Activities of Paweł ZALEWSKI related to 2011/2050(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
New EU-Russia agreement (debate)
Amendments (46)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3
Citation 3
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the EU’s evolving common foreign and security policy should include Russia as a strategic partner; whereas Russia is a country whose culturn enormous country, a substantial proots lie in Europe and whichportion of whose inhabitants see themselves as having a European identity, and is an important global and regional player, with membership in the United Nations Security Council, the G8, the G20 the Council of Europe and OSCE;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the signature by the EU and Russia of a Memorandum of Understanding on the settling of bilateral issues regarding Russia’s accession to the WTO; believes that Russia’s accession to the WTO is vital to EU-Russia economic cooperation and to the negotiations on a possible Free Trade Agreement in the long term; underlines, however, that EU- Russia relations should have a broader agenda than business agreements, namely urges more cooperation from Russia in areas such as the rule of law, democratic standards and human rights;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the EU and Russia are mutually interdependent, both economically and politically, and whereas enhanced cooperation and good-neighbourly relations between the EU and Russia areshould therefore be seen as being of major importance for the stability, security and prosperity of both Europe and Russia;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Hopes thatCalls the Commission will be able to negotiate a strong new agreement, based on the four common spaces and with clear indications on regulatory and legislative issues and enforcement instruments; underlines that 75% of FDI in Russia comes from the EU and emphasises that a legally binding agreement on trade and investment, laying the foundations for a dispute settlement regime, is essential;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the current partnership and cooperation agreement was intended to step up cooperation with Russia, including in economic matters, with a view to making the country more democratic, modern, wealthy and well-governed, and whereas those goals have not been achieved;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the situation as regards the rule of law, human rights and civil liberties is deteriorating in the Russian Federation; whereas Russia is now less democratic than it was before the partnership and cooperation agreement was concluded; whereas, Russia, where Vladimir Putin is now in his third term of office, has developed a mechanism for exercising power – extending to presidential elections – that undermines the spirit of the Russian Constitution and is at odds with European standards; whereas the last Duma elections were not deemed to have been conducted in accordance with OSCE standards;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas in many areas of foreign policy Russia is acting contrary to EU interests, one example being its policy towards Iran and Syria, and whereas it is also violating international standards, examples of this being its invasion of Georgia, its occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and continued patronage of the self-proclaimed, separatist state of Transnistria, and its hampering of efforts to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)
Recital B d (new)
Bd. whereas the Russian Federation is showing no inclination to modernise its economy, which is based on large-scale exploitation and export of mineral resources;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B e (new)
Recital B e (new)
Be. whereas corruption is omnipresent and has become an integral part of the way in which the country is run;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points out that the Russia-Kazakhstan- Belarus customs union has led to higher consolidated tariffs and calls on Russia to engage in an effective dialogue to rectify these trade irritants.Expresses its concern that the Customs Union between Russia-Kazakhstan- Belarus will impose additional duties, further going against WTO regulations and undermining the actual will of the Russian Government with respect to WTO membership;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Recognizing the Russian Federation as an essential energy supplier to the EU, calls on the Commission to sign an agreement with the Russian Government in order to warrant no interruption of gas supplies to the EU Member States for the duration of long lasting supply agreements with Russia;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Urges Russia to re-establish the oil supply to the Mazeikiu Refinery in Lithuania;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Points out that a secure energy relationship between the EU and Russia rests equally on transparency of energy trading in transit countries and in elimination of violation of property rights;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 d (new)
Paragraph 6 d (new)
6d. Underlines the need for environmental impact assessments for all energy-related infrastructure projects, in order to guarantee that the international standards of environmental protection are met;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 e (new)
Paragraph 6 e (new)
6e. Urges the Russian authorities to ratify the Espoo Convention;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 f (new)
Paragraph 6 f (new)
6f. Calls on the Russian Government to ensure good relations and respect the sovereignty of nations in their neighbourhood;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 g (new)
Paragraph 6 g (new)
6g. Calls in particular on the Russian Government to follow its obligations to the Cease-Fire Agreement of 2008 with Georgia and the sister EU-Russia Agreement on Georgia;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 h (new)
Paragraph 6 h (new)
6h. Applauds the ratification of Protocol 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights by the Russian Federation;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Addresses, in the context of the ongoing negotiations on the new agreement, the following recommendations to the Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service: General: I. the necessary conclusions must be drawn from the failure of the policy pursued to date by the EU towards Russia and from the fact that Russia has its own, different vision of development, which often competes with that of the EU; II. account needs to be taken of the fact that the Russian authorities have based their system of governance on principles that are contrary to the spirit of European democracy and the rule of law; III. it should be remembered that in many areas the economic policy pursued by Russia is harming EU interests; IV. efforts need to be made to step up cooperation in all areas in which EU and Russian interests are likely to coincide, while opposing Russian policy in areas in which it constitutes a threat to European interests and values; V. it should be remembered that the goal of EU policy towards Russia is to secure the democratisation and modernisation of the country and to give civil society a more prominent role; VI. a distinction therefore need to be made between EU policy towards the Russian authorities, which should be based on principles of conditionality, and EU policy towards the Russian people, which should be a policy of complete openness aimed at stepping up contacts between EU and Russian citizens;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 i (new)
Paragraph 6 i (new)
6i. Encourages future dialogues under the Troika Human Rights consultation;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 j (new)
Paragraph 6 j (new)
6j. Insists, however, on the need for a revision of the consultation process, in order to allow for a result-oriented dialogue on human and minority rights issues in both Russia and the EU and on EU-Russian cooperation on human rights issues in international fora;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 k (new)
Paragraph 6 k (new)
6k. As one revision of the consultation process, asks the Russian side to invite other institutions besides the Foreign Ministry to be involved in the consultations; believes the presence of individuals from the Ministries of Justice, Interior and the prosecutor's office and prisons to be particularly appropriate;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a
Paragraph 1 – point a
(a) ensure that the new agreement provides a comprehensive and forward-looking framework for the further development of relations with Russia in upcoming years which is economically advantageous for the EU, and take the necessary action to ensure that the negotiations with Russia continue at a steady pacen appropriate pace dependent on a genuine willingness on Russia's part to adopt European standards and fulfil the commitments entered into;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 l (new)
Paragraph 6 l (new)
6l. Expresses strong concern over the status of NGOs and human rights defenders in Russia and urges the Russian Government to ensure a peaceful and safe environment for the development of such organisations and individuals;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 m (new)
Paragraph 6 m (new)
6m. Regards full compliance by Russia with the WTO rules as a necessary precondition and minimum standard for a free-trade agreement between the EU and Russia;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 n (new)
Paragraph 6 n (new)
6n. Aware of Russia's interest in WTO membership, calls on the Russian Government to eliminate temporary import duties as they contradict WTO regulations;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 o (new)
Paragraph 6 o (new)
6o. Urges Russia not to press any other country to join the Customs Union;
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 p (new)
Paragraph 6 p (new)
6p. Asks the Russian Federation to consider accession to the Anti- Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and to improve its Intellectual Property Rights record;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 q (new)
Paragraph 6 q (new)
6q. Condemns Russia's non-transparent economic policy, especially the use of discretionary powers towards international investors;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 r (new)
Paragraph 6 r (new)
6r. Expects improvement of the rule of law in Russia and points out that this is crucial for EU investors and traders;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 s (new)
Paragraph 6 s (new)
6s. Condemns the legal process of the case of Mr Khodorkovsky and underlines that it is not in line with international standards.
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) follow closelyattentively monitor Russia’s internal evolution, broaden dialogue with Russia’s civil society andwork together with all major political protagonists, support institution building in Russia and the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law; actively support, in so doing, all social initiatives seeking to build a civil society based on democratic principles and the rule of law, paying particular attention to the use of the internet for that purpose;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i
Paragraph 1 – point i
(i) stress the importance ofmake use of existing legal instruments to persuade Russia’s full compliance with itsy to adhere to the international legal obligations andit has entered into and to comply with the fundamental human rights principles enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which Russia is party to; recall that political pluralism, media freedom, independence of the judiciary, freedom of speech and assembly, and non- discrimination are the necessary preconditions for Russia’s further development and modernisation;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point j a (new)
(ja) emphasise the need to stop using repressive measures against opponents of the current regime; ensure that full light is shed on the many human rights breaches that have occurred, as well as the hitherto unexplained circumstances surrounding the deaths of independent pro-democracy activists, journalists and businessmen, the arrests of opposition leaders following the last presidential elections, the brutal beatings of peaceful demonstrators, the imprisonment of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the deaths of Sergei Magnitsky, Alexander Litvinenko and Anna Politkovskaya, which have yet to be cleared up;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) step up the EU-Russia cooperation on the resolution of protracted conflicts in Moldova and South Caucasus, on the basis of international law and peaceful conflict resolutionress the need for Russia to withdraw from the occupied areas of Abkhazia and Ossetia, to stop supporting the separatist authorities in Transnistria and make genuine efforts to settle the Nagorno- Karabakh dispute;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q
Paragraph 1 – point q
(q) pursue the efforts for full implementation of common steps towards visa-free short-term travel, with a view of a gradual phasing out of the visa regime between the Schengen countries and Russia; facilitate as much and as quick as possible visa facilitation for academics, students and researchers and for youth exchange purposes;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
(qa) as soon as Russia has met the necessary technical requirements, allow Russian citizens to enter the EU freely by no longer requiring visas for travel between Russia and Schengen Member States; in view of the fact that visa-free entry to the EU could be used by Russia as a means of expanding its influence in the occupied Georgian territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, visa-free travel should first of all be introduced for Georgian citizens, with visa requirements for the other Eastern Partnership countries then being lifted no later than the visa requirements on Russian citizens;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r
Paragraph 1 – point r
(r) take into due considerationin view of the deep, and growing and irreversible economic interdependence of the two partners, as reciprocal import markets and suppliers of goods, services and energy, the policy towards Russia which has been pursued to date and which has not had the desired effect should be abandoned and new, more effective, measures should be devised;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point u
Paragraph 1 – point u
(u) insist on a bilateral agreement between the EU and Russia that in the long run could be the basis for an agreementpoint out that in the long run a similar agreement that is in keeping with the interests and specific economic circumstances of all Customs Union members could be negotiated between the EU and the Russian-led Customs Union;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point v
Paragraph 1 – point v
(v) encourage the Russian counterparts to show the political will to reach an agreement on ‘trade and investments’ provisions that are to be built on the provisions already included negotiate favourable conditions for trade with Russia and rules governing mutual protection of investments, and then ensure that the EU introduces procedures enabling the PCA and that are in lm to be properly enforced in keepineg with WTO accessionthe terms of Russia’s accession to the WTO; recall that EU’s objective in this area is to improve and stabilise the business environment, as thisnd make investing safer, which would be beneficial to both parties and further promote the objectives set by the Partnership for Modernisation launched in 2010;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point y a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point y a (new)
(ya) stress that the EU must resist the demands of the Russian Government and not agree to exemptions from EU law to facilitate operations within the EU by firms with Russian capital (for example, pressure from the Russian Government to suspend the application of the third energy package to energy firm with links with Russia needs to be resisted);
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point y b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point y b (new)
(yb) stress that widespread corruption, over-punctilious application of the law and the lack of transparency of business standards applying to foreign firms remain real threats for foreign investors and are a significant brake on economic cooperation between the EU and Russia;