Activities of Florent MARCELLESI related to 2018/2083(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on digitalisation for development: reducing poverty through technology PDF (395 KB) DOC (71 KB)
Amendments (32)
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the SDGs stress that providing universal and affordable access to the internet for people in least developed countries (LDCs) by 2020 will be crucial for fostering development, as the development of a digital economy could be a driver of jobs and growth, export volum; but whereas according to the World Bank, up to 2/3 of the present jobs in developing countries could also be lost due to digitalisation, automation and labour-saving technologies in the coming decades, and export diversificationffecting especially low-skilled workers in developing countries;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas according to UNCTAD, digitisation is increasingly giving rise to monopolies and poses new challenges for anti-trust and competition policies of both developing and developed countries[1]; [1] UNCTAD, “South South Digital Cooperation for Industrialisation: A Regional Integreation Agenda” (2017);
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas digitalisation in countries that suffer from poverty, poor governance, low resources to fight cybercrime, may provide new breeding grounds for cybercrime and destabilise global finance and security, as cybercriminals may conduct transnational from jurisdictions with little cybercrime legislation and weak law enforcement;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the speed at which the digital economy is unfolding, and the significant gaps that exist in terms of ability and readinessdeveloping countries on digital economy in terms of development of secure national policy, regulations and consumer protection, point up the urgent need to upscale capacity-building and technical assistance to developing countries, and especially to LDCs;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K b (new)
Recital K b (new)
Kb. whereas E-waste represents a global environmental and health challenge; and whereas according to UNEP - INTERPOL[1], Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is a priority area of environmental criminality; [1] UNEP - INTERPOL study “The rise of Environmental Crime. A growing Threat to Natural Resources, Peace, Development and Security" (2016).
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K c (new)
Recital K c (new)
Kc. whereas the United Nations System-wide Response to Tackling E- waste (2017) highlights that not enough attention is paid to the reduction of e- waste: official e-waste take-back and appropriate processing legislation is organised only in a limited number of countries, while there is a lack of responsibility of the private sector towards eco-design and a life-cycle approach to tackling e-waste;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomesRecalls that the digital revolution presents societies with a whole set of new challenges, bringing both risks and opportunities; takes note of the Commission’s strategy on D4D, as mainstreaming digital technologies into EU development policy andwhich should aim at contributing to the achievement of the SDGs;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Reiterates the huge potential of digital technology and services in the achievement of the SDGs, provided that disruptive effects of technologies, such as automated jobs and employability, digital exclusion and inequality, cybersecurity, data privacy and regulatory issues, are effectively addressed; and recalls that any digital strategy must be fully in line with and contribute to the realisation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, notably SDG 4 on quality education, SDG 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, and SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure; recalls that if the SDGs are to be achieved by 2030, a strengthened global partnership is needed between governmental, scientific, economic and civil society actors;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses the imperative that any digital trade strategy must be fully in line with the principle of Policy Coherence for Development (PCD); underlines that access to internet connectivity and digital payment methods are pivotal to enabling digital trade, sustainable development and inclusive growthbut requires, to be sustainable and inclusive, the setting-up of a strong regulatory framework to supervise banks, financial institutions and other e-money institutions as well as rules on competition and consumer data protection;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. CNotes with concern that the introduction of digital technology in developing countries has often outpaced the establishment of state institutions, legal regulations and other mechanisms that could help to manage new challenges that arise, notably regarding cybersecurity; against this background, calls for digitalisation to be featured prominently in the future post- Cotonou agreement as an enabler of inclusive and sustainable development;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. CPoints out that technology, artificial intelligence and automation are already replacing some low and mid- skilled jobs, risking the creation of a new class of digital poor, particularly in LDCs; calls for a more concerted and holistic cross-sectoral effort from the international community to ensure that the shift towards a more digital economy leaves no one behind; stresses that state-funded social protection floors, including minimum income security, are essential in addressing some disruptive impacts of these new technologies;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the private sector to contribute to D4D through technology and innovation, expertise, investment, risk management, sustainable business models and growth, which should include from its inception a focus on prevention, reduction, repair, recycling and reuse of raw materials;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Underlines that digital economy raises challenges in terms of ownership of data and its transformation into profitable products and services; notes that it is likely to give rise to monopolistic market structures, which can be detrimental to developing countries, notably on patents; insists upon complementing the digital transformation by a sound regulatory framework, especially at times when market power of a company is no longer measured by turnover but by its data;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. RegDeplorets that less than half of all developing countries have data protection legislation, and calls for the collection, processing, analysis and dissemination of data and statistics at local, regional, national and global levels and by all stakeholders in order to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; notes that timely and accurate data collection enables proper monitoring during implementation, adjusting policies and interventions when needed, and evaluating their results and impact upon completion; recalls, however, that while the “data revolution” makes it easier, faster and cheaper to produce and analyse data from a wide range of sources, it also raises huge security and privacy challenges; stresses that innovations for data collection in developing countries cannot replace official statistics;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on ACP countries to ring- fence a proportion of their national budgets for the primary and secondary education sectors, especially in a context where the quality and availability of teacher training, scarcity of textbooks and equipment, and class size remain serious challenges, affecting education quality in developing countries; calls equally for increased efforts to address the challenges of digital exclusion through education and training on essential digital skills and initiatives to facilitate the use of ICTs;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. CRecalls that basic education is a pre-requisite to development, which should be compulsory, free of charge and a priority of development aid, particularly in LDCs; calls for the introduction of digital literacy in school curricula at all levels of education in developing countries, with a view to the acquisition of the skills needed to improve access to information; but stresses that ICT tools should in no circumstances substitute for real teachers and schools;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Highlights the crucial need forat bridging the digital divide implies the deployment of and access to infrastructure, especially in rural and remote areas, that is adequate in coverage, quality and security; notes that the main causes hampering connectivity include underdeveloped terrestrial networks, lack of enabling public policies and regulatory frameworks, high taxation of digital products and services, low market competition and absence of an energy grid;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on all stakeholders in the digitally connected world to take active responsibility to promote greater cybersecurity awareness and know-how; points out to this end the importance of developing human capital in order to reduce threats to cybersecurity through training, education and increased awareness;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Highlights that digital economy increases the generation of e-waste worldwide, which poses challenges for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, notably regarding health and the environment; stresses the link between e- waste and natural resources exploitation; calls on the EU and its Member States to enhance consumer awareness of the damaging effects of their e-devices and to address effectively business responsibility in the production of Electric and Electronic Equipment (EEE); likewise, stresses the need to support e-waste statistics and national e-waste policies in developing countries, so as to help minimize e-waste production, prevent illegal dumping and improper treatment of e-waste, promote recycling, and create jobs in the refurbishment and recycling sector;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the commitment of the EU’s External Investment Plan to promotinge investment in innovative digital solutions for local needs, financial inclusion and decent job creation; points out that digitalisation is an important investment opportunity and that, on adeems that the EIP should support the objective of incentivizing more inclusive and socially sustainable bausis of working together with European and international financial institutions and the private sector, blending would therefore constitute an important tool for leveraging financial resourcesness models, notably by engaging manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) to enforce producer responsibility, including in e- waste management, i.e. by supporting small and medium enterprises which develop reuse, repair and refurbishment activities; incorporate take-back schemes into their business activities, remove the hazardous components used in EEE, etc.;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Commission to launch new initiatives with special focus on developing digital infrastructure, promoting e-governance and digital skills, strengtheningHighlights that according to the UN Sustainable Development Goals report (2017), many challenges remain ahead to fulfil SDGs, notably in terms of access to food, energy, water and sanitation, education and health; acknowledges theat digital economy and fostering start-up ecosystems, including funding opportunities for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to enable them to interact digitally with multinational enterprises and to access global value chainisation can potentially be a leverage to fulfil SDGs but stresses the need to set priorities, in a context of financial constraints of development assistance; believes that allocation of ODA should primarily target the fulfilment of those basic human needs;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Underlines the risks of supporting the development of digital technology in developing countries, if digital security is not guaranteed, as it could contribute to destabilising governments, national election systems, media, public disclosure, thus disrupting political and democratic stability;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recalls that MSMEs in developing countries make up the majority of businesses and employ the majority of manufacturing and service sector workers; reiteratnotes with concern that international agencies have flagged the risks of deindustrialisation in developing countries resulting notably from automation; acknowledges that facilitating cross-border e- commerce willcould have a direct impact on improving livelihoods, fostering higher living standards and, boosting economic development; reaffirms the contribution that such endeavours could make and contributing to gender equality, since a great number of these companies are owned and run by women, provided that the widening digital divide in manufacturing exports between developed and developing countries is effectively addressed;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Acknowledges that digital technologies provide the energy sector with innovative tools to optimise the use of resources; however, recalls that digital technologies have a significant ecological footprint, as a consumer of energy resources (digital CO2 emissions are estimated to be at 2-5% of total emissions) and metals (such as silver, cobalt, copper and tantalum), calling into question their long-term sustainability; reasserts the need to shift patterns of production and consumption to combat climate change;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Points out that as the largest sector of the African economy, agriculture can potentially benefit hugely from digital technologies; highlights that digital platforms can be used in developing countries to inform farmers about market prices and link them with potential buyers, as well as to provide practical information about growing methods and market trends, weather information, and warnings and advice about plant and animal diseases; underlines, however, in a context where agriculture is becoming more and more knowledge-intensive and high tech, that digital agriculture can also have huge social and environmental disruptive effect in developing countries, as access to the latest technology may remain restricted to big and industrialised farms active in the export market and cash crops, while limited knowledge and skills could marginalise further small-scale farming in developing countries;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Recalls that agriculture and its associated industries remain one of the world’s largest sources of employment; therefore, warns against the disruptive effects of digital agriculture on employment, especially in Least Developed Countries, due to the potential of this technology to reduce labour intensity and generate labour savings on farms; points out equally that digital agriculture raises challenges in terms of food security (including on control of the agricultural database), as it could reinforce the concentration of power of the agri-food value chain in the hands of very few agrobusiness;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Insists that EU funding on agriculture in developing countries is in line with the transformative nature of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Climate Agreement and consequently, with the conclusions of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) and the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food. This implies the recognition of the multifunctionality of agriculture and a rapid shift from monoculture cropping based on the intensive use of chemical inputs towards a diversified and sustainable agriculture, based on agro- ecological farming practises, strengthening local food systems and small-scale farming;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses that digital technologies such as SMS and mobile phone apps provide new tools for circulating important information, particularly for poor and isolated people; notes the potential of mobile phone technology, which has advantages including lower access costs due to increasing network coverage, user- friendliness and falling costs of calls and text messages; but recalls equally that mobile phones generate health and environmental risks, notably due to extraction of mineral resources and increasing levels of e-waste;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Underlines that digitalisation has the potential to either boost or undermine democracy, as ICT can be used for harmful purposes to monitor, censor and control the communications of citizens, thereby jeopardising civil and human rights; calls on the EU to duly reflect upon these risks; to control the misapplication of digital technologies, when promoting the use of technological innovation in development aid and to promote internet governance;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses that e-government applications may contribute to making public services faster and cheaper to access, improve consistency and citizen satisfaction, and increase public transparency, thus contributing significantly to fightingalthough ICT tools cannot on their own eliminate corruption; stresses the vitpotential role of technology and digitalisation for effective fiscal policy and administration, enabling an effective increase in domestic resource mobilisation; insists that it is imperative to create secure digital identities, as this could help determine the numbers of those in need of certain basic services;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. AcknowledgesStresses that according to the UN SDGs report (2017), an estimated 18 million additional health workers will be needed by 2030 to attain high and effective coverage of health services for all; in particular, notes that the shortage of these trained professionals is acute in almost all countries in sub-Saharan Africa and LDCs, stresses the need to address this challenge as a matter of priority; while acknowledging the central role of digital technology could also bring in access to health services and in training for health workers and health and e-health information services; calls, therefore, on policymakers to introduce the appropriate policy and regulatory frameworks to scale up in developing countries, notes that e- hHealth projects; asks the Commission to provide the necessary financial resources in this regard; implementation is characterized by high levels of training gaps, lack of a regulatory policy, technology use challenges;