57 Amendments of Martin HORWOOD
Amendment 23 #
2020/2004(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
Recital M
M. whereas the 1994 Budapest Memorandum signed by Ukraine, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom, provided security guarantees against threats or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine in exchange for the relinquishment of its nuclear arsenal and its accession to the NPT; whereas the previous failure by Russia to honour the security guarantees given to Ukraine by the Budapest Memorandum has had a corrosive effect on the climate of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation talks;
Amendment 40 #
2020/2004(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital V a (new)
Recital V a (new)
V a. whereas pursuant to the withdrawal of the US from the JCPOA, as well as the rising tensions in the region following the killing by US forces of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, Iran has announced a series of incremental and escalatory steps pertaining to a tenfold increase in the volumes of production of enriched uranium, thereby violating its commitments under the JCPOA;
Amendment 68 #
2020/2004(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
(m a) call on Russia to abide by its commitment enshrined in the Budapest Memorandum and to respect the security guarantees offered to Ukraine;
Amendment 83 #
2020/2004(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r
Paragraph 1 – point r
(r) confirm the inalienable right of the NPT parties to the peaceful use of nuclear energy to meet their long-term energy requirements, in conformity with the NPT provisions; work with countries wishing to develop capacities in this area towards a responsible use of nuclear energy for solely peaceful purposes, provided all safety, security and non-proliferation conditions are met; recall in particular that the needs of developing countries should be duly taken into account; encourage the state parties to use the opportunity of the 2020 review process to further deepen the debate on the peaceful use of nuclear energy; recognise the role and value of the IAEA and its safeguard system in implementing the NPT and in strengthening the nuclear security framework;
Amendment 105 #
2020/2004(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point aa
Paragraph 1 – point aa
(aa) reaffirm the EU’s continuing commitment to the JCPOA as the best possible means for obtaining assurances of an exclusively peaceful use of nuclear energy by Iran, and as a vital tool for enhancing stability and security in the Middle East; reiterate the EU’s regret over the withdrawal by the US from the JCPOA and the re-impositions of sanctions; regret Iran’s removal of limits on its production of enriched uranium, which can be used for the production of reactor fuel, as well as nuclear weapons, thereby contradicting its commitments under the JCPOA; call on Iran to return to full compliance with its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA and the NPT;
Amendment 115 #
2020/2004(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point ad a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point ad a (new)
(ad a) reiterate the EU’s commitment to encouraging India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea to take necessary and decisive steps towards nuclear disarmament;
Amendment 107 #
2019/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Believes that a strategic revision of the 'EU Global Strategy' would be timely and needed, namely in light of some of the profound geopolitcal changes which have taken place since its adoption (political divergences across the Atlantic axis, the emergence of new, more assertive powers such as China, the aggravation of the climate emergency, etc.), all of which pose serious implications on the Union's foreign policy objectives and overall security policy; calls, as a result, on the HRVP to begin a process of all-around inclusive consultations, starting with Member States and leading experts in EU foreign policy from outside the EU institutions, but also including civil society organisations;
Amendment 110 #
2019/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that the European Union needs to take on a global leadership role and unlock its political potential to think and act like a geopolitical power while defending and promoting its common values and interests in the world; reaffirms the need to secure ‘EU strategic autonomy’; fully supports the Commission President’s decision to transform the EU’s executive branch into a ‘geopolitical commission’; underlines that a 'geopolitical Commission' would therefore be expected to adopt a preventive rather than responsive approach to global affairs; believes, in this regard, that the European Union should strive to become a more assertive actor, without prejudice to its standing as a Normative Power;
Amendment 126 #
2019/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Considers that the EU, in order to keep its external credibility, should put the respect for human rights clauses at the core of the EU's agreements with third countries, making them conditional and applying them when necessary;
Amendment 157 #
2019/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underscores that the European Union must use its existing instruments more effectively and act in a more unified and coherent way in order to improve its decision-making processes; notes the Commission's proposal to combine most of the existing instruments for external action into a single instrument, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI); reiterates that pooling external action instruments into a single fund may lead to synergies, effectiveness and rapidness in decision-making process and disbursement of funds, but should not divert the Union's funding from its longstanding and overarching foreign policy goals of poverty eradication, sustainable development and the protection of human rights;
Amendment 236 #
2019/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for greater coherence, consistency and complementarity, as laid down in the Treaties, between the EU’s external financing instruments and the CFSP to enable the European Union to tackle growing security and foreign policy challenges; considers that the simplified structure of external instruments proposed under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument calls for proper checks and balances, a sufficient level of transparency, and strategic policy input and scrutiny of implementation by Parliament; stresses the need for efficient and adequate funding under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance for 2021-2027 (IPA III); highlights the role of the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP), particularly in supporting peace and stability around the world; expects a timely adoption of the post-2020 instruments, so as to avoid unnecessary funding gaps;
Amendment 337 #
2019/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for stronger support to the EU maritime security strategy as freedom of navigation is an increasing challenge; insists that freedom of navigation must be respected at all times; regrets that tensions are on the rise and violations of the Law of the Sea and international maritime law continue to persist around many of the world's major maritime hotspots, such as in the South China Sea, the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Guinea etc.; notes that many of these tensions are oftentimes geopolitical in nature;
Amendment 346 #
2019/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Stresses that strengthening substantial relations with East and Southeast Asia is essential to the EU's rules-based, comprehensive and sustainable Connectivity Strategy; takes note of the military build-up in the region and calls for all parties involved to respect the freedom of navigation, to solve differences through peaceful means and to refrain from taking unilateral actions to change the status quo, including in the East and South China Seas and the Taiwan Strait; expresses concern that foreign interference through disinformation and cyber-attacks threaten Asian as well as European democracies and regional stability; reiterates its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations, mechanisms and activities;
Amendment 382 #
2019/2136(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Recognises the important role of the civil and military missions that form part of the CSDP in maintaining peace, avoiding conflicts and strengthening international security; believes the EU has not yet made adequate use of its abundant resources in the field of CSDP; calls on the HRVP, on the Commission and on the Member States to step-up their efforts in the field of common foreign and security policy cooperation, in order to make CSDP civil and military missions more robust, to improve their operational capacity by means of increased flexibility, to increase efficiency and effectiveness on the ground, and make their mandates more encompassing, streamlined and clear;
Amendment 13 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the lasting deterioration in the Union’s strategic environment in the face of multiple challenges directly or indirectly affecting the security of its Member States and citizens: armed conflicts and fragile states immediately to the east and south of the European continent, terrorism and particularly jihadist terrorism, cyber attacks, foreign interference in European political and electoral processes, tensions over EU Member States' energy supply, the rise of organised crime (drug, arms and human trafficking) at the borders and with Europe as its target, weakening of disarmament efforts and international arms control regimes, uncontrolled migration, increasing threats to natural resources, climate change, etc.;
Amendment 33 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that instability and unpredictability on the Union’s borders and, both in its immediate neighbourhood (north Africa, the Middle East, Ukraine, the Caucasus, the Balkans, etc.), as well as in its extended neighbourhood (Sahel, Horn of Africa, etc), pose a direct threat to the security of the continent; stresses the inextricable link between internal and external security;
Amendment 38 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 58 #
2019/2135(INI)
4 a. Stresses that strengthening substantial relations with East and Southeast Asia is essential to the EU's rules-based, comprehensive and sustainable Connectivity Strategy; takes note of the military build-up in the region and calls for all parties involved to respect the freedom of navigation, to solve differences through peaceful means and to refrain from taking unilateral actions to change the status quo, including in the East and South China Seas and the Taiwan Strait; expresses concern that foreign interferences from autocratic regimes through disinformation and cyber-attacks on the upcoming general elections threaten Asian democracies and regional stability; reiterates its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations, mechanisms and activities;
Amendment 104 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that the ambition of achieving European strategic autonomy was recognised for the first time in June 2016 by the 28 Heads of State and Government in the ‘Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy’, presented by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) on 28 June 2016; believes that any upcoming review of the 2016 EU Global Strategy should focus on increasing the effectiveness of the practical and operational implementation of European strategic autonomy rather than lead to an overhaul of its orientations;
Amendment 152 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses that strategic autonomy can only be genuinely achieved ifthe introduction of the concept of independent strategic autonomy requires the Member States to demonstrate solidarity, which is reflected in particular in the needtheir determination to prioritise the procurement of European capabilities where equipment is available and competitive;
Amendment 158 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. ConsiderReiterates that the principle of European strategic autonomy is a legitimate and necessary ambition and that it must remain a priority objective of European defence policy; stresses that its practical and operational implementation is a common responsibility of European sfalls to both the EU and its Member States;
Amendment 171 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers that Europe’s defence is based largely on the Union’s capacity and in the political willingness of Member States to intervene militarily, in a credible manner, in external theatres of operations; maintains that the Union disposes of considerable human, financial, technical and military resources, endowing it with an unique capacity to conduct military and civilian operations and respond promptly and pre-emptively to future security challenges, for instance through active peacekeeping misions;
Amendment 181 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Stresses that, since the adoption of the 2016 EU Global Strategy, the proliferation of regional and local conflicts, not least in the vicinity of our immediate neighbourhood, poses many challenges for the Union's security, as they have often splill-over effects; considers, in this regard, that the Union should become a more robust actor in crisis management, confict resolution and in peace-keeping, whenever possible in concert with other regional and international organisations such as the UN and the African Union, in line with its commitments towards multilateralism, but also on its own, when the situation so requires;
Amendment 197 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses the Union’s comprehensive commitment in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa through six civilian (EUCAP Mali, EUCAP Niger, EUCAP Somalia) and military (EUTM Mali, EUTM Somalia, ATALANTA) missions; welcomes and encourages the efforts made to regionalise the functioning of civilian missions in the Sahel in the face of security challenges extending beyond those countries where European missions are deployed and welcomes EU support for the G5 Sahel operation;
Amendment 229 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the lack of flexibility inat the objective of administrative and budgetary procedures, which is causing serious problems for personnel deployed on the ground for CSDP missions should be to guarantee rigorous management of those missions, but without being so rigid as to hamper their performance and effectiveness;
Amendment 243 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Stresses that the recurring problem faced by armed forces ofin countries in which the EU is intervening is a lack of equipment, which is an obstacle to the success of training missions; notes the difficulty of supplying suitable equipment in a timely manner (bindingowing, in particular, to cumbersome public procurement procedures to be followed, etc.); believes that achieving positive results in terms of training and advice for third-country armies is extremely difficultwill not be possible in the long term without the capacity to back up such efforts with worthwhile and coordinated equipment- supply programmes; welcomes the Capacity Building for Security and Development (CBSD) initiative, which resulted in the revision of the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (‘IcSP+’) in 2017 so as to provide funding for training and the supply of non- lethal equipment to third countries’ armed forces; notes that, to date, three projects have been carried out, in Mali, the Central African Republic and Burkina Faso; highlights the strong demand from local populations for support in the area of training and equipment supply;
Amendment 246 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Questions the appropriateness of continuing certain missions; believes that the Union should concentrate its efforts on missions where it generates the highest added value; is in favour of the establishment of and compliance with objective criteria to measure that added value and decide whether to pursue a mission;
Amendment 253 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. NotWelcomes the decision of 26 September 2019 to extend the EU maritime operation in the Mediterranean (EUNAVFORMED Sophia) by six months to 31 March 2020; deeply deplores the decision temporarily to suspend the naval presence; stresses the urgent need to reach agreement among the Member States and calls for the redeployment of naval assets and full implementation of the mandate;
Amendment 295 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36 a. Calls on the High Representative to regularly consult the European Parlement on urgent matters pertaining to the implementation of the CSDP; believes that the High Representative, or an appropriate EEAS official with direct oversight over CSDP command structres and involved in the design, implementation and appraisal of current civilian and military operations, should promptly inform Parliament of important changes to the structures of any such operations, particularly in regards to their overall nature, mandate, length or early termination;
Amendment 296 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36a. stresses the growing and essential role of women in peacekeeping missions and security and defence policy and calls on the VP/HR to enter into dialogue with the European Parliament on the instruments to be introduced and action to be taken;
Amendment 337 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal of June 2017 to create a European Defence Fund (EDF), which would foster cooperation between Member States and support the European defence industry; notes that this proposal is the first initiative for which Community funds are to be used in direct support of defence projects; recognises that this is a major step forward for European defence, from both a political and an industrial perspective; notes that the EDF could financebe involved in the financing of research and the development of structural projects such as the future European aircraft or tank or a European anti-missile defence capability; notes that the 2019 work programme for the preparatory action will focus on electromagnetic spectrum dominance and future disruptive defence technologies, two key areas for maintaining Europe’s technological independence in the long term; welcomes, also, the adoption by the Commission in March 2019 of the first European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) and the publication of nine calls for proposals for 2019, including for the Eurodrone, which is a key capability for Europe’s strategic autonomy; points out that 12 further calls for proposals will follow in 2020, covering priority areas in all domains (air, land, sea, cyber and space); notes the link between the procurement decisions taken today by the Member States and the prospects for industrial and technological cooperation under the EDF;
Amendment 346 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Welcomes the effective implementation of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) as an important step towards closer cooperation in security and defence among Member States; stresses that this provision, introduced in the 2009 Lisbon Treaty (Article 46 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), is legally binding and includes a set of ambitious commitments to enable European countries wishing to do so to move ahead faster on common defence projects; recognises the rolecontribution that PESCO can play inmake to the structuring of European demand; notes that a significant number of EDIDP- eligible projects are being developed within the PESCO framework and may also benefit from higher rates of subsidy; supports full consistency between PESCO projects and the EDF;
Amendment 350 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 a (new)
Paragraph 43 a (new)
43a. Welcomes the full coordination between the capability roadmap established by the European Defence Agency and the capability planning that has been carried out, demonstrating that there is extensive interoperability between the armies of the EU Member States that are members of NATO;
Amendment 353 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. NotWelcomes the Commission’s proposal to allocate EUR 6.5 billion to military mobility projects in the next MFF; emphasises that progress needs to be made to establish military mobility that works for both the EU and NATO; is pleased that the project is part of PESCO;
Amendment 371 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Stresses the still virtual nature of the European Defence FundCalls on the Council to adopt the European Parliament’s position on Article 5 of the Regulation establishing the European Defence Fund; emphasises the need to finalise the EDF without delay; points out that that this instrument has not yet been finally approved, with only partial and political agreement having been given in April 2019; stresses the importance of maintaining Parliament’s position concerning the amount of the EDF, the involvement of third countries and the establishment of an appropriate intellectual property policy in relation to security and defence in order to protect research results; draws attention, in that connection, to the highly sensitive and strategic nature of defence research, both for industrial competitiveness and for the strategic autonomy and sovereignty of the Union; calls for the initial lessons learned from the implementation of the EDIDP (in particular concerning the application of derogations for eligible entities), the pilot project and the preparatory action on defence research to be properly taken into account; calls on the Member States to be fully involved in the decision-making process in order to avoid bureaucratic excesses andto the extent that they are the final customers of the defence industries, so as to ensure that the programmes included address the strategic needs of the CSDP and the Member States; considers that the success of the EDF will depend on its ability to cater for the specific defence needs of the participating states and to guarantee the availability of sufficient budgetary resources, whilst ensuring that industrial know-how is not duplicated, national defence investment is not crowded out and cooperation does not become over- complicated; considers that developing the European defence industry by regulating access for entities controlled by non-EU third parties to projects financed by the Fund is fully consistent with the European ambition of strategic autonomy;
Amendment 384 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Stresses the strategic dimension for Europe of the space sector, and emphasises the need to make progress in developing technologies with both civilian and military uses which are capable of ensuring European strategic autonomy; welcomes the inclusion in the next MFF of the Commission’s EUR 16 billion space programme proposal to boost EU space leadership; welcomes the progress made on EU satellite services (Galileo, Copernicus, EGNOS); emphasises that, if it is to enjoy decision-making and operational autonomy, the Union must have adequate satellite resources in the fields of space imagery, intelligence-gathering, communications and space surveillance; emphasises how important it is for the European Union to enjoy autonomous access to space; considers that space-based services should be fully operationalised in order to provide high-resolution satellite imaging in support of CSDP missions and operations; stresses the need to finance, through the EDF, industrial projects with a space dimension where the Union can generate real added value;
Amendment 415 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Recognises the increasingly prominent role of artificial intelligence (AI) in European defence; notes, in particular, the many military applications stemming from AI for managing and simulating operational environments, assisting the decision-making process, detecting threats and processing intelligence; stresses that the development of reliable AI in the field of defence is essential for ensuring European strategic autonomy in capability and operational areas; calls on the Union to keep up its investment in this area and in particular in disruptive technologies through existing instruments (European Defence Fund, European Innovation Council, future Horizon Europe, Digital Europe programme); calls on the Union to play an active role in the global regulation of autonomous lethal weapons systems;
Amendment 456 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
59. Stresses the importance of cooperation between the Union and other international institutions, in particular the African Union and the OSCE; considers that the Union should also strengthen dialogue and cooperation with third countries in the regionthat share their values and strategic priorities and with regional and sub-regional organisations;
Amendment 479 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Considers that progress in European defence will pave the way for major structural changes; notwelcomes the announcement of the creation of a Directorate-General for the Defence Industry and Space at the Commission under the responsibility of the Commissioner-designate for the Internal Market; notes that this new DG should be responsible for supporting, coordinating or complementing the Member States’ actions in the area of European defence and would thus contribute to strengthening European strategic autonomy; notes the definition of its five main tasks (implementation and oversight of the EDF, creation of an open and competitive European defence equipment market, implementation of the action plan on military mobility, enhancement of a strong and innovative space industry, implementation of the future space programme), but; calls on the Commission to provide further details on the role and responsibilities of the new DG; Wwonders how it will coordinate its work with that of other defence policy structures which have other responsibilities (EDA, EEAS, etc.);
Amendment 484 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61 a (new)
Paragraph 61 a (new)
61a. Commits to providing close parliamentary scrutiny and monitoring of European defence missions, instruments and initiatives; calls on the HR/VP, the Council and the various European structures concerned to report to the subcommittee on a regular basis on the fulfilment of their mandate;
Amendment 485 #
2019/2135(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61 b (new)
Paragraph 61 b (new)
61b. Calls for a European defence strategy to be drafted as a necessary supplement to the 2016 global strategy, providing a framework for steering and planning, both of which are vital to ensure that new instruments and resources can be implemented effectively;
Amendment 45 #
2019/2028(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Emphasises the need to support and protect the LGBTI+ community around the world; calls for the allocation of EU funds to support LGBTI+ communities in countries where their rights are threatened.
Amendment 51 #
2019/2028(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Stresses the critical need to eradicate sexual and gender-based violence, by addressing their widespread and systemic use as a weapon of war; calls for the use of EU funds to support the rights of women around the world to access safe and legal abortion.
Amendment 3 #
2019/0099(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible, to propose rejection of the Council drafrecommend approval of the draft Council decision on the accession of Solomon Islands to the Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part.
Amendment 14 #
2019/0070(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 9 a (new)
Recital 9 a (new)
(9 a) In order to maximise transparency and accountability for Union citizens, including as regards measurement of progress by the European Union towards the 0,7% Official Development Aid (ODA) target , the Commission should bring forward guidance on the proportion of spending that it would recommend to be carried out through the modified Union civil protection mechanism and that should qualify as ODA. Such guidance should accurately reflect and fully comply with OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) rules on ODA, and state whether methodologies such as the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) standard should be used;
Amendment 15 #
2019/0070(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 9 b (new)
Recital 9 b (new)
(9 b) The Union, being a member of the OECD DAC, should maintain its commitment to, and compliance with, OECD DAC rules on ODA, including in the relevant activities carried out through the Union civil protection mechanism;
Amendment 6 #
2018/0358M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the enhanced political dialogue between the EU and Viet Nam and the upgraded potential to address human rights concerns in the framework of the institutional mechanisms established under Article 35 of the PCA and Article 13 of the FTA; believreiterates that those articles alone will not provide the necessary tools to address human rights concerns related to the IPAimplementation of the IPA, and should as such be followed by stringent scrutiny by the EU and its Members States, in the form of an independent monitoring and complaint mechanism with the main purpose of continuously assessing human rights impacts;
Amendment 19 #
2018/0358M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Fully supports the human rights dialogue between the EU and Viet Nam, which is a very effective way to discussallows for issues related to human rights to be continuously discussed; calls for the strengthening of the annual EU-Viet Nam human rights dialogue with the involvement of local and international civil society and taking into account information received from relevant international organisations;
Amendment 21 #
2018/0358M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Recognises that civil society in Viet Nam is not allowed to operate freely and unrestricted from state interference; is concerned that the establishment of the Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs), as per the Agreement, could be undermined by the lack of freedom of expression, assembly and association in Viet Nam, which has often been used by state authorities to intimidate, silence and restrict the work of civil society organisations; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to ensure that civil society groups included in the DAGs will be allowed to operate independently, impartially, thoroughly, and safely from any repercussions
Amendment 26 #
2018/0358M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underscores the importance of the IPA in contributing to raising living standards, promoting economic growthprosperity and stability, helping advance the rule of law, good governance, sustainable development and respect for human rights in Viet Nam, while also enabling the EU to foster its objectives of peace and stability in the region.; stresses that unequivocally upholding those universal values is a conditional part of any agreement between the EU and a third state; calls on the Commission to ensure that human rights benchmarks are fully respected after the agreement enters into force;
Amendment 4 #
2018/0356M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Recalls that in 2014 Parliament requested the Commission to conduct a human rights impact assessment of the envisaged Free Trade Agreement with Vietnam, a call that was echoed by the European Ombudsman in 2015, and notes that such an assessment is yet to take place; reiterates the call for the Commission to conduct such an assessment, prior to the agreement entering into force;
Amendment 7 #
2018/0356M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines the strategic importance of Viet Nam as a crucial partner of the EU in South East Asia and among the ASEAN countries, specifically but not exclusively in relation to climate change negotiations, good governance, sustainable development, economic and social progress and the fight against terrorism and the advancement of human rights and democratic reform;
Amendment 25 #
2018/0356M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Remains concerned about human rights violations, including the application of the death penalty in Viet Nam; calls on Viet Nam to introduce a moratorium and move towards abolition of the death penalty; highlights that human rights constitute a cornerstone of the trade and sustainable development chapter of the FTA; calls for periodicclose and continuous evaluation of the human rights impact of the agreement through an independent monitoring and complaint mechanism;
Amendment 30 #
2018/0356M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Notes, and subsequently regrets, that the text of the sustainability chapter does not include any reference to human rights, which are a fundamental aspect of good and sustainable governance, and a part of the founding principles of the European Union; human rights ought therefore to be an integral part of any agreement between the EU and a third state;
Amendment 44 #
2018/0356M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights that the FTA creates an institutional and legally binding link to the PCA; points out that Article 1 of the PCA contains a standard human rights clause which can trigger appropriate measures, including, as a last resort, the suspension of the PCA, or parts thereof, without delay; notes however that there is no precedent for the EU suspending bilateral trade agreements and believes that for such conditions to be credible, consequences must follow from breaches of agreements;
Amendment 56 #
2018/0356M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Points out that civil society in Viet Nam is not allowed to operate freely and unrestricted from state interference, as restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and association in Viet Nam continue to persist; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to ensure that civil society groups, especially those which will be part of the Domestic Advisory Groups, will be allowed to operate independently, impartially, thoroughly, and safely from any repercussions;
Amendment 58 #
2018/0356M(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Strongly believe that improvement of the rule of law, good governance, sustainable development and the respect of human rights in Viet Nam are necessary; calls therefore on Parliament to give its consent to the agreement only when they deem that these recommendations, in particular the release of all political prisoners, the revision of the penal code, freedom of speech, association, assembly, movement and freedom of information are legally and effectively protected;