Activities of Willy MEYER related to 2009/2215(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Union for the Mediterranean (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the Union for the Mediterranean PDF (271 KB) DOC (180 KB)
Amendments (24)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the European Union must adopt a strategicolidarity-based and socially and ecologically sustainable view of its relations with its southern neighbours and move beyond cooperation driven solely by considerations pertaining to security and migration, migration, and by commercial strategies that constantly aim for maximum profit, taking no account of the interests of the people,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the 1995 Barcelona Conference launched a very ambitious project, namely the creation of new and closer political, economic, social and cultural ties between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean; whereas this project is still a long way from completion,
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is a means of boosting the regional and multilateral dimension of Euro-Mediterranean relations, opening up fresh prospects for the establishment of an area of peace, security and prosperimust set itself the aim of eradicating poverty and ensuring an equitable distribution of wealth and a dignified life, in a peaceful, socially and environmentally healthy society, for the 800 million people in the region,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the neighbourhood policy conducted with the Mediterranean countries has its limitations and, by placing the emphasis on bilateral relations, is proving imbalanced and unable to contribute to a shared process of significant reform in the region,
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. having regard to the significant dispariteconomic, social and demographic asymmetries between European Union Member States and Mediterranean third countries, and the worryings well as the structural problems of a socio-economic and institutional nature, which call for strong responses in the shared interest of all the states participating in the UfM,
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas the effects of the economic and financial crisis have come on top of the already existing political, economic and social challenges in the partner countries, particularly in relation to the problem of unemployment; whereas it is in the common interest of these countries and the EU to bring down unemployment rates in the region and to offer its people, particularly women, young people and the rural population, hope for the future,
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the UfM’s secretariat needs to become the structure’s linchpin, whereas its effectiveness will depend on the ability of its staff to work independentl harmony with civil society and whereas the presence of a senior Israeli official and a senior Palestinian official cooperating within an international organisation at regional level is unprecedented and gives grounds for hope,
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas Mediterranean regions are directly affected by transnational issuissues of general interest such as water management, pollution, road and maritime networks and migration flowstransport networks, the protection of migrants, climate change, and whereas local and regional authorities play a key role in facilitating the development of sustainable spatial planning policies and the implementation of practical projectecologically and socially viable policies that are appropriate to local characteristics,
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the projects announced by the UfM have suffered from general underfundingbeen a long way from completion since the Paris Summit,
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. having regard to the recent entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, on the one hand, and the ongoing debate about the operation and financing of the UfM, on the other, which make it essential for the European Parliament to monitor developments connected with the UfM as closely as possible in order to help ensure the outright success of the Barcelona Summitongoing debate about the operation and financing of the UfM,
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Reiterates that economic, political, social, cultural or any other type of relations between the EU and the Mediterranean countries must be based on equality of treatment, solidarity, dialogue and respect for the specific asymmetries and characteristics of each country;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is of the opinion that political tensions and regional conflicts in the Mediterranean basin must not hinder tangible progress towards multilateral cooperation in specific sectorsgenuine integration can only be achieved if tangible progress is made in resolving political tensions and regional conflicts in the Mediterranean basin, particularly in Palestine and Western Sahara, and that it is through the implementation of major integration projects that the UfM will help to develop a climate of trust conducive to pursuing common security goalsthe goals of a demilitarised Mediterranean basin, in a spirit of solidarity and peace;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Denounces the continued occupation of Palestine by the State of Israel, the violation of international and humanitarian law, especially in Gaza; is opposed to the upgrading of EU-Israel relations under the preferential economic association agreement;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Regrets that the decolonisation process of Western Sahara is not yet finished; asks the Council and the Commission to consider this conflict as a priority in the UfM; asks the Council and the Commission to work on this framework in order to achieve the self- determination of Western Sahara, in line with multiple United Nations resolutions; denounces the responsibility of Morocco in this situation and the repression of human rights activists; deplores in this regard the advanced status that the EU has granted to Morocco;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers it essential to guarantee, increase and mobilise project funding through a combination of public and private fundsfunds; reiterates that all funding as well as political and economic control of the UfM must be exclusively public; in this context:
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 - point 3
Paragraph 6 - point 3
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 - point 4
Paragraph 6 - point 4
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Encourages efforts to improve the economic and legal environment in third countries, making it a priority to set up viable and credible sub-regional financial institutions able to attract foreign investment; also calls for:;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 - point 1
Paragraph 7 - point 1
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 - point 2
Paragraph 7 - point 2
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a
Paragraph 7 a
7a. Considers the idea of the ongoing establishment of FRONTEX to be unacceptable. Tackling the problem of immigration coming from the Mediterranean coasts necessitates an anti-poverty, pro-employment, pro-peace and fair trade strategy by the EU countries as a significant contribution towards the stability of the region;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Views it as regrettable that socio- economic and commercial aspects, such as direct foreign investment, employment, the informal economy and poverty reduction,Criticises the fact that aspects which are as just as important as the eradication of poverty were overlooked in the Paris declaration, and calls for this to be remedied at the Barcelona Summit;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Emphasises the strategic importance of issues such as agriculture, food security, water and rural development in Mediterranean countries, and calls for cooperation in the farming sector to be made a political priority; encourages the UfM member countries to work on harmonising their positions in the context of WTO negotiations and to move towards greater convergence among Euro- Mediterranean agricultural policiestresses that any agreement in the field of agriculture and fisheries should take into account the need to protect sensitive resources; calls on Euro-Mediterranean partners to discuss the setting up of an integrated Euro-Mediterranean agricultural policy, founded on the complementarity of its procedures and a public water policy and centred on the requirements of food sovereignty rather than commercial considerations;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls for civil society, the social partners and the numerous professional and socio-professional networks developed as part of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership to be consulted regularly and involved in the UfM’s activities and projects; encourages the establishment of a Mediterranean business leaders’ forum and a Euro- Mediterranean economic and social council;