20 Amendments of Marco TARQUINIO related to 2024/0071(COD)
Amendment 16 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The Partnership Priorities reflect the shared commitment of the EU and Egypt to reinforce cooperation in support of Egypt’s ‘Sustainable Development Strategy Vision 2030’ and the EU’s determination to act on renewed impetus to strengthen the partnership with its Southern Neighbourhood. Namely, in the European Council Conclusions of 10-11 December 20201 , the EU stated its strategic priority for a democratic, more stable, greener and more prosperous Southern Neighbourhood as a strategic priority. The EU Agenda for the Mediterranean and its Economic and Investment Plan for the Southern Neighbours set out in the EU Joint Communication on the Southern Neighbourhood of 9 February 2021 present the EU’s objectives to achieve long-term, sustainable socioeconomic recovery and resilience, to enhance the respect for fundamental freedoms and rule of law and to advance the twin green and digital transitions in the region. _________________ 1 European Council meeting, Brussels, 10- 11 December 2022, EUCO 22/10, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/ press-releases/2020/12/11/european- council-conclusions-10-11-december- 2020/
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In line with the Partnership Priorities, the EU and Egypt are committed to ensuring accountability, the rule of law, the full respect of human rights, fundamental freedoms, promoting democracy, gender equality and equal opportunities as constitutional rights of all their citizens. These commitments contribute to the advancement of the partnership and to Egypt’s sustainable development and stability. The increased and constructive engagement between the EU and Egypt in the last period has opened the path to more meaningful dialogue on human rights related issues. The subcommittee on Political Matters, Human Rights and Democracy, International and Regional issues of December 2022 and the Association Committee of May 2023 provided the institutional platforms to exchange on an array of human rights issues, which the EU would like to continue and build on. The improvement of the human rights situation in Egypt will have a positive impact onis a precondition to improve EU-Egypt relations.
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Recalling the geo-political challenges, such as the consequences of Hamas terrorist attacks across Israel on 7 October 2023 and the disproportionate military reaction by the Israel Defense Forces, as well as the conflict in Sudan, and the strategic importance of Egypt as the largest country in the region and a pillar of stability for the whole Middle East, the Union is embarking on concluding a Strategic and Comprehensive partnership with Egypt as outlined in the Joint Declaration.
Amendment 41 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Egypt’s macro-fiscal situation has faced significant challenges and deteriorated substantially over recent months, as external pressures have intensified and public debt has increased further, with substantial downside risks to the economic outlook persisting. The repercussions of Russia’s war on Ukraine and of Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel and the disproportionate military reaction by the IDF have led to protracted capital outflows and lower foreign currency receipts, notably due to sharply falling income from tourism and Suez Canal proceeds. This is particularly challenging amid Egypt’s difficult fiscal situation, which is characterised by constant fiscal deficits and high and growing debt to GDP ratios.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) The Commission should ensure that the Union's macro-financial assistance is legally and substantially in line with the key principles, objectives and measures taken within the different areas of external action, and notably with Article 2 of the EU-Egypt Association Agreement of 2004 concerning the respect of democratic principles and fundamental human rights and with other relevant Union policies.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) The Union's macro-financial assistance should supportbe conditioned upon Egypt's commitment to foster values shared with the Union, including democracy, the rule of law, good governance, respect for human rights, sustainable development and poverty reduction, as well as its commitment to the principles of open, rules-based and fair trade.
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) A pre-condition for granting the Union's macro-financial assistance to Egypt should be that the country continues to make concrete and credible steps towards respecting effective democratic mechanisms – including a multi-party parliamentary system – and the rule of law, and guarantees respect for human rights, with notable focus on legislative reforms improving the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, introducing a moratorium on death penalty, combating torture and enforced disappearances, and improving the conditions of prisons. In addition, the specific objectives of the Union's macro- financial assistance should strengthen the efficiency, transparency and accountability of the public finance management systems, the governance and supervision of the financial sector in Egypt and promote structural reforms aimed at supporting sustainable and inclusive growth, decent employment creation and fiscal consolidation. The fulfillment of the pre- condition and the achievement of the specific objectives should be regularly monitored by the Commission services and the European External Action Service.
Amendment 59 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) The Union's macro-financial assistance should be managed by the Commission. In order to ensure that the European Parliament and the Council are able to follow the implementation of this Decision, the Commission should regularly inform them with an annual report of developments relating to the assistance, including on the respect of effective democratic mechanisms, and provide them with relevant documents.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
The release of the Union's macro-financial assistance shall be managed by the Commission in a manner consistent with the agreements or understandings reached between the IMF and Egypt, and with the key principles and objectives of economic and democratic reforms set out in the EU- Egypt Association Agreement.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
The Commission shall regularly inform the European Parliament and the Council of developments regarding the Union's macro-financial assistance, including disbursements thereof, and shall provide those institutions with the relevant documentss well as on the progress on the economic and democratic reforms in Egypt, and shall provide those institutions with the relevant documents - including assessments by independent non-governmental organizations - in due time.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 5
Article 1 – paragraph 5
5. Where the financing needs of Egypt decrease fundamentally during the period of the disbursement of the Union's macro- financial assistance compared to the initial projections, the Commission, acting in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 7(2), shall reduce the amount of the assistance or suspend or cancel it. The Commission shall inform the Parliament and the Council with a yearly report on the respect of effective democratic mechanisms - including a multi-party parliamentary system - and the rule of law, and guarantees respect for human rights. The Parliament and the Council shall commonly assess the report and, should they agree on finding a significant decline in the respect for democratic and good governance mechanisms, the Commission, acting in accordance with the examination procedure refered to in Article 7(2), shall reduce the amount of the assistance or suspend or cancel it.
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1
1. A pre-condition for granting the Union's macro-financial assistance shall be that Egypt continues to make concrete and credible steps towards respecting effective democratic mechanisms – including a multi-party parliamentary system – and the rule of law, and guarantees respect for human rights, with notable focus on legislative reforms improving the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, introducing a moratorium on death penalty, combating torture and enforced disappearances, improving the conditions of prisons.
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission services and the European External Action Service shall monitor the fulfilment of this pre-condition throughout the life-cycle of the Union's macro-financial assistance and shall present to the Parliament and to the Council a yearly report on the respect of effective democratic mechanisms.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission, in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 7(2), shall agree with the Egyptian authorities on clearly defined democratic, economic policy and financial conditions, focusing on the respect of effective democratic mechanisms, structural reforms and sound public finances, to which the Union's macro- financial assistance is to be subject, to be laid down in a Memorandum of Understanding ("the Memorandum of Understanding") which shall include a timeframe for the achievement of those democratic and economic reforms. The economic policy and financial conditions set out in the Memorandum of Understanding shall be consistent with the agreements or understandings referred to in Article 1(3), including the macroeconomic adjustment and structural reform programmes implemented by Egypt with the support of the IMF.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The conditions referred to in paragraph 1 shall aim, in particular, at introducing reforms towards respecting effective democratic mechanisms - including a multi-party parliamentary system - and the rule of law, and guarantees respect for human rights, with notable focus on legislative reforms improving the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, introducing a moratorium on death penalty, combating torture and enforced disapearances, improving the situation of prisoners, as well as enhancing the efficiency, transparency and accountability of the public finance management systems in Egypt, including for the use of the Union's macro-financial assistance. Progress in mutual market opening, the development of rules-based and fair trade, good governance, fight against corruption, and other priorities in the context of the Union's external policy shall also be duly taken into account when designing the policy measures. Progress in attaining those objectives shall be regularly monitored by the Commission.
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 4
Article 3 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall verify, at regular intervals, that the conditions referred to in Article 4(3) continue to be met, including whether the democratic situation in Egypt is in line with Article 2 of the EU-Egypt Association Agreement of 2004 concerning the respect of democratic principles and fundamental human rights, and whether the economic policies of Egypt are in accordance with the objectives of the Union's macro- financial assistance. For that verification, the Commission shall coordinate closely with the IMF and the World Bank, and, where necessary, with the European Parliament and the Council.
Amendment 94 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. Subject to the conditions in paragraph 3, the Union's macro-financial assistance shall be made available by the Commission in instalments. The size of each instalment shall be laid down in the Memorandum of Understanding referred to in Article 3. An instalment may be disbursed in one or more tranches, depending on the Parliament's and Council's positive assessment of the Commission yearly report.
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) the pre-condition set out in Article 2(1), with notable focus on legislative reforms improving the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, introducing a moratorium on the death penalty, combating torture and enforced disappearances, improving the conditions of prisons ;
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) the satisfactory implementation of the democratic reforms, economic policy conditions and financial conditions agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding.
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point -a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point -a (new)
(-a) assess concrete and credible steps towards respecting effective democratic mechanisms - including a multi-party parliamentary system - and the rule of law, and guarantees respect for human rights, with notable focus on legislative reforms improving the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, introducing a moratorium on death penalty, combating torture and enforced disappearances, improving the conditions of prisons ;