Activities of Ulrike LUNACEK related to 2016/2226(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EC-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and bilateral trade in textiles - EC-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and bilateral trade in textiles (resolution) (debate)
Amendments (7)
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Takes the view that, although progress has been made in terms of a reduction of forced labour in general, the trend has been irregular; underlines that, despite the fact that the number of people directly coerced to pick cotton has certainly decreased over the years since ILO monitoring started, more indirect and subtle ways of involuntary work seem to prevail, including those who feel obliged or under social pressure;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Reminds that obligations to respect for democracy, principles of international law and human rights and the principles of market economy, as defined in Article 2 of the PCA, remain largely unfulfilled by Uzbekistan;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Regrets that the assistance provided by the EU over the last years, focusing on the rule of law and the judiciary and aiming at triggering reforms and streamlining the work of the Uzbek parliament, has borne no fruit;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6 c. Highlights that in 2009 and 2010 the Council lifted the EU sanctions ‘with a view to encourage the Uzbek authorities to take further substantive steps to improve the rule of law and the human rights situation on the ground’ stating, furthermore that ‘the Council will closely and continuously observe the human rights situation in Uzbekistan’ and that ‘the depth and quality of the dialogue and cooperation will depend on Uzbek reforms’;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR), the EEAS and EU Member States to use the transition process as an opportunity to immediately put in motion a strategy with the aim of pressing Uzbekistan for concrete, measurable human rights improvements over the coming months; underlines that concrete improvements should include the conditions laid out by EU Foreign Ministers in 2010, which are: 1) releasing all imprisoned human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience; 2) allowing unimpeded operation of non- governmental organisations in the country; 3) cooperating fully with all relevant UN Special Rapporteurs; 4) guaranteeing freedom of speech and the media; 5) ending the practice of forced labour; and 6) fully aligning its election processes with international standards;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Expects the EEAS to firmly address all the main cases of human rights violations at the 10th round of the EU- Uzbekistan Human Rights Dialogue scheduled for November 2016 and to make these meetings more result-oriented, overcoming the current deeply disappointing stalemate;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7 c. Believes that EU aid to Uzbekistan should also be aimed at weaning off the country from the cotton monoculture and decreasing its dependence on its exports by diversifying the economy, which could gradually alleviate the disastrous environmental situation, with regard, in particular, to what is left of the Aral Sea and its tributaries;