Activities of Eduard KUKAN related to 2016/2226(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EC-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and bilateral trade in textiles - EC-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and bilateral trade in textiles (resolution) (debate)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, amending the Agreement in order to extend the provisions of the Agreement to bilateral trade in textiles, taking account of the expiry of the bilateral textiles Agreement
Amendments (7)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that the textile sector, in particular cotton production, is the main area of trade between the EU and Uzbekistan; stresses, in this regard, that the EU should make full use of the extension of the PCA in order to step up presensure onthat the Uzbek authorities to ensure that theare engaged in a transition process following the sudden death of the president that leads to democratic reforms and a substantial improvement of the human rights situation;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is convinced thatWelcomes the substantial progress made since 2013 oachieved in the question of child labour in Uzbekistan is mainly the result of the diplomatic efforts of the EU and, in particular, of Parliament’s resolution of 2011 that put the agreement on hold and led to the active involvement ofsince 2013, including the adoption of laws which prohibit the use of child labour; encourages the authorities to further engage in a country-wide campaign raising awareness in order to completely eradicate child labour; welcomes the active involvement of the Uzbek authorities with the European Parliament, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the World Bank (WB);
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. TRecognises that further engagement with the Government of Uzbekistan is needed in order to contribute to continuous reduction in forced labour; reserves the right to call on the Commission and the Council to activate Articles 2 and 95 of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement so as to take all necessary general and specific measures if the commitment to the abolition of forced labour is not lived up to; takes the view that although progress has been made in terms of a reduction of forced labour in general, the trend has been irregular; underlines that more indirect and subtle ways of involuntary work seem to prevail;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that reports by independent monitors (not allowed by the Uzbek regime) and by media on pre-harvest work in 2016 indicate a massiveIs concerned about the reported state- led mobilisation of citizens, involving as well the forced labour of public employees and students, in the 2016 pre-harvest work;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Looks forward to the ILO reportWelcomes the authorisation of the Uzbek government to grant the ILO access to monitoring onf the 2016 cotton harvest in Uzbekistan; considers, furthermore, that observing this changeover period would also give Parliament an overall pictureand to engage in broad cooperation with ILO through a Decent Work Country Programme; looks forward to the ILO reporting ofn the transition proc2016 cotton harvesst in Uzbekistan;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is of the opinion that giving consent without concrete and verified data would be misleading and premature, undermining the pressure that has helped brshould go hand in hand with concrete and verified data bringing about the progress that Uzbekistan has achieved so far, and weakening the EU’s common commercial policy objectives, which must respect EU valuesshould contribute to deepening bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and the European Union, including in trade;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Deplores the factNotes that, despite the commitments made relating to the protection of human rights, Uzbekistan has faced virtually no consequences for its persistent refusal to acknowledge the existence of anyfurther progress must be achieved in regards to individuals imprisoned on politically motivated charges, release them from prison, improve their treatment in custody or end the cycle of crackdowns, arrests and convictions, nor has the government paid any real cost for its systematic failure to cooperate; encourages the Uzbek government to step up its involvement with international institutions, including in eleven special procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).