Activities of Cristian Dan PREDA related to 2013/2146(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Main aspects and basic choices of the common foreign and security policy and the common security and defence policy (Article 36 TEU) - EU comprehensive approach and coherence of EU external action (debate)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION the EU comprehensive approach and its implications for the coherence of EU external action
Amendments (9)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Welcomes the Joint Communication "The EU's comprehensive approach to external conflict and crises" JOIN(2013)30, 11 December 2013 which represents an opportunity to clarify and operationalize this approach in the new post-Lisbon institutional setting, as well as to consolidate EU's commitment towards working comprehensively in its external relations; acknowledges the considerable challenges inherent in promoting and implementing such an ambitious policy; welcomes, in particular, the emphasis it places on the connection between security and development that should be a key underlying principle in the application of an EU comprehensive approach;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Strongly supports the notion of a more coherent external action, but remains ; stresses that the EU should not adopt a narrow definition of the comprehensive approach; welcomes the fact that the Joint Communicautious since the policy is not yet final and uncertainties with regard to its scope remainn promotes an understanding of the comprehensive approach that covers all stages of the cycle of conflict or other external crisis through early warning and preparedness, conflict prevention, crisis response and management to early recovery, stabilisation and peace-building in order to help countries get back on track towards sustainable and long-term development; is highly concerned at the possibility that foreign policy objectives might dominate over development principles and principled humanitarian action;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Welcomes the reference in the Joint Communication to the specific principles of development assistance and humanitarian action that should underpin the action of the EU through the comprehensive approach; calls on the EEAS, the Commission and the Members states to ensure that the integration of development policies and humanitarian assistance into the comprehensive approach will duly respect the principles of these policies to which the EU is committed;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) establishes the principle of Policy Coherence for Development (PCD), and emphasises the potential for tension between PCD on the one hand and the comprehensive approach to crisis management outside the EU on the other; stresses that the main goal of the EU’s development policy is the eradication of poverty and that it is therefore essential that anti-poverty objectives are not marginalised in EU foreign policy and that the comprehensive approach does not erode the civilian character of development cooperation; is concerned at the potential pressure resulting from the integrated pursuit of foreign policy objectives to allocate development assistance to areas of strategic priority; takes note of the fact that the Joint Communication entrusts the HR/VP and the President of the Commission with the responsibility to ensure strategic and operational coherence in external relations, including regarding th external impact of internal policies; calls on the HR/VP and the President of the Commission to commit to doing so;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reminds that both Article 214 TFEU and the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid of 2008 protect principled humanitarian action; calls for the safeguarding of the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence which are crucial for both the effectiveness of humanitarian action and the safety of its actors; stresses firmly that counter- terrorism and security agendas must not undermine the ability of humanitarian actors to deliver assistance, and that humanitarian aid should under no circumstances serve political ends or be considered a crisis management tool; points out that to obtain access to populations in need humanitarian aid must not only be neutral but also be perceived as such; while aknowledging that a needs- based humanitarian delivery should be kept separate, calls for wider engagement with the the humanitarian actors in order to define better the parameters of their relationship with the comprehensive approach;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is of the view that there is a strong link between development and conflict prevention, as poverty is often a prime source and outcome of conflict; stresses that prevention contributes to peace, security and sustainable development; welcomes the focus on prevention in the Joint Communication and calls for enhancing EU's early warning systems; calls on the EU to continue to support countries in situations of fragility, in order to address the root causes and establish functioning and accountable institutions that can deliver basic services and support poverty reduction; underlines the need for elaborating an EU fragile states strategy that would integrate in the EU system the OECD DAC fragile states principles, as well as the objectives of the New Deal for engagement in fragile states formulated in Busan in December 2011.
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Welcomes the commitment to a long term strategy expressed in the Joint Communication as only a long term engagement and sustainable development can promote peace and security; calls for better coordination of the short-term and long-term objectives of EU policies with due regard to the views of the stakeholders at local level;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Stresses that, in order to be effective, the EU comprehensive approach should be based as much as possible on joint analysis, assessment and planning accross the EU system, with a clear division of responsibilities; points out, in this context, the importance of joint programming as a tool of achieving coherence in external action;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Underlines that the success of the comprehensive approach depends ultimately on its effective implementation on the ground; stresses, in this respect, the importance of addressing the challenges of communication and information sharing between EU bodies; equally points out the need for the EU's comprehensive strategy to be backed up by clear guidelines for use, as well as regular reports on its application, including to the European Parliament.