2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

— having regard to the EU Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030,

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 48 a (new)

— having regard to its resolution of 9 June 2022 on a new trade instrument to ban products made by forced labour,

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine; expresses, in this regard, its deep grief at the human suffering and serious human rights violations, including sexual and gender based violence, caused by the Russian armed forces at the EU’s borders; welcomes the joint efforts of the EU ~~and~~, its Member States and civil society in response to the war; welcomes, moreover, the solidarity shown by a great number of countries towards Ukraine, as highlighted by their stance during the sessions and votes of the UN General Assembly on the crisis in Ukraine; calls for the EU and its Member States to give the Ukrainian people the support they need to defend democracy, human rights and international law; welcomes the unprecedented ambition of the sanctions imposed in the context of the war and calls for the EU and its Member States to continue to use all of the instruments at their disposal to support the Ukrainian people in their fight to free Ukraine from its occupiers;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12 a. Calls on the EU to work with like- minded partners to encourage more countries to adopt sanctions regimes and apply sanctions as to increment their effectiveness at a global level;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Expresses deep concern about and condemns some countries’ deliberate policy of arresting, arbitrarily detaining and prosecuting foreigners, in particular EU citizens, on trumped-up charges for propaganda purposes or to use prisoners as an instrument of international negotiation and exchange or as a means of exerting political pressure; stresses that operating such a policy constitutes an act of hostage-taking within the meaning of the International Convention against the Taking of Hostages; calls on the European Commission, the EEAS and the Member States to take measures to prevent such acts and to warn EU citizens in particular, especially dual nationals, about the risk of getting arrested when visiting certain countries; calls on the Council to consider applying restrictive measures under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EU Magnitsky Act) to persons or entities responsible for the arbitrary arrest or detention of EU citizens as ‘state hostages’;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Reaffirms that the effective protection of human rights around the world requires strong international cooperation at a multilateral level; underlines the particularly important role of the UN and its bodies as the main forum which must be able to effectively advance the efforts for peace and security, sustainable development and respect for human rights and international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue supporting the work of the UN, both politically and financially; underlines the need for the EU and its Member States to strive to speak with one voice both at the UN and in other multilateral forums; recalls the obligations of all UN member states to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, as enshrined in the Founding Charter of the United Nations and UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251, and to refrain from backwards steps that weaken human rights protections; stresses the responsibility of the UN Human Rights Council to address all the grave violations of human rights around the world;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17 a. Underlines the need to carry out an impartial, fair and transparent review of the applications for consultative status on the UN Economic and Social Council by non-governmental organisations (NGOs);

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Strongly welcomes the continuous contribution of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to the fight against impunity; calls for the EU and its Member States to provide the ICC with sufficient support to enable it to carry out its work; reiterates its condemnation of continuous efforts to undermine the legitimacy and work of the ICC by authoritarian and illiberal regimes and calls for the EU and its Member States to continue their efforts to counter them; welcomes the fact that the EU has provided support for the very first time to the ICC’s investigation capacities to help it scale up its investigations into war crimes committed by Russian armed forces in Ukraine, and respond to threats and sanctions against human rights defenders cooperating with the Court; welcomes the EU and EU Member States unprecedented support for the role of the ICC;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25 a. Calls on the EU, as set in out in the Gender Action Plan III, to strongly address intersectionality by developing a policy to fight the multiple discriminations faced by the 130 million Dalit women and girls who are victims of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights violations, including sexual abuse and violence, displacement, forced and/or bonded labour, prostitution and trafficking;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights throughout the EU’s external policies; calls for more concerted efforts to protect children’s rights in crisis or emergency situations and welcomes the Council conclusions on this subject; expresses concern that the growing number of such crisis situations around the world, coupled with the long-lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to increasing violations of child rights around the world, including violence, early and forced marriage, sexual abuse including genital mutilation, trafficking, child labour, child forced labour, recruitment as child soldiers, a lack of access to education and healthcare, malnutrition and extreme poverty; stresses the disproportionate and long-term effects of food insecurity on children, which directly affects not only their health and development but also their education, as well as increasing the outrageous practice of child marriage; stresses that 2021 was the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour and recalls the EU’s zero tolerance policy on this practice;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Stresses that the right to education has suffered particular setbacks, with unparalleled disruptions to education due to COVID-19 but also to religious extremism and gender discrimination against girls, and expresses concern regarding the expulsion of pregnant teenagers from schools; recalls that every child has the right to comprehensive sexuality education that is non- discriminatory, evidence-based, scientifically accurate age-appropriate and tackles harmful gender norms; calls for the EU to step up its work to provide access to education, including innovative ways to circumvent the obstacles imposed by national authorities; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to step up their support for third countries to help them adapt to the challenges they have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic in the field of education; stresses that support could take the form of an increased funding allocation through NDICI – Global Europe, but could also include providing capacity- building and best practices based on the lessons learned through the EU delegations worldwide;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)

27 a. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to maintain robust funding for education through all EU financial instruments available, in line with the 10 % benchmark on education in the NDICI- Global Europe;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)

27 b. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to support the governments of third countries in building and further developing stronger gender-responsive and inclusive education systems accompanied by the eradication of all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls; recalls that women’s access to education has been established as a fundamental right by the UN; believes that increasing girls’ education and supporting women’s participation in education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as a matter of priority should be a central policy target for the EU; insists, in this regard, on the need for girls to be able to complete their education and have access to age-appropriate information and services, free from discrimination and gender bias and with equal opportunities to fulfil their potential; stresses the urgent need to address gender-related barriers to education, such as laws, policies and harmful socio-cultural norms that prevent girls from continuing education in the event of pregnancy, marriage or motherhood; encourages the tackling of gender stereotypes and harmful socio- cultural norms through education, and the prevention of violence through gender-sensitive education programming;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Underlines the utmost importance of freedom of expression and access to reliable information for democracy and flourishing civic space; expresses deep concern about the growing limitations to freedom of expression in many countries around the world, particularly for journalists, through censorship or the need for self-censorship and the abuse of counter-terrorism, anti-money laundering, defamation laws or anti-corruption laws to silence journalists and civil society organisations; expresses concern, moreover, about the physical safety of journalists and the~~ir being targeted~~ attacks against them in conflicts;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Calls for the EU to support credible media and information sources which contribute to accountability of the authorities and to democratic transitions; expresses concern over the widespread use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) to silence journalists, activists, ~~tra~~and human rights defenders worldwide; un~~ionists and human rights defenders worldwide~~derlines that this practice further restricts space for civil society and human rights defenders across the globe, in a context where civic space has been continuously shrinking for several years, with increasing attacks against the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of expression, and freedom of association and assembly perpetrated by public authorities as well as by private actors; welcomes, in this regard, the Commission’s proposal for a directive aimed at protecting journalists and ~~human~~ rights defenders from abusive court proceedings and SLAPPs; urges the EEAS, in coordination with EU Member States and the European Commission, to develop a strategy to address the widespread use of SLAPPs against human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and workers worldwide; further calls the EEAS to include guidance on ways to provide effective protection for victims of SLAPPs, including through financial assistance to cover legal fees, in such strategy; encourages legislators from third countries to draft laws with the same objective, as part of general initiatives aimed at supporting and safeguarding freedom of expression including media freedom and pluralism;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Strongly supports the work of human rights defenders and highlights the risks they face in their endeavours to protect human rights, including threats against them and their families, harassment and violence; condemns the fact that hundreds of human rights defenders have been killed for their work, the majority of whom were environmental defenders; welcomes the EU’s efforts to support human rights defenders in their work, including the ProtectDefenders.eu mechanism; calls for such efforts to be intensified in order to mitigate the growing risks faced by human rights defenders around the world~~; calls for the EU and its Member States~~, including arbitrary detention and imprisonment, verbal and physical attacks, legal harassment and restrictions; more specifically, calls for the EU and its Member States to actively support the development and implementation of appropriate and effective protection systems for HRDs at risk or in vulnerable situations, including through meaningful consultation with them and based on comprehensive, qualitative risk analyses, ensuring that such mechanisms are holistic, appropriately resourced, assess and manage the risks from a preventive approach and build protection plans which truly respond to the protection needs of individuals, collectives and communities; calls for the EU and its Member States to address actively legislative or administrative attempts to close down the space for the defence of human rights; calls for the EU and its Member States to actively promote and support, in particular the EUSR for Human Rights and EU ambassadors, to be more active in the publication of public statements and other forms of public and private political engagement in support of human rights ~~activist~~defenders at risk and those imprisoned for long periods, as well as helping to conduct prison visits for the latter and facilitating external visits to their families;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/2049(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)

47 a. Highlights that according to the latest Global Estimates of Modern Slavery, forced labour has increased by 2.7 million in the number of people in forced labour between 2016 and 2021, up to 17.3 million; also highlights that the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic were accompanied by widespread reports of forced labour linked to the crisis, that disruptions to income because of the pandemic led to greater indebtedness among workers and with it, reports of a rise in debt bondage among some workers lacking access to formal credit channels; stresses that the crisis also resulted in a deterioration of working conditions for many workers, in some cases leading to forced labour;

2022/10/11
Committee: AFET

2022/0051(COD)

David LEGA, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Ivan ŠTEFANEC

Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point a

(a) persons who are affected or have reasonable grounds to believe that they might be affected by an adverse impact, in case the complainant is a child, a legal guardian may bring a complaint on behalf of the child,

2022/10/27
Committee: AFET

2021/2204(INI)

Peter van DALEN, Miriam LEXMANN, David LEGA, György HÖLVÉNYI, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Leopoldo LÓPEZ GIL

Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)

— Having regard to the EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief of 24 June 2013, in those aspects where the Guidelines address support for and engagement with human rights defenders on behalf of religious groups, philosophical, non-confessional or other civil society organisations,

2022/11/21
Committee: AFET

2021/2204(INI)

Peter van DALEN, Miriam LEXMANN, David LEGA, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Leopoldo LÓPEZ GIL

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

A a. whereas restrictive government policies, negative discourse and intimidation or violence are common manifestations of threats to HRDs; whereas these factors are often interlinked;

2022/11/21
Committee: AFET

2021/2204(INI)

Peter van DALEN, David LEGA, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Leopoldo LÓPEZ GIL

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the new EU global human rights sanctions regime allows the EU to target serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide; whereas the use of this tool could be enhanced by making it subject to qualified majority voting;

2022/11/21
Committee: AFET

2021/2204(INI)

Peter van DALEN, Miriam LEXMANN, György HÖLVÉNYI, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Leopoldo LÓPEZ GIL

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 – indent 9 a (new)

- The promotion of training for HRDs on such matters as reporting on human rights abuses and attacks on HRDs, local and international legal mechanisms of protection against human rights violations, and procedural rights in such cases where HRDs face criminal charges for their legitimate activities;

2022/11/21
Committee: AFET

2021/2204(INI)

Peter van DALEN, Miriam LEXMANN, György HÖLVÉNYI, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Leopoldo LÓPEZ GIL

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)

34 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage and facilitate active engagement and consultation with HRDs already relocated to Europe on designing and implementing HRDs relocation programs, aid and regional initiatives according to the specific realities and needs faced by HRDs in third countries;

2022/11/21
Committee: AFET

2021/2204(INI)

Peter van DALEN, György HÖLVÉNYI, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Leopoldo LÓPEZ GIL

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)

47 a. Notes with regret that EU Delegations are not present in some countries where HRDs are facing risks and danger in conducting their activities; acknowledges that EU delegations’ presence in such thirds countries is essential for the implementation of these Guidelines and effective engagement on individual urgent and serious HRD cases and other local actions; calls on the EEAS to continue exploring possibilities of establishing the EU presence in the form of a delegation in the countries with serious human rights concerns;

2022/11/21
Committee: AFET

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Citation 34 a (new)

— having regard to European Court of Auditors Special Report 01/2022: EU support for the rule of law in the Western Balkans: despite efforts, fundamental problems persist,

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Andrzej HALICKI, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Citation 34 b (new)

— having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2021 entitled ‘Europe’s Media in the Digital Decade: an Action Plan to Support Recovery and Transformation,

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Citation 34 c (new)

— having regard to European Court of Auditors Special Report 09/2021: Disinformation affecting the EU: tackled but not tamed,

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Andrzej HALICKI, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas the EU needs to continue supporting journalism in the fast- changing digital environment; whereas editorially independent public service media are essential and irreplaceable in providing high-quality and impartial information services to the general public and must be protected from malign capture and strengthened as a fundamental pillar of the rule of law and the fight against disinformation;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Andrzej HALICKI, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)

Db. whereas quality, sustainably and transparently financed, and independent news media and professional journalism are essential for media freedom and pluralism and the rule of law, and are therefore a pillar of democracy and the best antidote to disinformation;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Andrzej HALICKI, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)

Dc. whereas journalists and media outlets continue to be targeted through intimidation, threats on social media and physical attacks; whereas the spread of disinformation polarises society and weakens our democracy;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Andrzej HALICKI, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)

Dd. whereas the media, both traditional and digital, are cornerstone of democratic societies and a guarantee against abuse of power; whereas the loss of media freedom weakens our democracies;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Considers that the annual report should identify cross-cutting trends at EU level; asks the Commission to identify instances where certain measures or practices that undermine the rule of law in one Member State become blueprints for others, or when the gravity and scope of such deficiencies have the potential to affect the Union as a whole; calls on the European Court of Auditors to further work on their assessments of effectiveness of EU measures to support the rule of law; recalls that strengthening the rule of law is also linked to the fight against manipulative disinformation that is weakening our democratic institutions;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to include country-specific recommendations in the 2022 report; calls on the Commission to accompany such recommendations with deadlines for implementation, targets and concrete actions to be taken; calls on the Commission to include in subsequent reports indications on the implementation of its recommendations; acknowledges that online platforms have a vast disruptive impact on the media sector, stresses, in this respect, that current legislation does not entirely provide for a fair environment in the public ecosystem, such as in the fight against disinformation and algorithmic accountability; considers that the adoption of relevant legislation, notably the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, was a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done in the European Media Act and through other relevant measures aimed at guarding the quality of our public information space;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Andrzej HALICKI, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Calls on the Commission to invite the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) to provide methodological advice and conduct comparative research to add detail in key areas of the annual report, bearing in mind that the right to a fair trial, freedom of expression and other fundamental rights have intrinsic links with the rule of law; calls on the European Court of Auditors to further work on their assessments of the effectiveness of EU measures to support the rule of law; recalls that strengthening the rule of law is also linked to the fight against corruption and a key condition for economic growth;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Andrzej HALICKI, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Stresses the importance of pluralistic, high-quality media, independent journalists, fact-checkers and researchers, and a strong public service media for lively and free democratic debate;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Andrzej HALICKI, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)

17b. Underlines the importance of strategic communication to counter the most common anti-democracy narratives and explain EU action; calls for the improvement of EU strategic communication about the rule of law to increase its reach towards citizens within the EU;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)

17c. Acknowledges that the online platforms have a vast disruptive impact on the media sector, stresses, in this respect, that current legislation does not entirely provide for a fair environment in the online ecosystem, such as in the fight against disinformation and algorithmic accountability; Considers that the adoption of relevant legislation, notably the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, was a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done in the European Media Act;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 d (new)

17d. highlights the importance of the public media in Europe; calls on Member States to ensure stable, open, transparent, sustainable and adequate funding for public service media on a multi-annual basis in order to guarantee their quality and independence from governmental, political and other pressures;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2180(INI)

Vladimír BILČÍK, Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Emil RADEV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Calls on the Commission to address in their upcoming Media Freedom Act a disbalance between traditional media and often unregulated media platforms; calls on the Commission to create fair conditions in the light of digital transformation of the media sector and the spread of online platforms;

2022/03/01
Committee: LIBE

2021/2036(INI)

Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 30

— having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular Article 191a _________________ 1aArticle 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.