159 Amendments of André BRIE
Amendment 11 #
2008/2324(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital A
Recital A
A. strongly concerned about the lack of progress in achieving concrete objectives (such as the so-called "13 steps"1) in pursuit of the goals of the NPT Treaty, arejection by the nuclear weapons States in 2005 of the action programme consisting of 13 specific steps agreed on at the previous Review Conferenceew conference in 2000, concerning in particular the undertakings given regarding full dismantling of nuclear arsenals, especially now that threats are arising from a variety of sources, including increasing proliferation going hand in hand with the greater demand for, and availability of, nuclear technology, the potential for such technology and 1 United Nations: 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, NPT/CONF.2000/28 (Parts I and II). radioactive material to fall into the hands of criminal organisations and terrorists, and the reluctance of nuclear weapons States that are signatories to the NPT to reduce or eliminate their nuclear arsenals, distance themselves from an inequitable and anachronistic concept of security, under which domestic nuclear weapons are considered a legitimate and indispensable element in ensuring the safety of their holders and international stability and decrease their adherence to a military doctrine of nuclear deterrence,
Amendment 24 #
2008/2324(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Amendment 30 #
2008/2324(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
Dc. welcoming the plans of US President Obama to convene the most ambitious arms reduction talks with Russia for a generation, aimed at reducing each country's stockpiles of nuclear weapons by 80% and cutting the number of nuclear warheads to 1 000 each; welcoming the review of the Bush administration's plan for a US missile defence shield in the Czech Republic and Poland,
Amendment 31 #
2008/2324(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
Dd. expecting US President Obama to reverse the Bush doctrine on pre-emption, particularly because the use of tactical nuclear weapons in pre-emptive strikes is not excluded,
Amendment 5 #
2008/2239(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Considers that Europe must act as a role model in respect of sustainability and energy efficiency and that the European Union must therefore take a lead role on the issues of renewable energies and energy efficiency worldwide and export its knowledge and expertise in this field; underlines the need to utilise this potential especially in the bilateral dialogue with emerging countries such as China and India;
Amendment 16 #
2008/2239(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Considers that the European Union should intensify the transatlantic dialogue and cooperation with the US, as the largest consumer of energy, in respect of sustainability and energy efficiency;
Amendment 22 #
2008/2239(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 3 #
2008/2212(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that the EU's nascent energy policy will remain weak as long as there is no suitable Treaty basis for energy and energy security and it lacks apolitical consensus on energy policy and therefore no coherent strategy vis-à- vis its main external suppliers; supports the Lisbon Treaty, which contains an energy solidarity clause and makes energy policy a shared residea of an energy solidarity rule within the EU, which in a crisis situation could guarantee a greater measure of security for all EU countries and give them an equal level of energy security, which would ultimately also avoid the ponssibility between the EU and the Member States, as a step in the right directionof EU Member States being played off against each other;
Amendment 7 #
2008/2212(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Points out that, in particular, the geopolitical impact of the changes in global conditions for international energy security and the consequences for future international governance policy have not yet been adequately considered and debated by the EU; considers that a continued reliance on national solutions must give way to new and close forms of political and economic cooperation between the EU, the US, Russia and China, which must also be given institutional form in the medium term;
Amendment 11 #
2008/2212(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates the importance of greater diversification of the EU's energy sources and supply routes, in order to mitigate the effects of a possible future oil crunch, while recognising the diversity of situations in which various Member States find themselves when it comes to energy mix, import dependency and infrastructure availability, particularly for 'energy islands' in the EU; supports a greater use of sustainable biofuels and acknowledges the importance of nuclear energy in order to improve energy securitonly those biofuels that meet sustainability criteria in their procurement and manufacture, and regards strategies to increase energy efficiency as far more promising than efforts to revitalise nuclear energy; notes that non- conventional oil is expected to play an important role in counterbalancing the decline in production from existing fields; underlines that new oil infrastructure projects such as the Odessa-Gdansk and Constan a-Trieste pipelines should continue to be high-priority projects of European interest;
Amendment 14 #
2008/2212(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Amendment 15 #
2008/2212(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises the role of the Arctic in the formulation of the Energy Policy for Europe and in relation to climate change and sustainable development, as proposed by the March 2007 European Council; notes with particular concern the ongoing race for hydrocarbon resources in the Arctic, which may lead to security threats for the EU as well as overall international instability; calls on the Commission to pay specific attention to hydrocarbons in its Communication on strategic issues related to the Arctic;
Amendment 12 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that this policy has to combine the use of both civil and military assets and capabilities and necessitates close and seamless cooperation betwemust be characterised by multilateralism, a commitment to international law and international institutions and that any measures to be implemented must be based on the logic of law enforcement all stakeholdersnd not of warfare;
Amendment 19 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that transparency and cost- efficiency are crucial to ensure public support for European defenceis crucial and therefore a wider political debate should be conducted in public mainly because the European Security Strategy defines the Union's fundamental values and objectives and illustrates what it stands for;
Amendment 24 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Opposes the stipulations contained in articles 42 - 46 (of section 2 "Provisions on the common security and defence policy") of the Lisbon Treaty, and in particular the obligation for the Member States to "progressively ... improve their military capabilities", the establishment of a European Defence Agency, the possibility of the deployment of combat forces all over the world, the mutual defence and solidarity clause which binds all Member States to provide aid and assistance "by all means in their power", and the extension of the 'enhanced co- operation' to the defence and security field by encouraging a hard core of particularly capable states, to be achieved by what is known as ‘permanent structured cooperation’; expresses its deep concern about the fact that this newly embarked strategy of prioritizing security, defence and armament aspects will move the Union away from the model of a civil power;
Amendment 60 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Takes note that the 2003 European Security Strategy highlights the main threats faced by the European Union (terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, state failure and organised crime) and identifies strategic objectives, which have become the basis for substrategiesbut falls short as regards a comprehensive understanding of 'security' which does not neglect other equally important factors such as poverty and inequity, environmental degradation and climate change, over-population, resource allocation and the global challenges of famine, food shortages, and scarce resources of water and energy, disease and illiteracy;
Amendment 67 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Criticises the contradictory and ambiguous references in the ESS to the use of (EU) armed forces, which are at odds with, among other things, the observation that 'the fundamental framework for international relations is the United Nations Charter';
Amendment 70 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Demands the drawing up of a White Paper on European Security and Defence as a tool to ensure that tanalyse whether, rather than engage in this recently established security strategy is implemented in an efficient way, the Union should not instead continue the development of its strategy of European unification in external matters which it has successfully pursued for several decades – expanding the European project, spreading democracy and welfare, increasing the role of law in international politics, strengthening international cooperation and organisations promoting these aims;
Amendment 73 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Proposes that proposals for improving and complementing the ESS, such as the necessary strengthening of the civilian capabilities of the European Union for crisis and conflict prevention; to that end, there is a need for effective measures to defuse conflicts and structural measures to remove their causes; recalls in this context the reference in the draft strategy to the need for better co-ordination of policies and for international cooperation;
Amendment 94 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 108 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Regrets the fact that it was not possible after 1990 to establish an overall European security system, including Russia and based on the principles of the Organisation for Security and Co- operation in Europe (OSCE); notes that by contrast NATO enlargement is not intended to produce comprehensive security but to expand its defensive capability, thereby perpetuating the old balance-of-power politics and balancing, leading to a security dilemma which stands in the way of long-term cooperation with Russia based on trust;
Amendment 109 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Takes the view that the European Union should, together with the Russian Government, make security issues the main focus in the negotiations on a new treaty, and in so doing should take into account the proposal put forward by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on the creation of a genuinely great Europe as a continuation of the Helsinki Process and discuss vital issues such as missile defence, the CFE Treaty, NATO enlargement and regional conflicts given their mutual interest in partnership and strategic stability in Europe;
Amendment 114 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that the European Union needs the means to implement its policies and hence it needs both civil and military capabilities to strengthen the European Security and Defence Policy and to fulfil its responsibilities in the worldcivilian capabilities for crisis prevention and conflict prevention in particular must be strengthened; to that end, there is a need for effective measures to defuse conflicts and structural measures to remove their causes;
Amendment 121 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 131 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Points out that the EU Member States together spend more than EUR 200 billion per year on defence, which is more than half the defence expenditure of the United States; remains deeply concerned about the lack of efficiency and coordination in using those funds; urges therefore stronger efforts in eliminating unnecessary duplication between Member Statesize of those funds;
Amendment 134 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
Amendment 137 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 141 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
Amendment 150 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
Amendment 158 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
Amendment 163 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
Amendment 166 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
Amendment 171 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Considers that the United States' ballistic missile defence system has importantexclusively negative implications for Europe, as the subsystems based in the Czech Republic and Poland could also be used to protect parts of Europe; points out that NATO decided in Bucharest to complement this protection by additional elements; is of the opinion that it is necessary to make sure that European interests are safeguarded as regards the force structure, command and control and participation in research and developmentwhich conjures up the danger of a new arms race and also ignores the fact that the majority of the Polish and Czech populations are against the US missile defence shield; appeals to the newly- elected American President and the US Senate to renounce this project completely;
Amendment 179 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
Amendment 189 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
Amendment 193 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32a. Reaffirms its concern about the ongoing proliferation of SALW, which cause unnecessary human suffering, exacerbate armed conflict and instability, facilitate terrorism, undermine sustainable development, good governance and the rule of law, and contribute to grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law; is of the opinion that the appropriate integration of SALW reduction and control strategies has to become an integral part of international programmes aimed at conflict prevention and post- conflict peace building; calls on the Member States, the Council and the Commission to engage governments to agree upon binding provisions to control SALW (including brokering and transfers) through international, regional and national legislation;
Amendment 194 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 b (new)
Paragraph 32 b (new)
22. Emphasises the need for the European Union to take over the initiative of strengthening the international arms control regime, thereby contributing to the reinforcement given to effective multilateralism within the international order; notes further the congruence of efforts to integrate aspects of non- proliferation within the EU Neighbourhood Policy with that of the overall strategic objective of building security within the Union’s neighbourhood;
Amendment 7 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the European Union is an increasingly important player on the world stage and whereas, once the Lisbon Treaty with its foreign policy tools comes into effect, the EU will be able towith its peaceful conflict prevention and resolution tools, the EU should play a stronger and more coherent role on the international scene,
Amendment 13 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the transatlantic partnership isrecent years have shaken the transatlantic relationship and considerably damaged the basis for mutual trust, and whereas the transatlantic partnership should be founded on shared core values such as democracy, human rights, the rule of law and international institutions as well as open economies and sustainable development,
Amendment 24 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the EU and the US play key roles in the world's politics and economy, and share responsibility for promoting peace, respect for human rights and stability and for tackling various global dangers and challenges, such as the deep, self-inflicted financial crisis, the eradication of poverty and fulfilment of other MDGs, climate change, energy security, terrorism and nuclear proliferation,
Amendment 33 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
Amendment 36 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas it has not been possible since 1990 to establish a pan-European security system including Russia and based on the principles of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); whereas since 1989 in general, and with the last round of enlargement in particular, the traditional security threats in and to Europe have changed; whereas, by contrast, the enlargement of NATO does not seek to generate all-round security but has gradually shifted away from collective defence towards worldwide intervention,
Amendment 58 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Deems it appropriate for the negotiation of the new agreement to commence once the Lisbon Treaty comes into force, so that it may be completed before 2012;
Amendment 87 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on both partners to promote respect for human rights in the world; underlines the need for intensive coordination in preventive and crisis diplomacy, as well as in responding to pandemics and humanitarian emergencies; encouragescalls on the new US administration to ratify and accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court; repeats its appeal for the abolition of the death penalty;
Amendment 88 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on both partners to contribute decisively to the achievement of the MDGs, particularly in Africa, which must not be placed in jeopardy by the economic crisis, and to study possibilities for coordinated action in those areas; calls on both partners to honour their commitment(s) to spend 0.7% of their GDP on development cooperation;
Amendment 93 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the strong commitment of the new US President to tackling climate changnew direction in climate change policy taken by the new US President in his first week of office; urges the EU and the US to take the lead and to reach an ambitious post- 2012 agreement at the Copenhagen Conference to be held in 2009, engaging all relevant gas-emitting countries and committing them to binding mid- and long- term targets;
Amendment 109 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Underlines that a peaceful, just and lasting settlement of the Middle East conflict is vital, and hopes that it will represent one of the most urgent priorities of the new US administration, coordinating closely with the EU and engaging in the Quartet; emphasises that both partners should strive for intensification of the negotiations based on the road map and the results of the Annapolis Conference achievements, aimed at arriving at a two-state solution; urges both partners to redouble their efforts, also within the Quartet and in their dealings with Arab countries, so that a ceasefire in Gaza may be quickly achieved;
Amendment 113 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Underlines that the values, security and credibility of the transatlantic community are at stake in Afghanistan;current situation in Afghanistan graphically demonstrates that the war cannot be won by military means; therefore urges the EU, and the US and NATO to come up with a new joint strategic concept which comprehensively integrates the components of the international engagementgives absolute priority to the components of civilian reconstruction, in order to increase security in all regions, strengthen the Afghan government and local institutions and aid nation-building and prosperity; considers that the final goal must be a gradual handover of responsibility for security and stability into the hands of the Afghan authorities; recalls UN Security Council resolution 1833 (2008), which encourages all Afghan parties and groups to engage constructively in political dialogue and to avoid resorting to violence;
Amendment 119 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Underlines that the Iranian nuclear programme endangers the non-proliferation system and stability in the region; supports the objective, pursued jointly by both partners, of finding a negotiated solution with Iran, following the dual strategy of dialogue and sanctions, in coordination with other members of the Security Council; considers that any initiatives that one of the partners may launch concerning Iran must be closely coordinated between them in a spirit of trust and transparency; considers that the European Union and the USA should enter into a dialogue with all the countries in the region, including the Iranian government, to explore ways and means of building a system of collective security and cooperation in the region with the aim of creating a nuclear- weapons-free zone in the Middle East;
Amendment 122 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Welcomes the ratification of the US- Iraqi agreement on the presence in Iraq of US military forces; uUnderlines the readiness of the EU to continue helping with the reconstruction of Iraq, in particular focusing on the rule of law, respect for human rights and consolidation of the state institutions; calls on the partners to continue, by means of coordinated efforts, to work with the Iraqi government and the UN in order to improve stability and national reconciliation and to contribute to the unity and independence of Iraq;
Amendment 127 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Urges both parties to closely coordinate their policies towards Russia; conscious of Russia's relevance as a neighbouring country, of its interdependence with the EU and of its role as a global player, emphasises the importance of building up constructive cooperation with Russia, without compromising democratic principles or international law; calls on both transatlantic partners to closely coordinate their approach towards any reform of the European security architecture, while insisting on the OSCE principles as its inalienable base and maintaining the co; calls on the Member States of NATO to ratify the CFE Treaty as soon as possible so as to prevent a new arms race in Europe and strengthen the rence of NATOlationship of trust with Russia;
Amendment 134 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Considers that the construction of the US missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic can only be negative in its impact on Europe, risks leading to a new arms spiral and ignores the majority view among the people of Poland and the Czech Republic which opposes the US missile shield; calls on the newly elected US President and the US Senate to abandon this project altogether;
Amendment 142 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 145 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
Amendment 147 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Invites the EU and the US to adopt a common strategy in all international fora, in particular the UN, on disarmament of weapons of mass destruction and conventional weaponry; urges the new US administration to re-engage with Russia in the area of arms control and disarmament, extending the two countries' current bilateral agreements; stresses the need for closer cooperation in order to ensure progress in the run-up to the NPT Review Conference in 2010, welcomes the commitment of the new US President to ratification of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty; calls on the USA to abandon its long-standing boycott (since 1997) of the Geneva Conference on Disarmament, which is the only permanent multilateral negotiating forum on armaments issues, and, as a first step, to begin negotiations on halting the production of fissile material;
Amendment 150 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Reiterates its call, in its resolution of 20 November 2008, on all Member States of the European Union to sign and ratify the Convention on cluster munitions (CCM), and also calls on the USA to sign and ratify this international convention; further calls on the USA to accede to the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti- Personnel Mines (Ottawa Convention);
Amendment 153 #
2008/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Underlines the importance of fighting terrorism on the basisneed for a thorough and critical review of the current, mainly military-dominated anti-terrorism strategy and the development of a comprehensive plan to combat terrorism and in particular the causes of terrorism; stresses in this connection the importance of full respect for international law and human rights, and of supporting the role of the UN in combating this threat; welcomes the commitment of the new US-President to the closure of Camp Delta in Guantánamo Bay;
Amendment 4 #
2008/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Recalls the March 2008 report of the Agency Coordinating Body For Afghan Relief which points out that, of USD 15 billion of reconstruction assistance given to Afghanistan since 2001, "a staggering 40% has returned to donor countries in corporate profits and consultant salaries"; stresses, therefore, the need not only to increase development assistance to Afghanistan but also to make it more effective;
Amendment 10 #
2008/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Believes that in the light of the extremely harsh winter of 2007/2008, the ensuing drought across much of the country, which came on top of the broader problems of deteriorating security, the accumulated pressure of returning refugees and the effects of rising world food prices, greater and more rapid attention needs to be given to the development of the country's main economic sector – agriculture – in order to avert a humanitarian crisis, which could make an already bad security situation even worse;
Amendment 11 #
2008/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Recalls the major social and health problems caused by drug addiction in general, and the social and economic consequences for addicted Afghan women in particular, which are well documented in a 2005 UNODC survey; is concerned that although there are severe punitive regulations against growing, smuggling and using drugs, the government of Afghanistan is currently not able to enforce these laws; urges the Commission, therefore, to devise, finance and implement corresponding programmes, activities and awareness- raising campaigns targeting addicted women and their families;
Amendment 14 #
2008/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses the need to prioritise support for political party development, a women’s caucus within the National Assembly, civil society and the media; considers that the international community is under an obligation to fund an electoral budget, totally or in part, as an important component of democracy assistance in general and in the light of the upcoming elections in particular;
Amendment 22 #
2008/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses the need to place the focus of support for Afghanistan on reducing poverty and bringing about social justice; is convinced that international assistance must not follow a military paradigm but must be geared to the needs and political and cultural conditions in Afghanistan;
Amendment 15 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas EU relations with Russia remain very important for the purposes of pragmatstrategic cooperation, and whereas the EU shares with Russia not only economic and trade interests but also an objective to act in the international arena, as well as in the European neighbourhood; whereas enhancedstrategic cooperation and good- neighbourly relations between the EU and Russia should be of key importance to the stability, security and prosperity of the whole of Europe,
Amendment 26 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital B
Recital B
Amendment 36 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas, contrary to the rather one- sided coverage of the armed conflict over South Ossetia in the Western media, a number of renowned and independent international organisations have meanwhile investigated the armed conflict and documented the violations by all parties to the conflict, their indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force and their violation of international humanitarian and human rights law; whereas the Georgian and Russian governments should investigate and hold accountable those from their respective forces responsible for international humanitarian law violations, including war crimes; whereas the EU and its Member States should continue to provide full political and material support to the international commission of inquiry, including by calling on all parties to the conflict to cooperate fully with the inquiry and providing the inquiry with adequate resources to conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation;
Amendment 42 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Russia should have a responsibility to contribute to financial and political stability and the sense of security in Europe and in the world, in particular in the shared neighbourhood but also as regards issues such as nuclear proliferation, the fight against terrorism,disarmament and arms control, and the fight drug trafficking and organiszed crime, as well as climate change,
Amendment 52 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the conclusion of an agreement on future cooperation remains of the utmost importance for further development and intensification of cooperation between the two sides; whereas the EU’s policy towards Russia must be based on unity and solidarity, nothwithstanding the need for solidarity within the EU, improvements in EU-Russia relations should not be allowed to fail on account of unresolved disputes between individual Member States and Russia, and whereas the EU should speak with one voice,
Amendment 58 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the Russian Federation ishas been a member of the Council of Europe since 1996 and thus has committed itself to theits objectives of the Council, which are, in particular, to promote democracyparliamentary democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, and to consolidate democracy andtic stability in Europe, and to foster the development, and awareness, of Europe’s cultural identity and diversity,
Amendment 88 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
La. whereas the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), signed by 16 NATO members and 6 Warsaw Pact countries in 1990 and amended in 1999, is the most significant disarmament agreement in history where conventional weapons are concerned; whereas this Treaty has been ratified by Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, but has been shelved by NATO; whereas Russia has since suspended the Treaty,
Amendment 90 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Recital L b (new)
Recital L b (new)
Lb. whereas since 1990 it has proved impossible to establish a Europe-wide security system – also encompassing Russia – based on the principles of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); whereas the traditional security threats in and for Europe have changed since 1989 in general and owing to the most recent EU enlargements in particular; whereas, by contrast, the expansion of NATO is not aimed at creating comprehensive security, but has caused the focus to shift gradually from collective defence to worldwide intervention,
Amendment 147 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 - point g
Paragraph 1 - point g
g) raise concerns with the Russian government decision to recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia, since these steps undermine the territegarding its decision to recognise the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, impress upon the Russian Government that Georgial integrity of Georgia, as insisted upon by the relevant UN resolutions has a right, attested in international law, to sovereignty and territorial integrity, and call ion question Russia’s role as an impartial moderator in the peace processthe Russian Government to reverse its decision and, together with the OSCE, embark on dialogue aimed at bringing about a lasting peaceful solution to the conflict;
Amendment 151 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 - point g a (new)
Paragraph 1 - point g a (new)
ga) come to an understanding with Russia as to how provinces may break away from internationally recognised states and who may declare their independence, bearing in mind that the precedent set by the West vis-à-vis Serbia as regards Kosovo has created a dangerous international conflict potential, as has been demonstrated by the Russian actions in relation to Georgia; ensure that such an understanding serves essentially to endorse two fundamental pillars of the international system – the equal rights to be accorded to all states and the principle of the inviolability of borders, these being considered to be two of the main doctrines which have underpinned the international order since the Second World War;
Amendment 164 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 - point o a (new)
Paragraph 1 - point o a (new)
oa) in cooperation with the Russian Government, make security concerns the main focus of negotiations on a new agreement, taking into consideration the proposal from the Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, to create a ‘wider Europe’ as a continuation of the Helsinki process, and discuss vital issues such as anti-missile defence, the CFE Treaty, NATO enlargement, and regional conflicts, proceeding from the mutual interest in cementing relations based on partnership and enhancing strategic stability in Europe;
Amendment 171 #
2008/2104(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on those EU Member States which have not yet done so to ratify the CFE Treaty as quickly as possible so as to enable its control mechanisms to be preserved, thus ensuring that countries which have already ratified the Treaty will refrain from suspending them and hence that an existing disarmament agreement will not simply be killed off and replaced by a new arms race; considers that confidence building has to be a key element of relations with Russia, for there will be no stability in Europe without or against Russia;
Amendment 2 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. WelcomOpposes the signature of the Lisbon Treaty, which will introduce major innovattipulations contained in Articles 42 to 46 (in section 2 "Provisions ion the field of ESDP, in particular by strengthening the office of High Representative,common security and defence policy") of the Lisbon Treaty, and in particular the obligation requiring the Member States to "progressively ... improve their military capabilities", the establishingment of a European External Action Service, introducing an article onDefence Agency, the possibility of the deployment of combat forces all over the world, the mutual defence assistance, and solidarity clause and permanent structured cooperation in the field of defence; urges all Member States to ratify the Lisbon Treaty as quickly as possible; is of the opinwhich binds all Member States to provide aid and assistance "by all means in their power", and the extension of "enhanced cooperation" thato the European Parliament and national parliaments should jointly debate these innovations; points out that Parliament will uphold its responsibilities under the current Treaty and will closely monitor the implementation of any new innovations; defence and security field by encouraging a hard core of particularly capable states, to be achieved by what is known as "permanent structured cooperation"; is deeply concerned that this new strategy of prioritising security, defence and armament aspects will move the Union away from the model of a civil power;
Amendment 10 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Invites the High Representative to assessnalyse in a White Paper the progress made, and any shortcomings, in the implementation of the ESS since 2003, including lessons learned from ESDP operations; the link between external and internal aspects of security (the fight against terrorism); the protection of borders and critical infrastructure including protection against cyber-attacks; the security of energy supply as a challenge facing civilian, economic, technical and diplomatic efforts; unsolved regional disputes whether, rather than engage in this recently established security strategy, the Union should not instead continue the development of its strategy of European unification in external matters which it has successfully pursued for several decades – expanding the European project, spreading democracy and welfare, increasing the EU's neighbourhood, e.g. in Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh; humanitarian and security challenges on the African continent; and the consequences of climate change and natural disasters for civil protection and human securityrole of law in international politics, strengthening international cooperation and organisations promoting these aims;
Amendment 17 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Invites the High Representative to include in that White Paper proposals for improving and complementing the ESS, such as the definition of common European security interests and criteria for the launching of ESDP missions; invnecessary strengthening of the civilian capabilities him further to define new targets for civilian and military capabilities (including structures for command and control,of the European Union for crisis and conflict prevention; to that end, there is a need for effective measures to defuse conflicts and stransportation for all European actors in crisis management for both ESDP and disaster relief purposes) and to reflect on the implications of the Lisbon Treaty with regard to ESDP and proposals for a new EU-NATO partnershipuctural measures to remove their causes; recalls in this context the reference in the draft strategy to the need for better co-ordination of policies and for international cooperation;
Amendment 20 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is of the opinion that such a White Paper should be the basis for a wider public political debate; underlines that a future assessment of the ESS should bolitical debate conducted in public, mainly because the ESS defines the Union's fundamental values and objectives and illustrates what it stands for; underlines that a future assessment of the ESS should be carried out with greater democratic accountability and therefore made in close consultation with all EU institutions including the European Parliament and national parliaments;
Amendment 44 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Is of the view that human security is a core principle at the heart of the ESS, which – when combined with the principle of "responsibility to protect" – provides the EU with a strong political guideline when it comes to deciding whetherthe objective of which is to create and maintain human security and which is based on the primacy of the individual and not of the state; firmly believes that such a policy must be characterised by multilateralism, a commitment to international law and intervenation should take place, and with a robust political mandate enabling it to intervene effectively in crisesal institutions, and that any measures to be implemented must be based on the logic of law enforcement and not of warfare;
Amendment 49 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Regards it as absolutely essential to take the concept of ‘preemption’ out of the Strategy, as the Union should be concerned with ‘prevention’, i.e. early and active engagement, better intelligence concerning threats, more arms control and disarmament, strengthening the non- proliferation regime, and positive and negative sanctions;
Amendment 50 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Criticises the contradictory and ambiguous references in the ESS to the use of (EU) armed forces, which contrast among other things with the statement that ‘the fundamental framework for international relations is the United Nations Charter’;
Amendment 55 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on the Member States to continue working towards the goal of an international ban on cluster munitions, and to further develop ways to detect and destroy unexploded ordnance, and to provide financial and technical assistance to the countries concerned;
Amendment 56 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Reaffirms its concern about the ongoing proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW), which cause unnecessary human suffering, exacerbate armed conflict and instability, facilitate terrorism, undermine sustainable development, good governance and the rule of law, and contribute to grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law; is of the opinion that the appropriate integration of SALW reduction and control strategies must become an integral part of international programmes aimed at conflict prevention and post-conflict peace building; calls on the Member States, the Council and the Commission to get governments to agree on binding provisions to control SALW (including brokering and transfers) through international, regional and national legislation;
Amendment 57 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Emphasises the need for the European Union to take over the initiative of strengthening the international arms control regime, thereby contributing to the reinforcement given to effective multilateralism within the international order; notes further the congruence of efforts to integrate aspects of non- proliferation within the EU Neighbourhood Policy with that of the overall strategic objective of building security within the Union’s neighbourhood;
Amendment 122 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C – point d
Recital C – point d
d. problems in recruiting sufficient police officers for the mission in Afghanistan due to security concerns and a lack of individual career prospects on the deployment of EUPOL Afghanistan, which has been broadly criticised as being too small, poorly planned and under-funded, and which has started ratheir returnslowly;
Amendment 126 #
2008/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the Treaty of Lisbon will introduce major and questionable innovations in the field of ESDP, which are mainly reflected in Articles 42 to 46 (in section 2 "Provisions on the common security and defence policy"),
Amendment 59 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
Amendment 70 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) The CE marking should be affixed to all construction products, for which the manufacturer has drawn up a declaration of performance or a Specific Technical Documentation (STD) in accordance with this Regulation. If a declaration of performance or a STD has not been drawn up, CE marking should not be affixed.
Amendment 94 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point 5
Article 2 – point 5
5. "making available on the market" means any supply of a construction product for distribution or use on the Community market in the course of a commercial activity, whether in return for payment or free of charge; this excludes the assembling of a product for one’s own use in the course of a professional activity and elements made on the works or manufactured off the works but incorporated in the works before being been placed on the market;
Amendment 96 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point 7
Article 2 – point 7
7. "manufacturer" means any natural or legal person who manufactures a construction product or who has such a product manufactured, and markets that product under his name or trademark;
Amendment 108 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point 20 a (new)
Article 2 – point 20 a (new)
20a. “kit” means a set of at least two separate components that need to be put together to be installed permanently in the works (i.e. to become an "assembled system").
Amendment 140 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 - paragraph 2 - point c
Article 5 - paragraph 2 - point c
(c) the reference number and title of the harmonised standard, the European Assessment Document or the Specific Technical Documentation, which has been used for the assessment of each essential characteristic.
Amendment 143 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(ca) the generic intended use as laid down in the relevant harmonized technical specification.
Amendment 148 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 - paragraph 2 - point c a (new)
Article 5 - paragraph 2 - point c a (new)
(ca) details of hazardous substances which are required to be declared pursuant to other Community harmonisation rules.
Amendment 166 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. A copy of the declaration of performance shall accompany every product offer sent to the recipient by an economic operator within the meaning of Article 2(10).
Amendment 169 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
By affixing or having affixed the CE marking the manufacturer shall take responsibility for the conformity of the construction product with the declared performance and for its conformity with Community harmonisation legislation.
Amendment 174 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 7 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. The Commission shall ensure that no additional markings are developed or granted by Technical Assessment Bodies or their associations.
Amendment 179 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3
Article 8 – paragraph 3
3. The CE marking shall be followed by the two last digits of the year in which it was affixed, the name or the identifying mark of the producer, the unique identification code of the construction product and, the number of the declaration of performance, the title of the technical specification referred to in the declaration of performance and the general intended use specified there.
Amendment 187 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9
Article 9
9. Each Member State shall ensure that the Product Contact Points established in accordance with Regulation (EC) N°…. also provide the information on, using transparent and easily understandable terms, on conditions of use, any technical rules orand regulatory provisions applicable to the incorporation, assembling or installation of a specific type of construction product in the territory of that Member State.
Amendment 203 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 2
Article 16 – paragraph 2
2. Harmonised standards shall provide the methods and the criteria for assessing the performance and durability of the construction products in relation to their essential characteristics. Harmonised standards shall provide the generally intended purpose and levels or classes of performance of the construction products in relation to their essential characteristics. Harmonised standards shall, where appropriate, provide methods less onerous than testing for assessing the performance of the construction products in relation to their essential characteristics.
Amendment 228 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1
Article 21 – paragraph 1
1. The European Technical Assessment (ETA) shall be issued by a Technical Assessment Body, for any construction product which is not yet or only partly covered by a harmonised product standard, at the request of a manufacturer or importer on the basis of a EAD in accordance with the procedure set out in Annex II. Where harmonised assessment procedures exist, they must be applied. The European Technical Assessment shall provide information on the intended use of the construction product.
Amendment 239 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
2. The Commission shall establish procedures for carrying out the evaluation in a transparent manner, including appropriate appeals procedures against decisions taken as a result of the evaluation.
Amendment 261 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 - paragraph 1
Article 27 - paragraph 1
1. Micro-enterprises may replace the applicable system for assessment of the declared performance of construction product by a STD. The STD shall demonstrate the compliance of the construction product with the applicable requirements in relation to its marketing and use.
Amendment 268 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 - paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 27 - paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The Specific Technical Documentation shall guarantee an equivalent level of health and safety for persons and for other issues of public interest. The manufacturer shall remain responsible for the product’s compliance with the characteristics stated in the declaration of performance. The manufacturer shall provide information on the intended use of the product.
Amendment 274 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 33 - paragraph 5
Article 33 - paragraph 5
5. The notified body and its personnel shall carry out in a transparent way the third party tasks in the process of assessment and verification of constancy of performance, with the highest degree of professional integrity and requisite technical competence in the specific field and must be free from all pressures and inducements, particularly financial, which might influence their judgement or the results of their assessment and/or verification activities, especially from persons or groups of persons with an interest in the results of those activities.
Amendment 275 #
2008/0098(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 33 - paragraph 11 a (new)
Article 33 - paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Notified bodies shall inform their clients and advise them in their best interests.
Amendment 14 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas, whilst enlargement has been the EU's most successful foreign policy instrument and previous enlargements have undoubtedly been a success both for the European Union and for the Member States which joined it, this is no guarantee that such accelerated pace can be sustained further;; whereas enlargement has always been a catalyst for strengthening the functions and institutions of the Union,
Amendment 71 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
La. whereas the failure of the Constitutional Treaty referenda in the Netherlands and France in 2005 had more to do with domestic dissatisfaction than with enlargement; whereas populist politicians and parties have opportunistically played on the fear of enlargement; whereas public opinion is changing and responsible political leaders are leading public opinion instead of following it,
Amendment 85 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reaffirms its firm commitment to the countries with which it has started membership negotiations and to the countries which have been given clear membership prospects, with the understanding that full and rigorous compliance with the Copenhagen criteria and compatibility with the Union's integration capacity must be fulfilled before these countries can join the Union;
Amendment 93 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes the view that the Union's Enlargement Strategy should strike a balance between the Union's geo-strategic interests, the impact of political developments outside its borders together with the resulting expectations of its neighbouring countries, and the Union's integration capacity, including its ability to cope with future internal and external challenges and to realise its political integration projectneed to undertake the necessary internal reforms, mainly aimed at greater social cohesion and elimination of the existing democratic deficit, which will have to be implemented with or without future enlargements;
Amendment 130 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 149 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 159 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 176 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Believes, moreover, that further enlargements should be accompanied by a concerted communication policy involving all EU Institutions and Member States' Governments, designed to explain to our citizens the political, economic and social benefits of enlargementand consequences of enlargement; emphasises that, unlike in previous negotiations, in the case of Turkey it would be necessary to keep the European public continuously and intensively informed about the negotiations themselves and about Turkey's progress in this regard;
Amendment 186 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Is alsonot convinced that the Enlargement Strategy should be flanked by a more diversified range of external contractual frameworks and that these frameworks could be structured as mutually permeable concentric circles, with countries being offered the opportunity, under strict but clear internal and external conditions, to move from one status to another if they so wish and if they fulfil the criteria pertaining to each specific frameworkbecause such temporary solutions might have the negative consequence of turning into permanent solutions, or might even be misused by persons opposed to any further enlargement;
Amendment 2 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is of the opinion that, from its inception, the CFSP, including the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), haswill helped to strengthen the European identity and the EU's role as a global player, when economic integration, diplomacy, civil crisis prevention and conflict settlement are defined as central aims of the CFSP and ESDP and also put into practice;
Amendment 22 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Proposes that priority be given in 2008 to a limited number of subjects which better relate to the concerns of European citizens and to their expectations as regards the role to be played by the Union in international affairs; takes the view that those subjects are: security including energy security, climate change, migration management, human rights and civil liberties, and also non- proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and disarmament, and that they complement the priorities and objectives pursued by the Community's external action; in this context, welcomes the report by the Commission and the High Representative to the Council on climate change and international security;
Amendment 31 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Is of the opinion that the ESS should be updated, especially with a view to addressing the most pressing security challenges; the need to strengthen the EU’s civilian capabilities for crisis prevention and conflict resolution; to that end, there is a need for effective measures to defuse conflicts and structural measures to remove their causes; is convinced that there must also be a stronger focus on multilateralism and commitment to international law and international institutions;
Amendment 37 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Is of the view that the importance of the foreign policy dimension of energy security, including the Union's dependence on energy and other strategic supplies from unstable or undemocratic countries and regions, will continue to increase in 2008; rRecommends wide- ranging diversification of energy sources and energy transport routes and increased energy efficiency as well as solidarity in energy policy among EU Member States; deplores the use of energy by third parties as a political instrument and the uncoordinated signing of bilateral energy agreements by Member States, which undermine the interests of the EU as a whole and of other Member States; reiterates its call for the creation of the post of High Official for Foreign Energy Policy under the authority of the future double-hatted High Representative/Vice- President of the Commission, with responsibility for coordinating the Union's activities in this field;
Amendment 47 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Reiterates that terrorism constitutes one of the maina serious threats to the EU’s security but that the fight against terrorism must be conducted with duestrict respect for the universal values of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the protection thereof, in close cooperation with international partners and in keeping with the strategy laid down by the United Nations; is convinced of the need for a thorough and critical review of the anti-terror strategy, which has hitherto been mainly dominated by military thinking, and for development of a comprehensive plan on combating terrorism, that would balance and combine political, diplomatic, security policy and development policy measures;
Amendment 59 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates that strengthening global governance, international institutions and the value of international law remains a vital interest for the Union's external action; underlines in this regard the crucial role to be played by the United Nations in support of effective multilateralism, and stresses that the Union must stand united while urging its partners to pursue the development and consolidation of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as a common basis for a prosperouscompassionate and secure world;
Amendment 63 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Insists on the need for the effective implementation of human rights clauses and of non-proliferation and counter- terrorism provisions and the inclusion of an energy security clauseprovisions in agreements with third countries, in order to ensure the coherence and effectiveness of the EU's external policies;
Amendment 65 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Insists on the need to continue to press for implementation at international level of the EU strategy against the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), to work actively for the retention of the existing arms control and disarmament system, in particular for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the consistent implementation and comprehensive monitoring of the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international ban on cluster munitions and universal application of the Convention banning land mines, to place more emphasis on initiatives to control the small arms trade and other disarmament and non- proliferation initiatives and issues, to strengthen multilateral non-proliferation treaties and provide the financial means to implement the EU’s WMD strategy; calls on the EU and the Member States to play a positive and effective role in ending the ongoing deadlock at the Geneva Disarmament Conference and to take steps to ensure that the negotiations result in a non-discriminatory, multilateral, international and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons;
Amendment 67 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Is of the view that the Union's enlargement process remains a key issue for 2008 and that it should be based on the Union's capacity to integrate new Member States (taking account of the imbeyond, particularly because the European integration strategy which has been successful for several decades must continue to expand outwards; is therefore also firmly convinced that apacrt of enlargement on its institutions, its financial resources and its capacity to pursue its political objectivfrom the Copenhagen criteria, which form the sole basis for accession to the EU, the EU should not in future set up any further or additional criteria or obstacles);
Amendment 77 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
Amendment 99 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Underlines the need to strengthenfor the transatlantic link and further intensify, which has been shattered and is characterised by loss of trust, to be built up on a new basis, and for contacts with the United States to be intensified through a new Transatlantic Partnership Agreement, the potential of which should be exploited in full, as close consultation and cooperation between them is still in the interest of both sides; takes the view that political cooperation under this new partnership agreement should concentrate mainly on issues of civil conflict prevention, strengthening international law and multilateralism and sustainable development and combating poverty worldwide;
Amendment 109 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls on the Council and the Commission to continue efforts, both within the framework of the Middle East Quartet and on the ground, to foster negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians for a comprehensive, lasting and fair peace solution on the basis of two secure and viable States, hoping that the concrete steps set out in the Annapolis Agenda will be followed; takes the view that the Union should maximise its financial, trade and political leverage on both sides in order to achieve this peaceful solution and that the Union should play, within the relevant fora, a role commensurate to its financial and political contribution;
Amendment 111 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Acknowledges the right of every country that has ratified the Non- Proliferation Treaty to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; however, strongly opposes the production and dissemination of weapons of mass destruction; in this connection, fully supports the Union's two–track approach aimed at persuading Iran to comply wistresses the need for the international community to work closely on the IAEA prescriptions and in line with the United Nations Security Council's resolutions; calls on the United States to join the EU–3 in direct negotiations with Iran; fully supports the United Nations Security Council's targeted sancran nuclear issue, to deal with it through diplomatic means and to avoid by all means another military conflict; reaffirms its insistence that Iran abide by its obligations under the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty, including by providing full informations against Iran; commends the efforts by the High Representative on behalf ofbout its nuclear programme; is of the view that the EU, and by the United States, Russia and China, aimed at the initiation of negotiations on the nuclear issue with representatives of Iran; calls on Iran to be actively transparent in its relat should enter into a dialogue with all the countries of the region, including the Iranian government, and explore steps towards the establishment of a system of collective security and co-operation in the regions with the IAEA and to seek to rebuild trust with the international communityultimate aim of establishing a nuclear weapon free zone in the Middle East;
Amendment 118 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Reiterates that promoting international solidarity, stability, peace and democratic and economic development must continue to be among the priorities of the EU's policy towards Afghanistan in 2008; stresses the need to restore security in Afghanistan, which cannot be achieved by military means alone; underlines that, to this end, it is equally vital to strengthen the police forces in order to establish the rule of law and to increase development efforts; is concerned that insufficient coordination, both among the international community (and especially between the EU and NATO) and in relations with the Afghan authorities, seriously hampers the effectiveness of the activities on the ground; calls on all players to make efforts to improve this situation; welcomes in this regard the appointment of Kai Eide as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan;
Amendment 129 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Stresses the need to give substantial follow-up during 2008 to the decisions reached at the EU-Africa Summit held in December 2007 in Lisbon; in this context, welcomes the appointment of a double- hatted EU Special Representative/Head of Delegation of the European Commission for the African Union, based in Addis Ababa; believes in this regard that the Union, in cooperation with the United Nations, should make every effort to reinforce the peace-building and peace- keeping capacity of the African Union; calls for a coordinated use of CFSP and Community instruments such as the Instrument for Stability; is of the view that the EU and the Member States should give policy priority to the substantial reduction of poverty, should reaffirm their commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and their prior commitment to devote 0.7% of their GDP to development assistance by 2020 at the latest;
Amendment 134 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Reiterates that the EU, as a global player with its own interests and responsibilities, cannot and must not ignore the crisis unfolding in Iraq, inasmuch as the country is vital for regional, global and of course European security; points out that the EU has at its disposal a host of financial and political resources that can be usefully deployed to promote, as the final outcome, a safe, stable, unified, prosperous and democratic Iraq that upholds human rights, protects its minorities and contributes to a more stable Middle East; recalls Parliament's most recent resolution on Iraq, which includes concrete proposals for ways in which the Council can improve the situation on the ground, and calls on the Union to move on from past events and look towards the future, because the international community has the moral and political duty to help the Iraqi people;
Amendment 157 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas a clear definition of the interests of the Union is essential in order to attain the goals of the Union's external action and in particular its foreign affairs policy; whereas the EU represents at international level a political, economic, social and ecological union of states and peoples which is committed to peace and which acts according to the principles of democracy, the rule of law and social justice,
Amendment 160 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Treaty of Lisbon clearpartially improves the CFSP arrangements currently in force, thus raising the Union's international profile and enhancing its effectiveness, to the extent that the security policy aspects of the EU Constitution such as military assistance, the obligation on Member States to arm themselves, and global interventionism will in future be replaced by an active peace policy, civil crisis prevention and disarmament,
Amendment 8 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Takes the view that after more than 20 years of civil war Afghanistan hasd become a ‘failed state’, characterised by missing or weak institutions at all levels and unable to satisfy the most basic needs of its citizens such as education, housing, health, nutrition; is convinced that the country has become a test case for the success or failure of international development assistance and the legitimacysuccess of bi- and multi- lateral development cooperation; stresses the need for the international community to demonstrate its ability to end the vicious circle of violence and poverty and to give the country the prospect of sustainable peace and development;
Amendment 27 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the urgent need for the international community to analyse what strategic and conceptual misjudgements have contributed to the current situation in Afghanistan, including an honest assessment of both the current military strategy and the strategy for civil reconstruction; concludes that a major shift of strategy is necessary as peace, security and development will only prevail if the spiral of violence is brought to an end, if the prevailingcurrent emphasis on a military solution is replaced by reinforced civil reconstruction efforts, and if, as a result, the confidence of the Afghan population is restored; considers in particular that ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ is politically counterproductive because reconciliation and consolidation of peace cannot be imposed militarily from the outside but have to be developed inside Afghanistan;
Amendment 51 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the commitment expressed in the Afghanistan Compact ‘to work towards a stable and prosperous Afghanistan, with good governance and human rights protection for all under the rule of law’; takes the view that in the absence of clear priorities or sequencing the Compact should have defined guidelines on how to achieve these ambitious goals, and stresses, therefore, the need for donors to ensure that their programmes are aligned with thesesuch priorities and that the resources allocated are appropriate and effectively disbursed;
Amendment 60 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Draws attention to the fact that the EUPOL mandate foresees the coordination of activities in reforms of the police and justice sectorsprovides for tasks to ‘support linkages between the police and the wider rule of law’, and therefore calls on the Council and the Commission to bettercontinue to closely co-ordinate their respective activities in order to makeensure that the EU’s policies are more coherent and efficient; considers it equally important for the EU to considerably increase the resources foreseen for EUPOL both in terms of personnel and financing; highlights the fact that, without a comprehensive reform of the Ministry of Interior, which is first and foremost a political task and less a technical problem, the police reform efforts will fail, and therefore attaches great importance to another aim of EUPOL, namely to ‘monitor, mentor, advise and train at the level of the Afghan Ministry of Interior, regions and provinces’;
Amendment 78 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Believes that the strengthening of Afghan civil society will only be successful if all ethnic and religious groups are represented and heard, which also includes cooperation with traditional tribal leaders (as already practised in the so-called ‘Tribal Liaison Offices’);
Amendment 83 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Expresses its concern about President Karzai’s refusal to sign the new massdraft media draftlaw on 15 December 2007 following its approval in the two houses of parliament; calls on the President to clarify the status of the draft media law and recalls the government’s commitment in the Afghanistan Compact to develop ‘independent and pluralistic’ media;
Amendment 84 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Highlights the importance of a forward-looking mass media law for the development of a more inclusive, tolerant and democratic society that is mindful of the country’s religious and cultural values without curtailing the activities and independence of the media on the pretext of national security or religion and culture;
Amendment 85 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b
Paragraph 10 b
10b. Emphasises the importance of the upcoming Presidential elections for the future of Afghanistan, because the country’s problems require a political solution and not a purely military one; is therefore concerned about the deteriorating security situation, particularly in the south, since it may well render the holding of these elections nearly impossible; points out that, so far, the President and his government have been entirely dependent on the continued massive presence of international forces and thus on ‘buying stability’ in the short term; strongly believes that long-term solutions are necessary and that these include the serious commitment of the President and the government to fight the widespread corruption and lack of the rule of law, to introduce an efficient, effective and accountable administration, and to demonstrate good governance that meets the basic needs of the Afghan people;
Amendment 100 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Considers that the Afghanistan- Pakistan relationship, which has been tense for most of the last sixty years and now even threatens global security, has been the source of much of the region’s instability, and therefore concludes that stabilising the region requires a comprehensive policy geared to that relationship; hopes that, with the new government in Pakistan, the improvement of the bilateral relationship will receive a fresh and positive impetus; believes, however, that without the active engagement and assistance of the international community the two countries will not be able to extricate themselves from their difficult bilateral relationship; recognises that security in Afghanistan hinges to a very large extent on the democratisation of Pakistan; urges the international community to initiate and support measures that lessen tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including a long-term programme to stabilise and develop the cross-border region, involving stakeholders on both sides;
Amendment 101 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Draws attention to the ethnic dimension in the state of affairs in Afghanistan, which has done much damage in the past and continues to pose an obstacle to the reconstruction process; acknowledges the difficulty in eradicating this problem, which may require a very long time to be resolved because ethnic divides run deep; takes the view that, although Afghanistan has a very centralised government, it actually needs decentralised governance to provide services to its scattered and ethnically diverse population; urges the international community to support the solidification of multi-ethnic parties, striving for a ‘united’ Afghanistan and advocating national reconciliation, and refers in this respect to Article 35 of the Constitution, which states that the ‘formation and functioning of a party based on ethnicity, language, Islamic school of thought (mazhab-i fiqhi) and region is not permissible’;
Amendment 102 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Is concerned about the major social and health problems caused by drug addiction in general, and the social and economic consequences for addicted Afghan women in particular; refers to a UN Office on Drugs and Crime survey of 2005 according to which there were 920 000 drug users in Afghanistan, of which 120 000 were women; highlights the statement contained in the survey that, instead of viewing drug addiction as a social problem, Afghan society views it as an individual problem, and many women use drugs for medical purposes to alleviate and remedy a range of physical and psychological problems; notes that, although there are severe punishments are prescribed for growing, smuggling and using drugs, the government of Afghanistan is currently unable to enforce the laws in that regard; urges the Afghan government and the international community to devise, finance and implement appropriate programmes, activities and awareness-raising campaigns targeting addicted women and their families;
Amendment 109 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas Afghanistan is at a crossroads, as evidenced by the rise in therrorist acts and violent insurgency, increased opium production, and growing popular discontent over corruption and government failures; whereas despite the efforts of the international community and the partial success as regards civil reconstruction, the living conditions of considerable sections of the Afghan population have not improved; whereas the current threat Afghanistan is facing requires short-term action but long-term solutions will only come about through comprehensive improvements in governance and the emergence of a stronger state,
Amendment 114 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the United States – with support from the United Kingdom – began Operation Enduring Freedom on 7 October 2001; whereas four other EU Member States - the Czech Republic, France, Poland and Romania - are among the coalition forces participating in the operation; whereas apart from Cyprus and Malta all EU Member States contribute troops to the NATO-led ISAF mission, amounting to more than 21,500 troops; whereas the first provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) started in late 2001 and currently there are approximately 3425 PRTs operating in the entire country,
Amendment 122 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas although there are no official figures on civilian deaths in Afghanistan but a study by the Afghan government suggests that more than 3,700 people were killed by fighting in Afghanistan in 2006; whereas the majority appear to be insurgents, but it is estimated that some 1,000 civilians were killed by both Taliban attacks and NATO air strikesthe 2008 annual report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan points out that ‘in 2007 the level of insurgent and terrorist activity increased sharply from that of the previous year. An average of 566 incidents per month was recorded in 2007, compared to 425 per month in the previous year. Of the over 8,000 conflict- related fatalities in 2007, over 1,500 were civilians’; whereas in June 2007 a network of Afghan and international NGOs had ‘strongly condemned the operations and force protection measures carried out by international military forces in which disproportionate or indiscriminate use of force has resulted in civilian casualties’,
Amendment 128 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G (new)
Recital G (new)
G. whereas the 2008 Afghanistan Opium Winter Rapid Assessment Survey (done by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) confirms the trends of the 2007 survey, according to which the number of opium-free provinces in the north and centre might grow but the level of cultivation in the south and west is likely to increase; whereas the 2007 report on the one hand repeats the misconception that provinces with little or no poppy cultivation are ‘opium-free’ but emphasises on the other hand the link between insecurity and narcotics production; whereas the core tools of a counter-narcotics policy are crop eradication, interdiction (which is much more complex than arresting traffickers), and development (alternative livelihoods) pursued simultaneously,
Amendment 129 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H (new)
Recital H (new)
Amendment 130 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I (new)
Recital I (new)
I. whereas under Article 61 of the Constitution President Karzai’s presidential tenure must end on 22 May 2009, with elections held 30-60 days before that date; whereas President Karzai has lost the broad popular support and legitimacy that he enjoyed before the presidential elections in 2004; whereas in addition to the Presidential elections the Constitution requires Provincial Council elections to be held in the autumn of 2009 and National Assembly elections in the spring of 2010; whereas the country’s ability to hold free and fair elections is a key benchmark of its progress; whereas the Taliban have already pledged to bring widespread disruption to the elections,
Amendment 72 #
2007/0248(COD)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) A competitive market should ensure that end-users are able to access and distribute any lawful content and to use any lawful applications and/or services of their choice, as stated in Article 8 of Directive 2002/21/EC. Given the increasing importance of electronic communications for consumers and businesses, users should in any case be fully informed of any restrictions and/or limitations imposed on the use of electronic communications services by the service and/or network provider. Where there is a lack of effective competition, national regulatory authorities should use the remedies available to them in Directive 2002/19/EC to ensure that users’ access to particular types of content or applications is not unreasonably restricted. National regulatory authorities should be able to take action under Directive 2002/22/EC in case restrictions are unreasonably imposed in circumstances other than a lack of effective competition. Management of networks, in order to address congestion and capacity constraints, should not per se be considered an example of an unreasonable restriction.
Amendment 90 #
2007/0248(COD)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) A television broadcast is a linearLegal “must-carry” obligations may be applied, to specified radio and audiovisual media services as dend complementary services supplied by a specifined in themedia service provider. Audiovisual Mmedia Sservices Directiveare defined in the Directive 2007/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of [….] 2007, which is provided by11 December 2007 a mendia service provider for simultaneous viewing of programmes on the basis of a programme schedule; a media service provider may provide a number of audng Council Directive 89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or audio visual programme schedules (channels). Legal “must-carry” obligations may be applied, but only to specified broadcast channels supplied by a specified media service providerdministrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities1. Member States should provide a clear justification for the “must carry” obligations in their national law so as to ensure that such obligations are transparent, proportionate and properly defined. In that regard, “must carry” rules should be designed in a way which provides sufficient incentives for efficient investment in infrastructure. “Must carry” rules should be periodically reviewed in order to keep them up-to-date with technological and market evolution in order to ensure that they continue to be proportionate to the objectives to be achieved. Given the rapid change in technology and market conditions such a full review would need to be carried out at least every three years and would require a public consultation of all stakeholders. One or more broadcast channels may be complemented byComplementary services include, but are not limited to, services to improve accessibility for users with disabilities, such as a videotext service, subtitling service, an audio description or sign language. _______ 1 OJ L 332, 18.12.2007, p. 27.
Amendment 100 #
2007/0248(COD)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 30 b (new)
Recital 30 b (new)
(30b) The Commission should collaborate with the consumer protection associations whenever it reviews this directive and ensure they are regularly consulted concerning the results and means of implementing these rules in the various Member States.
Amendment 101 #
2007/0248(COD)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 34
Recital 34
(34) Software that surreptitiously monitors actions of the user and/or subverts operation of the user’s terminal equipment for the benefit of a third party (so-called “spyware”) poses a serious threat to users’ privacy. A high and equal level of protection of the private sphere of users needs to be ensured, regardless of whether unwanted spying programmes are inadvertently downloaded via electronic communications networks or are delivered and installed hidden in software distributed on other external data storage media, such as CDs, CD-ROMs, USB keys. The controls in question will, moreover, require the fullest possible cooperation with the big software producers.
Amendment 106 #
2007/0248(COD)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 2 – point b
Article 1 – point 2 – point b
Directive 2002/22/EC
Article 2 – point (c)
Article 2 – point (c)
(c) “publicly available telephone service” means an electronic communications service available to the public forconsisting wholly or mainly in originating and receiving, directly or indirectly via carrier selection or pre- selection or resale, national and/or international real-time, bi-directional voice calls through a number or numbers in a national or international telephone numbering plan;
Amendment 153 #
2007/0248(COD)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 12
Article 1 – point 12
Directive 2002/22/EC
Article 20 – paragraph 4
Article 20 – paragraph 4
4. Member States shall ensure that where contracts are concluded between subscribers and undertakings providing electronic communications services that allow voice communicatioavailable to the public that allow the origination of real-time bi-directional voice calls through a number or numbers in a national telephone numbering plan, subscribers are clearly informed whether or not access to emergency services is provided. Providers of such electronic communications services shall ensure that customers are clearly informed of the lack of access to emergency services in advance of the conclusion of a contract and regularly thereafterupon renewal of such contract.
Amendment 204 #
2007/0248(COD)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 14
Article 1 – point 14
Directive 2002/22/EC
Article 23
Article 23
Member States shall take all necessaryppropriate steps to ensure the availability of publicly available telephone services provided over public communications networks in the event of catastrophic network breakdown or in cases of force majeure. Member States shall ensure that undertakings providing publicly available telephone services take all reasonablppropriate steps to ensure uninterrupted access to emergency services at fixed locations and, to the extent technically feasible, at non-fixed locations.
Amendment 217 #
2007/0248(COD)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 16
Article 1 – point 16
Directive 2002/22/EC
Article 26 – paragraph 2
Article 26 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall ensure that undertakings providing a service for originating national and/or international calls through a number or numbers in a national or international telephone numbering planpublicly available telephone service provide access to emergency services.
Amendment 221 #
2007/0248(COD)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 16
Article 1 – point 16
Directive 2002/22/EC
Article 26 – paragraph 5
Article 26 – paragraph 5
5. Member States shall ensure that caller location information is made available free of charge to authorities handling emergencies for all calls to the single European emergency call number “112”. Member States shallmay require that caller location information is automatically provided, to the extent technically feasible, as soon as the emergency call reaches the authority dealing with the emergency.