Activities of Emilio MENÉNDEZ del VALLE related to 2009/2213(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
The EU strategy for relations with Latin America (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the EU strategy for relations with Latin America PDF (207 KB) DOC (114 KB)
Amendments (27)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) – despite differing in nature from the other South American integration processes (ACN, Mercosur and CAIS) – can lend impetus to those integration processes,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas, when faced with potential inter-American disputes, now or in the future, the governments involved – in line with the principle of subsidiarity – should exhaust all Latin American sources of legal remedy before turning to others outside the southern hemisphere,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas – according to the Institute of Strategic Studies in London – military expenditure in Latin America has increased by 91% over the past four years, to USD 47 200 million in 2008,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas, before the economic and financial crisis which struck the planet, Latin America was relatively strong in macroeconomic terms but suffered from social deficits,
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)
Recital H b (new)
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H c (new)
Recital H c (new)
Hc. whereas, although significant progress has been made, the child and maternal mortality indicators for the region are disconcerting,
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H d (new)
Recital H d (new)
Hd. whereas drugs production and trafficking continue to be a very serious problem in the region; whereas the cultivation of coca leaves has increased in South America and there is a political and cultural disparity between the United Nations' conventions and resolutions - which consider it to be a prohibited crop - and the official doctrine of governments in countries such as Bolivia, which claim that the plant is part of their indigenous culture,
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H e (new)
Recital H e (new)
He. whereas in some countries of the region which have adopted a policy of eradicating coca production, human rights violations have sometimes occurred which serve to exacerbate social conflicts,
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H f (new)
Recital H f (new)
Hf. whereas, according to a report by the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (January 2010), indigenous peoples in the world as a whole, and in Latin America in particular, are facing a bleak future; whereas in Latin America indigenous peoples account for 15% of the region's total population and whereas, according to the above report, to be indigenous in Latin America means to be poor; whereas poverty indicators for indigenous peoples are much higher than for the rest of the population; whereas in Mexico indigenous people are 3.3 times poorer, in Panama 5.9 times, and in Paraguay 7.9 times; whereas in Honduras 95% of indigenous children under the age of 14 are undernourished,
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H g (new)
Recital H g (new)
Hg. whereas among the energy, water, communications and telecommunications sectors, it is only in the latter sector that any significant progress has been made,
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H h (new)
Recital H h (new)
Hh. whereas development in Latin America and the region's ability to take part in integration processes will be held back unless infrastructures are properly developed,
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Welcomes the efforts made by the Spanish Presidency to secure the signing of the EU-Central America Association Agreement and the multi-party trade agreements with Colombia and Peru, as well as its clear desire and commitment to relaunch negotiations between the EU and Mercosur;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Commends UNASUR on the work it has carried out and the diplomatic successes it has achieved on the continent, even though it was only established very recently;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Points out that an efficient and independent judiciary and an effective policy of respect for human rights as part of a responsible administration subject to controls and operating transparently, will give citizens a sense of security, build their confidence in the representative parliamentary system and prevent them from becoming alienated from that system;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Deplores the fact that in Latin America military budgets have increased proportionately more than they have in the rest of the world, opening the way for a dangerous arms race in countries which should be devoting their financial resources to fighting underdevelopment, pandemics, malnutrition, crime and natural disasters;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. In order to complete the first phase, firmly supports the resumption and stepping up of negotiations on the EU- Mercosur Association Agreement, given that an Association Agreement of this kind, which is of the utmost importance and affects seven hundred million people, would, if concluded swiftly, be the world's most ambitious biregional agreement, the conclusion of negotiations on the EU- Central America Association Agreement and the multi-party trade agreement between the EU and the countries of the Andean Community, during the first half of 2010, before the Madrid summit, the revision of the 2003 political and cooperation agreement with the Andean Community and the deepening of the existing Association Agreements with Mexico and Chile;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Points out that, unless there is a substantial change in the socio-economic environment, it will be impossible for Latin America to join the knowledge society, which is the key strategic tool for development;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Suggests that Latin American countries with potential or actual disputes with neighbouring countries – whether they be over borders or other issues – make every effort to bring those disputes before the courts established under the various integration processes or dealing with Latin American matters, and to avoid their transfer to courts outside the southern hemisphere;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Points out that regional integration, which is being sought by many Latin American governments and fostered by the European Union, is facing the serious problems of a lack of infrastructure, insufficient intra-regional trade and limited knowledge in individual countries of the leading political, social and economic actors in the other countries;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22b. Points out once again that a strategy based on practical pro-integration measures (covering roads, oil and gas pipelines and the promotion of inter- regional trade, among other things) and measures to raise public awareness of the leading actors in the region would give integration a boost and bolster the region's sense of community;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 c (new)
Paragraph 22 c (new)
22c. Stresses that a coordinated strategy is needed in the energy, water and communications sectors, to prevent the region’s growth from stagnating and ensure that sustainable development is not held back;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 d (new)
Paragraph 22 d (new)
22d. Recommends that the Latin American governments - hoping also that the EU will offer all possible support for this huge task and aware of the difficult social situation despite a reasonably sound economic outlook - adopt firm and consistent policies including investment in public works, strengthening of the internal market, support for SMEs, extension of credit facilities, greater investment in health and education, and more decided steps to deal with youth unemployment and gender discrimination in the workplace;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 e (new)
Paragraph 22 e (new)
22e. Recalls, in this connection, that - although it may not be easy to obtain suitable funding for the above objectives - there are areas where action is obviously possible, such as fighting tax avoidance, creating a modern and equitable tax system, and reviewing military expenditure, which has risen by 30.54% over the last decade in the region;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 f (new)
Paragraph 22 f (new)
22f. Urges the governments of the Latin American countries with indigenous populations to implement - with EU aid and cooperation if necessary - effective plans for eliminating hunger, underdevelopment, illiteracy and chronic disease in those communities;