identity;
Amendment 461 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Denounces the abusive use by Hungary of its veto power to delay or effectively block EU essential aid from being granted to Ukraine; condemns Viktor Orban’s so called “peace-mission” visit to the Russian Federation on 5 July 2024 and stresses he did not in any degree or capacity represent the EU;
Amendment 469 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for the EU and the Member States to reinforce the effectiveness of its 14 sanction packages adopted so far and adopt new ones as soon as the need arises; calls for effective cooperation with like- minded partners across the globe to increase the pressure on Russia; urges the EU and the Member States to review development assistance to governments of countries that openly support Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, particularly in their votes on relevant UN resolutions;
Amendment 476 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for the EU and the Member States to reinforce the effectiveness of its 14 sanction packages adopted so far and adopt new ones as soon as the need arises; calls for effective cooperation with like- minded partners across the globe to increase the pressure on Russia; fully supports the announcement of a forthcoming roadmap towards ending Russian energy imports;
Amendment 481 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Recalls that Russia is benefitting from help and resources, including military, provided by a network of allies including Iran, China and North Korea, enabling it to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine, with the probable goal of transforming it into a war of attrition; voices its strongest concern regarding confirmed reports that North Korean troops have been deployed in the Kursk region; stresses that this represents an unacceptable extension of the conflict which must be met by meaningful retaliatory consequences by Ukraine’s allies;
Amendment 485 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on the EU and Member States to take swift action to eliminate Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of old and unsafe tankers and, until they are prevented from carrying Russian oil and oil products, to be prepared to deal with any environmental disaster caused by these ships;
Amendment 506 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Reiterates that Ukraine, as a victim of aggression, has the legitimate right to self-defence in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter; calls on the VP/HR, the Commission the Council and the Member States concerned to enable effective Ukrainian countermeasures against Russia; recalls that Russia has violated international law and that the full seizure of the frozen Russian assets is an appropriate and feasible step towards enforcing Russia’s obligation to abide by international law, and to compensate Ukraine and other injured parties for the losses caused by Russia’s war of aggression;
Amendment 531 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Commends the Commission’s proposal approved by the European Parliament to establish the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism, worth an estimated EUR 35 billion, which responds to Parliament’s call and builds upon the decision of the Council to direct extraordinary revenues stemming from immobilised Russian state assets to the Ukraine Assistance Fund and the Ukraine Facility, as well as upon the G7’s decision to offer Ukraine a USD 50 billion loan secured through immobilised Russian state assets;
Amendment 534 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls for more targeted sanctions on the shadow fleet in the next sanctions package against Russia, such as designating all possible individual shadow fleet vessels, as well as their owners, operators, managers, etc.; Recommends banning tanker sales to countries facilitating trade with Russia; notes that the flag states contributing to the Russian shadow fleet are thereby also helping the Russian war effort; emphasizes that in case the classical diplomatic efforts fail, the European Commission should seriously reassess its cooperation, such as development cooperation, Everything but Arms (EBA) scheme etc. with such third countries that work against the EU’s foreign policy;
Amendment 540 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Recalls the fact that the security of the Republic of Moldova is inextricably linked to the security of Ukraine and deems the Republic of Moldova the second line of defence of the European way of life; believes that both Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession to the EU would be a geostrategic investment in a united and strong Europe; welcomes the outcome of the referendum of Moldova on the changes to its constitution and commitment to joining the EU; encourages the VP/HR to enhance the CFSP partnership with Ukraine and Moldova through concrete measures and, in particular, through measures ensuring the inviolability of the state borders of and between both countries;
Amendment 546 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Condemns the constitution by Russia, as a workaround to EU sanctions and EU/G7+ price caps and thus significantly reducing their efficiency, of a shadow fleet composed of older tankers with opaque ownership posing an environmental hazard; calls on the Commission to urgently take action, within the framework of the EU’s cooperation with the International Maritime Organisation, to prevent and limit the activities of Russia’s shadow fleet;
Amendment 551 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Reiterates its call for the Council to gradually switch to qualified majority voting for decisions in areas of the CFSP that do not have military or defence implications;
Amendment 552 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Denounces the fact that Russia attempts to make countries in its former sphere of influence pay a heavy price for choosing to pursue the path of democracy, such as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova but also Armenia; welcomes Armenia’s decision to suspend its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization and cease all payments to its budget in 2024, following Russia’s failure to assist Armenia against Azerbaijan's military aggression, and to seek a more reliable security architecture; supports Armenia’s official request for the Russian Federation to withdraw its Federal Security Service border guards from its international airport and the Armenia- Iran border; commends the decision to adopt the assistance measures under the European Peace Facility in support of Moldovan and Armenian armed forces respectively on 13 June and 22 July 2024;
Amendment 554 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Stresses that in the highly unstable geopolitical situation and international environment around the Union significant financial and budgetary increase is needed for the European defence to be able to meet the challenges in the short and long term; calls on the European Commission to pay particular attention to the EU’s external borders neighbouring Russia and Belarus;
Amendment 557 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Stresses the need to increase the EU’s efforts, in cooperation with NATO and other international partners, to address and foster resilience against hybrid threats, cyberattacks, disinformation and propaganda campaigns, both within the Union and in third countries;
Amendment 661 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Expresses concern regarding the inflammatory rhetoric, fuelled by mis- and disinformation, that surrounds this conflict, and its instrumentalisation by malicious actors to sow distrust and hatred including within European societies, as illustrated notably, but not solely, by the worrying rise of antisemitism; warns that it should be a primary focus of the EU fight against disinformation and calls for a coordinated approach by the Commission taking into account the external and internal dimensions of its policies, including but not limited to the forthcoming strategic communication plan to promote the EU’s role in the Southern Neighbourhood;
Amendment 663 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Reiterates its unwavering support to the women of Iran, who are still subjected to the inhumane curtailing of their fundamental rights two years after the Women, Life, Freedom movement was brutally repressed;
Amendment 664 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 c (new)
Paragraph 20 c (new)
20c. Considers that normalisation with the Syrian regime cannot take place unless and until Bachar el-Assad demonstrates his will and his capacity to allow for a political transition in Syria; recalls the Assad regime is an essential ally of Iran in the region and allows it to use Syria as a playground for region- destabilising purposes, including the trafficking of weapons and drugs; stresses that the Syrian political process is deadlocked and that the living conditions of Syrians are worsening considerably; reiterates the EU's position that the conditions are not met for the voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees to Syria;
Amendment 740 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Recalls that the transatlantic relationship remains the most important and strategic relationship for the EU and its Member States, which has been emphasised by the unity and strength of the partnership demonstrated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; takes note of the result of the presidential and congressional elections in the United States which once again confirm the urgent necessity to fully operationalise EU strategic autonomy and mainstream it across all policy areas; further underlines that a strong transatlantic relationship remains indispensable for the security of the partners on both sides of the Atlantic; calls on the Commission to foster closer ties with key partners in both the US and Canada in order to counter global challenges that affect our shared values, interests, security and prosperity; recalls that such cooperation is in no way contradictory with the construction of a strong European defence union;
Amendment 756 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Welcomes the new momentum in bilateral relations between the EU and Armenia, which is strongly supported by the authorities in Yerevan; calls on the Commission and the Council to actively support Armenia’s desire for increased cooperation with the EU; expresses full support to the prospect of a new EU- Armenia Partnership Agenda;
Amendment 784 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Considers that the rise of China remains one of the primary geopolitical challenges of the 21st century and requires a multi-dimensional response through which the EU maintains its engagement with China on a number of key issues; calls on the VP/HR and the Member States to maintain diplomatic engagement while increasing the EU’s assertiveness towards China in order for it to assume its responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council; stresses that the EU needs to be more unified in their approach to China;
Amendment 802 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Expresses concern at the growing membership of the BRICS group, which currently includes 45 percent of the world’s population and presents itself as an alternative to the countries of North America and Europe; stresses that such cooperation provides Russia with means of overcoming the sanctions imposed following its invasion of Ukraine and enables China to further extend its influence through its modus operandi of financing infrastructure projects;
Amendment 815 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Notes that geopolitical challenges have strengthened the shared interest of the EU and India in ensuring security, prosperity and sustainable development; calls for an India-EU summit to keep bilateral relations high on the agenda; welcomes the announcement of a forthcoming Strategic EU-India Agenda;
Amendment 826 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Urges the VP/HR and the Member States to focus on bilateral relations with like-minded partners in Africa, among others Ghana, Morocco, Kenya and Senegal, taking into account mutual needs and interests in order to foster real and balanced partnerships; believes that the ‘more for more’ principle should be integrated fully into relations with non-EU countries, whereby the EU develops stronger partnerships with those countries that uphold the principles of the CFSP and the common security and defence policy (CSDP), and the fundamental values of the EU; calls for the EU to respond to partner countries’ expectations and to deliver quickly on political agreements with them in order to show that the EU is a key and strategic partner and demonstrate that the international rules-based system can meet contemporary challenges;
Amendment 848 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34a. Calls on the HR/VP to place democracy promotion at the forefront of the CFSP and to ensure the EU’s proactive role in this regard, building on lessons learned from previous democracy support actions, in particular in support of civil society, human rights defenders, critical voices, democratic opposition and media;
Amendment 861 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Calls on the VP/HR to make the work with like-minded democracies a priority of his term and to systematise cooperation and consultation with democratic like-minded partners in order to promote democracy, improve common preparedness and access to crisis response resources;
Amendment 888 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Highlights the role of the VP/HR as a bridge-builder between the CFSP and EU external relations to ensure the highest level of coordination and coherence in EU external action; regrets, nonetheless, that in some cases there is a lack of clarity in the external representation of the EU; regrets further that this lack of clarity hinders EU’s strategic communication abroad; stresses the need to clearly define the competences of the VP/HR, the President of the Commission and the President of the European Council with regard to the EU’s external action and representation;
Amendment 913 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38a. Recalls that any activities of the Union undertaken in its Eastern and Southern Neighbourhoods, and most particularly in Ukraine and Moldova, should be communicated adequately to bring visibility to EU’s actions and to prevent malicious rhetoric emanating from foreign actors to spread an illegitimate anti-EU narrative;