Activites

• 2011/03/10 Results of vote in Parliament
  • Results of vote in Parliament
  • T7-0095/2011 summary

    The European Parliament adopted by 584 in favour, 18 against, 18 abstentions a resolution on the Southern Neighbourhood, and Libya in particular. The resolution was tabled by the S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA, EPP, and ECR groups. It condemns in the strongest terms the blatant violations of human rights in Libya, and the violent repression of peaceful pro-democracy protesters by the Gaddafi regime which has used the Libyan armed forces, militias and mercenaries and foreign fighters to crush violently the protests.  Members call for an immediate end to the brutal dictatorial regime of Colonel Gaddafi and calls on him to stand down immediately. The Libyan authorities must stop the violence immediately and respect human rights and international humanitarian law. Members fully support the UN General Assembly decision of 2 March 2011 to suspend Libya's membership of the UNHCR, as well as the UNHRC decision to dispatch an independent international commission of inquiry to Libya to investigate violations of international human rights law, and the launching by the ICC Prosecutor of an investigation into the alleged crimes against humanity committed by Muammar al-Gaddafi and members of his regime. With regard to sanctions and assets, the resolution calls on the EU and the international community to take every possible measure to isolate Gaddafi and his regime completely, both nationally and internationally. It calls for an arms embargo on the country and a travel ban and asset freeze on the family of Muammar al-Gaddafi.  It notes that the EU has been the first to implement the sanctions imposed by the UNSC and stresses that any measures should embrace all Libyan assets, including the sovereign wealth funds managed by the Libyan Investment Authority. Parliament calls for the freezing of assets to include the proceeds of oil and gas sales and calls for disclosure of full details of all assets frozen. It welcomes discussions on further EU sanctions, including a freeze of the assets of Libyan companies with ties to the Gaddafi regime and also calls on the Council to verify whether there have been breaches of the EU Code of Conduct on arms exports and to adopt stringent measures to ensure that the code is fully respected.  The High Representative (HR) is asked to explore the option of enforcing the embargo by using air and naval CSDP assets. Furthermore, Member States are asked to ensure that frozen assets are returned to the Libyan people in the future. Coordinated EU action is necessary to implement the freezing of assets held by the Gaddafi family and known associates in Europe or in European financial institutions operating in any tax havens, ensuring that EU banks observe due diligence requirements with respect to any potentially illicit funds transferred from Libya. Members stress that the EU and its Member States must honour their Responsibility to Protect, in order to save Libyan civilians from large-scale armed attacks, and no option provided for in the UN Charter can therefore be ruled out. The High Representative and Member States must stand ready for a UN Security Council decision on further measures, including the possibility of a no-fly zone aimed at preventing the regime from targeting the civilian population. Any measures enacted by the EU and its Member States should be in compliance with a UN mandate and be based on coordination with the Arab League and the African Union, encouraging both organisations to steer international efforts.Parliament calls on the HR to establish relations with the Interim Transitional National Council and to start the process of making them official, so as to encourage transition towards democracy. It is deeply concerned at the growing humanitarian crisis, as more than 200 000 migrants are fleeing the violence in Libya, many of them remaining stuck at the border between Libya and Tunisia and others being stranded in refugee camps in Tunisia, Egypt and Niger. It calls on the current and future Libyan authorities to grant access to the country to humanitarian organisations and guarantee the safety of humanitarian personnel. The EU should make all necessary financial and human resources available to support a robust international humanitarian operation, assisting the UNHCR and other relevant humanitarian agencies in providing protection and emergency assistance to all those in need. Members go on to:appeal to the EU and the Member States to supply air and maritime transportation to help repatriate or resettle migrants, asylum seekers and refugees from Libya, in keeping with international law and relevant EU legislation;ask the Commission to provide financial support in response to the joint UNHCR-IOM (International Organisation for Migration) appeal, issued on 3 March 2011;ask the Commission to ensure that adequate financial, human and technical resources, are in place to guarantee that the EU can respond appropriately in the event of any mass migratory movement, in accordance with Article 80 TFEU.On the Southern Neighbourhood, Parliament calls on the HR to start preparations for EU involvement support for the Southern Neighbourhood, and to make full use of all relevant EU external financial instruments. It stresses once more that events in Libya, and in other countries in the region, have highlighted the urgent need to develop more ambitious and effective policies and instruments, and to strengthen their budgetary basis, in order to encourage and support political, economic and social reforms in the EU's Southern Neighbourhood. The ongoing strategic review of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) must reflect current developments in north Africa and must come up with improved ways of meeting the needs and aspirations of its peoples. The review of the ENP must prioritise criteria relating to the independence of the judiciary, respect for fundamental freedoms, pluralism and freedom of the press and the fight against corruption. Parliament calls for better coordination with the Union's other policies vis-à-vis the countries involved.

• 2011/03/09 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• #3072
• 2011/02/28 Council Meeting
  • 3072

Documents

• Debate in Council: 3072
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T7-0095/2011

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)