2012/2288(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)

- having regard to the Council conclusions on EU Support for Sustainable Change in Transition Societies, 3218th Foreign Affairs Council meeting of 31 January 2013,

Amendment 10 #

Bart STAES, Judith SARGENTINI, Eva JOLY, Catherine GRÈZE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Welcomes the recent policy evolutions at EU and international level which are focused on a more ambitious partnership with CSOs and LAs, founded on a human rights-based approach to development, including economic, social and cultural rights as well as international treaties on environment and biodiversity protection; and on a clear engagement to strengthening the democratic process and accountability;

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Calls on the EC and EEAS to develop guidance and implementation plans for a HRBA in EU's development cooperation in dialogue with CSOs and to further the implementation of the European Union Guidelines on Human rights Defenders;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that creating accountable, human rights-based, and inclusive relations among governments, LAs, CSOs, the private sector and citizens offers a unique opportunity for the EU - citizens, LAs and the private sector included - to establish sustainable partnerships with developing countries;

Amendment 13 #

Bart STAES, Eva JOLY, Catherine GRÈZE, Judith SARGENTINI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that creating accountable, human rights-based, and ~~inclusive~~democratic relations among governments, LAs, CSOs, and citizens offers a unique opportunity for the EU to establish transparent and sustainable partnerships with developing countries;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that creating accountable, human rights-based, and inclusive relations among governments, LAs, CSOs, private sector and citizens offers a unique opportunity for the EU to establish sustainable partnerships with developing countries;

Amendment 15 #

Bart STAES, Eva JOLY, Catherine GRÈZE, Judith SARGENTINI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Believes that Policy Coherence for Development must be the guiding principle of the EU cooperation with local authorities aiming at developing local economy to provide decent livelihood to the population at community level,

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to mainstream the promotion of an enabling environment for CSOs and LAs and to consider it a priority for the EU's position in the ongoing negotiations on the post-2015 development framework; stresses the importance of defining a monitoring system which permits the evaluation of progress in the creation of an enabling environment at national level in terms of policy and regulatory provisions, as well as multiple stakeholder and multilevel dialogues; calls on the Commission to measure the enabling environment in order to capture its complexity and contextual variations with indicators that cover both the conditions of the context and the characteristics of civil society actors within that context;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to mainstream the promotion of an enabling environment for CSOs and LAs and to consider it a priority for the EU's position in the ongoing negotiations on the post-2015 development framework; stresses the importance of defining a monitoring system which permits the evaluation of progress in the creation of an enabling environment at national level in terms of policy and regulatory provisions, in line with international human rights standards, as well as multiple stakeholder and multilevel dialogues;

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Expresses great concern about the crackdown on CSOs cooperating with the EU partners in a number of countries and calls on the Commission and the EEAS to develop strategies on how to overcome these difficulties and to continue the vital support for CSOs;

Amendment 19 #

Patrice TIROLIEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Encourages the EU to promote institutionalised mechanisms for multilevel and multiple stakeholder dialogue among CSOs, LAs and partner governments in decent work agendas, and sustainable and inclusive growth; recommends that the EU accords to each partner country the provisions relative to consultations with LAs as provided for in the Cotonou agreement for ACP states;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14 a (new)

- having regard to the Commission communication of 27 February 2013 entitled "A decent life for all: Ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future" (COM(2013)0092),

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Encourages the EU to promote institutionalised mechanisms for multilevel and multiple stakeholder dialogue among CSOs, LAs and partner governments in decent work agendas, and sustainable and inclusive growth and on the issue of enabling environment for both CSOs and LAs ;

Amendment 21 #

Bart STAES, Eva JOLY, Catherine GRÈZE, Judith SARGENTINI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Encourages the EU to promote institutionalised mechanisms for multilevel and multiple stakeholder dialogue among CSOs, LAs and partner governments in decent work agendas, and sustainable and inclusive growth with redistribution of revenue through government budget;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Encourages the EU to promote institutionalised mechanisms for multilevel and multiple stakeholder dialogue among CSOs, LAs, the private sector and partner governments in decent work agendas, and sustainable and inclusive growth;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Encourages the EU to systematically involve women's organisations and networks in the preparation and possibly in the implementation of policy dialogue, in line with the commitments taken under the EU Gender Action Plan for Development;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Expresses appreciation for the Policy Forum on Development, which aims to create a space for dialogue with CSOs and LAs in policy discussions and ~~supports its continuation~~encourages all stakeholders involved to make it a strategic space for guiding and influencing policy making at EU and international level on development issues including Policy Coherence for Development; ;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on the Commission to support the inclusion of LA representatives in the Steering Committee on Global partnership for effective development cooperation;

Amendment 26 #

Bart STAES, Eva JOLY, Catherine GRÈZE, Judith SARGENTINI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to allocate adequate resources in the future programming period, to allow CSOs and LAs from partner countries to ~~raise awareness~~monitor and analyse progress towards policy coherence for development (PCD) at local, national and international level;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to promote a ‘partnership for accountability’ for strategic cooperation between the elected representatives at national and local level, and CSOs based on transparency regarding official and non- official aid flows, as well as a participatory approach to development and accountability, including domestic social accountability and oversight, for the policy impact;

Amendment 28 #

Bart STAES, Eva JOLY, Catherine GRÈZE, Judith SARGENTINI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses the important role that local authorities and civil society organisations can play in fighting corruption at all level including tax evasion and illicit financial flow from developing countries ;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Encourages the EU to adopt a scale- up agenda with a view to building on the worthwhile outcomes of both CSOs’ and LAs’ EU-funded projects and initiatives;

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the EU has a strong political commitment to promoting an enabling environment for civil society organisations (CSOs) at national level a~~nd whereas the importance and diversity of CSOs as independent developm~~s well as regional and international levels and whereas the EU recognises that an empowered civil society, in all its diversity, is important in its own right and represents a~~nd humanitarian actors has been recognised;~~ crucial and integral component of any democracy.

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission to promote a balanced approach between the principle of harmonisation and the right of initiative of CSOs and LAs; reminds the Commission that simplification and harmonisation of donor administrative procedures should be done in dialogue with CSOs and LAs;

Amendment 31 #

Patrice TIROLIEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Encourages the Commission to establish country road maps for LAs as well, and to consider the development of joint CSOs and LAs country roadmaps;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Calls on the Commission to adopt the sustainable development agenda, taking account of the fact that its three core components (environmental, social and economic) are equally important and inextricably linked;

Amendment 33 #

Patrizia TOIA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Calls on the Commission to adopt the sustainable development agenda, considering its three essential components (environment, social and economic) as equally important and not separable parameters.

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Recalls the importance of the partnership between LAs from European and partner countries in achieving sustainable development; in this context urges the EU to make efficient use of knowledge-sharing and capacity development methods, including the use of transition experience of LAs of the EU Member States;

Amendment 35 #

Patrizia TOIA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Encourages the EU to adopt a scale up agenda, aiming at increasing proportionally effective experiences of projects and initiatives both of CSOs and LAs financed by the EU.

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to establish a more ambitious policy dialogue with and within partner countries to promote TAD and a comprehensive approach to decentralisation, and to give priority in the future programming period to strengthening the capacity of LAs and CSOs to influence and monitor decentralisation reform processes;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Recalls that an effective decentralisation process requires public sector reforms, such as the transfer of power, functions, and resources, as well as the active participation of citizens, via their representatives, in participatory planning and budgeting; calls on the Commission to include decentralisation and TAD into public sector-wide reforms and to make them a cross-cutting priority in all geographic programmes;

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Recalls that an effective decentralisation process requires public sector reforms, such as the transfer of power, functions, and resources, as well as the active participation of citizens and CSOs in participatory planning and budgeting; calls on the Commission to ~~include~~take due account of decentralisation and TAD in its support to public sector-wide reforms and to make them a cross-cutting priority in all geographic programmes;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Recalls that TAD is contributing to development effectiveness through strengthening ownership, multi- stakeholders and multi-actors dialogues and programmes and policy coordination at the sub-national level; calls on the Commission to launch pilot initiatives to support TAD through geographic and thematic programmes;

Amendment 4 #

Corina CREȚU, Emer COSTELLO

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas the EU has a strong political commitment to implementing a Human Rights based Approach (HRBA) in development and whereas the UN statement of common understanding of the Human Rights Based Approach to Development Cooperation establishes that "all programmes of development co- operation, policies and technical assistance should further the realisation of human rights as laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments";

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Stresses the importance of strengthening EU staff expertise and commitment, in particular at delegation level, on decentralisation ~~and~~, on the role of ~~LAs in development;~~CSOs and LAs in sustainable development and encourages the participation of civil society organisations, including women's organisations, to provide a gender perspective to those processes.

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Stresses the importance of strengthening EU staff expertise, in particular at delegation level, on decentralisation and the role of LAs in development, including on how to coordinate with CSOs;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Stresses that the EU should engage with partner countries, in the context of the New Deal for Fragile States, to elaborate as part of wider development strategies, national resilience strategies, and specific programmes that aim to address the underlying causes of long-term vulnerability, including community-based and participatory risk analysis, management tools and in-depth research about the drivers of conflict or fragility, and taking into account the views and perceptions of directly affected local people;

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Recalls that resilience should also be a key theme of the EU's partnerships with CSOs and LAs; recalls that it is essential to strengthen the role of communities, through community-owned and led risk reduction activities, and LAs in fragile States and to work closely with them in crisis and post- crisis situations;

Amendment 44 #

Emer COSTELLO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Recalls that resilience should also be a key theme of the EU's partnerships with CSOs and LAs; recalls that it is essential to strengthen LAs in fragile States and to work closely with them in crisis and post- crisis situations; and encourages LA partnerships in fragile states to provide for the development, transfer and exchange of administrative and technical skills.

Amendment 45 #

Corina CREȚU, Emer COSTELLO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Recalls that local elected representatives regularly act as mediators between antagonistic parties and in that regard assume an important role in conflict prevention and resolution;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Calls on the EC and EEAS to establish guidelines for EU delegations on how to deal with CSOs and LAs in situations of crisis and fragility, using a human rights-based and gender-sensitive approach.

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)

20b. Stresses that in contexts where public authorities, local and regional authorities included, are not in the capacity to provide basic services and where circumstances allow it, the Commission should support multi-actor partnerships to develop LAs capacities so that they are able to provide services;

Amendment 48 #

Corina CREȚU, Patrice TIROLIEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Expresses deep concern about the Commission's proposal to limit financial support in service delivery only to CSOs working in LDCs and fragile states; recalls that the key added value of CSOs in all countries, whatever their level of development, is their capacity to interpret the needs ~~of vulnerable~~and rights of poor and marginalised groups and to give innovative solutions to provide for the~~se needs~~m while raising awareness and political support for addressing the root causes of poverty, inequality and exclusion;

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Calls on the Commission to develop an overarching DEAR strategy ~~and~~, to increase the financial resources which will be allocated in the future programming period to DEAR and to develop in close consultation with CSOs and LAs active on DEAR flexible funding modalities that respect their right of initiative and allow the participation of a wide and diversified range of actors;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. Whereas a legitimate Post-2015 framework requires civil society and individuals - particularly the most marginalised- to be able to participate fully in decision-making processes and in monitoring and reporting on progress made.

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Calls on the Commission to develop an overarching DEAR strategy in close collaboration with CSOs and to increase the financial resources which will be allocated in the future programming period to DEAR;

Amendment 51 #

Corina CREȚU, Patrice TIROLIEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Welcomes the Commission's engagement to systematically introduce political economy analysis at country level and recommends that it includes an analysis of the political and legal situation of CSOs and LAs;

Amendment 52 #

Bart STAES, Eva JOLY, Catherine GRÈZE, Judith SARGENTINI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Is of the view that tax revenues are essential for local economic development and considers that priority should be given to put in place effective and viable tax collection systems to ensure sustainable source of development financing,

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Calls on the Commission to improve the coordination and complementarity between thematic and geographic programmes and instruments; recalls that CSOs and LAs should be considered a key implementing partner in particular in the Global Public Good programme and should be consulted at an early stage on the programming of both geographic and thematic programmes;

Amendment 54 #

Patrice TIROLIEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25a. Recalls that LAs are eligible in all DCI programmes, and calls on the Commission and LAs representative organisations to encourage a wider participation of LAs in all DCI programmes;

Amendment 55 #

Patrizia TOIA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls on the Commission to continue its support of decentralised cooperation and partnerships between LAs from EU and partner countries; these partnerships have proven to be efficient tools in the reinforcement of the capacity of LAs in key sectors which contribute to poverty eradication; at the same time and for the same reason, calls on the Commission to continue its support of cooperation between CSOs of EU countries and CSOs of partner countries;

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls on the Commission to continue its support of decentralised cooperation and partnerships between LAs from EU and partner countries; these partnerships have proven to be efficient tools in the reinforcement of the capacity of LAs in key sectors which contribute to poverty eradication; calls also on the Commission, for the same reason, to continue to support cooperation between CSOs and EU Member States and between CSOs and partner countries;

Amendment 57 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Calls on the Commission to facilitate experience and expertise sharing between the LAs from EU and partner countries in order to provide access to knowledge in relevant areas of sustainable development and especially good governance, capitalizing on the transition experience of the LAs of the EU Member States;

Amendment 58 #

Corina CREȚU, Patrice TIROLIEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Encourages the Commission to ~~maintain a mix of~~further develop a mix of more flexible, transparent and predictable funding modalities to reach the broadest possible range of civil society actors; asks the Commission to identify and develop these modalities through an inclusive dialogue with CSOs and LA associations building on the Structured Dialogue;

Amendment 59 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Calls on the Commission to promote the participation of CSOs and LAs in the ongoing discussion on blending mechanisms in the framework of the EU Platform for Blending in External Cooperation; asks the Commission to draft binding guidelines and create inclusive ~~monitoring mechanisms~~impact assessment and monitoring mechanisms to ensure consultation and participation of concerned populations at all stages of the project cycle and to ensure that blending contributes to poverty eradication;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas strong, transparent and needs- oriented CSOs and LAs and inclusive local governance actions are essential core issues of democracy and the peace-building process;

Amendment 60 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Calls on the Commission to promote the participation of CSOs in the ongoing discussion on blending mechanisms in the framework of the EU Platform for Blending in External Cooperation; asks the Commission to draft ~~binding~~ guidelines and create inclusive monitoring mechanisms to ensure that blending contributes to poverty eradication;

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)

29a. Calls also on the Commission to allow CSOs to participate in all new forms of cooperation under the EU Platform for Blending in External Cooperation;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas LAs from new Member States need to exchange knowledge with old Member States in development cooperation practices in order to overcome the gap in terms of expertise, and in order for the old Member States to profit from the experience with transition and structural transformations of the new Member States, which is a valuable tool in the global development framework;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)

Ja. whereas CSOs and LAs are crucial in ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth, environmental sustainability, human rights and good governance in the post-2015 development agenda;

Amendment 9 #