Activities of Tomas TOBÉ related to 2023/0464M(NLE)
Reports (1)
REPORT containing a motion for a non-legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part
Amendments (16)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the multiplication of crises such as the global consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of climate change, and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine which worsened food crises in the world, call for the forging of stronger alliances and more effective partnerships between equals which deliver tangible results in order to better address emerging needs and global challenges by supporting early warning systems for a swift range of information and early actions in life-saving assistance;
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Strongly welcomes the long- awaited signature of the Samoa Agreement and the overarching objectives it lays out on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and adhering to the Paris Agreement; recalls the importance of joining forces with ACP countries in a spirit of co-creation and establishing win-win partnerships of equals in the six priority areas of human rights, democracy and governance, peace and security, human and social development, inclusive, sustainable economic growth and development, environmental sustainability and climate change, and migration and mobility; calls for the swift signature and ratification of the Agreement by all parties; recalls that countries that do not sign the Agreement will not participate in its political and decision making bodies and furthermore that it will notably undermine the capacity of the European Investment Bank to deliver on Global Gateway projects in these countries;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for the swift and comprehensive implementation of the agreement, as there is an urgent need to strengthen multilateral cooperation in the face of growing geopolitical instability and competition and unprecedented global challenges such as the multiplication of conflicts, the growth of social inequalities in and between countries, addressing climate change and biodiversity loss, fighting against hunger and eradicating poverty; points to the geopolitical value of the Samoa Agreement and its objectives, including poverty reduction, sustainable development, and promoting democracy and human rights; highlights the Joint Statement of 30 November 2023 of the OACPS and the EU for COP 28 as a clear example of cooperation on common interests and priorities in multilateral forums; calls on the Parties to strengthen their cooperation in multilateral organisations, to fully support the work of the UN Human Rights Council and strive to take joint initiatives; encourages the Member States to engage regularly at ministerial level with the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific states; reiterates its concern that the EU is losing influence and visibility to alternative offers made by China and Russia; stresses the importance for the EU to reinforce its status as a reliable ally in development cooperation and to demonstrate that the international rules-based system can meet current and future challenges; underlines the importance of the new Agreement in this context;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reiterates the importance of political dialogue as an integral part of the partnershipthe parliamentary dimension as representatives of the civil society of four continents and aggregators of the diversity in a parliamentary assembly and of the political dialogue as an integral part of the partnership; considers it important that political dialogue develops on a level of full respect and equality between countries and calls for political dialogue to be used more effectively and systematically and in a proactive way in order to prevent political crises; welcomes that parliamentary diplomacy is recognised as a pillar of the Partnership and is reinforced by the establishment of three regional assemblies that will allow for in-depth debates on shared region- specific matters;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the commitment to protect, promote and fulfil human rights, fundamental freedoms and democratic principles and to strengthen the rule of law and good governance, notably when considering the declining trend for democracy and governance in the world and the persistent threats to human rights globally; reiterates in this context that the EU’s external democracy action must adjust to a new geopolitical reality marked by competing governance models in order to better prevent and respond to democratic backsliding; further welcomes the commitment to promote universal human rights without discrimination based on any grounds; regrets, however, the fact that the agreement fails to mention explicitly that discrimination could be based on sexual orientation or on gender identity; urges the Parties to avoid any discrimination based on sexual orientation and to put an end to the criminalisation and punishment, including death penalty, of LGBTI people;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Insists on the need to give greater prominence to the human and social development aspects of the agreement, including to improve access to quality education and vocational training, in order to enable ACP countries to unlock the human capital potential of their young people and to boost human development, economic growth and employment in their countries; stresses furthermore the need to improve resources for humanitarian aid and to guarantee effective channels of access to its implementation;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underlines that particular attention should be paid to the provisions on food security and improved nutrition, given the global rise in food insecurity, malnutrition and hunger, which have been particularly exacerbated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; reiterates that EU support in this area should be in line with its Policy Coherence for Development commitments and contribute to the building of sustainable agri-food systems, notably with a focus on small scale farmers as they play a crucial role in food security in many ACP countries, bearing in mind the specificities of the three regions;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the fact that gender equality and women’s economic empowerment are recognised as key drivers for sustainable development; supports the commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and must be mainstreamed throughout the implementation of the Samoa Agreement; further welcomes that the Parties agree that they shall adopt and strengthen enforceable legislation, legal frameworks and sound policies, programmes and mechanisms to ensure girl’s and women’s equal access to, equal opportunities in, equal control over, and full and equal participation in, all spheres of life; supports the commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the context of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the outcomes of their review conference, in line with SDG5; reiterates the importance of maintaining and strengthening gender- sensitive development cooperation programmes in order to achieve the commitments set out in the agreement, in particular to combat all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, such as female genital mutilation; calls for the EU institutions to speed up the implementation of the Gender Action Plan III in ACP countries;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Supports the objective to mobilise investment, support trade and foster private sector development, with a view to achieving sustainable and inclusive growth and creating decent jobs for all; stresses, in this context, that a strong link will have to be established between the agreement and the Global Gateway initiativeCalls on the Commission to ensure that the agreement is a basis for strengthening economic relations between the parties in a mutually beneficial way, increasing the global market share of both EU and OACPS businesses and strengthening the role of local entrepreneurs and small and medium- sized enterprises; stresses that the mutual relationship between the EU and the OACPS should be based on common values and that economic relations must develop on a partnership basis; strongly supports the objective to mobilise investment, support trade and foster private sector development, with a view to achieving sustainable and inclusive growth and creating decent jobs for all; stresses, in this context, that a strong link will have to be established between the agreement and the Global Gateway initiative with the participation of local civil society and private sector, notably through the Global Gateway Civil Society and Local Authorities Dialogue Platform and the Business Advisory Group both in the selection and implementation phases of Global Gateway projects in ACP countries; underlines the potential of the EU Global Gateway Initiative; notes the EU-LAC Global Gateway Agenda and the EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package; stresses that massive investments are required in both hard and soft infrastructure in ACP countries, from digital, transport and energy networks, to health, education and food systems and that these investments should be aligned with SDG objectives; believes the Global Gateway initiative could be a response to this, aiming to provide a viable and attractive alternative for partner countries that delivers lasting benefits for local communities;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is of the opinion that the Samoa Agreement can contribute to the trade and investment policy objectives of the EU and OCAPS countriesmay contribute positively to free, fair and open trade for achieving sustainable growth and development; stresses that the Agreement’s trade and investment provisions must be tailored to benefit all parties in order to ensure an equal and mutually beneficial partnership; underlines that the Samoa Agreement will not change trading arrangements between the EU and OACPS countries, whose partnership will continue to be based on separate trade agreements and instruments, notably the regional economic partnership agreements (EPAs) and the generalised system of preferences scheme (GSP); calls on the Commission to ensure that all its trade instruments targeting OACPS countries such as EPAs, the GSP and Aid for Trade are mutually reinforcing and consistent with the principle of policy coherence for development and its development cooperation objective of eradicating poverty and contributing to achieve the SDGs; highlights that the agreement contains a chapter on trade cooperation that reaffirms the commitment to implement and strengthen EPAs and establishes common priorities and dispositions; stresses that the key role of EPAs between the EU and African countries should be promoting long-term, sustainable development, reducing poverty and boosting regional integration; acknowledges the diverging views on EPAs and calls on the Commission to address them, by building trust and mutual understanding on the benefits and concerns of EPAs; reiterates its request for an in-depth analysis of the impact of EPAs on local economies, regional integration, economic diversification and their compliance with the SDGs and the principle of Policy Coherence for Development; 17a. Takes note that one of the aims of the Agreement is to support the integration of ACP countries into the global economy; insists that the trade related provisions of the new Partnership Agreement should contribute to stimulating and increasing sustainable investments that deliver benefits for local populations, create jobs, foster private sector development, notably SMEs and enhance inclusive economic and sustainable trade cooperation; welcomes references to social, environmental and labour standards, corporate social responsibility, responsible business conduct and respect for the right to regulate throughout the agreement; believes that a positive link should be established between trade, the eradication of poverty, the fight against inequalities and support for sustainable development; stresses that sustainability provisions should be anchored in goals and commitments on which both parties have agreed; acknowledges that parties to the agreement may have differing interpretations of sustainability and is mindful of the parties’ respective levels of development and policy priorities; calls on the Commission to uphold the political, financial, technical and policy assistance provided to OACPS countries according to their assessed needs, including to its African partners for the smooth implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, in view of promoting intra-African trade;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the commitment to cooperate in order to strengthen energy security and increase access to energy in ACP countries, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, notably accelerating progress on SDG 7, and the Paris Agreement, and with respect for the rights of all, including indigenous peoples as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities; stresses that the agreement must contribute fully to the electrification of developing countries in order to ensure that people’s basic needs are met and productive activities are established; stresses notably the need to support African partner countries by harnessing the continent’s great untapped renewable energy potential, which has the potential to boost economic growth, job creation and social development; welcomes the inclusion of a specific article dedicated to energy in the Africa Regional Protocol; notes further that the energy sector is identified as one of the investment priorities of the Global Gateway Initiative, which should be aligned with the SDGs objectives;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses the urgency of tackling global environmental challenges and of focusing on the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, especially by strengthening cooperation on resilience in the face of natural disasters and adaptation to climate change and contributing to the Loss and Damage Fund; highlights the conclusions of the IPCC 2022 report according to which global warming will progressively weaken soil health and ecosystem services, undermining food productivity in many regions on land and in the oceans; welcomes that the Samoa Agreement, in contrast to the Cotonou Agreement, includes much more detailed provisions on environmental sustainability and climate change; notes that provisions on environmental sustainability, oceans, seas and marine resources, as well as climate change and natural disasters, are covered both in the Foundation part and the three regional protocols; calls on the EU and OACPS member countries to support cooperation projects designed to address shared challenges; highlights in particular the Great Green Wall project in Africa and the Blue Belt initiative for a global network for cooperation on protected marine areas and ocean governance; Welcomes the recognition by both parties of the essential role of the ocean for life on earth, sustainable development and food security, and their commitment to promote a blue economy and a systemic, integrated and ambitious international ocean governance, notably in the context of ongoing global negotiations; insists on the importance of stepping up cooperation between the EU and OACPS countries on key growing challenges related to seabed mining, marine pollution (microplastics, pollution from military munitions at sea etc.), illegal fishing, the transition towards a more sustainable management of fisheries resources and the decarbonisation of maritime transport;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Recognises the needWelcomes the Parties' commitment to enhanceing cooperation on migration and mobility, including addressing the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacements, as well as to facilitate legal pathways for migrationfor example due to conflict, instability and the consequences of climate change, as well as to facilitate legal pathways for migration in full respect of international law and in accordance with the Parties' respective competences, as well as being in line with the objectives of the Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2021 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI-GE Regulation);
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Welcomes that cooperation on peace and security is expected to be scaled up under the new Agreement as it is clearly an area of mutual interest; notes that the Agreement has a potential to further cooperation in new areas ranging from piracy or financing of terrorism, to cybercrime; calls for an integrated approach to conflicts and crisis linking humanitarian, development, peace and security efforts at all stages; insists on the importance of implementing properly the humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach across all crisis affected and fragile ACP countries; recalls, in this context, the need for clear policy orientations in order to bridge the gaps between the individual policy areas, while ensuring that the distinct legal character and principles of humanitarian aid are respected; reiterates that there cannot be sustainable development without peace and security, and without inclusive development there cannot be sustainable peace and security; expresses concern over the increased footprint and presence of foreign actors like Private Military Companies (PMCs) and/or state sponsored proxies, such as the Wagner Group in the Sahel, which undermines the security and the stability of the countries concerned and which has profound regional and international consequences;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Welcomes the commitment to promote a multi-stakeholder approach, enabling the active engagement of a wide variety of actors, including parliaments, local authorities, local civil society, women and young people and the private sector; calls for this commitment to be rapidly translated into practice, which will necessitate the creation of an open and transparent mechanism for structured consultation in order to ensure the effective participation of stakeholders;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Is concerned, however, in view of the shrinking space for civil society, that the Parties have committed to increasing the participation of stakeholders only ‘where appropriate’, which might impose limitations on their effective participation; recalls the need to recognise and promote the multiple roles and contributions of civil society organisations and calls on the EU to enhance the participation of EU and ACP countries’ civil society actors in the implementation of the agreement;