Activities of Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Articles 2, 3 ~~and 11(~~, 5, 11(2) and Protocol (No 2) thereof,

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas in line with the principle of subsidiarity only the funds directly awarded to NGOs have been subject to monitoring and reporting by the Commission ~~so far~~;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that monitoring European values, Democracy, the Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights and fighting corruption and areas of social policy, environmental policy and development assistance require public support beyond private donations;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Points out that laws and the legislative process often neglect the voices of local, regional and national NGOs, while favouring the priorities of large NGOs, that the priorities and needs of smaller local and regional NGOs are often ignored or have less attention paid to them, despite the fact that these smaller and regional groups often do the majority of the work; emphasises that the work of small and regional organisationsNGOs emphasises that their work is to be paid the highest respect, as they represent the true diversity and variety of volunteer work performed across Europe;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Commends the crucial role of NGOs in the EU and elsewhere in defending the rule of law, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights and democracy; reiterates that in countries with authoritarian or non- democratic regimes, NGOs often represent the last line of defence of democracy; insists on the importance of adequate EU funding for NGOs active in these fields;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Is convinced that public transparency is vital for all for profit or for non-profit organisations, including NGOs, to showcase their valuable work, be recognised and build their credibility;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. ~~Is of the opinion that the alleged~~Acknowledges the importance of transparency and accountability in preventing corruption cases like the one referred to as Qatargate and th~~e role certain NGOs played in it could~~at it may have been prevented through the consistent enforcement of existing transparency requirements and an obligation for NGOs to disclose their sources of funding and their internal structures; notes with concern that the relevant NGOs have profited from EU funding since 2015; considers it unacceptable that the use of funds and transfers to other organisations are not entirely traceable; warns of the danger that EU taxpayers’ money could ultimately be used within corrupt circlesrecommended by the Parliament; emphasises the importance of ‘final beneficiary transparency’ ~~for EU NGO funds~~in every type of financial management in the EU;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Recalls that the following findings and recommendations are based on the conclusions of the transparency and accountability study and address further weaknesses concerning the ~~handling of EU funds by NGOs~~transparency requirements for the use of EU funds by the Member States and the Commission;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Reiterates the call for a common definition of an NGO made in the recommendations from the 2021 Commission discharge resolution13 ; calls for a common definition of an NGO at EU level, in particular for NGOs receiving EU funding; is of the opinion that this definition should provide minimum common conditions for defining an NGO; considers that such minimum conditions must include the form of an organisation, the objectives it pursues, its level of formal or institutional existence, the accountability of its structures to its members or donors, its level of independence from government, other public authorities, political parties or commercial organisations, and the commercial or professional objectives it pursues on behalf of its membersWelcomes the proposal for a definition within the Financial regulation; _________________ 13 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2023)0137.

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Notes that the spectrum of NGOs receiving EU funding covers a wide range of structures, ways of functioning, sources of financing and focus areas~~, which translates into a variety of projects that are financed with taxpayers’ money~~; notes that the Commission uses the terms NGOs and NFPOs without a clear definition and distinction in the FTS; regrets that this results in a lack of public transparency in the allocation and monitoring of EU funds ~~and might lead to a lack of public trust~~, as well as policy planning and might lead to a misperception of the volume of funding for NGOs;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15 a. Stresses that reporting obligations and transparency should be in place to ensure that EU money is well spent while avoiding unnecessary burdens on organisations; Believes that current EU legislation on scrutiny, due diligence and transparency is likely sufficient with minor adjustments, which should apply to all beneficiaries of EU funds, and could, inter alia, address the concerns expressed by the European Court of Auditors, for achieving proportionate transparency goals ; Emphasises that the overlap of additional reporting/public disclosure obligations with other already existing measures under the pretext of concern about corruption and foreign interference should be avoided in order not to create an environment of excessive state monitoring;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. ~~Is concerned that public transparency requirements can be circumvented, especially when money is passed along a chain and used to fulfil the purposes of other donors; h~~Highlights that the FTS does not provide any information about how EU funding sub-granted under ~~indirect and~~ shared management is ~~distributed among NGOs, on what basis or for what purpo~~allocated, including to NGOs; Emphasizes that not all Member States provide the same level of information and there is no consistent and coherent EU data base ; considers this highly problematic, as large amounts of funding are committed through ~~indirect and~~ shared management; calls on the Commission to verify the re-allocation of funds and their use by the final beneficiary by imposing appropriate reporting and publication requirements in line with annual reporting by the Member States and the Commission on the implementation of the European structural and investment funds;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17 a. Calls, on the Commission to step up its work on streamlining databases and on increasing user-friendliness of the Financial Transparency System (FTS) to improve transparency and accessibility; stresses that, within the FTS, all types and subtypes of beneficiaries, including for- profit organisations, should be searchable as a category in the register, rather than providing distinct categories just for NGOs or non-profits;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)

17 b. Recalls that circumvention of transparency and accountability requirements cannot be prevented or remedied by creating new, burdensome rules on transparency and accountability, such as setting up a single, interoperable IT system for data mining and risk scoring including recipients’ data and beneficial owners’ data, income, amount spent on lobbying, or conducting comprehensive financial pre-screening of NGOs before they are listed in the Transparency Register, or developing a centralised certification system for NGOs wishing to apply for EU funding, which create further legal and administrative obstacles and may hinder smaller NGOs from receiving EU or foreign funds; calls on the Commission to facilitate better support for applicants when accessing EU funding as well as increased institutional funding for organisations;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)

17 c. Appreciates that the Commission enhances the access status for the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in order to obtain information on the financial misconduct of individual NGOs, investigate them and impose appropriate sanctions in the event of fraud, corruption and other irregularities related to EU funds in compliance with the applicable regulations;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 d (new)

17 d. Appreciates that the Commission ensures that all applicants or beneficiaries of EU funding are required to publish annually the number, amounts and nature of lobbying contacts they have, and welcomes that a growing number of EU- funded NGOs publish online their pursued interests and financial data in compliance with the applicable regulations, while adding that a more proactive approach from NGOs to public transparency would be expected that goes beyond the existing requirements for EU grant funding;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Regrets that a lack of transparency makes it possible for powerful actors to establish, fund and/or co-opt EU-funded NGOs in multiple Member States to promote false narratives, including through disinformation, apStrongly underlines that the EU budget must not be used to lobby against the EU’s democratic principles and values; recognises therefore the importance of transparentlcy in ~~order to influence EU policy through different actors, as happened in Qatargate; underlines that the EU budget must not be used to lobby against the EU’s democratic principles and values~~all aspects of EU-funded activities to ensure responsible and accountable use of funds; acknowledges concerns regarding potential external influences on EU policy-making; reiterates that foreign influence on EU policymaking may be possible through ~~NGO~~various channels, including diplomatic ones; calls on the Commission to require ~~NGO~~all foreign organisations in receipt of EU grants to publish details of any funding received from other sources in relation to projects co-financed by the EU over a five- year period14 ; _________________ 14 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 2.

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls for ~~national lobby registry laws to also require the disclosure of donors and their international financial chains~~for the creation of an EU wide transparency register for all organisations carrying out interest representation activities as a means to tackle undue influence;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19 a. Encourages the Member States to establish equal transparency requirements for all organisations that engage in direct political lobbying independent of their legal status and sources of funding and calls on the Commission to assess the feasibility and necessity of EU legislation in this regard; Stresses however that top- down national regulation involves the risk of politically driven control of NGOs and that a cautious approach should be applied in this regard;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Calls on national authorities to take legal and administrative measures that facilitate action at EU level and make it easier and quicker for the Commission to include ~~such organisations~~entities concerned in the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) and exclude them from EU funding; ~~calls for such a requirement for Member States to be included in the proposal for an NGO regulation;~~

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Calls on national authorities to take legal and administrative measures that facilitate action at EU level and make it easier and quicker for the Commission to include such organisations in the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) and exclude them from EU funding; ~~calls for such a requirement for Member States to be included in the proposal for an NGO regulation;~~

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Regrets that public transparency is negatively impacted by the publication of data in the FTS with a delay of between 6 and 18 months; calls on the Commission to publish information about EU grants ~~awarded to NGOs~~ no later than 6 months after the date on which the grant was awarded~~15 , including funding received from other sources, such as foundations~~; calls on the Commission to develop and integrate data validation tools so that the FTS data validation process is automatic and continuous, is quicker and consumes fewer resources~~16 ; _________________ 15 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 5. 16 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 7.~~;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Calls on the Commission to use a common unique entity, such as a unique participant identification code, and project identification keys across all portals and databases, including on beneficiaries’ websites, to facilitate the reconciliation of publicly available information provided by different systems and websites; calls on the Commission to provide all ~~NGO grant~~ beneficiaries with code that extracts five years of funding data directly from the FTS and includes links to the corresponding project entries in the Commission’s programme databases17 ; _________________ 17 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 19.

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Observes inconsistencies in the content and extent of the information displayed on project websites and notes NGOs’ insufficient clarity on grant distribution among partners and on the connection to pertinent Commission databases; calls for a more proactive approach from NGOs to public transparency that goes beyond the current minimal requirements for EU grant funding18 and on the connection to pertinent Commission databases; calls for a clearer and more systematic presentation of information on ~~NGO and~~ EU-funded project websites on the grant funding received from the EU and from other sources for both specific projects and overall, and on project objectives, results and impact; ~~_________________ 18 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 17.~~

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Notes that, although the mainstreaming of the eGrants system as a common grants management tool and applicant registration system across Commission services has improved the quality and completeness of FTS data, more effort needs to be made to improve the reliability of such data; is concerned that there are still continuing shortcomings in terms of consistency in existing Commission transparency portals and systems; further calls for a more user- friendly FTS that is linked to the Transparency Register and compatible with specific programmes’ databases, and highlights that it should include final payments ~~and a clear definition of NGOs~~, making it possible to identify beneficiaries by category; requests that the Commission prepare a proposal for further administrative action by 1 June 2024;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Acknowledges that the Commission provides administrative and financial support for the establishment of information platforms for MEPs and the public, but wonders, in the case of a platform on the Nature Restoration Law20 , whether the timing of the establishment and the lack of monitoring of the reliability of the information disseminated encouraged one-sided partisan political influence, thus giving the impression that the executive branch lobbies the legislative branch, which would constitute an improper use of taxpayers’ money; requests that the Commission disclose the timing and the amount of money flows in relation to that platform by 1 February 2024 and asks the ECA to review this case and determine what action should be taken; _________________ 20 ‘Business and Biodiversity’, European Commission, accessed 29 September 2023.deleted

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Notes that there might be a conflict of interest in the EU institutions if the legislative branch were influenced by the executive branch; calls for the Commission, the EU agencies and other EU entities and institutions to be required to make their contracts, agreements and work programmes ~~with NGOs~~ available without delay to members of the Committee on Budgetary Control by 1 February 2024; regrets that multiple requests by the rapporteur for access to contracts between NGOs and European agencies have not been followed up and that a request must be made via the chairperson of the Committee on Budgetary Control; calls for access to contracts to be given to members of the Committee on Budgetary Control without delay;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all applicants or beneficiaries of EU funding, including NGOs, are required to publish annually the number of lobbying contacts they have, along with their nature and their monetary value; reiterates in this context the need for a comprehensive financial pre-screening of these entities before they are listed in the EU transparency register; calls for a transparency officer to be placed in all committee secretariats and relevant administrative units; recalls that, according to the transparency register guidelines, changes in the data provided should be communicated as soon as they occur and, in any case, within three months; insists that any changes in the board or leadership of EU-funded NGOs should also be recorded in the transparency register;deleted

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

~~36. Urges the Commission to develop a centralised certification system for NGOs wishing to apply for EU funding that are registered in the EU transparency register, based on existing best practices;~~deleted

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39

39. Calls for all ~~EU-funded NGOs to publish online~~the publication of all meetings ~~with MEPs,~~by MEPs’ assistants or representatives of other EU institutions, bodies or agencies whenever such meetings relate to ongoing EU legislative affairs ~~or to the EU financing that NGOs receive or apply for~~, in line with similar obligations for MEPs; calls on the relevant EU institutions and bodies to provide the tools necessary for the publication of such meetings;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40

40. Reiterates its call made in the 2021 Commission discharge resolution23 to adopt an NGO regulation by 1 June 2024 that includes harmonised minimum requirements for NGOs across all EU entities and a clear definition and categorisation of the fields of activity and size of NGOs and that provides for the necessary conditions for NGOs to receive EU funds; ~~insists that there should be a clear distinction between regular NGOs and ‘public utility NGOs’;~~ calls on the Commission to establish simplified procedures for small NGOs; _________________ 23 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2023)0137, paragraph 20.

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41

41. Calls on the Commission to ensure that, when preparing its proposal for the NGO regulation, to take into consideration the exisiting transparency rules valid for all entities incuding important questions on issues relating to, but not limited to, ~~clear definitions,~~ revolving doors, transparency in financing and donations, the fight against money laundering, limiting foreign interference, independence from political and economic influence, whistleblowing, and transparency in actual leadership and ownership are dealt with in a sufficiently transparent manner;

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2122(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42

42. Reiterates its call in the 2021 Commission discharge resolution24 for the creation of a public blacklist of ~~NGO~~entities that have engaged in activities such as hate speech, incitement to terrorism, religious extremism, supporting or glorifying violence or spreading unfounded scientific statements or that have misused or misappropriated EU funds and are listed in the EDES database in order to ensure that they are blocked from access to EU institutions and EU funding programmes; expects a proposal on this to be put forward by the Commission no later than 1 July 2024; _________________ 24 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2023)0137, paragraph 19.

2023/11/15
Committee: CONT

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas, in addition to territories in Ukraine, Russia continues to occupy the Abkhazia region and South Ossetia of Georgia and the Transnistria region in the Republic of Moldova;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas the Strategic Compass aims to equip the EU with the necessary strategic guidance, realistic and operational tools to move towards a coherent and credible defence policy, and to make it an effective and capable security provider and an assertive global actor, also in view of the new security context and the growing presence of Europe's strategic competitors in operational theatres;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)

Bb. whereas the People’s Republic of China increasingly attempts to change the international rules-based order and threatens to undermine European security by supporting Russia’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine and through its escalating hybrid warfare tactics in the Indo-Pacific and South China Sea;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Stands united with Ukraine and resolutely condemns Russia’s illegal war of aggression and the actions of countries such as Belarus, Iran and North Korea that enable Russia's war of aggression; deplores the global consequences of Russia’s illegal war of aggression which is hitting countries and vulnerable societies around the world through increased energy prices and food shortages and which also grossly violates international law and the principles of the UN Charter and undermines European and global security and stability;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Confirms the EU will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes to end Russia’s war of aggression and restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, enabling it to effectively exercise its sovereignty, protect its civilians, document and investigate war crimes and bring those responsible to justice, and fulfil their wish of the people of Ukraine for EU membership;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Suggests that the EU should consider establishing a security and military monitoring mission in Ukraine in order to learn the lessons of the war as soon as possible and to prepare for the challenges ahead;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Calls on China to uphold the rules-based international order, especially the principle of territorial integrity, and to oppose Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine; Condemns China’s aggressive posture in the Strait of Taiwan and the South China Sea, acknowledges that the potential repercussions of destabilisation in the region would directly impact the security of the EU, and thus calls for greater Coordinated Maritime Presences and capacity building with the EU’s partners in the region;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Welcomes the Council’s decision of 4 May 2023 to allocate EUR 40 million under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova and EUR 30 million to support the Georgian Defense Forces; stresses the need to further increase support to these Eastern Partnership countries and to consider providing similar support to Armenia in order to strengthen its defence and security sector;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)

22b. Welcomes the continuous extension of the mandate of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia and regrets that the Mission is unable to enter the Russian-occupied territories of Georgia; considers it important to reinforce the capacity of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia in order to adequately address the security and humanitarian needs of the local population in the conflict-affected territories;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2119(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Bart GROOTHUIS, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Emphasises that the EU must further develop its own capabilities in all domains to enhance its own strategic autonomy and protect the sovereignty of all its Member States, while enhancing its security cooperation with partners across the globe;

2023/10/02
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)

– having regard to the UN Convention against Corruption,

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas victims of corporate abuse often face multiple and overlapping obstacles to accessing remedies and these obstacles are even more severe for vulnerable or marginalised persons or groups; whereas impunity for human rights abuses by transnational corporations remains largely unaddressed in the absence of a robust and comprehensive regulatory framework and alignment at global and regional level;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

B a. whereas, in recent years, the EU has initiated a number of legislative measures aimed at regulating business activities to protect human rights and to establish environmental and climate- related obligations, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, the Regulation banning products made with Forced Labour, the Regulation on Deforestation Free Products, the Conflict Minerals Regulation or the Critical Raw Materials Act;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. ~~whereas the position of the EU and the Member States has marginally evolved in relation to the work of the OEIGWG;~~ whereas, in the absence of a negotiating mandate, the EU representative only participated in the OEIGWG’s sessions as an observer and only contributed general statements;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses that the overall level of enjoyment of human rights worldwide is inevitably contingent, among others, on the behaviour of corporations, given the current scale of globalisation and the internationalisation of business activities and value chains;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Notes, with concern, that many procedural, substantive and practical barriers persist regarding access to justice for victims, including difficulties in identifying the competent court, barriers related to jurisdictional standards, short statutory limitation periods, excessive evidentiary burdens, limited liability owing to the corporate veil, access to legal representation and information, as well as other inequalities between claimants and defendants; emphasises that vulnerable or marginalised persons or groups, who may need additional attention in the context of stakeholder engagement activities, are facing heightened barriers to benefit equitably from compensation payments or other forms of restitution;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the Chair of the OEIGWG and the UN member states to ensure that the negotiations are conducted in a transparent manner, with meaningful engagement with all stakeholders, including civil society, labour unions and the private sector with due attention to vulnerable stakeholders; insists, moreover, on the importance of ensuring active engagement from all regions, with a view to developing an effective instrument that reflects the global diversity of the legal, economic, cultural and political realities affecting human rights and that draws on best practices implemented at domestic and regional level; encourages regional human rights and economic organisations as well as officials to help facilitate this universal engagement;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Recalls that the EU has a Treaty- based commitment to promote human rights worldwide ~~and UN multilateral solutions to common problems~~, which has yet to be reflected in its participation in the OEIGWG with a negotiating mandate;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Underscores that the latest normative developments at EU level on business and human rights ~~have scarc~~are important initial steps but have not adequately addressed access to justice and victims’ rights, which lie at the centre of the LBI as a core human rights treaty; stresses, in this regard, the complementary nature, objectives and scope of both normative tracks, which will operate at different levels;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Believes that the EU should actively engage in the ongoing negotiations, in particular to further develop the draft LBI, while focusing on victims of business-related abuses, dismantling barriers to justice and effective remedy, and enhancing cooperation by drawing on international perspectives and best practices; considers that this engagement would ultimately contribute to securing better implementation and enforcement of human rights internationally, while equally contributing to an international level playing field and delivering a global instrument that is both widely supported and ratified among states across all regions, including but not limited to the European Union, and that remains relevant in the face of constantly evolving business- related threats to human rights;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Welcomes the Council’s commitment that the EU will strengthen its engagement and actively participate in the OEIGWG; considers, however, that the only meaningful and tangible way to enact this stated commitment is by adopting an EU mandate for negotiations; urges, therefore, the Commission to recommend that the Council adopt an ambitious mandate for negotiations as soon as possible so that the EU is able to actively participate in the negotiations with a view to shaping the future LBI~~, which is already at an advanced stage~~;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Calls on the Commission, the European External Action Service and the Member States to engage proactively with all partner states and ~~prioritis~~include the topic in their dialogues with non-EU countries and regional organisations;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Supports a broad scope for the LBI, which aims to cover all business enterprises, including transnational business activities and state-owned enterprises and which allows for differentiation so that obligations are commensurate with enterprise size, sector, operational context and the severity of impacts on human rights; considers that allowing states parties the flexibility to differentiate, under their domestic legislation, how business enterprises discharge the prevention obligations under the LBI, would provide important leeway for national adaptation and would be consistent with the universal scope of the UNGPs;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Regrets the fact that several references to the environment and climate change were removed from the scope of the LBI in the latest draft; considers that the EU and the Member States should strive for the environmental and climate impact of business activities to be included within the scope of the LBI in line with EU legislation;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19 a. Calls for the EU and Member States to strive for a reference on the importance of the fight against corruption along the lines of the UN Convention against Corruption, recognising that corruption facilitates, perpetuates and institutionalises human rights violations;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Believes that the obligation for companies to undertake regular human rights impact assessments prior to and throughout operations, and to take into account the needs of those at heightened risk, constitute particularly important elements for the LBI prevention framework, including by integrating a gender perspective, but also by taking into account issues concerning groups at risk of vulnerability or marginalisation, including indigenous peoples;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Calls for the LBI to provide a central role to affected stakeholders, in particular through the obligation to promote the active and meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders, including trade unions, non-governmental organisations, indigenous peoples and community-based organisations, as well as the private sector, in the implementation of legislation, policies and other measures with special attention to the access to justice and remedies;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23 a. Calls for the LBI to provide a definition for active and meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders, including requirements for interactive processes of engagement conducted in good faith, on an ongoing basis, with proper follow-through, involving the identification and removal of potential barriers to engagement, and ensuring the safe participation of stakeholders without fear of reprisal;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Emphasises the need to ensure that states implement robust and effective, yet practical enforcement and compliance monitoring mechanisms; insists, furthermore, on the need for regular and in- depth reporting to be required from corporations and states parties; is concerned about the risks of forum- shopping and its impact on a level playing field, particularly in the context of the EU, urges EU level instruments to mitigate these risks including a monitoring mechanism through the European Semester for policy coordination;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Expects the EU and the Member States to promote robust provisions on access to justice, including access to state- based judicial remedy, within the LBI, in line with their commitment to protect victims, fight impunity and to uphold~~ing~~ the UNGPs;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2108(INI)

Katalin CSEH, Samira RAFAELA, Charles GOERENS, Anna Júlia DONÁTH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Insists that the LBI should address the practical and procedural obstacles faced by victims of corporate abuse when seeking justice with due attention to vulnerable or marginalized persons or groups;

2023/10/26
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Supports the ongoing negotiations between the EU and Mauritania on the establishment of a status agreement that provides for Frontex deployment in Mauritania; notes, however, that a status agreement can only be established under the condition that it enshrines and adheres to strict fundamental human rights guarantees; and with the inclusion of a clear human rights clause and guarantees of accountability in Mauritania and reporting of human rights violations by Frontex of all their activities concerning migration and asylum in Mauritania;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Calls for the inclusion of an adequate human rights monitoring mechanism of Frontex activities in all Frontex missions through the deployment of Frontex’s Fundamental Rights Monitors in third countries and clear commitments to transparency and information sharing of Frontex activities;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission and the Fundamental Rights Officer to conduct an independent assessment of the human rights situation in Mauritania as regards the treatment of migrants and refugees and inform the European Parliament without delay;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Maintains that the launch of Frontex operational activities under a status agreement should promote fundamental human rights and EU values; considers that any status agreement providing for Frontex operations in third countries should integrate this aspect into their mission;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Considers that Frontex staff who are granted immunity for their activities in Mauritania must continue to be held accountable under EU or Member State law; considers that Frontex staff should not only avoid complicity in human rights violations by Mauritanian security forces, but should actively denounce such actions;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls for clear guidelines and training to be provided to Frontex staff deployed in Mauritania including the establishment of a better understanding of and sensibility for the regional and Mauritanian human rights situation and legal framework as well as of international human rights and humanitarian laws and standards;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on the Commission to provide training to Mauritanian authorities on fundamental rights and the rights and obligations of Mauritanian staff in search and rescue operations, asylum processing and management;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for the establishment of a robust complaint mechanism that is publicly accessible and for an incident reporting mechanism for Frontex activities; considers that this incident reporting mechanism should guarantee the anonymity and confidentiality of individuals reporting on Frontex activities, that infringe on international humanitarian law or violate human rights;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Calls on the EU to provide additional capacity building support to Mauritanian national and civil society human rights organisations; calls on Mauritania to ensure the independence of its judicial and human rights institutions;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Is of the opinion that any Frontex deployment of personnel to Mauritania and the conduct of operational activities with Mauritanian security forces can only take place where guarantees for adequate human rights protection can be ensured for migrants and asylum seekers throughout the entire process of their application or return;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Deplores and strongly condemns the repeated practice by Mauritanian border guards and security staff of pushbacks and refoulement of migrants and asylum seekers;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)

7c. Reiterates and underlines that Frontex should not take part in any form of pushbacks and should publicly denounce such practices when observed or made aware;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Considers that the EU and Frontex should suspend their activities on migration and asylum carried out in cooperation with the Mauritanian authorities in the event of persistent human rights violations, as set out under ICC standards;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Is highly concerned about Mauritania’s and their security forces’ human rights track record, most notably its violations committed between 2020 and 2023 while enforcing migration and border controls, including documented cases of violence and some of torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, prolonged pre-trial detention of people accused of migrant smuggling, abusive detention conditions, extortion and theft, abusive collective expulsions and trafficking into slavery;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Is concerned by the reported misuse of EU material support by the Mauritanian security forces for migration control purposes; calls for the comprehensive monitoring of the use of material support to Mauritanian authorities and that Frontex funding or material support do not contribute to human rights violations in Mauritania;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 – point b

(b) Interrogations will only occur where deemed necessary; torture under any form is actively prosecuted and heavily punished;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 – point e a (new)

(ea) Frontex activities will be documented in a transparent manner;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2087(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Maintains that development cooperation and efforts to tackle the root causes of migration should remain a priority in EU-Mauritania cooperation on migration;

2023/07/06
Committee: AFET

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)

– having regard to the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) of 16 February 2022 in Cases C-156/21 and C-157/216 and the CJEU’s conclusions that the rule-of-law conditionality mechanism is in line with EU law,

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 b (new)

– having regard to the Commission proposal of 18 September 2022 for a Council implementing decision on measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary (COM(2022)0485),

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)

– having regard to Commission communication of 14 December 2020 on the review of the European Union under the Implementation Review Mechanism of the United Nation Conventions against Corruption (UNCAC) (COM(2020)0793),

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 b (new)

– having regard to its recommendation of 17 February 2022 to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning corruption and human rights,

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)

Ib. whereas the ARACHNE is voluntary tool and, although already largely used in cohesion policy and being introduced for agricultural spending, making it mandatory - as repeatedly requested by the Parliament - would be a major step forward;

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas the diversity of legal and administrative systems in the Member States is a disadvantage and whereas it needs to be adequately addressed to be able to create more unified, interoperable and comparable administrative and reporting systems in the EU to effectively prevent and fight in order to overcome irregularities and combat fraud and corruption;

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47

47. Reiterates its strong support for the obligatory use of the single integrated IT system for data-mining and risk-scoring called ARACHNE envisaged by the Financial Regulation recast, which should ensure better protection of the Union’s financial interests;

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)

47a. Emphasizes that the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES), as the EU’s blacklist, has a huge potential flagging people and companies that misuse EU funds; is strongly of the opinion that EDES should be operational not only in direct management but also in indirect and shared management as well;

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54

54. Regrets the fact that the participation of Member States in the EPPO is not obligatory; Remarks that, in 2022, 22 Member States already participated in the EPPO, with the same five countries as in 2021 abstaining; insists that Member States which have not yet participated, must do so without delay; calls on the Commission to incentivise participation in the EPPO through positive measures;

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72

72. Takes note of the Council decision of 16 December 2022 to suspend the disbursement of EUR 6.3 billion of EU funds to Hungary; expects the Commission and the Council to lift the adopted measures only where evidence is collected that the remedial measures adopted by the Hungarian Government have proven effective in practice and, in particular, that no regression has been detected on already adopted measures; regrets, that so far the Hungarian government showed little willingness to fulfil the requirements of the Conditionality mechanism; reiterates, however, its opinion that the 17 measures alone, as negotiated by the Commission and the Hungarian Government, are not sufficient to address the existing systemic risk to the EU’s financial interests and regrets that the Commission did not request sufficient substantial changes and safeguards to restore the independence of the judiciary and reduce the level of corruption;

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 73

73. CRegrets that the Commission is not transparent enough about the relevant developments, therefore calls on the Commission to inform Parliament and the Council swiftly and regularly ~~about any relevant development~~of the ongoing negotiations and reminds the Commission, in particular, of its legal obligations set out in Article 25(2) of the RRF Regulation and Article 8 of the Conditionality Regulation;

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74 a (new)

74a. Calls on the Commission to update the fraud report system for funds spent in non-EU countries; notes that the new system should take into account specific issues that the EU faces when spending money outside EU territory;

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2045(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 78 a (new)

78a. Recommends the suspension of budgetary support in non-EU countries, including candidate countries, where authorities manifestly fail to take genuine action against widespread corruption, while ensuring that the assistance reaches the civil population through alternative channels; calls for greater priority to be given to the fight against corruption in pre-accession negotiations with a focus on capacity building, such as via specialised anti-corruption bodies; calls on the Commission to send clear signals to candidate countries that a backlash against rule-of-law standards is jeopardising or delaying the accession to the EU; regrets the fact that, according to ECA Special Report No 01/2022, EUR 700 million in financial support for the improvement of the rule of law in the Western Balkans provided by the EU between 2014 and 2020 had little impact on fundamental reforms;

2023/10/19
Committee: CONT

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)

– having regard to the OSCE Moscow Mechanism report of 11 May 2023 on the serious threat to the OSCE human dimension in Belarus since 5 November 2020,

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas almost three years after the so-called elections on 9 August 2020, the Belarusian authorities are continuing their repression against the Belarusian people; whereas more than 50 000 Belarusians have been illegally arrested and tortured, more than 1 500 persons remain imprisoned on political grounds and are daily exposed to isolation, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, and around 300 000 have left the country for fear of a similar fate;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas repression expanded to all segments of society - civil society organizations, human rights defenders, charitable organisations, environmental associations, independent trade unions, lawyers of political prisoners, private businesses and independent media - making any form of public dissent liable;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)

Ab. whereas around 1 000 civil organisations were deregistered and closed and over 300 media organisations labelled as extremists; whereas most of civil society organisations and independent media, especially their leaders, were forced to flee Belarus and to relaunch their activities in exile, primarily in Lithuania and Poland; whereas over 30 journalists and media workers remain imprisoned on bogus criminal charges;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)

Ac. whereas four major independent trade unions and the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions were shut down and at least 14 of their leaders and members were imprisoned;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)

Ad. whereas almost 100 Belarusian attorneys were stripped of their licenses;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the Lukashenka regime is dangerously undermining the sovereignty of Belarus by ~~deepening Belarus’ integration into the U~~turning it into a satellite state of Russia and allowing Belarus to be absorbed by Russia into a so-called union Sstate ~~with Russia~~;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas the Lukashenka regime is further destructing manifestation of national identity of Belarusians and is pursuing the aggressive policy of russification and destruction of Belarusian culture;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas religious and ethnic minorities in Belarus, in particular the Lithuanian and Polish minorities, face harassment and restrictions on their rights, such as the right to learn in their own language;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas the Belarusian authorities actively support and have become accomplices in Russia’s unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine; whereas majority of Belarusians are against their country’s participation in this war and demonstrate it by organizing peaceful protests that result in arrests and police misconduct, sabotaging transportation of Russian military equipment and joining or supporting Belarusian regiments fighting alongside Ukrainian armed forces;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas Belarus is the only country in Europe to use capital punishment; whereas recent amendments to the Criminal Code introduced the death penalty for terrorist attacks not resulting in death, attempting terrorist attack or an assassination of a foreign official and treason committed by a state official or a serviceman, with the aim to deter any resistance to the involvement of Belarus into Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)

Db. whereas the Lukashenka regime is actively engaged in Russian efforts to illegally transfer and re-educate Ukrainian children; whereas around 2 000 Ukrainian children, mainly from the territories temporarily occupied by Russia, have been sent to camps and sanatoriums in Belarus, including the Dubrava camp owned by Belarus’s main potash producer Belaruskali;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the leaders of democratic political parties have publicly declared the European aspirations of Belarusians;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas in response to the ongoing repression, the EU and its Member States have adopted a number of restrictive measures against the Lukashenka regime, including sanctions against 195 individuals and 34 entities directly involved into human rights violations and providing support to the regime, and allocated over EUR 100 million to support the people of Belarus and their democratic aspirations;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/2041(INI)

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Katalin CSEH

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)

Ga. whereas as a result of the Western sanctions Belarus’ GDP shrank by 4,7 percent in 2022 or twice less than expected;

2023/06/08
Committee: AFET

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9

(9) The support under the Facility should be provided to meet general and specific objectives, based on established criteria and with clear payment conditions safeguarded by comprehensive audit frameworks. The general objectives of the Facility should be to accelerate regional economic integration, progressive integration with the Union single market, socio-economic convergence of Western Balkans economies and alignment with Union laws, rules, standards, policies and practices with a view to Union membership. The Facility should also help accelerate reforms related to fundamentals of the enlargement process, including rule of law, public procurement and State aid control, public finance management and fight against corruption. These objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10

(10) The Facility should promote the development effectiveness principles, respecting additionality to the support provided under other Union programmes and instruments and ~~striving to avoid~~preventing duplication between assistance under this Regulation and other assistance provided by the Union, the Member States, third countries, multilateral and regional organisations and entities.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11

(11) The Facility should ensure consistency with, and support to the general objectives of Union external action as laid down in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union, including the respect for fundamental rights as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It will notably ensure the protection and promotion of human rights, and the rule of law which are the fundamental political prerequisites of the EU accession process.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)

(13 a) This regulation should promote the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle in order to prepare the Beneficiaries for the future implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16

(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies with enhanced levels of transparency and continuous evaluation by the Commission. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and uphold effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16

(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries ~~continues to~~ respects and upholds effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to national, religious, cultural and sexual minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16

(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries ~~continues to~~ respects and upholds effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21

(21) Restrictions of eligibility in award procedures under the Facility should be allowed on account of the specific nature of the activity or when the activity affects security or public order in due process with adequate means of appeal to avoid arbitrary use of these provisions based on political partiality.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27

(27) The Reform Agendas should include an explanation of the Beneficiary’s system to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, corruption, fraud and conflicts of interests, when using the funds provided under the Facility, and the arrangements that ~~aim to avoid~~should prevent double funding from the Facility and other Union programmes as well as other donors.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47

(47) The Commission should ensure that the financial interests of the Union are effectively protected under the Facility. At the same time, given the long track record of financial assistance provided to the Western Balkans Beneficiaries also under indirect management and taking into account their gradual alignment with the Unions internal control standards and practices, the Commission may rely to a great extent on the operation of the national internal control and fraud prevention systems. In particular, the Commission and OLAF should be informed of all suspected cases of irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflict of interests affecting the implementation of funds under the Facility without delay. The Commission and OLAF should provide evaluation of said fraud prevention systems and offer recommendations for upgrades or fixes to the Beneficiaries in line with the EU acquis in case of deficiencies.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h

(h) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling, and employment policies in line with the respective EU accession priorities;

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4

4. Activities under the Facility shall mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity and environmental protection, human rights, democracy, gender equality and, where relevant, disaster risk reduction, and shall support progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting integrated actions that can create co-benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way. They shall avoid stranded assets, and shall be guided by the principles of ‘do no harm’ ~~and of~~, ‘leaving no one behind’ and the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle, as well as by the sustainability mainstreaming approach underpinning the European Green Deal.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 7

7. Tender applicants and candidates from non-eligible countries may be accepted as eligible ~~in the~~only in substantiated cases of urgency or where services are unavailable in the markets of the countries or territories concerned, or in other duly substantiated cases where application of the eligibility rules would make the realisation of an action impossible or exceedingly difficult, with full transparency and backed by legitimate justification.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)

(c a) the Beneficiary's commitment to the fundamental EU principle of subsidiarity in the distribution of funds within its jurisdiction, preventing regional or political favouritism.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)

(f a) provisions facilitating transparency and accountability through the means of easy public access to information related to the distribution of Facility funds.

2024/02/08
Committee: REGI

2023/0397(COD)