23 Amendments of Alexandr VONDRA related to 2020/2003(INI)
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 a (new)
Citation 21 a (new)
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that ten Member States made full submissions to the 20th annual report, and eleven to the 21st; deplornotes the fact that two of the main exporting countries – Germany and the UK – did not make full submissions;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Deplores the factAcknowledges that Member States use very different information in order to generate data on the value of licences, which renders the annual report considerably less usable as a comparative data set and serves to diminish its transparency and accountability before citizens and parliamentscomplicating the ability to use comparative data effectively; urges France, in particular, to refrain from submitting data on the value of licences at pre-contract stage and broad values for global licences, which undermines the comparability of the report;
Amendment 99 #
7. Points out that Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1560 and the relevant conclusions of 16 September 2019 have the potential to ensure that EU citizens are furnished 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 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes with concern the growing divergences between the arms export policies and practices of the Member States and the failure to introduce new instruments to promote convergence towards the strict application of EU rules in this areathe sale of arms is tied closely with issues related to national security; and recognises that the sale of arms remains in the sovereign control of the Member States for the purposes of national security;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. SupportAcknowledges the Council’s decision to introduce a clear reporting deadline for national submissions; welcomes the steps taken towards the online approach and encourages the further development of the latter;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that most Member States have not outlined a policy regulating the transfer of weapons components to another Member State which would ensure that any export to third countries from the Member State of assembly is consistent with the export policy of the Member State providing the components; regards this as particularly problematic in the context of the increasing divergences between licensing practices across the EU; observes that Directive 2009/43/EC on intra-Community transfers has proven ill- equipped to achieve the stated goal of setting high common standards for exports to third countries;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Observes a trend whereby the diverging export policies of the Member States are increasingly considered as obstacles to cooperation projects, which is giving rise to a multitude of bilateral and specific agreements on weapon systems that allow for exports to third countries based on the least restrictive standards, rather than a joint, EU-wide approachhowever, notes that the varying range in technological sophistication across Europe’s industrial base is giving rise to a multitude of bilateral and specific agreements on weapon systems, which in turn is encouraging members to institute modernisation reforms that keep arms production fit for purpose;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that bilateral and multilateral agreements may further reduce convergence at EU level and that the failure to regulate exports uniformly between the Member States and the lack of convergence in export decisions to third countries have a negative impact on human rights and international law, generate market distortions, and hinder industrial strategic planning, economies of scale and a level playing fieldserve as the foundation for international practices in arms transfers and that the lack of convergence in export decisions to third countries can only be overcome via furthering the best practices exhibited in the bilateral and multilateral agreements between Member States;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Underlines the fact that the interinstitutional agreement on the establishment of the EDF authorises the Commission, without infringing upon the primacy of Member State decisions, to assess whether the transfer of ownership or the granting of an exclusive licence of EDF-co-funded military technology contravenes the security and defence interests of the EU and its Member States or the objectives of the fund as set out in Article 3 of the proposed regulation; notes that this new legislation establishes a specific type of control function for the Commission with regard to a specific category of exports of military technology to third countries, while simultaneously respecting the independence and self- decision of the Member States;
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that under the EPF, Member States and the European External Action Service (EEAS) will work on creating an EU-level system for arms transfers to third countriesrespect the right of Member States to determine whom it will sell arms to;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that the lack of convergence of national arms export policies and decision-making is becoming increasingly untenable in the context of the prevailing Europeanisation of arms production and the stated ambito be expected since the industrial capability, research and development capacities and overall quality of equipment produced to serve the armed forces of Member States is vastly different throughout Europe, forcing the Europeanisation of arms production to prioritize further the modernizations and plans to increase this furthertechnological advancement within key EU policies such as the EDIDP, PADR and EDF;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 – introductory part
Paragraph 19 – introductory part
19. Believes that the Europeanisation of arms production needs to go hand in hand with increased transparency; believes that there is still room for improvement in this area, particularly as regards the quality and uniformity of the data submitted by Member States;a clear goal of modernisation towards a qualitative advantage in the arms production of Member States; believes that there is still room for improvement in this area, calls on the Working Party on Conventional Arms Exports (COARM):
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 – point a
Paragraph 19 – point a
a) to add the following additional categories in a revised reporting template in order to implement the recent September 2019 Council conclusions: the exact type of weapon and the quantity exported, denomination of the munitions, the lot size and the specific end-user, revoked licences, and the value and duration of contracts regarding post-delivery services such as training and maintenance; recognises, however, that Member States may not always be able to give full submissions due to the commercial sensitivity and security risks surrounding such information;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 – point b
Paragraph 19 – point b
b) to disaggregate data with regard to denial information so as to facilitate the scrutiny of specific shipments or Member States within the limits of commercial sensitivity, national security and with every effort taken to avoid inadvertently aiding industrial espionage;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 – point c
Paragraph 19 – point c
c) to clarify definitions such as licensed value and actual exports so as to facilitate the comparability of data between Member States within the limits of commercial sensitivity, national security and with every effort taken to avoid inadvertently aiding industrial espionage;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 – introductory part
Paragraph 21 – introductory part
21. Calls on COARM to work towards amending Article 7 of the Common Position, by calling for an improved exchange of ‘relevant information, including information on denial notifications and arms export policies’ and other ‘measures to further increase convergenRecognizes COARM’s potential to add value in coordinating and consolidating areas of Member States’ industrial bases so as to ensure that technologically sophisticated and rapidly deployable equipment are more easily produced in multinational efforts that incorporate willing engagement from small and medium enterprises operating in both the military and civilian technology space’s; stresses the need, to this end:
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 – point a
Paragraph 21 – point a
a) to systematically discuss individual licence requests within COARM, where the receiving destination or recipient has been identified as a risk by one or several Member States or the EEAS; callutilize COARM in a manner based upon the successes of the NATO Industrial Advisory Group and be complementary to the existing commitments onf Member States to provide a justification if they decide to grant exports to such destinationswho are part of the Transatlantic Defence Technological and Industrial Cooperation (TADIC);
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 – point c
Paragraph 21 – point c
c) to undertake a joint assessment of country situations or potential export recipients in the light of the principles and criteria of the Common Position within the framework of the CFSP and in consultation with external stakeholders, including Parliament within the limits of commercial sensitivity, national security and with every effort taken to avoid inadvertently aiding industrial espionage;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Strongly believes that a much higher level of convergence as regards the strict apprms exports remain the core responsibility of Member States, notes that convergence can benefit multinational development and procurement initiatives that would ensure a qualictation of the criteriave edge in military hardware throughout Europe which will strengthen human rights, international law and the CFSP, and bolster the EU’s strategic security interests and strategic autonomy;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses that effective end-use controls are crucial for a responsible export policy and for lowering the risk of diversion in particular; calls onrecommends that the Council, the Member States, the EEAS and the Commission to set up a large-scale training and capacity-building programme for national and EU officials on arms export controls; stresses the need to use EU funding to ensure that sufficient staff resources are available at national and EU levels and at delegations and embassies in importing countries for the purposes of implementing viable end-use controls; calls on the EEAS and COARM to report on iTrace any identified diversion of EU-origin goods as part of the annual report;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Believes that the increasing Europeanisation of arms production, the recent Council conclusions on convergence in arms exports and the establishment of the EPF should be complemented by a mechanism for EU-level monitoring and control based on strict compliance with the eight criteria within the limits of commercial sensitivity, national security and with every effort taken to avoid inadvertently aiding industrial espionage;
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Considers that regular consultations with national parliaments, arms export control authorities, industry associations, small and medium enterprises and civil society are central to meaningful transparency; calls on COARM to enhance dialogue with civil society and consultations with Parliament and arms export control authorities; encourages civil society and academia to exercise independent scrutiny of the arms trade and calls on the Member States and the EEAS to support such activities, including by financial meanincrease their engagement and dialogue with COARM in order to remain fully informed regarding arms production and exports;