78 Amendments of Nathalie LOISEAU related to 2021/2183(INI)
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
— having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2020 on Gender Equality in EU’s foreign and security policy,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 29 a (new)
Citation 29 a (new)
— having regard to the final communiqué issued by the ECOWAS extraordinary summit of 8 September 2021,
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas in 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the rise in global threats and the Union’s vulnerability to its external dependencies; whereas the pandemic has expanded the concept of security and strategic autonomy to cover health, technological and economic concerns;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas Europe is facing a rapid and lasting deterioration in its strategic environment; whereas terrorism remains a major threat; whereas states are displaying their ambitions for more power and are pursuing expansion strategies that involve the use of armed force; whereas the result of such strategies is a risk of militarising the sea, space, the Arctic and cyberspace as well as reviving the arms race;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas the proliferation of cyber- attacks against strategic infrastructure during the COVID-19 crisis, and more recently the Pegasus affair, are examples that justify the rapid development of protective measures against the most recent forms of cyber-threat and the most advanced spying techniques; whereas the EU has committed to investing EUR 1.6 billion in response capacity and the deployment of cybersecurity tools for public authorities, enterprises and individuals, and to increasing cooperation between the public and private sectors;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. whereas the European Parliament, as the forum for the expression of European democracy, is a target; whereas the digitisation of activities resulting from remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic has only served to increase our exposure to existing threats;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A e (new)
Recital A e (new)
Ae. whereas, through the military capabilities of its Member States, the EU has a total budget of EUR 395 billion, putting it in second place globally; whereas Europe is, however, not the second largest military power in the world, since its capabilities are fragmented and suffer from duplication, gaps and a lack of interoperability;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A f (new)
Recital A f (new)
Af. whereas the increasing complexity of threats is linked to technological development, the digitisation of societies and the integration of international economies; whereas, as a result, hybrid threats are proliferating, combining military and/or non-military means such as disinformation, migration blackmail, cyber-attacks or economic pressure that run counter to European interests and values and constitute a growing threat to the security of the EU, its enterprises, its public services and its citizens;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A g (new)
Recital A g (new)
Ag. whereas, in order to address the risks of crisis that are multiplying at the Union’s borders and in the areas in which it has an interest, the Member States have committed to providing rapid response capabilities in line with the EU’s Headline Goals, namely the battlegroups; whereas these suffer from various limitations in political, organisational and financial terms; whereas, as a result, they have never been deployed;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A h (new)
Recital A h (new)
Ah. whereas the international community, and especially the EU, has a commitment to the Sahel and to Mali in particular; whereas the Malian junta has made declarations about its readiness to use a private Russian security firm to participate in military activities in Mali; whereas that firm has committed atrocities in every location where it has intervened;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A i (new)
Recital A i (new)
Ai. whereas the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the return to power of the Taliban is leading to an increased terrorist risk for the region and also outside its borders; whereas the EU deployed a CSDP mission, EUPOL Afghanistan (2007-2016), and granted EUR 17 billion to Afghanistan; whereas during the withdrawal Member States depended on the United States, which deployed 6 000 soldiers to secure Kabul airport within a very short time, making it possible to evacuate European citizens as well as Afghan nationals who were in danger; whereas, in this situation, the EU was unable to put an air bridge in place or to coordinate its own evacuations; whereas if the EU were to have to run an operation similar to the evacuation from Kabul, it would not, as things currently stand, be able to take decisions swiftly, deploy troops or successfully implement evacuations or air bridges effectively and proactively; whereas, therefore, the EU and its Member States must urgently learn all the lessons of the Afghan crisis in order to strengthen the EU’s capacity to act autonomously in similar circumstances; whereas the Strategic Compass should make it possible to set the EU’s level of ambition, in particular in terms of the lessons learnt from the Afghan failure;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recalls that the Union is currently deploying 11 civilian missions and six military missions and operations; recalls that only three of the military missions are executive missions; notes that these missions and operations are suffering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected their activities and limited their effectiveness;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the EU to reflect and act on the current procedures for mission deployment, as many times the decision- making process is inefficient and lengthy. Crises appear suddenly; therefore, swift action is needed. This would make the EU a truly reliable and relevant actor on the international arena;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Deplores the actions of the coup leaders in Mali; is deeply concerned at the lack of essential state services in Mali and in the Sahel in general; expresses its deep concern at the deteriorating security in the region; notes the announcement of the reorganisation of French military action in the Sahel, in conjunction with our international and African partners; welcomes the increasing involvement of Europeans in the Takuba Task Force; welcomes the adaptation of the new extended mandate of the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) to the regionalisation process; calls on the Member States to make a significant contribution to EUTM Mali’s advisory activities; continued commitment of the EU and Member States to the stabilisation of the countries of the G5 Sahel, particularly through support to the G5 Sahel Joint Force, through the strengthening of the EU’s CSDP missions and the increasing involvement of Europeans in the Takuba Task Force; welcomes the adaptation of the new extended mandate of the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali); calls for the reinforcement of structural cooperation and non-executive support for the armed forces, as well as a speeding up of the regionalisation process so that it is possible for the mission to provide military assistance to the armed forces of the G5 countries, and in particular Burkina Faso and Niger; stresses the opportunities opened up by the European Peace Facility with regard to the delivery of materiel intended for the training of the Malian armed forces, who will be vital in reinforcing the action and effectiveness of European action; stresses the importance of being able to provide more active support to the states bordering the Gulf of Guinea in order to be able to counter the spread of the terrorist threat; calls on the Member States to make a significant contribution to EUTM Mali’s advisory activities and to send staff who can make a contribution to them; expresses grave concern at the growing influence of private foreign military companies that could jeopardise the joint objective of the EU and Mali to achieve security, stability and sustainable development in the country; points out that in the Sahel the process of regionalising the CSDP must be pursued in order to strengthen cooperation and coordination with the international actors and the EU Member States involved in the region, through initiatives in progress such as the Partnership for Security and Stability in the Sahel (P3S); stresses that the EU is also providing significant support for the operationalisation of the G5 Sahel Joint Force and its associated Police Component; stresses the efforts made by EUCAP Sahel Mali to support the deployment of Malian security forces in the centre of Mali; stresses the efforts of EUCAP Sahel Niger in providing assistance for the drafting of a Niger national defence and security policy; points out that the regionalisation of the CSDP actions is intended to support the EU’s integrated approach to the Sahel and that, therefore, action by the RACC should continue; points out that in order for military and security responses to have lasting effectiveness they must be accompanied by concrete and visible measures for the populations in terms of essential services;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses that EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, EUCAP and EUTM Somalia form a coherent whole supporting the Union’s Strategic Framework for the Horn of Africa; welcomes the crucial role played by Operation ATALANTA in the fight against piracy and trafficking in the Horn of Africa and that of EUCAP Somalia in advising the federal and regional authorities of Puntland and Somaliland on developing the coast guard and maritime police functions; stresses that the EU’s commitment in the Horn of Africa region remains relevant in order to strengthen the capacities of the Somali security forces; also emphasises the need to improve their effectiveness;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes with concern the deteriorating political and security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR); denounces the growing threats and hostile incidents targeting MINUSCA by certain local and foreign armed forces, including foreign security companies, and disinformation campaigns targeting Union action; welcomes and fully supports the establishment of the EU Advisory Mission in the CAR (EUAM RCA); welcomes and fully supports the action of the EUTM mission, and particularly the training of officers and non-commissioned officers in the Central African Armed Forces (CAAF) and its contribution to the overall security sector reform (SSR) process coordinated by MINUSCA; emphasises the need to communicate with the population regarding the mission’s aims and progress; emphasises the importance of assessing the EU’s actual capacity to respond to CAAF needs in terms of equipment, as part of the strategic review to be held in the first half of 2022; emphasises the fact that support within the framework of the European Peace Facility to the units trained by the EUTM must be conditional on positive changes in the political situation, both internal and regional, implemented by the Central African authorities;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls the strategic importance for European interests of the Mozambique Channel; welcomes the commitment of the Member States and the VP/HR to respond to the growing terrorist threat in the area; notes the forthcoming establishment of an EUTMCabo Delgado and is concerned about the risk of this threat expanding in the area; notes the forthcoming establishment of an EUTM and calls for it to be deployed as rapidly as possible, in view of the situation; urges the Member States to contribute to the generation of forces for the mission;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the renewal of the Althea mission in 2020 and the refocusing of its mandate in support of the Bosnia- Herzegovina authorities in an effort to maintain a safe and secure environment; stresses the importance of continuing with the secondary activity of mine clearance and the collective training of the armed forces of Bosnia-Herzegovina; insists that the Member States fulfil their commitments concerning the generation of forces for Althea;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes with satisfaction the results of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia); approves its extension for a period of two years; stresses the need for further reflection on CSDP commitments in the area; is concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the region; is concerned by the disinformation campaigns besetting EUMM Georgia and calls for a reinforcement of its strategic intelligence, analysis and communications capacities;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes the reinforcement of the EUAM Iraq advisory mission with the addition of a component to support the implementation of the internal security reform to the implementation of national terrorism combating and prevention strategies (including combating violent extremism) and organised crime, with specific reference to border management, financial crime, and particularly corruption, money-laundering and trafficking items of cultural heritage;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Encourages the deployment of EUBAM Libya members to Tripoli, from where the mission should operate; proposes that the mission, engaged in supporting the Libyan authorities to dismantle the organised crime networks involved in trafficking migrants, trafficking in human beings and terrorism in the border management field, should continue to explore, within the framework of a regional strategy, the opportunities for supporting the development of the border capabilities of the Sahel states run by the EU, working together with the CSDP missions in the Sahel (and particularly EUCAP Sahel Niger);
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Welcomes the results of the European Union Liaison and Planning Cell (EULPC), consisting of offering expertise relating to security, intelligence and planning to EU actors in Brussels, in the theatre of operations (DUE, EUBAM, EUNAVFOR MED) and to UNSMIL;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the launch of the CSDP operation in the Mediterranean, EUNAVFOR MED IRINI; stresses its key role in the implementation of the arms embargo and in the training of the Libyan coastguard; deplores the fact that, in 2020, it encountered many refusals to allow inspections; calls for a transparent communication from the European External Action Service (EEAS) on this issue; laments the fact that NATO, which is active in the area through Operation Sea Guardian, is unwilling to cooperate, in order to supplement the action and aims of Irini; stresses the strategic importance of publicly communicating information about the mission relating to seizures, friendly approaches and inspections, including refusals;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses the importance of providing military missions with more flexible and more robust mandates; calls for closer linkages between existing European ad hoc operations and CSDP military missions or operations, particularly when facing an urgent crisis or ensuring access to contested strategic spaces;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is deeply concerned about the low force generation for operations and missions, and urges the Member States to address this matter as soon as possible; considers that third-country participation in CSDP operations and missions must always be in line with European interests and values; calls on the EU to provide staff in missions and operations with appropriate equipment and training to become more alert and more resilient under less permissive conditions, including with a view to addressing hybrid threats, CBRN risks and cyber-attacks; welcomes the creation of the response capability reserve to deal with any crises in the field of CBRN incidents;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Is concerned about the increasing information manipulation, disinformation and hybrid threats affecting several theatres; calls for a structured response to these threats by CSDP missions; urges the HR/VP to provide concrete support to the CSDP missions and operations through a strategic communication;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for a strengthening of the Union’s command structures, in particular the Military Staff (EUMS) and the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), which must be provided with the requisite personnel, equipment and resources as soon as possible, and be able to exchange classified information safely, including with Member States and missions/operations; calls for the creation of a European HQ for conduct of operations; in this connection, deplores the postponement of the progression of the MPCC to phase 2 and calls on the Member States to fully meet their commitments in order to permit such a progression; stresses the importance of making the MPCC, as soon as possible, into a genuine command and control structure (HQ) that is fully operational, able to fulfil a strategic forward-looking and advance planning function, to lead European operations and missions with the proactive and flexible approach required by the strategic context and to strengthen the operational strategic autonomy of Europeans;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. calls for immediate attention to prevailing gender equality gaps in CSDP missions and operations; urges to increase the number of women working in CSDP missions and operations and to ensure working environment free of sexual and gender-based harassment; reiterates its call for gender analysis to be included in new CSDP instruments, including the European Defence Fund and the European Peace Facility;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Welcomes the cooperation capacity of European armies in helping citizens in the fight against the pandemic in 2020; calls on the EU and the Member States to set out detailed arrangements for the implementation of Article 44 TEU so as to enable the Union to respond rapidly and effectively to crises, including by permitting an ad hoc operation run by a group of Member States to have an ex post mandate; welcomes the positive pooling and coordinating role played by air forces during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular as regards transfers for medical treatment and deliveries of equipment between Member States; welcomes in particular the role of the EATC in the evacuation and transfer of patients and the delivery of medical equipment during the pandemic; in general terms, encourages military air mobility, including transport, in-flight refuelling and aeromedical evacuation in Europe, guaranteeing the effectiveness and efficiency of military air transport in Europe;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Supports the ambition of creating a ‘rapid entry force’ that may be mobilised in the context of a security emergency; points out that currently the EU lacks the ground, sea and air expertise and capabilities needed to run first entry operations to re-establish security in a theatre of war; considers that it is realistic and necessary, initially, for Member States to agree, within the framework of the Strategic Compass, on the circumstances that would make it necessary to mobilise such a force, and to agree on one or more operational scenarios, including under extremely tight deadlines; recalls the existence of battlegroups and the need to make them credibleoperational by conducting regular field exercises; deplores the Member States’ lack of commitment to the battlegroups; criticises the fact that only one battlegroup, led by Italy, is operational in 2021; laments the weakness of the planning for 2022 and 2023; shares the level of ambition set by the High Representative regarding the robustness of the EU’s military tools, particularly ad hoc tools;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Calls for a re-examination of the processes for monitoring and managing CSDP missions and operations; believes it is necessary to delegate more operational responsibilities in the conduct and management of missions and operations to their military commands; calls, more generally, for EU military structures to be systematically linked to all policies and instruments with an impact on the operational commitment of European armed forces and particularly to the work of the European Defence Fund’s programme committee;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Stresses the importance of precise and timely intelligence to support decision-making, secure missions and operations and improve the combating of influence and disinformation campaigns targeting them; calls on the EEAS to put in place an intelligence capability for theatres of operation, through the creation of intelligence cells in all the CSDP missions and operations, which feed in real time into INTCEN, EUMS and the CPCC to support decision- making; more generally, stresses the importance of situational knowledge and coordination between national intelligence agencies, and would like to see the creation of an EU intelligence coordination cell;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Welcomes the EEAS’s Climate Change and Defence Roadmap of November 2020; considers that it is vital, in order to preserve the competitiveness of EDTIB, to support its enterprises’ access to banking and non-banking finance; stresses that defence production is mainly dual in nature, and is used in the civilian field; calls on the Commission, therefore, to ensure that the contribution of European defence enterprises to the EU’s strategic autonomy is duly taken into account when the European Ecolabel is awarded;
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Stresses the European Union’s competences and power, including its legislative power, in the area of resilience;
Amendment 356 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Welcomes, in this context, the launch of the concept of Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMPs) and a pilot project in the Gulf of Guinea; calls for this concept to be extended to other areas of interest, in particular the Indo-Pacific region; calls for the UnionCommission and the EU to update its maritime security strategy by 2022;
Amendment 360 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Welcomes the launch in early 2020 of the EMASOH mission, and supports its twin objectives of ensuring a safe navigation environment and lowering existing tensions in the region; welcomes the ‘holistic and coordinated’ strategic review of EUNAVFOR Atalanta, EUTM Somalia and EUCAP Somalia and their extension, with a view to encompassing all aspects of security;
Amendment 366 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Condemns the malicious cyber acts committed against Member States; insists that the Union and the Member States react firmly and in coordination against any new malicious, illegal or destabilising cyber activity by making full use of the instruments at the EU’s disposal and in coordination with its partners; calls on the Union to work towards the creation of a legal instrument to respond to hybrid threats and to develop a comprehensive cyber capacity including the securing of networks, communications and information-sharing, the implementation of training/exercises, including via CSP projects, and by making good use of the EU’s cyber diplomacy toolkit; calls for a revision of the cyber-defence policy framework in order to increase the prevention and deterrence capacity of the Union and its Member States, by enhancing their posture capability, situational awareness, tools and procedures;
Amendment 378 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Calls on the EEAS to create, as part of the European democracy action plan, an EU toolbox intended to step up the fight against disinformation and deliberate malicious behaviour, in order to identify, deter and thwart it;
Amendment 380 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Insists, in view of the changed threat and the need to adapt our institutions, that measures be put in place in the European institutions, including the European Parliament, to consolidate their internal capacities; stresses the importance of the inter-institutional coordination established by CERT-EU; urges the European institutions, in particular the Commission, to make available the human resources needed to strengthen CERT-EU;
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls for mutual operational assistance between Member States to be enhanced; stresses the importance of carrying out additional exercises based on crisis management scenarios, including the activation of Article 222 TFEU and Article 42(7) TEU in a hypothetical cyber-attack scenario;
Amendment 391 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls on the Union to develop a space defence strategy, which is essential for its strategic autonomy in space; encourages the Union to improve its situational awareness and geo-intelligence suppor, in order to maintain autonomous space access for the EU and its Member States, promote the emergence of a common European strategic space security and defence culture, reduce strategic dependencies and improve the operational governance of European space programmes; encourages the Union to improve its situational awareness and geo-intelligence support, by strengthening its expertise capacities (via SATCEN) and those of the Member States, to ensure a link between the CSDP and the EU space programme via Galileo, notably the PRS and Copernicus, to leverage investment possibilities (notably Horizon Europe and the European Defence Fund) and to explore other possible synergies between space and defence (including capabilities); regrets that the funding of SATCEN missions cannot benefit from the long-term budget programming of the European Union; wants the technological development needs of SATCEN to be taken into account in the work programme of the European Defence Fund; suggests creating a geospatial data analysis community under the CSP; considers that SATCEN should play a major role in this context; considers that the activities of this community should be covered by the EU budget; stresses the importance of the Union having autonomous access to space and its own launchers; insists that the Union should lead the way in strengthening the increasingly contested area of international space law;
Amendment 406 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Suggests that the European Parliament sign an agreement with SATCEN giving it access to the centre’s imaging and analysis services which are useful for its information and for taking positions and decisions, in full compliance with SATCEN’s confidentiality and security procedures;
Amendment 407 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 b (new)
Paragraph 28 b (new)
28b. Welcomes the proposal for a European new secure connectivity project, including quantum satellites; calls for this project to be concluded swiftly in order to raise the level of telecommunications security in the Union; stresses the growing risk of cyber and physical attack on European and Member State satellites; stresses the need to prevent such attacks and to provide for defensive mechanisms;
Amendment 408 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 c (new)
Paragraph 28 c (new)
28c. Is concerned about the continuous increase in space debris, particularly in low orbit, which is putting at risk our satellite capacities, and in the number of microsatellites; stresses that the new mega-constellations of satellites further increase the risk of collision; welcomes the work being undertaken to develop a European space traffic management policy and calls for the negotiations to be stepped up in order to obtain international responses; considers that one of the tangible achievements of such a policy should be an improvement in space debris monitoring capacities;
Amendment 410 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Insists that freedom of air traffic must be maintained; calls on the Union to defend itself against any threat to civil aviation or any failure to respect its airspace and to defend international aviation safety; calls on the HR/VP to ensure that work is begun to evaluate the usefulness of extending to the air sector the concept of Coordinated Maritime Presences;
Amendment 417 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls for existing Union instruments to be made operational so that they can contribute more effectively to preventing and countering hybrid threats and to protecting critical infrastructure; stresses the urgency for the European institutions, agencies and other bodies of developing secure communication systems and a capacity to react rapidly to attacks, and to greatly increase their resilience to them;
Amendment 422 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Calls on the Union to put into practice the lessons learned from exercises based on Article 42(7) TEU scenarios and to develop a flexible and non-binding action plan for its activation in order to strengthen the mutual assistance and solidarity between Member States;
Amendment 428 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Notes that the pandemic has exposed our vulnerabilities and calls, therefore, for a reduction in Europe’s strategic dependencies, in particular where they affect its capacity to take military action; recalls the goal of enhancing the Union’s strategic autonomy in order for it to be a credible and demanding strategic partner capable of defending its interests and values; welcomes, in this regard, the work and initiatives of the Commission;
Amendment 433 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32a. Stresses that fibre optic cables are the central nervous system of the global internet, carrying 97% of all internet traffic; stresses that these cables are a central and indispensable part of the EU’s critical infrastructure, and thus of great geopolitical importance, and that they have recently been targeted by foreign spying operations; believes that the EU should prioritise the security and protection of these cables; calls on the EU to set up an EU fibre optic cable security programme, including research, coordination, policy-making, incident follow-up and coast guard training;
Amendment 438 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Welcomes the progress made in enabling the development of new European military capabilities in connection with the European Defence Industrial Development Plan (EDIDP) and the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR); calls on the Commission to draw useful lessons from this for the European Defence Fund (EDF), with the aim of achieving operational results; welcomes the adoption of the EDF Regulation and the clear rules it sets out;
Amendment 447 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Laments the reduction in the amount of the EDF under the MFF, which makes coherence between Union defence initiatives even more necessary: PESCO, CARD, EDF; stresses, in this regard, the role of the European Defence Agency (EDA); points to the conclusions of the first Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) and, in particular, to the importance of increasing coherence between European capability prioritisation initiatives and the various national planning processes; points in that connection to the ultimate responsibility of the Member States for achieving the objective of a coherent European capability landscape, in particular in the areas identified by the CARD report; points also to the importance of the Member States' commitment, made in various settings, to maintain a sustained pace of defence investment and to make use of the opportunities afforded by the European Defence Fund in order to stimulate new investment;
Amendment 458 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Stresses that PESCO and the EDF must make it possible to enhance defence cooperation between Member States with the following objectives: European added value, operational capability,are, firstly, tools to serve the Member States; stresses that PESCO and the EDF must make it possible to enhance defence cooperation between Member States that has genuine European added value; points accordingly to the objectives of greater Union strategic autonomy, enhanced operational capability of European forces, reduced fragmentation of the capability landscape and of the European defence market for those initiatives, and support for the competitiveness of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), strengthening of strategic autonomy and reduced fragmentation of the European defence market;
Amendment 468 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Regrets the accumulated delay in revising the decision on the governance of PESCO; points to the need to develop financial incentives; recalls that third- country participation in PESCO projects must be decided on a case-by-case basis; welcomes the initial stages of military mobility and calls for subsequent stages to be implemented swiftly; approves the participation of the United States, Norway and Canada in the military mobility project; asks to be fully involved in decisions to open up any PESCO project for third-country participation;
Amendment 479 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Stresses that the EDF must promote the build-up of European industrial sectors and European champions, with multiannual programming, and take advantage of civilian-defence synergies; stresses the need, therefore, to establish synergies with the various Union policies, and in particular Horizon Europe and the European space programme, so that EDF resources can be effectively concentrated on strictly military issues; welcomes the Commission's action plan for synergies between civil, defence and space industries, which promotes innovation in dual-use goods; calls on the Union and the Commission to take systematic account, in all policies, of the contribution of the EDTIB to the Union's strategic autonomy; calls also on the Commission to submit a specific industrial strategy for the EDTIB;
Amendment 488 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37a. Backs the Commission proposal for VAT exemption for defence equipment designed and developed within the EU, which is a positive measure seeking to standardise practices at global level and foster European strategic autonomy;
Amendment 489 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 b (new)
Paragraph 37 b (new)
37b. Welcomes the fact that the PESCO strategic review has led to a reduction in the number of projects and an increase in its political monitoring; reminds the Member States of the importance of abiding by their commitments in this connection in order to achieve full operational capability on schedule, and in particular before 2025; deplores the lack of transparency on the progress of projects vis-à-vis the European institutions; deplores also the fact that Parliament is being excluded from the process of monitoring implementation of PESCO and considers that its governance needs to be reviewed in order to step up parliamentary oversight, particularly over the selection of projects that address the gaps, and to ensure that the Member States fulfil their commitments;
Amendment 490 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 – introductory part
Paragraph 38 – introductory part
38. Welcomes the fact that the PESCO strategic review has led to a reduction in the number of projects and an increase in its political monitoring; laments the fact that Parliament has been excluded from the monitoring of its implementation; cConsiders that the Strategic Compass should aim to:
Amendment 500 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 – indent 2
Paragraph 38 – indent 2
- streamline the planning and capability development processes (CDP, HLG/HICG, PESCO, CARD) and maintain coherence of results with the respective NATO processes, in particular the NDPP,
Amendment 505 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 – indent 3
Paragraph 38 – indent 3
- integrate EU military capability development processes into national defence planning processes and make the best use of EU defence initiatives through PESCO and CARD,
Amendment 516 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Stresses that the digital sector is an area of opportunity but also of significant threat of malicious action against our security and democracies (by state and non-state actors, and erasing the lines laid down in the law of armed conflict), and that it transcends borders; considers that it is necessary to go further in order to ensure that Europeans have access to what is now a contested area and develop a culture but also effective tools for security and solidarity among Europeans; calls for particular attention to be paid to the impact of emerging technologies so as to ensure that they are applied and used throughout the Union, facilitate research and innovation and enhance the Union’s resilience, keeping in mind the need to control their use precisely;
Amendment 521 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 – indent 1 (new)
Paragraph 39 – indent 1 (new)
- work on the security and defence impact of artificial intelligence (AI), including the malicious use of this type of technology and the use of AI by Member States against such threats;
Amendment 522 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 – indent 2 (new)
Paragraph 39 – indent 2 (new)
- work at EU level on the issues of ethics / autonomous weapons; support the work on autonomous lethal weapons systems within the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), which, for the time being, remains the only appropriate international forum to address those issues;
Amendment 523 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 – indent 3 (new)
Paragraph 39 – indent 3 (new)
- stress the importance of an innovative and competitive EDTIB (which is the vehicle for meeting the needs defined by the Member States and the EU) as well as identify strengths and vulnerabilities;
Amendment 524 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 – indent 4 (new)
Paragraph 39 – indent 4 (new)
- guarantee the security of supply chains (both within and outside the EU), including raw materials, critical components and technologies;
Amendment 525 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 – indent 5 (new)
Paragraph 39 – indent 5 (new)
- share alerts, information and threats in real time via the direct line to the operational centres;
Amendment 527 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39a. Welcomes the Member States’ renewed commitment to the common position as amended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1560, and stresses the importance of thoroughly assessing export licence applications for military technology and equipment according to the criteria stipulated therein; points out that Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1560 and the relevant conclusions of 16 September 2019 reflect a growing awareness among Member States of the need for greater national and EU-wide transparency and convergence in the area of arms exports and of the need to strengthen public oversight in this sensitive national security domain; stresses that these decisions have the potential to ensure that national oversight bodies, parliaments and EU citizens are supplied with better information about the strategic choices made by their governments, in an area which directly affects their security and their countries’ adherence to values and norms;
Amendment 543 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Calls for support to be given to strengthening and preserving the conventional arms control architecture in Europe, in a context of gradual erosion marked by the USA’s and Russia’s withdrawal from the Treaty on Open Skies; calls for disarmament regimes and forums to be supported and strengthened in every aspect: universalisation, support for implementation, political and institutional support, and financial support; calls on the Union to pay particular attention to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risk, in conjunction with the OPCW, with particular emphasis on the prohibition regime and conventional obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the fight against impunity; welcomes the extension of the New START Treaty and laments the end of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF);
Amendment 568 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Welcomes the establishment of an EU-US strategic dialogue on security and defence, with a view to helping build a mutually beneficial and balanced transatlantic relationship; stresses the operational dimension of the partnership and the importance of ensuring that the Union maintains its strategic autonomy, in particular as regards the United States’ International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR); welcomes the relevance of this format for addressing hybrid risks; welcomes, in this regard, the involvement of third countries in the EDA on the basis of administrative agreements, provided that it is accompanied by legally binding counterparts and safeguards to protect the defence and security interests of the Union and its Member States;
Amendment 585 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Calls for a stronger NATO supported by a stronger European Union, and wishes to see very tangible development in the EU-NATO partnership, particularly with regard to the growing hybridisation of threats and the inclusion of non-directly military parameters in peacetime strategic competition; stresses that the current strategic situation calls for NATO’s unequivocal support for European defence initiatives, including in the area of capabilities, with due regard for the powers of each institution; recalls the importance of fully implementing the ‘Berlin plus’ agreements and of enabling classified documents to be passed between the two organisations; calls, in this context, for NATO’s new strategic concept to take full account of and be coherent with the EU’s Strategic Compass;
Amendment 603 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 a (new)
Paragraph 43 a (new)
43a. Welcomes the involvement of third countries in the European Defence Agency, provided that it is accompanied by legally binding quid pro quos and guarantees to protect the defence and security interests of the Union and its Member States;
Amendment 609 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Calls for closer relations with non- traditional partnerWelcomes the bilateral partnerships for security and defence dialogue, in particular with Canada and Norway, two important contributors to CSDP missions and operations; calls for closer relations with democratic countries in the Indo-Pacific region (India, Japan, Australia), and in specific policy sectors (cybersecurity, hybrid, maritime, etc.), and with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN);
Amendment 621 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 a (new)
Paragraph 45 a (new)
45a. Welcomes the ongoing discussions on the participation of Japan in EUTM Mali and Mozambique and that of India in CSDP operations and missions in Africa; is pleased to see Georgia’s active participation in CSDP efforts and in particular in training missions in the Central African Republic and Mali;
Amendment 622 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 a (new)
Paragraph 45 a (new)
45a. calls for a thorough reflection on lessons learned from Afghanistan, in particular the impact of the withdrawal on the security and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and on regional security;
Amendment 626 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 b (new)
Paragraph 45 b (new)
Amendment 629 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 d (new)
Paragraph 45 d (new)
45d. Welcomes the launch of EU - Ukraine dialogue on cybersecurity and encourages similar engagement with other interested Eastern Partnership countries;
Amendment 630 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 e (new)
Paragraph 45 e (new)
45e. Calls for involvement of interested Eastern Partnership countries in the activities of the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats;
Amendment 654 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)
Paragraph 47 a (new)
47a. Welcomes the fact that DG DEFIS has become operational
Amendment 674 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51 a (new)
Paragraph 51 a (new)