37 Amendments of Bas BELDER related to 2017/2036(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
- having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the historical, economic and cultural ties linkingexist between Europe and Cuba are characterised by their depth and strength;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the European Union maintains relations with the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean and there is broad consensus among its 33 member states on the desirability of(CELAC), which welcomed expanding relations between the European Union and Cuba;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas what is known as the ‘common position of the EU’, adopted in 1996, has been superseded by the bilateral agreements with Cuba that have been signed during this period by 2018 EU Member States, although not all these agreements are in force;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the PDCA emphasises the areas of shared interestdefines general principles and objectives for the relationship between for the EU and Cuba, including three main chapters on political dialogue, cooperation and sectoral policy dialogue, as well as trade and trade cooperation;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas democracy, human rights feature in both the political dialogue and cooperation chaptersand good governance feature in the Agreement;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas Cuba is willing to accept cooperation with the EU within the framework of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, the key objectives of which are supporting, developing and consolidating democracy in third countries, and enhancing respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the human rights dialogue between the EU and Cuba, led by the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, beganwas established in 2015;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas issues discussed at the second meeting of the human rights dialogue held in Cuba in June 2016 with the participation of line ministries and agencies included freedom of association and human rights issues in a multilateral context, such as the death penalty; whereas the next meeting of the human rights dialogue is due to be held in Brussels during the first half of 2017included freedom of association, the role of civil society, treatment of vulnerable groups and human rights issues in a multilateral context;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas issues discussed at the second meeting of the human rights dialogue held in Cuba in June 2016 with the participation of line ministries and agencies included freedom of association and human rights issues in a multilateral context, such as the death penalty; whereas the next meeting of the human rights dialogue is due to be held in Brussels during the first half of 2017; whereas participation in it by independent civil society in Cuba, as an autonomous player, is of fundamental importance both for EU-Cuba relations and in terms of respect for human rights in Cuba;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas the fundamental right to freedom of religious belief is being seriously violated by the Cuban Government in that a special state institution ('Oficina de Asuntos Religiosos') carries out checks on priests and church organisations;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
La. whereas Cuba has not ratified several important UN conventions and independent human rights organizations and mechanisms do not have access to Cuba; whereas the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons visited Cuba in April 2017 in what was the first visit to the country in ten years by an independent expert of the UN Human Rights Council;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
Recital M
M. whereas both Parties have agreed on the broad modalities and areas for cooperation in the cooperation chapter, including on issues such as rule of law, human rights, good governance, justice and, combating corruption and organized crime and participation in civil society;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M a (new)
Recital M a (new)
Ma. whereas allegations of human rights abuses taking place in Cuba targeting, inter alia, human rights defenders, independent journalists, academics, artists and political activists are highly alarming; whereby such allegations describe the use of beatings, public shaming, short-term arbitrary arrests and detentions without trial;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M b (new)
Recital M b (new)
Mb. whereas domestics human rights groups face extreme difficulties in performing their duties; notably, the domestic legal organisation Cubalex was raided by state authorities in September 2016 and its staff subjected to intimidation, detention and harassment according to the Human Rights Watch 2017 Report;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
Recital O
O. whereas the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) devotes a chapter to the principles of international trade and addresses customs cooperation, trade facilitation and diversification, standards and technical rules, sustainable trade and promotion of a stable, transparent and non-discriminatory business and investment regime;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital P
Recital P
P. whereas the ‘Economic and social policy guidelines’ for Cuba, adopted following a pCublic debate procedure in 2011, contained proposals for reform, updating and modernisationan Communist Party organised debate procedure in 2011 from which civil society partners were excluded, contained proposals for reform, updating and modernisation; whereas the adviser in connection with those guidelines, Cuban economist Ómar Everleny Pérez, was dismissed from a Cuban state economic studies centre in 2015 because of his criticism of the slow progress being made;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital P
Recital P
P. whereas the ‘Economic and social policy guidelines’ for Cuba, adopted following a public debate procedure in 2011, contained proposals for reform, updating and modernisation; whereas the "socialist property of the entire people" remains the foundation of the economic system;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital S
Recital S
S. whereas Cuba is a signatory to 11 of the 18 United Nations human rights conventions and has ratified only eight of them;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital T
Recital T
T. whereas Cuba has ratified all eight core conventions of the International Labour Organisation; whereas there are no free trade unions in Cuba in spite of the fact that the Cuban Constitution guarantees right of association and right of assembly, provided that those rights are not contrary to the objectives of the socialist state;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital U
Recital U
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital V
Recital V
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital V a (new)
Recital V a (new)
Va. whereas religious discrimination remains a significant factor in Cuba, notably in the harassment, intimidation and defamation of Christian religious leaders and communities, especially those involved or having dealings with human rights advocates;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the signing in Brussels, on 12 December 2016, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Cuba and states that it constitutes an instrument that will offer an appropriate framework for relations, in keeping with the EU’s interests in its relationship with between the EU and Cuba;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Affirms the high strategic value of the relationship between the EU and Cuba;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recognises the high level of commitment that the Republic of Cuba is undertaking with the European Union in a wide range of fields and through a sophisticated system of political dialogue;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Affirms the European Parliament’s aspiration to see relations between the EU and Cuba develop to the greatest possible extentfurther, with full respect for the independence and autonomy of the parties;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recognises the efforts made by Cuba to incorporate the United Nations fundamental principles on human and labour rights into its national legislation, and cCalls on Cuba to ratify the United Nations human rights conventions still pending, specifically the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the process of normalising relations that has been achieved between Cuba and the United States of America with the restoration of diplomatic ties in 2015 and encourages further efforts;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the fact thatEmphasises the importance of the human rights dialogue between the EU and Cuba and welcomes the fact that it was launched before the conclusion of the PDCA negotiations;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recognises that the PDCA can contribute to the reform, adjustment and modernisation processes already proposed in Cuba, in particular with regard to the diversification of Cuba’s international partners and the establishment of a general framework of political and economic development, including a more rigorous observance of international norms of human rights;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Underlines the relevance of the inclusion of the political dialogue chapter and the establishment of an institutionalised EU-Cuba Human Rights dialogue; notes, however, that the human rights dialogue has not to date put an end to the persecution and arrest of human rights activists and political opposition activists in Cuba and that, on the contrary, according to information from the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN), there have been more and more crackdowns in recent years, as is illustrated by the fact that, on average, 500 dissidents are detained every month, their homes are searched, and computers, books, cameras, recording equipment and even cash are taken away, which severely limits the activities of what are peaceful opposition activists;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls for the churches in Cuba to be given their freedom so that, as recognised institutions, they can develop social welfare activities and provide childcare, disability and elderly care, and meals services;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Calls for the Cuban churches to be given their freedom so that they can receive spiritual and material assistance directly from churches in Europe without Cuban state interference;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls on the Parties to highlight the importance of gradually strengthening the private sector in Cuba; stresses that this requires the development of independent, transparent and impartial institutions and a quality infrastructure to ensure that standards are observed; points out that Cuba can draw on the experience of EU Member States in this respect;