38 Amendments of Marie-Agnes STRACK-ZIMMERMANN
Amendment 5 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
– having regards to the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War,
Amendment 72 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas liberal democratic systems are the most suitable to guarantee that every person has the ability to enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms; whereas rules-based multilateralism is the best organisational system to defend democracies;
Amendment 122 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas the past year has been marked by a further proliferation of so- called “foreign agent” or foreign influence style laws, including in EU candidate countries, targeting civil society organizations and media outlets, and attempts to prevent them from receiving financial support from abroad, including from the EU and its Member States, fostering a climate of fear and self- censorship;
Amendment 124 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)
Recital I b (new)
Ib. whereas in 2024 more than half the world’s population went to the polls, and many of these elections were marked by manipulation, disinformation and attempts at interference from inside or outside the country; whereas the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was awarded to Venezuela’s democratic forces, disqualified opposition’s presidential candidate María Corina Machado and President-elect Edmundo González;
Amendment 125 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I c (new)
Recital I c (new)
Ic. whereas the 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warns of a decline in the intent of states and other political forces to protect press freedom; whereas, according to RSF, 47 journalists and media workers were killed, most of them in conflict zones, and 573 were imprisoned since 1st of January 2024;
Amendment 126 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I d (new)
Recital I d (new)
Id. whereas at least one million people are unjustly imprisoned for political reasons in countries such as China, Belarus, Russia, Azerbaijan, Venezuela, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Cambodia and Vietnam; whereas among them are numerous finalists of the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, in particular, Gubad Ibadoghlu, Ilham Tohti, Mikalai Statkevich, Maryia Kalesnikava, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, and Ales Bialiatski;
Amendment 127 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I e (new)
Recital I e (new)
Ie. whereas 251 million children and youth are deprived of their fundamental right to education and remain out of school, according to the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2024; whereas, in addition to poverty, girls and women are affected by cultural norms, gender bias, child marriage, violence and, in countries such as Afghanistan, by official discriminatory policies that prevent them from accessing education and the labour market and attempt to erase them from public life;
Amendment 278 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates its concern regarding the increasing attacks by authoritarian and illiberal regimes on democratic principles and values; stresses that the defence and support of democracy around the world is increasingly becoming of geopolitical and strategic interest; emphasises the importance of Parliament’s efforts in capacity-building for partner parliaments, promoting mediation and encouraging a culture of dialogue and compromise, especially among young political leaders, and empowering women parliamentarians, HRDs and representatives from civil society and independent media; reiterates its call on the Commission to continue and expand its activities in these areas by increasing funding and support for EU bodies, agencies and other grant-based organisations; stresses the critical importance of directly supporting civil society and persons expressing dissenting views, particularly in the current climate of growing global tensions and repression in increasing numbers of countries; reiterates the importance of EU election observation missions and Parliament’s contribution to developing and enhancing their methodology; calls for the development of an EU toolbox to be used in cases of disputed or intransparent election results in order to prevent political and military crises in the post-election environment; calls for enhanced EU action to counter manipulative and false messages against the EU in election campaigns, in particular in countries that receive significant EU humanitarian and development assistance and in countries that are candidates for EU membership; calls for enhanced collaboration between Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group, the relevant Commission directorates-general and the EEAS;
Amendment 292 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Is extremely concerned by the continuing restriction of civil society space and rising threats to the work of HRDs, as well as their families, communities and lawyers, and finds particularly concerning the increasingly sophisticated means used to persecute them, such as the so-called “foreign agent” laws; supports wholeheartedly the work of HRDs and EU action to ensure their protection worldwide; calls for the complete and consistent application of the EU Guidelines on HRDs by the EU and its Member States; calls for efforts to strengthen the visibility of EU actions and channels for the protection and support of HRDs:
Amendment 374 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes with concern the increasing disregard for international humanitarian law and international human rights law, particularly in the form of ongoing conflicts around the world; underlines that it is of the utmost importance for humanitarian aid agencies to be able to provide full, timely and unhindered assistance to all people in vulnerable situations and calls on all parties to armed conflicts to protect civilian populations and, humanitarian and medical workers and journalists and media workers; calls upon all states to unconditionally and fully conform with international humanitarian law; calls upon the international community and the Member States in particular to promote accountability and the fight against impunity for grave breaches of international humanitarian law; calls for the systematic creation of humanitarian corridors in regions at war and in combat situations, whenever necessary, in order to allow civilians at risk to escape conflicts, and strongly condemns any attacks on them; demands unhindered access to humanitarian organizations monitoring and assisting the prisoners of war as provided for in the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War; expresses its concern at the reported abuses and shortcomings of the Russian Red Cross in assisting Ukrainian prisoners of war and informing their families of their place of detention, and expects the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IFRC) to take prompt action in accordance with its constitution; calls for international cooperation and assistance in the return of forcibly deported and illegally adopted Ukrainian children from the Russian Federation;
Amendment 399 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Recognises the potential for stronger alignment in approaches to human rights protection and promotion between Member States’ embassies and EU delegations in non-EU countries, particularly in encouraging those countries to comply with their international obligations and to refrain from harassment and persecution of critical voices; emphasises the opportunity for Member States’ embassies to take an increasingly active role in advancing and safeguarding human rights, while also supporting civil society in these countries; calls on the EU and its Member States to use all possible means to encourage countries to release political prisoners; highlights the importance of shared responsibility between Member States and EU delegations in these efforts; calls for the EU and its Member States to intensify their collective efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and to support democracy worldwide;
Amendment 416 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Condemns any action or attempt to legalise, instigate, authorise, consent or acquiesce to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment methods under any circumstances; condemns the increasing reports of the use of torture by state actors in conflict situations around the world, notably violation of the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War, as well as the killing of prisoners of war amounting to a crime of war, and reiterates the non-derogable nature of the right to be free from torture or other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment;
Amendment 453 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Stresses the importance of closing the financing gap that would enable countries to meet their SDG 4 targets on quality education and ensure access to education for all children and youth; reiterates its calls to address cultural norms and gender bias that prevent girls and women from receiving an education and urges the creation of gender- responsive education systems worldwide;
Amendment 462 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Stresses that women’s rights and gender equality are indispensable and indivisible human rights, as well as a basis for the rule of law and inclusive resilient democracies; deplores the fact that millions of women and girls continue to experience discrimination and violence, especially in the context of conflicts, and are denied their dignity, autonomy and even life; calls for the EU, its Member States and like- minded partners to step up their efforts to ensure the full enjoyment and protection of women’s and girls’ human rights; condemns in the strongest terms the increasing attacks on sexual and reproductive health and rights around the world, as well as gender-based violence; welcomes the accession of the EU to the Istanbul Convention; urges the remaining EU Member States to ratify the Istanbul Convention without further delay; calls for the EU and its international partners to strengthen their efforts to ensure that women fully enjoy human rights and are treated equally to men; stresses the need to pursue efforts to fully eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation; strongly condemns the Taliban's policies towards women and girls, which amount to gender apartheid, and calls for continued and increased EU support to provide Afghan girls and women with the means to access education and the labour market;
Amendment 626 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Emphasises the critical significance of freedom of expression and access to trustworthy information for sustaining democracy and a thriving civic space; is seriously concerned about the increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in numerous countries worldwide, particularly for journalists, through censorship, enforced self-censorship, so- called “foreign agent” laws and the misuse of counter-terrorism or anti- corruption laws to suppress journalists and civil society groups; raises concerns, additionally, about the physical security of journalists and media workers and their being targeted in conflict zones;
Amendment 101 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – indent -1 (new)
Paragraph 2 – indent -1 (new)
– achievements of the EU enlargement policy, particularly 20th anniversary of the “big bang” enlargement when ten countries joined the EU; reiterates that enlargement is of the utmost strategic importance for the EU as it represents a geostrategic investment in long-term peace, democracy, stability, security, climate protection and prosperity across the continent and all the more so in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and other common geopolitical challenges; stresses that preparation for enlargement requires reforms on the EU side and calls on the EU Institutions and Member States to undertake the necessary reforms to ensure that their absence does not delay the accession of new Member States;
Amendment 159 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – indent 7
Paragraph 2 – indent 7
– the decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova; commends the fact that the CFSP alignment rate of Moldova has substantially increased from 54 % in 2022 to 86 % in 2024; welcomes the results of the constitutional referendum in Moldova, expressing the will of the people to join the EU; calls for the acceleration of the screening process and the timely organisation of the subsequent intergovernmental conferences;
Amendment 202 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 2
Paragraph 3 – indent 2
– the role of the illegitimate regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka in effectively surrendering national sovereignty to the Kremlin in order to maintain its grip on Belarus and its active support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; reiterates its call for EU sanctions against Belarus to be extended by mirroring EU sanctions against Russia; calls for continued support from the EU and Member States for Belarusian democratic forces, political prisoners and their families; given the repressive environment in Belarus, does not believe that the announced presidential election to be held in January 2025 will be free or fair;
Amendment 210 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 2 a (new)
Paragraph 3 – indent 2 a (new)
– North Korean interference in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine by sending military equipment and ammunition to Russia as well as by sending thousands of soldiers to train in eastern Russia and join the fight against Ukraine;
Amendment 251 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 5
Paragraph 3 – indent 5
– Iran’s persistent non-compliance with its legal safeguard obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the advancement of its nuclear programme beyond all credible civilian justification; expresses concern at the growing military cooperation between Iran and Russia, in particular the intention to sign a treaty on a comprehensive strategic partnership, and strongly condemns Iran’s provision of drones and ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine and its people;
Amendment 284 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 8
Paragraph 3 – indent 8
– the increasing breadth and intensity of operations of Chinese Government vessels and aircraft, FIMI and cyber- attacks intimidating China’s neighbours; denounces the government-led system of forced labour and China’s crimes against humanity in Xinjiang;
Amendment 381 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
– the fact that the law on ‘transparency of foreign influence’, the law on ‘family values and protection of minors’, as well as the changes to the Electoral Code in Georgia, are incompatible with EU values and democratic principles; recalls that Georgia’s bid for accession to the EU will be assessed on the basis of its own merits and of the country’s success in meeting the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership; deeply regrets the uneven playing field in the recent parliamentary elections, the divisive campaign rhetoric that further polarised the population, and the reported irregularities that raise concerns about the ability of some voters to cast their ballot without fear of retribution; calls on the Georgian authorities to heed the will of the Georgian people to join the EU and therefore to ensure free and fair elections, to stop democratic backsliding, to abandon the laws that jeopardise Georgia’s European future and to pursue pro-European democratic reforms;
Amendment 458 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for the EU and its Member States to provide continuous and timely humanitarian assistance, military support, economic and financial aid and political support in every possible way until Ukraine’s victory in order to ultimately stop Russia’s war of aggression and allow Ukraine to liberate all its people and re- establish full control within its internationally recognised borders; underlines in particular the urgent need to provide Ukraine with increased air defence capacities to defend its critical energy infrastructure ahead of the forthcoming winter, and calls on the Member States to immediately lift restrictions on the use of Western weapons systems delivered to Ukraine against legitimate military targets on Russian territory;
Amendment 459 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls for action by the EU and the Member States to address Russian violations of the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War, in particular denial of access to humanitarian organisations, medical treatment of prisoners and executions of prisoners; reiterates its call for the necessary measures to be taken to return forcibly deported and illegally adopted Ukrainian children from Russia or occupied Ukrainian territory; deplores Russian actions, also involving the Belarusian regime, to re-educate Ukrainian children and erase their national Ukrainian identity;
Amendment 469 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for the EU and the Member States to reinforce the effectiveness of its 14 sanction packages adopted so far and adopt new ones as soon as the need arises; calls for effective cooperation with like- minded partners across the globe to increase the pressure on Russia; urges the EU and the Member States to review development assistance to governments of countries that openly support Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, particularly in their votes on relevant UN resolutions;
Amendment 485 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on the EU and Member States to take swift action to eliminate Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of old and unsafe tankers and, until they are prevented from carrying Russian oil and oil products, to be prepared to deal with any environmental disaster caused by these ships;
Amendment 531 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Commends the Commission’s proposal approved by the European Parliament to establish the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism, worth an estimated EUR 35 billion, which responds to Parliament’s call and builds upon the decision of the Council to direct extraordinary revenues stemming from immobilised Russian state assets to the Ukraine Assistance Fund and the Ukraine Facility, as well as upon the G7’s decision to offer Ukraine a USD 50 billion loan secured through immobilised Russian state assets;
Amendment 551 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Reiterates its call for the Council to gradually switch to qualified majority voting for decisions in areas of the CFSP that do not have military or defence implications;
Amendment 554 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Stresses that in the highly unstable geopolitical situation and international environment around the Union significant financial and budgetary increase is needed for the European defence to be able to meet the challenges in the short and long term; calls on the European Commission to pay particular attention to the EU’s external borders neighbouring Russia and Belarus;
Amendment 557 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Stresses the need to increase the EU’s efforts, in cooperation with NATO and other international partners, to address and foster resilience against hybrid threats, cyberattacks, disinformation and propaganda campaigns, both within the Union and in third countries;
Amendment 802 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Expresses concern at the growing membership of the BRICS group, which currently includes 45 percent of the world’s population and presents itself as an alternative to the countries of North America and Europe; stresses that such cooperation provides Russia with means of overcoming the sanctions imposed following its invasion of Ukraine and enables China to further extend its influence through its modus operandi of financing infrastructure projects;
Amendment 861 #
2024/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Calls on the VP/HR to make the work with like-minded democracies a priority of his term and to systematise cooperation and consultation with democratic like-minded partners in order to promote democracy, improve common preparedness and access to crisis response resources;
Amendment 75 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Urges a review of EU financial assistance to countries which support and do not condemn Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which do not respect their international obligations, including obligations to the International Criminal Court, and which help Russia to evade EU sanctions;
Amendment 19 #
2024/0086(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The Union’s macro-financial assistance should aim to support the restoration of a sustainable external financing situation for Jordan thereby supporting its economic and social development. In this context, and in recognition of Jordan's crticial role in the Middle-East, it is imperative for the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to further deepen and strenghtenen the EU-Jordan partnership, thereby advancing cooperation.
Amendment 32 #
2024/0086(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) A pre-condition for granting the Union’s macro-financial assistance should be that Jordan respects effective democratic mechanisms – including a multi-party parliamentary system – and the rule of law, and guarantees respect for human rights. In addition, the specific objectives of the Union’s macro-financial assistance should strengthen the efficiency, transparency and accountability of the public finance management systems in Jordan and promote structural reforms aimed at supporting sustainable and inclusive growth, employment creation and fiscal consolidation. Both the fulfilment of the pre-conditions and the achievement of those objectives should be regularly monitored by the Commission and the EEAS which should subsequently be reported to the European Parliament.
Amendment 37 #
2024/0086(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The Union’s macro-financial assistance should be subject to economic policy conditions, to be laid down in a Memorandum of Understanding. In order to ensure uniform conditions of implementation and for reasons of efficiency, the Commission should be empowered to negotiate such conditions with the Jordanian authorities under the supervision of the committee of representatives of the Member States in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. Under that Regulation, the advisory procedure should, as a general rule, apply in all cases other than as provided for in that Regulation. Considering the potentially important impact of assistance of more than EUR 90 million, it is appropriate that the examination procedure be used for operations above that threshold. Considering the amount of the Union’s macro-financial assistance to Jordan, the examination procedure should apply to the adoption of the Memorandum of Understanding, including clear and measurable benchmarks to evaluate the implementation of each installment, and to any reduction, suspension or cancellation of the assistance.
Amendment 38 #
2024/0086(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The Union’s macro-financial assistance should be subject to clear and measurable economic policy conditions, to be laid down in a Memorandum of Understanding. In order to ensure uniform conditions of implementation and for reasons of efficiency, the Commission should be empowered to negotiate such conditions with the Jordanian authorities under the supervision of the committee of representatives of the Member States in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. Under that Regulation, the advisory procedure should, as a general rule, apply in all cases other than as provided for in that Regulation. Considering the potentially important impact of assistance of more than EUR 90 million, it is appropriate that the examination procedure be used for operations above that threshold. Considering the amount of the Union’s macro-financial assistance to Jordan, the examination procedure should apply to the adoption of the Memorandum of Understanding, and to any reduction, suspension or cancellation of the assistance.
Amendment 49 #
2024/0086(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission and the European External Action Service shall monitor the fulfilment of this pre-condition throughout the life cycle of the Union’s macro- financial assistance and report regularly to the European Parliament on the conditions as outlined in Article 2(1).