Activities of Leonidas DONSKIS
Plenary speeches (27)
EU priorities for the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council (debate)
Outcome of the Vilnius Summit and the future of the Eastern Partnership, in particular as regards Ukraine (debate)
Caste-based discrimination (debate)
Rule of law and human rights in Russia, especially with respect to xeno- and homophobia (debate)
Discriminatory customs procedures against Lithuanian trucks at the Russian border (debate)
Programme of activities of the Lithuanian Presidency (debate)
Human rights situation in Kazakhstan
Annual report on human rights and democracy in the world 2011 and the European Union's policy on the matter - EU's human rights strategy (debate)
Annual report on human rights and democracy in the world 2011 and the European Union's policy on the matter - EU's human rights strategy (debate)
Explanations of vote
EU Special Representative for Human Rights (debate)
Annual human rights report (debate)
Explanations of vote
Human rights in the world and the European Union's policy on the matter (debate)
Kazakhstan (debate)
Explanations of vote
Belarus: arrest of Ales Bialatski, human rights defender
Ukraine: the cases of Yulia Tymoshenko and other members of the former government (debate)
Commemoration of deportations in 1941 in the Baltic States
Belarus (debate)
Human rights in the world 2009 and EU policy on the matter (debate)
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Explanations of vote
Progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals: mid-term review in preparation of the UN high-level meeting in September 2010 (debate)
Situation in Lithuania following the adoption of the law on protection of minors (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the annual report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World 2011 and the European Union’s policy on the matter PDF (546 KB) DOC (695 KB)
Shadow reports (7)
REPORT on the eradication of torture in the world PDF (277 KB) DOC (147 KB)
REPORT on corruption in the public and private sectors: the impact on human rights in third countries PDF (254 KB) DOC (147 KB)
REPORT with a proposal for a European Parliament recommendation to the Council on the draft EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief PDF (190 KB) DOC (96 KB)
REPORT on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World and the European Union’s policy on the matter, including implications for the EU’s strategic human rights policy PDF (418 KB) DOC (261 KB)
REPORT with a proposal for a European Parliament recommendation to the Council on setting up an EU rapid response capability PDF (208 KB) DOC (120 KB)
REPORT Report on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World 2009 and the European Union's policy on the matter PDF (546 KB) DOC (520 KB)
REPORT Report on progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals: mid-term review in preparation of the UN high-level meeting in September 2010 PDF (262 KB) DOC (175 KB)
Shadow opinions (16)
OPINION Eradication of torture in the world
OPINION the EU comprehensive approach and its implications for the coherence of EU external action
OPINION on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 78/660/EEC and 83/349/EEC as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large companies and groups
OPINION on the mid-term review of the Stockholm Programme
OPINION on the recommendation to the Council on the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly
OPINION on the recommendation to the EEAS and to the Council on the 2013 review of the organisation and the functioning of the EEAS
OPINION on the impact of the financial and economic crisis on human rights
OPINION on the Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World 2011 and the European Union’s policy on the matter
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing "ERASMUS FOR ALL" - The Union Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport
OPINION on the review of the EU’s human rights strategy
OPINION on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World 2010 and the European Union’s Policy on the matter, including implications for the EU’s strategic human rights policy
OPINION on the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy
OPINION on EU support for the ICC: facing challenges and overcoming difficulties
OPINION on the external dimension of social policy, promoting labour and social standards and the European Corporate Social Responsibility
OPINION on GDP and beyond – Measuring progress in a changing world
OPINION Human rights, social and environmental standards in International Trade agreements
Written declarations (2)
Amendments (222)
Amendment 5 #
2013/2169(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to take reports on torture by governmental agencies in third countries very seriously, to raise this issue in all dialogues with these countries, and to seek transparent investigations in such cases; stresses the fact that respect for human rights is one of the cornerstones of the EU’s development cooperation efforts;
Amendment 15 #
2013/2169(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)
Citation 17 a (new)
- having regard to the EU guidelines on the death penalty of 16 June 20081, __________________ 1 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/c msUpload/10015.en08.pdf.
Amendment 16 #
2013/2169(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
- having regard to the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) 2009 Istanbul protocol on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,
Amendment 21 #
2013/2169(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas torture can be both physical and psychological; whereas there has been a growing number of cases where psychiatry is used as a tool for coercion of human rights defenders and dissidents, who are placed in psychiatric institutions in order to prevent them from carrying out their political and community activities;
Amendment 41 #
2013/2169(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Reiterates the vital importance of rehabilitation centres for torture victims both inside and outside the EU in addressing not only physical, but also long-term psychological problems experienced by torture victims; is convinced that funding for such centres in third countries provided by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) should not be cut even in the face of the financial and economic crisis since national healthcare systems of these countries are often not in a position to adequately address the specific problems of torture victims;
Amendment 50 #
2013/2169(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Is particularly concerned by torture of human rights defenders, including community activists, journalists, human rights lawyers and bloggers in prisons; recognises that it is often the people who are most involved in the fight for human rights and democracy who suffer the most through unlawful detention, intimidation, torture and exposure to danger of their families; insists that both EU missions on the ground and high-level EU officials systematically and consistently raise this issue in meetings with their third-country counterparts, including mentioning specific names of human rights defenders in prisons;
Amendment 104 #
2013/2169(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the EEAS and the Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) to make sure that Human Rights Country Strategies (HRCSs) contain country- specific objectives and benchmarks related to the fight against torture, including the identification of groups requiring special protection, such as children, women, displaced persons, refugees and migrants, and those facing discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, caste, religious or other beliefs, sexual orientation or gender identity;
Amendment 127 #
2013/2169(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Calls on EU delegations to provide support for members of civil society when they are prevented from visiting prisons and observing trials;
Amendment 151 #
2013/2169(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Calls on Members States that have not made declarations recognising the Article 22 jurisdiction of the Committee Against Torture to do so as a matter of priority;
Amendment 1 #
2013/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Commission to conduct extensive impact assessments of EU development cooperation projects, including the impact on the situation of human rights, in order to ensure that EU development efforts do not contribute to further marginalisation of discriminated groups and that the EU funds are distributed fairly among different regions within a country depending on their needs and level of development;
Amendment 70 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the effort to include activities by the European Parliament in the Annual Report and strongly encourages the VP/HR and the EEAS to specify which EU action has been taken to follow up on Parliament's resolutions, including on urgency resolutions on breaches of human rights;
Amendment 121 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Points out that Parliament mayshould withhold its consent to international agreements on account ofwhen serious breaches of human rights occur, as in the cases of the conclusion of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Turkmenistan or the textile protocol of the EU-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement;
Amendment 135 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
58a. Expresses concern regarding reports of cooperation of certain EU companies with states, including authoritarian regimes, in the field of information technologies and communications leading to human rights abuses such as censorship of information, mass surveillance, monitoring, tracing and tracking of citizens and their activities on (mobile) telephone networks and the internet; stresses that stringent respect for human rights, due diligence and transparency must be maintained in order to ensure CSR along the whole supply chain, and combat corruption, tax avoidance and illicit money flows; is convinced that European companies and their subsidiaries and subcontractors should play a key role in the promotion and dissemination of human rights standards worldwide and never compromise these values in their efforts to expand their markets abroad;
Amendment 235 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Calls attention also to the trapped transitions in countries and regions where reform movements and transitional processes have been stopped or put down by the ruling regime; calls on the EU to continue its efforts to persuade the ruling elites in these countries, as well as in other countries of concern still under authoritarian rule, to initiate a reform process to develop strong and stable democracies in which the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms are upheld;
Amendment 236 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Recalls that countries and regions trapped in transition lack democratic reforms and political accountability; reiterates that all citizens have the right to fully and freely participate in political life in which free, fair and open elections take place with more than one party and different alternative media sources;
Amendment 239 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 a (new)
Paragraph 49 a (new)
49a. Is concerned that even in countries well on their way towards democratisation, regions may remain which still experience a lack of respect for basic human rights, democracy, the rule of law and political and administrative accountability; urges the EU to actively engage with such countries to ensure that all regions benefit from EU funds and programmes, that there is a fairer distribution of development assistance and that EU programmes do not contribute to the discrimination of parts of the society in the recipient countries;
Amendment 253 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Stresses the need for international monitoring of the human rights situation in China and Tibet and calls on EU Member States to actively engage in establishing this monitoring in light of the failure of the EU- China dialogue on human rights to achieve significant and tangible results;
Amendment 310 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71
Paragraph 71
71. Recalls the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and are entitled to the rights and freedoms therein without distinction of any kind, including race, colour, sex, language, religion, caste, social origin, birth or other status; reiterates its call for the EU to combat discrimination and intolerance as a key part of its human rights policy, and to base this policy on an inclusive and comprehensive definition of non-discrimination; emphasises that respect for the rights of minorities is a crucial element for peace, development and democracy; welcomes and further encourages EU engagement with the United Nations and regional organisations in this cause;
Amendment 312 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72
Paragraph 72
72. Calls for the EU to pay particular attention to discrimination based on forms of social stratification, such as caste and analogous systems of inherited status, which have a seriously harmful and sometimes destructive impact on the prospects for equal enjoyment of human rightondemns the continuing human rights violations against people suffering from caste-based discrimination, including the atrocities committed against them with impunity, and the persisting untouchability practices; calls on the EU to pay particular attention to this form of discrimination in human rights policies and strategies at all levels;
Amendment 347 #
2013/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79
Paragraph 79
79. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative on Human Rights, to the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the candidate countries, to the United Nations and the Council of Europe, and to the governments of the countries and territories referred to in this resolution.
Amendment 11 #
2013/2082(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the right to freedom of religion or belief, is ancluding theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, the right to not believe and the right to change one's religion or belief, are fundamental freedoms of each human being, interrelated with other human rights and fundamental freedoms;
Amendment 24 #
2013/2082(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) Violence against religious communities, with political, socio- economic or ideological roots, persists in many parts of the world; clear condemnation by the European Union of all forms of violence and discrimination should be a basic element of EU policy in the area of freedom of religion or belief.
Amendment 38 #
2013/2082(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
(d) As their successful implementation will depend on this, the Guidelines should offer clarity in the definitions used and the appropriate and full protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief, in accordance with international law, in its private and public expressions, as well as in its individual, collective and institutional dimensions, including but not limited to the right of parents to educate their children according to their convictions - i.e. moral and religious convictor non-religionus, freedom of assembly and freedom of association, freedom of expression, the right to conscientious objection, the right to asylum, and the fundamental right to protection of one's property, the right to practice theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, the right to not believe and the right to freely change one's religion or belief.
Amendment 42 #
2013/2082(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) While fFreedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression are mutually reinforcing rights, in cases where these two rights are invoked against each other, the EU should also recall that modern media tools can afford a close interconnectedness between cultures and faiths. Therefore steps need to be taken to avoid inter-cultural violence as a reaction to acts of freedom of expression related to criticism and especially ridicule.
Amendment 41 #
2013/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas whistleblowers are vital in exposing corruption, fraud, mismanagement and human rights abuses, despite high personal risk, and whereas lack of protection against retaliation, controls on information, libel and defamation laws, and inadequate investigation of whistleblowers' claims can allboth deter people from speaking out, and often compromise their personal safety, as well as the safety of their families;
Amendment 58 #
2013/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital T
Recital T
T. whereas grand corruption in developing, but also in certain developed, countries occurs mostly with the complicity and even the assistance of certain businesspeople, lawyers, financial institutions and public officials in developed countries, including in EU Member States, and whereas, in blatant disregard for anti-money laundering regulation at EU and international level, these institutions and corporations have provided the channels to launder the proceeds of corruption in developed and developing countries, to create opaque structures and to hide assets in the ‘secrecy jurisdictions’;
Amendment 71 #
2013/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Fully supports the EU's commitment to embracinge and mainstreaming throughout its development policies the concept of democratic ownership, that is, the effective and full participation of people in the design, implementation and monitoring of development strategies and policies of donors and partner governments; is of the opinion that such policy fosters involvement of programme beneficiaries and therefore contributes to greater monitoring and accountability in the fight against corruption; requests that the Commission continue to foster high levels of aid transparency in machine-readable formats and using a common standard to ensure comparability both with other donors, and also, more particularly, in line with the needs of recipient governments;
Amendment 87 #
2013/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Points out, on the other hand, that the EU should not foster ‘advanced partnerships’ with kleptocratic regimes which do not show the political will to genuinely implement the above-mentioned principles, unless dialogue, pressure and cooperation from the EU towards the need for reform is visible and transparent, and without integrating adequate and ambitious monitoring mechanisms with clearly-defined human rights clauses which would allow any partnership agreement to be suspended in the face of gross human rights violations; takes the view that the EU should publicly condemn the enactment of laws which restrict the freedom of the media and the activities of civil society as cornerstones of accountability and that it should draw up strategies to adapt relations with those countries so as to foster reform in a visible way;
Amendment 96 #
2013/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Points out, however, that EU Member States should exercise cautious judgement when providing information to third countries on individuals accused of corruption, embezzlement or tax evasion, so as to not unjustly implicate human rights defenders, as was the case with Ales Bialiatski who was arrested in Belarus in 2011 following information provided to Belarusian authorities by Ministries of two EU Member States and imprisoned on false charges of tax evasion;
Amendment 110 #
2013/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Is concerned by reports of cooperation of certain EU companies with authoritarian regimes in the field of information technologies and communications leading to human rights abuses such as censorship of information, mass surveillance, monitoring, tracing and tracking of citizens and their activities on (mobile) telephone networks and the internet; is convinced that European companies and their subsidiaries and subcontractors should play a key role in the promotion and dissemination of human rights standards worldwide and never compromise these values in their efforts to expand their markets abroad;
Amendment 1 #
2013/2034(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. to strengthen coherence between sustainable development goals and post- 2015 development goals;
Amendment 4 #
2013/2034(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – point b
Paragraph 4 – point b
b) it is important to adopt a human rights- based approach in order to fight discrimination of marginalised and disadvantaged groups, and to promote democracy and accountable institutions, with parliaments playing their proper role in democratic processes;
Amendment 2 #
2013/2024(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. RUnderlines that the TEU places fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law at the centre of both internal and external policies of the EU, as foreseen by articles 2, 3 and 21 of the TEU, and consequently believes that the respect for, protection and promotion of these values should be developed both internally and externally to ensure that the EU is credible in the world; regrets the continued refusal of the Commission to draft a Human Rights Action Plan to promote EU values in the external dimension of freedom, security and justice policies, as called for by the Council in the Stockholm Programme, and notes that the EU Strategic Framework for Human Rights and the related Action Plan cannot constitute a substitute for the former;
Amendment 23 #
2013/2024(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Expresses deep concern about the fate of third country nationals (TCNs) and stateless persons readmitted under EU readmission agreements (EURAs), including cases of indefinite detention, legal limbo or refoulement to their country of origin, and requests the exclusion of TCN clauses from these agreements; underlines the importance of implementing the recommendations made in the Commission's evaluation of readmission agreements; calls on the Commission to allow NGOs and, international organisations to participate in Joint Readmissionand European Parliament's representatives to participate in Joint Readmission Committees and urges the Commission to give Parliament access to the documents prepared by these Committees; urges the Commission and the Member States to suspend immediately the application of an EURA in the event of human rights violations;
Amendment 31 #
2013/2024(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Council and the Commission to take into full consideration the recommendations of the European Parliament and to integrate them in the post-Stockholm follow-up programme or strategy, which should foresee multi-annual planning of the EU's upcoming legislative and policy proposals and actions related to the area of freedom, security and justice;
Amendment 52 #
2013/0120(NLE)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o
Paragraph 1 – point o
(o) Calls on the EU to offer assistance to the Indonesian authorities, as previously done in the case of Aceh, in developing a comprehensive approach to improving the situation in Papua, and not to let it continue to be a source ofremains concerned about the clashes between the security forces and the pro-independence groups, and the disturbing reports of human rights violations attributed to the security forces, as well as progress in education, healthcare and work opportunities, ability to exercise freedom of expression and assembly, which are essential for Papuans, along withs well as protection of the environment, natural resources and of their cultural identity; urges the Indonesian authorities to give free access to independent EU observers into the area;
Amendment 31 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas global challenges remain – hunger, poverty, lack of proper and safe sanitation, insufficient levels of primary education, and gender inequality;
Amendment 61 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the global landscape has dramatically changed over the last decade, as has the nature of poverty, with inequality becoming a major issue in the context of its eradication; underlines that extremely worrying inequalities and poverty in middle-income countries should not be forgotten in the post-2015 framework;
Amendment 65 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that although some developing countries have become donors, while othersy still face high levels of inequality comparable to that of other developing countries; points out that, among other things, climate change, food insecurity, migration, unemployment, demographic change, resource constraints, unsustainable growth and financial and economic crises pose complex and interrelated challenges;
Amendment 73 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for the EU to adopt a common and effective position on the principles and goals that should be part of the new post- 2015 development framework; points out, at the same time, that this framework must be universal and global in nature, promoting prosperity and well-being for all and signifying the direct and active involvement of developing countries in its construction and implementation;
Amendment 94 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls, in this connection, for a broader definition of poverty than one based on gross domestic product (GDP) alone; stresses that global and national averages exclude large numbers of the world's poor;
Amendment 110 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses that universal health coverage (UHC) and quality education at all levels should be considered to be major goals of the post- 2015 agenda;
Amendment 123 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that the post-2015 sustainable development framework requires respect for the principle of democratic governance and human rights, effective, transparent and accountable institutions at all levels and a truly functioning and empowered civil society;
Amendment 124 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Calls on the EU to share its experience and expertise with developing countries providing access to knowledge in relevant areas of sustainable development, especially capitalizing on the transition experience of the EU Member States;
Amendment 139 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls for human rights principles to underpin the post-2015 framework, which must address, in particular, issues of inequality and discrimination, participation and the empowerment of marginalised and disadvantaged groups, including groups suffering from gender and caste-based discrimination;
Amendment 149 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Encourages the EU to support developing countries in building up their political will and in increasing efforts to improve the level of ratification and implementation of legal human rights instruments;
Amendment 156 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls, in this connection, for the prioritisation of capacity building in conflict-affected and fragile states; in this context, urges the EU to make efficient use of knowledge-sharing and capacity development methods, including the use of the transition experience of EU Member States;
Amendment 236 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Calls on the EU to continue to pay particular attention to the clear linkages between PCD and the post-2015 MDGs, in particular in the following priority areas: trade and finance, climate change, natural resources, agriculture, food security, migration, energy, and peace and security policies;
Amendment 258 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 – point b
Paragraph 39 – point b
b. the future agenda should be ambitious, global in nature, multidimensional and flexible, with targets tailored to each developing country which are simple, concise, action- oriented and easy to communicate, with a limited number of concrete targets and measurable goals;
Amendment 265 #
2012/2289(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 – point d
Paragraph 39 – point d
d. the success of future goals may beis determined by the ability of developing countries to fulfil their responsibility for the well- being of their citizens, lift the most vulnerable people out of poverty, fight inequality and at the same time uphold human rights principles;
Amendment 1 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)
Citation 13 a (new)
- having regard to the Council conclusions on EU Support for Sustainable Change in Transition Societies, 3218th Foreign Affairs Council meeting of 31 January 2013,
Amendment 2 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 14 a (new)
Citation 14 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission communication of 27 February 2013 entitled "A decent life for all: Ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future" (COM(2013)0092),
Amendment 7 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas LAs from new Member States need to exchange knowledge with old Member States in development cooperation practices in order to overcome the gap in terms of expertise, and in order for the old Member States to profit from the experience with transition and structural transformations of the new Member States, which is a valuable tool in the global development framework;
Amendment 8 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas CSOs and LAs are crucial in ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth, environmental sustainability, human rights and good governance in the post-2015 development agenda;
Amendment 16 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to mainstream the promotion of an enabling environment for CSOs and LAs and to consider it a priority for the EU's position in the ongoing negotiations on the post-2015 development framework; stresses the importance of defining a monitoring system which permits the evaluation of progress in the creation of an enabling environment at national level in terms of policy and regulatory provisions, as well as multiple stakeholder and multilevel dialogues; calls on the Commission to measure the enabling environment in order to capture its complexity and contextual variations with indicators that cover both the conditions of the context and the characteristics of civil society actors within that context;
Amendment 18 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Expresses great concern about the crackdown on CSOs cooperating with the EU partners in a number of countries and calls on the Commission and the EEAS to develop strategies on how to overcome these difficulties and to continue the vital support for CSOs;
Amendment 27 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to promote a ‘partnership for accountability’ for strategic cooperation between the elected representatives at national and local level, and CSOs based on transparency regarding official and non- official aid flows, as well as a participatory approach to development and accountability, including domestic social accountability and oversight, for the policy impact;
Amendment 34 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recalls the importance of the partnership between LAs from European and partner countries in achieving sustainable development; in this context urges the EU to make efficient use of knowledge-sharing and capacity development methods, including the use of transition experience of LAs of the EU Member States;
Amendment 41 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses the importance of strengthening EU staff expertise, in particular at delegation level, on decentralisation and the role of LAs in development, including on how to coordinate with CSOs;
Amendment 42 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that the EU should engage with partner countries, in the context of the New Deal for Fragile States, to elaborate as part of wider development strategies, national resilience strategies, and specific programmes that aim to address the underlying causes of long-term vulnerability, including community-based and participatory risk analysis, management tools and in-depth research about the drivers of conflict or fragility, and taking into account the views and perceptions of directly affected local people;
Amendment 43 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Recalls that resilience should also be a key theme of the EU's partnerships with CSOs and LAs; recalls that it is essential to strengthen the role of communities, through community-owned and led risk reduction activities, and LAs in fragile States and to work closely with them in crisis and post- crisis situations;
Amendment 50 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls on the Commission to develop an overarching DEAR strategy in close collaboration with CSOs and to increase the financial resources which will be allocated in the future programming period to DEAR;
Amendment 57 #
2012/2288(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Calls on the Commission to facilitate experience and expertise sharing between the LAs from EU and partner countries in order to provide access to knowledge in relevant areas of sustainable development and especially good governance, capitalizing on the transition experience of the LAs of the EU Member States;
Amendment 3 #
2012/2253(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the efforts of the EEAS and the Commission to coordinate more closely the development cooperation policies and crisis management structures of the Union and of its Member States; encourages them to promote such coordination further and to build on the positive experiences of the joint programming of development aid in the next programming cycle, starting in 2014;
Amendment 6 #
2012/2253(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages the Commission and the EEAS to improve further the balance of responsibilities between the two institutions in the field of development and to ensure that their respective staffing needs are met; reiterates in this context the need to ensure a balanced geographical and gender presence of nationals from all Member States among EEAS staff;
Amendment 10 #
2012/2253(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reiterates its plea to the High Representative / Vice-President (HR/VP) and the EEAS to make Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) their clear priority; urges the Commission and the EEAS to come up with a clear strategy in order to ensure PCD; calls the EEAS to acknowledge its responsibility for PCD;
Amendment 52 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the EU to actively use the many instruments at its disposal to support peace, respect for human rights, democracy, the rule of law, good governance, sound public finances, investments in infrastructure, reliable provision of basic services and the pursuit of inclusive growth and poverty reduction in developing countries and thereby also help create a conducive environment for efficient Aid for Trade and trade development;
Amendment 70 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses the importance of timely and well-prepared National Development Strategies and impact assessments; calls on the EU to introduce human rights in these impact assessments carried out for all its trade agreements and to link the conclusion of such agreements to ratification and implementation of key international human rights instruments; also urges the EU to incorporate clear conditionality and clauses on human rights and democracy in all its trade agreements without exception;
Amendment 72 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Stresses the importance of anchoring CSR in free trade agreements with developing countries in order to promote human rights and social and environmental standards; suggests including a comprehensive human rights chapter, in addition to social and environmental chapters, in all future free trade agreements;
Amendment 17 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)
Citation 22 a (new)
- having regard to the draft UN Principles and Guidelines on effective elimination of discrimination based on Work and Descent published by the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/11/CRP.3),
Amendment 18 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 b (new)
Citation 22 b (new)
- having regard to observations and recommendations on caste discrimination by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Treaty Bodies and UN Special Procedures, noting in particular the Report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance of 24 May 2011 (A/HRC/17/40),
Amendment 43 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the lessons learned from the Arab Spring events must continue, to provide impetus for the EU to review and, improve and ensure coherence between its policies on, inter alia, human rights defenders, international humanitarian law, human rights dialogues with third countries, and social media;
Amendment 72 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Welcomes the positive impact on coherence of EU internal and external policies of the EU's exercise of its legal personality created by the Lisbon Treaty to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities (UNCPD) in December 2010; calls for a similar approach to be taken to other international human rights treaties and conventions; calls for the Council and Commission to take a proactive approach in this area in order to address the negative effects of the piecemeal signature and ratification among EU Member States of other important external treaties and conventions;
Amendment 97 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Regrets that selective justice frequently manifests itself in new and transitional democracies under the guise of the rule of law and war on corruption; regrets that selective justice has become little more than a means to seek political revenge and to settle accounts with political dissenters by intimidating and marginalising opposition, media workers and human rights defenders, especially in the run-up to elections;
Amendment 128 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Underlines, further to the Arab Spring, the importance of developing a coherent and nuanced EU policy on transitional justice, including the linkage to the ICC as a court of last resort, to help countries in transition address the past human rights violations and to, fight against impunity and avoid recurrence of human rights violations;
Amendment 167 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Welcomes the enhanced EU outreach to civil society, and emphasises the need for civil society to contribute more systematically and regularly to the human rightselaboration of human rights country strategies and assessments required for a proper implementation of the new ‘more for more’ approach in EU policy;
Amendment 174 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Remains extremely concerned at the lack of democracy, rule of law, fundamental freedoms and the respect for human rights in Belarus, the only European Neighbourhood country not to fully participate in the Eastern Partnership and the work of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, especially in the aftermath of the presidential elections in December 2010 and the subsequent violent crackdown on protesters and political opposition, including trials of activists 2011 which did not conform to international standards and saw disproportionately harsh sentences handed down; commends the EU's unity in response to the expulsion of EU diplomats from Belarus in February 2012; urges the Union and all of its Member States to remain coherent and consistent in their policies towards Belarus, and to keep up the pressure on the political regime, including through sanctions, while reaching out to civil society through such tools as enhanced visa facilitation and increased education, trainings and other exchange opportunities;
Amendment 177 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Urges the EU to apply the same consistent approach towards human rights abuses in all third countries, both partner countries and countries with which the EU has a less-developed relationship; insists that the EU be vocal in pointing out and condemning human rights violations whenever and wherever they occur, regardless of the level or strategic importance of partnership with the country concerned; emphasises that the EU should use financial aid and economic relations as a leverage mechanism to ensure the commitment to the universal values of human rights of all its partners;
Amendment 181 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Emphasises the mutually reinforcing nature of human rights and democracy, as it is through respect for human rights that societies create the free political space needed for peaceful democratic contestation; welcomes in this regard the increased EU focus on democracy promotion, as illustrated by the recently established European Endowment for Democracy;
Amendment 183 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Underlines that a longer-term approach covering the whole election cycle is required to appropriately follow up on the reports and recommendations of the EU Election Observation Missions; stresses the importance of drawing up realistic and achievable recommendations and of ensuring that these recommendations are monitored and become part of political dialogue and assistance by the EU delegations; considers that Parliament's standing delegations and the joint parliamentary assemblies should also play an enhanced role in following up these recommendations and analysing progress with regard to human rights and democracy;
Amendment 187 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Reiterates its call on the Council and the Commission to develop a politicalcoherent, long-term strategy in relation to each EU election observation mission, followed up by an assessment of democratic progress two years after the mission, to be submitdebated during Parliament's annual human rights debate with the VP/HR;
Amendment 207 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)
Paragraph 40 a (new)
40a. Stresses that despite some steps taken by the Chinese authorities in the right direction, the human rights situation continues to deteriorate and is marked by widening social unrest and the tightening of control and repression of human rights defenders, lawyers, bloggers, and social activists, as well as by targeted policies aimed at marginalising Tibetans and their cultural identity; urges the Chinese authorities to engage seriously with the Tibetan people to assess the underlying causes of self-immolations of Tibetan monks and nuns and cease harassment and intimidation of Tibetans who exercise their rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association, end all use of unnecessary excessive force in facing protestors, investigate all instances of human rights violations, and allow independent monitors into areas of protest;
Amendment 208 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 b (new)
Paragraph 40 b (new)
40b. Reiterates its call for the need to appoint an EU Special Representative for Tibet who would be responsible for the defence of human rights and, among other topical issues, the right to freely practice one's religion and culture in China;
Amendment 234 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Notes that the EU is developing a human rights monitoring mechanism to be included as part of new partnership and cooperation agreements, and other trade agreements, with a number of countries; is concerned that these monitoring mechanisms are not ambitious enough and not clearly defined, compromising the EU's treaty commitment to the promotion of human rights and democracy in the world; is particularly concerned in this regard about the PCA with Uzbekistan and the pending PCA with Turkmenistan;
Amendment 255 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53 a (new)
Paragraph 53 a (new)
53a. Welcomes Council decisions to ban the export of certain information technologies and services to Syria and Iran and urges the European Union to consider these cases as precedents for future restrictive measures against other repressive regimes; strongly supports the proposal to include human rights violations in the EU dual-use export control system as a reason for which non- listed items may be subject to export restrictions by Member States;
Amendment 260 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
Paragraph 56
56. Reiterates its support for the implementation of the concept of democratic ownership in EU development cooperation, and considers the role of civil society crucial in that context; emphasises the need for all EU staff to work closely with civil society in the countries of their posting; outlines the fact that a closer cooperation with the civil society would considerably contribute to drawing up feasible and realistic human rights country strategies, tailored to the priorities of these countries;
Amendment 274 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 63 a (new)
Paragraph 63 a (new)
63a. Welcomes the Commission's 2011 decision to amend Regulation (EC) No 1236/2005 to strengthen export controls on certain drugs capable of being used in capital punishment; welcomes the proactive steps taken by certain EU pharmaceutical companies to halt exports to third countries where there is a foreseeable risk of such drugs being used for executions; urges more EU pharmaceutical companies to take similar steps; calls on the Commission to establish a catch-all clause in Regulation (EC) No 1236/2005 that would inter alia require prior export authorisation of any drug capable of being used for executions;
Amendment 296 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70
Paragraph 70
70. Strongly regrets that homosexuality remains criminalised in 78 states, including five in which it is subject to the death penalty; calls on these states to decriminalise homosexuality without delay, to free those imprisoned on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity and not to execute them; calls on the EEAS to make full use of the LGBT Toolkit to protect the rights of LGBTI people; calls on the Council to work towards binding guidelines in this area; calls on the EEAS and Member States to assist LGBTI human rights defenders in countries where they are at risk, and calls on the VP/HR to continue making clear the European Union's firm commitment to equality and non-discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in the world, including by launching and supporting initiatives at bilateral, international and UN level on these matters; repeats its call on the Commission to issue a roadmap for equality on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity;
Amendment 298 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70 a (new)
Paragraph 70 a (new)
70a. Calls on Member States to grant asylum to people fleeing persecution in countries where LGBT people are criminalised, on the basis of applicants' well-founded fears of persecution, and relying on their self-identification as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex;
Amendment 299 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70 b (new)
Paragraph 70 b (new)
70b. Reasserts that the principle of non- discrimination, including on grounds of sex and sexual orientation, is a fundamental element in the ACP-EU partnership;
Amendment 300 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70 c (new)
Paragraph 70 c (new)
70c. Underlines that for the EU's foreign policy to be credible and coherent in the field of fundamental rights, equality and anti-discrimination, the Council should adopt the directive on equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation and enlarge the application of the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia to cover other targeted groups, such as LGBT persons;
Amendment 301 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71
Paragraph 71
71. Condemns the continued human rights violations committed against people suffering from caste-based discrimination, including the denial of equality and access to justice, continued segregation and caste- induced barriers to the achievement of basic human rights; requests the Council, the EEAS and the Commission to take joint action on caste-based discrimination, including in EU human rights communications, frameworks and country- based strategies and dialogues, wherever appropriate; , and to promote the draft UN Principles and Guidelines for the elimination of discrimination based on work and descent as a guiding framework to eliminate caste discrimination, and work for their endorsement by the UN Human Rights Council;
Amendment 303 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 a (new)
Paragraph 71 a (new)
71a. Requests the High Representative and the Special Representative for Human Rights to give full recognition to caste discrimination as a cross-cutting human rights and poverty predicament affecting most severely women;
Amendment 304 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72
Paragraph 72
72. Notes with concern that indigenous people are in particular danger of being discriminated against, and that they are especially vulnerable to political, economic and, environmental and labour- related changes and disturbances; notes that most live below the poverty threshold and have little or no access to either representation, political decision-making or justice systems; is particularly concerned about reported widespread land-grabbing, forced displacement and human rights abuses resulting from armed conflict;
Amendment 309 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72 a (new)
Paragraph 72 a (new)
Amendment 321 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75
Paragraph 75
75. Urges the EU to enhance its action to end the practices of female genital mutilation (FGM), early and forced marriages, and gender-selective abortion; insists that these policies should be essential elements in EU approach to development cooperation; stresses the importance of adequate access to medical means, and of information about sexual and reproductive health and rights, to the wellbeing of women in all countries;
Amendment 327 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75 a (new)
Paragraph 75 a (new)
75a. Notes that there continues to be insufficient attention given to sexual and reproductive rights violations that undermine efforts towards the Cairo Programme of Action (ICPD) commitments; underlines that progress on reproductive health has been limited in some contexts by violations such as child, early and forced marriage and failure to enforce a legal minimum age of marriage, coercive practices such as forced sterilisation or FGM, as well as denial of autonomy to women and girls to make decisions about their sexual and reproductive health free of discrimination, coercion and violence;
Amendment 332 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 77
Paragraph 77
77. Notes that in their Trio Presidency programme, Poland, Denmark and Cyprus made a commitment to actively support all initiatives relating to efforts to combat violence against women, domestic violence and female genital mutilation, in particular its cross-border aspects; reiterates the need for coherence on EU internal and external policies on these issues, and urges the Commission to make it a priority to end violence against women and girls, as well as feminicide, and, through the allocation of appropriate financial resources, to support targeted and innovative programmes both within the EU and in third countries; encourages the EU and its Member States to sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence;
Amendment 372 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 82
Paragraph 82
82. Stresses the need for a toolkit to advance the right to freedom of religion or belief as part of the EU's external policy; notes that this toolkit shoulwelcomes in this context the EU's commitment to developing public guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief; notes that these guidelines should be in coherence with EU Human Rights country strategies and include a checklist on the necessary freedoms pertaining to the right of freedom of religion or belief, in order to assess the situation, as well as a methodology to help identify infringements of freedom of religion or belief; encourages the EEAS to involvestresses the need for the European Parliament and civil society organisations to be involved in the preparation of the toolkitse guidelines;
Amendment 399 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83 a (new)
Paragraph 83 a (new)
83a. Stresses the importance of the protection of freedom of religion and belief, including atheism and other forms of non-belief, under international human rights conventions and insists that such freedom should not be undermined by the application of blasphemy laws used to oppress and persecute those of a differing religion or belief;
Amendment 400 #
2012/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83 a (new)
Paragraph 83 a (new)
83a. Recalls that in a number of countries the prohibition, confiscation and destruction of both places of worship and religious publications, and prohibition of the training of clergy, are still common practice; urges the EU institutions, in their contacts with the relevant governments, to counter such violations;
Amendment 2 #
2012/2136(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights that the economic and financial crisis has had detrimental effects on access to food, health care and, education for the most vulnerable groups in society, in both urban and rural areas, and has resulted in globally dramatically increasing poverty levels; recalls that governments have a duty to ensure respect for economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights and, to provide protection against abuses by, for example, corporate and other private actors, and to investigate financial crimes by these actors;
Amendment 10 #
2012/2136(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that the crisis has shown that social protection spending increases poor people’s resilience to shocks and reduces the social costs of the crisis; highlights as well that countries with effective systems of domestic taxation reduce their vulnerability to sudden losses of trade taxes or foreign capital inflows; urges, therefore, the EU to help developing countries set up progressive and effective taxation systems to mitigate the impact of the crisis;
Amendment 12 #
2012/2136(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Amendment 14 #
2012/2136(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Emphasizes that social tensions have led to increasing discrimination and xenophobia towards minorities and migrant workers who belong to the most vulnerable groups affected by the crisis and whose needs have to be taken into account responding to the crisis;
Amendment 59 #
2012/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates its strong determination to defend and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms – civil, political, economic, social and cultural – as a core principle of ithe European Union's foreign policy and underpinning all other policies, as enshrined in the Treaty of Lisbon, in particular in the context of the economic and financial crisis;
Amendment 71 #
2012/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. EStresses the importance of ensuring that support for human rights and democracy promotion should not be undermined by decreasing the budget for such projects in the face of the crisis; in this context emphasises the need to offer steady support to projects financed by the European Instrument for Human Rights and Democracy (EIDHR) for human rights defenders advocating for economic and social rights, such as the rights of workers and migrants, and stresses the importance of promoting human rights education;
Amendment 87 #
2012/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for a specific enforcement mechanism to monitor implementation of human rights clauses in bilateral and international agreements signed by the EU; welcomes efforts to improve analysis of the human rights situation in third countries when launching or concluding trade and/or investment agreements; notes with concern that the current human rights monitoring provisions in Partnership and Cooperation Agreements are not clearly defined or sufficiently ambitious; calls on the EU to adopt an unfaltering principled stance in insisting that its partner countries comply with the fundamental human rights clauses in international agreements;
Amendment 17 #
2012/2062(INI)
Draft opinion
Section 1 – paragraph 9
Section 1 – paragraph 9
9. Emphasises that the new EU Special Representative for Human Rights mustshould take the development aspect as a basis for all effortsinto account in all actions aimed at promoting human rights in the world;
Amendment 27 #
2012/2062(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas, as part of the review process, the Council rationalised and reframed the EU's policy on human rights and democracy in the context of its external action; whereas this redefinition is embodied in the EU Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy, which was adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council of 25 June 2012 and complemented by an action plan clearly setting out specific objectives, a timeline, milestones for action and the allocation of responsibilities; whereas the Council nominated a Special Representative for Human Rights to enhance the visibility, effectiveness and coherence of EU human rights policy and to contribute to the implementation of its objectives, with a special by assessing the current HR instruments, consulting different partners and institutions in the field and through focusing on the implementation of the action plasubstantive issues that require immediate attention;
Amendment 108 #
2012/2062(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Recommends that the EEAS develop a set of qualitative and quantitative indicators and country-specific public benchmarks that could serve as a coherent and consistent basis for the annual assessment of EU policies in the framework of the human rights country strategies and the human rights dialogues with third countries;
Amendment 120 #
2012/2062(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses that these events have demonstrated wilful blindness on the part of the EU to the reaof 2011 illustrate the shortfalls of EU politcies of Arab Spring societies, including the situation of young people in those countries, which suggests the need totowards the region, including towards the youth which could be improved by, for instance, createing exchange programmes or opening up European programmes to Arab Spring youthfor young people from the region, and for civil-society-based reflection on the causes and consequences of the lack of awareness in relation to these societies; points out that such a reflection could be enhanced by the establishment of a Euro-ArabMENA Youth Convention/Euro-Med (Mediterranean) Youth Convention;
Amendment 126 #
2012/2062(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Insists that the High Representative and the Commission implement with conviction the renewed European Neighbourhood Policy by applying with equal attention the ‘more for more’ and ‘less for less’ principles; believes that countries clearly assessed as not making progress on deep democracyly embedded institutional and social change, with primacy given to the rule of law, should see the Union's support reduced in line with the aims of this policy; is concerned about the perpetuation of past attitudes whereby excessive political reward is given for steps taken by partner governments which do not contribute to the direct achievement of the objectives;
Amendment 132 #
2012/2062(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Takes the view that the EU Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy and the corresponding action plan are particularly significant, as they represent a common commitment endorsed by the High Representative, the Council, the Commission and the Member States; welcomes the recognition of the leading role played by Parliament in promoting human rights and democracy; expects that Parliament will be duly involved in the implementation phase of the action plan, inter alia through exchanges in the Contact Group on Human Rights, so that efforts can be combined;
Amendment 141 #
2012/2062(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Recommends that Parliament improve its own procedures in relation to human rights issues, including through the revision of its Guidelines for EP Interparliamentary Delegations on promoting human rights and democracy; is of the opinion that each standing delegation of Parliament should have a Member, selected among its Chair and Vice-Chairs, specifically tasked with monitoring the human rights portfolio on the region or country concerned, and that the persons designated should report regularly to Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights; calls for improved cooperation on human rights issues with the EU's national parliaments; stresses the need for a revision of the model for the plenary debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in order to allow for more frequent debates with broader participation by Members, a greater degree of responsiveness to human rights violations and other unforeseen events on the ground, and greater potential for follow-up to past debates and resolutions;
Amendment 144 #
2012/2062(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Recommends that the Parliament in cooperation with EU national parliaments organize an annual event on human rights defenders from around the world, which would provide the Parliament with a unique opportunity to show its support for human rights defenders worldwide and help advance their rights to speak up and pursue their rights in their own respective countries;
Amendment 11 #
2011/2316(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Azerbaijan plays an importanthas a role in the context of European Union's Eastern Partnership, and whereas the level of economic growth which Azerbaijan has experienced in the last few years has been noteworthy;
Amendment 45 #
2011/2316(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) incorporate in the Association Agreement clauses and benchmarks on the protection and promotion of human rights, especially in regard to freedom of the media, the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of assembly, which reflect the principles and rights enshrined in the Constitution of Azerbaijan and the highest international and European standards, drawing to the fullest possible extent on Council of Europe and OSCE frameworks to which Azerbaijan has committed itself; call on the government of Azerbaijan to implement these commitments, inter alia, immediately allowing the Council of Europe special rapporteur on political prisoners to visit Azerbaijan and releasing those imprisoned for political reasons; ensure that the negotiations take full account of the need to safeguard the rights and livelihoods of internally displaced persons;
Amendment 58 #
2011/2316(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
(c a) underline in the Association Agreement the importance that the Republic of Azerbaijan fully complies with judgements of the European Court of Human Rights;
Amendment 81 #
2011/2316(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(f a) stress that both Azerbaijan and Armenia should take the appropriate measures to ensure that any decisions taken under the Minsk Group format towards establishing and consolidating a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict are carried out fully and in a timely fashion;
Amendment 94 #
2011/2316(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) emphasise the need to use the Association Agreement as a platform to promote regional synergies and cooperation by establishing a level playing field for all three; emphasise the mutually reinforcing links between democratic pluralistic development and conflict resolution; ensure that the Association Agreement countries inains provisions to encourage visa facilities for all people from the South Caucasus countries;
Amendment 105 #
2011/2316(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) ensure that the trade component of the Association Agreement can be upgraded to a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area as soon as Azerbaijan meets all the necessary conditions, including joining the WTO and fulfilling its commitments in respect to human rights; with that aim in view, provide the necessary technical assistance to prepare Azerbaijan for the negotiations and to encourage the adoption of the reforms required;
Amendment 13 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the Armenian authorities have repeatedly stated their willingness to adhere to these values and emphasisinvoked Armenia’s European ambitions; whereas the rhetoric has not always matched reality in terms of the pace of reforms;
Amendment 41 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
(d) emphasise in the Association Agreement the importance of guaranteeing the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms, the development of civil society, the rule of law, the continued fight against corruption, ensuring market competitiveness, and the independence of the media;
Amendment 46 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) encourage the Armenian authorities to continue to develop the office of Human Rights Defender, in particular by providing him with additional financial and human resources and supporting the newly established regional offices; ensure that support to institutions such as the Human Rights Defender is balanced proportionately with support to civil society organisations;
Amendment 50 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) stress in particular the importance of the independence of the judiciary, transparent procurement procedures, the separation of politics from business, reliable court procedures which guarantee fair trial and access to justice for vulnerable groups of the population, a safe environment for investigative journalism and access to information and independent mainstream broadcast media, social media; encourage the Armenian Government to continue complying with EU best practices and recommendations in these areas;
Amendment 54 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(f a) emphasise the need to fight impunity of law enforcement and police, inter alia, by ensuring full investigation of torture and violation of rights in custody and in closed institutions;
Amendment 57 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point f b (new)
(f b) ensure that civil society and non- governmental organisations in Armenia are regularly and systematically consulted throughout the Association Agreement negotiation process, and ensure that their recommendations are noted and taken into account wherever appropriate;
Amendment 61 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) ensure that the Association Agreement is consistent with the principles of international law - in particular the non-use of force, self-determination and territorial integrity - and that the Agreement, once concluded, applies to the whole territory of Armenia;
Amendment 69 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) strengthen the European Union’s conflict-resolution capacity in the South Caucasus, inter alia by supporting the efforts of the Minsk Group and clearing the way for the implementation of confidence- building measures, as the Presidents of both Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed;
Amendment 73 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
(h a) stress that both Armenia and Azerbaijan should take the appropriate measures to ensure that any decisions taken under the Minsk Group format towards consolidating a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are carried out fully and in a timely fashion;
Amendment 84 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i
Paragraph 1 – point i
(i) emphasise the need to use the Association Agreement as a platform to promote regional synergies and cooperation by establishing a level playing field for all three countries in the South Caucasus; emphasise the mutually reinforcing links between democratic pluralistic development and conflict resolution;
Amendment 96 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j
Paragraph 1 – point j
(j) urge Armenia to ratify without further delay the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as a vital step towards bringing national legislation in line with international judicial agreements which have been embraced by the countries of the European Union;
Amendment 112 #
2011/2315(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) incorporate in the Association Agreement a strong parliamentary dimension which provides for the fully involvement of the National Assembly of Armenia and the European Parliament in the implementation and monitoring of the Association Agreement;
Amendment 4 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
- having regard to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the activities of the Special Representatives of the UN Secretary General on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders as well as the EU guidelines on Human Rights Defenders,
Amendment 6 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
- having regard to the EU Guidelines on the protection of the rights of the child and the guidelines on children and armed conflict, as well as many previous European Parliament resolutions touching on these issues,
Amendment 11 #
2011/2185(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the 2010 Annual Report on Human Rights in the World does not include a specific section on development; stresses, especially after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and given the current integrated strategy on human rights, that a thematic sec vital relation should be devoted to ‘human rights and development’ip between development and human rights should be stressed much more systematically and visibly in the Annual Report;
Amendment 33 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
G a. whereas different EU Member States have unique experiences to offer in terms of overcoming authoritarian regimes in their own past, and whereas this transition experience should be better utilised in the Union's relations with partner countries in strengthening democracy and human rights;
Amendment 37 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses, too, that the Union's policies must not onlyshould be consistent, but also exemplary, in order to maximise its moral authority globall and exemplary; insists that a clear indication that the recommendations made in the 2007 Fava report on the transportation and illegal detention of prisoners will be implemented, and welcomes the initiative to draw up a follow-up Parliamentary report;
Amendment 45 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Regrets that, despite the explicit call made by the European Parliament in the 2007 Fava report, a number of EU Member States have failed to fully and openly address their complicity in the worldwide violation of human rights that took place in the context of the US rendition and secret detention programme, and the domestic human rights violations that accompanied this; believes this situation to be a grave and serious impediment to the EU's promotion of human rights in the world and claims to moral authority; urges EU Member States to take action to fully shed light upon, acknowledge, repair and prevent in the future these human rights violations, and calls on the EU institutions to maintain pressure on Member States for full and open investigations;
Amendment 48 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Calls on the United States to honour its pledge to close the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay; urges EU Member States to step up efforts to resettle non- European detainees released from Guantánamo who cannot be repatriated to their home states as they are under threat of death, torture or cruel and inhumane treatment;
Amendment 58 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises the crucial role played by civil society in the protection and promotion of democracy and human rights; stresses that EU contacts with civil society should be built on a genuine partnership, including systematic and regular dialogue on an equal footing; encourages the EU to intensify its efforts to reach out to civil society and include their recommendations in its decision-making wherever feasible;
Amendment 68 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Believes that the promotion and support of non-violence reflects an international value that should constitute a priority for the EU's human rights and democracy policies, particularly considering that the non-violent methodology offers an effective and appropriate means and outcomes in terms of the prevention of conflict and support for democracy, rule of law and civil society around the world;
Amendment 73 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. InvitUrges the HR/VP in her drafting of future Annual Reports to consult actively and, systematically and in a transparent fashion with Parliament, and to report on the way that Parliament's resolutions have been taken into account; asks the HR/VP to more regularly provide information on the stage of preparation of future Annual Reports whenever requested to do so by Parliament;
Amendment 90 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Further recommends that, whenever a gross breach of human rights occurs by a partner country with which an international agreement such as a PCA has been concluded, the EU takes bolder steps in carrying out the appropriate sanctions as stipulated in the human rights clauses of the agreement, including possible temporary suspension of the agreement;
Amendment 101 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the adoption by the UN General Assembly of resolution 65/276 on the participation of the EU in the work of the UN as a modest start to a greater endeavour to upgrade the EU role in the organisation; stresses that speaking with one voice should not come at the expenseresult in an even stronger emphasis ofn human rights concerns and, on the contrary,in the world and effective action to tackle these problems; considers that the EU must now vigorously insist on exercising its rights and put its enhanced status to work in order to pursue an ambitious human rights strategy;
Amendment 138 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Takes note of the plans to establish a European Endowment for Democracy (EED); underlines the Endowment's potential function as a flexible and expert tool to support actors striving for democratic change in non-democratic countries and countries in transition; urges the Council to ensure that any such tool complements the activities of existing instruments, in particular the EIDHR, without creating new bureaucratic structures wherever these are not necessary; stresses that the EU's contribution to the EED budget must be genuinely additional and must be delivered in full conformity with financial rules, respecting the right of the budgetary authority to monitor and scrutinise;
Amendment 150 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls upon the Council and, the Commission and the EEAS to develop a political strategy in relation to each EU election observation mission, followed up by an assessment of democratic progress two years after the mission, to be submitted during Parliament's annual human rights debate with the HR/VP;
Amendment 161 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Calls for all contractual relationships with third countries, both industrialised and developing, and including sectoral agreements, trade and technical or financial aid agreements, to include clearly worded binding clauses on human rights and democracy, without exception;
Amendment 167 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Stresses that the application of the clause as it currently stands , for example with the Colombia/Peru Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) due to come before Parliament, provides an opportunity for the European Parliament itself to explore the potential for setting human rights benchmarks in advance of ratification, in order to achieve concrete and verifiable progress in respect for human rights; encourages the Commission to draft a new ‘model clause’ referring to the parties' international obligations, comprising a procedure for consultation and specifying political and legal mechanisms to be used in the event of a request for cooperation to be suspended on the grounds of repeated or systemic human rights violations in breach of international law; recommends that a clear system of sanctions short of suspension be developed; insists strongly on the need for Parliament to be a joint decision-maker with the Commission and the Council in this respect;
Amendment 186 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Emphasises the crucial importance of active civil society participation in and contribution to processes of governance, and insists that, in future, civil society must be engaged so as to contribute directly through an institutionalised ‘civil society monitoring mechanism’; ; strongly supports greater engagement with civil society in these processes, both in terms of ever-greater outreach and a stronger emphasis on including the views of civil society in policy-making;
Amendment 204 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 a (new)
Paragraph 49 a (new)
49 a. Welcomes the Commission's decision of 20 December 2011 to amend Regulation (EC) No 1236/2005, and thereby tightening export controls on certain drugs that can be used for executions and equipment that can be used for torture; calls on the Commission to tackle the remaining loopholes in the Regulation by introducing an end-use catch-all clause that would prohibit the export of any drug that could be used for torture or executions;
Amendment 230 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 57 a (new)
Paragraph 57 a (new)
57 a. Is concerned that in Egypt, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has failed to conduct an investigation into reports of sexual assault of female protestors, including the so- called 'virginity checks' and death threats against female protesters;
Amendment 231 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 58
Paragraph 58
58. Welcomes the indefatigable championingemphasis put ofn women's empowerment by the HR/VP and calls on her to institutionalise the EU Inter- institutional Informal Task Force on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) by providing it with a full- time chair, who will also act as the gender focal point in the EEAS, as part of allocating adequate human and financial resources to its task;
Amendment 276 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66 a (new)
Paragraph 66 a (new)
66 a. Recommends initiatives for EU legislation to ensure attention is paid in EU human rights policy and instruments of cooperation to eliminate caste discrimination, and action in caste- affected countries, including Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Yemen;
Amendment 284 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68
Paragraph 68
68. Stresses that freedom of expression and media, both offline and online, independence and pluralism are essential elements of a sustainable democracy, maximising the involvement of civil society and empowering citizens; calls and are therefore indispensable for ensuring transparency and accountability in public life; calls for increased support in the areas of promoting the freedom of media, protecting independent journalists and bloggers, reducing the digital divide and facilitating Internet access; unrestricted access to information and communication and uncensored access to the internet (digital freedom);
Amendment 286 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 69
Paragraph 69
69. Notes that the Iinternet has become one of the most important vehicles through which individuals exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression, and that it has played a crucial role in promoting human rights, democratic participation, accountability, transparency and economic development; notes however that ICTs can also be misused to violate human rights and fundamental freedoms;
Amendment 292 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70
Paragraph 70
70. Welcomes the Commission initiative on the ‘No Disconnection Strategy’; invites the Commission to submit a proposal for regulating the export of products and services aimed at blocking websitessmart regulatory proposals, including increased transparency and accountability for EU (based) companies, in order to improve the monitoring of the export of products and services aimed at, but also custom- made for, blocking websites, mass surveillance, monitoring all internet traffic and (mobile) communications, breaking into private conversations and transcribing them, filtering search results, and intimidating internet users including human rights defenders; believes telecommunications and internet service providers and software developers must learn the lessons of past mistakes, such as Vodafone's decision to give in to demands from the Egyptian authorities in the last weeks of the Mubarak regime to suspend services and to disseminate pro- government propagandaand should engage with policymakers, NGOs and activists in an open dialogue in order to set common minimum standards for human rights impact assessments and increased transparency;
Amendment 294 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 a (new)
Paragraph 71 a (new)
71 a. Welcomes the inclusion of a ban on the export of technologies and services in the EU's restrictive measures against the governing authorities in Syria; notes that this ban should become a precedent for future restrictive measures against other repressive regimes, in particular towards Iran; notes however that EU policies should be precise to be effective and not to hurt human rights defenders;
Amendment 295 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72
Paragraph 72
72. Notes that new technologies also allow witnesses and human rights defenders to collect information and share documentation of human rights abuses which may later be used to secure justice for victims; calls on the EU to work with the Global Network Initiativewelcomes multi-stakeholder initiatives and codes of conduct such as the Global Network Initiative; notes however that democratic oversight and the defence and promotion of fundamental rights are core tasks of government; calls on the Commission to support the development and dissemination of digital security technologies to empower human rights defenders through secure collection, encryption and storage mechanisms for such sensitive records and the use of ‘'cloud’' technology to ensure such material cannot be discovered and deleted; calls in particular on the Commission to examine and support the development of open- source technologies such as that developed by the Martus Project supported by the US State Department;
Amendment 313 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79
Paragraph 79
79. Reiterates its appeal to the Council and the Commission to systematically take up Parliament's resolutions and other communications, responding in a substantive manner; proposes that Parliament consider establishing a systematic mechanism to ensure a more effective and tangible follow-up to its decisions;
Amendment 314 #
2011/2185(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80
Paragraph 80
80. Recognises the need for human rights concerns to be mainstreamed through the work of all parliamentary committees and delegations dealing with external relations; recommends that Members of the European Parliament systematically meet with human rights defenders during official missions to third countries, including with imprisoned activists wherever possible, to provide the latter with greater visibility; welcomes the decision to augment the resources available to the Subcommittee on Human Rights in the light of the changes arising from the Treaty of Lisbon;
Amendment 132 #
2011/2157(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers that human rights situations should be continuously monitored and that an annual assessment of the situation cshould be included in the annex to the annual progress report of each partner country with a clear mechanism to reconsider andof evaluation, including provisions of how to progressively limit bilateral cooperation if human rights violations are confirmed;
Amendment 280 #
2011/2157(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Recalls that the EU should get more involved and play a more active and constructive role in resolution of regional conflicts by developing more confidence- building measuresacting in a more unified, coherent and committed manner, considering new pragmatic and innovative approaches, including launching public communication strategies in partner countries, supporting civic culturel society and community dialogue and strengthening good- neighbourly relations;
Amendment 39 #
2011/2032(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas, despite frequent breaches of the human rights and democracy clause and the failure of some third countries to honour the commitments made in the relevant agreements, the countries in question are penalised only very rarely, and international agreements between the EU and its partner countries, such as Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (PCAs), once put in place, are rarely suspended even in the face of gross human rights violations,
Amendment 115 #
2011/2032(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Recalls that the suspension of an international agreement between the Union and its partner country in response to severe violations of human rights or democracy is a tool which exists to be used in certain situations; believes that the EU's consistent failure to employ this tool undermines the Union's credibility as a strong and resolute actor on the international stage;
Amendment 195 #
2011/2032(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. StressNotes the importance of choosing priority countries for election observation missions on the basis of a mission's real potential impact on the Union's relations with the country in question;logistical impossibility of sending election observation missions to all countries which could benefit from such a tool, calls on the EEAS to adopt a highly selective approach to choosing such countries for election observation missions, and points out that the Election Observation Coordination Group, which is consulted about the Union's annual programme of election observation missions, has laid down detailed criteria in this area;
Amendment 13 #
2011/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Reiterates the importance of not forgetting middle-income countries, such as the countries in Central Asia, in the context of the overall EU development policy and efforts to accomplish the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), since the focus of development is frequently turned to the least developed countries thereby neglecting the Central Asian region, especially in the context of cutbacks in development assistance due to the global financial and economic crisis;
Amendment 24 #
2011/0412(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii
(iii) the fight against racism and xenophobia and discrimination based on any ground, including sex, race, colour, caste, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation;
Amendment 25 #
2011/0412(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point v
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point v
(v) the rights of indigenous peoples, the rights of persons affected by caste-based discrimination and the rights of persons belonging to minorities and ethnic groups;
Amendment 10 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas in our times it is no longer possible to avoid thinking in depth about the problem of migration and whereas all countries are affected by population movements, whether as countries of origin or transit or as host countries,
Amendment 24 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission's recent efforts to find procedures for legal migration for non-asylum seekers and urges it to develop further instruments in this direction, taking into account that legal possibilities will also limit organised crime that makes a profit from the necessity for people to move; calls, however, for a balanced approach between promoting legal migration into the EU and ensuring that it has the capacity to receive and successfully integrate arriving migrants;
Amendment 48 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Encourages the establishment of migration information and management centres outside the EU in order to help third countries of origin or transit to define a migration policy in response to the concerns of potential migrants and returning migrants, offer guidance on legal immigration and help with job training for would-be migrants, building on the experience of the pilot project in Bamako, Mali (CIGEM).
Amendment 50 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Draws attention to the important role that rehabilitation centres for victims of torture have played in the successful integration of migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, in the EU; notes with concern the decision that funding for these centres in the EU under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) will be gradually phased out; calls on the Commission to ensure that funding for these centres continues to be undiminished and is not left merely in the hands of the Member States.
Amendment 18 #
2010/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Deplores the poor implementation and enforcement of social standards, especially the ILO conventions and CSR principles, in a number of the EU's partner countries; emphasises that the ILO permits the imposition of trade sanctions on countries that do not comply with their international obligations; calls on the EU to pursue an approach based on incentives and sanctions in the context of bilateral and regional agreements, so as to ensure that the social provisions of EU preferential agreements are effectively enforced;
Amendment 8 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5a (new)
Citation 5a (new)
- having regard to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the activities of the Special Representatives of the UN Secretary General on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders as well as the EU guidelines on Human Rights Defenders,
Amendment 28 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas economiccivil, political, social and cultural rights must receive the same attention and be treated at the same level of importance as civil and politicalnot be forgotten in debates on how to ensure basic human security, such as the right to food, clean water, health, personal security and economic rights,
Amendment 52 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Takes the view that a consistent EU foreign policy must give absolute priority to promoting democracy and human rights, given that democratic society is the basis for upholding human rights; believes that the new institutional structure of the EU, and particularly the EEAS, offers an opportunity to enhance the EU’s coherence and effectiveness in this area;
Amendment 68 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5a (new)
Paragraph 5a (new)
5a (new). Recalls that the development of a coherent EU foreign policy is essential if the Union is to play a significant, constructive role in promoting human rights around the world; calls on the Member States to show unwavering commitment and political will in pursuing this goal;
Amendment 76 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)
Paragraph 7a (new)
7a (new). Recognises that non- governmental organisations are essential to the development and success of democratic societies, the promotion of mutual understanding and tolerance as well as initiating and sustaining actionable policy priorities and shared solutions to the challenges to democratic development;
Amendment 87 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Reiterates its request that more and better information should be provided by Council, Commission and EU delegations and embassies on the ground for the assessment of policies and that elements and guidelines should be proposed to improve the general approach, minimise any contradictions and adjust the policy priorities on a country-by-country basis, with a view to the adoption of human rights strategies by country as defined in the EEAS programme;
Amendment 107 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15a (new)
Paragraph 15a (new)
15a (new). Underlines the fact that the definitions of human rights adopted by the international community from the end the Second World War have proven sufficiently flexible to include new developments of human progress, but stresses the need to codify new rights to respond to new threats to freedom, such as those relating to freedom of science, conscience and knowledge, gender identity or sexual orientation and all the rights relating to the digital domain, starting from universal access to the Internet;
Amendment 108 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15b (new)
Paragraph 15b (new)
15b (new). Stresses the importance of strengthening the rationalization and if possible coordination of international bodies with jurisdiction over human rights and of their procedures, with the goal of always better granting an effective promotion and defense of the fundamental rights as contained in the related international instruments;
Amendment 144 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20a (new)
Paragraph 20a (new)
20a (new).Regrets the weakening of the EU's policy and conduct towards the Burmese junta, underlines that the current attitude is not helpful in fighting against the tragic political, social and human situation in which the Burmese people are forced to live since the beginning of the military rule and risks to appear a sort of appeasement with the dictatorship;
Amendment 147 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Welcomes the work of the UNHRC and stresses its crucial role within the overall UN architecture and its potential to develop a valuable framework for the European Union’s multilateral human rights efforts; notes that this new body has to keep wmust continue to strive to operate accorkding to the highest standards and in as efficient a way as possible in order to gain more credibility;
Amendment 156 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28a (new)
Paragraph 28a (new)
Amendment 168 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Welcomes the special sessions of the HRC on the human rights situation in the east of the DRC, on the impact of the global economic and financial crises on the universal realisation and effective enjoyment of human rights, on the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka, and on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and East Jerusalem; regrets that in the context of the special session on the OPT the majority of members applied a one-sided interpretation of the Goldstone reportGoldstone report proved to be more controversial and divisive among members than constructive and productive;
Amendment 195 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40a (new)
Paragraph 40a (new)
40a (new). calls on the Commission, the Council, the Member States to activate all political and institutional means in order to support initiatives aiming at the adoption as soon as possible of a resolution by the UNGA calling on a worldwide moratorium on female genital mutilation;
Amendment 244 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Calls, in the context of the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon and the establishment of the EEAS, for the EU institutions to establish an interinstitutional cooperation mechanism on human rights defenders; understands that the creation of such a mechanism could be eased by the setting up of focal points for human rights defenders in all the EU institutions and organs, with such focal points working in close cooperation with those responsible for human rights and democracy in EU missions and delegations; calls on the High Representative Ashton as Head of the EEAS alongside the Commission to establish a mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of the guidelines;
Amendment 252 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55a (new)
Paragraph 55a (new)
55a (new). Calls on the High Representative to institutionalise a policy of always meeting with human rights organizations and human rights defenders when travelling abroad and to include the information obtained at these meetings in reports back to the Foreign Affairs Council and the European Parliament; further insists that this rule should also apply to all EU Special Representatives and other high-level EU foreign policy officials working in the EEAS; expects these meetings to be organized by EU delegations on the field which should also be tasked with follow- up and protection;
Amendment 341 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 73
Paragraph 73
73. Notes that measures to fight terrorism have resulted in violations of basic human rights in a number of countries around the world, in the form of the application of excessive surveillance measures, illegal detentions and the use of torture as a means of extracting information from suspected terrorists; condemns these violations of human rights and is convinced that civil liberties should not be compromised in the fight against terrorism, as the disruption of normal democratic life in Western societies is precisely what the terrorists are seeking;
Amendment 367 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 76
Paragraph 76
76. Expresses its disappointment at the lack of progress achieved by thea number of human rights dialogues and consultations; deplores the fact that the involvement of civil society in these dialogues and consultations is not systematically guaranteed and is sometimes subject to constraints imposed by the non-EU parties;
Amendment 371 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 77
Paragraph 77
77. Calls for real participation by the European Parliament in the on- going evaluations of the human rights dialogues and consultations; asks for full access to the outcome documents and to other relevant sources; expects, as a result of the evaluations, the development of clear indicators to measure the impact of the dialogues;
Amendment 383 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80a (new)
Paragraph 80a (new)
80a (new). Calls for strong coordination between EU Member States, European Commission and the Fundamental Rights Agency ahead of every EU human rights dialogue with third countries; points out the need for the EU to be able to tackle human rights violations inside the Union itself if it is to be viewed as a beacon of human rights on the world stage;
Amendment 391 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 82a (new)
Paragraph 82a (new)
82a (new). Continues to be concerned that the human rights dialogue with Iran has been interrupted since 2004 due to a lack of cooperation from Iran and considers that time has come for the international community to act in support of Iranian civil society at this crucial juncture in the history of the country’s democratic movement; calls on the Council, the Commission as well the Member States to support and strengthen – through peaceful and non-violent means – those processes that can provide support to democratic reforms, ensure their sustainability and consolidate the involvement of Iranian human rights defenders and civil society representatives within policy-making processes, reinforcing the role of civil society within the general political discourse;
Amendment 397 #
2010/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 84
Paragraph 84
84. Stresses that human rights include the right to food, water, education, adequate housing, land, decent work, social security and the right to form a trade union; recognises that it is poverty that is and personal security; recognises that poverty is an important factor behind mostany of the situations of non-compliance with such rights; calls for the EU to invest more efforts and money in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), given the evidence that the world is falling far short of the goals set for 2015;
Amendment 85 #
2010/2114(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Considers it crucial that the ‘Prevention’ part of the EU CBRN Action Plan should be amended in such a way as to forcrequire the chemicals industry to replace the use of high-risk chemicals with suitable lower-risk alternatives, where such replacement is possible, regardless of the economic costs; suggests that a specific link should be established with the existing REACH Regulation1, something which the version of the Action Plan proposed by the Commission rightly sought to do;
Amendment 9 #
2010/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Union faces the problem of poor implementation of energy legislation and overall energy strategies which calls for strong leadership from the Commission to bridge this gap, alongside a visible and convincing demonstration of Member State will and support,
Amendment 189 #
2010/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Stresses that many of the newer Member States are especially vulnerable to external energy supply disruptions and need particular Union support in ensuring a stable energy security;
Amendment 299 #
2010/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Welcomes the return of Russia to the meetings of the Energy Charter Conference; calls on the Commission to work to extend the treaty to more countries and, in the forum of the Energy Charter Conference, to work towards a negotiated settlement leading to the full ratification of the Treaty and its protocols by Russia; stresses that energy should be central to the Post-PCA agreement with Russia and that this new agreement should serve as the basis fora guide and a foundation for consistency and coherence in individual Member State's' relations with Russia;
Amendment 336 #
2010/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39a. Supports the development of alternative energies from renewable sources, as well as investment into innovations aimed at increasing the safety, efficiency and development of nuclear energy;
Amendment 343 #
2010/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)
Paragraph 40 a (new)
40a. Stresses the need for the EU to take an active and consistent interest in nuclear power plant construction plans in neighbouring countries, ensuring that the highest international safety standards are applied in order to avoid potential nuclear disasters in the neighbourhood;
Amendment 428 #
2010/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and, the Commission and Member State governments.
Amendment 13 #
2010/2096(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a
Paragraph 1 a
a) acknowledges that the inclusion of civil protection and humanitarian aid within the portfolio of a single Commissioner canresponsible for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response creates better synergies within the Commission and can helps enhance the coherence of the overall EU disaster response;
Amendment 15 #
2010/2096(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b
Paragraph 1 b
b) calls however for a clear distinction and demarcation of roles and mandates between civil protection and humanitarian aid in order to preserve their specific features and respective identities to enhance efficiency;
Amendment 20 #
2010/2096(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 point d
Paragraph 1 point d
d) asks the Council and the Commission to clarify the arrangements foragree on a perspicacious command structure and a central hub of information both on the ground, as well as in the Commission and in the Council, to promote effective cooperation and coordination between the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Commission forin the management of a large- scale disaster response outside the territory of the European Union;
Amendment 23 #
2010/2096(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 point d a (new)
Paragraph 1 point d a (new)
(da) suggests localized coordination efforts, in cooperation with the national government of the affected state, using EU and Member States' representatives on the ground to ensure targeted and competent response to affected localities;
Amendment 9 #
2010/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas 82% of new IMF lending has gone to European-area countries while least-developed countries (LDCs) have received but a tiny fractionleast-developed countries (LDCs) would benefit from receiving a greater amount of new IMF lending,
Amendment 17 #
2010/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q a (new)
Recital Q a (new)
Qa. whereas up to 300 people per 100,000 population live with tuberculosis in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) participant countries Moldova and Ukraine,
Amendment 53 #
2010/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Recognises that, while it is vital to focus on the LDCs, many of which are not on target to meet any of the MDGs at all, the "middle-income" developing countries, which continue to require assistance on their way towards reaching their full development potential, must also be in the forefront of the EU's attention,
Amendment 58 #
2010/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Calls on the European Commission to use its existing instruments of cooperation with developing countries, including the ENP Action Plans, the Eastern Partnership, GSP and GSP+, to further define and implement concrete steps with which to facilitate the fulfilment of the MDGs;
Amendment 64 #
2010/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on all Member States to continue to improve donor coordination and division of labour, as different member states can offer expert knowledge in various geographical areas and development sectors, based on their unique experiences and capabilities, and to untie all their aid;
Amendment 103 #
2010/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34a. Whereas the EU is regrettably failing to pay sufficient attention to or exert pressure on oppressive political regimes in several Central Asian countries while nevertheless focusing on similar problems beyond its own neighbourhood;
Amendment 107 #
2010/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36a. Recognises the vital link between security and development and notes with concern the lack of progress towards a peaceful solution made in frozen conflicts in the EU's neighbourhood and beyond, urging the EU to review its efforts in this area;
Amendment 252 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall foster, where appropriate, in cooperation with the Commission, the collective use of spectrum as well as shared use of spectrum by enabling new technologies, such as cognitive radio, to develop.
Amendment 298 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. Without prejudice to the principles of service and technology neutrality, Member States, in cooperation with the Commission, shall take all steps necessary to ensure that sufficient harmonised spectrum for coverage and capacity purposes is allocatedvailable within the Union, enabling the Union to have the fastest broadband speed in the world in order to ensure that wireless applications and European leadership in new services contribute effectively to economic growth achieving the target for all citizens to have access to broadband of a speeds of anot leastss than 30 Mbps by 2020.
Amendment 300 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall, by 1 January 2012, authorise the use of all the spectrummake the bands designated by Commission Decisions 2008/477/EC (2.5–2.69 GHz), 2008/411/EC (3.4–3.8 GHz) and 2009/766/EC (900/1800 MHz), under conditions that provideavailable, in order to promote wider availability of wireless broadband services for the benefit of EU citizens and consumers, with easy access to wireless broadband serviceout prejudice to the existing and future deployment of other services that have equal access to this spectrum under the conditions specified in those Commission Decisions.
Amendment 305 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 6 – paragraph 3
Article 6 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall, by 1 January 2013 make the 800 MHz band available for electronic communications services in line with the harmonised technical conditions laid down pursuant to the Decision No 676/2002/EC. In Member States where exceptional national or local circumstances, including cross-border frequency coordination problems, would prevent the availability of the band, the Commission mayshould authorise specific derogations until 2015the end of 2015 in response to application from the Member State concerned. If cross-border frequency coordination problems with one or more third countries further prevent the availability of the band, the Commission authorises exceptional derogations on an annual basis until the aforementioned obstacles are removed. In accordance with Article 9 of Directive 2002/21/EC , the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, shall keep under review the use of the spectrum below 1GHz and assess whether additional spectrum could be freed and made available for new applications. in order to meet an increasing demand for wireless broadband.
Amendment 321 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The Commission, in cooperation with Member States, is invited to take action at the appropriate levels to achieve the harmonisation and use of the 1.5 MHz band (1452-1492 MHz) and the 2.3 GHz band (2300-2400 MHz) for wireless broadband services. The Commission shall continuously monitor the capacity requirements for wireless broadband services and when justified, in cooperation with Member States, evaluate the need for action to harmonise additional spectrum bands, such as the 700 MHz band (694-790 MHz). Member States shall ensure that, where appropriate, the cost of migration or re- allocation of spectrum usage is adequately compensated in accordance with national law.
Amendment 348 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 6 – paragraph 5
Article 6 – paragraph 5
5. The Commission in close cooperation with Member States, is invited to adopt, as a priority, appropriate measures, pursuant to Article 9b(3) of the Directive 2002/21/EC, to ensure that Member States allow tradnsferring or leasing within the Union of spectrum usage rights in one or more of the harmonised bands 790–862 MHz (the ‘800 MHz band’), 880–915 MHz, 925–960 MHz, 1710–1785 MHz, 1805– 1880 MHz, 1900–1980 MHz, 2010– 2025 MHz, 2110–2170 MHz, 2.5–2.69 GHz, and 3.4–3.8 GHz.
Amendment 351 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 6 – paragraph 6
Article 6 – paragraph 6
6. If necessary, the Commission shall ensure the availability of additional spectrum bands for the provision of harmonised satellite services for broadband access that will cover the whole territory of the Union including the most remote areas with a broadband offering enabling Internet access at a comparable price to terrestrial offeringn order to ensure that all citizens have access to advanced digital services including broadband, in particular in remote and sparsely populated areas, Member States and the Commission may explore the availability of sufficient spectrum for the provision of broadband satellite services enabling Internet access.
Amendment 4 #
1998/0031(NLE)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. CDeclines to consents to the conclusion of the agreement;