47 Amendments of Bart GROOTHUIS related to 2020/2207(INI)
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that, given the current and increasing multi-faceted threats the EU could face in a highly multipolar world with unreliableseveral superpowers, only the combined weight of the Union has the potential to deliver peace, human security, sustainable development and democracy;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy; welcomes the fact that the EU remains committed to increasing its ability to act as a global security provider through its CSDP missions and operations, to supporting sustainable peace and prosperity and to overcoming conflicts around the world; Reiterates that CSDP contributes positively to the EU´s self- determination and capacity to act, as the EU member states combined have more influence on their nation’s fate than individually;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Underlines the geopolitical importance of the Arctic; urges the EU to work towards a more coherent internal and external policy, to come up with an Arctic strategy that takes into account the security and geostrategic aspects;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. NotesIs concerned that Russian Federation military forces are still occupying large parts of Ukraine and Georgia in violation of international law; express concerns about and that Russia continues to destabilise peace and security in the region; continues to condemn Russia’´s role in destabilising peace and security in the regionmilitary intervention and illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula and the keeping of the frozen conflict in Moldova; stresses the need to speak with one voice on the EUs policy in that context;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Expresses serious concerns over Turkey’s destabilising behaviour, including its illegal activities within Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) / continental shelf, which violates international law and good neighbourly relations; is worried by the Turkish support to the reopening of Varosha seafront in violation of the UN ceasefire agreement, which comes before an attempt to restart peace talks and is further concerned by the consequences such behaviour can have on peace and stability in an already fragile region;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is extremely concerned by, and strongly condemns, the threats of military action against EU Member States by Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean; notes with regret the continuous hostile actions from Turkey, notably regarding explorations in Greek waters, thereby refusing dialogue and disregarding the conclusions of the European Council of 1 October 2020 that called on Turkey to abstain from any actions in breach of international law; reiterates the Union’s readiness to use all instruments and options at its disposal, including in accordance with Article 29 TEU and Article 215 TFEU, in order to defend its interests and those of its Member States;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is extremely concerned by, and strongly condemns, the threats of military action against EU Member States by Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean; Urges VP/HR to devise a separate, comprehensive strategy solely focussed on EU-Turkey relations;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Stresses that Armenia and Azerbaijan must find a peaceful, mutually agreed, diplomatic solution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh; calls on both sides to engage in negotiations to restore peace in the region;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Expresses concern over the destabilizing activities by Turkey in the Western Balkans and Southern Caucasus;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11c. Is concerned about the ongoing disinformation campaign towards the EU in CAR; call the VP-HR to take actions in order to be in capacity, in CAR and other places where disinformation campaigns occur, to efficiently identify its origin and to counter such attacks; insists on the importance to supply the CAR army with military equipment within the framework of the future EPF, in a context where other foreign actors are present and active;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Welcomes the Council decision of 20 June 2020 to extend the mandates of three of its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) civilian missions: the European Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya), the European Border Assistance Mission in the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM Rafah), and the European Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS);
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Recognises the key role of Operation EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina in moving towards and maintaining peace and security in the country and the region; calls for a speedy replacement of British staff by the contribution of other EU Member States; asks the EEAS to provide a clear, comprehensive and transparent assessment of the nature and value added of the participation of Turkey to EUFOR Althea;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that the strategic review of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) is to be initiated in 2020 and that, given the impact of this review on the command and control of military missions and operations, calls on the VP/HR to keep Parliament informed of the available and chosen options chosen in a timely manner;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the overall progress made in implementing the Civilian CSDP Compact, which is aimed at making civilian CSDP more capable, more effective, flexible and responsive both at the national level by developing and implementing National Implementation Plans to increase national contributions to civilian CSDP, and at the EU level through the development of a Joint Action Plan; calls for the full implementation of the Civilian CSDP Compact by early summer 2023; invitcalls nevertheless all relevant actors to intensify cooperation and to continue strengthening synergies between the civilian and military missions deployed in the same theatre; welcomes the German Presidency’s announcement on creating a Centre for Excellence for Civil Crisis Management;
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Commends the continuity of the CSDP missions and operations despite the very challenging environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; suggesturges that the budget, planning and equipment of EU CSDP missions and operations be assessed in the light of the lessons learnt from COVID-19;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recognises the role played by civilian and military CSDP missions ) in maintaining peace, avoiding conflicts and strengthening international security; urges the EU to enhance its institutional capacities for conflict prevention and mediation; calls for more active approach in resolution of the protracted conflicts in the immediate EU’s neighbourhood; calls for conflict-sensitive and people-centred approaches which put human security at the core of EU engagement;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recognises the role played by civilian and military CSDP missions ) in maintaining peace, avoiding conflicts and, strengthening international security; urge and supporting beneficiary countries in fighting against organised crime and terrorism; calls the EU to enhance its institutional capacities for conflict prevention and mediation; calls for conflict-sensitive and people-centred approaches which put human security at the core of EU engagement;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recognises the role played by civilian and military CSDP missions ) in maintaining peace and stability, avoiding conflicts and strengthening international security; urges the EU to enhance its institutional capacities for conflict prevention and mediation; calls for conflict-sensitive and people-centred approaches which put human security at the core of EU engagement;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for the swift adoption and implementation of the European Peace Facility, in full compliance with the Common Position, human rights and humanitarian law, and with effective transparency provisions, such as the publication of a detailed list of military equipment provided to partner countries under the Facility;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Stresses that building European strategic autonomy would strengthen EU’s multilateral action and reduce dependence on external actors, enable it to take more responsibility for European security and make it less vulnerable to external threats; stresses that stronger Europe strengthens NATO and allows the EU to take on global challenges together with NATO;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls on the Member States to increase their defence spending and aim for a target of 2% of GDP;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls for the swift adoption and set- up of the EDF with the necessary budgetary amount, which will address the capability development priorities identified in the EU and thus foster the EU’, constitute a lever for the development of the European defence technological and industrial base, strengthen cooperation between Member States, reinforce EU ability to produce and dispose of military capabilities autonomously and thus foster its ability to operate as a global actor and an international security provider;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Expects the Strategic Review of the first PESCO phase by the end of 2020; considers PESCO to be an instrument that contributes to sustainable and efficient EU defence cooperation by improving participating Member States’ defence capabilities and interoperability, especially in terms of the availability, flexibility and deployability of forces; whereas PESCO should be an effective and a complimentary tool in achieving EU and NATO targets simultaneously; encourages ‘future threats’ to be at the basis of future PESCO project proposals, thus focussing on future developments which might present new security challenges to the Union; focus PESCO efforts on projects with a strategic dimension and to those projects that contribute to the remedy of important capability and operational shortfalls;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Expects the Strategic Review of the first PESCO phase by the end of 2020; considers PESCO to be an instrument that contributes to sustainable and efficient EU defence cooperation by improving participating Member States’ defence capabilities and interoperability, especially in terms of the availability, flexibility and deployability of forces; recalls that PESCO projects should help maximising the effectiveness of defence spending by reducing unnecessary overcapacity and uncoordinated procurement; calls Member States to comply with the ambitious and more binding common commitments they agreed upon;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls on participating Member States to show full political engagement and ensure tangible progress in the swift and effective implementation of the current PESCO projects; supports participation of the third countries in PESCO projects, given that such participation is in the strategic interest of the Union and provides an added value to certain projects;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Underlines the importance of military mobility; insists on the importance for military mobility projects to get suitable budget in the next MFF; stresses the complementarity of EU- NATO cooperation to improve military mobility across the European Union; welcomes the fact that the military mobility project is part of PESCO;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Highlights that NATO remains the cornerstone of collective defence for those Member States which are also members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; recalls that, following the ‘single set of forces’ principle, the development of EU defence capabilities will also benefitdoes not pose a competitive threat to the Alliance and will also benefit the overall capabilities of the EU and the Alliance;
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Considers it essential to maintain strong, close and special defence and security cooperation between the EU and the United Kingdom as both the EU and United Kingdom share the same strategic environment and the same threats to their peace and security;
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Is concerned that some global actors and an increasing number of regional actors are deliberately circumventing or attempting to destroy the rules-based international order and the values of sustainable peace, prosperity and freedom, which correspond to the foundations on which the European Union is built, are facing challenges; notes that the COVID- 19 pandemic has revealed and amplified existing global fragilities and tensions; stresses that the pandemic has strengthened public support for a Union that is less dependent on the rest of the world, more protecting and more autonomous, and for a stronger role for the European Union and for more European unity, solidarity and resilience; welcomes the Council’s conclusions of June 2020 advocating a strong European Union that promotes peace and security and protects its citizens;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Underlines the important role of the armed forces during the COVID-19 pandemic and welcomes military assistance to civil support operations, notably for the deployment of field hospitals, patient transport, and equipment delivery and distribution; considers that this valuable contribution has shown the importance of the Member States’ military assets and capabilities in support of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, as well as for humanitarian assistance purposes; reiterates the importance of mutual assistance and solidarity, in line with Article 42(7) TEU and Article 222 TFEU; encourages the setting up of European mechanisms aimed at facilitating the cross- border use of military logistical capabilities to face such emergencies, in order to allow for greater coordination, synergy, solidarity and support; stresses the need to increase the EU’s CBRN preparedness; stresses the need to intensify the monitoring and protection of vital and critical infrastructure, especially on undersea optic fibre internet cables;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Underlines the important role of the armed forces during the COVID-19 pandemic and welcomes military assistance to civil support operations, notably for the deployment of field hospitals, patient transport, and equipment delivery and distribution; considers that this valuable contribution has shown the importance of the Member States’ military assets and capabilities in support of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, as well as for humanitarian assistance purposes; reiterates the importance of mutual assistance and solidarity, in line with Article 42(7) TEU and Article 222 TFEU; considers it necessary to move forward and to increase military mobility; encourages the setting up of European mechanisms aimed at facilitating the cross- border use of military logistical capabilities to face such emergencies, in order to allow for greater coordination, synergy, solidarity and support; stresses the need to increase the EU’s CBRN preparedness;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Underlines the important role of the armed forces during the COVID-19 pandemic and welcomes military assistance to civil support operations, notably for the deployment of field hospitals, patient transport, and equipment delivery and distribution; considers that this valuable contribution has shown the importance of the Member States’ military assets and capabilities in support of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, as well as for humanitarian assistance purposes; reiterates the importance ofneed to take stock of the lessons learned in order to reinforce mutual assistance and solidarity, in line with Article 42(7) TEU and Article 222 TFEU; encourages the setting up ofinsists on the need to set up European mechanisms aimed at facilitating the cross- border use of military logistical capabilities to face such emergencies, in order to allow for greater coordination, synergy, solidarity and support; stresses the need to increase the EU’s CBRN preparedness;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Considers it important to ensure a better link between internal and external aspects of EU policies to ensure that EU policies act towards common foreign and security policy goals, including the EU energy policy;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Welcomes the set of priorities and guidelines adopted for EU cooperation in the field of countering hybrid threats and enhancing resilience to these threats, including the fight against disinformation, and the setting up of a Rapid Alert System to facilitate cooperation with international partners such as the G7 and NATO; Calls on the EU to become the frontrunner of advocating for a collective self-defence and countermeasures cooperation framework against hybrid threats, eventually with a global coalition of liberal democracies, in the case a countermeasure by a democratic state being insufficient but an appeal to collective military self-defence would be too far reaching; invites the EU and its Member States to develop and strengthen the security of its information and communication systems, including secure communication channels; underlines the importance and the urgency for the EU to step up funding for its strategic communication and its Stratcom Task Forces and to address the growing and malign foreign interference and disinformation campaigns which threatens its democratic system; Calls on the EU to reverse the trend that nearly all scientists are working on new deep fakes- technology and only a handful on detection of malicious disinformation campaigns;
Amendment 348 #
30. Welcomes the set of priorities and guidelines adopted for EU cooperation in the field of countering hybrid threats and enhancing resilience to these threats, including the fight against disinformation, and the setting up of a Rapid Alert System to facilitate cooperation with international partners such as the G7 and NATO; invites the EU and its Member States to develop and strengthen the security of its information and communication systems, including secure communication channels; underlines the importance and the urgency for the EU to step up its strategic communication and to address the growing and malign foreign interference which threatens its democratic system; underlines the importance to cooperate and assist the partner countries, particularly in the immediate neighbourhood of the EU, in their efforts to address and counter the malign foreign interference, notably disinformation and propaganda, as in many cases such acts seek to divert these countries from the path of pro-democratic reforms and attack the European values and ideals;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Welcomes the set of priorities and guidelines adopted for EU cooperation in the field of countering hybrid threats and enhancing resilience to these threats, including the fight against disinformation, and the setting up of a Rapid Alert System to facilitate cooperation with international partners such as the G7 and NATO; invites the EU and its Member States to develop and strengthen the security of its information and communication systems, including secure communication channels; underlines the importance and the urgency for the EU to step up its strategic communication and to address the growing and malign foreign interference which threatens its democratic system; by implementing the relevant existing norms and by adopting, where necessary, the relevant legal provisions; insists on the need to provide sufficient personnel and funding to all EU services dealing with foreign interference and disinformation in order to better identify, investigate and counter attempts to interfere in EU democratic processes or EU actions abroad;
Amendment 358 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Considers that the EU must introduce a more robust strategy to counter aggressive disinformation interference campaigns and impose costs on countries that try to divide the EU and harm its interests; stresses the need to review the mandate of EEAS Strategic Communications team to address foreign interference by emerging actors like China;
Amendment 359 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Welcomes the adoption by the Council of a decision that, for the first time, allows the EU to impose targeted restrictive measures to deter and respond to cyber-attacks which constitute an external threat to the EU or its Member States, including cyber-attacks against third States or international organisations, and to impose sanctions on persons or entities responsible for cyber-attacks; stresses the need to improve the visa restriction system as part of the EU sanction mechanism, by making use of biometric visa procedures in order to restrict entities engaged in hybrid warfare to travel to the EU under a false identity; highlights the need to further integrate cyber aspects into the EU’s crisis management systems; underlines that closer cooperation in preventing and countering cyber-attacks is essential in these times of particular vulnerability in order to advance international security and stability in cyberspace and therefore urges all EU intelligence agencies to substantially increase mutual coordination and cooperation, analogue to the current counter-terrorism cooperation, extended to the fields of cyber and the technical developments of foreign adversaries; calls for support from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and for strong coordination with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in this respect; calls for increased EU coordination as regards establishing collective attribution for malicious cyber incidents;
Amendment 374 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Underlines that adequate levels of financial resources, personnel and assets are essential in order to ensure that the Union has the strength and the ability to promote peace and security within its borders and in the worlits close and extended neighbourhood;
Amendment 379 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Regrets the European Council’s current lack of ambition in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for defence initiatives; calls on the EU to build its own ballistic missiles defence system, as well as an integrated and layered strategic air defence system, also designed to counter hypersonic missiles; urges the Council to maintain an ambitious budget for the European Defence Fund and for military mobility at the level initially proposed by the Commission and adopted by Parliament at first reading; recalls that European citizens have clearly and consistently called for the Union to step up its role in delivering sustainable stability and security, and this can only be achieved with the necessary financial means and an ambitious MFF in the area of external action and defence;
Amendment 407 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Exhorts the US and the Russian Federation to make further progress in negotiations on prolonging the New START Treaty, which is due to expire in February 2021; believes that an extension of the Treaty would give both signatories additional time to pursue negotiations with a view to agreeing on a new arms control instrument; cCalls for the immediate involvement of other states, especially China, in any existing (such as NEW START, INF and the Open Skies Treaty) or in future negotiations on nuclear arms control instruments;
Amendment 413 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Expresses its deep regret at the decision taken by the US to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, a major arms control instrument which has contributed to trust-building and to providing smaller states with a valuable capability to monitor and verify the military activities of their neighbours; calls on the remaining signatories to continue implementing the Treaty, while ensuring that it remains functional and useful; calls on the US to repeal its decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty;
Amendment 423 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Asks the VP/HR to bring forward proposals to strengthen the available expertise in non-proliferation and arms control in the EU and to ensure that the EU plays a strong and constructive role in developing and reinforcing the global rules-based non-proliferation efforts and arms control and disarmament architecture; welcomes the appointment of a new Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non- Proliferation in this respect; realises that new international agreements in the field of arms control are urgently needed; states that in the context of nuclear deterrence, the development of hypersonic missiles can undermine the principles of mutually assured destruction and therefore calls for a worldwide arms control treaty on the use, range, speed, doctrine, inspection on nuclear payloads, and placement near coastlines of hypersonic weapon systems, initiated by the EU;
Amendment 426 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Reiterates its full commitment to the preservation of effective international arms control, disarmament and non- proliferation regimes as a cornerstone of global and European security; stresses its full support to the work of the UNODA and to the UN Agenda for Disarmament; recalls its commitment to pursuing policies designed to move forward the reduction and elimination of all nuclear arsenals and to achieve a world without nuclear weapons;
Amendment 427 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Reiterates its full commitment to the preservatExpresses its deep concerns regarding the erosion of effective international arms control, disarmament and non- proliferation regimes as a, which is the cornerstone of global and European security; stresses its full support to the work of the UNODA and to the UN Agenda for Disarmament; recalls its commitment to pursuingurges the VP- HR to take action in order to strengthen policies designed to move forward the reduction and elimination of all nuclear arsenals and to achieve a world without nuclear weapons;
Amendment 436 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Welcomes the Council conclusions on the review of the Common Position; is of the firm view that, as the EU is increasingly ambitious in the defence area, there is a need for greater convergence and consistency in the Member States’ arms export policies; calls on Member States to fully comply with the Common Position; calls for a sanctions mechanism to be put in place against Member States that do not comply with the Common Position; welcomes the efforts made to increase the transparency and the public and parliamentary scrutiny of arms exports; calls for joint efforts to improve risk assessments, end-user checks and post- shipment verifications;
Amendment 444 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Calls for the EU to take the lead in global efforts to set up a comprehensive regulatory framework for the development and use of AI-enabled weapons; calls on the VP/HR, the Member States and the European Council to adopt a joint position on autonomous weapons systems that ensures meaningful human control over the critical functions of weapons systems; insists on the start of international negotiations on a legally binding instrument that would prohibit fullycommon definition and a framework on the use of autonomous weapons;