38 Amendments of Andreas MÖLZER related to 2011/2157(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that a constructive and coherent long-term neighbourhood policy is of vital importance forcan strengthen the willingness and ability of the partnership countries in order to promote progress towards democracy, stability and prosperity, but and is also strategically important for the European Union considering the importance of the partner countries in the East as well as the South for our common security, environment and economic development;
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Supports the consolidation in the ENP of previously separated strands of foreign and assistance policy; looks for a strengthened network of institutional arrangements which is stable, economical and purposefully dedicated to developing closer economic integration and political association among all those involved, including the alignment of values at the United Nationsthe common values and standards embodied in democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls for an equitable distribution and alignment of the ENP financial programmes’ existing funding for mobility and support of civil society, so that both the Eastern and the Southern arenas are equivalent in terms of EU external cooperation;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that the review of the ENP must develop a well-structured and long-term, forward-looking ENI instrument, especially in a constrained budgetary environment, in order to make for well- targeted resource efficiency and to avoid exaggerated fluctuations of financing and any potential overlapping with existing instruments; regrets, in that regard, the conclusion of the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 June 2011 that ‘significantly increased financial support [...] will be decided [...] without prejudice notably to the MFF’;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to avoid duplication, to concentrate on strategic issues within the multilateral fora of the ENP and to use subregional and bilateral contacts for specific investment projects and cooperation programmes, which presupposes a strengthening of the collective opinion-forming process in the EU; stresses the importance of building effective subregional partnerships within the wider Mediterranean region;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers it essential that the EU fulfil, through its revised neighbourhood policy, the aspirations of those who fought for democracy and, human rights, includ and economic renewal ing the right to mobilityarea;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Agrees on the necessary improved interaction between ENI and other instruments such as the EIB and EBRD to maximise EU added value, avoid duplication of efforts and, through greater coherence in terms of substance and instruments, optimise the impact of assistance; believes in this regard that a comprehensive framework for this interaction should be considered;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Affirms that the EU programmes for young people have had a great impact on enhancing educational opportunities for youth; appeals to the Member States, therefore, to enable gifted students from ENP countries to have access to educationreceive grants to study in Europe;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers the Union for the Mediterranean to have been misconceived, poorly executed and even counterproductive; insists, therefore, on the full incorporation of the European side of the partnership into the conventional EU framework under the auspices of the High Representative/Vice-President and the European External Action Service and on the placing of the Eastern Partnership on an equal financial and political footing with other similar initiatives;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission to encourage , through investment, the construction, upgrading and development of energy networks and infrastructure interconnections with EU neighbours;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Considers that, regardless of the present focus on the South, striking and maintaining a reasonable balance in financial and political terms between East and South components is important, especially since Eastern neighbouring countries have a long-term prospect of joining the EU and have generally made greater progress where the political institutional order is concerned; believes, however, that this balance cannot be considered permanently fixed; fully supports the principle of differentiated and performance-driven flexible financial assistance, based on real needs, absorption capacity and targets attained;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas respect for and promotion of democracy and human rights – particularly women’s rights – justice and the rule of law, fundamental freedoms – including freedom of speech, conscience, religion, association and the media –, strengthening of security, democratic stability, prosperity, the fair distribution according to performance of income, wealth and opportunities in a system which rewards efforts to self-help, the fight against corruption and the promotion of good governance are founding principles and aims of the EU which must constitute common values at the core of the ENP review,
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Council and the Commission to set up a structured dialogue with third country authorities in order to develop a win-win approach to mobility and progress towards visa liberalisation beyond a visa facilitation only for targeted groups, particularly with a view to strengthening the borders of the European Union and its neighbouring states against illegal immigration; and to evaluatxamine the existing mobility partnerships, particularly the interdependence between development aid, a strict immigration policy, regular migration and irregular migration as defined in the Global Approach to Migration;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls the importance of renewables and of energy efficiency and notes that both the EU’s eastern and southern neighbourhoods have major potential in these areas; recognises that increased use of renewables is often impeded by a lack of incentives, by regional conflicts in the southern neighbourhood, by a lack of integration and by technical limitations preventing grids from receiving and distributing renewables-generated power, and encourages the Commission to support the development of local expertise and the transfer of know-how, where stable political and social conditions will allow;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas it is in the highest interest of the EU to be economically ambitious and politically focused in its support to democratic transitions, whilst at the same time differentiating between individual countries and being aware of the threat of growing Islamisation in the EU’s southern neighbourhood,
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to accelerate the energy market integration process by encouraging further convergence of regulatory frameworks, notwithstanding the merits of the Energy Community Treaty; stresses the need to take the regulatory context into account and to include the market structures in the energy markets, i.e. the monopoly position of certain energy suppliers, and the legal reality;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to favour the channelling of EU funds to projects aimed at protecting migrants’ rightsencouraging the return of migrants to their countries of origin;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EU should provide itself withmake effective use of flexible and properly funded instruments which are organised to benefit those countries which consistently strive to progress, in order to match its ambitions,
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Looks forward to the Commission’s proposals on the new ENI and welcomes the Commission’s intention to emphasise the need for further differentiation, flexibility and conditionality in grantingauthorising investments and granting technical and administrative assistance; notes that, while EU financial rules must be fully observed, EU assistance should be easily accessible and the pursuit of excellence should not be hampered by a rigid framework.;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission and the Council to urgently address the refugee crisis by conducting an enquiry into the shipwrecks of boat peopletaking systematic measures to halt illegal immigration, which would prevent shipwrecks of boat people, as well as putting an end to people trafficking, with its cynical and dangerous disregard for human life, by depriving it of its commercial lifeblood, providing the EP with a detailed report on the Frontex Hermes operation, condemntreating the agreement concluded between the Italian authorities and the Transitional National Council of Libya as a possible point of departure for other European initiatives along these lines, providing support to Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey and Lebanon for the development of effective border controls, in particular by exploring the possibility of setting up a humanitarian corridor, and unblocking without delay the negotiations on the Joint EU Resettlement Programme.
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Insists that differentiation based on performance and achievements and priority treatment under the ENP should be predicated on clearly defined criteria and assessable benchmarks;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Although the EU does not seek to impose a model or a ready-made recipe for political reforms, since in some countries the state structures are not yet functioning, underlines that the ENP is based on shared values and the commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, market economy and good governance;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the proposal for a European Endowment for Democracy, which is a timely response to the clamour for democracy by the populations of our neighbouring countries, and considers that financial discrimination against the EU’s Eastern partners must be stopped; underlines that it should be based on the principles of transparency and flexibility and should complement already-existing EU Instruments and the exemplary work of longstanding European political or non- political foundations; stresses that its scope and organisation should be clearly defined and that its structures and procedures should be simple, light and straightforward; calls for a truly political steering committee to be established with the participation of the European Parliament, which should also be involved in the ex-post control mechanisms;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the EEAS and the Commission to provide a clear methodology and detailed benchmarks to assess the democracy record of these countries and to deliver regular sufficiently detailed reports, which should be the basis for the allocation of funds under the new performance-based approach ‘more for more’; asks for these reports to be presented annually and on the occasion of extraordinary social and political events to its Committee on Foreign Affairs; insists on the need to systematically include civil- society organisations at all stages of the review process;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that sustainable democracy, functioning and de-bureaucratised institutions and the rule of law not only promote political stability and social welfare but also stimulate economic growth by improving the business environment and attracting investment, allowing new SMEs to emerge and fostering trade and tourism, all of which generate new jobs and new opportunitiescontribute to a new, self-confident, socially and commercially active social stratum;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. States that differentiation should be applied to trade, invites ENP partner countries to move forward on creating the conditions that will allow the establishment of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreas (DCFTAs)ements and calls on the EU to assist them in their reform efforts and to gradually open its internal market accordingly; underlines that the EU should also assess the political, economic, social and environmental circumstances of each country with reference to their participation in the future DCFTAtrade agreements;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Reaffirms that, for the Southern partnership, the aim should be mutually beneficial and ambitious trade arrangements which can lead to DCFTAsubsequently lead to the gradual introduction of Free Trade Areas, which willcould surely represent the first step towards a big ‘Euro- Mediterranean Economic Space’, which will also help to solve the economic problems of our neighbouring partners in the South;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Recalls that the EU should improve the management of migration, providing better conditions for the establishment of legal migrants in the EUeventing illegal immigration and selecting legal migrants in accordance with needs; considers that the EU needs to favour legal labour migration by concluding mobility partnerships in order, in particular, to be able to attract highly skilled workers;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Underlines the importance of paying particular attention to the younger generation; stresses that the EU should increase cooperation in the field of education, immediately broadening and increasing certain scholarship programmes and mobility of students by promoting university and high-school exchanges and public-private partnerships in the field of research; stresses the strong need for a structured information policy towards the citizens of the ENP partners concerning the possibility of participation in EU programmes;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Believes that the EU should advance its work on visa facilitation and readmission agreements, with a view to moving – once all conditions are met – to a visa-free regime; uUnderlines that the provisions on asylum must be fully in line with international obligations and commitments and EU standards, especially in the human rights field, which require traffickers and smugglers of human beings to be deprived of the basis for their trade by preventing illegal immigration;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Recalls that the EU should get more involved and play a more active and constructive role in resolution of regional conflicts by developing more confidence- building measures, considering new pragmatic and innovative approaches, promoting coordinated action by the Member States, launching public communication strategies, supporting civic culture and community dialogue and strengthening good- neighbourly relations;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Insists on the need to keep a regional approach and welcomes the decision both to appoint an EUSR for the South Caucasus as well asnd for the Southern Mediterranean Region and also theto establish a task force for the Southern Mediterranean;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Welcomes the work that international organisations, particularly certain UN agencies and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), carry out on the ground in conflict and post-conflict situations and in promoting sustainable development throughout the neighbourhood, notably the long-standing commitment of UNRWA to Palestinian refugees;
Amendment 309 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. WelcomNotes the proposal for the new European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) and the increase of funding for the ENP, as requested in its previous resolutions; considers that the distribution of funds should be first adjusted and then made flexible and adequate for both regions, with an approach that is performance-driven and not geographically driven; notes that more flexibility and simplification should respect the right of democratic scrutiny and be accompanied by increased supervision of the spending; observes furthermore that greater progress has particularly been made in Eastern Partnership States which are more dependent on the EU for their security and economically, and that they should be rewarded accordingly;
Amendment 325 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Emphasises that the funding of the ENP should not immediately be affected by the current sovereign debt crisis;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Considers that the CSF could be envisaged as an integral further part of ENI; suggests considering the idea of redirecting the management of the ENI funds to the CSF if states fail to meet the conditions for financing due to unsatisfactory performance;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Emphasises that the allocation of resources should be based on a limited number of clearly defined priorities, taking into account partner countries’ needs and based on clear conditionality and on the progress already achieved; underlines that budget support should be used only where there are guarantees for sound budgetary management and that the full range of available tools should be used to better reflect the priorities;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. WelcomNotes the work carried out by the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and underlines the importance of and the need for more synergies with other international financial institutions also active in these countries; supports the modification of the EBRD’s statutes in order for the Southern neighbourhood partners also to be eligible for its assistance;