Activities of Elmar BROK related to 2018/2160(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Post-Arab Spring: way forward for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region (debate) DE
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the post-Arab Spring: way forward for the MENA region PDF (227 KB) DOC (87 KB)
Amendments (18)
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the Arab uprisings that affected the MENA region in 2011 constituted a moment of mass upheavals against authoritarian regimes; whereas a large segment of the protesters was composed of young women and men aspiring tofor democracy, freedom, the rule of law and a better and more inclusive future; whereas the overthrow of mostsome of the regimes and the promised and partial introduction of liberal reforms gave rise to great hope and expectations;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, eight years after the Arab Spring and political developments which have led countries in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions to follow many diverse evolutionary paths in terms of politics and stability, it is essential to assess how to respond to the legitimate democratic aspirations in the region, as well as the urgent need for security, jobs, rule of law and improvement in living conditions; whereas it is important to take stock of the efforts and policy stance adopted by the EU in response to the Arab Spring and to assess its capacity for policy delivery; whereas it is essential to reassess the policy framework of the EU towards Southern Neighbourhood countries and its future objectives;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas the policy of the EU towards the North African and Middle Eastern countries has two main objectives: encourage political and economic reforms in each individual country in due respect for its specific features, and encourage regional cooperation among the countries of the region themselves and with the EU;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with concern that, eight years after the upheavals, most of the expectations have still not been met; condemns the persistent and continuing violations of human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in several casome countries; is worried about the security situation, as well as the socio-economic situation in the region, which continues to be dire and, in particular, about the high levels of youth unemployment and social exclusion, which cause disillusionment and disenfranchisement on a large scale;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the EU’s efforts to promote democracy, the rule of law, human rights, economic development, security and fundamental freedoms in post- Arab Spring countries, while prioritizing social and economic development, and acknowledges the complexity of such a task; takes the view, however, that, despite a fifteen-year policy focus on Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries, renewed policy efforts and increased budgetary resources in the wake of the Arab Spring, the EU’s goals and policies have not yet been achieved;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Recalls the harm and suffering caused by extremism and terrorism in the region, and highlights that violence is a serious threat to the stability of the region and that security cooperation within the region, as well as cooperation with the EU and its Member States, remains of utmost importance in order to successfully overcome terrorist organisations like Daesh and hence help the people in the region to eventually live in peace, stability and progress;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Takes positive note that the 3rd Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) on 8 October2018, which commemorated the Tenth Anniversary of the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean, recognized the usefulness to continue developing the interactions between the UfM and other actors in the Euro-Mediterranean region;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes the view that for far too long the policy stance towards the Maghreb and Mashreq countries was marred by an approach which was based to too great an extent on the EU’s expectations and objectives, with little incentive for and ownership by beneficiary countries; regrets that the initial efforts after the Arab Spring to introduce stricter conditionality and delivery incentives in relation to beneficiary countries through the ‘more for more’ principle did not lead to greater leverage on the part of the EU in its ability to promote real change in the areas of democracy, human rights, economic and social development, security and fundamental freedoms in most countries;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Recalls that the goal of democratisation can only be achieved in a sustainable manner if it is thoroughly pursued throughout the respective countries in both the urban as well as in particular the rural areas, and highlights that stability is supportive for the development of a democracy, and that a well-timed preparation process which should include a wide consultation and inclusion of relevant societal groups and leaders is beneficial for this goal; further underlines that at the same time democratisation is supportive to economic development and the strength of the rule of law;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Calls on the European institutions, its Member States as well as national development agencies, to strive to provide a unified European position towards the region, focusing on our common interest, to ensure a single and coherent European strategy, in order to fulfil the EU’s full potential as a meaningful supporter for democratic, economic and social reforms;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the concept of co- ownership put forward by the revised European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP); is concerned, however, that it runs the risk of allowing authoritarian regimes in certain partner countries to cherry-pick priorities according to their national agenda, instead of advancing along the path towards democratisation; stresses, therefore, the importance of a long-term policy framework and synergies in programming for post-Arab Spring countries based on the primacy of democracy, the inclusion of all democratic political forces and the primacy of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental values; reiterates that strengthening these aspects is in the interests of the partner countries, as well as of the EU, and calls for stronger conditionality in this sensethe launch of new incentives to establish an inclusive dialogue, based on clear priorities and objectives;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes the view that, as the EU struggles to come up with a renewed vision for the management of migration and assistance to refugemore assistance should be provided to the MENA countries to deal with the influx of immigrants from sub-Sahara Africa and in this light welcomes, there is an increasing risk that some countries in the region might use migration containment and their role therein to seek greater leverage in their political and policy dialogue with the EU efforts made by the EU to tackle the root causes of migration but recalls that more efforts will be needed to be successful in this endeavour; stresses, instead, the importance of a policy framework promoting democratic, political and socio- economic inclusion as mutually reinforcing factors; is convinced that, where the prerequisites for the negotiation of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements, conditional on democratic progress, are not yet in place, the EU should provide increased access to trade and investment, and assistance for reconstruction and infrastructure modernisation in strict correlation with progressive on political and economic reforms;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Points out the risk that the EU’s action for the region and the approach pursued by Member States through bilateral relations may not be in harmony, and that the EU’s capacity to make a political impact might be lost as a result; welcomes, in this context, the proposal made by the President of the Commission to move beyond unanimity in Council decision-making in foreign affairs, as it could help the EU to speak with one voice in its foreign relationsmake more strategic decisions, unite behind one clear strategy, and have greater leverage;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Highlights that for any political transformation to be fully sustainable it is important and needed to come to terms with ones past, and in this light points to the important work of the independent “Truth and Dignity” Commission of Tunisia;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Believes that with a view to increasing the EU’s capacity to make a political and policy impact and to promote ownership and widespread support by beneficiary countries, each EU Delegation should set up high-level advisory councils comprising economic, media, cultural, academic and civil society leaders from the country concerned and providing input as regards policy priorities and the policy architecture devised by the EUinstitutionalize the organization of regular consultations with topic-related expert groups and CSO representatives;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Is convinced that young people should be a primary focus of the EU’s action towards the region, with an intersectional approach; calls for youth policies to be mainstreamed in all the Union’s policies in the MENA region; proposes that each EU Delegation set upoffers its support to the respective national government with the launch of youth advisory councils comprising young political, economic, media, cultural and CSO leaders with a view to providing input on policy priorities, the capacity of EU policies to make an impact in the country and introduce an additional element of accountability in relation to policy choices; calls on European political families to engage in enhanced exchanges with active local young people from the MENA countries, with a view to promoting their empowerment, training and capacity- building to enable them to stand in local elections and become new actors of change in their respective countries;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls that women’s rights, gender equality and the right to non-discrimination of vulnerable groups, in particular religious and ethnic minorities, are fundamental rights and key principles of the EU’s external action;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls once again on the Commission to act on Parliament’s proposal for the creation of an ambitious Euro-Mediterranean Erasmus programme separate from Erasmus+, with dedicated funds and an ambitious dimension in terms of scope and available resources; calls for the Commission and Parliament to increase the scope and participation of their European Union Visitors programme and to facilitate the participation of young people and of women political leaders; furthermore calls on the EU to support reforms to education systems to update the outdated syllabuses used in the region;