Activities of Marietta GIANNAKOU related to 2009/2215(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Union for the Mediterranean (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the Union for the Mediterranean PDF (271 KB) DOC (180 KB)
Amendments (20)
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
Β. whereas the European Union must adopt a strategic view of its relations with its southern neighbours and move beyond cooperation driven solthat is not driven solely and exclusively by considerations pertaining to security and migration,
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is a means of boostfurther strengthening the regional and multilateral dimension of Euro-Mediterranean relations, opening up fresh prospects for the establishment of an area of peace, security and prosperity for 800 million people,
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the neighbourhood policy conducted with the Mediterranean countries has its limitations and, by placing the emphasis on bilateral relations, is proving imbalanced and unable, in itself, to contribute to a shared process of significant reform in the region,
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas limited cultural exchanges cannot, by themselves, bring the peoples of the Mediterranean closer together; whereas Europe is gradually losing its cultural significance as a point of reference among its Mediterranean partners,
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. having regard to the recent entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the institutional changes it has produced, on the one hand, and the ongoing debate about the operation and financing of the UfM, on the other, which make it essential for the European Parliament to monitor developments connected with the UfM as closely as possible in order to help ensure the outright success of the Barcelona Summit,
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the governments of the UfM member countries to establish an ongoing and open political dialogue characterised by mutual respect and understanding, and reaffirms its desire to see the promotion of democracy, the rule of law, political pluralism and respect for human rights and individual and collective freedoms made the central focus of that dialogue;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Reiterates the fact that the promotion of democracy must be achieved through genuine political reforms and strong and visible support for democratic political organisations and civil society on the southern shores of the Mediterranean; to that end, calls on the Council and the Commission to clearly enshrine the promotion of human rights and democracy in the objectives of this new initiative and to further strengthen the implementation of existing mechanisms;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is of the opinion that political tensions and regional conflicts in the Mediterranean basin must not hinder tangible progress towards multilateral cooperation in specific sectors, and that it is through substantive political dialogue and the implementation of major integration projects that the UfM will help to develop a climate of trust conducive to pursuing common security goals in a spirit of solidarity and peace;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. encourages the important contribution that the Union for the Mediterranean can make for the improvement of the relations between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, among others by the cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian representatives within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5α. Considers it particularly worthwhile to continuously evaluate and assess not only the results that have been achieved to date through the regional programmes implemented, but also the adequacy of the resources used within the framework of the partnership; is of the opinion that this procedure will provide an opportunity to correct any deficiencies and unfortunate choices in the future; points out that the fundamental criterion of the programmes funded within the framework of the UfM ought to be added value at both regional and local level, making a genuine contribution to the development of local economies;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses the need to strengthen cooperation in the field of energy and calls for the immediate promotion of development plans to encourage the diversification of energy supply sources and routes, thus making a decisive contribution to energy security in the Mediterranean region;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on all the countries participating in the partnership, the Commission and the institutions of the UfM to inject fresh vigour into the structured management of migratory flows, in order to better harness human resources and strengthen exchanges between the peoples of the Mediterranean; considers that common immigration policies ought to focus on the possibilities for legal migration, combating illegal immigration, smoother integration of immigrants and the exercising of the right of asylum;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Emphasises the strategic importance of issues such as agriculture, food security, water and rural development in Mediterranean countries, and calls for cooperation in the farming sector to be made a political priority; encourages the UfM member countries to work on harmonising their positions in the context of WTO negotiations and to move towards greater convergence among Euro- Mediterranean agricultural policies, particularly in relation to the safety and quality specifications of agri-food goods;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls on the Commission to take into account the interests of European producers within the framework of trade relations between the EU and the countries of the south-eastern Mediterranean, given that many similar agricultural products are also produced in these countries, as in the Mediterranean Member States of the EU;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. IWelcomes the contribution of the ministerial meetings on cultural issues and considers that efforts at regional and, in particular, local level should be integrated through innovative programmes involving civil society and bringing the peoples of the Mediterranean closer together; is keen to see new projects in the cultural field put on the UfM’s agenda in the very near future; suggests that priority be given to setting up a Euro- Mediterranean junior Erasmus programme called ‘Averroës’, as a way of stepping up exchanges between secondary school pupils in UfM member countries;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Underlines the primary role that the UfM has assigned to EMUNI with the aim to enhance the rapprochement between the north and the south of the Mediterranean through culture and education, as well as the cooperation in higher education, research, training and exchanges of the university community on both sides; welcomes the commitment of EMPA to that end by creating the Working Group on EMUNI, which will follow its activities and will enable it to fulfil the objective of creating a Euro- Mediterranean Higher Education, Science and Research Area;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Reiterates its conviction that the UfM should have a strong parliamentary dimension, in order to improve its democratic legitimacy; believes that this objective can be achieved by reinforcing the role and the activity of EMPA with the aim of becoming a true consultative body for the different ministerial meetings of the UfM; notes, therefore, that the work of EMPA should be better aligned with that of the other institutions of the UfM;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Reaffirms the need to boost the status of women in the Mediterranean region through policies which give them a major role in their societies and which promote gender equality; recalls its consistent position that respect for traditions and customs must not be a pretext for the infringement of women’s fundamental rights;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Council, the Vice- President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and, the Commission and the newly-established European External Action Service to take the necessary steps to ensure coherent EU participation in the UfM, and to involve Parliament in framing EU policy;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Welcomes the recent accession to the UfM of countries of the Southern Balkans, which are applicants for accession to the EU; considers this development to be vitally important and calls for the immediate promotion of broader development initiatives and programmes, to include these countries in particular, with the aim of achieving swifter accession and mobilisation of these countries within the framework of the UfM;