23 Amendments of Angelika BEER related to 2007/2219(INI)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Takes the view, nevertheless, that the EU's role in the world is not commensurate to its potential and to the expectations of European public opinion, due to the unwillingness of the Member States to adopt the necessary and indispensable reforms aimed at enhancing the effectiveness, coherence and accountability of its foreign policy;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Points out, in this regard, that the EU's strong energy dependence on non- democratic countries deeply undermines the coherence, assertiveness and sustainability of its common foreign policy;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is of the view that Parliament should more systematically adopt positions on each successive stage of CFSP and ESDP decision–making; recommends that, in order to enhance their democratic legitimacy, common positions and joint actions should where appropriate take into account and contain references to those positions adopted by Parliament;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Proposes that priority be given in 2008 to a limited number of subjects which better relate to the concerns of European citizens and to their expectations as regards the role to be played by the Union in international affairs; takes the view that those subjects are: security including energy security, crisis management, conflict prevention and conflict resolution, climate change, migration management, human rights and civil liberties, and that they complement the priorities and objectives pursued by the Community's external action; in this context, welcomes the report by the Commission and the High Representative to the Council on climate change and international security;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Is of the opinion that the ESS should be updated and reviewed, especially with a view to addressing the most pressing security challenges and making human security and the "responsibility to protect" its guiding principles;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Is of the view that the importance of the foreign policy dimension of energy security, including the Union's dependence on energy and other strategic supplies from unstable or undemocratic countries and regions, will continue to increase in 2008; recommends wide-ranging diversification of energy sources and energy transport routes and increased energy efficiency as well as solidarity in energy policy among EU Member States; deplores the use of energy by third parties as a political instrument and the uncoordinated signing of bilateral energy agreements by Member States, which undermine the interests and call into question the strategic projects of the EU as a whole and of other Member States; reiterates its call for the creation of the post of High Official for Foreign Energy Policy under the authority of the future double- hatted High Representative/Vice-President of the Commission, with responsibility for coordinating the Union's activities in this field;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Reiterates that terrorism constitutes one of the main threats to the EU’'s security but that the fight against terrorism must be conducted with due respect for the universal values of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the protection thereof, in close cooperation with international partners and in keeping with the strategy laid down by the United Nations; notes the rulings of the Court of First Instance stating that the European Union terrorist list system in its present form violates basic legal standards and fundamental human rights, and calls on the Council and the Commission to thoroughly revise the practice, to issue an assessment of whether the terrorist list system is useful, and to introduce a joint initiative through the EU members of the Security Council for a revision of the UN terrorist list system;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers that stability in the Western Balkans should be the top priority for the EU in 2008, in line with the Council's view as set out in its Annual Report for 2006; therefore attaches the utmost importance to the redoubling of efforts to bring the Western Balkans closer to the EU, including the introduction of a visa-free regime, the stepping-up of regional cooperation in areas such as trade, transport, energy, and the participation of Western Balkans countries in Community programmes; believes that these steps would facilitate and underpin those countries' preparations for EU accession, in line with the Thessaloniki Agenda; stresses the importance of involving civil society in the accession process;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Refers to the conclusions of the General Affairs and External Relations Council held on 18 February 2008, in which the Council noted the adoption by the Kosovo Assembly on 17 February 2008 of a resolution declaring Kosovo to be independent and in which the Council also stated that Member States will decide in accordance with national practiceregrets the failure of the Council to reach a common position on such and international law on their relations with Kosovomportant issue;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Takes the view that the EULEX mission in Kosovo shouldmust safeguard the interests of national minorities as provided for by the Ahtisaari plan in order to preserve the multi-ethnic character of the territory, protect the cultural, religious and historical heritage, consolidate the rule of law and promote economic development;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Takes the view, in this regard, that in order to enhance the credibility and the effectiveness in the ENP the EU should engage more actively in crisis management and conflict resolution with regard, in particular, to so-called frozen conflicts; regrets, in this respect, the lack of any progress as regards the peace processes and calls on the Council to step up the assistance to the countries concerned with a view to becoming more deeply involved and facilitating the dialogue between the parties;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Underlines the need to strengthen the transatlantic link and further intensify contacts with the United States through a new Transatlantic Partnership Agreement, the potential of which should be exploited in full, including on issues such as human rights, the rule of law in international relations, peace and disarmament;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Also considers it important that during 2008 the Union should review its relations with Russia on a new basis of a balanced, wide-ranging partnership, encompassing international challenges, trade and energy, but also including human rights and respect for democracy; recalls in this regard that a genuine strategic partnership must be based on shared values; calls in this regard on the Commission to highlight in the guidelines for negotiation with the Russian Federation of the new agreement, which will replace the present Partnership and Cooperation Agreement that expired at the end of 2007, the importance of placing democracy, human rights and freedom of expression at the core of future relations and establishing a clear mechanism to monitor the implementation of all the clauses of such an agreement;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Acknowledges the right of every country that has ratified the Non- Proliferation Treaty to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; however, strongly opposes the production and dissemination of weapons of mass destruction; in this connection, fully supports the Union's two–track approach aimed at persuading Iran to comply with IAEA prescriptions and in line with the United Nations Security Council's resoluBelieves that the nuclear non- proliferation regime under the Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is in serious danger and calls on the Council and particularly the two Member States possessing nuclear weapons to bring forward a European initiative on the implementation of the disarmament obligations contained in Article VI of the NPT with regard, in particular, to the 2010 NPT review conference; strongly opposes the production and dissemination of weapons of mass destruction, which threatens to become a reality in an increasing number of countries due to the impossibility of clearly separating the use of nuclear technology for energy purposes and its use for weapons productions; callites oin the United States to join the EU–3 in direct negotiations with Iran; fully supports the United Nations Security Council's targeted sanctions against Iran; commends the efforts by the High Representative on behalfis context, in particular, the uncertainties as to the goals of Iran's nuclear programme; calls on Iran to be actively transparent in its relations with the IAEA and to seek to rebuild trust with the international community; calls ofn the EU, and by the United States, Russia and China, aimed at the initiation of negotiations on the nuclear issue with representatives of Iran; calls on Iran to be actively transparent in its relations with the IAEA and to seek to rebuild trust with the international communitymembers of the UN Security Council to refer the Iran issue back to the International Atomic Energy Agency and to start negotiations without preconditions; calls on the EU Member States to ban all exports of nuclear technology to any country that has not ratified the additional protocols to the NPT;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Believes that the EU could contribute to confidence-building vis-à-vis countries with which it has no contractual ties, or reduced contractual ties, by boosting people-to-people contacts, such as through town twinning or Erasmus Mundus programmes;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Reiterates that promoting international solidarity, stability, peace and democratic and economic development must continue to be among the priorities of the EU's policy towards Afghanistan in 2008;: stresses the need to restore security in Afghanistan, which cannot be achieved by military means alone; underlines that, to this end, it is equally vital to strengthen the police forces in order to establish the rule of law and to increase development efforts;: is concerned that insufficient coordination, both among the international community (and especially between the EU and NATO) and in relations with the Afghan authorities, seriously hampers the effectiveness of the activities on the ground; calls on all players to make efforts to improve thise situation; welcomes in this regard the appointment of Kai Eide as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan; calls for an end to all Operation Enduring Freedom missions;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Expects a rapid and comprehensive implementation of the Central Asia strategy; regrets that so far it has been limited mainly to energy projects and calls, therefore, for a shift in order to address the other priorities such as human security and environmental problems;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Recommends that political and economic relations with China and ASEAN be deepened in 2008, on condition that substantial progress be made in the field of democracy and human rights, maintaining a constructive dialogue with the authorities in this connection, a fortiori in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics; regrets in this regard the lack of substantial results as regards the EU- China human rights dialogue; recognises ASEAN’s growing role as a force for regional stability and prosperity; believes that the EU and ASEAN have great potential for increased cooperation based in part on ASEAN's progress with regard to regional integration and in the fields of democracy and human rights;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Recalling the Aceh example, believes that the European Union could bring its peace-building and mediation capacities to bear in some of the remaining violent conflicts which are still impeding yet greater development in South Asia, notably Kashmir and Sri Lanka;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Invites the future High Representative/Vice–President of the Commission to build on the experience of the periodic appearances by High Representatives and by the External Relations Commissioner before Parliament in plenary and its Committee on Foreign Affairs and on the practice of informal meetings, in order to develop regular, systematic and substantive consultations with Parliament and its competent bodies, and to involve Parliament in the decision- making process so as to enhance the transparency and accountability of the main choices of the CFSP;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. RUnderlines the significant effect which the setting-up of the EEAS will have on the Union's external relations; stresses the need for transparency and democratic input into this process; recalls its right to be consulted on the establishment of the EEAS in accordance with Article 13a(3) of the EU Treaty; requests full association with the preparatory work in this regard; refers to its ongoing report on this matter;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Is of the opinion that parliamentary scrutiny is of crucial value for the ESDP; in this regard, invites the Political and Security Committee (PSC) to organise meetings with chairpersonselected members of the relevant Committee and Subcommittees on emerging crises or international security events, building on the current practice of informal joint meetings between members of the PSC and the chairpersons of Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs and of its Security and Defence and Human Rights Subcommittees;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Treaty of Lisbon clearly improves the CFSP arrangements currently in force, thus raising the Union's international profile and enhancing its effectiveness; whereas, nevertheless, further efforts are needed in order to streamline the decision-making process as regards foreign policy with a view to overcoming the veto power and introducing qualified-majority voting,