Activities of Timothy Charles Ayrton TANNOCK related to 2018/2160(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the post-Arab Spring: way forward for the MENA region PDF (227 KB) DOC (87 KB)
Amendments (10)
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, eight years after the Arab Spring and political developments which have led countries in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions to follow many diverse evolutionary paths in terms of politics and stability, it is essential to assess how to respond to the legitimate democratic aspirations of certain groups in the region; whereas it is important to take stock of the efforts and policy stance adopted by the EU in response to the Arab Spring and to assess its capacity for policy delivery; whereas it is essential to reassess the policy framework of the EU towards Southern Neighbourhood countries and its future objectives;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the capacity of Member States to exert a positive influence in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions is very unequal and has often been marred by fragmentation; whereas individual Member States’the EU's action in the region needs to be in synergy with the EU’sMember States' objectives; whereas the EU needs to increase its political leverage; whereas long-term political and economic stability in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions is of fundamental strategic importance to the EU, and as such requires a longer-term approach as regards the policy framework and its objectives;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with concern that, eight years after the upheavals, most of the expectations of the peaceful protesters calling for democracy, human rights and the rule of law have still not been met; condemns the persistent and continuing violations of human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in several cases; is worried about the continued dire socio- economic situation in the region, which continues to be dire and, in particular, about the high levels of youth unemployment and social exclusion, which cause disillusionment and disenfranchisement on a large scale and may lead to increased susceptibility for extremist thought;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Expresses concern about the fact that, in spite of its considerable political and budgetary investments and continuous political and economic outreach, the EU has not been able to gain real political and economic leverage, and is no longer perceived as a game changer by the countries in the region; points to the dissatisfaction felt by civil society and local NGOs at how the EU translates its vision into action on the ground; is extremely concerned about the increasingly complex political situation in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions, and the emergence of new political and economic regional players such as Russia and China, in addition to the competing narratives and financing from the Gulf countries and Iran;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is concerned, howBeliever,s that the complexity of managing the migration and refugee flows from and through the Maghreb and Mashreq regions, the nexus between security and migration, the challenge of terrorism and the legitimate concerns about the fragility of certain countries in the region, as well as the lack of a cohesive approach by the Member States, is encouraging themay lead to unsatisfactory EU’s action towards the region to rely excessively on an ideology of stabilitystabilising the region; takes the view that when stability and security becomought to be the predominant objectives, they lead to a shorter-term policy vision and deprive EU action directed atincluding the reaffirmingation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of the required intensity; is convinced that stability and security can only be achieved through longer-term objectives;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the concept of co- ownership put forward by the revised European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP); is concerned, however, that it runs the risk of allowing authoritarian regimes in certain partner countries to cherry-pick priorities according to their national agenda, instead of advancing alorecognises that some cherry- picking of priorities may occur and stresses that this should not be at the detriment of seeking the path towards democratisation; stresses, therefore, the importance of a long-term policy framework and synergies in programming for post-Arab Spring countries based on the primacy of democracy, the inclusion of all non-violent democratic political forces and the primacy of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental values; reiterates that strengthening these aspects is, as well as developing an attractive economic climate, counter-extremism and support for positive reforms are in the interests of the partner countries, as well as of the EU, and calls for stronger conditionality in this sense;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes the view that, as the EU struggles to come up with a renewed vision for the management of migration and assistance to refugees, there is an increasing risk that some countries in the region might use migration containment and their role therein to seek greater leverage in their political and policy dialogue with the EU; stresses, instead, the importance of a policy framework promoting democratic, political and socio- economic inclusion as mutually reinforcing factors; is convinced that, where the prerequisites for the negotiation of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements, conditional on democratic progress, are not yet in place, the EU should provide increased access to trade and investment, and assistance for reconstrucbelieves that Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements positively contribute to progressive political and economic reforms as well as support the modernisation andof infrastructure modernisand the creation in sof attriact correlation with progressive political and economic reformsive economic climates in countries concerned;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Points out the risk that the EU’s action for the region and the approach pursued by Member States through bilateral relations may not be in harmony, and that the EU’s capacity to make a political impact might be lost as a result; welcomnotes, in this context, the proposal made by the President of the Commission to move beyond unanimity in Council decision- making in foreign affairs, as it could help the EU to speak with one voice in its foreign relations and have greater leveragend encourages Member States to examine ways in which they can act more effectively;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Is convinced that young people should be a primary focus of the EU’s action towards the region, with an intersectional approach; calls for youth policies to be mainstreamed in all the Union’s policies in the MENA region; proposes that each EU Delegation set up youth advisory councils comprising young political, economic, media, cultural and CSO leaders with a view to providing input on policy priorities, the capacity of EU policies to make an impact in the country and introduce an additional element of accountability in relation to policy choices; calls on European political families to engage in enhanced exchanges with active local young people from the MENA countries, with a view to promoting their empowerment, training and capacity-building to enable them to stand in local elections andbelieves that it may be beneficial to consider a stronger emphasis on youth policies in the MENA region; including in the political, economic, media, cultural and CSO spheres and to engage in enhanced exchanges with active local young people from the MENA countries, as to seek to support their empowerment, in order to become new actors of positive change in their respective countries;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls that women’s rights, gender equality and, the right to non- discrimination of vulnerable groups and freedom of religion or belief are fundamental rights and key principles of the EU’s external action;