31 Amendments of Michael GAHLER related to 2022/0000(INI)
Amendment 72 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas each EU institution should act within the limits of the powers conferred on it by the Treaties and in conformity with the procedures, conditions and objectives set out in themwe are witnessing the most direct threat to our territorial security since the end of the Second World War, whereas in such a situation each EU institution should make full use of the powers conferred on it by the Treaties in order to jointly resolve the current conflict and confrontation as well as to strengthen EU’s capacities in security and defence; whereas the current crisis has shown the limitations of the EU budget, notably given the on-going discussion on what kind of military equipment or support can be provided by the EU; whereas the institutions should practice mutual sincere cooperation;
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point c
Paragraph 1 – point c
(c) introduce qualified majority voting for certain foreign policy areas, as already provided for in the Treaties, for example the adoption of EU personal sanctions regimes, human rights and local EU statements in third countries, and strive to extend it in order to increase the effectiveness of EU foreign policy;
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
(d) make swift progress in establishing a defence union as soon as possible, with more ambitious short, medium and long- term objectives, which would serve as a starting point for implementing a common EU defence, in line with the provision laid down in Article 42(2) TEU;
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) establish a regular EU Defence Minister Council;
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point d b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point d b (new)
(db) merge the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) and the Civil Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) to a fully-fledged civil-military operational headquarter that is capable of conducting non- executive as well as executive military operations reflecting the EU’s unique ability to comprehensively engage in crisis management; underlines the necessity of such a capability with regard to the envisaged Rapid Deployment Capacity;
Amendment 125 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point d c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point d c (new)
(dc) swiftly implement the Commission’s Defence Package foremost with regard to the VAT waiver to support joint procurement and joint ownership of defence capabilities developed in a collaborative way within the EU;
Amendment 126 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point d d (new)
Paragraph 1 – point d d (new)
(dd) complement the European Defence Fund with a joint procurement mechanism to be coordinated by the European Defence Agency in order to make full use of the technologies developed within the EU framework;
Amendment 127 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point d e (new)
Paragraph 1 – point d e (new)
(de) strengthen Commission structures and processes relevant to security and defence policy, notably with regard to the implementation of the Defence Package and the Commission’s Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries by establishing direct consultation mechanisms with the military strategic level of the EU (EUMC/EUMS) and interlinking with civilian EU actors;
Amendment 133 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) work together with like-minded partners around the globe in order to defend the rules-based international order, thus promoting and defending peace, democratic values and principles and respect for human rights;
Amendment 177 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) draw lessons from the use of the European Peace Facility in order to better support Ukraine, increase its funding and other partners in the field of security and defence, significantly increase its funding, notably for the European Peace Facility which requires an increase for the remainder of the 2021- 2027 financial period, and build on the clearing house mechanism which was first implemented with Ukraine;
Amendment 187 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point i
Paragraph 1 – point i
(i) improvesubstantially improve and extend intelligence sharing among the Member States and engage in a systematic, regular and frequent updates of the threat analysis included in the Strategic Compassby establishing a voluntarily accessible information exchange platform; underlines the added-value in particular with regard to systematic, regular and frequent updates of the threat analysis included in the Strategic Compass; stresses that the threat analysis should evolve towards a joint threat assessment which would strengthen EU’s strategic culture and provide guidance for prioritising policy objectives in the field of security and defence;
Amendment 196 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point j
Paragraph 1 – point j
(j) work swiftly on the most urgent aspects of the strategic compass, including the operationalisation of Article 42(7), concrete steps to strengthen the resilience of our critical infrastructure, precise and firm commitments from Member States as regards defence spending, enhanced efforts to promote strategic communication, a strengthened toolbox to tackle hybrid and cyber threats and to fight disinformation and the establishment of rapid deployment capacity by 2025; improve the security of supply, especially with regard to raw materials required for defence purposes, precise and firm commitments from Member States as regards defence spending, joint efforts to address capability shortfalls, notably in the area of strategic enablers, enhanced efforts to promote strategic communication, a strengthened toolbox to tackle hybrid and cyber threats and to fight disinformation and the establishment of rapid deployment capacity by 2025; while welcoming the increased ambition of Member States with the set-up of the Rapid Deployment Capacity notes with a certain degree of regret that the concept is based on Art. 44 and draws on the Battlegroup concept as with regard to the latter the intended provision of two battlegroups by Member States proved increasingly difficult; points out that in light of the current threat to peace and security in Europe an even more ambitious step forward in European security would have been required by setting-up the Rapid Deployment Capacity as a permanently stationed force making full use of all funding possibilities provided by the treaties; underlines that such a permanent force structure would not undermine or duplicate NATO structures as it could also be deployed for tasks in support of NATO;
Amendment 204 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point j a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point j a (new)
(ja) improve funding possibilities for the European defence industry by removing military equipment from the list of excluded activities of the European Investment Bank;
Amendment 205 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point j b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point j b (new)
(jb) assess progress made in capability development with regard to the 11 priorities identified in the 2018 Capability Development Plan and thoroughly evaluate the contribution of PESCO projects to that end which should also include the option of closing of projects that do not provide added- value to the capability needs or lack adequate progress;
Amendment 206 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point j c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point j c (new)
(jc) counter strategic dependencies on raw materials and precursors within the supply chains of the European defence industry by setting-up a stockpiling mechanism to ensure availability of these materials in order to being able to increase production of defence products in case of need;
Amendment 209 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point k
Paragraph 1 – point k
(k) immediately present and agree on a detailed plan on how to operationalise the mutual defence provisions contained in Article 42(7) TEU, taking into account the special position on non-NATO EU Member States and the commitments that those Member States that are NATO allies have made to the alliance; recalls that defending Europe is first and foremost an obligation for all European democracies, recalls that this obligation also must be matched with adequate financial and capability ambitions; expresses its sincere gratitude for the renewed US assistance and cooperation when it comes to protecting and providing for European territorial defence;
Amendment 233 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
(ma) ensure availability and adequate readiness of sufficient reserves to EUFOR Althea in case of a deteriorating security situation in Bosnia Herzegovina;
Amendment 234 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point m b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point m b (new)
(mb) strengthen the resilience of CSDP missions and operations on the ground against cyber and hybrid attacks, such as disinformation campaigns designed to damage their credibility in the eyes of the local populations;
Amendment 235 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point m c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point m c (new)
(mc) review the mandate of the CSDP missions and operations on the African continent to align with the current needs and to counter the rapidly emerging threats and the growing influence of third parties in the region; strengthen our support to partner countries by providing the necessary capabilities and resources in order to jointly address the challenges of an increasingly unstable security environment;
Amendment 246 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point o
Paragraph 1 – point o
(o) enhance air and missile defence capacities, especially for vulnerable regions in the European Union; points out that this needs to be pursued in a coordinated manner and in close cooperation with NATO as unilateral initiatives by Member States would create zones of different security in Europe that are unacceptable; highlights the importance of the PESCO project Timely Warning and Interception with Space- based TheatER surveillance (TWISTER) and calls for enhanced efforts in its implementation;
Amendment 254 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) swiftly finalise work on a substantial third EU- NATO joint declaration and ensure that the objectives and priorities of the Strategic Compass are duly taken into account when the NATO strategic concept is drafted;
Amendment 259 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point p a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point p a (new)
(pa) establish strong linkage between the EU’s Headline Goal process, the Capability Development Plan and the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence process and NATO’s defence planning process in order to ensure joint and coordinated efforts in closing capability gaps and strengthening European defence capacities;
Amendment 261 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point q
Paragraph 1 – point q
(q) significantly increase funding for and speed up the implementation of projects related to military mobility; in close coordination with NATO; underlines the crucial importance of improving Europe’s transport infrastructure and streamlining customs procedures in order to being able to deploy troops throughout Europe in a timely manner; highly welcomes the participation of the US, Canada and Norway in the PESCO project on military mobility;
Amendment 274 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point s
Paragraph 1 – point s
(s) increase defence spending in order to meet at least the target of 2 % of GDP and ensure that these additional resources are used in a coordinated and cooperative manner making full use of EU instruments in the area of defence in order to overcome capability shortfalls and to strengthen European defence;
Amendment 281 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point s a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point s a (new)
(sa) recalls the important role of national parliaments in NATO Member States and underlines the key role the NATO Parliamentary Assembly can play and thus calls for a further strengthening of the European Parliament’s relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly;
Amendment 285 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point t
Paragraph 1 – point t
(t) involve Parliamentthe European Parliament and its relevant committees and interparliamentary delegations in the proper further implementation and scrutiny of the European Peace Facility and key aspects of the Strategic Compass;
Amendment 287 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point w
Paragraph 1 – point w
(w) make appropriate assessments of the common financial means of the Union and the instruments needed for an adequateffective and credible EU security and defence policy;
Amendment 290 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point w a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point w a (new)
(wa) revise the Multiannual Financial Framework in order to provide the necessary funds for EU instruments in the area of defence, most notably the European Defence Fund, the European Peace Facility and Military Mobility;
Amendment 292 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point x
Paragraph 1 – point x
(x) make full use of the possibilities for funding from the Union’s budget provided for by the Treaties in order to facilitate live exercises, force generation and military deployments;
Amendment 297 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point y
Paragraph 1 – point y
(y) ensure that the budget proposal for 2023 includes appropriate funding for the European Defence Agency, the Permanent Structured Cooperation, the envisaged EU Rapid Deployment Capacity and NATO support capacities under the CFSP budget and, under that same title and under other titles as appropriate, funding for the initiatives referred to above;
Amendment 301 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point z
Paragraph 1 – point z
(z) strengthen the European Defence Fund, reduce the bureaucratic burden on companies applying for calls, especially with regard to SMEs, and increase the number of collective defence industry projects;