62 Amendments of Francisco ASSIS related to 2024/2081(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
– having regard to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
– having regard to the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) of 10 December 1984,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD),
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) of 13 September 2007,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 b (new)
Citation 11 b (new)
– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP) of 17 December 2018,
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18
Citation 18
– having regard to Protocols No. 6 and 13 to the Council of Europe Convention of 28 April 1983 for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty,
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 40
Citation 40
– having regard to its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which in 20234 was awarded to Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in IranMaría Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia, the leader of Venezuela’s democratic forces and the opposition candidate in the July presidential elections,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as set out in Article 2 TEU; whereas the EU’s action worldwide is guided by the universality and indivisibility of human rights and by the fact that the effective protection and defence of human rights and democracy is at the core of the EU’s external action, including trade, development, security and defence, and enlargement, among others;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EU strongly believes in and fully supports multilateralism, a rules- based global order and the set of universal values, principles and norms that guide the UN member states; whereas a world of democracies, understood as a world of political systems that defend and protect human rights worldwide, is a safer world, as they count with significant check and balances that prevent the unpredictability of autocracies;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas in November 2024, the Convention of the Rights on the Child celebrates its 35th anniversary;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the legitimacy of the international rules-based order is dependent on compliance with the orders of international bodies, such as the United Nations Security Council resolutions and orders and decisions of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court; whereas there are increasing global threats to compliance with such orders and decisions, as well as, generally, with provisions of international law, human rights law and international humanitarian law in emerging and ongoing conflict situations;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas human rights defenders (HRDs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) are crucial partners in the EU’s efforts to safeguard and advance human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as well as to prevent conflicts globally; whereas governments around the world are increasingly censoring, silencing and harassing HRDs and CSOs in their work, leading to an increasingly shrinking civil space; whereas this behaviour includes measures encompassing strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), restrictive government policies, defamation campaigns, discrimination, intimidation and violence, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, and arbitrary arrests and detention; whereas attacks on HRDs are increasingly extending to their families and communities;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas gender equality is a core value of the EU; and the human rights of women and girls, including their sexual and reproductive rights, continue to be violated across the world; whereas women human rights defenders and civil society organisations working on gender equality, women’s rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights continue to experience shrinking space for their critical work, as well as threats of violence, harassment and intimidation;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reasserts the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the inherent dignity of every human being; reaffirms the duty of the EU and its Member States to promote and protect democracy and the universality of human rights around the world; calls for the EU and its Member States to lead by example and strictly uphold human rights and ensure an enabling civil society environment;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Condemns the increasing trend of violations and abuses of human rights and democratic principles and values across the world, such as executions, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, gender-based violence, clampdowns on civil society and, political opponents, excessive use of violence by public authorities, censorship and threats to independent mediamarginalised and vulnerable groups as well as ethnic and religious minorities, slavery and forced labour, excessive use of violence by public authorities, systematic and structural discrimination and inequality, censorship and threats to independent media, including threats in the digital sphere such as online surveillance and internet shutdowns, political attacks against international institutions, and increasing use of unlawful methods of war in grave breach of international humanitarian law and human rights law, among others; deplores the weakening of the protection of democratic institutions and processes, and the shrinking space for civil societies around the world;
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes with deep concern the ongoing international crisis of accountability and the challenge to the pursuit of ending impunity for violations of core norms of international human rights and humanitarian law in modern conflicts around the world; underlines the serious consequences of discrediting and attacking the organizations of multilateral fora, such as the UN, which can foster a culture of impunity;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Denounces the tailor-made narratives of authoritarian and illiberal regimes attacking the universality of human rights and the rule of law, which are being spread by these regimes in international forums such as the United Nations Human Rights Council;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes with satisfaction that there are also ‘human rights bright spots’ within this context of major challenges to human rights worldwide; underlines the need for a more strategic communication on human rights and democracy by spreading news about positive results, policies and best practices; supports the Good Human Rights Stories initiative9 as a way of promoting positive stories about human rights; underlines the role of the EU’s public and cultural diplomacy, as well as international cultural relations, in the promotion of human rights and calls for the Strategic Communication and Foresight division of the EEAS to increase their efforts in this regard, for which they should count with the appropriate resources; _________________ 9 https://goodhumanrightsstories.net/.
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Observes that the EU and its Member States have made substantial progress in implementing the EU action plan on human rights and democracy, although they have not reached all of its goals, in particular also due to the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption; welcomes, in this sense, the extension of the action plan until 2027, with a view to maximising the synergies and complementarity between human rights and democracy at local, national and global levels;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Fully supports the work of the EUSR for Human Rights in contributing to the visibility and coherence of the EU’s human rights actions in its external relations; upholds the EUSR’s central role in the EU’s promotion and protection of human rights by engaging with non-EU countries and like-minded partners; underlines the need for close cooperation between the EUSR for Human Rights and other EUSRs and Special Envoys in order to further improve this coherence, and calls for greater visibility for the role of the EUSR for Human Rights; calls for the EUSR to be supported in his work with increased resources; insists on the need for the EUSR to report back to Parliament regularly;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Reiterates its call to include robust clauses on human rights in agreements between the EU and non-EU countries, supported by a clear set of benchmarks and procedures to be followed in the event of violations; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to actively reflect on how to ensure that the human rights clauses in current international agreements are effectively enforced; reiterates that in the face of persistent breaches of human rights clauses by its partner countries, the EU should react swiftly and decisively, including by suspending the agreements in question if other options prove ineffective; calls for the implementation of the EU Ombudsman’s recommendation concerning the creation of a complaint- handling portal, within the framework of EU trade and financial instruments, or for the adaptation of the Commission’s Single Entry Point to allow for submission of complaints regarding failure to comply with human rights clauses;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Reiterates its call to include robust clauses on human rights in agreements between the EU and non-EU countries, supported by a clear set of benchmarks and procedures to be followed in the event of violations; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to actively reflect on how to ensure that the human rights clauses in current international agreements are actively monitored and effectively enforced; reiterates that in the face of persistent breaches of human rights clauses by its partner countries, the EU shouldmust react swiftly and decisively, including by suspending the agreements in question if other options prove ineffective; calls on the Commission to ensure the creation of accessible, citizen-friendly and transparent complaint mechanism, to which also non-EU actors are able to submit complaints regarding failures of the parties to the agreement to comply with human rights clauses;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses the important role of human rights dialogues within the EU’s human rights toolbox and as a key vehicle for the implementation of the EU action plan on human rights and democracy; highlights that these dialogues should address the overall situation of human rights and democracy with the relevant countries and ensure the meaningful participation of civil society; notes that human rights dialogues should be seen as a key element of sustained EU engagement and not as a free-standing instrument; recalls that these dialogues need to be used in conjunction and synergy with other instruments; reiterates the need to raise individual cases, in particular Sakharov Prize laureates and those highlighted by Parliament in its resolutions, and ensure adequate follow-up; calls to increase the visibility of these dialogues and their outcomes, including through the publication of a joint press statement;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Welcomes the increasing use of the EU GHRSR as a key political tool in the EU’s defence of human rights and democracy across the world; notes, however, the challenges that the requirement of unanimity poses in the adoption of sanctions and reiterates its call for the introduction of qualified majority voting for decisions on the GHRSR; fully supports the possibility of imposingrecalls, in this regard, the formal request submitted by the European Parliament to the Council, in 2023, on whether to open the EU reform convention, with the aim of evolving to more decisions by qualified majority, among others; reiterates its calls for the adoption of targeted anti-corruption sanctions within the EU framework in this regard, which has been a long-standing priority of Parliament, whether through its inclusion in the GHRSR or under a different regime; highlights the need for the complete enforcement of sanctions and calls for circumventions to be tackled;
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Welcomes the update of the EU Visa Code Handbook in relation to human rights defenders and calls for its full and consistent use by the Member States; reiterates its call for the Commission to take a proactive role in the establishment of an EU-wide multi-entry visa scheme for HRDs at risk;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Expresses concern with the rise of transnational repression as a tool used by autocratic regimes to target human rights defenders beyond their borders; calls for the formulation of an EU strategy harmonising national responses to transnational repression;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Reaffirms that promoting the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights around the world requires strong international cooperation at a multilateral level; underlines the particularly important role of the UN and its bodies as the main forum which must be able to effectively advance efforts for peace and security, sustainable development and respect for human rights and international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue supporting the work of the UN, both politically and financially; reiterates the need for the EU and its Member States to speak with one voice at the UN and in other multilateral forums and calls for progress in ensuring an EU seat in international organizations, including in the UN Security Council; calls for EU delegations to play a stronger role in multilateral forums, for which they should have appropriate resources available;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Stresses that the current multilateral order needs to fully incorporate in its architecture the new global actors, especially those focusing on democracy and human rights; calls for the EU and its Member States to guarantee a separate and permanent seat for the Union in multilateral forums, including the UN Security Council; underlines the need for the EU and its Member States to act united with a single voice and effectively in tackling global human rights and democracy challenges in multilateral fora;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Deplores the distorted use of the organizations of multilateral fora by the hand of a number of third countries, and particularly authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, such as in some cases particular friendship groups in the UN, in order to advance an agenda that challenges human rights and the multilateral and rules-based world order; calls on the EU to develop a robust strategy along with like-minded countries in order to contain this situation and to send a united and strong message of support to these organizations when attacked or threatened
Amendment 357 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the political and financial support the EU has given to the International Criminal Court (ICC), including the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the ICC, not least through the launch of the ‘Global initiative to fight against impunity for international crimes’ offering EUR 20 million of support to the ICC; calls for the EU and its Member States to keep supporting the ICC with the necessary means and resources and to use all instruments at its disposal to strengthen the fight against impunity worldwide; calls on all the Member States to respect and enforce the actions and decisions of all organs of the ICC, including the OTP and the Chambers, and to support their work as an independent and impartial international justice institution;
Amendment 368 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Reiterates the strong support of the EU for the International Court of Justice and the ICC amid a particularly challenging time for the international justice; notes with deep concern the worrying and rising trend to undermine the decisions of international institutions and their employees by state officials; regrets the failure of some ICC Member States to execute ICC arrest warrants, thereby undermining the Courts work;
Amendment 371 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Urges the EU to put in place preventive measures to effectively shield the ICC against the potential adoption of the pending legislation at the US House of Representatives which aims to impose targeted sanctions on judges, staff and legal experts of the ICC, mitigating its harmful consequences on the Courts work;
Amendment 377 #
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; condemns the constant attempts to undermine and discredit the UN, its Secretary General, and its agencies such as UNRWA, as well as the attacks on its peacekeeping missions; 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; 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;
Amendment 387 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Condemns in the strongest terms the use of sexual violence against women and girls as a weapon of war and calls for more concerted efforts to end impunity for the perpetrators;
Amendment 390 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Reiterates its call on the Member States to help contain armed conflicts and serious violations of human rights or international humanitarian law by strictly abiding by the provisions of Article 7 of the UN Arms Trade Treaty on Export and Export Assessment and Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP on Arms Exports;
Amendment 427 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Recalls that the right to food, including having physical and economic access to adequate food or the means to its procurement, is a human right; is extremely concerned about the challenges to the right to food worldwide, especially in situations of war and conflicts; notes with concern the increasing reports of the weaponisation of food in situations of armed conflict; calls for the EU and its Member States to promote mandatory guidelines on the right to food without discrimination within the UN system; recalls the importance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas in view of attaining food security;
Amendment 432 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 18
Subheading 18
Climate change and the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment
Amendment 440 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Highlights that climate change and its impact on the environment has direct effects on the effective enjoyment of all human rights; recognises the important work of CSOs, indigenous people, traditional local communities, land and environmental HRDs and indigenous activists for the protection of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, including access to land and water sources; deplores the risks that environmental HRDs and indigenous and local communities activists face and calls for their effective protection to be guaranteed; notes with deep concern the increasing threats to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment posed by the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and other forms of warfare that adversely and disproportionately affect the environment;
Amendment 443 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Stresses the need to effectively address the displacement of people caused by environmental destruction and climate change, which increases the risk of human rights violations and vulnerabilities to different forms of exploitation;
Amendment 464 #
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; 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; underlines the need to keep opposing and condemning in the stronger terms the cruel and misogynistic anti- abortion laws that punish women and girls with decades-long jail sentences, even in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the pregnant person is at risk; stresses the need to pursue efforts to fully eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation;
Amendment 494 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 21
Subheading 21
Rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
Amendment 504 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Denounces the erosion of the human rights and the safety of migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and forcibly displaced persons; reaffirms their inalienable human rights and fundamental right to seek asylum; recalls the obligation of states to protect them in accordance with international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to effectively uphold their rights in the EU’s asylum and migration policy and in the EU’s cooperation with partner countries in this regard; deplores the increasing xenophobia, racism and discrimination towards migrants, as well as the different forms of violence they face, including during their displacement and many barriers such as in access to healthcare; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to acknowledge and develop ways to address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, building the resilience of migrants’ communities of origin and helping them offer their members the possibility to enjoy a decent life in their home country; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and, where possible, step up their support for countries hosting the most refugees, as well as for transit countries; reiterates that close cooperation and engagement with non-EU countries remain key to preventing migrant smuggling; stresses, in this regard, that the dissemination of information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of smuggling are crucial; calls for EU- funded humanitarian operations to take into consideration the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and to ensure their protection while they are displaced; underlines the importance of developing an effective framework of safe and legal pathways to the EU and welcomes, in this regard, the Commission communication on attracting skills and talent to the EU10 , including the development of talent partnerships with partner countries; _________________ 10 Commission communication of 27 April 2022 on attracting skills and talent to the EU (COM(2022)0657).
Amendment 512 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Denounces the erosion of the human rights and the safety of refugees, asylum seekers and forcibly displaced persons; reaffirms their inalienable human rights and fundamental right to seek asylum; recalls the obligation of states to protect them in accordance with international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to effectively uphold their rights in the EU’s asylum and migration policy and in the EU’s cooperation with partner countries in this regard; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to acknowledge and develop ways to address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, building the resilience of migrants’ communities of origin and helping them offer their members the possibility to enjoy a decent life in their home country; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and, where possible, step up their support for countries hosting the most refugees, as well as for transit countries; reiterates that close cooperation and engagement with non-EU countries, in full respect of fundamental rights, remain key to preventing migrant smuggling; stresses, in this regard, that the dissemination of information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of smuggling are crucial; calls for EU- funded humanitarian operations to take into consideration the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and to ensure their protection while they are displaced; underlines the importance of developing an effective framework of safe and legal pathways to the EU and welcomes, in this regard, the Commission communication on attracting skills and talent to the EU10 , including the development of talent partnerships with partner countries; _________________ 10 Commission communication of 27 April 2022 on attracting skills and talent to the EU (COM(2022)0657).
Amendment 518 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Is deeply concerned about the practice of concluding informal arrangements with third countries in relation to migration cooperation, over which the European Parliament has no oversight; calls on the Member States to ensure transparency and allow for parliamentary scrutiny and democratic oversight, notably regarding cooperation with parties known to have committed violations of human rights; calls on the Commission and the Member States to integrate pre-assessment as well as monitoring mechanisms to evaluate the human rights impact of cooperation on migration with third countries, and to share the results with Parliament; insists on including human rights clauses in migration agreements and calls for their suspension if human rights violations occur;
Amendment 556 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Reiterates its call for the EU and its Member States to develop new avenues to strengthen the rights of elderly people, taking into account the multiple challenges they face, such as age-based discrimination, poverty, violence and a lack of social protection, healthcare and other essential services, as well as barriers to employment; underlines the work of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing on a legally binding instrument to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older people and calls for the EU and its Member States to consider actively supporting that work; stresses the need for a crosscutting intergenerational approach in EU policies, in order to build and encourage solidarity between the young and the elderly;
Amendment 590 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Reiterates its concern regarding violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief; deplores the instrumentalisation of religious or belief identities for political purposes and the exclusion of persons belonging to religious and belief minorities and religious communities in certain non- EU countries; recommendconsiders that the Special Envoy for the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU be must be integranted more resources so that he can comfortably carry out his mandateinto the EEAS in a similar way to the other special envoys and EU special representatives; highlights the necessity for the Special Envoy to continue to work closely and in a complementary manner with the EUSR for Human Rights and the Council Working Party on Human Rights; calls for the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, to raise these issues at UN human rights forums and to continue working with the relevant UN mechanisms and committees;
Amendment 621 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 28
Subheading 28
Right to freedom of expression, academic freedom, media freedom and the right to information
Amendment 629 #
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, 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 and often killed in conflict zones;
Amendment 630 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Reaffirms its commitment to protecting and promoting academic freedom as a key component of open and democratic societies; underlines the attacks to academic freedom not only by authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, but also by extreme and populist forces worldwide; calls to protect students and academics from censorship, persecution, and reprisal; calls to develop benchmarks for academic freedom into institutional quality assurance within academic rankings, procedures and criteria;
Amendment 636 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Calls urgently for the EU to back trustworthy media and information outlets that promote the accountability of authorities and support democratic transitions; voices concern about the extensive use of SLAPPs to silence journalists, activists, trade unionists and HRDs globally; welcomes, in this context, the directive designed to shield journalists and HRDs from abusive legal actions and SLAPPs; encourages lawmakers in non-EU countries to develop legislation with the same goal, as part of broader efforts to promote and protect media freedom and pluralism; asks the EU to take into consideration the attacks on media freedom, as well as the persistent and systematic erosion of the right to information, in the monitoring of the compliance of association and trade agreements with democracy and humans rights;
Amendment 640 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Welcomes the Commission’s plan to finance initiatives that support journalists on legal and practical matters, including beyond the EU, through the European Democracy Action Plan; calls for the EU to strengthen its efforts to aid targeted journalists globally; acknowledges the contribution to achieving this goal of programmes such as the now defunct Media4Democracy and other EU-funded activities, including those of the European Endowment for Democracy; urges the EU to help make reliable news sources available to more people living in countries that restrict press freedom;
Amendment 646 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38a. Notes with concern that more than half of the world's population lives within environments of completely or severely restricted levels of academic freedom, which has severe consequences for the right to education, the enjoyment of the benefits of scientific progress and the freedom of opinion and expression; urges the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to halt censorship, threats or attacks on academic freedom, and especially the imprisonment of scholars worldwide;
Amendment 647 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 29 a (new)
Subheading 29 a (new)
Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Amendment 648 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 29 b (new)
Subheading 29 b (new)
Notes with regret that indigenous peoples continue to face widespread and systematic discrimination and persecution worldwide, including forced displacements; condemns arbitrary arrests and the killing of human rights and land defenders who stand up for the rights of indigenous peoples; stresses that the promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples and their traditional practices are key to achieving sustainable development, combating climate change and conserving biodiversity; urges governments to pursue development and environmental policies that respect economic, social and cultural rights, and that are inclusive of indigenous peoples and local populations, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals; reiterates its call for the EU, its Member States and their partners in the international community to adopt all necessary measures for the recognition, protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples, including as regards their languages, lands, territories and resources, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; calls on all states, including EU Member States, to ensure that indigenous peoples and local communities are included in the deliberations and decision-making processes of international climate diplomacy; encourages the Commission to continue to promote dialogue and collaboration between indigenous peoples and the EU;
Amendment 649 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Deplores that the right to participate in free and fair elections is not respected in authoritarian and illiberal regimes; highlights that these regimes conduct fake elections with the aim of entrenching their power, as they lack real political contestation and pluralism; is alarmed by current trends in electoral processes, such as the increasing decline in electoral participation and democratic performance or the growing disputes concerning the credibility of elections; underlines that distrust on the electoral process can be exacerbated not only by irregularities but also by public statements, including from participants; reminds that public perception of the electoral processes is as crucial as the process itself as its manipulation can lead to toxic polarization or targeted attacks; calls on third countries to reinforce their efforts on communicating clearly all the steps of their respective electoral processes and systems as well as the existing accountability mechanisms in case of irregularities; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to analyse and report to the Parliament the initiatives to tackle the challenges posed by the AI in electoral processes;
Amendment 662 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Stresses the role of trade as a major instrument to promote and improve the human rights situation in the EU’s partner countries; notes, however, that there has been little to no improvement in some of the countries concerned; deplores the detrimental effects of some excessive and exploitative business activities on human rights and democracy; welcomes the harmonisation resulting from the adoption of the Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence with binding EU rules on responsible corporate behaviour with regard to human, labour and environmental rights; further welcomes the Regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market11 and calls for its swift implementation at Member State level; _________________ 11 Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market (COM(2022)0453).recalls the responsibility of businesses in ensuring that their operations and supply chains are not implicated in human rights abuses, including against environmental, indigenous and labour rights defenders; emphasises the need to tackle corporate human rights abuses and ensure justice and reparation for victims;
Amendment 665 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)
Paragraph 40 a (new)
40a. Welcomes the harmonisation resulting from the adoption of the Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence with binding EU rules on responsible corporate behaviour with regard to human, labour and environmental rights; further welcomes the Regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market 11a and calls for its swift implementation at Member State level; _________________ 11a Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market (COM(2022)0453).
Amendment 666 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 b (new)
Paragraph 40 b (new)
40b. Reiterates its call for the Council to adopt a negotiating mandate for the UN binding instrument on business and human rights;
Amendment 674 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Is concerned by the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) can pose to democracy and human rights, especially if it is not duly regulated; highlights the need of oversight, robust transparency and appropriate safeguards for new and emergent technologies, as well as a human-rights based approach; welcomes the Council conclusions on Digital Diplomacy of 26 June 2023 to strengthen the EU’s role and leadership in global digital governance, in particular its position as a shaper of the global digital rulebook; welcomes, in this regard, the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human wellbeing; welcomes the adoption of the Global Digital Compact and underlies the need for accessible and affordable data and digital technologies and services; notes with concern the adverse effects of the ‘fake content industry’ on the right to information and press freedom, including the rapid development of AI and the subsequent empowerment of the disinformation industry12 ; condemns the use of new and emerging technologies, such as facial recognition technology and digital surveillance, as coercive instruments and in the increasing harassment, intimidation and persecution to human rights defenders, activists, journalists and lawyers; _________________ 12 Reporters Without Borders, ‘2023 World Press Freedom Index – journalism threatened by fake content industry’ https://rsf.org/en/2023-world-press- freedom-index-journalism-threatened-fake- content-industry.
Amendment 680 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Is concerned by the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) can pose to democracy and human rights, especially if it is not duly regulated; welcomes the Council conclusions on Digital Diplomacy of 26 June 2023 to strengthen the EU’s role and leadership in global digital governance, in particular its position as a shaper of thea global digital rulebook based on democratic principles; welcomes, in this regard, the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human wellbeing; notes with concern the adverse effects of the ‘fake content industry’ on the right to information and press freedom, including the rapid development of AI and the subsequent empowerment of the disinformation industry12 ; _________________ 12 Reporters Without Borders, ‘2023 World Press Freedom Index – journalism threatened by fake content industry’ https://rsf.org/en/2023-world-press- freedom-index-journalism-threatened-fake- content-industry.
Amendment 683 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Stresses that the internet should be a place where freedom of expression prevails; considers, nevertheless, that the rights of individuals need to be respected; is of the opinion that, where applicable, what is considered to be illegal offline, should be considered illegal online; expresses concern for the growing number of internet shutdowns; highlights that internet shutdowns are often used by authoritarian regimes, among others, to silence political dissidence and curb political freedom; calls urgently for the EU to combat this alarming phenomenon; urges the EU to take a firm stance against any attempts by tech giants to circumvent or undermine national legal systems and independent court decisions;
Amendment 686 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 a (new)
Paragraph 43 a (new)
43a. Takes the firm position that the export of spyware from the Union to third countries where such tools are used against human rights activists, journalists and government critics, is a severe violation of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter and a gross violation of Union export rules;