Activities of Giusi PRINCI
Plenary speeches (3)
World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health (debate)
Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (debate)
Closing the EU skills gap: supporting people in the digital and green transitions to ensure inclusive growth and competitiveness in line with the Draghi report (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a Council decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States
Written questions (2)
Incidents on Ryanair planes – concerns for passenger safety
Concerns about the absence of a commissioner for equality, and the future for the rights of people with disabilities
Amendments (33)
Amendment 24 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the rise in authoritarianism, illiberalism and populism threatens the global rules-based order, the protection and promotion of human rights in the world, the defence of equal opportunities, as well as the values and principles on which the EU is founded;
Amendment 28 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. Whereas the Istanbul Convention, which the European Union recently joined, despite being ratified by only some Member States, affirms that armed conflicts result in repeated human rights violations affecting civilian populations, especially women, who are subject to widespread or systematic rape and sexual violence, as well as the potential intensification of gender-based violence during and after conflicts; whereas the above mentioned Convention defines violence against women as a human rights violation;
Amendment 32 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas human rights defenders (HRDs), activists for women rights, and civil society organisations (CSOs) are crucial partners in the EU’s efforts to safeguard and advance human rights, equal opportunities, democracy and the rule of law, as well as to prevent conflicts globally; whereas governments around the world are increasingly censoring, silencing and harassing HRDs and CSOs in their work; whereas this behaviour includes measures encompassing strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), restrictive government policies, defamation campaigns, discrimination, intimidation and violence, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, and arbitrary arrests and detention; whereas attacks on HRDs are increasingly extending to their families and communities;
Amendment 35 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas, in a joint statement on the occasion of the International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders, several United Nations special rapporteurs emphasized that "women human rights defenders face additional barriers of economic and structural discrimination, as well as unique challenges rooted in deep-seated discrimination against women and stereotypes related to gender and sexuality embedded in patriarchal societies", and thus that ensuring their safety should be a priority; whereas in the UN Women statement on the International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders on 29 November 2022, it is stated that we must urgently protect the lives and work of women human rights defenders, that their right to participate and express their independent opinions is non-negotiable, and that it is essential to ensure an enabling environment for their work, including legislation that protects and supports them and ensures accountability for those who attack them;
Amendment 40 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas new technologies, including social media, have been shown to significantly impact the realm of democracy and human rights, influencing, for example, the outcomes of democratic elections or providing a platform for activists otherwise unable to pursue their causes and civic engagement; whereas artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and machine learning will increasingly impact democratic status and human rights, posing new challenges but also providing important opportunities that should not be underestimated;
Amendment 41 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)
Recital J b (new)
Jb. whereas the Council of Europe adopted in May 2024 the first legally binding international treaty aimed at ensuring respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in the application of artificial intelligence (AI) systems; whereas this treaty, open to non- European countries as well, establishes a legal framework covering the entire life cycle of AI systems and addresses associated risks while promoting responsible innovation; whereas the convention adopts a risk-based approach to the design, development, use, and deactivation of AI systems, requiring careful examination of all potential negative consequences arising from the use of such technologies;
Amendment 47 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that the EU must be fully prepared to counter the rise of authoritarianism, illiberalism and populism, as well as the increasing attacks on the universality of human rights, democracy and international humanitarian law; whereas they have disproportionate negative impacts on women, as illiberal gender policies undermine the rights of vulnerable people, including victims of violence;
Amendment 56 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Condemns the increasing trend of violations and abuses of human rights and democratic principles and values across the world, such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, female genital mutilation, clampdowns on civil society and political opponents, excessive use of violence by public authorities, censorship and threats to independent media, political attacks against international institutions, and increasing use of unlawful methods of war in grave breach of international humanitarian law and human rights law, among others; deplores the weakening of the protection of democratic institutions and processes, and the shrinking space for civil societies around the world;
Amendment 68 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes with satisfaction that there are also ‘human rights bright spots’ within this context of major challenges to human rights worldwide; underlines the need for a more strategic communication on human rights and democracy by spreading news about positive results, policies and best practices; supports the Good Human Rights Stories initiative9 as a way of promoting positive stories about human rights; supports the awarding by the European Parliament of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, noting that in the last two editions it has been awarded to women activists for democracy and human rights, such as Jina Mahsa Amini and the Iranian protest movement "Woman, Life, Freedom" in 2023, and María Corina Machado, leader of the Venezuelan democratic forces, in 2024; _________________ 9 https://goodhumanrightsstories.net/.
Amendment 74 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls the fundamental role of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe, including its thematic programme on human rights and democracy, as a flagship EU instrument in promoting and protecting human rights and democracy around the world; highlights the need to engage with civil society in all the EU’s relevant external activities; reiterates the importance of streamlining a human- rights based approach in the EU’s external action instruments; underlines Parliament’s role in the instrument’s programming process and calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to share all relevant information in a timely manner in order to enable Parliament to play its role accordingly, in particular during high-level geopolitical dialogues with the Commission; recalls that NDICI – Global Europe promotes gender equality, the rights and empowerment of women and girls, and non-discrimination on any grounds, through targeted and integrated actions, at least 85% of which should have gender equality as a primary or significant objective as defined by the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s gender equality policy marker;
Amendment 86 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates its concern regarding the increasing attacks by authoritarian and illiberal regimes on democratic principles and values; stresses that the defence and support of democracy around the world is increasingly becoming of geopolitical and strategic interest; emphasises the importance of Parliament’s efforts, also thanks to the role of its Delegations, in capacity-building for partner parliaments, promoting mediation and encouraging a culture of dialogue and compromise, especially among young political leaders, and empowering women parliamentarianthe promotion of women's access to political participation, both within institutions and in the public, associative, and civic spheres, HRDs and representatives from civil society and independent media; reiterates its call on the Commission to continue and expand its activities in these areas by increasing funding and support for EU bodies, agencies and other grant-based organisations; stresses the critical importance of directly supporting civil society and persons expressing dissenting views, particularly in the current climate of growing global tensions and repression in increasing numbers of countries; reiterates the importance of EU election observation missions and Parliament’s contribution to developing and enhancing their methodology; calls for enhanced collaboration between Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group, the relevant Commission directorates-general and the EEAS;
Amendment 89 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Is extremely concerned by the continuing restriction of civil society space and rising threats to the work of HRDs, particularly women, as well as their families, communities and lawyers, and finds particularly concerning the increasingly sophisticated means used to persecute them; supports wholeheartedly the work of HRDs and EU action to ensure their protection worldwide; calls for the complete and consistent application of the EU Guidelines on HRDs by the EU and its Member States; calls for efforts to strengthen the visibility of EU actions and channels for the protection and support of HRDs:
Amendment 102 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Recognises the potential for stronger alignment in approaches to human rights protection and promotion between Member States’ embassies and EU delegations in non-EU countries; emphasises the opportunity for Member States’ embassies to take an increasingly active role in advancing and safeguarding human rights, while also supporting civil society in these countries; highlights the importance of shared responsibility between Member States and EU delegations, supported by the Delegations of the European Parliament, in these efforts; calls for the EU and its Member States to intensify their collective efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and to support democracy worldwide;
Amendment 118 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all of the EU’s external policies; calls for more concerted efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of children’s rights in crisis or emergency situations; condemns the decline in respect for the rights of the child and the increasing violations and abuses of these rights, which statistically affects girls and young women more frequently, including through violence, early and forced marriage, sexual abuse including genital mutilation, trafficking, child labour, recruitment of child soldiers, lack of access to education and healthcare, malnutrition and extreme poverty; further condemns the increase in death of children in situations of armed conflict and stresses the need for effective protection of children’s rights in active warfare; reiterates its call for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all EU external policies;
Amendment 133 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Stresses that women’s rights and gender equality are indispensable and indivisible human rights, as well as a basis for the rule of law and inclusive resilient democracies; stresses that gender-based violence against women and girls is the most widespread but least visible human rights violation in the world; deplores the fact that millions of women and girls continue to experience discrimination and violence, especially in the context of conflicts, and are denied their dignity, autonomy and even life; calls for the EU, its Member States and like- minded partners to step up their efforts to ensure the full enjoyment and protection of women’s and girls’ human rights; condemns in the strongest terms the increasing attacks on sexual and reproductive health and rights around the world, as well as gender-based violence; welcomes the accession of the EU to the Istanbul Convention and urges Member States that have not yet adhered to do so; calls for the EU and its international partners to strengthen their efforts to ensure that women fully enjoy human rights and are treated equally to men; stresses the need to pursue efforts to fully eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation;
Amendment 164 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Is concerned by the challenges to the full enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities; reiterates its calls for the EU to assist partner countries in the development of policies in support of carers of persons with disabilities, drawing on recent legislative initiatives such as the European Disability Card for EU citizens and residents of third countries; calls for the EU, in its external policy, to make use of the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 as a tool to improve the situation of persons with disabilities, particularly concerning poverty and discrimination, but also problems with access to education, healthcare and employment, and participation in political life, issues that, in the case of women with disabilities, result in a severe situation of multiple discrimination;
Amendment 190 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Highlights that in many regions of the world, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are often the driving force of local economies; underlines that MSMEs account for 90 % of businesses, 60 to 70 % of employment and 50 % of gross domestic product worldwide; highlights the importance of MSMEs in their contribution to the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the sustainable development goals, namely those on the eradication of poverty and decent work for all; stresses the difficulties faced by MSMEs, particularly those led by women, in maintaining competitiveness in the global market and ensuring adequate access to loans and credit, which should be promoted through EU programs and funds, as well as through the European Investment Bank for access to microfinance;
Amendment 195 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Is concerned by the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) can pose to democracy and human rights, especially if it is not duly regulated, but also looks optimistically at the opportunities for participation and expression that AI could foster through its ethically sound and legally regulated use ; welcomes the Council conclusions on Digital Diplomacy of 26 June 2023 to strengthen the EU’s role and leadership in global digital governance, in particular its position as a shaper of the global digital rulebook; welcomes, in this regard, the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human wellbeing; notes with concern the adverse effects of the ‘fake content industry’ on the right to information and press freedom, including the rapid development of AI and the subsequent empowerment of the disinformation industry12 ; _________________ 12 Reporters Without Borders, ‘2023 World Press Freedom Index – journalism threawhich primarily affects women, victims of unauthorized sharing of altenred by fake content industry’ https://rsf.org/en/2023-world-press- freedom-index-journalism-threatened- fake-content-industry.contents and sexually explicit and/or pornographic "deepfakes";
Amendment 198 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 a (new)
Paragraph 42 a (new)
42a. Welcomes the adoption in May 2024 of the first Convention on “Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law” by the Council of Europe, aimed at ensuring that activities within the entire life cycle of AI systems are fully consistent with human rights, democracy, and the rule of law; reiterates the need for greater legislative attention to the profound changes arising from activities within the life cycle of AI systems, which have the potential to promote human prosperity, individual and social well-being, sustainable development, gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls, but also the risk to create or exacerbate inequalities and incentivise cyber and physical violence, including violence experienced by women and individuals in vulnerable situations;
Amendment 201 #
2024/2081(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 b (new)
Paragraph 42 b (new)
42b. Reiterates the need to establish a globally applicable legal framework setting out general principles and common rules to govern activities throughout the life cycle of AI systems, effectively preserving shared values and harnessing the benefits of artificial intelligence to promote such values in a manner conducive to responsible innovation; encourages the European Union to champion such legislative innovation, and therefore calls on the European Commission to focus more closely on the risks and opportunities of such machine learning systems in the fields of human rights, democracy, as well as equal opportunities and violence against women.
Amendment 5 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 4
(4) In order to enhance economic and social progress and upward convergence, support the green and digital transitions, strengthen the Union industrial base and achieve inclusive, competitive and resilient labour markets in the Union, Member States should address labour and skills shortages and promote quality and inclusive education and training, with a particular focus on improving basic skills, especially among disadvantaged students, and on STEM (science, technology, enginerering and mathematiscs) in school and higher education, future-oriented vocational education and training, and lifelong upskilling and reskilling, as well as effective active labour market policies and improved working conditions and career opportunities. Member States should take prevention and prompt intervention measures to reduce early school leaving, with a particular focus on students at risk. Such measures will include psychological support, mentoring, career guidance and extracurricular activities to foster students' interest and participation, to ensure inclusive and quality education for all. This is of particular relevance for the less developed, remote and outermost regions of the EU, where the needs are the greatest. Shortages can be further addressed by improving fair intra- EU mobility, as well as among regions within the same Member State, for workers and learners and attracting talent from outside the EU. In addition, the links between the education and training systems and the labour market should be strengthenedWithin this context, special attention to NEETs, namely young people who are neither engaged in education nor in employment or training, is essential. Member states should promote specific policies to reintegrate NEETs into the education system or the labour market through targeted training, guidance and job placement programs. In addition, the links between the education and training systems and the labour market should be strengthened, fostering the acquisition of transversal knowledge and soft skills, as well as encouraging the internationalisation of the educational offer, especially for universities, and skills, knowledge and competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning recognised.
Amendment 9 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4 a) Member States shall promote the development of digital and green skills by integrating specific courses into school and vocational curricula. This includes the creation and implementation of continuous training programmes for workers to adapt to new technologies and sustainable practices. Member States must encourage lifelong learning as well as further training for adult workers by promoting retraining and skills upgrading programmes in cooperation with companies and educational institutions. These programmes should be accessible, flexible and geared to the needs of the labour market. In particular, artificial intelligence should be used to identify at early stage, detect, and close skills gaps in the workforce, provide tailor-made educational support, and implement prevention and intervention tools against gender-based violence in the workplace.
Amendment 10 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 4 b (new)
(4 b) In accordance with the objectives of the European Year of Skills promoted by the European Union, Member States should increase their efforts to promote women's participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects through the introduction of specific support programmes for girls and young women, starting from primary school to higher education. Member States are also encouraged to integrate policies that promote the inclusion of women in STEM careers, thus reducing the gender gap in strategic areas for economic growth and innovation.
Amendment 38 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 12 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Despite the progress made, significant wage disparities between men and women still persist in many areas of the Union. Member States, starting with an effective and rigorous implementation of Directive 2023/970, are invited to take measures to ensure wage transparency, implement monitoring policies and stimulate companies to implement equal pay action plans.
Amendment 41 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 13 – paragraph 1
Discrimination in all its forms should be tackled, gender equality ensured and employment of young people supported. Equal access and opportunities for all should be ensured and poverty and social exclusion, in particular that of children, persons with disabilities and the Roma people, should be reduced, in particular by ensuring an effective functioning of labour markets and adequate and inclusive social protection systems, as set out in the Council Recommendation of 8 November 2019 and the Council Recommendation of 30 January 2023 (39). In addition, barriers to inclusive and future-oriented education, training, lifelong learning and labour- market participation should be removed and Member States should invest in early childhood education and care, in line with the European Child Guarantee and the Council Recommendation on early childhood education and care (the ‘Barcelona targets for 2030’), in making vocational education and training more attractive and inclusive in line with the Council Recommendation on vocational education and training, and in digital and green skills, in line with the Digital Education Action Plan and the Council Recommendation on learning for the green transition and sustainable development and the Council Recommendation on Pathways for School Success. Access to affordable housing, including through social housing, is a necessary condition for ensuring equal opportunities. Timely and equal access to affordable high-quality long-term care, in line with the Council Recommendation on access to affordable high-quality long-term care, and healthcare services, including prevention and healthcare promotion, are particularly relevant, in light of potential future health risks and in a context of ageing societies. It is also necessary to encourage the adoption of measures to reduce the existing wage differences between European regions, which particularly exist in certain job categories, such as teachers, considering that a more inclusive socio-economic convergence can positively affect the distribution of opportunities across the Union. Finally, Member States should include in their academic curricula programmes of European citizenship education and values, promoting understanding and appreciation of the fundamental principles of the European Union, such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law, in order to foster greater awareness and active participation of young people in European democratic life. __________________ 39 Council Recommendation of 30 January 2023 on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion (OJ C 41, 3.2.2023, p.1).
Amendment 68 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 5
In the context of the digital and green transitions, demographic change and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Member States should promote sustainability, productivity, competitiveness, employability and human capital development, fostering acquisition of skills and competences throughout people’s lives and responding to current and future labour market needs, also in light of the Union and national headline targets for 2030 on skills. Member States should also modernise and invest in their education and training systems to provide high quality and inclusive education and training including vocational education and training, improve educational outcomes and the provision of skills and competences needed for the green and digital transitions, and ensure access to digital learning, language training (e.g. in the case of refugees including from Ukraine or in facilitating labour market access in cross-border regions) and the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills. Member States should work together with the social partners, education and training providers, enterprises and other stakeholders, also in the context of the action plan to tackle labour and skills shortages put forward by the Commission in March 2024, to address structural weaknesses in education and training systems and improve their quality and labour-market relevance, including through targeted financial and technical support. This would also contribute to enabling the green and digital transitions, addressing skills mismatches and labour shortages, including for activities related to net-zero and digital industries, including those relevant for the EU’s economic security, and those related to the green transition, such as renewable energy deployment or buildings’ renovation. Attention should be paid also to entrepreneurial skills, which are not yet included in typical educational plans. Encouraging entrepreneurship from an early stage could significantly enhance its integration into academic and training programs throughout Europe.
Amendment 100 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 13
The mobility of learners, apprentices and workers should be increased and adequately supported, especially for learners in vocational education and training with fewer mobility experiences, with the aim of enhancing their skills and employability, exploiting the full potential of the European labour market and contributing to EU-level competitiveness. Obstacles to intra-EU labour mobility, including procedures to recognise professional qualifications or transfer acquired social security rights, should be tackled. This also involves reducing the complexity of the Single Market by ensuring that the information and documentation requirements for Member States are significantly simplified and standardized, for instance, within the framework of the SMET (Single Market Enforcement Taskforce). Additionally, Member States should allow the submission of documents in other European languages. Fair and decent conditions for all those pursuing a cross- border activity should be ensured by avoiding discrimination and ensuring equal treatment with EU nationals, enforcing national and EU legislation and stepping up administrative cooperation between national administrations with regard to mobile workers, benefitting from the assistance of the European Labour Authority.
Amendment 103 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 14
The mobility of workers in critical occupations and of cross-border, seasonal and posted workers should be supported in the case of temporary border closures triggered by public health considerations. Member States should further engage in talent partnerships to enhance legal migration pathways by launching new mobility schemes and provide for an effective integration policy for workers and their families, encompassing education and training, including language training, employment, health and housing. A swift and efficient adoption and implementation of the EU Talent Pool would provide Member States with a user- friendly tool, avoiding the creation of parallel systems. This should be paired with an ambitious transposition of the EU Blue Card Directive.
Amendment 50 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Would like to see more resources allocated to the promotion of European agri-food products and food education initiatives, with special reference to programs aimed at young people for increased fruit and vegetables consumption;
Amendment 76 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the strengthening of support measures for young farmers and in particular, female entrepreneurs;
Amendment 83 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to provide sufficient funding for the agricultural reserve to safeguard food security and autonomy;
Amendment 91 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
Amendment 123 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses the need to better address the impact of floods, droughts and wildfires on primary production, food security and farmers’' income and to establish a fund designated for the compensation of damages from wildlife and large carnivores.