28 Amendments of Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS related to 2022/2007(INI)
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas the Southern Neighbourghood countries are facing common challenges, each of them is undergoing a specific political and economic situation and have particular problems that must be acknowledged in EU policies towards the region;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Southern Neighbourhood should not be seen in a vacuum, but in close correlation with the Eastern Neighbourhood and an overall reflection on how to pursue closer relations between the EU and its neighbours; whereas both the EU’s Southern and Eastern Neighbourhoods are strategic for the EU in that they can ensure shorter and,various fields, such as the security, managing conflicts or the risk of therefore, more secure and more effective supply lines;rorism, combating climate change, trade, managing migration, etc. whereas the EU should pursue a common regulatory space that includes its Southern and Eastern Nneighbourhoods, and therefore ensures access for its neighbouring countries to the highest policy standards, which are not only multipliers of economic investment and economic growth but are also crucial for a better security and political stability of both these countries and the EU and for environmental protection;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas the COVID 19 crisis has increased the risk of further destabilisation, as its socio-economic consequences are harsh for the Southern Neighbourhood countries;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the war in Ukraine has underlinedbeen the latest illustration of the threat posed by third countries that seek political and economic hegemony in the EU’s neighbourhood to the detriment of the democratic aspirations and territorial integrity of target countries; whereas Russia, China, Turkey, some Gulf states and Iran are all seeking to increase their capacity to exercise political and/or economic hegemony in certain Southern Neighbourhood countries and, therefore, the EU’sseverely challenging the EU and its Member States’ capacity-building forto fighting disinformation and promotinge freedom of the press is crucial; whereas the EU should reaffirm its role as the primary political, economic and democratic anchor for the countries of the Southern Neighbourhood; ; whereas the EU should actively focus on reducing the influence of those third countries whose actions have a negative impact on the stability of the region; whereas the EU should reaffirm its role as a privileged partner in matters such as human rights, democracy and rule of law, security, migration, prevention and fight against radicalisation and terrorism, fight against climate change, research and development;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas the EU has sought a comprehensive approach on migration and asylum, based on EU values of solidarity and the protection of human rights and the rule of law; whereas the EU has sought to create new safe pathways for refugees, for example through cooperation with Southern Neighbourhood partner countries on resettlement programmes from safe third countries to the EU;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the war in Ukraine and the resulting need to further decarbonise and diversify the EU’s energy supplyies have shownhighlighted the essential role of the Southern Neighbourhood can have, notably in securing sufficient gas and oil supplies to the EU with mutual benefits for both the EU and the Southern Neighbourhood countries, in accordance with the European Green Deal; whereas the discovery of relevsignificant natural gas reserves in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean provides a unique opportunity for economic development in the countries concerned; whereas these gas reserves equally provide an important opportunity for partnerships, investments and the sharing of know-how between the countries of the Southern Mediterranean and the EU and its Member States; whereas the Southern Neighbourhood is therefore not only essential for reasons of regional security and stability, but also as a primary partner for access to reliable energy sources, including renewables;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas the Sahara is the world’s largest solar belt and represents its largest potential for renewable electricity production;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
D b. whereas, according to the UN Environment Programme, the Mediterranean is warming 20% faster than the world average; whereas rainfall is expected to decrease by 30% in spring and summer by 2080;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
D d. whereas Egypt will host the 27th UN Climate Conference, COP 27, in November 2022;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D e (new)
Recital D e (new)
D e. whereas democracy, human rights and the Rule of Law are core EU values including in the conduct of its European Neighbourhood Policy; whereas a free, strong and independent civil society is fundamental to the development of any country in the region; whereas the Arab spring of 2011 created unprecedented spaces for freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of association, and freedom of syndicates in countries like Tunisia, Egypt and parts of Syria; whereas repression, conflict or both led to these countries backtracking in some or all of these freedoms;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D f (new)
Recital D f (new)
D f. whereas the fight against organized crime and terrorism, including Islamic terrorism, remains a priority; whereas the fight against the Islamic State has been ongoing in the region since 2015; whereas some of the root causes of radical movements, including social and political marginalization, remain unaddressed to this day;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D g (new)
Recital D g (new)
D g. whereas the war in Ukraine has dramatic consequences in many vulnerable countries on the level of prices, production, access and supply of cereals, particularly wheat; whereas the French President Emmanuel Macron announced the launch of an international initiative called FARM (Food &Agriculture Resilience Mission) on March 24 2022, in conjunction with the European Union, the G7 and the African Union to prevent the disastrous effects, for world food security, of the war waged by Russia in Ukraine;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D h (new)
Recital D h (new)
D h. whereas the Southern Neighbourhood partners are structurally dependent on imports of cereals and whereas the war in Ukraine has a substantial impact on wheat and cooking oil commodity supply chains, with implications on food security; whereas Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, Tunisia and Palestine rely heavily on Ukraine or Russia for their food and feed imports, particularly cereals, while Morocco and Tunisia rely heavily on Russian exports of nitrogen fertilisers for their agri-food sectors;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas security and stability in the Southern Neighbourhood are closely correlated with the full respect of the women and youth fundamental rights and also their prospects for real socioeconomic integration of women and youth and their capacity to access education, vocational training, employment and adequate longer-term professional development; whereas women integration in the labour market remains significantly lower than in other parts of the world, reaching on average 19% according to the 2020 UN Women report on situational analysis of women in the MENA region;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(a a) Re-establish the position of the EU Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood in order to increase the EU’s unity and action in the region, to promote and defend our common values and interests;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) Address, as a matter of priority, the impact of the war in Ukraine on certain Southern Neighbourhood countries in terms of food security, with particular reference to countries most vulnerable because of their population size, dependence on food imports or economic model; asks the Commission to engage with Parliament on ways to ensure food security for countries in the Southern Mediterranean that face difficulties in this regard and devise a robust policy and assistance response for this purpose without further delay, also building on the Food and Resilience Facility in order to address food security in the region;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c
Paragraph 1 – point c
(c) Implement under the NDICI, as a matter of priority, strategies and dedicated programming for broader youth access to education, vocational training, higher education together with adequate funding for access to education and to support the establishment and development of efficient higher or vocational education structures in the Southern Neighbourhood countries; recalls that youth migration, whether regular or irregular, and professional brain drain are a matter of serious concern to our partners in the region, as well as a serious threat to the longer-term capacity for economic growth and economic viability of Southern Neighbourhood countries; stresses the importance of expanding access to the Erasmus and Erasmus+ programmes for participants from Southern Neighbourhood countries; recalls the importance of circular mobility, including South-to-South exchanges, so that professionals from Southern Neighbourhood countries can have concrete opportunities to further their professional training in the EU and return to their country of origin to share and build knowledge; recalls the importance of mainstreaming the socioeconomic integration of women in the region and of gender equality in all EU policies areas whenever possible; stresses the importance of targeted EU support for women with the objective of improving their access to education, training and employment and, more generally, promoting equal professional and socioeconomic opportunitie thus advocating their financial independence and more generally, promoting equal rights;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
(d) PursueUrgently step up partnership and cooperation with relevant Southern Neighbourhood countries in order to tackle climate change and, environmental protection and fight water scarcity; recalls that the EU strategy on climate action and climate mitigation will not be as effective without sizeable investment and improvement in the EU’s neighbourhood; supports the flagship initiatives on climate preservation in the Economic and Investment Plan for the Southern Neighbourhood; recalls that access to water, reforestation, decarbonisation and access to renewable energy sources will be essential for the climate neutrality of the Southern Neighbourhood and to protect it against the effects of climate change; recalls, further, that this, in turn, will increase the EU’s capacity to achieve its objectives of climate neutrality;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
(e a) Pursue an active EU role in facilitating dialogue and cooperation among all the countries of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean, promoting the respect for international law and negotiated final settlements on maritime border demarcation;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) Pursue an active EU role in facilitating dialogue and cooperation among all the countries of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean that have relevant natural gas reserves, promoting, where necessary, the capacity for understanding and final settlements on maritime border demarcation, and further promotingFurther promote the interconnection capacity between countries in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean that produce natural gas and the European Union, through relevant EU hubs and considering, in particular, adequate pipeline, harbour and regasification infrastructures and technology both in the EU and in Southern Neighbourhood countries for the benefit of all producer countries and all Member States and in full compliance with the objectives of the Green Deal;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(f a) Call the EU and its Member states to make all the means possible at the disposal of their Southern Neighbourhood partner countries to help them develop their energy offer in a manner consistent with the commitments of the Paris agreement;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) Build on the very positive experience of some Member States in supporting start-up companies and further advancing their work through dedicated incubators or accelerators, especially in key sectors such as health, renewable energy and education; takes the view that the EU should encourage partners to set up incubators or accelerators in relevant Southern Neighbourhood countries, support the creation of local start-up companies, and increase their digital and green capacities; concurs on the importance of further improving the digital infrastructure of relevant Southern Neighbourhood countries and including these countries in the EU’s digital agenda; points out that this is a prerequisite for economic development, socioeconomic integration and wider access to education; recalls the importance of close policy dialogue and cooperation between the EU and the Southern Neighbourhood countries to develop adequate cybersecurity policies that protect fundamental rights and freedoms of all users, in line with EU values, and partnership in international forums on cybersecurity standards; takes the view that the EU should build onmust urgently develop the StratCom Task Force South and develop a concrete strategy for combating disinformation in our Southern Neighbourhood countries, aiming to counter fake news and propaganda from Russia, China, Iran and Turkey, in order to reinforce democracy and stability; expresses its deep concern over the domestic impact, in EU Member States, of disinformation campaigns aggressively led by Turkey, Russia and China on social media platforms and conventional media;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) Promote regional, sub-regional and bilateral integration in the Southern Mediterranean, in particular with a view to the removal of any border, transport or trade barriers between the countries of the region and actively promoting closer links and partnerships; takes the viewcontinue to support a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Western-Sahara, asks for the return to full respect of the ceasefire and encourage Morocco and Algeria to improve their relations; notes that the recent Negev Foreign Ministers summit in Sde Boker attests to; stresses the potential for regional integration and peace in the region in, including in the UN framework and the framework of the Abraham Accords; welcomes the intention of holding this summit annually and calls on the VP/HR and the Commission to use the positive momentum of the Abraham Accords in the fields of environmental protection, water cooperation and renewable energy, as exemplified by the Green-Blue Deal between Israel, Palestine and Jordan, to advance dialogue and cooperation in the region on support for the Middle East Peace process and the two-state solution;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i
Paragraph 1 – point i
(i) Implement the new agenda for the Mediterranean by reinforcing EU's support for a free, strong and independent civil society across the Mediterranean, and through dedicated dialogue and consultation with local and regional authorities, as well as reinforce the links between EU Delegations and the Euro- Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM); recalls that these are important drivers for development and are closer to the people, so that implementation strategies can reach all communities, including those most disadvantaged geographically or in socioeconomic terms; insists that EU support to civil society organizations is essential in all countries of the region without exception, and should not be conditioned to the approval of authoritarian Governments;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
(i a) Call on all Southern Mediterranean countries to allow a free, secure and transnational space for science and civil society organisations ahead of Egypt’s hosting of the UN Climate Change Conference COP 27;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point i b (new)
(i b) Present an ambitious EU action plan against impunity for crimes against humanity, as requested by the European Parliament in March 2021, with an immediate priority on Syria as the region's deadliest conflict in decades, notably for crimes perpetrated by the Islamic State and particularly the Assad regime since 2011, including the widespread and documented use of chemical weapons against civilians, the use of conventional bombs as well as barrel, incendiary and cluster bombs on civilians and the use of mass concentration camps and rape as a weapon of war against women, causing the death of half a million people and forcibly displacing 14 million Syrians in total;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j
Paragraph 1 – point j
(j) Present annual updates on the implementation of the new agenda for the Mediterranean, with particular regard to the financial resources made available for the Economic and Investment Plan; takes the view that the Commission and the VP/HR should regularly consult Parliament on the annual and multi-annual programming related to the implementation of the new agenda for the Mediterranean and the Economic and Investment Plan, and that they should regularly brief Parliament on the state of play of the new agenda for the Mediterranean, and inform it about the implementation ofresponse to Parliament recommendations in all EU policies areas, as well as on additional projects and programmes that will boost the EU’s partnership capacity with Southern Neighbourhood countries;