Activities of Richard HOWITT related to 2010/2233(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on European Union relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council PDF (260 KB) DOC (137 KB)
Amendments (8)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
- having regard to the European Parliament's Rocard Report entitled Reform in the Arab world: what strategy should the EU follow? (INI/2006/2172)
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the Gulf region has to be seen today in terms of the emergence of a new global economic hub comprising the member states of the GCC, notes that the EU is the second largest trade partner of the GCC and that the GCC is the fifth largest export market for the EU,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas its geopolitical environment makes the Gulf a focus of security challenges that have global and regional implications (the stabilisation of Iraq, Iran's nuclear programme, Islamistthe search for peace in the Middle East, the continuing threat of terrorism, piracy and the situation in Yemen) and the GCC currently remains the only stable regional organisation based on multilateralism and cooperation,
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Draws attention to the social and political developments that have taken place in recent years in most countries in the Gulf; encourages the Gulf states to sustain and extend their efforts to promote human rights, gender equality, the right to work – including for migrant workers – and freedom of expression and opinion; invites the Gulf states to listen to the voices of civil society and to support the emergence of local structures and associations; in relation to Migrant workers calls for necessary reforms to be made to extend comprehensive protections to domestic workers and to ensure enforcement of the labour laws with respect to all workers, as well as promoting women's entry into the labour force as equals;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on GCC governments to work together and in a spirit of cooperation to tackle human rights concerns in the region especially in relation to equality of the sexes, the situation of the "bidun" group of stateless persons, restrictions to freedom of expression and assembly including trade union rights and the need to ensure the independence of the judiciary and the right to fair and speedy trials; Calls for the proposed increases in political dialogue with the GCC to include dialogue on human rights at a technical and political level;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Restates EU opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases and our call for a global moratorium on the use of the death penalty; deplores in this regard the continuing retention of the death penalty by all Member States of the GCC including in some cases the execution of juveniles; particularly calls on those states which use barbaric methods such as beheading and crucifixion to abolish this practice;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. eExpresses its concern at seeing the Gulf region caught up in an arms race; asks the EU to initiate a strategic dialogue with the GCC states on regional security issues of common interest (Iran's nuclear capability, the stabilisation of Iraq, Islamistthe continuing threat of terrorism and the internal conflict in Yemen, the Middle East Peace Process) and, ultimately, to contribute to building a regional security structure in the Middle East in partnership with the Gulf states; Welcomes the mediation efforts of GCC countries and the leadership of GCC countries within the Saudi Arabian led Arab Peace Initiative; recognises the GCC states’ support for Palestinian refugees (currently home to some 241,000 Palestinians); their support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA); calls for jointly renewed efforts by the EU and the GCC to bring about a negotiated end to the occupation of the Palestinian Territories and provide full support towards a two state solution to the Israel/Palestine conflict;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that education is a national priority in the GCC countries, with high levels of need in terms of human resources (there are not enough teachers), course content (which has not kept pace with changing labour markets) and syllabus quality (teaching methods and materials are out of date); asks that the authorities‘ efforts to address these shortcomings be actively supported and proposes cooperation on an ambitious scale in higher, secondary and primary education to promote greater access to education for both men and women;