Activities of Mónica Silvana GONZÁLEZ related to 2020/2045(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Implementation report on the EU Trust Funds and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey (continuation of debate)
Amendments (58)
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Parliament issued overall positive opinions in 2020 on the requests to extend the EUTFs until the end of 2021, while expressing concerns about the lack of transparency over the implementation of projects, with specific regard to the ones related to border and migration management, and under the condition, in the case of the Africa Trust Fund, of providing mandatory guarantees on the respect of fundamental human rights in all funded projects;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas there are serious concerns that the EUTFs could have contributed to inhumane and degrading treatment and financed actors that have committed human rights violations, such as in Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Niger;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the establishment of both the EUTFs and the Facility for refugees in Turkey (FRT) have been justified by the need for a flexible, ad hoc and swift reaction not possible under the classical institutional framework; and the limited resources and flexibility available in the EU budget; whereas the Lisbon Treaty reinforced the role of the European Parliament to bring more coherence and democratic accountability and whereas the extra-budgetary instruments such as the EUTFs, as well as extraordinary tools such as the FRT, pose challenges with respect to democratic accountability, including the role of the European Parliament and also the integrity and unity of the EU budget;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas the 2016 migration crisis stemming from the Syrian conflict brought nearly 4 million refugees to Turkey, of which about 3.6 million are Syrian refugees and about 360 000 are registered refugees and asylum seekers from other countries, according to UNHCR data;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
D b. whereas the new EU’s external financial framework (NDICI-Global Europe) should overcome the constraints that lead to the need to launch Trust Funds to response in a more flexible and rapid manner to specific crises;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
D c. whereas the primary objective of the Union development cooperation policy is the reduction and, in the long term, the eradication of poverty as enshrined in Article 208 TFEU;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
D d. whereas, according to the Financial Regulation, the EUTFs should be subject to an annual external and independent audit and the European Commission has the power to suspend the financing agreement if the third country breaches an obligation relating to respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law and in serious cases of corruption;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D e (new)
Recital D e (new)
D e. whereas since July 2017, almost €90m has been allocated through the EUTF for Africa to train, equip and support the capacity of the Libyan coastguard for the interception of migrants at sea and land borders and €49m has been allocated to address the conditions in which returnees are detained;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D f (new)
Recital D f (new)
D f. whereas the European Consensus on Development remains the doctrinal framework for EU development policy, and the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid reaffirms the fundamental principles of humanitarian aid;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D g (new)
Recital D g (new)
D g. whereas the EU and its partners in the humanitarian field must be able to ensure assistance and protection based on needs and on respect for the principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity and independence of humanitarian action, as enshrined in international law and in particular in international humanitarian law;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas Parliament, while acknowledging their value-added, has repeatedly voiced the need for enhanced parliamentary scrutiny of the EUTFs and the FRT and for stronger involvement in the preparation and negotiation of future EUTFs and of the extension of existing EUTFs and other financial instruments in the domain of EU external action; whereas, following the adoption of the 2021-27 MFF and the inclusion of the European Development Fund in the EU budget, Parliament’s demands have gained further relevance and legitimacy, taking into account that the biggest share of contributions to the EUTFs are now coming from the EU budget itself, while contributions from Member States represent a very limited share of the total EUTFs’ budget;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Points out that pooling resources from the EDF, the Union budget and other donors in trust funds should not alter the ability of existing EU policies and programmes to pursue their original objectives, such as the eradication of poverty and the promotion of fundamental rights;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Welcomes the new EU external financing instrument, NDICI-Global Europe, as it foresees increasing possibilities within the EU budget to respond to new emergencies;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that Committee Chairs and relevant Members have been granted observer status in meetings of the Strategic Boards of the Trust Funds and in the FRT Steering Committee; notes further that this status has not been formally reflected in the Constitutive Agreements of the Trust Funds; regrets that its call to allow Parliament to monitor the activities of the Operational Committee has not been answered and recalls its request to ensure that the Parliament is represented at these meetings;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Continues to expresses concerns overDeeply regrets the limited role of Parliament in the supervision and scrutiny of the Union contributions to the EUTFs; recalls Parliament’s requestconsiders that the Parliament should be able to monitor the activities of the Operational Committee, and calls on the Commission to provide in good time detailed information on the decisions taken in that Committee and to ensure that Parliament is represented at its meetings;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the Commission’s efforts to closely monitor and evaluate interventions, and to generate knowledge about the activities of the EUTFs and of the FRT, through a dedicated set of reports; hails these efforts to achieve greater transparency by publishing relevant data on the web pages of the EUTFs and the FRT; considers, nevertheless, that the level of detail provided by the Commission with regard to projects related to migration and border management has not always been sufficient for the Parliament to adequately assess the implementation of these instruments;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Regrets the late notice from the Commission on its intention to extend the duration of the EUTFs and the late evaluations of some of the Trust Funds, which did not allow Parliament to arrive at full and precise conclusions in a timely manner in the case of the Trust Fund for Africa;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Recalls that the Parliament considered that, in order to proceed with the extension of the EUTF for Africa and also looking at its future functioning, mandatory guarantees on the respect of fundamental human rights should be provided in all funded projects, with particular attention to migration management, where these have not always been fully respected;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Reiterates Parliament’s insistence that the extension of the EUTFs until December 2021 agreed by the European Parliament be mainly technical to allow for a smooth transition into the new MFF and allowing for an efficient contracting and use of the funds already committed;
Amendment 87 #
7. Considers that the Bêkou Trust Fund has proven its value as an important toolcontributed to address the post- conflict situation in the Central African Republic (CAR); notes that the EUTF made a major contribution to the nexus approach of development and humanitarian needs in the CAR;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9 b. Considers that despite the intervention of the EU and other donors, the situation in the country remains unstable due to the emergence of new conflicts and severe food insecurity;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Stresses the importance of ensuring that humanitarian objectives and principles are met and respected in the implementation of actions under the Trust Fund; recalls that the Trust funds’ objectives should be aligned with those of the Union instruments from which they are funded and, therefore, projects funded under the Madad Trust Fund should promote and protect dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms, promote social and economic inclusion, in particular of minorities and vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, refugees and displaced persons;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12 b. Recalls the vulnerability of the Palestine refugee communities in Syria and the region, and calls for continuous support and to their inclusion in EU’s humanitarian plans and responses around the Syria crisis;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that the Trust Fund for Africa represents an importantshould have represented, under the current circumstances, a tool to provide a swift, flexible and targeted response to emerging challenges and underlines that common, global challenges, such as migration and forced displacement, the impact of climate change and economic crises in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, make this flexibility and rapidity more necessary than ever; stresses, however, that flexibility needs to be always combined with full transparency and accountability of the decision-making process and underlines that focusing priorities on stopping migration flows has led to dangerous perverse effects and a substantial shift away from the original objectives of reducing poverty and tackling the root causes of migration;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the fact that the EUTF for Africa has contributed toidentified the goal of the triple humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach, which was not possible with the EU financial instruments under the previous MFF; notes however that this nexus has often been contradicted and overcome by partnership agreements with actors allegedly responsible for violations of human rights, including training of armed forces and border guards and provision of equipment;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15 b. Is deeply concerned that the need to address the root causes of migration, which includes prioritising development and anti-poverty policies, has often been overtaken by a short term perspective of migration management driven by domestic policy priorities. Considers that this could lead to dangerous perverse effects, including violation of human rights in the context of project implementation. Criticizes the nature of certain projects related to migration and border management, for which adequate information has not been provided to the Parliament and retains it essential to have more precise explanation about suspected human rights violations linked to the EUTF in Libya, Ethiopia and Niger;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15 c. Strongly underlines that funds from the European Development Fund (EDF) and Official Development Assistance (ODA) sources must be devoted to the economic, human and social development of the host country, with particular focus on the development challenges identified in the Trust Fund decision; recalls that funding of the EUTF must be implemented and evaluated on the basis of ODA criteria and that all expenses falling outside this requirement have to be funded from different sources that are pooled in the Trust Fund; stresses, in this regard, the importance of pooling resources from diverse and multiple sources and donors, and recalls that leveraging is one of the foremost reasons for the creation of this instrument devoted to such different and heterogeneous ends; condemns any use of EDF and ODA funds for migration management and control or any other actions without development objectives;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 d (new)
Paragraph 15 d (new)
15 d. Deplores that in several projects, founded under the EUTF Africa, the reduction of migration flows, rather than poverty reduction, has been mentioned as an indicator of success. Stresses that there has been a dangerous shift in priorities away from development policies and considers that this shift risks producing imbalances between countries according to their role in managing migration and readmissions;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 e (new)
Paragraph 15 e (new)
15 e. Notes that in some countries the approval of development projects has taken place in parallel with, and conditional upon, progress in negotiations on return and readmission agreements and strict management of migration flows; stresses that the use of development cooperation as an incentive for migration management undermines meaningful action to address the needs of people in developing countries, the rights of refugees and migrants, and thus also undermines a wide range of rights under the Sustainable Development Goals and moves away from the objectives of tackling inequality and exclusion, promoting democratic governance and human rights, and enhancing sustainable and inclusive development; rejects any kind of conditionality based on EU’s migration and border policies;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that the EUTF for Africa made a major contribution to strengthening resilience and implementing the humanitarian-development nexus in fragile contexts; notes further that it also fostered cooperation between different stakeholders, and allowed contributions from non-EU donors, which in the post- Brexit context have acquired particular importance, and increased the visibility of the issue of migration and forced displacement and the EU’s response to it; regrets at the same time that the monitoring of the implementation of this fund has not been adequate and requests to include S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely) objectives in the project long frames, as well as establish quantifiable targets for evaluating projects;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Denounces the continuing and impressive human rights violations taking place in Libya in the context of the integrated border management actions; underlines that the Libyan Coast Guard regularly continues to be responsible for serious violations of the human rights of migrants, including failure to respect the principle of non-refoulement; stresses that many of the people rescued or intercepted by the coastguard are returned to arbitrary detention in horrendous and shameful conditions in Libya; underlines that in the context of the Emergency Transit Mechanism there are serious concerns to facilitate the return of refugees to countries in which they are not safe, in violation of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Deplores that the EUTF for Africa funded such activities and calls the Commission to suspend this program until there is a real and objective assessment on respect for human rights;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16 b. Welcomes the proposal by the Commission to de-commit funds originating from the EUTF for Africa initially allocated to Eritrea, in particular for the procurement for road renovation that used forced labour;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Reminds that the EUTF for Colombia is established under the Development Cooperation Instrument, and must be aligned to the primary objective of the development policy of the European Union, which remains “the fight against poverty”; stresses furthermore that the respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, the promotion of the rule of law, democratic principles, transparency, good governance, peace and stability and gender equality, are essential and part of the Constitutive Agreement establishing the EUTF;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Regrets the lack of a proper EU responsibility in managing the migration flows and the externalisation of migration management to Turkey; retains that FRT has been established despite the existence of serious concerns about the human rights situation of refugees in Turkey from the perspective of international asylum law; is aware about the role played by FRT in providing support to some 1.8 million of refugees through basic needs support, 668,900 refugee children with educational support, and millions of refugees with healthcare and protection services; expresses its support to Turkish civil society and recalls the laudable efforts played by international organisations in implementing these projects. Considers it important to continue to ensure adequate support for refugees, avoiding that the Turkish government is directly involved in the management and allocation of funds;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21 b. Expresses concerns regarding the degradation of human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law in Turkey and calls on the Commission to ensure that the objectives and the implementation of the FRT are consistent with the EU’s general principles, policies and objectives, including democracy, rule of law and human rights;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 c (new)
Paragraph 21 c (new)
21 c. Deeply regrets that in several occasions the Turkish government used the flows of refugees and the situation of migrants at EU borders as a tool of political pressure against the EU; notes with concern that this tool of pressure used by Turkey posed at risks lives and health of migrants and most vulnerable persons;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 d (new)
Paragraph 21 d (new)
21 d. Recalls the importance of a human, solidary and responsible approach towards the refugees and the migration flows; expresses serious concerns for several cases of expulsion and return of migrants and refugees; reminds that no EU funds should facilitate directly or indirectly any forced returns;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Reiterates its request that Turkey respect the principle of non-refoulement, in particular on the Syrian border, and that it not use the flows of refugees against the EUExpresses its concern about the legal status of Syrian refugees in Turkey, stresses the urgency to ensure that the human rights of migrants and refugees as guaranteed by the 1951 Refugee Convention are fully respected and reiterates its request that Turkey respect the principle of non-refoulement, in particular on the Syrian border. Calls the Turkish authorities to lift Turkey’s geographical limitation to the 1951 Refugee Convention so that Syrians can be recognised as refugees;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Underlines the need to safeguard the humanitarian principles given the involvement of humanitarian aid in the FRT; considers that a strong role of Turkey therein challenges the purely needs-based character and the principles of neutrality, independence and impartiality;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22 b. Considers that a protracted presence of refugees in Turkey needs to build up a nexus between humanitarian assistance and a more developmental focus and help create livelihood opportunities for refugees to improve their self-reliance and social inclusion into their host communities;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 c (new)
Paragraph 22 c (new)
22 c. Regrets that the EU-Turkey statement on refugees is a “de facto” readmission agreement concluded by the EU that has been presented as a statement in order to bypass the legal procedures on the conclusion of readmission agreements set in article79(3) TFEU and the obligation of obtaining prior consent of the EP as required by Article 218 (6)(a)(v) TFEU;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 d (new)
Paragraph 22 d (new)
22 d. Notes that FRT supports only registered refugees, expresses its concerns that many refugees have been left without assistance since registration was made difficult in some provinces and cities;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 e (new)
Paragraph 22 e (new)
22 e. Underlines that the European Court of Auditors Special report No 27/2018 expresses just a partial satisfaction with the efficiency of the humanitarian projects financed by the Facility since they did not consistently and comprehensively assess the reasonableness of the budgeted costs. The report also raises concern about the fact that is not possible to monitor all the humanitarian projects during the audit due to the Turkish authorities’ refusal to grant access to beneficiary data for some of the cash-assistance projects;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 f (new)
Paragraph 22 f (new)
22 f. Requests therefore the Commission to improve monitoring and reporting, by demanding Turkish authorities to grant implementing partners of cash assistance full access to the data on eligible beneficiaries for the sake of accountability, as well as to set parameters to avoid double-funding for the sake of efficiency, as underlined by the European Court of Auditors Special report No 27/2018;
Amendment 218 #
23. Underlines the necessity of better addressing the funding needs in situations of humanitarian and protracted crisis and with a view to the coordination and transition between humanitarian relief, reconstruction and development in a flexible and interconnected manner;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Underlines that any partnership agreement should ensure full protection of human lives, dignity and human rights; deplores that these minimum guarantees were not effectively respected and that migrants and refugees often face inhumane conditions of transfer and detention; calls on the Commission to ensure a transparent risk assessment, carried out by independent EU-bodies and experts on the impact of EU-funded projects on the human rights of migrants and refugees, as well as on the wider population in the country concerned; calls for the establishment of an effective and independent monitoring mechanisms to fully monitor and evaluate the final destination of these funds and protocols for action in the event of violations of fundamental rights;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24 b. Calls on the Commission to withhold or review the cooperation with third countries that do not fully respect fundamental rights, including suspending specific funding and projects which endanger or undermine human rights;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Paragraph 24 c (new)
24 c. Reminds that a trust fund shall only be established and implemented when the existing financing instruments would not be sufficient to achieve policy objectives of the Union, when the Union trust fund would bring clear political visibility for the Union and managerial advantages as well as better control by the Union of risks and disbursements of the Union and other donors’ contributions, when the Union trust fund does not duplicate other existing funding channels or similar instruments without providing any additionality and when the objectives of the trust fund are aligned with the objectives of the Union instrument or budgetary item from which it is funded;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 d (new)
Paragraph 24 d (new)
24 d. Insists that the contribution mechanism to any EUTF or ad hoc instrument should be prepared and negotiated with the full involvement of the European Parliament and the contribution from the Union budget should be clearly defined;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 e (new)
Paragraph 24 e (new)
24 e. Underlines the need to increase the impact and visibility of EU external spending;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 f (new)
Paragraph 24 f (new)
24 f. Calls on the Commission to make the best use of the lessons learnt with the existing EUTFs and the FRT to enhance the synergies and ensure coherence between the EU external funding instruments;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Is confident that the NDICI-Global Europe will allow for increasedsufficient flexibility and responsiveness, allowing to evaluate, with to continue the activities of the existing Trust Funds and thereby safeguard the unhe full involvement of the Parliament, which activities of the existing Trust Funds should continue and which ones should be replaced and thereby safeguard the unity and democratic accountability of the Union budget;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28 a. Calls for more transparency and accountability and a better involvement of the Parliament in the Union trust funds, from the deliberations on the setting-up of any trust fund, the drawing up of the constitutive agreement and the mobilisation of the Union’s contribution, to the implementation, continuation and possible liquidation of any trust fund; calls for a revision of the relevant articles of the Financial Regulation in this respect;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29 a. Considers that partnerships and consequent allocations of resources should not be conditional on the cooperation with the EU’s demands regarding returns and readmission or border management; insists that the EU should work with its partners to develop a political environment of democratic accountability, with the participation of local communities in decision-making processes regarding the use of funds;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Acknowledges that cooperation with representatives of local communities, including locallocal communities and stakeholders, including local government bodies, civil society organisations, NGOs, trade unions and religious leaders, in settings affected by conflict is crucial to foster reconciliation, dialogue and peace;