14 Amendments of Željana ZOVKO related to 2023/2114(INI)
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas eight out of the ten countries currently aspiring to join the EU have candidate status, some of them since many years ago; whereas those candidate countries find themselves at various stages of the accession process and negotiations, negotiating for years causing fatigue and disappointment with the enlargement process; whereas the countries of the Western Balkans have for decades stated their determination to join the EU; whereas candidate status has also recently been granted to Ukraine and the, Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has given new geostrategic meaning to the enlargement of the European Union; whereas enlargement is a strategic geopolitical investment in the future ensuring stability and security of the European continent, which can be mutually beneficial for both existing and future Member States if the proper conditions and requirements are met;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas the EU’s prosperity and security rests on its ability to defend and advance, peace, democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental values;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas the EU’s enlargement policy is the single most effective EU instrument for securing peace, prosperity and fundamental values on the European continent;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the role of the European Parliament should be strengthen throughout the entire enlargement process, including with regular committee meetings and parliamentary scrutiny of pre-accession financial instruments;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas enlargement is also a major challenge for EU’s financial sustainability, in particular regarding cohesion and agriculture policies; whereas the current and the next multiannual financial frameworks should be strengthened considerably to enable EU enlargement; whereas this financial groundwork must be in place before enlargement takes place, preferably via pre-accession financial instruments;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
K a. whereas the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans will bring some of the benefits of membership to the aspiring countries in advance of accession and speed up the process of European integration;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Stresses that the European accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina is crucial in order to avert tensions due to inflammatory rhetoric and secessionist acts which undermine its European aspirations;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Urges Bosnia and Herzegovina to urgently find a common political agreement in order to comply with the Commission's recommendation of 8 November 2023 to be able to open accession negotiations before March 2024, taking also into account the volatile geopolitical situation and efforts to prevent external malign influences in the region, thus paving the way for permanent peace and stability in the country and the region;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that enlargement is of the utmost strategic importance for the EU, its stability, peace and prosperity, and all the more so in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; stresses that an enhanced enlargement policy has become the strongest geopolitical tool at the EU’s disposal; points out that enlargement is a strategic investment in peace, security and prosperity, as well as a driver for democracy and European values on the continent;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges the historic challenge facing the EU of meeting its commitments to the countries in the Western Balkans, particularly Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to Ukraine and, the Republic of Moldova, and Georgia;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that accession to the EU must always be a merit-based procedure and that each applicant must be assessed on their own merit in fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria and in ensuring full respect for human rights, democracy and, the rule of law and European fundamental rights and values; stresses that while positive outcomes should be sought as quickly as possible, there should be no fast-track or fixed deadlines for membership; underscores that there can be no short-cuts and compromises during the accession process on fundamental values; points out that alignment with the common foreign and security policy is also a way of showing full adherence to the EU’s fundamental principles and an important indicator for sustainable future membership;
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers that there is a need for stronger parliamentary oversight of the EU’s enlargement policy¸ especially regarding the scrutiny of pre-accession financial assistance; insists on strengthening the role of Parliament throughout the entire accession process, including allowing it to scrutinise fully the progress made by the candidate countries across policy fields; underlines that regular dialogue and cooperation between the European Parliament and the national parliaments of candidate countries should be encouraged;
Amendment 369 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Points out that European institutional reforms must include simplified decision-making procedures, moving away from unanimity and replacing it with qualified majority voting provisionsbased on a middle way solution between unanimity and quality majority voting in order to achieve balance between interests of small and large Member States avoiding unnecessary blockages due to particular bilateral issues, in areas such as the protection of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, sanctions and relevant foreign policy decisions;