33 Amendments of Fabio Massimo CASTALDO related to 2015/2002(INI)
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the neighbourhood is currently in a state of flux and is less stable and less secure than when the ENP was launched, as amply demonstrated by the disturbing threats to stability now being faced by the Union in eastern Europe and the southern Mediterranean;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas since the introduction of the new approach in 2011, political developments in the neighbourhood have demonstrated that the EU needs to further rethink relations with its neighbours, taking into account the different external and internal realities; whereas the EU needs to address new challenges in its neighbourhood and adjust its strategy by examsharing and combining its interests and priorities with those of it partners, without in any way penalising countries that are not eligible to apply for EU membership and assessing its policy tools, incentives and available resources and their attractiveness to its partners;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the 2011 revision of the ENP stated that the new approach must be based on mutual accountability and a shared commitment to the universal values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas differentiation is needed, especially as the EU neighbourhood has become more fragmented than ever, with the countries differing in many respects, including in their ambitions and expectations as regards the EU; whereas, at the same time, the prospect of a joint shared framework based on respect for universal rights should not be lost from view; whereas the EU’s bilateral relations with ENP countries are at different stages of development;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the EU Member States should play an important role in the European neighbourhood by aligning their efforts and supporting a single EU voice; whereas the ability of the EU to speak with one voice on external policy matters is a major objective but one that is still far from being achieved;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes in the continued value of its initially stated objective of creating an area of prosperity and good neighbourliness, based on the founding values and principles of the Union, through a deep structural transformation in the neighbouring countries; stresses therefore the need to go back to basics and bring this objective back to the top of the agenda;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that respect for the universal fundamental values of human rights, rule of law and democracy on which the EU is founded must remain at the core of the revised policy; considers that these fundamental values can take hold more effectively in ENP countries if they are not imposed unilaterally but proffered in the form of genuine sharing, more closely into line and hence more assimilable with their respective cultural fabrics; calls on the EU to implement effective cross- compliance measures regarding progress by partners in terms of human rights, the rule of law and democracy;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges that short-, medium- and long- term priorities and strategic objectives be defined, bearing in mind that the ENP should aim to create different levels of cooperation in different areas among and with the ENP countries; stresses that in defining its approach the EU should look at its priorities and those of the individual countries concerned on an equal footing, together with their level of development, considering the interests of society on the whole and not only those of the political elite;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises that local ownership and inclusiveness should be key aspects of the new approach so as to ensure that the benefits of the ENP reach all levels of society throughout the country; stresses the need for continued EU support to civil society and other stakeholders, respecting their independence, through genuine consultation, transparency and access to information in order to better define and implement rights-based policies;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets the limited resources allocated to the EU’s cooperation with its partners within its neighbourhood, notably in comparison with other stakeholders and stresses the need to streamline support, concentrating on those countries that have demonstrably made genuine progress in achieving reform and democratisation;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the EU to improve its coordination with other donors and international financial institutions and calls for joint programming with its Member States; considers that better coordination with the Member States is necessary in order to achieve a common approach to the short- and medium-term goals of the EU’s cooperation with neighbouring countries; considers that greater consistency and coherence between the various EU programmes and instruments is a necessary condition for strengthening the ENP;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the need to reshape the ENP in order to build strong, lasting partnerships with the ENP countries; ;; calls for the technical aspects of the policy to be underpinned by a clear political visionwider and more coherent political vision, to which trade policy must conform;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission to focus on sectors identified together with its partners, in which progress and universal added value can be achieved with real benefits for the people, and to gradually expand cooperation based on progress and ambitions;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that enlargement and neighbourhood policies are separate policies with different objectives; reiterates, however, that Europeanemphasises that countries withnot meeting the ENP can apply for membership if they satisfy the criteria and conditions of admission under Article 49 TEUgeographical criteria of that article should not be penalised for that reason but receive greater attention, being unable to enjoy in the future the benefits of obtaining candidate status;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Considers support for democracy, the rule of law and human rights to be central to the ENP; stresses that the EU should be willing to offer incentives and know-how to help overcome the social challenges and economic costs of undertaking democratic reforms; is aware that, for such support for democracy and the rule of law to be real and genuine, it cannot be used to assist in the formation and maintenance of authoritarian governments or military regimes but must, on the contrary, focus on civil society; believes that the EU should implement accountability measures to ensure that those responsible for infringements in partner countries receive neither support nor encouragement;
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the continuous need to focus on strengthening and consolidating democracy, the rule of law, the independence of the justice system, respect for minorities of all types and diversity; stresses the importance of promoting the rights of women and their participation in political, economic, social and cultural affairs; highlights that capacity-building in national institutions, including their national assemblies, together with support for civil society, pro- democracy groups and political parties, will enhance political dialogue and pluralism; recognises that support for reformist Islam provides major leverage for the consolidation of neighbouring southern countries, especially where its adherents already enjoy wide support in the various political contexts;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses the importance of developing a thriving and active civil society in the processes of transformation and democratisation, which includes social partners and the business community; underlines the importance of European companies and their role in the promotion and dissemination of international standards for business; draws attention to the need to provide significant economic support for those ENP countries which have democratically legitimate governments established by means of elections which comply with international criteria;
Amendment 394 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Considers that the EU should invite non-association partner countries to engage in sectorial cooperation in line with an ‘ENP Plus’ model, including the possibility of concluding sectorial agreements that would facilitate the integration of non- association partner countries into specific sectorial parts of the single area of the four basic freedoms of the EU, checking in every case that these agreements do not in any way harm the people but rather are designed primarily to benefit them;
Amendment 403 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes that security and stability are basic concerns in the neighbourhood and that current developments in the region call for a strong security component in the ENP, which has regrettably been missing to dateshould be based on universal values to be respected under all circumstances and which can only be pursued by promoting dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution and through the use of European soft power;
Amendment 424 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls for closer coordination between the ENP and wider Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) activities, addressing different aspects of the security of ENP countries and of the EU; calls for a strengthened integration of these policies with implementation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in conflict situations, in line with the EU Guidelines on promoting compliance with IHL, on violence against women and girls, and on children and armed conflict;
Amendment 444 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls for the revised policy to support partner countries in building proper state structures to deal with security issues, such as effective law enforcement, intelligence and security, which should be accompanied by proper parliamentary oversight, avoiding, however, financing military elements which are the legacy of past authoritarian regimes and could bring peace to the respective countries by centralising power; stresses that the EU should engage in areas such as security sector reform;
Amendment 498 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Stresses the importance of the regional dimension of the ENP and the need to promote and contribute to regional integration by means of regional cooperation programmes, making the economic needs and collective interests of neighbouring peoples the objectives of the ENP; considers that the ENP should provide inclusive regional platforms for debates on human rights, in line with the principles of the ENP;
Amendment 503 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for the revised policy to strengthen the existing platforms for cooperation, namely the Union for the Mediterranean and the Eastern Partnership, to further support regional integration when the priorities identified by the partners are similar for a specific policy field and to bring partners closer together in terms of economic standards and legislation, in every case, by means of dialogue, making legal approaches compatible with the respective cultural paradigms in advance;
Amendment 507 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Calls for systematic human rights impact assessments – including gender perspectives – of trade agreements and EU financial support to programmes and projects within the framework of the ENP;
Amendment 527 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Emphasises the need to build strong partnerships with neighbouring countries; stresses the importance of ensuring that the ENP is part of the EU's broader external policy and of taking into account the other strategic players that have influence on the neighbourhood – the ‘neighbours of neighbours' – as well as international and regional organisations; recalls the need to ensure that the international human rights standards and International Humanitarian Law regarding the right to seek asylum are applied in any and all circumstances;
Amendment 534 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Stresses that the EU should realistically consider the different policy options that its partners face and how to build bridges with their neighbours on different levels and how to address the foreign policy of third countries in its neighbourhood; considers that, in order to remain a credible dialogue partner, the EU should maintain equidistance and avoid, even indirectly, promoting proxy wars and favouring participants in them;
Amendment 542 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls on the EU to take advantage of the expertise of the regional organisations to which the neighbours belong, such as the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States, which are important fora in which to engage partners in carrying out reforms, to addressshare universal concerptions onf human rights and to foster democratisation;
Amendment 558 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Calls for the EU to explore and identify, together with its partners, priorities for integration in different policy fields, such as economic development, infrastructure and regional development, the environment, competition policies, SMEs, migration, security, energy and energy efficiency, with the aim of creating an area of prosperity and good neighbourliness focused on peaceful dispute resolution, combating inequalities, as they are a source of social tensions, and full respect for human rights;
Amendment 561 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Considers that the trend of the externalisationsharing of the objectives of internal policiesy should be reflected in the new ENP; recalls the requirement for the EU not to promote its own economic recovery at the expense of effective safeguarding of the human rights and civil, political, social and economic rights of citizens of partner countries;
Amendment 582 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses the importance of free movement of people, and supports enhancing visa facilitation and visa liberalisation within the neighbourhood, particularly for students, young people and researchers; calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, to further enhance mobility partnerships within the neighbourhood and develop possibilities for circular migration schemes, which would encourage and reward regular migrants; calls on the EU to ensure that contributions towards coping with the humanitarian emergency in the Mediterranean are equitably distributed among Member States, inducing them to plan and carry out joint search and rescue operations at sea, on the model of the Mare Nostrum operation previously conducted by the Italian Navy;
Amendment 586 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Stresses that gender equality and the right to non-discrimination are fundamental rights and key principles of the EU's external action; believes that this should be given priority within the European Neighbourhood Policy and that EU assessments should include the rights of the LGBTI community and the integration of minorities in political, social and economic life;
Amendment 603 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Notes that high unemployment, social exclusion and poverty, combined with the low political participation of women, are the root causes of instability, and demands engagement beyond the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (DCFTAs);
Amendment 655 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Calls on the EU to strengthen its capacity to counter misinformation and propaganda campaigns against the EU and its Member States, particularly by promoting joint initiatives with civil society in the partner countries;