14 Amendments of Raquel GARCÍA HERMIDA-VAN DER WALLE related to 2024/2030(DEC)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Article 8 TFEU mandates the Union to aim to eliminate inequalities and to promote equality between men and women in all its activities; whereas equality is a fundamental right under the Treaty of Lisbon and a priority for the Union with the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) supporting Union institutions and Member States in achieving that aim; whereas it is EIGE's objective to contribute to and strengthen the promotion of gender equality, including gender mainstreaming in all EU policies, a task in which it has proven to be vital and effective; whereas it is therefore underlined that EIGE needs to be provided with sufficient and stable financial and human resources to fulfil its tasks;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas in 2023 EIGE’s work focused on two thematic priorities: the European Green Deal and gender-based violence; whereas crises exacerbate women’s vulnerability and exposure to violence, intensifying existing structural inequalities and aggravating all types of gender-based violence, including physical, sexual and psychological; whereas the effectiveness of EIGE’s actions on the European Gwomen are underrepresen Deal, which needs to be revised and updated to set achievable targets in general to achieve equality and support women, especially in the Union, is questionableted in leading roles in climate policy, as men still fill 67% of climate-related decision making roles, and women being disproportionately affected by climate disasters as they often face more barriers to leave climate-disaster prone areas;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Has serious concerns that EIGE’s mission was diverted from improving equality by its focus on the European Green Dealabout the lack of gender mainstreaming within climate policies and welcomes EIGE's initiatives shed light on this phenomenom; points out that EIGE achieved 92,76 % of its work programme objectives;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Welcomes the ongoing cooperation between EIGE and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality; stresses the valuable contribution that EIGE can make to all Parliament committees, in order to better integrate the gender perspective in all EU policies;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the 8,5 % increase in EIGE’s staff costs can be attributed to the continued high inflation rate as well as a 2,7% indexation of salaries, and that the average number of staff remained at 45; notes that two contract agents were engaged and funded by the IPA contribution agreement with the Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations; acknowledges the persisting understaffing of EIGE and suggests that EIGE focus its work programme on violence against women and girls while deprioritizing actions related to the European Green Deal where necessary in light of current staff capacities; notes that Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing a European Institute for Gender Equality, states in article 6 that EIGE should function independently in the public interest; acknowledges that EIGE thus produces independent research and as such is capable of dealing with the prioritization of their work independently as well; encourages the European Commission to prioritise gender mainstreaming in all its policies and ensure that EIGE has sufficient capacity to research this topic;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises FRA’s guidance and engagement in the area of asylum and migration, including cooperation with the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA) to enhancing the understanding of the importance of guardians and legal representatives assisting unaccompanied children seeking international protection within the Union and the training provided to staff of Europol enhancing awareness and understanding of fundamental rights considerations in relevant operational contexts; welcomes FRA’s timely input on the temporary protection directive implementation in the context of refugees fleeing from Ukraine, as well as on identifying the challenges with regard to the implementation of Union law on long- term residence, and the list of actions the Union and its Member States can take to reduce fatalities at sea;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes with satisfaction that FRA provided fundamental rights analysis and expertise to support the activities and work of other EU justice and home affairs (JHA) agencies, including the EUAA, Frontex, Europol, the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large- Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA), and European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL); calls on FRA to determine the extent to which the rule of law and fundamental rights are intrinsically linked, and how its work could be incorporated or developed in synergy with that of the European Commission in the framework of the annual Rule of Law Report;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes the new Interoperability roadmap; regrets that the new timeline for the roll-out and interoperability of EU information systems was necessary due to delays in development of the Entry/Exit System (EES), European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and European Criminal Records Information System on third-country nationals (ECRIS-TCN); calls on eu-LISA to prioritise the swift implementation of those information systems and set a new specific operational start date; underlines that swift, effective, and reliable information exchange is critical for sustaining and strengthening the Union’s area of freedom, security, and justice;
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges the essential role Frontex plays in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, with maritime and aerial assets deployed in joint operations responding to 785 incidents involving 43 508 migrants, underscoring the critical contribution of Frontex to humanitarian efforts; expresses its deep regret at the recurring tragic loss of life in the Mediterranean with over 4,000 people being dead or missing on Mediterranean and Northwest Africa maritime routes in 2023 accoring to UNHCR; renews its call for the establishment of a comprehensive EU SAR mission implemented by the Member States’ competent authorities and Frontex;
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the positive progress in implementing Fundamental Rights targets, including the ongoing execution of the Fundamental Rights Action Plan and the independent evaluation of the Agency’s compliance with the Fundamental Rights Framework, in line with the EBCG Regulation; welcomes the proactive follow-up by Frontex on complaints related to fundamental rights, with the majority being dismissed for non-admissibility; highlights the importance of close cooperation with national authorities to ensure the appropriate follow-up on allegations of fundamental rights violations in line with national fundamental rights mechanisms; stresses that Frontex officers must avoid involvement in any actions that could directly or indirectly violate fundamental rights; welcomes Frontex's reinforced commitment to transparency and accountability; stresses the need for more detailed post-operation information;
Amendment 98 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes with appreciation that most Fundamental Rights targets were met in 2023, contributing to a more robust and rights-based approach to Frontex operations; regrets, despite official replies by the Executive Director of Frontex, the lack of concrete action on some of the opinions issued by the FRO and thus calls for continued focus on implementing concretesuch actions based on the recommendations of the FRO and for further strengthening Frontex’s human rights framework;
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Acknowledges the reception of 217 reported incidents of alleged violations of fundamental rights, the submission of 104 serious incident reports in 2023, 48 of which were related to fundamental rights, which also highlightsthe reception of 64 complaints via the Frontex Complaints Mechanism, the launch of 55 serious incident investigations in 2023, and the closure of 39 serious incidents, with fundamental rights violations found to have likely happened in nearly 50 % of the closed cases; acknowledges that the conducted investigations also highlight Frontex's commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement;
Amendment 118 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Commission, in light of the challenging migration crisiincrease in irregular arrivals, to follow up on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s statement of July 2024 declaring that Frontex is well-positioned to further increase its staff to up to 30 000 agents; underlines that this expansion would significantly enhance Frontex’s capacity to manage migration flows and ensure security and the respect for fundamental rights at the Union’s external borders, reinforcing its vital role in the Union’s broader migration strategy.
Amendment 154 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Further acknowledges the Commission's efforts towards a stronger and more secure Europe, as outlined by President Ursula von der Leyen in her statement of 2024; calls on the Commission to double Europol's staff and increase its funding, and recognise Europol’s central role in ensuring security across the Union and its capacity to respond to emerging threats; further underlines that this expansion will further enhance Europol's ability to support Member States in combating serious and organised crime, both online and offline, thereby contributing to a safer and more secure Europe for all.