Activities of Helmut SCHOLZ related to 2022/2195(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on Uzbekistan
Amendments (6)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the successful completion of negotiations on the EU- Uzbekistan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and expects that this agreement will contribute to Uzbekistan integrating further into the multilateral trading system, strengthen market economy mechanisms and increase foreign investors’ confidence; believes the Agreement will ensure a better regulatory environment for economic operators in areas such as goods and services trade, state-owned enterprises, procurement, and intellectual property rights; Recalls that the rule of law, good governance, implementation of shared values and principles of democracy and the respect for fundamental freedoms, human and social rights are the core basis for the enhanced partnership and cooperation agreement between the EU and Uzbekistan shaping bilateral relations;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Stresses that the EU and Uzbekistan shall use their economic and commercial cooperation to actively diversify industrial structures, to support an accelerated transition to renewable energy and increasing efforts for guaranteeing energy efficiency realizing obligations from the Paris agreement on tackling Climate change, to enhance the integration of energy markets in Central Asia with those of neighbouring countries, as well as of the EU by creating synergies between various energy policy strategies and respective infrastructure projects in the region in accordance with the WTO negotiations on establishing rules and criteria for linking Trade and Climate and Environment; remembers that this shall benefit the citizens by avoiding energy poverty and by guaranteeing a just transition towards zero emissions by 2050 and establishing a Central Asian Climate Neutral Region by that date;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Stresses that connectivity and cooperation in the region should support in a complex and comprehensive manner reinvigorated efforts under the water environmental regional platform; emphasizes in this context the importance of the principles of social and environmental sustainability in the course of extraction or processing of natural resources and reiterates that therefore reinvestments of revenues from natural resources is crucial for the socio- economic development of Uzbekistan and ensuring the country and its neighbouring countries to become resilient towards future global and regional challenges by enabling to implement the UN 2030 agenda with its 17 SDGs and to contribute to establish sustainable circular economies in the country as well as in the region;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates the importance of Uzbekistan’s membership of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus, which contributes to economic growth and yields very positive results (exports to the EU increased by 34 % in 2021); calls on the Commission to support and closely monitor the effective implementation of all 27 core international conventions under the GSP+ addressing human and labor rights, environmental regulations, and good governance principles.
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses that despite progress in eliminating forced labour, poor working conditions, low wages , full respect of workers rights and the recognition of freedom of association, including the right to establish independent trade union remain major problems in Uzbekistan;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that Uzbekistan can play an important role in exporting pparticipating to diversify the recgious metals to Europe, which are needednal and global supply chains with delivering minerals and metals to the benefit of domestic, regional and international, including the EU’s, industries by ensuring partnership and mutual technological cooperation as benchmarks and support for the EU’s green transition;