Activities of Hilde VAUTMANS related to 2019/2136(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report
Amendments (34)
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Parliament has a duty and responsibility to exercise its democratic oversight of the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and common security and defence policy (CSDP) and should have theffective means to fulfil this role;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the European Union cannot be a promoter of these European values unless they are protected and respected in all its Member States;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the need for a stronger and more united Europe when it comes to external relations is more urgent than beforin external relations is more urgent than ever in order to address the multiple challenges which directly or indirectly affect the Member States and its citizens: armed conflicts and fragile states, terrorism and particularly Jihadism, cyber-attacks, foreign interference in European political and electoral processes, tensions over the energy supply of EU Member States, the rise of organised crime at the borders and towards Europe, weakening of disarmament efforts, uncontrolled migration and climate change;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the world is facing a global shift of powers with geopolitical competition being a leading trend in foreign politics that requires quick and adequate response mechanisms; whereas the EU is largely absent in this global shift of powers and geopolitical competition due to a lack of unity among its Member States;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas new economic powers and political forces are pushing for their own global and regional ambitions with unpredictable consequences for global security;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the EU’s security environment is vulnerable to external pressure that prevents the EU from exercising its sovereignty;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that at a moment when competing powers are increasingly challenging the rules-based global order, we, as Europeans, must defend multilateralism, free and fair trade, international law, democracy, and human rights;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Expresses its regret at the gradual retreat by the United States from the multilateral world order, namely its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the UN Human Rights Council and Unesco, and its decision to suspend its funding of UNRWA;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for a stronger, united, effective, proactive and more strategic European Union, especially given that a new European political cycle has just started and that the EU’s foreign and security policy is subject to change;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates the urgent need to strengthen the EU’s resilience and independence by reinforcing a CFSP which promotes peace, security, human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe and throughout the world; believes that this reinforced CFSP should include traditional soft power but also a strong European defence capacity, an effective sanctions policy and cross-border anti- terrorism cooperation;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that the European Union needs to take on a global leadership role and unlock its political potential to think and act like a geopolitical power while defending and promoting its common values and interests in the world; reaffirms the need to secure ‘EU strategic autonomy’; fully supports the Commission President’s decision to transform the EU’s executive branch into a ‘geopolitical commission’; underlines that a 'geopolitical Commission' would therefore be expected to adopt a preventive rather than responsive approach to global affairs; believes, in this regard, that the European Union should strive to become a more assertive actor, without prejudice to its standing as a Normative Power;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that the European Union needs to take on a global responsible and tangible leadership role and unlock its political potential to think and act like a geopolitical power while defending and promoting its common values and interests in the world; reaffirms the need to secure ‘EU strategic autonomy’; fully supports the Commission President’s decision to transform the EU’s executive branch into a ‘geopolitical commission’; that will systematically address external action matters; welcomes the commitment of the future HRVP to coordinate the external dimensions of the Commission’s action and to ensure a better link between internal and external aspects of our policies;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that the European Union needs to take on a global leadership role and unlock its political potential to think and act like a geopolitical power while defending and promoting its common values and interests in the world, help resolve conflicts worldwide and shape global governance; reaffirms the need to secure ‘EU strategic autonomy’; fully supports the Commission President’s decision to transform the EU’s executive branch into a ‘geopolitical commission’;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Considers, in this regard, that the EU should rely more on trade and development instruments such as bilateral agreements and free trade agreements with third countries by making the ratification of an agreement conditional on compliance with the Paris Agreement and respect for fundamental European values;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Considers that the EU, in order to keep its external credibility, should put the respect for human rights clauses at the core of the EU's agreements with third countries, making them conditional and applying them when necessary;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls for greater solidarity and enhanced coordination between the EU and the Member States; recalls the need for the Union’s external policies to be consistent with each other and with other policies with an external dimension as well as for them to be coordinated with international partners; believes that good cooperation among the Member States is essential to safeguard our democracy, our common values, our freedom, and our social and environmental standards; underlines the need to extend cooperation between Member States, partner countries and international organisations;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underscores that the European Union must use its existing instruments more effectively and act in a more unified and coherent way in order to improve its decision-making processes; notes the Commission's proposal to combine most of the existing instruments for external action into a single instrument, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI); reiterates that pooling external action instruments into a single fund may lead to synergies, effectiveness and rapidness in decision-making process and disbursement of funds, but should not divert the Union's funding from its longstanding and overarching foreign policy goals of poverty eradication, sustainable development and the protection of human rights;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Underlines that the European Union can only deliver its full potential when speaking with one voice and when decision-making is shifted step by step from the national to the supranational level, taking full advantage of the possibilities offered by the EU treaties, institutions and their procedures; stresses that the European Union should use all available means to achieve this goal, including those offered by parliamentary diplomacy;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls for the more effective and comprehensive sharing of information by the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to enable Parliament to exercise its scrutiny role in an efficient and timely manner, including in the field of the CFSP; welcomes the commitment of the future HRVP to better and sooner inform, involve and consult Parliament on the fundamental choices of the CFSP;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Encourages the EU to further prioritise conflict prevention and mediationBelieves that conflict prevention and mediation as well as the peaceful resolution of protracted conflicts, notably in the EU's immediate neighbourhood, should be a priority in the coming years; underlines that this approach delivers a high degree of EU added value in political, social, economic and security terms; recalls that conflict prevention and mediation activities help to assert the presence and credibility of the EU on the international scene; highlights Parliament’s valuable contribution in the field of mediation and dialogue, especially in the Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership countries, and calls for the further development of interinstitutional cooperation on mediation;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Encourages the EU to further prioritise conflict prevention and mediation; underlines that this approach delivers a high degree of EU added value in political, social, economic and security terms; recalls that conflict prevention and mediation activities help to assert the presence and credibility of the EU on the international scene; highlights the Parliament’s valuable contribution in the field of mediation and dialogue, especially ininput on mediation, dialogue and the promotion of the values of democracy, the rule of law, respect for minorities and fundamental rights, particularly in the countries of the Western Balkan ands, the Eastern Partnership countriesand the Southern Neighbourhood, and calls for the further developmentdeepening of interinstitutional cooperation on mediationwith these countries;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Underlines that the strategic partnership between the EU and NATO is fundamental to addressing the security challenges facing the EU and its neighbourhood;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Believes that qualified majority voting (QMV) cwould make the EU’s foreign and security policy more effective and would speed up the decision-making process; calls on the Council to make regular use of QMV in the cases envisaged in Article 31(2) of the TEU and calls on the European Council to take up this initiative by making use of the ‘passerelle clause’ contained in Article 31(3) of the TEU; encourages the Council to consider extending QMV to other areas of the CFSP;
Amendment 330 #
23. Recalls that climate change impacts all aspects of human life, including by increasing the likelihood of conflicts and violence; stresses that climate security concerns should be integrated throughout the foreign policy portfolio; underscores the fact that the EU should develop capacities to monitor climate change- related risks, which should include conflict sensitivity and crisis prevention policies; underlines the need to develop a comprehensive approach to climate change and security; stresses the value of climate diplomacy in this regard;
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Underlines the growing geopolitical importance of the Arctic and its effect on the security situation in the EU and globally; urges the EU to work towards a more coherent EU internal and external policy, an Arctic strategy and concrete action plan on the EUs engagement in the Arctic, taking into account also the security and geostrategic aspect; notes the EU´s capacity to contribute to the resolution of potential security and geostrategic challenges;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23b. Regrets the fact that the transatlantic partnership is facing a significant number of challenges and disruptions, yet it remains indispensable for security and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic; regrets the progressive retreat of the US from the multilateral, rules-based world order;
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for stronger support to the EU maritime security strategy as freedom of navigation is an increasing challenge; insists that freedom of navigation must be respected at all times; regrets that tensions are on the rise and violations of the Law of the Sea and international maritime law continue to persist around many of the world's major maritime hotspots, such as in the South China Sea, the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Guinea etc.; notes that many of these tensions are oftentimes geopolitical in nature;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Stresses that strengthening substantial relations with East and Southeast Asia is essential to the EU's rules-based, comprehensive and sustainable Connectivity Strategy; takes note of the military build-up in the region and calls for all parties involved to respect the freedom of navigation, to solve differences through peaceful means and to refrain from taking unilateral actions to change the status quo, including in the East and South China Seas and the Taiwan Strait; expresses concern that foreign interferences from autocratic regimes through disinformation and cyber-attacks on the upcoming general elections threaten Asian democracies and regional stability; reiterates its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations, mechanisms and activities;
Amendment 346 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Stresses that strengthening substantial relations with East and Southeast Asia is essential to the EU's rules-based, comprehensive and sustainable Connectivity Strategy; takes note of the military build-up in the region and calls for all parties involved to respect the freedom of navigation, to solve differences through peaceful means and to refrain from taking unilateral actions to change the status quo, including in the East and South China Seas and the Taiwan Strait; expresses concern that foreign interference through disinformation and cyber-attacks threaten Asian as well as European democracies and regional stability; reiterates its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations, mechanisms and activities;
Amendment 348 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls on the EU Member States to make multilateral nuclear disarmament an EU foreign and security policy priority; believes that the EU must continue its efforts to keep the Iran nuclear deal alive;
Amendment 359 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Stresses that space is a genuine security challenge; calls on the European Commission to put in place concrete measures for a strong and innovative space industry, which protects the EU’s autonomous, reliable and economic access to space;
Amendment 385 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Recognises the important role of the civil and military missions that form part of the CSDP in maintaining peace, avoiding conflicts and strengthening international security; believes that new instruments such as the European Peace Facility could enhance solidarity and burden-sharing between Member States when it comes to contributing to CSDP operations and could more generally help increase the effectiveness of the EU’s external action;
Amendment 391 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Calls on the EU to promote the increased participation of women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes and EU military and civil crisis management missions; recalls the increased success of conflict resolution when women have a formal role in the process;
Amendment 394 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Stresses that the terrorist threat remains present both in Europe and beyond; strongly believes that the fight against terrorism should remain a priority for the EU in the coming years; calls on the new European Commission to present a European action plan against terrorism;