14 Amendments of Raimon OBIOLS related to 2008/2031(INI)
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the 2004 Basic Principles on the Use of Restrictive Measures (Sanctions) are the first pragmatic document defining the framework within which the EU imposes sanctions; whereas, however, the EU has been active in this areadoing so since the early 1980s and, in particular, following the entry into force of the TEU in 1993; whereas this document formally establishes sanctions as an instrument of the CFSP and, as a result, represents the starting point for a European sanctions policy,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas sanctions are one of a range ofthe instruments which the EU may use to implement its policy on human rights; recalling that the use of sanctions must be part of an integrated and comprehensive policy approach and must be consistent with the Union's overall strategy in the area concerned,
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes also that sanctions can have symbolic value as an expression of the EU's moral condemnation of the actions of the regime to which sanctions are applied, thus giving added visibility and credibility to EUits foreign policy;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Regrets that the existence of intra-EU disagreements on policies towards a given country such as Cuba or the reluctance of Member States to antagonise major partners such as Russia have led the EU to adopt only 'informal sanctions' in Presidency Conclusions, reflecting an unbalanced or inconsistent application of EU sanctions; recognises, however, that measures included in the Council conclusions, such as the deferral of the signing of agreements with certain countries such as Serbia, could be a useful tool in order to pressure third countries to fully cooperate with international mechanisms;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Considers that the effectiveness of sanctions should be analysed at a number of levels, both in terms of the measures' intrinsic effectiveness, i.e. their ability to have an impact on the private and professional activities of the individuals targeted as members of a target regime, or on the operation of the target regime itselthereof, and in terms of their political effectiveness, i.e. their ability to bring about a stop to or alteration of the activities or policies which have let to their adoption;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Considers that a sanctions policy leads de facto to the isolation of the country concerned but should under no circumstances isolate the population; stresses, therefore, that any sanctions taken against government authorities should systematically be coupled with political and financial support for civil society in the relevant country;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Insists, therefore, on the systematic inclusion of human rights clauses and a specific implementation mechanism in all new bilateral agreements signed with third countries; recalls, in this connection, the importance of the recommendations issued with a view to more effective and systematic implementation of the clause, namely the formulation of objectives and reference criteria, guidelines for regular evaluation, depending on the sanction, and involvement of the European Parliament and civil society at all stages of the clause's implementation;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers that sanctions policy will be all themuch more effective ifwhen it forms part of a solid human rights strategy; reiterates its request to the Council and Commission to devise a specific strategy on human rights and the situation as regards democracy as part of each country strategy paper and other similar types of documents;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Takes the view that coordinated action by the international community has a stronger impact than disparate and uneven actions by States or regional entities; welcomes, therefore, the notion expressed in the Basic Principles that UN Security Council sanctions should be preferred to EU sanctions andfact that the EU sanctions policy should continue to be based on the notion of a preference in favour of the UN regime;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the Council, in the absence of UN Security Council sanctions, to cooperate with otherfor a genuine sanctions policy seeking to facilitate effective cooperation between sanctioning states, share information and coordinate action in order to ensure the widest possible action at international level and to maximise the effectiveness and implementation of EU sanctions;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Requests that Parliament be associated in all the stages of a sanctions process: the decision-making process leading to sanctions, the selection of the sanctions most appropriate to the situation, and also the definition of benchmarks and the evaluation of their implementation within the framework of the review mechanism and the lifting of the sanction;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Deeply regrets that none of the judicial bodies is in position to assess the appropriateness of blacklisting, given that the evidence leading to blacklisting is based purely on information held by the secret services; calls in this regard on EU Member States to allow an effective parliamentary control over the work of the secret services;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
59. Calls on the Commission to set up a group of independent experts structured on similar lines to the committee of experts of the United Nations Security Council, to put forward, as and when necessary, the most appropriate restrictive measures, to draw up regular reports on developments on the basis of the established criteria and objectives and, where necessary, to suggest ways in which implementation of sanctions might be improved; considers that the setting-up of such a group would improve transparency and discussions on sanctions in general, and would also strengthen the implementation and ongoing monitoring of sanctions in particular cases;