35 Amendments of Malik AZMANI related to 2019/2135(INI)
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the lasting deterioration in the Union’s strategic environment in the face of multiple challenges directly or indirectly affecting the security of its Member States and citizens: armed conflicts and fragile states immediately to the east and south of the European continent, terrorism and particularly jihadist terrorism, cyber attacks, foreign interference in European political and electoral processes, tensions over EU Member States' energy supply, the rise of organised crime (drug, arms and human trafficking) at the borders and with Europe as its target, weakening of disarmament efforts and international arms control regimes, uncontrolled migration, increasing threats to natural resources, climate change, etc.;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the lasting deterioration in the Union’s strategic environment in the face of multiple challenges directly or indirectly affecting the security of its Member States and citizens: armed conflicts immediately to the east and south of the European continent, jihadist terrorism, cyber attacks, uncontrolled migration and in particular migration facilitated by transnational organized crime networks, increasing threats to natural resources, climate change, etc.;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the lasting deterioration in the Union’s strategic environment in the face of multiple challenges directly or indirectly affecting the security of its Member States and citizens: armed conflicts immediately to the east and south of the European continent, jihadist terrorism, cyber attacks, hybrid threats, uncontrolled migration, increasing threats to natural resources, energy insecurity, climate change, etc.;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that global actors (the US, China, Russia) and an increasing number of regional actors (Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc.) are seeking to assert power through a combination of unilateral diplomatic posturing, destabilizing activities of a primarily hybrid nature and increasing military military build-ups;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that some global actors (the US, China, Russia) and an increasing number of regional actors (Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc.) are seeking to assert power through a combination of unilateral diplomatic posturing and increasing military military build-ups;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Underlines the growing geopolitical importance of the Arctic and its effect on the security situation in EU and globally; urges the EU to work towards a more coherent EU internal and external policy, an Arctic strategy and a concrete action plan on the EUs engagement in the Arctic taking into account also the security and geostrategic aspect; notes the EU’s capacity to contribute to the resolution of potential security and geostrategic challenges;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Deplores the fact that, in this context, some of these actors are deliberately circumventing or attempting to destroy the multilateral mechanisms essential to maintaining peace;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Is concerned about the activities and policies by Russia that continue to destabilise and change the security environment; stresses that Russia´s occupation in Ukraine is still ongoing, the Minsk agreements have not been implemented and the illegal annexation and militarisation of Crimea and Donbass are continuing; is concerned about the continuing frozen conflicts kept by Russia in Europe (in Moldova, Georgia); stresses the need to have a common voice as regards EUs policy in that context;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes, in this adverse and volatile context, the belated but real the recognition of shared security interests and the growing political will on the part of European countries and the European institutions to act collectively for their security by endowing themselves with greater means to act autonomously;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is convinced that the response to the Union’s security challenges lies primarily in strengthening its strategic autonomy and its ability to work in strategic partnership with others, especially with NATO;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that the ambition of achieving European strategic autonomy was recognised for the first time in June 2016 by the 28 Heads of State and Government in the ‘Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy’, presented by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) on 28 June 2016; believes that any upcoming review of the 2016 EU Global Strategy should focus on increasing the effectiveness of the practical and operational implementation of European strategic autonomy rather than lead to an overhaul of its orientations;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Considers, therefore, that European strategic autonomy is based, above all, on the ability of the Union to assess a crisis situation and take a decision autonomously, which necessarily entails an independent decision-making process, the availability of means of assessment and a freedom to analyse and take action; considers, also, that European strategic autonomy is based on the ability of the Union to act alone when its interests are at stake (theatres of operations not considered as priorities by its European partners) or within the framework of existing cooperation arrangements; considers, lastly, that European strategic autonomy is part of a multilateral framework which respects commitments within the UN and complements the (NATO)NATO, and alliances and partnerships to which most Member States are signed up; stresses that strategic autonomy does not and should not mean that the Union will systematically act alone, everywhere and always;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Stresses that in order to increase EU´s strategic autonomy, Member States need to increase their defence spending and aim for the target of 2% of GDP; considers that increased investment in security and defence is a matter of urgency for the Member States and the EU and that defence solidarity and cooperation should become the norm;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. ConsiderReiterates that the principle of European strategic autonomy is a legitimate and necessary ambition and that it must remain a priority objective of European defence policy; stresses that its practical and operational implementation is a common responsibility of European sfalls to both the EU and its Member States;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers that Europe’s defence is based largely on the Union’s capacity to intervene militarily, in a credible manner, in external theatres of operations; notes the importance of exchange of information with NATO in this context;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Stresses that, since the adoption of the 2016 EU Global Strategy, the proliferation of regional and local conflicts, not least in the vicinity of our immediate neighbourhood, poses many challenges for the Union's security, as they have often splill-over effects; considers, in this regard, that the Union should become a more robust actor in crisis management, confict resolution and in peace-keeping, whenever possible in concert with other regional and international organisations such as the UN and the African Union, in line with its commitments towards multilateralism, but also on its own, when the situation so requires;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses the Union’s comprehensive commitment in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa through six civilian (EUCAP Mali, EUCAP Niger, EUCAP Somalia) and military (EUTM Mali, EUTM Somalia, ATALANTA) missions; welcomes and encourages the efforts made to regionalise the functioning of civilian missions in the Sahel in the face of security challenges extending beyond those countries where European missions are deployed and welcomes EU support for the G5 Sahel operation;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Reiterates the strategic importance of the Eastern Europe and Western Balkans for the stability and security of the EU and the need to focus and strengthen the EU´s political engagement towards these regions, including the strong mandate for the EU´s CSDP missions;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes with concern that the effectiveness of the most recent CSDP civilian and military operations has been hampered by persistent structural weaknesses and calls for the creation of a common EU solution to them;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Recalls the importance of organising and executing joint training and exercises between European armed forces, thereby promoting organizational, procedural and technical interoperability, with a view to maximising mission preparedness and addressing a broad range of threats, both conventional and non- conventional;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Questions the appropriateness of continuing certain missions; believes that the Union should concentrate its efforts on missions where it generates the highest added value; is in favour of the establishment of and compliance with objective criteria to measure that added value and decide whether to pursue a mission;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Notes the failure of the Union’s battlegroup project; the battlegroups have never been deployed since their creation in 2007, owing in particular to opposition on the part of all the Member States and the complexity of their implementation and funding, which is at odds with the original objective of speed and efficiency; calls for a re-evaluation and reinvigoration of the battlegroup project based on past lessons learned;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Notes the failure of the Union’s battlegroup project; the battlegroups have never been deployed since their creation in 2007, owing in particular to opposition on the part of allthe reticence of the Member States and the complexity of their implementation and funding, which is at odds with the original objective of speed and efficiency;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Expects the Union to make effective use of all existing CSDP policy instruments in the areas of diplomacy, cooperation, development, humanitarian aid, conflict management and peacekeeping; stresses that CSDP military and civilian instruments cannot, under any circumstances, be the only solution to security issues and that a ‘comprehensive approach’ should always be adopted; considers that only the use of all these instruments on the basis of a ‘comprehensive approach’ will provide the flexibility needed to effectively achieve the most ambitious security objectives;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Welcomes the significant reversal of the trend of cutting defence budgets; is of the opinion that this should be supported and encouraged at Union level; encourages Member States to increase their defence spending to 2% of GDP;
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal of June 2017 to create a European Defence Fund (EDF), which would foster cooperation between Member States and support the European defence industry; notes that this proposal is the first initiative for which Community funds are to be used in direct support of defence projects; recognises that this is a major step forward for European defence, from both a political and an industrial perspective; notes that the EDF could financebe involved in the financing of research and the development of structural projects such as the future European aircraft or tank or a European anti-missile defence capability; notes that the 2019 work programme for the preparatory action will focus on electromagnetic spectrum dominance and future disruptive defence technologies, two key areas for maintaining Europe’s technological independence in the long term; welcomes, also, the adoption by the Commission in March 2019 of the first European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) and the publication of nine calls for proposals for 2019, including for the Eurodrone, which is a key capability for Europe’s strategic autonomy; points out that 12 further calls for proposals will follow in 2020, covering priority areas in all domains (air, land, sea, cyber and space); notes the link between the procurement decisions taken today by the Member States and the prospects for industrial and technological cooperation under the EDF;
Amendment 339 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal of June 2017 to create a European Defence Fund (EDF), which would foster cooperation between Member States and support the European defence industry; notes that this proposal is the first initiative for which Community funds are to be used in direct support of common EU defence projects; recognises that this is a major step forward for European defence, from both a political and an industrial perspective; notes that the EDF could finance structural projects such as the future European aircraft or tank or a European anti-missile defence capability; notes that the 2019 work programme for the preparatory action will focus on electromagnetic spectrum dominance and future disruptive defence technologies, two key areas for maintaining Europe’s technological independence in the long term; welcomes, also, the adoption by the Commission in March 2019 of the first European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) and the publication of nine calls for proposals for 2019, including for the Eurodrone, which is a key capability for Europe’s strategic autonomy; points out that 12 further calls for proposals will follow in 2020, covering priority areas in all domains (air, land, sea, cyber and space); notes the link between the procurement decisions taken today by the Member States and the prospects for industrial and technological cooperation under the EDF;
Amendment 374 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Stresses the still virtual nature of the European Defence Fund; points out that that this instrument has not yet been finally approved, with only partial and political agreement having been given in April 2019; stresses the importance of maintaining Parliament’s position concerning the amount of the EDF, the involvement of third countries and the establishment of an appropriate intellectual property policy in relation to security and defence in order to protect research results; draws attention, in that connection, to the highly sensitive and strategic nature of defence research, both for industrial competitiveness and for the strategic autonomy of the Union; calls for the initial lessons learned from the implementation of the EDIDP (in particular concerning the application of derogations for eligible entities), the pilot project and the preparatory action on defence research to be properly taken into account; calls on the Member States to be fully involved in the decision-making process in order to avoid bureaucratic excesses and to ensure that the programmes included address the strategic needs of the CSDP and the Member States; considers that the success of the EDF will depend on its ability to cater for the specific defence needs of the participating states and to guarantee the availability of sufficient budgetary resources, whilst ensuring that industrial know-how is not duplicated, national defence investment is not crowded out and, cooperation does not become over-complicated and is based on common EU armament and military equipment standardisation and interoperability; considers that developing the European defence industry by regulating access for entities controlled by non-EU third parties to projects financed by the Fund is fully consistent with the European ambition of strategic autonomy;
Amendment 402 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Believes that the Union and its Member States face an unprecedented threat in the form of cyber attacks as well as cyber crime and terrorism; believes that the nature of cyber attacks makes them a threat that requires a Union-level response including common analytic support capabilities; encourages the Member States to provide mutual assistance in the event of a cyber attack against any one of them;
Amendment 405 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 a (new)
Paragraph 50 a (new)
50a. Considers it vital that the EU and NATO continue and step up the sharing of intelligence in order to enable the formal attribution of cyber attacks and consequently enable the imposing of restrictive sanctions on those responsible for cyber attacks; deems it necessary to continue active interaction between EU and NATO by participating in cyber exercises, joint trainings and keeping up active interaction in the field of cyber security and defence;
Amendment 422 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52 b (new)
Paragraph 52 b (new)
52b. Underlines that as the risk of proliferation and use of chemical weapons poses a serious threat to international peace and security the EU needs to continue its strong and consistent support to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the implementation of its mandate, politically and financially and the EU must step up the its resilience to hybrid and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear-related threats;
Amendment 434 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. Considers that European strategic autonomy must be based on sustainable cooperation and strategic partnerships with countries and organisations sharing the Union’s values, most importantly with NATO; welcomes, further, the contributions made by CSDP partners to Union missions and operations;
Amendment 456 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
59. Stresses the importance of cooperation between the Union and other international institutions, in particular the African Union and the OSCE; considers that the Union should also strengthen dialogue and cooperation with third countries in the regionthat share their values and strategic priorities and with regional and sub-regional organisations;
Amendment 481 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Considers that progress in European defence will pave the way for major structural changes; notes the announcement of the creation of a Directorate-General for Defence and Space at the Commission under the responsibility of the Commissioner-designate for the Internal Market; notes that this new DG should be responsible for supporting, coordinating or complementing the Member States’ actions in the area of European defence and would thus contribute to strengthening European strategic autonomy; notes the definition of its five main tasks (implementation and oversight of the EDF, creation of an open and competitive European defence equipment market, implementation of the action plan on military mobility, enhancement of a strong and innovative space industry, implementation of the future space programme), but calls on the Commission to provide further details on the role and responsibilities of the new DG; Wonders how it will coordinate its work with that ofstresses the need for coordination with other defence policy structures which have other responsibilities (EDA, EEAS, etc.);