2012/2870(RSP) | [ParlTrack]

Anna Maria CORAZZA BILDT, Alf SVENSSON, Salvador SEDÓ i ALABART

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation as a gradual and long term perspective, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force and is fully and effectively implemented towards all Member States, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking ~~and~~, border controls, and ensuring Turkey's effective cooperation with all Member States on Justice and Home Affairs issues; stresses once again the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 101 #

Alojz PETERLE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation ~~as a gradual and long term perspective~~, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitating the process to access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 102 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation ~~as a gradual and long term perspective~~, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 103 #

Marietta GIANNAKOU, Maria Eleni KOPPA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation ~~as a gradual and long term perspective~~, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 104 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation as a gradual and long term perspective, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until all the provisions of this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 105 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation as a gradual and long term perspective, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for i~~llegal~~rregular migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; Reminds the Member States of their ~~commitment~~obligations under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 106 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Expresses its astonishment at the ‘progress report’ published by the Turkish Government, in which it assesses itself;

Amendment 107 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3a (new)

3a. Stresses the urgent need to adopt the Draft Law on Foreigners and International Protection, the adoption of which is delayed; and is concerned about the situation of access to international protection at land borders and airline transit areas;

Amendment 108 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3a (new)

3a. Is concerned by the continued arbitrary refusal of access to the asylum procedure and the practice of repatriation of refugees, asylum-seekers and other people who may be in need of protection; urges the government to bring into line with international standards detention regulations found to be unlawful by the ECtHR in the case of Abdolkhani and Karimina vs. Turkey; calls on the Turkish Grand National Assembly to adopt a comprehensive law consistent with international standards on protection and reception to protect the rights of all refugees, asylum-seekers and other people who may be in need of protection, without discrimination within Turkey's jurisdiction;

Amendment 109 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3a (new)

3a. Reminds the Member States of their commitment to implement visa exemption under the association agreement in line with the Soysal and Savatli Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 11 #

Göran FÄRM, Tanja FAJON, Ismail ERTUG, Åsa WESTLUND, Marita ULVSKOG, Anna HEDH, Jens NILSSON, Olle LUDVIGSSON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8

– having regard to the fact that accession negotiations with Turkey were opened on 3 October 2005 after the Council had approved the Negotiating Framework, and that the opening of such negotiations is the starting point for a long-lasting and open- ended process based on fair and rigorous conditionality and the commitment to reform, with the common goal of full EU membership as soon as the membership criteria's are fulfilled,

Amendment 110 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3b (new)

3b. Calls on the Commission to take all necessary measures to ensure that the social security rights of Turkish workers in the EU are not further hampered by Member States based on the Council decision of 6 December 2012, until the negotiations with Turkey on a new possible text to replace the EU-Turkey Association Council Decision 3/80 are finalized, since both the EU and the Turkish side have to agree on a common text, for it to be legally binding;

Amendment 111 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3b (new)

3b. Recalls that illegal immigration flows reaching the EU's external borders from Turkey represent a concern; takes into account the steps undertaken by Turkey to prevent and combat these flows in a resolute way; underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls;

Amendment 112 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Commends the Constitution Conciliation Committee for its commitment to a new Constitution and for the inclusive process of consultation of civil society, which reflected the diversity of Turkish society; encourages the Committee to continue its work and to tackle in a collegial way, and in line with the values of the EU, key issues such as (i) the separation of power and an adequate system of checks and balances, (ii) relations between the State, society and religion, (iii) an inclusive system of governance securing the basic rights of all citizens and (iv) an inclusive concept of citizenship;deleted

Amendment 113 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Commends~~Recognizes the commitment by the Constitution Conciliation Committee ~~for its commitment~~ to a new Constitution and ~~for the~~stresses the need for an inclusive process of consultation of civil society, which reflected the diversity of Turkish society; encourages the Committee to continue its work and to tackle in a ~~collegial~~n inclusive and representative way, and in line with the criteria and values of the EU, key issues such as (i) the separation of powers and an adequate system of checks and balances, (ii) relations between the State, society and religion, (iii) an inclusive system of governance securing the ~~basic~~human rights and fundamental freedoms of all citizens and (iv) an inclusive concept of citizenship;

Amendment 114 #

Andrew DUFF, Marietje SCHAAKE, Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD, Sir Graham WATSON, Anna Maria CORAZZA BILDT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Commends~~Notes the commitment of the Constitution Conciliation Committee ~~for its commitment to~~towards the drafting of a new Constitution and for the inclusive process of consultation of civil society, which reflected the diversity of Turkish society; ~~encourages the Committee to continue its work~~is concerned, nevertheless, at the apparent lack of progress made by the Committee so far; encourages the Committee to review its working methods with the aim of reaching genuine consensus based on compromise, and to tackle in a collegial way, and in line with the values of the EU, key issues such as (i) the separation of power and an adequate system of checks and balances, (ii) relations between the State, society and religion, (iii) an inclusive system of governance securing the basic rights of all citizens and (iv) an inclusive concept of citizenship;

Amendment 115 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Commends~~Notes the commitment of the Constitution Conciliation Committee ~~for its commitment to~~towards the drafting of a new Constitution and for the inclusive process of consultation of civil society, which reflected the diversity of Turkish society; ~~encourages the Committee to continue its work~~is concerned, nevertheless, at the apparent lack of progress made by the Committee so far; encourages the Committee to review its working methods with the aim of reaching genuine consensus based on compromise, and to tackle in a collegial way, and in line with the values of the EU, key issues such as (i) the separation of power and an adequate system of checks and balances, (ii) relations between the State, society and religion, (iii) an inclusive system of governance securing the basic rights of all citizens and (iv) an inclusive concept of citizenship;

Amendment 116 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Commends the Constitution Conciliation Committee for its commitment to a new Constitution and for the inclusive process of consultation of ~~civil society, which~~a broad range of stakeholders including political parties not represented in the parliament and non-Muslim minorities, which properly reflected the diversity of Turkish society; encourages the Committee to continue its work and to tackle in a collegial way, and in line with the values of the EU, key issues such as (i) the separation of power and an adequate system of checks and balances, (ii) relations between the State, society and religion, (iii) an inclusive system of governance securing the basic rights of all citizens and (iv) an inclusive concept of citizenship;

Amendment 117 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Commends the Constitution Conciliation Committee for its commitment to a new Constitution and for the inclusive process of consultation of civil society, which reflected the diversity of Turkish society; encourages the Committee to continue its work and to tackle in a collegial way, and in line with the values of the EU, key issues such as (i) the separation of power and an adequate system of checks and balances, ~~(ii) relations between the State, society and religion,~~ (iii) an inclusive system of governance securing the ~~basic~~fundamental rights of all citizens and (iv) an inclusive concept of citizenship;

Amendment 118 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Commends the Constitution Conciliation Committee for its commitment to a new Constitution and for the inclusive process of consultation of civil society, which reflected the diversity of Turkish society; encourages the Committee to continue its work and to tackle in a collegial way, and in line with the values of the EU, key issues such as (i) the separation of power and an adequate system of checks and balances, (ii) relations between the State, society and religion, (iii) an inclusive system of governance securing the basic rights of all citizens and (iv) an inclusive concept of citizenship; calls on all political parties and actors concerned to have a constructive approach for negotiating the new constitution;

Amendment 119 #

Antigoni PAPADOPOULOU, Cecilia WIKSTRÖM

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Commends the Constitution Conciliation Committee for its commitment to a new Constitution and for the inclusive process of consultation of civil society, which reflected the diversity of Turkish society; encourages the Committee to continue its work and to tackle in a collegial way, and in line with the values of the EU, key issues such as (i) the separation of power and an adequate system of checks and balances, (ii) the protection of the democratic and secular nature of the state and relations between the State, society and religion, (iii) an inclusive system of governance securing ~~the basic right~~fundamental rights and freedoms of all citizens and (iv) an inclusive concept of citizenship;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 9

– having regard to the fact that Turkey has committed itself to reforms~~, good neighbourly relations~~ and progressive alignment with the EU, and that these efforts should be viewed as an opportunity for Turkey itself to continue to modernise, and consolidate and further improve its democratic institutions, the rule of law and the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Amendment 120 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the need for further progress in implementing the 2010 constitutional amendments, in particular the adoption of laws on the protection of personal data and military justice; notes that the presence and the powers of the Minister of Justice and his Undersecretary in the High Council of the Judiciary are causes for considerable concern regarding the independence of the judiciary;

Amendment 121 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the need for progress in implementing the 2010 constitutional amendments, in particular the adoption of laws on the protection of personal data and military justice and of laws introducing affirmative action measures in order to contribute to realizing gender equality;

Amendment 122 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the need for progress in implementing the 2010 constitutional amendments, in particular the adoption of laws on the protection of personal data and military justice; welcomes the entry into force of legislation providing the right to individual application to the Constitutional Court, as foreseen by the 2010 constitutional amendments;

Amendment 123 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5a (new)

5a. Calls for clarifications on how the Committee's work will be implemented, taking account of the fact that the current Constitution (Article 175) provides only for the amendment of the existing text;

Amendment 124 #

Helmut SCHOLZ, Jürgen KLUTE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Reaffirms the fundamental role of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) as the centre of Turkey’s democratic system and stresses the importance of support and commitment amongst all political parties for the reform process, in particular a valuable legal framework protecting and enhancing fundamental rights for all communities; commends the work of the Human Rights Inquiry Committee and asks for a more central role of the EU Harmonisation Committee to promote the alignment of new legislation with the acquis or with European standards during the legislative process;deleted

Amendment 125 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Reaffirms the fundamental role of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) as the centre of Turkey’s democratic system and ~~stresses the importance of support and commitment amongst all political parties for~~highlights the need for its active commitment to the reform process, in particular to a valuable legal framework protecting and enhancing fundamental rights for all communities; commends the work of the Human Rights Inquiry Committee and asks for a more central role of the EU Harmonisation Committee to promote the alignment of new legislation with the acquis or with European standards during the legislative process;

Amendment 126 #

Marietje SCHAAKE, Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Andrew DUFF

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Reaffirms the fundamental role of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) as the centre of Turkey's democratic system and stresses the importance of support and commitment amongst all political parties for the reform process, in particular a valuable legal framework protecting and enhancing fundamental rights for all communities and citizens; reiterates the call made in its previous resolutions for the electoral system to be reformed by lowering the 10% threshold for representation in Parliament thereby strengthening party pluralism and better reflecting the plurality of Turkish society; commends the work of the Human Rights Inquiry Committee and asks for a more central role of the EU Harmonisation Committee to promote the alignment of new legislation with the acquis or with European standards during the legislative process;

Amendment 127 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Reaffirms the fundamental role of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) as the centre of Turkey's democratic system and stresses the importance of support and commitment amongst all political parties for the reform process, in particular a valuable legal framework protecting and enhancing fundamental rights for all communities, and lowering the threshold for new political parties; commends the work of the Human Rights Inquiry Committee and asks for a more central role of the EU Harmonisation Committee to promote the alignment of new legislation with the acquis or with European standards during the legislative process;

Amendment 128 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Reaffirms the fundamental role of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) as the centre of Turkey's democratic system and stresses the importance of support and commitment amongst all political parties for the reform process, in particular a valuable legal framework protecting and enhancing fundamental rights for all c~~ommunitie~~itizens; commends the work of the Human Rights Inquiry Committee and asks for a more central role of the EU Harmonisation Committee to promote the alignment of new legislation with the acquis or with European standards during the legislative process;

Amendment 129 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Reaffirms the fundamental role of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) as the centre of Turkey's democratic system and stresses the importance of support and commitment amongst all political parties for the reform process, in particular a valuable legal framework protecting and enhancing fundamental rights for all communities and citizens; commends the work of the Human Rights Inquiry Committee and asks for a more central role of the EU Harmonisation Committee to promote the alignment of new legislation with the acquis or with European standards during the legislative process;

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 9

– having regard to the fact that Turkey has committed itself to reforms, it must also refrain from any threat against EU member states and thus maintain good neighbourly relations and progressive alignment with the EU~~, and that~~; these efforts should be viewed as an opportunity for Turkey itself to continue to modernise, and consolidate and further improve its democratic institutions, the rule of law and the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Amendment 130 #

Sajjad KARIM, Hélène FLAUTRE, Michael CASHMAN, Jarosław WAŁĘSA, Barbara MATERA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the third judicial reform package a~~s a step towards a comprehensiv~~dopted by the TGNA on 2 July 2012 and its concrete reform ~~proces~~s in the ~~area~~field of the ~~judiciary and fundam~~Turkish Pental rights; stresses however the crucial importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package addressing (a) the issues related to the excessively broad definitions of criminal offences unCode, Criminal Procedure Code, Anti-Terror Law, Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law, Press Law, the Law on the Council of State, the Administrative Procedural Coder, the ~~Criminal~~ Law orn the Anti-Terror Law, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non-violent ideas, in order to safeguard freedom of expression, (b) the issue of the excessively long pre- trial detention periods, and (c) the need to allow full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyerForensic Science Institute, the Law on the Court of Cassation, the Law on Judges and Prosecutors, the Law on Misdemeanours and the Law on Criminal Records, as an important step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights;

Amendment 131 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the ~~area of the~~ judiciary and fundamental rights; stresses however the crucial importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package addressing (a) ~~the issues related to~~ the excessively broad definitions of criminal offences ~~under the Criminal Law or~~and in particular what constitutes an act of terrorism under the Penal Code and the Anti-Terror Law, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non- violent ideas in line with the ECtHR case law, in order to safeguard freedom of expression~~, (b) the issue of the excessively long pre-trial detention periods, and (c) the need to~~ and media, (b) procedures, including an independent and impartial interpretation of legal provisions that respect fundamental rights, such as allowing full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyers and addressing concerns regarding the quality and consistency of the evidence, c) efficiency such as the backlog of cases, which combined with procedural norms lead to issues such as the excessively long pre- trial detention periods;

Amendment 132 #

Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Marietje SCHAAKE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights; stresses however the crucial importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package addressing (a) the ~~issues related to the excessively broad defini~~abuse of anti-terrorism laws for politically tainted prosecutions of cri~~minal offence~~tics, journalists uand~~er the Criminal Law or the Anti-Terror Law~~ opposition members without proving in a free and fair trail that such allegations are founded, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non- violent ideas, in order to safeguard freedom of expression, (b) the issue of the excessively long pre-trial detention periods, and (c) the need to allow full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyers;

Amendment 133 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights~~Stresses that the reform of the Turkish judiciary system is central to the efforts at democratic consolidation in Turkey; underlines that the Turkish judicial system continues to suffer from excessive workload, insufficient independence and lack of impartiality; welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights; points out that a considerable progress has been made related to the training of the members of the judiciary and the technological infrastructure of the justice system; stresses however the crucial importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package addressing (a) the issues related to the excessively broad definitions of criminal offences under the Criminal Law or the Anti-Terror Law, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non- violent ideas, in order to safeguard freedom of expression, (b) the issue of the excessively long pre-trial detention periods, ~~and~~ (c) the need to allow full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyers, d) the need to abolish any kind of special courts and the cases that are being processed by them;

Amendment 134 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights; stresses however the crucial importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package addressing (a) the issues related to the excessively broad definitions of criminal offences under the Criminal Law or the Anti-Terror Law, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non-violent ideas, in order to safeguard freedom of expression, (b) the issue of the excessively long pre-trial detention periods, and (c) the need to allow full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyers; stresses that reform of the judiciary is an indispensable prerequisite for Turkey's modernisation and that such reform must lead to a modern, efficient, fully independent and impartial judicial system, guaranteeing due process of law for all citizens; draws particular attention in this respect to the trial of Pinar Selek, which has lasted almost 15 years and, despite three acquittal decisions, resulted in a life sentence pronounced on 24 January 2013 by the heavy Penal Court no. 12 in Istanbul;

Amendment 135 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights; stresses however the crucial importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package addressing (a) the issues related to the excessively broad definitions of criminal offences under the Criminal Law or the Anti-Terror Law, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non-violent ideas, in order to safeguard freedom of expression, (b) the issue of the excessively long pre-trial detention periods, and (c) the need to allow full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyers; welcomes the changes to Code of Criminal Procedure and to the Law on the Execution of Punitive and Security Measures to allow the use of mother tongue in Courts and looks forward to a rapid implementation;

Amendment 136 #

Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Marietje SCHAAKE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights; stresses however the crucial importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package addressing (a) the issues related to the excessively broad definitions of criminal offences under the Criminal Law or the Anti-Terror Law, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non-violent ideas, in order to safeguard freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of association right of strike and collective bargaining(b) the issue of the excessively long pre-trial detention periods, and (c) the need to allow full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyers;

Amendment 137 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)

7a. Stresses that the reform of the judicial system is an indispensable prerequisite for Turkey's modernization efforts to succeed and that such reform must lead to a modern, efficient, fully independent and impartial judicial system that guarantees due process of law for all citizens;

Amendment 138 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)

7a. Considers that the provisions contained in the Turkish anti-terror legislation and Article 220 TCC allow for a very wide margin of appreciation, in particular in cases where membership in a terrorist organisation has not been proven and when an act or statement may be deemed to coincide with "the aims" of a terrorist organisation; asks Turkish authorities to take legislative measures and reflect the case-law of the ECtHR (Güzel and Özer v. Turkey, judgment of 6 July 2010), the Recommendation 1426 (1999) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ("European democracies facing up to terrorism"), and the Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on human rights and the fight against terrorism (11 July 2002);

Amendment 139 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)

7a. welcomes the adoption and entry into force of legislation providing for the right to defence in Turkish courts in any language other than Turkish; welcomes the entry into force on 19th of January of the law on payment of compensation due to long trial durations and late, partial or non-execution of court verdicts and expresses hope that the foreseen domestic remedy will decrease the number of pending cases against Turkey at the European Court of Human Rights;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 9

– having regard to the fact that Turkey has committed itself to reforms, good neighbourly relations and progressive alignment with the EU, and that these efforts should be viewed as an opportunity for Turkey itself to continue to modernise, and consolidate and further improve its democratic institutions, the rule of law and the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, ; having regard to the fact that Turkey is completely failing to achieve this and is thus demonstrating that it does not wish ever to accede to the EU, nor will it be able to;

Amendment 140 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)

7a. Emphasizes the importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package and enact it at the earliest, addressing (a) the issues related to the broad definitions of criminal offences under the Criminal Law or the Anti-Terror Law, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non- violent ideas, in order to safeguard freedom of expression (b) the issue of the excessively long pre-trial detention periods, and (c) the need to allow full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyers;

Amendment 141 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)

7a. Is concerned about ongoing trials and long pre-trial detention periods, which affect activists, lawyers, journalists and members elected to the TGNA from the opposition parties, which represents an interference in legal political activities and the right to political association and participation; welcomes the abolition of special courts established by the Turkish Government in 2005 as voted in Parliament but regrets the fact that the closure will not affect the existing prosecutions;

Amendment 142 #

Eleni THEOCHAROUS, Niki TZAVELA, Nikolaos SALAVRAKOS, Kyriacos TRIANTAPHYLLIDES, Michèle RIVASI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)

7a. Criticises, in this connection, the arrests of students (including the French- Turkish citizen Sevil Sevimli) taking part in peaceful protests and using non-violent ideas to demonstrate in support of freedom of education and opinion;

Amendment 143 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)

7a. Expresses concern regarding the recent recurring killings, especially of four old women in Istanbul, of Turkish citizens of Armenian origin, which does not help the Turkish efforts towards the Turkish accession to the EU; calls upon the Turkish government to fully investigate this issue, in line with the legal democratic procedures, as they stem from all the relevant international conventions concerning the respect for human rights;

Amendment 144 #

Sajjad KARIM, Hélène FLAUTRE, Michael CASHMAN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)

7a. Calls upon the Turkish government, in order to increase the efficiency of judicial proceedings and address the ongoing backlog of cases, to bring its regional courts of appeal, which were legally due to be operational by June 2007, into operation as soon as possible and to focus on training judges and prosecutors for this purpose;

Amendment 145 #

Jürgen KLUTE, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD, Helmut SCHOLZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)

7a. Is deeply concerned about serious, constant and multi-fold political discriminations that pro-Kurdish opposition party BDP has been facing in 2012, including waivers of parliamentary immunity against several elected TGNA Members and threats of dissolution of the party; deeply regrets the damage done by the arrests of thousands of BDP and other activists and their retention in pre-trial detention for years and asks Turkish government to urgently change laws and regulate the judiciary in order to undo the damage done;

Amendment 146 #

Hélène FLAUTRE, Ska KELLER, Barbara LOCHBIHLER, Ulrike LUNACEK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7b (new)

7b. considers the verdict in the Pinar Selek case on 24 January2013 to be a obvious example of the shortcomings in Turkey's justice system and of the weakness of investigations in Turkey; considers this trial to be a test for the rule of law and the credibility of the judiciary in Turkey;

Amendment 147 #

Sajjad KARIM, Hélène FLAUTRE, Jarosław WAŁĘSA, Michael CASHMAN, Barbara MATERA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7b (new)

7b. Welcomes the entry into force of the law establishing a Conciliation Committee with a view of creating a domestic remedy to resolve the excessive length of judicial proceedings in line with ECtHR principles;

Amendment 148 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7b (new)

7b. Notes that the Ad Hoc Delegation for the Observation of the Trials of Journalists in Turkey will continue to monitor the trial of journalists and will follow judicial reforms in Turkey addressing freedom of expression and media;

Amendment 149 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7c (new)

7c. Welcomes the adoption by the TGNA on the 24th of January 2013 of the "Law Providing for Defence in the Language of Preference" in judicial trials;

Amendment 15 #

Antigoni PAPADOPOULOU, Angelika WERTHMANN, Cecilia WIKSTRÖM, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Citation 9a (new)

- having regard to the increasing violations of freedom of expression; having regard to the continuous unsatisfactory situation of religious and cultural minorities,

Amendment 150 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Encourages Turkey to adopt the Human Rights Action Plan as prepared by the Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with the Council of Europe, based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in order to address issues raised in judgements of the ECtHR where Turkey was found to violate the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR); urges Turkey to intensify its efforts towards full implementation of ECtHR case law and supports the Ministry of Justice and the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HCoJP) in providing judges and prosecutors with human rights training; welcomes the establishment by the HCoJP of new assessment criteria for judges and prosecutors rewarding respect for the provisions of the ECHR and judgements of the ECtHR;

Amendment 151 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Encourages Turkey to adopt the Human Rights Action Plan as prepared by the Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with the Council of Europe, based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in order to address issues raised in judgements of the ECtHR where Turkey was found to violate the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and calls for their implementation; supports the Ministry of Justice and the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HCoJP) in providing judges and prosecutors with human rights training; welcomes the establishment by the HCoJP of new assessment criteria for judges and prosecutors rewarding respect for the provisions of the ECHR and judgements of the ECtHR;

Amendment 152 #

Maria Eleni KOPPA, Raimon OBIOLS, Barbara LOCHBIHLER, Hélène FLAUTRE, Richard HOWITT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8a (new)

8a. Reiterates its concern about the practice of bringing criminal prosecutions against human rights defenders, activists and journalists who communicate evidence of human rights violations or raise other issues in the public interest; considers the criminalisation of opinions as a key obstacle to the full protection of human rights in Turkey;

Amendment 153 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8a (new)

8a. Underlines the importance of providing effective protection for human- rights defenders; expresses concern about continuing court cases against human- rights defenders and their continued prosecution; in this respect, draws particular attention to the trial of the writer, sociologist and feminist Pinar Selek, which has lasted almost 15 years and, despite three acquittal decisions, resulted in a life sentence pronounced on 24 January 2013; strongly condemns this decision, pointing out that the long duration of the court case raises questions as regards the right to liberty and security, as well as the right to a fair trial, enshrined respectively in Articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention of Human Rights;

Amendment 154 #

Barbara LOCHBIHLER, Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER, Helmut SCHOLZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8a (new)

8a. calls on Turkey to reaffirm its commitment to the fight against impunity and to expedite efforts to accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and fully align its national legislation with all obligations under the Rome Statute, including by incorporating provisions to cooperate promptly and fully with the International Criminal Court and to investigate and prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes effectively before its national courts, and accede to the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Court (APIC);

Amendment 155 #

Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Marietje SCHAAKE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of ~~abolishing~~reforming the internet law and improve the freedom of media; underlines the need to eliminate restrictions of Turkish citizen's access to information and reinforce this right; stresses the need to further reform the legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship~~, and the urgent need to reform the internet law~~;

Amendment 156 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; strongly deplores the continuing prosecutions against journalists and the persisting high number of imprisoned journalists ; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law; stresses the importance of tackling restrictions of fundamental freedoms in the broader context of the rule of law, both in terms of wording and application of the law;

Amendment 157 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; strongly criticises the high number of imprisoned journalists and on- going court cases against critical journalists, which undermine freedom of opinion and press freedom; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law;

Amendment 158 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; expresses great concern about the growing numbers of violations of freedom of expression and its de facto further restriction; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law;

Amendment 159 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high administrative tax fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law;

Amendment 16 #

Marietje SCHAAKE, Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Andrew DUFF

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10

~~– having regard to the fact that the EU should remain the benchmark for reforms in Turkey,~~deleted

Amendment 160 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism and digital freedoms are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law;

Amendment 161 #

Sajjad KARIM, Hélène FLAUTRE, Michael CASHMAN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines once again the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law;

Amendment 162 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high tax fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law;

Amendment 163 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; highlights the special role of Public service media in strengthening democracy, and calls on the authorities to ensure its independence, sustainability and compliance with European standards; is concerned that the considerable progress made in this area with the previous reforms has been reversed and Turkey now has the highest number of the ECtHR decisions for violations of freedom of expression among all the Council of Europe members; reiterates the need to amend articles 26 and 28 of the Constitution, which limit the freedom of expression on the basis of national security, public order and national unity, as well as the need to reform the articles of the Penal Code and Anti-Terror Law that are used to restrict free speech; is concerned in particular that the Penal Code and Anti-Terror Law are used to persecute non-violent statements when they are perceived to support the aims of a terrorist organisation; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law;

Amendment 164 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law; regrets that a number of laws such as Articles 301- 318- 220/6 in combination with 314/2 , Articles 285 and 288 of the penal code, Articles 6 and 7/2 of the anti terror law and law 5651/2007 on the internet continue to limit freedom of expression; reiterates its previous calls to the government to finalise the review of the legal framework on freedom of expression and to bring it, without delay, in line with the ECHR and the ECtHR case law; deplores thus unlawful prosecutions of journalists, writers, publishers, academics, human rights defenders, peaceful demonstrators and activists, officials of Kurdish political parties and associations;

Amendment 165 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law; insists that any trials against journalists should be carried out in a transparent manner, respecting the rule of law and ensuring appropriate conditions, such as providing venues that are suited to the type of hearings being held, distributing accurate transcripts to detained persons and providing information to the journalists regarding the charges brought against them;

Amendment 166 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law; notes with concern that most media are owned by and concentrated in large conglomerates with a wide range of interests going beyond the free circulation of information and ideas; reiterates its call for the adoption of a new media law addressing, inter alia, the issues of independence, ownership and administrative control;

Amendment 167 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law; mirrors the concern of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media over the latest wave of arrests of journalists and re-iterates its calls on the authorities to enact legislative reform around the country's anti- terrorism law, under which around 100 journalists are still awaiting trial;

Amendment 168 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law; condemns the continued imprisonment of journalists and insists that the Turkish government begin to implement adequate procedures to guarantee freedom of speech and expression within Turkish society;

Amendment 169 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9a (new)

9a. Is concerned that the Act on the Establishment of Radio and Television Enterprises and their Broadcasts contains restrictions on the freedom of media open to subjective interpretation, such as "protection of the family" and "public morality", which are not contained in the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10

– having regard to the fact that the EU ~~should~~may remain ~~the~~one of the main benchmarks for reforms in Turkey,

Amendment 170 #

Jarosław WAŁĘSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9a (new)

9a. Notes that, despite major reforms and progress with regard to human rights, the situation in the field of freedom of the press is deteriorating; condemns further practice of jailing journalists on vague anti-terror charges; calls for allowing press to report freely without fear of imprisonment as well as putting an end to the harassment based on speaking out on sensitive political issues; welcomes the positive change of entry into force of the right to defence in Turkish courts in any language other than Turkish;

Amendment 171 #

Jürgen KLUTE, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD, Helmut SCHOLZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9a (new)

9a. considers the verdict in the Pinar Selek case on 24 January 2013 to be an obvious example of the shortcomings in Turkey's justice system and of the weakness of investigations in Turkey; considers this trial a demonstration of the deplorable lack of credibility of the judiciary in Turkey;

Amendment 172 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9a (new)

9a. Recommends Turkish authorities to allow the free the use of Kurdish in all aspects of public life in Kurdish-speaking areas including in schools, municipalities, courts and business life; encourages the government of Turkey to work towards Kurdish to be part of bilingual education from kindergarten onward and starting a program of state support for teacher- training in Kurdish languages; underlines the importance of Prime Minister Erdoğan and his government to go further in convincing Turkish public opinion that reforms aiming at equal treatment are justified on the basis of justice, fairness and a common history as well as to convince Kurds that reforms will be fully implemented; recommends Turkish government to help inform public opinion about the international legitimacy of multi-lingualism in education, ethnic diversity and wider powers for local government;

Amendment 173 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9b (new)

9b. Is concerned with the excessive use of force by the police observed in demonstrations concerning the Kurdish issue, students rights and trade union rights; stresses that, despite legal improvements, torture and ill-treatment by the security forces remain a major concern;

Amendment 174 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9c (new)

9c. Considers that Turkey's political parties' regime remains a fundamental constraint on the freedom of association; calls on Turkey to constitutionally restrict closure to only those political parties that advocate the use of violence as a means to overthrow the constitutional order, in line with the Venice Commission recommendations;

Amendment 175 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission’s new approach to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24;deleted

Amendment 176 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission's new approach to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24;deleted

Amendment 177 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission's new approach to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24;deleted

Amendment 178 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission’s new approach to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24;deleted

Amendment 179 #

Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission's new approach to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; ~~calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24;~~

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 11

– having regard to the fact that full compliance with the Copenhagen criteria and EU integration capacity, in accordance with the conclusions of the December 2006 European Council meeting, are~~main~~ the basis for accession to the EU~~, which is a community based on shared values, sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States~~; having regard to the fact that Turkey will never fully meet the criteria, or be able and willing to do so, and should therefore never accede to the EU,

Amendment 180 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission's new approach to openter into a more intensified dialogue through the opening of the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to closeing them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks in areas where Turkey needs further improvements would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24;

Amendment 181 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. ~~Fully s~~Supports the Commission’s new approach to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24;

Amendment 182 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission's new approach to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council and all parties concerned for renewed efforts ~~for~~conducive to the opening of Chapters 23 and 24;

Amendment 183 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission's new approach - concerning the negotiating framework of the new candidate States - to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24, and calls upon the Turkish government to fulfil all of its relevant legal obligations stemming from the acquis communautaire and the negotiating framework and fully respect, without discrimination, the sovereign rights of the EU member states, especially the fundamental rights and judiciary systems;

Amendment 184 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission's new approach to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24; notes recent media reports of a French Government intention to lift the block on the chapter on economic and monetary policy; believes that this could act as a catalyst for further positive momentum towards accession;

Amendment 185 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Fully supports the Commission's new approach to open the chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and on justice and home affairs early on in the negotiation process and to close them as the very last ones; stresses that official benchmarks would provide a clear roadmap and would give a boost to the reform process; calls therefore on the Council for renewed efforts for the opening of Chapters 23 and 24 and calls on the Commission to submit the screening reports of these Chapters;

Amendment 186 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10a (new)

10a. Encourages Turkey to align its legislation with the data protection aquis; stresses that Turkey should ratify both the CoE convention for the protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data and the additional protocol on supervisory authorities and trans-border data flow in order to improve EU-Turkey relations in the areas of judicial and police cooperation, counter-terrorism and cyber security;

Amendment 187 #

Jürgen KLUTE, Helmut SCHOLZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Welcomes the Law on the Ombudsman and the appointment of a first Head Ombudsman, who shall ensure the credibility of this institution through his decisions; stresses that the ~~establishment of the Ombudsman is an important step in safeguarding the rights of citizens and ensuring accountability of the public administration~~Head Ombudsman should promote public confidence in transparency and accountability in public services; reminds that the Head Ombudsman and board members should be elected among candidates who are non-partisan and impartial; calls on the board of the Ombudsman that the regulation on the internal decision-making process guarantees the independence and impartiality of the institution;

Amendment 188 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Welcomes the Law on the Ombudsman ~~and the appointment of a first Head Ombudsman, who shall ensure the credibility of this institution through his decisions~~; stresses that the establishment of the Ombudsman ismust be an important step in safeguarding the rights of citizens and ensuring accountability of the public administration; calls on the board of the Ombudsman that the regulation on the internal decision-making process guarantees the independence of the institution;

Amendment 189 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Welcomes the Law on the ~~Ombudsman and the appointment of a first Head~~ Ombudsman, who shall ensure the credibility of this institution through his decisions; stresses that the establishment of the Ombudsman is an important step in safeguarding the rights of citizens and ensuring accountability of the public administration; calls on the board of the Ombudsman that the regulation on the internal decision-making process guarantees the independence of the institution;

Amendment 19 #

Göran FÄRM, Tanja FAJON, Ismail ERTUG, Marita ULVSKOG, Åsa WESTLUND, Anna HEDH, Jens NILSSON, Olle LUDVIGSSON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 11

– having regard to the fact that full compliance with the Copenhagen criteria ~~and EU integration capacity, in accordance with the conclusions of the December 2006 European Council meeting,~~ remain the basis for accession to the EU, which is a community based on shared values, sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States,

Amendment 190 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Welcomes the Law on the Ombudsman and the appointment of a first Head Ombudsman, who shall ensure the credibility of this institution through his decisions; stresses that the establishment of the Ombudsman is an important step in safeguarding the rights of citizens and ensuring accountability of the public administration; notes the concerns highlighted by Human Rights Watch in their 2013 Annual Report of tight government control of appointments to the national human rights institution created in March 2012 and the office of the ombudsman established in June 2012; stresses that the Government should take clear steps to ensure that public confidence in potentially important oversight mechanisms is not undermined; calls on the board of the Ombudsman that the regulation on the internal decision- making process guarantees the independence of the institution;

Amendment 191 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Encourages Turkey to continue the process of civilian oversight over security forces; calls for an amendment of the Law on Provincial Administrations to give civilian authorities broader oversight of military operations and the Gendarmerie’s law enforcement activities; stresses the importance of setting up an independent law enforcement complaints Agency to investigate complaints of human rights abuses, ill-treatment and possible wrongdoing by Turkish law enforcement agencies; takes the view that the legal provisions on the composition and powers of the Supreme Military Council need to be reformed;deleted

Amendment 192 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Encourages Turkey to continue the process of civilian oversight over security forces; calls for an amendment of the Law on Provincial Administrations to give civilian authorities broader oversight of military operations and the Gendarmerie's law enforcement activities; ~~stress~~underlines the importance of setting up an independent law enforcement complaints Agency to investigate complaints of human rights abuses, ill-treatment and possible wrongdoing by Turkish law enforcement agencies; welcomes the draft law in the Parliament concerning the Law Enforcement Monitoring Committee aimed at investigating and punishing law enforcement officers involved in criminal acts or unlawful treatment; takes the view that the legal provisions on the composition and powers of the Supreme Military Council need to be reformed;

Amendment 193 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12a (new)

12a. Encourages Turkey to set up the National Prevention Mechanism requested by the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, ratified in 2011;

Amendment 194 #

Eduard KUKAN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12a (new)

12a. Reiterates its concern about continuous practice of bringing criminal prosecutions against human rights defenders, activists and journalists who communicate evidence of human rights violations;

Amendment 195 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Notes that, in the ‘'sledgehammer’' trial a first instance court sentenced 324 suspects to 13- 20 years; stresses that investigations of alleged coup plans, such as the ‘'Ergenekon’' and ‘'Sledgehammer’' cases, must demonstrate the strength and the proper, independent, impartial and transparent functioning of Turkish democratic institutions and the judiciary, and their firm, unconditional commitment to respect for fundamental rights; is concerned about the allegations regarding the use of inconsistent evidence; regrets that these cases have been overshadowed by concerns about their wide scope and the shortcomings in the proceedings;

Amendment 196 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Notes that, in the ‘sledgehammer’ trial a first instance court sentenced 324 suspects to 13-20 years; stresses that investigations on KCK and of alleged coup plans, such as the ‘Ergenekon’ and ‘Sledgehammer’ cases, must demonstrate the strength and the proper, independent, impartial and transparent functioning of Turkish democratic institutions and the judiciary, and their firm, unconditional commitment to respect for fundamental rights; ~~is concerned about the allegations regarding the use of inconsistent evidence;~~ regrets that these cases have been overshadowed by concerns about their wide scope and the shortcomings in the proceedings;

Amendment 197 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Notes that, in the ‘'sledgehammer’' trial a first instance court sentenced 324 suspects to 13-20 years; stresses that investigations of alleged coup plans, such as the ‘'Ergenekon’' and ‘'Sledgehammer’' cases, must demonstrate the strength and the proper, independent, impartial and transparent functioning of Turkish democratic institutions and the judiciary, and their firm, unconditional commitment to respect for fundamental rights; is concerned about the allegations regarding the use of inconsistent evidence~~; regrets that~~ against the defendants in these cases; regrets that the legitimacy of these cases haves been ~~overshadow~~undermined by concerns about their excessively wide scope and the shortcomings in the proceedings, thus fuelling the existing polarisation in the society and hampering the democratic consolidation;

Amendment 198 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Notes that, in the ‘'sledgehammer’' trial a first instance court sentenced 324 suspects to 13-20 years after lengthy pre- trial detentions for suspects; stresses that investigations of alleged coup plans, such as the ‘'Ergenekon’' and ‘'Sledgehammer’' cases, must demonstrate the strength and the proper, independent, impartial and transparent functioning of Turkish democratic institutions and the judiciary, and their firm, unconditional commitment to respect for fundamental rights; in the absence of due process, verdicts lack legitimacy and credibility while causing a chilling effect, injustice and other collateral damage; is concerned about the allegations regarding the use of inconsistent and fabricated evidence; regrets that thes substance of the cases have been overshadowed by concerns about their wide scope and the shortcomings in the proceedings;

Amendment 199 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Notes that, in the ‘sledgehammer’ trial a first instance court sentenced 324 suspects to 13-20 years; stresses that investigations of alleged coup plans, such as the ‘Ergenekon’ and ‘Sledgehammer’ cases, must demonstrate the strength and the proper, independent, impartial and transparent functioning of Turkish democratic institutions and the judiciary, and their firm, unconditional commitment to respect for fundamental rights; is concerned about the allegations regarding the use of inconsistent evidence; regrets that these cases have been overshadowed by concerns about their wide scope and the shortcomings in the proceedings; stresses the need for comprehensive reform in legislation providing for the use of long pre-trial detentions;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 3

– having regard to its previous resolutions, in particular those of 18 June 1987, of 9 March 2011 on Turkey’s 2010 progress report1, of 29 March 2012 on Turkey's 2011 progress report2, and of 22 May 2012 on a 2020 perspective for women in Turkey3,

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 11a (new)

- having regard to the fact that Turkey has the highest number of imprisoned journalists in the world, and this restriction on freedom of opinion and press freedom breaches a key basic principle of the Copenhagen criteria,

Amendment 200 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Notes that, in the ‘sledgehammer’ trial a first instance court sentenced 324 suspects to 13-20 years; stresses that investigations of alleged coup plans, such as the ‘Ergenekon’ and ‘Sledgehammer’ cases, must demonstrate the strength and the proper, independent, impartial and transparent functioning of Turkish democratic institutions and the judiciary, and their firm, unconditional commitment to respect for fundamental rights; is deeply concerned about the allegations regarding the use of inconsistent and false evidence; regrets that these cases have been overshadowed by concerns about their wide scope and the shortcomings in the proceedings;

Amendment 201 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Welcomes the law setting up the Turkish National Human Rights Institution (TNHRI); calls for its implementation without delay to promote and monitor the effective implementation of international human rights standards; stresses the importance of using all EU instruments available in the field of the promotion of human rights to actively support the setting-up and the well functioning of the TNHRI and the empowerment of civil society organisations;

Amendment 202 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Welcomes the law setting up the Turkish National Human Rights Institution (TNHRI); calls for its implementation without delay to promote and monitor the effective implementation of international human rights standards; stresses the importance of using all EU instruments available in the field of the promotion of human rights to actively support the setting-up and the well functioning of the TNHRI and the empowerment of civil society organisations; welcomes the implementation of the right to individual application to the Constitutional Court as of September 2012;

Amendment 203 #

Göran FÄRM, Raimon OBIOLS, Tanja FAJON, Ismail ERTUG, Åsa WESTLUND, Anna HEDH, Marita ULVSKOG, Jens NILSSON, Olle LUDVIGSSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14a (new)

14a. Stresses the importance of active and independent civil society organisations (CSO's) for democracy; underlines the importance of dialogue with CSO's and stresses their crucial role in contributing to enhanced regional cooperation on social and political aspects; is therefore worried that CSO's continues to face fines, closure proceedings, and administrative obstacles to their operations and that consultation of CSO's remains to be an exception rather than the rule; welcomes the Turkish government's improved cooperation with NGOs, but calls for their broader consultation in policy-making, including the formulation of policies and legislation and in the monitoring of activities of the authorities;

Amendment 204 #

Göran FÄRM, Raimon OBIOLS, Tanja FAJON, Ismail ERTUG, Åsa WESTLUND, Anna HEDH, Marita ULVSKOG, Olle LUDVIGSSON, Jens NILSSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14b (new)

14b. Notes the limited progress in the areas of labour and trade union rights; regrets that the legislation on civil servants' trade unions rights is still not in line with EU and ILO standards and that collective actions by trade unions suffer numerous restrictions; calls on Turkey to continue working on new legislation in this area to ensure that it is in line with the EU acquis and ILO conventions;

Amendment 205 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and ~~stress~~underlines the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘"honour killings’", domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politicsal decision making and at senior level in the administration and the private sector~~, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas~~; welcomes the training of public officials in gender equality;

Amendment 206 #

Anna Maria CORAZZA BILDT, Alf SVENSSON, Salvador SEDÓ i ALABART

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; ~~urge~~commends Turkey ~~to continue to step up its preventive~~'s efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘honour killings’, domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas and by reviewing some special laws regulating employment in Turkey;

Amendment 207 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘honour killings’, domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector~~, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas~~;

Amendment 208 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘honour killings’, domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas; notes that Turkey's 2023 employment target for women is 35%, while the EU 2020 strategy is targeting 75% of women employment; encourages Turkey to strive to achieve an ambitious target of women employment;

Amendment 209 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; is deeply concerned about the fact that, despite the efforts, violence against women is still observed regularly, and that women are often murdered after they have asked for help from authorities against ongoing or possible acts of violence; asks therefore for those who fail to protect and assist victims to be identified and prosecuted; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘honour killings’, domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; notes that Turkey's 2023 employment target for women is 35%, while the EU 2020 Strategy target is to achieve 75% women's employment; calls on Turkey to increase their target for women employment parallel to the EU Strategy and vigorously work on achieving it; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 11b (new)

- having regard to the fact that around 3 000 students are currently classed as 'terrorists' by the Turkish courts,

Amendment 210 #

Göran FÄRM, Raimon OBIOLS, Ismail ERTUG, Tanja FAJON, Åsa WESTLUND, Anna HEDH, Olle LUDVIGSSON, Jens NILSSON, Marita ULVSKOG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘honour killings’, domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas; encourages the government to revise the Law on Political Parties and the Law on Elections to make the inclusion of women a priority for political parties;

Amendment 211 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; regrets the increase in recent years of the rate of women murdered in Turkey, calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘honour killings’, domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas;

Amendment 212 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards violence against women and to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘"honour killings’", domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas;

Amendment 213 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘"honour killings’", domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's rights, education and their participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas;

Amendment 214 #

Göran FÄRM, Tanja FAJON, Ismail ERTUG, Anna HEDH, Åsa WESTLUND, Jens NILSSON, Marita ULVSKOG, Olle LUDVIGSSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15a (new)

15a. Is bothered by women's negative portrayal in the media and the general male-dominated discourse; encourages the Turkish government to proactively promote changes in stereotypes and in the perception of gender roles in all spheres; stresses the importance of mainstreaming gender equality in the legislative process and in the implementation of laws;

Amendment 215 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity~~, religion, sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT pers~~ or religions;

Amendment 216 #

Hélène FLAUTRE, Ska KELLER, Ulrike LUNACEK, Barbara LOCHBIHLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or sexual identity; ~~calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons;~~

Amendment 217 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons; stresses the urgent need for comprehensive antidiscrimination legislation and the establishment of an antidiscrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic, features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons;

Amendment 218 #

Timothy Charles Ayrton TANNOCK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or sexual identity; welcomes the draft law on anti-discrimination; however expresses concerns regarding the non inclusion of sexual orientation grounds of discrimination in the legislation; in this regard calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons;

Amendment 219 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons; notes in particular the required medical certificate stigmatizing gay men seeking exemption from military service;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 12

– having regard to the fact that the positive agenda was launched in May 2012 to ~~support and complement the~~complement and strengthen the accession negotiations, through enhanced cooperation in a number of areas of joint interest,

Amendment 220 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons and non- Muslims;

Amendment 221 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to combat homophobia and to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons;

Amendment 222 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote ~~the full~~ equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons;

Amendment 223 #

Göran FÄRM, Raimon OBIOLS, Tanja FAJON, Åsa WESTLUND, Anna HEDH, Jens NILSSON, Marita ULVSKOG, Olle LUDVIGSSON, Ismail ERTUG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons;

Amendment 224 #

Andrew DUFF, Marietje SCHAAKE, Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons;

Amendment 225 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16a (new)

16a. Notes the increasing difficulties in buying alcoholic drinks; calls on the public authorities to actively defend secular lifestyles throughout the country;

Amendment 226 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16a (new)

16a. Notes the increasing difficulties in buying alcoholic drinks; calls on the public authorities to actively defend secular lifestyles throughout the country;

Amendment 227 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16a (new)

16a. Is concerned about the frequent attacks on transgender persons and the lack of protection from violence provided for LGBT persons; calls on the Turkish authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure the social inclusion and the integration into the labour market of LGBT persons as well as their right to housing;

Amendment 228 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16a (new)

16a. Welcomes the steps taken towards the inclusion of recognized minorities in the process of drafting a new constitution; considers that Turkey needs to further improve its position on the protection of minorities; in this regard highlights the fact that Turkey has not ratified the European Council's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) nor the Charter for Regional and Minority Languages; expresses concerns on the lack of reliable information concerning the Roma community;

Amendment 229 #

Bas BELDER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16a (new)

16a. Urges the Turkish authorities to take strong and effective measures to combat expressions of anti-Semitism, thus setting an example for the region;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 12

– having regard to the fact that the positive agenda was launched in May 2012 to support and complement the negotiations through enhanced cooperation in a number of areas of joint interest; having regard to the fact that this initiative does not replace the accessions negotiations but it complements them,

Amendment 230 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16b (new)

16b. Underlines the need for a hate crimes legislation which will include heavier sentences for crimes motivated by racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance, the victim's mental or physical disability, health situation, ethnicity, belief, age, political views, sexual orientation or gender identity;

Amendment 231 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the continued implementation of ~~legislation amending the 2008 l~~the Law on fFoundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entiretyits 2008 and 2011 amendments broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non- Muslim communities;

Amendment 232 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety; notes that in a culture of tolerance special attention is needed for minorities and draws particular attention to recent attacks against elderly women of Armenian descent in Istanbul; calls on the Turkish authorities to carry out a thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice;

Amendment 233 #

Sari ESSAYAH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety; calls to safeguard the position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople; therefore calls for a change in legislation and its practical application so that Orthodox priests, bishops and the Patriarch need not be Turkish nationals, especially since the Patriarch is the head of the worldwide Orthodox Church, and calls for returning the property seized from the Patriarchate – especially churches and calls to preserve training of priests and to permit opening the Halki seminary;

Amendment 234 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety; regrets the fact that the headscarf issue is still unsolved in Turkey, calls the government to introduce legislation that prevents discrimination against women and tackles the polarisation of the headscarf issue in society, in order to ensure the free choice of women;

Amendment 235 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety; calls on a dialogue between the Turkish government and The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to ensure the right of access to prayer and worship for Christians in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul;

Amendment 236 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety; welcomes the initiatives to reopen the Greek School of Büyükada as a international centre of cultures and asks Turkish Government to reopen Halki Seminars;

Amendment 237 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to remove the reference to religion from national identity cards in order to reduce administrative harassment of members of non-Muslim communities; calls on Turkey to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety;

Amendment 238 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; ~~calls~~stresses the urgent need for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church and the return of unduly seized assets which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety;

Amendment 239 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to fully recognise minority rights and to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 12

– having regard to the fact that the ~~posit~~naive agenda was launched in May 2012 to support and complement the negotiations through enhanced cooperation in a number of areas of joint interest,

Amendment 240 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17a (new)

17a. Recalls that education plays a pivotal role in the process of building an inclusive and diverse society built on respect for religious communities and minorities; urges the Government of Turkey to pay special attention to educational materials in schools, which should reflect ethnic and religious plurality and plurality of beliefs in Turkish society, eliminate discrimination and prejudice and promote the full acceptance of all religious communities and minorities, and stresses the need for unbiased learning materials;

Amendment 241 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17a (new)

17a. Supports strongly the ongoing negotiations for a peaceful solution of the Kurdish question and asks all political parties in Turkey to support this process and share their responsibility for its success; convinced that a successful dialogue on this question will have a positive impact in the Middle East and open new opportunities for the resolution of regional conflicts;

Amendment 242 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17a (new)

17a. Welcomes the concrete actions taken by Turkish institutions to ensure freedom of worship and safer religious services; emphasizes the need to continue reforms in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion; is of the opinion that religious communities should be able to obtain legal personality in order to remove existing restrictions; recalls the need to comply with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission;

Amendment 243 #

Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17a (new)

17a. In order to fully guarantee religious freedom, calls on the following provisions to be included in the new constitution: abolition of having to state religious affiliation on national identity cards; abolition of compulsory religious education classes; the abolition or changing of the composition of the Directorate General for Religious Affairs so as to represent other religious groups such as the Alevis that are outside the scope of Sunni Islam;

Amendment 244 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17b (new)

17b. Encourages the government to make gender equality a priority of its reform efforts, tackling poverty amongst women and increasing women's social inclusion and participation in the labour market; welcomes the government's efforts to increase the schooling of girls, as a result of which the gender gap in primary education is almost closed, and calls on the government to take all the necessary measures to diminish the gender gap in secondary education too; calls on political parties to further strengthen women's active engagement and participation in politics;

Amendment 245 #

Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17b (new)

17b. Notes that the progress has been particularly slow in extending the rights of the Alevi minority; is strongly concerned about the prevalent discriminatory discourse against Alevis on the societal level which was exploited and reinforced by the Prime Minister Erdogan´s repeated references to the Alevi background of the main opposition CHP leader Kilicdaroglu, with a clear intention to discredit him in the eyes of pious Sunni voters;

Amendment 246 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; calls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kwelcomes the current informal negotiations between the imprisoned leader of the PKK and Turdkish ~~issue and to facilitate~~government aimed at real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern atsolving the terrorist threat through political means; highlights that the 3rd Judicial Reform Package has brought encouraging changes to the anti-terror law to solve the issues with the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish ~~issue~~subject and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; ~~underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;~~

Amendment 247 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. ~~Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; calls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to~~Condemns the continued terrorist attacks by the PKK and supports the measured response by the KTurdkish issue; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional processauthorities; welcomes and encourages the continuation of Turkey's ongoing efforts to find a political solution to the Kurdish issue; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;

Amendment 248 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; c~~alls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue~~onsiders that a truly and sincere political dialogue is necessary to path a solution of the Kurdish issue in Turkey; condemns the recent events in Paris where three Kurdish activists where murdered and hopes that these events does not undermine the on-going dialogue between the Turkish Government and the Kurdish representatives; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process which reflects the pluralism in Turkey and in which all citizens can find themselves and their rights fully recognised.; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;

Amendment 249 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. ~~Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; c~~Calls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; welcomes the new legislation to open the possibility to use the native language in trials, considers in this context the right to education in the native language and the right to use Kurdish in local administrative communications as essential; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 13

- having regard to the fact that in its conclusions of 11 December 2012 the Council endorsed the Commission's new approach to place the rule of law at the heart of the enlargement policy and confirmed the centrality in the negotiating process of chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights and chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security, which should be tackled early in the negotiations to allow clear benchmarks and maximum time to establish the necessary legislation, institutions and solid track records of implementation,

Amendment 250 #

Göran FÄRM, Marita ULVSKOG, Åsa WESTLUND, Anna HEDH, Jens NILSSON, Olle LUDVIGSSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. ~~Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; c~~Calls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;

Amendment 251 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; calls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue; welcomes and fully supports in this respect the ongoing talks between Turkish officials and Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, and appreciates the cross-party and civil society support for this initiative; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;

Amendment 252 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; calls on Turkey to invest renewed and sincere efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; welcomes the entry into force on 31 January 2013 of the right to legal defence in Turkish courts in languages other than Turkish, recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;

Amendment 253 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; calls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue; in this regard, welcomes the entry into force of the right to defence in Turkish courts in any language other than Turkish; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;

Amendment 254 #

Maria Eleni KOPPA, Marietta GIANNAKOU

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; calls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; calls for the murders of three Kurdish activists in Paris on 9th January to be fully investigated by the appropriate French and Turkish authorities; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;

Amendment 255 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18a (new)

18a. Reiterates its expectation for the implementation of the declaration of the Government of Turkey to reopen a Greek minority school on the island of Gökçeada (Imbros), which constitutes a positive step towards the preservation of the bicultural character of the Turkish islands of Gökçeada (Imbros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos), in line with Resolution 1625 (2008) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; notes, however, that further steps are needed in order to address the problems encountered by members of the Greek minority, particularly with regard to their property rights;

Amendment 256 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18a (new)

18a. Calls on Turkey to continue efforts towards finding a political solution to the Kurdish issue; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;

Amendment 257 #

Jürgen KLUTE, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD, Helmut SCHOLZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18a (new)

18a. Strongly condemns the terrorist attack against the US embassy in Ankara of 1 February 2013 and presents its condolences to the family of the deceased Turkish citizen; recalls that while further measures to counter terrorist actions should be taken to ensure the security of the state and its people, those should not come at the expense of human and citizens' rights;

Amendment 258 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Condemns firmly the assassination in Paris, on 9 January 2013, of three Kurdish female activists; calls on the French authorities to do everything possible to ensure that the perpetrators and those who ordered these killings are brought swiftly to justice and sentenced;

Amendment 259 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18b (new)

18b. Asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio- economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society;

Amendment 26 #

Jürgen KLUTE, Helmut SCHOLZ, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD

Motion for a resolution
Citation 13

– having regard to the fact that in its conclusions of 11 December 2012 the Council endorsed the Commission's new approach, concerning the negotiating frameworks of new candidate states, to place the rule of law at the heart of the enlargement policy and confirmed the centrality in the negotiating process of chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights and chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security, which should be tackled early in the negotiations to allow clear benchmarks and maximum time to establish the necessary legislation, institutions and solid track records of implementation,

Amendment 260 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18b (new)

18b. Welcomes the direct political dialogue that the Turkish government has recently opened with Abdullah Öcalan; deems that a perspective for negotiations has been opened which could lead to a historical agreement settling the Kurdish conflict in a peaceful and democratic way; therefore, encourages the conflict parties to transform talks into structured negotiations as soon as possible; underlines the importance of strong and positive support to the process that should be given by the EU Member States as well as the constructive role that political parties, media and civil society in Turkey must play for the peace process to succeed; further underlines the importance of the constitutional reform process for a lasting settlement of the Kurdish question;

Amendment 261 #

Jürgen KLUTE, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD, Helmut SCHOLZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)

18b. Calls on the Turkish authorities to ensure that the circumstances of the massacre of Uludere / Sirnak on 28 December 2011, in which 34 innocent civilians lost their lives due to indiscriminate army shelling, are fully clarified and that the ongoing investigation is relaunched so that those responsible are brought to justice;

Amendment 262 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Welcomes the incentives package seeking to increase investment and economic development in the least developed regions of Turkey, including the South East and the continuation of the South East Anatolia project; considers that such investments will provide the incentive for private investors to develop social capital and transform the underdeveloped regions into possible production centres; suggests complementing the incentive package with investments in security, infrastructure and transportation alternatives in the targeted regions;

Amendment 263 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Welcomes the incentives package seeking to increase investment and economic development in the least developed regions of Turkey, including the South East and the continuation of the South East Anatolia project; notes, however, the decision by Turkey’s highest court to suspend the construction of the Ilisu dam; calls on the Turkish Government to accept the ruling and halt the work on the dam;

Amendment 264 #

Hélène FLAUTRE, Ska KELLER, Ulrike LUNACEK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Welcomes the incentives package seeking to increase investment and economic development in the least developed regions of Turkey, including the South East and the continuation of the South East Anatolia project; calls on the Turkish government not to override the Turkish State Council's decision to halt the construction of the Ilisu Dam due to the potential environmental and human rights guidelines that could be violated by continuing the project;

Amendment 265 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19a (new)

19a. Welcomes the verdict of the Higher Administrative Court (Danistay) on the annulment of the permit to construct the Ilisu Dam, based on environmental impact studies and based on applicable law; calls on the Turkish Government to preserve this archaeological and environmental heritage by prioritizing smaller, ecologically and socially sustainable projects; and asks the EU institutions and EU member states to make full use of all EU instruments of the negotiations on the Chapter Environment (27) and of enlargement policy for candidate countries in this respect;

Amendment 266 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19b (new)

19b. Calls on Turkey and the Commission to take Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 on the trade in seal products (so- called 'Seal Regulation') in consideration during the negotiation on the Chapter Environment (27) opened in December 2009, banning the marketing of products derived from seals; urges the Turkish Government to align its policy with the EU Regulation prohibiting the trade of all products from commercial seal hunts and in so doing to strongly contribute to ending the largest commercial hunt of a marine mammal in the world;

Amendment 267 #

Andrew DUFF, Marietje SCHAAKE, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD, Metin KAZAK, Sir Graham WATSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Reiterates the need to strengthen cohesion among Turkish regions and between rural and urban areas to open opportunities for the population at large and promote economic and social inclusion; highlights the particular role of education and the need to tackle persistent and substantial regional disparities in the quality of education and enrolment rates; calls for steps ~~conducive to the opening of~~to be taken to open Chapter 22 on Regional Policy, and hopes that the impending visit of President Hollande to Turkey will provide the occasion for progress in this regard;

Amendment 268 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Reiterates the need to strengthen cohesion among Turkish regions and between rural and urban areas to open opportunities for the population at large and promote economic and social inclusion; highlights the particular role of education and the need to tackle persistent and substantial regional disparities in the quality of education and enrolment rates; calls for steps ~~conducive to the opening of~~to be taken to open Chapter 22 on Regional Policy, and hopes that the impending visit of President Hollande to Turkey will provide the occasion for progress in this regard;

Amendment 269 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Reiterates the need to strengthen cohesion among Turkish regions and between rural and urban areas to open opportunities for the population at large and promote economic and social inclusion; highlights the particular role of education and the need to tackle persistent and substantial regional disparities in the quality of education and enrolment rates; calls for steps conducive to the opening of Chapter 22 on Regional Policy; invites the Commission to present an impact assessment of the accession of Turkey to the EU as regards the area of Structural Policy;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 13

– having regard to the fact that in its conclusions of 11 December 2012 the Council endorsed the Commission's new approach, though not applicable to Turkey, to place the rule of law at the heart of the enlargement policy and confirmed the centrality in the negotiating process of chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights and chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security, which should be tackled early in the negotiations to allow clear benchmarks and maximum time to establish the necessary legislation, institutions and solid track records of implementation,

Amendment 270 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Is concerned about the disproportionally high poverty rate among children, particularly in rural areas; stresses the need for a comprehensive strategy to combat child poverty and labour and promote access to education; stresses that child labour, especially in seasonal agricultural work, should be eradicated by inventorying and amending the loopholes in the legal system, by establishing necessary mechanisms for implementation and monitoring, by taking measures which will involve the land owners who employ seasonal workers, parents, private sector purchasing the product, as well as by making a priority the solving of the unemployment problem in the regions where the seasonal workers are coming from; welcomes the establishment of an Ombudsperson for children's rights and the adoption of Turkey's first strategy on the rights of the child; is concerned that the number of active juvenile justice courts has decreased and urges Turkey to provide alternatives to detention for minors; recalls the importance of independent monitoring and protection mechanisms to protect rights and prevent abuse;

Amendment 271 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Is concerned about the disproportionally high poverty rates and child labour among children, particularly in rural areas; stresses the need for a comprehensive strategy to combat child poverty and labour and promote access to education for boys and girls alike; welcomes the establishment of an Ombudsperson for children's rights and the adoption of Turkey's first strategy on the rights of the child; is concerned that the number of active juvenile justice courts has decreased and urges Turkey to provide alternatives to detention for minors; recalls the importance of independent monitoring and protection mechanisms to protect rights and prevent abuse;

Amendment 272 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Is concerned about the disproportionally high poverty rate among children, particularly in rural areas; stresses the need for a comprehensive strategy to combat child poverty and labour and promote access to education; welcomes the establishment of an Ombudsperson for children's rights and the adoption of Turkey's first strategy on the rights of the child; is concerned that the number of active juvenile justice courts has decreased and urges Turkey to provide alternatives to detention for minors; calls for major improvements in conditions of the detention centres for minors; recalls the importance of independent monitoring and protection mechanisms to protect rights and prevent abuse;

Amendment 273 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Is concerned about the disproportionally high poverty rate among children, particularly in rural areas; stresses the need for a comprehensive strategy to combat child poverty and labour and promote access to education; welcomes the establishment of an Ombudsperson for children's rights and the adoption of Turkey's first strategy on the rights of the child; is concerned that the number of active juvenile justice courts has decreased and urges Turkey to provide alternatives to detention for minors; calls for major improvements in the conditions of the detention centres for minors; recalls the importance of independent monitoring and protection mechanisms to protect rights and prevent abuse;

Amendment 274 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Is concerned about the disproportionally high poverty rate among children, particularly in rural areas; stresses the need for a comprehensive strategy to combat child poverty and labour and promote access to education; welcomes the establishment of an Ombudsperson for children's rights and the adoption of Turkey's first strategy on the rights of the child; is concerned that the number of active juvenile justice courts has decreased and urges Turkey to provide alternatives to detention for minors; calls for major improvements in conditions of the detentions centres for minors; recalls the importance of independent monitoring and protection mechanisms to protect rights and prevent abuse;

Amendment 275 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Is concerned about the disproportionally high poverty rate among children, particularly in rural areas; stresses the need for a comprehensive strategy and considerably raising administrative capacity to combat child poverty and labour and promote access to education; welcomes the establishment of an Ombudsperson for children's rights and the adoption of Turkey's first strategy on the rights of the child; is concerned that the number of active juvenile justice courts has decreased and urges Turkey to provide alternatives to detention for minors; recalls the importance of independent monitoring and protection mechanisms to protect rights and prevent abuse;

Amendment 276 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21a (new)

21a. Welcomes and expects the speedy implementation of the declaration of the Government of Turkey to reopen a Greek minority school on the island of Gökçeada (Imbros), which constitutes a positive step towards the preservation of the bicultural character of the Turkish islands of Gökçeada (Imbros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos), in line with Resolution 1625 (2008) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; notes, however, that further steps are needed in order to address the problems encountered by members of the Greek minority particularly with regard to their property rights;

Amendment 277 #

Nadezhda NEYNSKY

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21a (new)

21a. Welcomes the improvement of the overall business environment in Turkey especially by the entry into force of the new Turkish Commercial Code and by the consistent support for small and medium enterprises provided by the SME Development Organisation (KOSGEB); calls for greater partnership between Turkish and EU's businesses;

Amendment 278 #

Timothy Charles Ayrton TANNOCK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21a (new)

21a. Reminds Turkey that tens of thousands of EU citizens and residents who have been victimized by the fraud committed by the so-called ´Green-Funds´ still await redress and calls on the authorities to take all necessary measures in order to accelerate the process;

Amendment 279 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21a (new)

21a. Expresses concern over the recent attacks made against and the murder of Turkish citizens of Armenian ethnicity, such as those in Samatya; Calls on the Turkish authorities to continue its efforts in addressing the security concerns of the non-Muslim minorities in Turkey; looks forward to the due judicial process being followed in the appeal made by the prosecutor for a dismissal of the January 2012 Court decision on the Hrant Dink murder case based in part on the argument that the murder was committed by an organisation;

Amendment 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 13

– having regard to the fact that in its conclusions of 11 December 2012 the Council endorsed the Commission's new approach to place the rule of law at the heart of the enlargement policy and confirmed the centrality in the negotiating process of chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights and chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security, which should be ~~tackl~~opened early in the negotiations to allow clear benchmarks and maximum time to establish the necessary legislation, institutions and solid track records of implementation,

Amendment 280 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21a (new)

21a. Stresses the need to address children's rights in the new Constitution and include provisions which ensure respect of the rights of children for protection, better living conditions and prevention from discrimination; stresses the need for Turkey to further improve its compliance with the UN Children's Rights Declaration provisions;

Amendment 281 #

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3

~~Building good neighbourly rel~~Regional cooperations

Amendment 282 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Deeply regrets Turkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and takes the view that Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States and respect for the institutional framework;deleted

Amendment 283 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. ~~Deeply regret~~Severely criticises Turkey’s decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypr~~iot~~us Presidency of the Council of the EU and takes the view that ~~Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus; recalls that the EU~~, in so doing, Turkey undermined a major pillar of the institutional negotiating framework, which is based on the principles of ~~sincere~~meaningful cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all ~~its~~the Member States ~~and respect for the institutional framework~~; find it deeply regrettable that Turkey missed an opportunity to start a process of closer engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus;

Amendment 284 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Deeply regrets Turkey’s decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU ~~and takes the view that Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisa~~; deeply regrets, moreover, that the EU did not take any action ofin re~~lations with Cyprus; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States and respect for the institutional framework~~sponse to this; observes that in this way Turkey demonstrated that it has no desire to accede to the EU, nor will it ever be able to do so; considers that the accession negotiations with Turkey should be terminated immediately;

Amendment 285 #

Metin KAZAK, Ivo VAJGL

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. ~~Deeply regrets Turkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and takes the view that Turkey missed an important opportunity~~Regrets that a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem was not reached before Cyprus assumed the Presidency of the EU, which would have enabled the new partnership state to assume the EU Presidency; recalls that Turkey had expressed its readiness to esta~~rt a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutu~~blish relations with the new partnership state that would emerge following a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus through the UN; underlines that steps towards normalisation of the relations need to be taken simultaneously by all s~~olidarity amongst all its Member State~~ides concerned and that each step taken to this aend ~~respect for the institutional framework~~shall contribute to the wellbeing of all sides;

Amendment 286 #

Maria Eleni KOPPA, Hélène FLAUTRE, Georgios KOUMOUTSAKOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. ~~Deeply r~~Regrets Tfurkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and takes the view that Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprusther delay in establishing a process of engagement and normalisation of relations between Turkey and Cyprus during the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU; notes that additional efforts are necessary to lift isolation of the Turkish Cypriot Community; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States and respect for the institutional framework;

Amendment 287 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. ~~Deeply regrets Turkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and t~~Takes the view that Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus, with the occasion of its Presidency of the Council of the European Union; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States and respect for the institutional framework; stresses that progress towards the normalisation of Turkey's relations with the Republic of Cyprus is urgently needed in order to provide new momentum to the EU- Turkey accession negotiations;

Amendment 288 #

Antigoni PAPADOPOULOU, Cecilia WIKSTRÖM, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. ~~Deeply regret~~Firmly condemns Turkey’s decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and takes the view that ~~Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and~~due to its failure to normalis~~ation of~~e relations with Cyprus, the accession process should be suspended; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States and respect for the institutional framework;

Amendment 289 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Deeply regrets Turkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and takes the view that Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States and respect for the institutional framework; recalls that recognition of all EU Member states is a necessary component of the accession process. Accordingly, Turkey is urged to proceed with normalisation of its relations with all EU Member states the soonest the possible, including lifting its veto of EU Member states membership of several international organizations;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 13

– having regard to the fact that in its conclusions of 11 December 2012 the Council endorsed the Commission's new approach to place the rule of law at the heart of the enlargement policy and confirmed the centrality in the negotiating process of chapter 23 on judiciary and fundamental rights and chapter 24 on justice, freedom and security, which should be tackled early in the negotiations to allow clear benchmarks and maximum time to establish the necessary legislation, institutions and solid track records of implementation; having regard to the fact that the results to date are anything but satisfactory,

Amendment 290 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Deeply regrets Turkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and takes the view that Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States and respect for the institutional framework; Calls upon the Turkish government to fully comply with its legal obligations stemming from the acquis communautaire and particularly from the Declaration issued by the European Community and its Member States on 21 September 2005;

Amendment 291 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Deeply regrets Turkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and takes the view that Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus; re~~calls~~minds Turkey that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States and respect for the institutional framework, and that any country wishing to join the Union should adhere to the values and principles it is based on;

Amendment 292 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Deeply regrets Turkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and ~~takes the view that~~asks all parties concerned and Turkey not to missed an important opportunity to start a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States and respect for the institutional framework;

Amendment 293 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22a (new)

22a. Regrets the missed opportunity during the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU to recommence a process of engagement and normalisation of relations with Cyprus recognising that this was compounded by Turkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts; recalls that the EU is based on the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity amongst all its Member States, resolution of disputes with neighbours, respect for the rights and interests of minority communities, and respect for the institutional framework;

Amendment 294 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22a (new)

22a. Recalls the Turkish stance towards the Cyprus Presidency of the Council, which resulted in cancelling the 70th JPC meeting and deplores that this stance had a negative impact on the interparliamentary political dialogue; regrets the fact no sanctions were imposed on Turkey for this behaviour;

Amendment 295 #

Nikolaos SALAVRAKOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Recalls that recognition of all Member States is a necessary element of the accession procedure; asks Turkey to proceed with the normalisation of its relations with all EU Member States as soon as possible, including by lifting its veto on the participation of some EU Member States in international organisations; regrets that, on 15 January, Turkey was the only one of 185 countries that refused to allow Cyprus to join the Council of the International Renewable Energy Agency;

Amendment 296 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22a (new)

22a. Emphasizes Turkey's obligation to respect Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone as established by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of which EU is a signatory; takes account of the fact that Turkey is not a signatory of said Convention and as such does not consider that it has to take account of its obligations; calls on Turkey to acknowledge that said convention is currently part of the Aquis Communautaire which will have to be fully implemented upon accession;

Amendment 297 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22a (new)

22a. Urges the Government of Turkey to end the repeated violations of Greek airspace and Turkish military aircraft flights over Greek islands; calls on Turkey to repeal the permits granted to Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) for geological research and hydrocarbon activities in areas falling within Greece's Continental shelf;

Amendment 298 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22a (new)

22a. Calls on Ankara and Nicosia to start a direct dialogue on all outstanding issues at the highest political level, following the success of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue which is mediated by the VP/HR Catherine Ashton and which has opened the way for further integration of Serbia and Kosovo with the EU; considers that direct contact between political leaders would create a positive political climate facilitating comprehensive solution to all open issues between Turkey and Cyprus; furthermore, is of the opinion that high- level dialogue with Turkish Kurds representatives would also create conditions for a wide-ranging and lasting solution to the Kurdish problem and a genuine reconciliation among Turkish citizens of all ethnic and national backgrounds;

Amendment 299 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces fromObserves that Turkey’s occupation of the northern part of Cyprus, and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to allherefore of part of the EU’s territory, is illegal and should be ended immediately;

Amendment 3 #

Maria Eleni KOPPA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 3

– having regard to its previous resolutions, in particular of 9 March 2011 on Turkey's 2010 progress report1 , of 29 March 2012 on Turkey's 2011 progress report2 , ~~and~~ of 22 May 2012 on a 2020 perspective for women in Turkey3 , as well to its resolution of 22 November 2012 on Enlargement: policies, criteria and the EU's strategic interests4 , __________________ 4 Texts adopted, P7_TA(2012)0453

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 13a (new)

- having regard to the fact that a number of judiciary, legislative, institutional and practical reforms have taken place in Turkey; however, a number of long- standing problems concerning notably the administration of justice in Turkey continue having serious negative effects on the enjoyment of human rights and freedom of expression in Turkey, as well as the public perception about the independence and impartiality of the justice system; having regard to the fact that as a result of these problems a high number of cases have been launched against journalists, activists and intellectuals,

Amendment 300 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement with agreed UN parameters of bi-zonality, bi-communality and political equality for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations and stresses the importance of setting up a timeframe, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; at leaders level; recalls onthat Turkey ~~to begin~~has often expressed its readiness to withdraw~~ing its~~ forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to allupon a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus as also stipulated in the 2004 Annan Plan; calls on the Republic of Cyprus to allow the adoption of the Direct Trade Regulation which would enable the Turkish Cypriots to trade directly with the EU with preferential tariffs, which shall bring Turkish Cypriot people closer to the European Union;

Amendment 301 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the ~~urgency~~necessity to establish a deadline to conclude the negotiations ofn an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to allasserts that the status quo is no longer viable;

Amendment 302 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 303 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement with agreed UN parameters of bi-zonality, bi-communality and political equality for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations and stresses the importance of setting up a timeframe, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; at leaders level; recalls onthat Turkey ~~to begin~~has often expressed its readiness to withdraw~~ing its~~ forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allowupon a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus as also stipulated in the 2004 Annan Plan; calls on the Republic of Cyprus to allow the adoption of the Direct Trade Regulation which would enable Turkish Cypriots to trade directly with the EU in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 304 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair ~~and~~ viable ~~settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so~~comprehensive settlement to the benefit of both communities based on the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, international law, the principles on which the EU is founded and the EU acquis; calls on Turkey to also work intensively and in good will in that direction and underlines that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, ~~can~~must soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to immediately begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); recalls~~, in parallel,~~ the proposal of the President onf the Republic of Cyprus to open, in parallel the port of Famagusta under EU auspices (customs supervision) in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow ~~Turkish Cypriot~~both communities to trade ~~directly~~ in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 305 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable ~~settlement for both communitie~~comprehensive settlement in line with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and the values and principles on which the EU is founded; and calls on Turkey to support these efforts in concrete terms; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to ~~begin~~ withdraw~~ing~~ its forces immediately from Cyprus and ~~transfer Famagusta to the UN~~enable the return of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); ~~call~~regrets, in parallel, ~~on the Republic of Cyprus to~~Turkey's rejection of the proposal of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus in 2010 for, inter alia, opening the port of Famagusta under ~~EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow~~the auspices of the European Union which would allow for commercial transactions between the EU and the Turkish -Cypriots, t~~o trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all~~hrough the port of Famagusta;

Amendment 306 #

Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair democratic and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentumin line with the values and principles upon which the EU is founded, as the solution cannot negatively affect neither the human rights of the Cypriot citizens nor European affairs, by creating a negative and dangerous political precedent and model for the EU cohesion; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process can soon regain momentum; takes the view that such a process should remain under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General and the positive and catalytic EU support, so that the democratic values and principles are fully respected and enshrined; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants and the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984) and thus facilitating the efforts towards a comprehensive solution; calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision ~~in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all~~and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all, in line with and full respect of International Law, the acquis communautaire and the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state, as the Protocol 10 and the Treaties provide for;

Amendment 307 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement ~~for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how~~, in line with the UN Secretary Council Resolutions and the values and principles on which the EU is founded upon; Calls on Turkey to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin immediately withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under the EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and to allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 308 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support tofor the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations establishing a viable timeframe, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls for a new reunification plan based on considerations of bicommunality, bizonality and political cooperation; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer ~~Famagusta to~~Varosha to the administration of the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to ~~open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order~~allow adoption of the Direct Trade Regulation to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 309 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement with agreed UN parameters of bi-zonality, bi-communality and political equality for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations and stresses the importance of setting up a timeframe, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum at leaders' level; recalls that Turkey has expressed its readiness to withdraw forces upon a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus as also stipulated in the 2004 Annan Plan; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14

– having regard to the fact that in its 2012 Enlargement Strategy the Commission concluded that, for its economy, strategic location and important regional role, Turkey is a key country for the European Union and that the accession process remains the most suitable framework for promoting EU-related reforms in Turkey; having regard to the fact that the Commissionthe Commission has rightly expressed concern regarding Turkey's lack of progress on the fulfilment of the political criteria,

Amendment 310 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all; is convinced that the adaption of the Direct Trade Regulation and the application of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement (Ankara Protocol) will have a positive economic impact on both communities in Cyprus;

Amendment 311 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all; regrets the fact that the Turkish community of Northern Cyprus has still not received their two seats in the European Parliament and that Turkish is still not an official language of the European Institutions even if it is an official language of the Republic of Cyprus;

Amendment 312 #

Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN, Angelika WERTHMANN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all; views the persistent moving of Turkish citizens from Anatolia to Cyprus as a hindrance to the peaceful coexistence of the two communities on that island;

Amendment 313 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all and in conformity with international and EU- laws;

Amendment 314 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its ~~strong~~ support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 315 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its ~~strong~~ support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 316 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer the sealed-off area of Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 317 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23a (new)

23a. Calls on the Committee of Constitutional Affairs to propose and the European Council to review the status of the allocation of seats to Cyprus and thus bring the Council decision of 10 June 2004, which only explicitly addressed the 2004-2009 parliamentary term, up to date. Calls for the seats allocated to the Republic of Cyprus proportionately to represent the peoples of all parts of the island which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus claims to exercise control over, either through a member of the European Parliament or through observer status, as is the case in the Council of Europe;

Amendment 318 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Attaches great importance to acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide by the Turkish Government;

Amendment 319 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23a (new)

23a. Asks the President to invite two observers representing the Cypriot Turkish community to the Parliament, following the decision of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in this respect;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14

– having regard to the fact that in its 2012 Enlargement Strategy the Commission concluded that~~, for~~ Turkey is a key country for the European Union in terms of its economy, strategic location and important regional role~~, Turkey is a key country for the European Union~~ and that the accession process remains the most suitable framework for promoting EU-related reforms in Turkey~~; having regard to the fact that the Commission expressed concern regarding Turkey's lack of progress on the fulfilment of the political criteria~~,

Amendment 320 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23a (new)

23a. Calls on Turkey to comply with the UNSC Resolution 550(1984) and return the fenced off quarter Varosha to its inhabitants and in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;

Amendment 321 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23a (new)

23a. Deplores the Turkish political attitude during the Cyprus Presidency of the Council, which is also reflected in the Turkish government political decision to cancel the 70th JPC meeting and fully regrets that the Turkish side missed the opportunity for constructive Interparliamentary political dialogue, which would have helped with the Turkish accession negotiations with the aim of coming out from the existing deadlock;

Amendment 322 #

Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS, Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages Turkey ~~to intensify its~~and all other sides to continue their intensive support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) which is one of the most sensitive and important projects in the island as its work affects equally lives of thousands of people on both sides of the island;

Amendment 323 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. ~~Encourages~~Calls on Turkey to intensify its support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, by allowing access to military zones, in line with the ECtHR judgements and Council of Europe decisions;

Amendment 324 #

Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN, Angelika WERTHMANN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. ~~Encourages~~Calls on Turkey to intensify its support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP); counts on Turkey's cooperation with regard to granting also access to military zones in order to facilitate the work of the CMP;

Amendment 325 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages Turkey and all other parties to intensify its support for the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in Cyprus; calls for special consideration for the work done by CMP in the military zones;

Amendment 326 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. ~~Encourages~~Calls on Turkey to intensify its support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus and to afford the Committee access to the areas under military occupation and to Turkish Cypriot archives;

Amendment 327 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages Turkey to intensify its support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, in particular by facilitating its access to military zones and archives; and to take all other appropriate action, in accordance with the findings of the ECHR, on the humanitarian issue of the missing persons;

Amendment 328 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages Turkey toand all other sides to further intensify its support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP), as CMP is one of the most sensitive and important projects in the island and its work affects equally lives of thousands of people on both sides of the island;

Amendment 329 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages Turkey to intensify its support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, providing access to all military zones and relevant information, according to the ECtHR fourth interstate case decision;

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14

– having regard to the fact that in its 2012 Enlargement Strategy the Commission concluded that, for its economy, strategic location and important regional role, Turkey is a key country for the European Union ~~and that the accession process remains the most suitable framework for promoting EU-related reforms in Turkey~~; having regard to the fact that the Commission expressed concern regarding Turkey's lack of progress on the fulfilment of the political criteria,

Amendment 330 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages Turkey to intensify its support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus and to provide the CMP access to those military areas where evidence suggests the remains of missing persons could be located;

Amendment 331 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages Turkey to intensify its support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, in particular by facilitating the latter's access to all military zones as well as to archives of the Turkish army;

Amendment 332 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages ~~Turkey~~all parties concerned to intensify ~~its~~their support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus;

Amendment 333 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages Turkey toand all other sides to further intensify ~~its~~their support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus;

Amendment 334 #

Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN, Angelika WERTHMANN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Encourages Turkey to ~~intensify~~continue its support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus;

Amendment 335 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24a (new)

24a. Asks Turkey to open the military archives to release the information wanted by the CMP, in compliance with ECHR's judgements;

Amendment 336 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24a (new)

24a. Emphasises that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has been signed by the EU, the 27 Member States and all other candidate countries and that it is part of the acquis communautaire; calls, therefore, on the Government of Turkey to sign and ratify it without further delay; recalls the full legitimacy of the Republic of Cyprus' exclusive economic zone, in accordance with UNCLOS;

Amendment 337 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24a (new)

24a. Encourages Turkey to further engage in negotiations with its neighbouring countries on outstanding bilateral issues, among others on property rights issues, including further implementation of the Law on foundations as per its amendments from August 2011;

Amendment 338 #

Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS, Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24a (new)

24a. Deplores Turkey's policy of settlement and calls on Turkey to refrain from further settlement of Turkish citizens on Cyprus, contrary to the Geneva Convention and the principles of international law, which alters the demographic balance on the island and impedes a future solution;

Amendment 339 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24a (new)

24a. Calls on Turkey to refrain from any new settlement of Turkish citizens on the island, as this would continue to change the demographic balance and reduce the allegiance of its citizens to a future common state based on its common past;

Amendment 34 #

Antigoni PAPADOPOULOU, Angelika WERTHMANN, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14

– having regard to the fact that in its 2012 Enlargement Strategy the Commission concluded that, for its economy, strategic location and important regional role, Turkey is a key country for the European Union and that the accession process remains one of the most suitable frameworks for promoting ~~EU-related~~ reforms in Turkey; having regard to the fact that the Commission expressed concern regarding Turkey's lack of progress on the fulfilment of the political criteria,

Amendment 340 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24a (new)

24a. Calls on Turkey to refrain from any new illegal settlement of Turkish citizens on the island, as this would continue to change its demographic balance and reduce the allegiance of its citizens to a future common state; calls on Turkey to address the issue of the illegal settlement of Turkish citizens on the island, in accordance with the Geneva Convention and the principles of International Law;

Amendment 341 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24a (new)

24a. Calls on Turkey to address the issue of the settlement of Turkish citizens (settlers) on the island in accordance with the Geneva Convention and the principles of International Law;

Amendment 342 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24а (new)

24а. Points out that Turkey should endeavour to resolve all matters of dispute with its neighbouring countries both as a condition of membership of the EU and with a view to strengthening good neighbourly relations in the region; points out that setting up a joint committee of experts on the outstanding issues for relations between Bulgaria and Turkey represents an important step towards resolving the issues around refugees in Eastern Thrace and their descendants, and invites the two countries to ask the committee to resume its work;

Amendment 343 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24b (new)

24b. Commends Turkey on the successful chairmanship of the Black Sea Cooperation Organisation (BSCO) in the second half of 2012 and hopes the momentum for implementation of regional cooperation projects and especially of the Black Sea Ring Highway (BSRH) and the Motorways to the Sea will be kept; further commends the country on the completion of the construction of the BSRH on its territory from the borders with Greece and Bulgaria to the border with Georgia; calls for better cooperation on environmental and ecological matters in the Black Sea basin within the BSCO also in compliance with the EU Strategy for the Black Sea;

Amendment 344 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24b (new)

24b. Urges Turkey to ensure that the rights of all displaced persons in Cyprus are respected, including those of the religious minorities, who should be allowed to freely exercise their religious rights;

Amendment 345 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24c (new)

24c. Urges Turkey to take concrete measures in order to give an end to the destruction of cultural and religious heritage sites in the northern part of Cyprus thereby saving a valuable part of European and global civilisation;

Amendment 346 #

Willy MEYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the importance of a coherent and comprehensive security approach in the Eastern Mediterranean and calls on Turkey to allow political dialogue between the EU and NATO by lifting its veto on EU-NATO cooperation including Cyprus, and consequently calls on the Republic of Cyprus to lift its veto on Turkey's participation in the European Defence Agency;deleted

Amendment 347 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the importance of a coherent and comprehensive security approach in the Eastern Mediterranean and ~~calls on Turkey to allow political dialogue~~appreciates Turkey's contributions to CSDP and efforts to enhance the strategic partnership between ~~the~~ EU and NATO ~~by lifting its veto on EU-NATO cooperation including Cyprus, and consequently calls on the Republic of Cyprus to lift its veto on Turkey's participation in the European Defence Agency;~~ ; stresses the importance of Turkey's continued involvement in future CSDP missions, as much of these missions take part in Turkey's geographic proximity and could have security implications for them; underlines the urgency of finding a solution for including Turkey in the CSDP decision-making process; stresses the need for EU to adopt a similar level of inclusiveness and transparency as NATO;

Amendment 348 #

Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. ~~Stresses the importance of a coherent and comprehensive security approach in the Eastern Mediterranean and c~~Calls on Turkey to allow political dialogue between the EU and NATO by lifting its veto on EU-NATO cooperation including Cyprus~~, and consequently calls on the Republic of Cyprus to lift its veto on Turkey's participation in the European Defence Agency~~;

Amendment 349 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the importance of a coherent and comprehensive security approach in the Eastern Mediterranean and calls on Turkey to allow political dialogue between the EU and NATO by lifting its veto on EU-NATO cooperation including Cyprus, and ~~consequently calls on the Republic of Cyprus to lift its veto on Turkey's participation in the European Defence Agency~~encourages Turkey to conclude an Administrative Arrangement with the European Defence Agency (EDA), on the basis of existing Administrative Arrangements between the EDA and third countries;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14

– having regard to the fact that in its 2012 Enlargement Strategy the Commission concluded that, for its economy, strategic location and important regional role, Turkey is a key country for the European Union and that the ~~accession pro~~negotiation process with the ultimate goal of accession remains the ~~most suitab~~sole framework for promoting EU-related reforms in Turkey; having regard to the fact that the Commission expressed concern regarding Turkey's lack of progress on the fulfilment of the political criteria,

Amendment 350 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the importance of a coherent and comprehensive security approach in the Eastern Mediterranean and calls on Turkey to allow political dialogue between the EU and NATO by lifting its veto on EU-NATO cooperation including Cyprus~~, and consequently calls on the Republic of Cyprus to lift its veto on Turkey’s participation in the European Defence Agency~~;

Amendment 351 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the importance of a coherent and comprehensive security approach in the Eastern Mediterranean and calls on Turkey and all other parties to allow political dialogue between the EU and NATO ~~by lifting its veto on~~including EU-NATO cooperation ~~including~~on Cyprus, and consequently calls on the Republic of Cyprus to lift its veto on Turkey's participation inand allow fulfilment of Turkey's commitments towards the European Defence Agency;

Amendment 352 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25a (new)

25a. Emphasises that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has been signed by the EU, the 27 Member States and all other candidate countries and that it is part of the acquis communautaire; calls, therefore, on the Government of Turkey to sign and ratify it without further delay; recalls the full legitimacy of the Republic of Cyprus' exclusive economic zone in accordance with UNCLOS;

Amendment 353 #

Timothy Charles Ayrton TANNOCK, Tomasz Piotr PORĘBA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25a (new)

25a. Welcomes the efforts of the Turkish authorities to curb illegal immigration to the bordering EU Member States and the EU; at the same time expresses concern about the increasing number of illegal immigrants crossing the Turkish- Bulgarian and the Turkish-Greek borders;

Amendment 354 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25a (new)

25a. Urges both parties, Turkey and Armenia, to ratify, without preconditions, the protocols on establishment of diplomatic relations and improvement of bilateral relations and urges the Turkish Government to open the border with Armenia;

Amendment 355 #

Marietta GIANNAKOU, Maria Eleni KOPPA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25a (new)

25a. Takes note of the continuing intensified efforts by Turkey and Greece to improve their bilateral relations, including through bilateral meetings; considers it regrettable, however, that the casus belli threat declared by the Turkish Grand National Assembly against Greece has not yet been withdrawn; reiterates that Turkey needs to commit itself unequivocally to good neighbourly relations and to the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the United Nations Charter, having recourse, if necessary, to the International Court of Justice; urges the Government of Turkey to end the repeated violation of Greek airspace and Turkish military aircraft flights over Greek islands;

Amendment 356 #

Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS, Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25a (new)

25a. Calls on Turkey to seize the ongoing destruction of cultural and religious sites situated in the northern part of Cyprus, in line with her obligations stemming from the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict;

Amendment 357 #

Antigoni PAPADOPOULOU, Angelika WERTHMANN, Cecilia WIKSTRÖM, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25a (new)

25a. Emphasises that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has been signed by the EU, the 27 Member States and all other candidate countries and that it is part of the acquis communautaire; calls, therefore, on the Government of Turkey to sign and ratify it without further delay; recalls the full legitimacy of the Republic of Cyprus' exclusive economic zone, in accordance with UNCLOS;

Amendment 358 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25a (new)

25a. Urges the avoidance of any kind of threat, source of friction or actions which could damage good neighbourly relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes; stresses all the sovereign rights of EU Member States which include, inter alia, entering into bilateral agreements, in accordance with the EU acquis and international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea;

Amendment 359 #

Willy MEYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25a (new)

25a. Stresses the need for peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean in respect of international law and the relevant United Nations Resolutions, leading to equitable cooperation to the benefit of all the peoples of the region, hence contributing to peace and stability in the whole region;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14a (new)

- having regard to the fact that the Commission expressed concern regarding Turkey's slow progress on the fulfilment of the political criteria,

Amendment 360 #

Marietta GIANNAKOU, Maria Eleni KOPPA, Georgios KOUMOUTSAKOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25b (new)

25b. Regrets that Turkey continued to act against and issued statements objecting to drilling operations carried out by the Republic of Cyprus violating thus the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus and threatening retaliation against companies that would participate in Cypriot exploration, following Cyprus's announcement that it would launch a second round of off-shore exploratory licences in exercising its sovereign rights;

Amendment 361 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25b (new)

25b. Emphasises that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has been signed by the EU, the 27 Member States and all other candidate countries and that it is part of the acquis communautaire; calls, therefore, on the Government of Turkey to sign and ratify it without further delay; recalls the full legitimacy of the Republic of Cyprus' exclusive economic zone, in accordance with UNCLOS;

Amendment 362 #

Eleni THEOCHAROUS, Niki TZAVELA, Nikolaos SALAVRAKOS, Michèle RIVASI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25b (new)

25b. Urges both Armenia and Turkey to ratify without preconditions the protocols and calls on Turkey to open its borders with Armenia, in order to normalize their relations;

Amendment 363 #

Eleni THEOCHAROUS, Niki TZAVELA, Nikolaos SALAVRAKOS, Michèle RIVASI, Kyriacos TRIANTAPHYLLIDES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25c (new)

25c. Calls on Turkey to recognise the genocide perpetrated in 1915 against the Armenians and thus pave the way to the establishment of stable neighbourhood policy;

Amendment 364 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Deplores Turkey's refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards all Member States; recalls that this refusal continues to deeply affect the process of negotiationsEmphasizes that the difference of interpretation between the EU Commission and Turkey as regards the implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement negatively affects the process of the EU- Turkey relations and therefore calls on all sides concerned to make a concerted effort towards the resolution of the Cyprus problem;

Amendment 365 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Deplores Turkey’s refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards all Member States; ~~recall~~urges that th~~is refusal continues to deeply affect the process of negotiations~~e accession negotiations with Turkey be terminated immediately;

Amendment 366 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Deplores Turkey's refusal to ~~fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory~~ implement~~ation of~~ the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards ~~all Member State~~Cyprus; recalls that this refusal continues to deeply affect the process of negotiations;

Amendment 367 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Deplores Turkey’s refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards all Member States; recalls that this refusal ~~continues to deeply affect th~~has actually put a stop to any possible procgress ofin negotiations;

Amendment 368 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. ~~Deplo~~Regrets Turkey's refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards all Member States; recalls that this refusal continues to deeply affect the process of negotiations; urges both sides to commit to negotiations to facilitate free movement of goods, services, capital, people and resolve property issues;

Amendment 369 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Deplores Turkey’s refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards all Member States; ~~recall~~urges that this refusal ~~continues to~~should deeply affect the process of negotiations;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14b (new)

- having regard to the progress made by Turkey in the field of the Constitutional reform,

Amendment 370 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Deeply deplores Turkey’s refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non- discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards all Member States; recalls that this refusal continues to ~~deeply affect~~block the process of negotiations;

Amendment 371 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Deplores Turkey's refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards all Member States; recalls that this refusal continues to deeply affect the process of negotiations; calls on the European Institutions to take all necessary measures to allow direct trade between the EU and the Northern part of Cyprus as well as to facilitate the free movement of the Turkish Cypriot community in order to lift the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot Community in accordance with the Conclusions of the EU General Affairs Council Meeting of 26 April 2004;

Amendment 372 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Deplores Turkey's refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards all Member States; recalls that this refusal continues to deeply affect the process of negotiations and calls on the Government of Turkey to implement the protocol in full without further delay. Also notes with regret that despite repeated calls, Turkey has not complied with its obligations outlined in the Declaration of the European Community and its Member States of 21 Sept. 2005;

Amendment 373 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Deplores Turkey's refusal to fulfil its obligation of full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement towards all Member States; calls upon Turkey to lift the embargo that it has placed upon vessels and airplanes belonging to the Republic of Cyprus, through the opening of its ports and airports; calls on the government to fully implement it the Additional Protocol without further delay; recalls that this refusal continues to deeply affect the process of negotiations;

Amendment 374 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26a (new)

26a. Underlines the importance of comprehensive monitoring of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) implementation, with a view to prioritising targets and projects in Turkey, in line with its accession criteria;

Amendment 375 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26a (new)

26a. Notes that non-settlement of the Cyprus issue affects the process of EU- Turkey relations and therefore calls on all sides concerned to make a concerted effort towards the resolution of the Cyprus problem;

Amendment 376 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26a (new)

26a. Regrets that Turkey refused to convene the 70th JPC meeting as planned, during the second half of 2012 thus missing another opportunity to enhance the interparliamentary dialogue between the EU and Turkey;

Amendment 377 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26a (new)

26a. Emphasises that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has been signed by the EU, the 27 Member-States and all other candidate countries and that it is part of the acquis communautaire; calls, therefore, on the Government of Turkey to sign and ratify it without further delay;

Amendment 378 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Observes that there are also any number of reasons why the accession negotiations with, and all EU funding of, Turkey should be terminated immediately and for concluding that Turkey should never accede to the EU: – Turkey is an Islamic country which, under President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of the 'Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi' (AK Party), is becoming increasingly Islamised; in addition, Turkey is a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), an organisation which ‘restricts’ human rights to ‘sharia’; – Turkey costs the EU billions of euros; since 2007, Turkey has already received billions of euros from the EU through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance and EuropeAid; in addition, in 2013, Turkey will receive almost EUR 1 billion in grants from the EU; – membership of the EU for Turkey would create open borders with Turkey; – in 2050, Turkey would have the largest population of any EU country; as an EU Member State, the country would then have the most voting rights; – if Turkey accedes to the EU, the EU will have borders with Iran, Iraq and Syria; thus the EU’s external borders will be even worse than they are already; – Turkey is not a European country: geographically, 95% of Turkey is located outside Europe; – Turkey is corrupt: according to Transparency International'1, in 2012 Turkey scored only 49 on a scale from 1 to 100; that means that it is highly corrupt; – secularism is under pressure in Turkey: Prime Minister Erdoğan is settling scores rigorously with secular former generals; – freedom of expression is under pressure in Turkey: according to the report 'Turkey's Press Freedom Crisis'2, under the regime of Prime Minister Erdoğan the worst repression against journalists in a very long time is taking place. As at 1 August 2012, no fewer than 76 journalists were imprisoned in Turkey, simply for doing their job as journalists; – Turkey is occupying the northern part of Cyprus, an EU Member State; moreover, during Cyprus’s Presidency of the EU Turkey froze the accession negotiations; – Turkey does not acknowledge the genocide against the Armenians; moreover, Turkey opposes international recognition of the genocide. __________________ 1 http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2012/result s/ 2 http://cpj.org/reports/2012/10/turkeys- press-freedom-crisis-podcast.php

Amendment 379 #

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Calls upon Turkey, on the basis of recent statements by top officials, to begin the process of reducing the concentration of arms in the Aegean with the aim of achieving a parallel reduction by Turkey and Greece; is convinced that reducing defence programmes is essential in order to save resources in order better to address the economic crisis and to strengthen diplomacy and good neighbourly relations and cooperation;

Amendment 38 #

Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15

– having regard to the fact that Turkey has still not fully implemented~~, for the seventh consecutive year, the provisions stemming from~~ the provisions of the Additional Protocol to the EC- Turkey Association Agreement and th~~e Additional Protocol thereto~~at the European Union has still not taken all the necessary steps towards lifting the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots as stipulated in the EU Council Conclusions of 26 April 2004, although Turkish Cypriots have expressed several times their clear desire to be a part of the Union,

Amendment 380 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26a (new)

26a. Calls on Turkey to terminate its policy of blocking participation and vetoing the membership of the Republic of Cyprus to international organisations;

Amendment 381 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26b (new)

26b. Emphasizes that the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has been signed by the EU, the 27 Member States and all other candidate countries and that it is part of the acquis communautaire; calls, therefore, on the Government of Turkey to sign and ratify it without further delay; recalls the full legitimacy of the Republic of Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone, in accordance with UNCLOS; regrets that Turkey has continued to act against and issue statements threatening retaliation against oil companies that would participate in explorations carried by the Republic of Cyprus in exercising its sovereign rights;

Amendment 382 #

Jürgen KLUTE, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD, Helmut SCHOLZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of the continuing terrorist violence by the PKK, which is on the EU list of terrorist organisations, and expresses its full solidarity to Turkey and to the families of the many victims; calls on the Member States, in close coordination with the EU counter terrorism coordinator and Europol, to intensify cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism and organised crime as a source of financing of terrorism; calls on Turkey to adopt a data protection law and legislation on the financing of terrorism so that a cooperation agreement can be concluded with Europol and judicial cooperation with Eurojust and with the EU Member States can further develop; takes the view that the assignment of a police liaison officer to Europol would help improve bilateral cooperationTurkey to adopt a data protection law and legislation on the financing of terrorism;

Amendment 383 #

Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of the continuing terrorist violence by the PKK~~, which is on the EU list of terrorist organisations,~~ and expresses its full solidarity to Turkey and to the families of the many victims; calls on the Member States, in close coordination with the EU counter terrorism coordinator and Europol, to intensify cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism and organised crime ~~as a source of financing of terrorism~~, providing inter alia that this fight concerns all Turkish extremist circles in Europe, as long as this is not a pretext for serious human rights violations, and to ensure that the Turkish authorities define the term ‘terrorism’ in accordance with European standards and norms in this field; calls on Turkey to adopt a personal data protection law and legislation on the financing of terrorism ~~so that a cooperation agreement can be concluded with Europol and~~in accordance with Convention 108 of the Council of Europe so that judicial cooperation with Eurojust and with the EU Member States can further develop; ~~takes the view that the assignment of a police liaison officer to Europol would help improve bilateral cooperation;~~

Amendment 384 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of the continuing terrorist violence by the PKK, which is on the EU list of terrorist organisations, and expresses its full solidarity to Turkey and to the families of the many victims; calls on the Member States, in close coordination with the EU counter terrorism coordinator and Europol, to intensify cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism and organised crime as a source of financing of terrorism; calls on TurkeyDeeply deplores the estimated number of 500 victims that fights and attacks related to the Kurdish conflict have caused in 2012; underlines that the Kurdish conflict is currently among the most violent conflicts happening in a European country; reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of the continuing terrorist violence by the PKK, which is on the EU list of terrorist organisations, and expresses its full solidarity to Turkey and to the families of the many victims; encourages Turkish government and mainstream media to resist the impulse to further call for anti- terrorist war and focus instead, together with Kurds, on long-term conflict resolution; encourages the Kurdish movement, including PKK leaders, to abjure on violence and publicly commit to realistic political goals; calls on Turkey's international partners, notably the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland and Spain to engage with the Turkish government and opinion leaders to share experiences of defusing ethnic, linguistic, and regional tensions, including through travel programs for officials, politicians and opinion-makers from all relevant sides and parties in Turkey; calls on the Member States, in close coordination with the EU counter terrorism coordinator and Europol, to intensify cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism including against violent extremist Turkish groups operating in Europe; calls on Turkey to review its definition of terrorism is in line with EU and other international norms as well as to adopt a data protection law and legislation on the financing of terrorism so that a cooperation agreement can be concluded with Europol and judicial cooperation with Eurojust and with the EU Member States can further develop; takes the view that the assignment of a police liaison officer to Europol would help improve bilateral cooperation;

Amendment 385 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of the continuing terrorist violence by the PKK, which is on the EU list of terrorist organisations, and expresses its full solidarity to Turkey and to the families of the many victims; calls on the Member States, in close coordination with the EU counter terrorism coordinator and Europol, to intensify cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism and organised crime as a source of financing of terrorism; calls on Turkey to adopt a data protection law ~~and legislation on the financing of terrorism~~ so that a cooperation agreement can be concluded with Europol and judicial cooperation with Eurojust and with the EU Member States can further develop; takes the view that the assignment of a police liaison officer to Europol would help improve bilateral cooperation; calls on Turkey to adopt legislation on the financing of terrorism in line with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations;

Amendment 386 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of the continuing terrorist violence by ~~the PKK, which is on the EU list of~~ terrorist organisations, and expresses its full solidarity to Turkey and to the families of the many victims; calls on the Member States, in close coordination with the EU counter terrorism coordinator and Europol, to intensify cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism and organised crime as a source of financing of terrorism; calls on Turkey to adopt a data protection law and legislation on the financing of terrorism so that a cooperation agreement can be concluded with Europol and judicial cooperation with Eurojust and with the EU Member States can further develop; takes the view that the assignment of a police liaison officer to Europol would help improve bilateral cooperation;

Amendment 387 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of the continuing terrorist violence by the PKK, which is on the EU list of terrorist organisations, and expresses its full solidarity to Turkey and to the families of the many victims; calls on the Member States, in close coordination with the EU counter terrorism coordinator and Europol, regrets the fact that the main financing of the terror organisation is rooted in European countries and calls to intensify cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism and organised crime as a source of financing of terrorism; calls on Turkey to adopt a data protection law and legislation on the financing of terrorism so that a cooperation agreement can be concluded with Europol and judicial cooperation with Eurojust and with the EU Member States can further develop; takes the view that the assignment of a police liaison officer to Europol would help improve bilateral cooperation;

Amendment 388 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of the continuing terrorist violence both by the PKK, which is on the EU list of terrorist organisations, and other terrorist organisations, and expresses its full solidarity to Turkey and to the families of the many victims; calls on the Member States, in close coordination with the EU counter terrorism coordinator and Europol where appropriate, to intensify cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism and organised crime as a source of financing of terrorism; calls on Turkey to adopt a data protection law and legislation on the financing of terrorism so that a cooperation agreement can be concluded with Europol and judicial cooperation with Eurojust and with the EU Member States can further develop; takes the view that the assignment of a police liaison officer to Europol would help improve bilateral cooperation;

Amendment 389 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Calls on Turkey to improve cooperation with Georgia and Azerbaijan on the planned dams on the Kura River; stresses the need for dialogue between Turkey and Syria on the further development of the Southeast Anatolia Project;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15

– ~~hav~~Noting ~~regard to the fact~~ that Turkey has still not fully implemented~~, for the seventh consecutive year, the provisions stemming from the EC-Turkey Association Agreement and the Additional Protocol thereto~~ the provisions of the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement and that the European Union has still not taken all the necessary steps towards lifting the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots as stipulated in the EU Council Conclusions of 26 April 2004,

Amendment 390 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27a (new)

27a. Calls upon Turkey to stop hindering all legal efforts and initiatives of the Republic of Cyprus and foreign companies which drill within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus, with the aim of exploring gas and oil. Calls upon Turkey to stop violating the acquis communautaire and International Law of the Sea, which is indispensable part of its accession negotiation with the EU and therefore abide by the rules and the legal and political character of a candidate state that should fully respect the sovereign rights of all member states as the Treaties provide for;

Amendment 391 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. ~~Supports Turkey’s commitment to democratic forces in Syria and the provision of humanitarian assistance to Syrians who fled the country; a~~Asks the Commission, the Member States and the international community to support Turkey’s efforts to cope with the growing humanitarian dimension of the Syrian crisis; underlines the importance of a common understanding between the EU and Turkey on how to deliver the available humanitarian assistance to the displaced Syrians currently on Turkish territory or waiting at its borders;

Amendment 392 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Supports ~~Turkey’s commitment to democratic forces in Syria and~~ the provision by Turkey of humanitarian assistance to Syrians who fled the country; asks the Commission, the Member States and the international community to support Turkey’s efforts to cope with the growing humanitarian dimension of the Syrian crisis; underlines the importance of a common understanding between the EU and Turkey on how to deliver the available humanitarian assistance to the displaced Syrians currently on Turkish territory ~~or waiting at its borders~~;

Amendment 393 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Supports Turkey's commitment to democratic forces in Syria and the provision of humanitarian assistance to ~~Syrian~~refugees who fled the country; asks the Commission, the Member States and the international community to support Turkey's efforts to cope with the growing humanitarian dimension of the Syrian crisis; underlines the importance of a common understanding and transparency between the EU and Turkey on how to deliver the available humanitarian assistance to the displaced Syrians currently on Turkish territory or waiting at its borders;

Amendment 394 #

Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Marietje SCHAAKE, Andrew DUFF

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. SRecognizes the fact that the repercussions of the rapidly deteriorating situation in Syria on the security and stability of the region are multiplying; supports Turkey's commitment to democratic forces in Syria and the provision of humanitarian assistance to Syrians who fled the country; asks the Commission, the Member States and the international community to support Turkey's efforts to cope with the growing humanitarian dimension of the Syrian crisis; underlines the importance of a common understanding between the EU and Turkey on how to deliver the available humanitarian assistance to the displaced Syrians currently on Turkish territory or waiting at its borders;

Amendment 395 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Supports Turkey's commitment to democratic forces in Syria and the provision of humanitarian assistance to Syrians who fled the country; asks the Commission, the Member States and the international community to support Turkey's efforts to cope with the growing humanitarian dimension of the Syrian crisis; underlines the importance of a common understanding between the EU and Turkey on how to deliver the available humanitarian assistance to the displaced Syrians currently on Turkish territory or waiting at its borders; underlines that beyond humanitarian assistance the EU and Turkey should actively seek to develop a joint strategic vision to achieve reinforced leverage to end the crisis in Syria;

Amendment 396 #

Helmut SCHOLZ, Jürgen KLUTE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Supports Turkey's commitment to democratic forces in Syria and the provision of humanitarian assistance to the increasing number of Syrians who fled the country; asks the Commission, the Member States and the international community to further support Turkey's efforts to cope with the growing humanitarian dimension of the Syrian crisis; underlines the importance of a common understanding between the EU and Turkey on how to deliver the available humanitarian assistance to the displaced Syrians currently on Turkish territory or waiting at its borders;

Amendment 397 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Supports Turkey’s political commitment to democratic forces in Syria and the provision of humanitarian assistance to Syrians who fled the country; asks the Commission, the Member States and the international community to support Turkey’s efforts to cope with the growing humanitarian dimension of the Syrian crisis; underlines the importance of a common understanding between the EU and Turkey on how to deliver the available humanitarian assistance to the displaced Syrians currently on Turkish territory or waiting at its borders;

Amendment 398 #

Helmut SCHOLZ, Jürgen KLUTE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28a (new)

28a. Calls on Turkey to use its influence in the region and in the Islamic world to bring about an early ceasefire in Syria as a precondition for ending the killing and achieving a political solution to Syria’s internal conflict, and to ensure that no form of military support for the parties to the Syrian conflict is provided on or via Turkish territory; emphasises in this regard the binding nature of the EU arms embargo against Syria;

Amendment 399 #

Willy MEYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28a (new)

28a. Considers that the deployment by NATO of Patriot missiles on Turkey's borders with Syria leads to further escalation of tensions with unpredictable consequences and calls for their immediate withdrawal;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 4

– having regard to the Negotiating Framework for Turkey of 3 October 2005, and the Declaration of the European Community and its Member States of 21 September 2005,

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15

– having regard to the fact that both Turkey ~~has still not implemented, for the seventh consecutive year~~and the EU have still only partially implemented, the provisions stemming from the EC-Turkey Association Agreement and the Additional Protocol thereto,

Amendment 400 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the decision to enhance cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey'’s strategic role, ~~initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering~~ the EU- Turkey strategic dialogue on energy should be furthered;

Amendment 401 #

Sir Graham WATSON, Metin KAZAK, Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Ska KELLER, Hélène FLAUTRE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the ~~decision to enhance~~ cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role, initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU- Turkey strategic dialogue on energy;

Amendment 402 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the decision to enhance cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and ~~calls on~~encourages Turkey to co~~mmi~~ntinue its commitment to this cooperation; ~~believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role, initial~~welcomes the meeting of the steering group in Ankara on 14 February 2013; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role and plentiful wind, solar and geothermal energy resources, consideration should be given to ~~the value of~~ opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU-Turkey strategic dialogue on energy; considers that both the enhanced EU- Turkey energy cooperation and any eventual negotiations on Chapter 15 should encourage the development of renewable energy potential and cross- border electricity transmission infrastructure;

Amendment 403 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the decision to enhance cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role, initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU- Turkey strategic dialogue on energy;

Amendment 404 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the decision to enhance cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role, initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU- Turkey strategic dialogue on energy;

Amendment 405 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the ~~decision to enhance~~ cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role, initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU- Turkey strategic dialogue on energy, should the Turkish government commit itself to stop violating the sovereign rights of its neighbouring countries and fully respect the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea;

Amendment 406 #

Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS, Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER, Ana GOMES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the decision to enhance cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role, initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU- Turkey strategic dialogue on energy;

Amendment 407 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the decision to enhance cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role, initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU-Turkey strategic dialogue on energy, upon fulfilment of Turkey's obligation to sign and ratify the UNCLOS and respect the sovereign rights of all EU Member States;

Amendment 408 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the decision to enhance cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role, initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU-Turkey strategic dialogue on energy; underlines the need for more enhanced cooperation on the strategic for the EU energy corridors towards Eastern and Central Europe;

Amendment 409 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the decision to enhance cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role but also based on international law and UNCLOS, initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU- Turkey strategic dialogue on energy;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15

– having regard to the fact that Turkey has still not implemented, for the seventh consecutive year, the provisions stemming from the EC-Turkey Association Agreement and the Additional Protocol thereto, thus demonstrating that Turkey will never be willing and able to accede to the EU,

Amendment 410 #

Cristian Dan PREDA, Traian UNGUREANU

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Welcomes the decision to enhance cooperation between the EU and Turkey on a number of important energy issues and calls on Turkey to commit to continue to commit to this cooperation; believes that, in view of Turkey's strategic role, initial consideration should be given to the value of opening negotiations on Chapter 15 on energy with a view to furthering the EU- Turkey strategic dialogue on energy;

Amendment 411 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29a (new)

29a. Considers that Turkey is an important partner in the Black Sea region, which is of strategic importance to the EU; encourages Turkey to further support and actively contribute to the implementation of EU policies and programmes in this region;

Amendment 412 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29a (new)

29a. Stresses the importance of the opening of Chapter 19 of the accession negotiations on social policy and employment and calls on Turkey to ensure that full trade union rights are respected in line with the EU and ILO standards, especially concerning the right to organize, the right to strike and the right to bargain collectively, together with a gender mainstreaming approach;

Amendment 413 #

Boris ZALA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29a (new)

29a. Underlines that closer bilateral cooperation on regional affairs is not simply a matter of common interests and resource synergies, but of strategic necessity, especially in the context of the Arab Spring; appeals to the Council, the Commission, the EEAS and the Government of Turkey to transcend unresolved disputes and, in the spirit of the positive agenda and as a way of reinforcing the accession track, associate Turkey more substantially in the Union's institutional framework for external action, defence, and neighbourhood policy; is of the opinion that, wherever appropriate, Ankara should be invited to participate in the structures of the European Neighbourhood Policy, including in the Task Forces set up with Tunisia, Egypt and other countries of the Southern Neighbourhood;

Amendment 414 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Calls on the Commission to continue its support to civil society organisations and people-to-people activities through an adequate funding of the Civil Society Dialogue, the EIDHR and Life Long Learning programmes, including culture- and media-related activities;deleted

Amendment 415 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Calls on the Commission to continue its support to civil society organisations and people-to-people activities through an adequate funding of the Civil Society Dialogue, the EIDHR and Life Long Learning programmes, including culture- and media-related activities;deleted

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15

– having regard to the fact that Turkey has still not implemented, for the seventh consecutive year, the provisions stemming from the EC-Turkey Association Agreement and the Additional Protocol thereto and neither is there any sign it intends to do so in the future; whereas the failure to implement the Additional Protocol is inexorably impeding any possible progress in Turkey's accession process,

Amendment 43 #

Anna Maria CORAZZA BILDT

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15

– having regard to the fact that Turkey has still not implemented, for the seventh consecutive year, the provisions stemming from the EC-Turkey Association Agreement and the Additional Protocol thereto, and that the EU Council conclusions of 26 April 2004 on Cyprus have still not been implemented,

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15a (new)

- having regard to the fact that, for its own benefit and with a view to enhancing stability and promoting good neighbourly relations and positive political and economic partnership, Turkey needs to step up efforts to solve outstanding bilateral issues with its immediate neighbours, in line with international law and UN resolutions,

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15a (new)

- having regard to the fact that negotiating chapters for which technical preparations have been concluded should be opened without delay according to established procedures and in line with the Negotiating Framework,

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 16

– having regard to the fact that there is ~~an economic interdependence between the European Union and Turkey with~~ trade between the EU and Turkey totalling EUR 120 billion in 2011,

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 16

– having regard to the fact that there is an economic interdependence between the European Union and Turkey with trade between the EU and Turkey totalling EUR 120 billion in 2011; having regard to the current problems hindering the effective functioning of the Customs Union,

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 16a (new)

- Having regard to the council conclusions of 26 April 2004,

Amendment 49 #

Sir Graham WATSON, Metin KAZAK, Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Ska KELLER, Hélène FLAUTRE

Motion for a resolution
Citation 18a (new)

- Having regard to the Commission's assessment that whilst good progress was made in the area of company law, following the establishment of the Turkish Accounting and Auditing Standards Authority, new laws relating to corporate governance and relations between shareholders and their respective companies are not in line with the acquis and increase State involvement in the corporate governance by giving more power to the Capital Markets Board (CMB) to control companies,

Amendment 5 #

Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS

Motion for a resolution
Citation 4a (new)

- having regard to the Counter- Declaration of the European Community and its Member States of 21 September 2005,

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 19

– having regard to Turkey's potential to play a pivotal role in diversifying energy resources and routes for oil ~~and gas~~, gas and electricity transit from neighbouring countries to the EU; having regard to the potential for both Turkey and the EU to benefit from Turkey's rich renewable energy resources in creating a sustainable low-carbon economy,

Amendment 51 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 19

– having regard to Turkey's ~~potential to play a~~ pivotal role in diversifying energy resources and routes for oil and gas transit from neighbouring countries to the EU,

Amendment 52 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 19a (new)

- having regard to Turkey's key geostrategic role in creating a bridge between the European Union, North Africa, South Caucasus and the Middle East; having regard to Turkey's military influence in the MENA region,

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 20

– having regard to the fact that EU dialogue and cooperation with Turkey on stability, democracy and security with particular reference to the broader Middle East are strategic; having regard to Turkey's fundamental role as a source of inspiration for the democratisation of the Arab countries in essential areas such as political and economic reforms and the establishment of institutional capacity; having regard to the fact that Turkey strongly and repeatedly condemned the Syrian regime's violence against civilians and provides vital humanitarian assistance to Syrians fleeing violence across the border,

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 20

– having regard to the fact that EU dialogue and cooperation with Turkey on stability, democracy and security with particular reference to the broader Middle East are ~~strategic~~hopeless; having regard to the fact that Turkey strongly and repeatedly condemned the Syrian regime's violence against civilians and provides vital humanitarian assistance to Syrians fleeing violence across the border,

Amendment 55 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21

– having regard to the ~~need for~~fact that Turkey and Armenia ~~to proceed~~will only be able to a normalis~~ation of~~e their relations ~~by ratifying, without preconditions, the protocols and by opening the border~~once Turkey acknowledges the genocide against the Armenians,

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21

– having regard to the need for Turkey and Armenia to proceed to a normalisation of their relations by ratifying, without preconditions, the protocols and by opening the border, acknowledging the fact that the occupation of Nagorno- Karabakh is negatively effecting Armenian-Turkish relations,

Amendment 57 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21

– having regard to the need for Turkey ~~and Armenia to proceed to~~to undertake to pursue a normalisation of ~~their~~its relations ~~by ratifying, without preconditions,~~with Armenia by ratifying the protocols and by opening the border,

Amendment 58 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21

– having regard to the ~~need for~~fact that Turkey and Armenia toshould proceed to a normalisation of their relations by ratifying, without preconditions, the protocols and by opening the border,

Amendment 59 #

Eleni THEOCHAROUS, Nikolaos SALAVRAKOS, Niki TZAVELA, Michèle RIVASI, Kyriacos TRIANTAPHYLLIDES

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21

– having regard to the need for Turkey and Armenia to proceed to a normalisation of their relations by ratifying~~, without preconditions,~~ the protocols and by opening the border,

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 4a (new)

- having regard to its resolutions on the Armenian-Turkey relations of 18 June 1987 and on the opening of negotiations with Turkey of 28 September 2005,

Amendment 60 #

Timothy Charles Ayrton TANNOCK

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21a (new)

– welcomes the conclusion of the investigation into the killing of Turkish- Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, the condemnation of the crime and the sentencing of his killers,

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21a (new)

- having regard to its resolution on a political solution to the Armenian question of 18 June 1987,

Amendment 62 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 22

– having regard to the casus belli threat declared by the TGNA against Greece ion ~~1995, which should be withdrawn; having regard to the importance of a new round of talk~~8 June 1995, in reaction to the Greek Parliament decision adopted on 1 June 1995 to sign the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; having regard to the importance of withdrawing the threat as a first step in launching negotiations between Turkey and Greece to improve their relations and reach a resolution to the outstanding issue,

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 22a (new)

– having regard to the fact that Turkey is of key strategic importance as regards the future of the conflict in Syria, notes with concern the assistance provided by the government in Ankara to Islamic extremists involved in the conflict,

Amendment 64 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 22a (new)

- Whereas the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is part of the acquis communautaire and has been signed by the EU, the 27 Member- States and all other candidate countries as such,

Amendment 65 #

Bas BELDER

Motion for a resolution
Citation 22a (new)

- having regard to the passive attitude of the Turkish Government the and judiciary towards expressions of anti-Semitism mainly in the Islamic and nationalist Turkish media,

Amendment 66 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 22b (new)

- Whereas freedom of expression is one of the essential foundations of our democratic societies, recognised in the European Treaties and in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; whereas press and media freedom are central elements of the Copenhagen political criteria for accession,

Amendment 67 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 22c (new)

- Whereas according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Turkey is in the first position globally concerning the imprisonment of Journalists,

Amendment 68 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding;deleted

Amendment 69 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understandingBelieves that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding; commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 6a (new)

- having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

Amendment 70 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; bBelieves that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding;

Amendment 71 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Commends the Commission and Turkey for~~Notes the implementation of the positive agenda, which ~~prov~~indicates how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU ~~could~~wish to advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and could produce positive change; ~~beli~~stresses, howevesr, that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding;

Amendment 72 #

Marietje SCHAAKE, Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Andrew DUFF

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could ~~advance their dialogue~~progress the accession process, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding;

Amendment 73 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change and needed reforms; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding;

Amendment 74 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the accession negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding;

Amendment 75 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the accession negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding;

Amendment 76 #

Nadezhda NEYNSKY

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship, and, in this regard, expresses its support for the intention of the Irish Presidency of the European Union to open new negotiation chapters; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding; is concerned by rhetoric in the public domain in Turkey that the country might abandon its path to the EU;

Amendment 77 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding; notes that this should be based on common values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights;

Amendment 78 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding; takes the view that the acceleration of the pace of negotiations depends solely on Turkey's political will to fulfil the benchmarks, to meet the requirements of the Negotiating Framework and to respect its contractual obligations vis-à-vis the EU;

Amendment 79 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating adequathe conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding; also stresses that the whole procedure is in the context of the negotiating framework;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8

– having regard to the fact that accession negotiations with Turkey were opened on 3 October 2005 after the Council had approved the Negotiating Framework, and that the opening of such negotiations is the starting point for a ~~long-lasting and open- ended process based on fair and rigorous conditionality and the commitment to reform~~never-ending saga,

Amendment 80 #

Philip CLAEYS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses that it would be more realistic and desirable to seek a privileged partnership between the European Union and Turkey than to work towards membership of the EU for Turkey;

Amendment 81 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses Turkey’s strategic role, politically and geographically, for the foreign policy of the EU and its neighbourhood policy; recognises Turkey’s role as an important regional player and calls on the EU and Turkey to further reinforce their existing political dialogue on foreign policy choices and objectives; regrets that the alignment of Turkey with CFSP declarations continued to be low in 2012; encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU;deleted

Amendment 82 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses Turkey's unique strategic role, politically and geographically, for the foreign policy of the EU and its neighbourhood policy; recognises Turkey's role as an important regional player and calls on the EU and Turkey to further reinforce their existing political dialogue on foreign policy choices and objectives; regrets that the alignment of Turkey with CFSP declarations continued to be low in 2012; encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU;

Amendment 83 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses Turkey's strategic role, politically and geographically, for the foreign policy of the EU and its neighbourhood policy; recognises the government’s regional ambition and Turkey'’s role as an important regional player and calls on the EU and Turkey to further reinforce their existing political dialogue on foreign policy choices and objectives; regrets that the alignment of Turkey with CFSP declarations continued to be low in 2012; encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU;

Amendment 84 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses Turkey's strategic role, politically and geographically, for the foreign policy of the EU and its neighbourhood policy; recognises Turkey's role as a neighbour and an important regional player and calls on the EU and Turkey to further reinforce their existing political dialogue on foreign policy choices and objectives; regrets that the alignment of Turkey with CFSP declarations continued to be low in 2012; encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU;

Amendment 85 #

Pino ARLACCHI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses Turkey's strategic role, politically and geographically, for the foreign policy of the EU and its neighbourhood policy; recognises Turkey's role as an important regional player and calls on the EU and Turkey to further reinforce their existing political dialogue on foreign policy choices and objectives; regrets that the alignment of Turkey with CFSP declarations continued to be low in 2012; encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU; participate in a more comprehensive foreign policy cooperation; encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU; underlines that the EU can benefit from Turkey's growing role in the Arab world and calls on both sides to cooperate to strengthen the forces of peace and democracy in the EU's southern neighbourhood, a region of critical importance for the EU as well as for Turkey;

Amendment 86 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses Turkey's strategic role, politically and geographically, for the foreign policy of the EU and its neighbourhood policy; recognises Turkey's role as an important regional player and calls ~~on the EU and Turkey to~~for further reinforcement of their existing political dialogue between the EU and Turkey on foreign policy choices and objectives; regrets that the alignment of Turkey with CFSP declarations continued to be low in 2012; encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU;

Amendment 87 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses Turkey's strategic role, politically and geographically, for the foreign policy of the EU and its neighbourhood policy; recognises Turkey's role as an important regional player and calls on the EU and Turkey to further reinforce their existing political dialogue on foreign policy choices and objectives; regrets Turkey's non compliance with EU positions in international fora as well as the fact that the alignment of Turkey with CFSP declarations continued to be low in 2012; encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU;

Amendment 88 #

Andrew DUFF, Marietje SCHAAKE, Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF, Baroness Sarah LUDFORD, Sir Graham WATSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses Turkey's strategic role, politically and geographically, for the foreign policy of the EU and its neighbourhood policy; recognises Turkey's role as an important regional player and calls on the EU and Turkey to further reinforce their existing political dialogue on foreign policy choices and objectives; ~~regrets that the alignment of Turkey with CFSP declarations continued to be low in 2012;~~ encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU; asks the Member states to open the Chapter on External Relation (30) for closer coordination of Turkey with CFSP;

Amendment 89 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses Turkey's strategic role, politically and geographically, for the foreign policy of the EU and its neighbourhood policy; recognises Turkey's role as an important regional player and calls on the EU and Turkey to further reinforce their existing political dialogue on foreign policy choices and objectives; regrets that the alignment of Turkey with CFSP declarations continued to be low in 2012; ~~encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU~~requires Turkey, in particular, to align itself closely with the common foreign and security stance of the European Union against Islamist fundamentalism; encourages Turkey to develop its foreign policy in the framework of dialogue and coordination with the EU; to that end proposes that Turkey is invited to participate in the European Council meeting in December 2013 which is to be devoted to common foreign, security and defence policy;

Amendment 9 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8

– having regard to the fact that accession negotiations with Turkey were opened on 3 October 2005 after the Council had approved the Negotiating Framework, and that the opening of such negotiations is the starting point for a ~~long-lasting and open- ended~~ process based on fair and rigorous conditionality and the commitment to reform,

Amendment 90 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2a (new)

Expresses support for Turkey's role in the Syrian conflict and praises the efforts of the Turkish government to give Syrian refugees a temporary safe haven within its borders;

Amendment 91 #

Maria Eleni KOPPA, Hélène FLAUTRE, Georgios KOUMOUTSAKOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2a (new)

2a. Acknowledges that Turkey's relations with Israel deteriorated after the Mavi Marmara incident and expresses support for dialogue and re-established relationships between the two countries;

Amendment 92 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2a (new)

2a. Deeply regrets Turkey's decision to abstain from meetings and contacts with the Presidency of the European Union during the second half of 2012; recalls that the Presidency of the Council of the European Union is provided for in the Treaty on European Union and that Turkey, as a candidate country, must commit to serene relations with the European Union and all its Member States; notes with disappointment that the Turkish insistence not to accept a representative of the Cypriot Presidency has led to the cancellation of the 70th EU- Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee;

Amendment 93 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation as a gradual and long term perspective, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;deleted

Amendment 94 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation as a gradual and long term perspective, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; u~~Urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 95 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Welcomes the Council decision to i~~Invites the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation as a gradual and long term perspective, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitatingzation; stresses the need of facilitating beforehand access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; ~~Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009~~urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay; welcomes the conclusions adopted by the Council of the Ministers of social policy to launch a visa liberalisation dialogue with Turkey;

Amendment 96 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation as a gradual and long term perspective, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics~~, students and representatives of civil society~~ and students from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; ~~Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;~~

Amendment 97 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Welcomes the Council decision to i~~Invites the Commission to take steps towards visa liberalisation as a ~~gradual and long term perspective~~result- oriented process, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement; urges Turkey to sign and implement the readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is ~~one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU~~combating illegal migration in a determined way and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again before visa liberalisation the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to ~~implement the visa code,~~ harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa ~~facilitating~~ centres in Turkey as a basis for bringing closer the citizens of both sides ; Reminds the Member States of their commitments to implement visa exemption under the association agreement in line with the Soysal and Savatli Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 98 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Welcomes the Council decision to invite the Commission~~Considers it premature to take steps towards visa liberalisation even as a gradual and long term perspective~~, in parallel with the signature of the readmission agreement~~; urges Turkey to sign and implement the EU- Turkey readmission agreement without further delay and to ensure that, until this agreement enters into force, existing bilateral agreements are fully implemented; recalls that Turkey is one of the key transit countries for illegal migration to the EU and underlines the need to intensify cooperation with the EU on migration management, the fight against human trafficking and border controls; stresses once again the importance of facilitating access to the EU for business people, academics, students and representatives of civil society from Turkey; supports the efforts of the Commission and the Member States to implement the visa code, harmonise and simplify visa requirements and create visa facilitating centres in Turkey; Reminds the Member States of their commitments under the association agreement in line with the Soysal Ruling of the European Court of Justice of 19 February 2009;

Amendment 99 #