Activities of Barbara LOCHBIHLER related to 2018/2098(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Annual report on human rights and democracy in the world 2017 and the European Union’s policy on the matter (debate) DE
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the Annual report on human rights and democracy in the world 2017 and the European Union’s policy on the matter PDF (1 MB) DOC (124 KB)
Amendments (27)
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
- having regard to the set of EU thematic guidelines on human rights, including on Human Rights Defenders,
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 26 a (new)
Citation 26 a (new)
- having regard to the European Commission's Communication on the follow-up to the EU Strategy on Trafficking in Human Beings of December 2017,
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 28 a (new)
Citation 28 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 10 October 2013 on caste-based discrimination and to the report of 28 January 2016 on minorities and caste- based discrimination by the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues and the UN Guidance tool on descent-based discrimination,
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the vital and central role played by human rights defenders and NGOs in promoting and supporting the application of the fundamentalhuman rights enshrined in the core international human rights treaties; underlines, in this respect, the importance of the EU’s capacity to maintain support, through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and in the forthcoming 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), for human rights defenders and NGOs in situations where they are most at risk, while devoting special attention toincreasing the capacity of the ProtectDefenders.eu mechanism; insists on the need for a stand-alone EIDHR instrument under the MFF;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the EU’s active participation in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which has seen it sponsor and co-sponsor resolutions, issue statements, intervene in interactive dialogues and debates, and call for special sessions on the situation regarding human rights; recognises the EU’s commitments to addressing country situations in the UNHRC; stresses the importance of the EU’s engagement in dialogue and cooperation on human rights at a multilateral level, notably with UN and regional human rights mechanisms; fully supports the UNHRC’s activities and engagement when defending human rights worldwide; commends the work of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights under the remarkable leadership of Zeid al-Hussein; looks forward to a close dialogue and active cooperation with the newly appointed High Commissioner, Michelle Bachelet; calls on the Commission and the Member States to step up their support, including through financial means, to the functioning of the OHCHR and the Special Procedures;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Praises the work done byExpresses its appreciation for the work done by the human rights services of the European Commission and the EEAS in headquarters and in EU delegations, and of the EU’s Special Representative for Human Rights (EUSR), Stavros Lambrinidis, in increasing the effectiveness, cohesion and visibility of human rights in EU foreign policy and recalls its request for hithe EUSR's mandate to be made permanent and for greater transparency on its activities and missions; welcomes the recent approach on the EU’s Good Human Rights Stories initiative, which focuses on the best practices employed by various countries;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Calls for the EU to take particular care to assess and prevent any violation linked to the Union's own programmes, projects, and funding in third countries, including by creating a complaints mechanism for individuals or groups whose rights would have been violated by EU activities in those countries;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Proposes to launch, within the first trimester of 2019, an internal task force to carry out a review of the promotion and mainstreaming of human rights by its committees with an external mandate and by its delegations for relations with third countries during the 2014-2019 term; intends to draw recommendations from this review for enhanced parliamentary action in the field of human rights in the next parliamentary term, including in terms of scrutiny of the activity of the EEAS and Commission, internal institutional set-up and mainstreaming of human rights within its bodies;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Deplores that the phenomenon of shrinking civil society space is, in an increasing manner, also occurring in established democracies and middle and high-income countries, including in European Union Member States and some of its closest allies; calls on the European Union and its Member States to lead by example and strictly uphold universal human rights, ensure an enabling environment for their civil society and to address any negative trends in this field;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12 b. Underlines that the EU and Member States should step up their public condemnation of the killings of human rights defenders in individual cases, and to proactively work with third countries to ensure that these killings stop, that safety of human rights defenders is ensured, and that perpetrators are brought to justice; calls on the High Representative and external Commissioners to prioritise meeting with HRDs at risk during visits to third countries;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12 c. Calls for particular attention to be dedicated to the situation of environmental, indigenous and land rights defenders at risk, and of the killings of activists and community leaders in that field, particularly in relation to land grabbing and large scale agro- investments; emphasises the need for the EU to develop strategies to fight land grabbing and to work with third countries to ensure the protection of these defenders and that any crimes are investigated and accounted for;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 d (new)
Paragraph 12 d (new)
12 d. Calls on the EU and its Member States to constantly monitor and raise cases of violations of freedom of assembly and association, including the various forms of bans and limitations on civil society organisations (CSOs) and their activities, such as laws whose aim is to shrink civil society space or the promotion of fake NGOs sponsored by authoritarian governments;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Denounces the fact that media freedom had never been so threatened as it was in 2017; reiterates the importance of freedom of expression, both online and offline, as it fosters a culture of pluralism; strongly condemns the threats, intimidation and attacks against journalists, independent media, bloggers and whistle-blowers, as well as hate speech, defamation laws and incitements to violence, as they constitute a threat to the rule of law and the values embodied by human rights; believes that the free expression of legitimate and peaceful grievances must be allowedurges the EU to step up its efforts to protect the right to freedom of opinion and expression in all its relations with third countries;
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Strongly condemns all the inous crimes and human rights violationcreasing impunity and alarming atrocities and grave crimes committed by state and non- state actors around the world; urges the EU and its Member States to fightprevent and condemn crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and to ensure that their perpetrators are brought to justice, including when such crimes would be committed by corporate or government actors with close ties to EU Member States; calls for the EU to provide support for organisations that collect, keep and protect evidence – digital or otherwise – of the crimes committed by any parties to these conflicts, in order to facilitate their prosecution at an international level; supports the key role played by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in cases where the states concerned are unable or unwilling to exercise their jurisdiction; calls on all the signatories of the Rome Statute to coordinate and cooperate with the ICC; reiterates its call for the VP/HR to appoint an EUSR on International Humanitarian Law and International Justice with a mandate to promote, mainstream and represent the EU’s commitment to the fight against impunitythe EU and its member states to provide diplomatic and financial support to the ICC in a consistent manner, to encourage third countries to ratify and apply the Rome Statute and to promote the universality of the latter; calls on all States to cooperate with the ICC and take effective steps to prevent and respond to non-cooperation; reiterates the importance of other key mechanisms aimed at ending impunity, including the use of universal jurisdiction and calls on EU Member states to adopt the necessary legislation; in this regard, recalls that victims' rights need to be at the heart of all action; reiterates its call for the VP/HR to appoint an EUSR on International Humanitarian Law and International Justice with a mandate to promote, mainstream and represent the EU’s commitment to the fight against impunity; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to develop an action plan and a toolkit on accountability and universal jurisdiction, which would among others help build the capacity of third countries in investigating and prosecuting atrocity crimes and support civil society organisations active in this field;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Recalls its resolution of 27 February 2014 on the use of armed drones; expresses its grave concern over the use of armed drones outside the international legal framework; calls, once again, on the EU to urgently develop a legally binding framework for the use of armed drones to ensure that the Member States, in conformity with their legal obligations, do not perpetrate unlawful targeted killings or facilitate such killings by other states; calls further on the Commission to keep Parliament properly informed about the use of EU funds for all research and development projects associated with the construction of drones; calls for human rights impact assessments in respect of further drone development projects;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19 b. Urges the HR/VP and the Member States to work towards an international ban of weapon systems that lack human control over the use of force as requested by the Parliament on various occasions and, in preparation of relevant meetings at UN level, to urgently develop and adopt a common position on autonomous weapon systems and to speak at relevant fora with one voice and act accordingly;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Stresses that corruption undermines the rule of law, democracy and the competitiveness of economies, and puts human rights at risk; calls for improvements to anti-corruption mechanisms and practices, such as the imposition of sanctions on those individuals and countries that commit serious corruption offences; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to devise joint programming on human rights and the fight against corruption, in particular initiatives for improving transparency, fighting impunity, supporting anti- corruption human rights defenders and whistle-blowers, and strengthening anti- corruption agencies;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Recognises that women human rights defenders around the world face specific risks and threats due to their gender, including intimidation, harassment, and sexual violence; calls on the EEAS and Member States to adopt an annex to the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders specifically addressing support for women human rights defenders at risk, as well as intersectional threats;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes with appreciation the adoption of the revised EU Guidelines for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child; underlines the fact that children are often exposed to specific abuses, such as child marriage, genital mutilation and, child labour and trafficking in human beings, especially in humanitarian crises and armed conflicts, and therefore require enhanced protection; stresses the need to step up the EU’s engagement when it comes to addressing the protection of children, including unaccompanied minors, and to devote particular attention to education and psycho-social support; recalls that the rights and needs of the child need to be paramount at all times; calls on the USA, as the only remaining country not to have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to do so as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the EU and its Member States to establish full transparency as regards the funds allocated to third countries for cooperation on migration and to ensure that such cooperation should not benefit, either directly or indirectly, security, police and justice systems involved in human rights violations; warns against the instrumentalisation of EU foreign policy as ‘migration management’ and emphasises that all attempts to work with third countries on migration must go hand in hand with improving human rights conditions within these countries; calls on the Commission to continue to treat the protection and promotion of the rights of migrants and refugees as a priority in its policies, as well as ensuring that funding related to cooperation on migration is not drawn from development or peace and stability funds; warns against the instrumentalisation of EU foreign policy as ‘migration management’; in this context, emphasises the need to insulate development cooperation from cooperation on readmission or migration management; emphasises that all attempts to work with third countries on migration must go hand in hand with improving human rights conditions within these countries; calls on the Commission to continue to treat the protection and promotion of the rights of migrants and refugees as a priority in its policies and stresses the cardinal need to guarantee strict compliance by the Commission and Member States with international human rights, refugee and maritime law, particularly with the Geneva Convention on Refugees; reminds the EU and its Member States of the duty under international law to rescue at sea and not to criminalise private search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea; calls on EU search and rescue operations to be reinstalled and adequately funded; calls for the creation and enhancement of legal and safe ways for migration into the EU, notably through family reunification and resettlement; insists on the need to develop and better implement protection frameworks for migrants; calls for the European Parliament to have oversight of migration agreements;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Welcomes the UN initiative on the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular Migration and the UNHCR Global Compact on Refugees and the pivotal role assigned to human rights, recommends that the EU takes an active part to the negotiations ; reminds that the New York Declaration of 19 September 2016 attributes a role of privileged stakeholders to Civil Society Organisations and representatives of migrant communities and diasporas, wishing that the EU and its members cooperate fully with civil society and account for its inputs;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Denounces and explicitly rejectsplores the persistence of trafficking in human beings; underlines the fact that trafficking in human beings is a modern kind of slavery, and a serious crime whichcommodifies people and constitutes one of the worst forms of human rights violations and an abhorrent crime against the person; emphasises, in this respect, the importance of a consistent approach to the internal and external dimensions of the EU’s policies for combating trafficking in human beings; calls for the EU and the Member States to increase cooperation with third countries in order to investigate all stages of trafficking in human beings, promote victim-centred policies, address prevention and demand reduction and to crack down on profits stemming from trafficking in human beings;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. EReaffirms the urgent need to address human rights abuses and corruption by corporations when they occur, and to ensure that they can be held accountable, including when related to their extraterritorial dimension; calls on the Commission to establish an inter- institutional task force on business and human rights and to explore an EU-level duty of care initiative; encourages all countries, including the Member States, and the EU to engage in the negotiations to adopt a legally binding international human rights instrument for transnational corporations and other companies with respect to human rights, through active participation in the UN-established open- ended intergovernmental working group; welcomes the adopinsists once again on the need for a swift, effective and comprehensive implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and calls for their universal application, particularly with regard to the third pillar on access to remedy; recognises the major importance of the UN Global Compact and the National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights; encourages companies to exercis, yet regrets that to date, only 21 States have adopted such action plans; insists on the need for companies to adopt effective due diligence policies; calls on all countries to swiftly implement the UNGPs and guarantee that businesses in their jurisdictions abide by human rights and social labour standards; encourages all countries to tackle companies which use raw materials or other commodities originating from conflict zones; reiterates its call to include the rules of corporate liability for human rights violations into trade and investment agreements, as well as setting up a complaints mechanism for people whose rights are violated by the implementation of such agreements; emphasises that the victims of business- related human rights abuses should be guaranteed effective access to remedies; access to effective remedy;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Considers GSP+ trade schemes to be one of the main EU trade policy instruments for promoting human rights and environmental standards with third countries; calls on the Commission to review and better monitor GSP+ schemes in order to ensure that human rights standards are upheld by beneficiary countries; calls for the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to be included within the list of conventions required for GSP+ status; urges the Commission to continue to fund civil society initiatives that monitor the implementation of this scheme;
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Reiterates its condemnation of the continuing violations committed against people suffering from caste hierarchies and caste-based discrimination; is deeply concerned by the alarming rate of caste- based violent attacks on Dalits and of institutionalised discrimination with impunity; reiterates its call for an EU policy development on caste discrimination, and calls on the EU to use every opportunity in its trade, development and foreign policy to address caste discrimination; reiterates its call on the EU and its Member States to intensify efforts and support initiatives to eliminate caste discrimination, including the promotion of specific indicators, disaggregated data and special measures to tackle caste in the implementation and monitoring of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the observance of the new UN Guidance tool on descent-based discrimination and support to states’ implementation of UN recommendations on the topic of caste discrimination;
Amendment 372 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Recognises that terrorism and radicalisation pose acute threats to democracy and human rights and regrets the fact that the attacks perpetrated in 2017 often targeted the very individuals or groups who embody these values; supports the EU’s efforts to prevent and combat terrorism and radicalisation, including EU- wide initiatives and networks such as the Radicalisation Awareness Network, but reiterates that all efforts must comply with international human rights laws; calls on the Commission to develop a better exchange and coordination of information via its channels and agencies in order to swiftly prevent, identify and bring to justice terrorist threatswarns against counterterrorism strategies that erode the rule of law both in the EU and abroad; advocates that cooperation with third countries on matters of counterterrorism include thorough assessments of risks for fundamental liberties and human rights and include safeguards in case of violations; recalls that 40 individuals remain unlawfully detained at the USA military base of Guantanamo Bay and calls on the USA administration to release or prosecute the detainees and to close the military detention facility as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Takes the view that sport can play a positive role in the promotion of human rights; regrets the fact, however, that there is a specific correlation between certain human rights abuses and major sporting events in host or candidate countries, abuses such as evictions, the silencing of civil society and human rights defenders and the exploitation of workers for the construction of large sporting facilities; calls on international and domestic sporting bodies and organisations and the host countries of major events to commit to good governance and human rights practices; the EU to develop an EU policy framework on sports and human rights and to engage with national sports federations, corporate actors and CSOs on the modalities of their participation in such events; calls on international and domestic sporting bodies and organisations and the host countries of major events to put in place mechanisms to prevent, monitor and to provide remedy to all human rights abuses connected to mega- sporting events and to commit to good governance and the protection of human rights;