887 Amendments of Nirj DEVA
Amendment 4 #
Amendment 5 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 6
Amendment 6 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 7
Amendment 7 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 8
Amendment 8 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 9
Amendment 18 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 16
Amendment 28 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Citation 20
Citation 20
Amendment 29 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 21
Amendment 30 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 22
Amendment 31 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 23
Amendment 32 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 24
Amendment 33 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 26
Amendment 34 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 27
Amendment 36 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Citation 28
Amendment 47 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital B
B. whereas development should go hand-in-hand with social justiceprogress and good governance, and whereas development, trade and human rights can have an impact on each other and may reinforce each other;
Amendment 50 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas trade and investment contribute significantly to development, wealth creation, decent jobs and inclusive and sustainable growth;
Amendment 52 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas global supply chains most often have a positive impact on local working conditions by setting higher standards;
Amendment 53 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas OECD studies suggest that to the extent that trade itself raises per capita income, it advances both working conditions;
Amendment 59 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital D
D. whereas States should set out clearly the expectation that all business enterprises domiciled in their territory and/or jurisdiction respect human rights throughout their operationsfulfil their human rights obligations within their territory and/or jurisdiction;
Amendment 66 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights endorsed by consensus in the Human Rights Council remain the authoritative framework for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse impacts on human rights linked to business activity;
Amendment 71 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital E
E. whereas the UNGPs apply to all States and to all business enterprises, both transnational and others, regardless of their size, sector, location, ownership and structure and are grounded in recognition of the following: States’ existing obligations to respect, protect and fulfil human rights and fundamental freedoms; the role of business enterprises as specialized organs of society performing specialized functions, required to comply with all applicable laws and to respect human rights; and the need for rights and obligations to be matched to appropriate and effective remedies when breached; whereas available evidence suggests that where the UNGPs are implemented, the incidence of corporate related human rights harm is reduced;
Amendment 78 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital G
G. whereas corporations are one of the major players in economic globalisation, financial services and international trade and are required to comply with all applicable laws and international treaties in force, and to respect human rights; whereas these business enterprises as well as national corporations may at times cause, or contribute to human rights violations, and whereas they may also have an important role to play in offering positive incentives in terms of promoting human rights, democracy, environmental standards and corporate social responsibility;
Amendment 81 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas corporations are more and more willing to support corporate social responsibility initiatives; whereas companies are progressively integrating CSR into their strategies, not because they are forced to do so but because they believe in the benefits of doing so;
Amendment 93 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas the major problem lies not so much in the governance gap at the international level but in the lack of capacity at the national level to effectively implement and enforce laws;
Amendment 94 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Recital H b (new)
Hb. whereas inappropriate working conditions and negative impacts on the environment are often due to a high level of informality, in effective governmental inspections, a lack of government frameworks, high levels of corruption, ineffective judiciary systems at national level and lack of information about workers’ rights;
Amendment 122 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Paragraph 3
3. Strongly supports the full implementation of the UNGPs, unanimously endorsed by the Council in June 2011 and calls on the EU and Member States to elaborate and adopt an EU, respectively national action plans that set out clear expectations for governments and all types of business enterprises for the swift, effective and comprehensive implementation of the said Principles;
Amendment 126 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Paragraph 4
4. Considers it regrettableNotes that a global approach to the way in which transnational corporations abide by human rights law is still lacking;
Amendment 132 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on national governments to reinforce their efforts to ensure, through judicial, administrative, legislative or other appropriate means, that when human abuses occur within their territory and/or jurisdiction, those affected have access to effective remedy;
Amendment 139 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Paragraph 6
Amendment 149 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Paragraph 7
7. Warmly welcomNotes in this context the work initiated in the United Nations through the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) to create a binding UN instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights and considers this to be a step forward in the promotion and protection of human rights;
Amendment 154 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses that it is crucial to define objective, scope, content and limits of the negotiated binding UN instrument;
Amendment 161 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Paragraph 8
Amendment 169 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the importance of the EU and its Member States being actively involved in this intergovernmental process;
Amendment 184 #
2018/2656(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the EU to ensureReminds that the European Union has observer status in the United Nations as a non-state participant and that any revision or future strategy document linked to the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy include clear objectives and measurable benchmarks for EU’sshould be considered by Member States in this context of inclusion in participation in the UN treaty negotiations;
Amendment 23 #
2018/2005(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that trade is not an end in itself, but that an inclusive, free and fair trade policy aligned with the SDGs can contribute to poverty eradication provided trading partners ensure property rights, the rule of law and competitive markets; recalls the principle of policy coherence for development, requiring that the objectives of development cooperation be taken into account in policies that are likely to affect developing countries; calls on the EU to systematically evaluate the impact of its trade policies on developing countries;
Amendment 38 #
2018/2005(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reiterates the importance of the multilateral rules-based order as the most effective way to achieve an inclusive global trading system; emphasises the importance of comprehensivadequate provisions on social, labour and environmental standards in trade agreements; welcomes the Commission’s commitment to include a chapter on Trade and Sustainable Development in all trade agreements;
Amendment 60 #
2018/2005(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Strongly supports the further mainstreaming of digital technologies and services in the EU’s development policy; calls on the Commission to increasMember States and on the Commission to reshape their ODA such that more investments in developing countries' digital infrastructure in the Global Souths encouraged.
Amendment 54 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas agriculture accounts for 80 % of tropical deforestation worldwide;
Amendment 56 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas subsistence farming accounts for 42% of this tropical deforestation and commercial farming for 32%;
Amendment 57 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)
Recital I b (new)
Ib. whereas urbanization, forest artificialization, mining and wood exploitation, misgovernance and conflicts are also human impacts on forests;
Amendment 60 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas deforestation accounts for nearly 20 % of human greenhouse gas emissions and for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions;
Amendment 74 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that the Agenda 2030 recognises that the good and sustainable management of forests play a critical role in sustainable development;
Amendment 91 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Urges the Commission to immediately launch a thorough impact assessment, and a genuine stakeholder consultation, with the purpose of establishing a meaningful EU Action Plan on deforestation and forest degradation that includes concrete regulatory measures to ensure thain cooperation with countries subject nto supply chains or financial transactions linked to the EU cause deforestation, forest degradation, or human rights violmassive deforestation and assist them to improve good management and to strengthen their legislation and international obligations; calls for this Action Plan to promote enhanced financial and technical assistance to producer countries with the specific aim of protecting, maintaining and restoring forests and critical ecosystems, and enhancing the livelihoods of forest- dependent communities;
Amendment 119 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses that better data, mapping, independent monitoring and, auditing tools and sharing information are essential to improving governance, international cooperation and facilitating compliance with zero- deforestation commitments;
Amendment 126 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses the need to ensure thatdevelop global supply chains and financial flows that support sustainable and deforestation-free production and do not result in human rights violations;
Amendment 130 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls for the EU to introduce mandatory requirement support new initiatives for the financial industry to undertake robust due diligence when assessing financial and non-financial environmental, social and governance risks;
Amendment 135 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 – point a
Paragraph 14 – point a
(a) establish mandatory criteriafurther develop and support good practices for sustainable and deforestation- free products;
Amendment 137 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 – point b
Paragraph 14 – point b
Amendment 145 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 152 #
2018/2003(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses the need to improve the reliability of voluntary certification schemes with a view to guaranteeing that only palm oil free from deforestation, forest degradation, illegitimate appropriation of land and other human rights violations enters the EU market, and that schemes such as the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) include all end-uses of palm oil;
Amendment 5 #
2017/2594(RSP)
Recital A
A. whereas, according to the OECD, 1.6 billion people live in 56 countries identified as fragile4 ; whereas situations of fragility increase the vulnerability of populations due to various factors including conflict and insecurity, forced displacement, extreme poverty, food insecurity, lack of access to healthcare, economic shocks, poor governance and weak institutions, and natural disasters exacerbated by the impact of climate change; whereas fostering resilience is particularly important in situations of fragility which the OECD defines along five different dimensions – economic, environmental, political, security and societal; _________________ 4 OECD (2016), States of Fragility 2016: Understanding violence, OECD publishing, Paris
Amendment 23 #
2017/2594(RSP)
Recital i a (new)
i a. whereas natural or man-made disasters affect women, girls, boys and men differently, gender-based inequalities exacerbating the impact of stresses and shocks and impeding sustainable development; whereas in order for programmes to be effective, comprehensive and sustainable, they need to build and enhance resilience and must involve women, addressing specific abilities and coping mechanisms;
Amendment 27 #
2017/2594(RSP)
Recital J
J. whereas the approach to resilience in the external action of the EU should pay special attention to the needs of the most vulnerable parts of the population, including the poorest, minorities, forcibly displaced populations, women, children, people with disabilities and the elderly;
Amendment 54 #
2017/2594(RSP)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Calls for gender-responsive programming that strengthens the participation of women and addresses women's concerns in developing their resilience to disasters and climate change, and that ensures women's rights, including property rights and land tenure security, including water, forests, housing and other assets;
Amendment 56 #
2017/2594(RSP)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Underlines the importance of access to healthcare and services, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene, in emergency situations, as well as long-term community health planning;
Amendment 61 #
2017/2594(RSP)
Paragraph 9
9. Recognises state resilience as an important dimension of resilience and underlines that the resilience and stability of countries is directly derived from the respect for human rights, the strength of democracy, the rule of law and good governance, trust in institutions, and accountability to their own citizens, objectives, each and all of them, which must be promoted and defended in the implementation of the EUGS;
Amendment 69 #
2017/2594(RSP)
Paragraph 11
11. Emphasises the importance of early-warning systems as a mechanism to promote resilience and calls on the EU to increase its efforts on this area, notably by promoting closer cooperation between different actors on the ground, particularly in EU Delegations, and developing joint analysis in fragile contexts and exchanges within natural disaster-prone regions facing similar hazards, that would allow a better understanding and a more coordinated response across EU policies and between EU institutions and Member States;
Amendment 10 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas, according to the IMF, the median level of debt in Sub-Saharan Africa had risen sharply, from 34% of GDP in 2013 to 48% in 2017;
Amendment 11 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
E b. whereas several countries, including Ethiopia, Ghana and Zambia, have debt levels at or above 50% of GDP - which constitutes a significant debt burden, taking into account the low tax base in most African countries;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E c (new)
Recital E c (new)
E c. whereas debt-service as a percentage of government spending has considerably increased since 2013 which substantially reduces opportunities for public investment;
Amendment 22 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas national debt sustainability depends on not only debt stock but also on other factors, such as explicit and implicit financial guarantees (contingent liabilities) issued by the countries concerned; whereas public-private partnerships often entail related guarantees, possibly accompanied by significant risks of future bank bailouts; whereas the EFSD aims to provide such guarantees for fragile countries;
Amendment 27 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas odious debts contracted by regimes parties to facilitate corrupt practices or transactions known by creditors to be illicit are resulting in a substantial burden for the poorer classesmajority of the population;
Amendment 39 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital N a (new)
Recital N a (new)
N a. whereas the IMF remains the principal forum for discussing restructuring sovereign debt issues, with significant influence over the European Union and its Member States;
Amendment 42 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital O a (new)
Recital O a (new)
O a. whereas debt relief has provided low-income countries with new opportunities, it must be noted that it is a one-off intervention to restore debt sustainability which doesn't address the root causes of unsustainable debt accumulation and challenges - such as corruption, weak institutions, vulnerability to external shocks - must be primarily addressed;
Amendment 46 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that credit facilities are an essential means of ensuring a dignified future forwealth creation in developing countries;
Amendment 65 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that responsibility for spiralling (external) debt rests primarily with the politicians governing the countries in question and that, in manyseveral cases, their creditors must also be held accountable for the resulting debt crisis;
Amendment 75 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 89 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 93 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Stresses that transparency should be promoted in order to enhance the accountability of the actors concerned; emphasises the importance of sharing of both data and processes related to sovereign debt workouts;
Amendment 94 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission to draw up, in coordination with all major international actors and the countries concerned, in the form of a white paper, a genuine strategy designed to save developing countries from excessive debt by adopting a multilateral approach, specifying the rights, duties and responsibilities of all concerned and considering the institutional provisions best suited to to ensuring an equitable approach to the problem of debt;
Amendment 103 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. DeploresTakes note of the refusal by the EU Member States in 2015 given several statements that do not accurately reflect existing law or international practices, following the adoption of Council Common Position 11705/15 (of 7 September 2015), to approve UN Resolution A/RES/69/319 concerning basic principles for sovereign debt restructuring, which was nevertheless adopted by majority vote in the UN General Assembly on 10 September 2015;
Amendment 105 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Stresses the importance of consistency of actions taken at the IMF level and in the UN context and of coordination of positions among Member States in the best possible way;
Amendment 108 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 – introductory part
Paragraph 14 – introductory part
14. Calls on the EU Member States to act on the mandate adopted inrevisit Resolution A/RES/69/319 of 10 September 2015 in order to:
Amendment 111 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 – point a
Paragraph 14 – point a
(a) create a permanent crisis management mechanism for the developingearly warning mechanisms based on reporting of a broader deterioration in debt sustainability which would help to identify at early stage risks and vulnerabilities of heavily indebted countries;
Amendment 114 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 – point b
Paragraph 14 – point b
(b) allow, in coordination with the IMF, the establishment of a multilateral legal framework for the restructuring of sovereign debt in order to prevent it becoming unsustainable and to achieve greater predictability for investors;
Amendment 124 #
2016/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
Amendment 8 #
2016/2222(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Stresses the key role palm oil production plays in the economies of palm-oil producing developing countries, both as a valuable source of income and employment;
Amendment 10 #
2016/2222(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Calls for assisting palm-oil producing countries in the elaboration and enforcement of relevant domestic policies and regulations aiming at minimising the impact of the industry on deforestation, ecosystem and natural heritage;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2222(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1 c. Recalls that Malaysia and Indonesia are the main producers of palm oil, with an estimated 85-90 % of global production and welcomes that Malaysian primary forest levels have increased since 1990, but remains concerned that current deforestation levels in Indonesia are running at a rate of -0.5% total loss every five years;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2222(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 24 #
2016/2222(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Stresses the importance of improving production conditions of palm oil through supporting existing certification systems, ensuring that they are easily accessible for SMEs and understandable for consumers confirming that the palm oil in question has been produced in line with sustainability guideline, including the requirement that the product is effectively and transparently traceable throughout the entire supply chain;
Amendment 41 #
2016/2222(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 60 #
2016/2222(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is concerned that many land deals breach the principle of local communities’ free, prior and informed consent; calls for the EU and its Member States to ensure that EU-based investors adhere fully to international standards on responsible investment in agriculture, and to take steps to ensure access to remedy for victims of corporate abuses.
Amendment 6 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 14 a (new)
Citation 14 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 14 April 2016 of the European Parliament on 'The Private Sector and Development'15a , _________________ 15a Texts adopted, (P8_TA(2016)0137).
Amendment 8 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
- having regard to the Directive 2014/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large undertakings and groups,
Amendment 21 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas economic development should go hand-in-hand with social justiceis key to developing self-sustaining societies; whereas the complexity and fragmentation of global value chains (GVCs) underline the need for complementary policies and flanking measures to avoid, address and mitigate their potential adverse impacts and to ensure victims of human rights violations have an effective access to remedydoes not facilitate effective access to justice and compensation for potential victims of corporate abuse;
Amendment 25 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas economic development should go hand-in-hand with social justiceprogress; whereas the complexity and fragmentation of global value chains (GVCs) underline the need for complementary policies and flanking measures to avoid, address and mitigate their potential adverse impacts and to ensure victims of human rights violations have an effective access to remedy;
Amendment 35 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. highlights the important role of garment sector as a driver of labour- intensive development for emerging economies, especially Asia's emerging markets;
Amendment 36 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas strong performance of garment exports, especially in China, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Cambodia is set to continue;
Amendment 38 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas most human rights violations in the garment sector are labour- rights related and include the denial of workers fundamental right to joirelated to the lack or absence of knowledge of their rights by workers; whereas women wor form a union of their choosing and bargain collectively in good faithkers are predominant in low-skilled positions and underrepresented in middle- management positions; whereas this has led to widespread labour rights violations ranging from poverty wages, wage theft, unsafe workplaces, and sexual harassment, to precarious work;
Amendment 39 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas most human labour-rights violations in the garment sector are labour-rights related and include the denial of workers fundamental right to join or form a union of their choosing and bargain collectively in good faith; whereas this has led to widespreaseveral tragic events and labour rights violations ranging from poverty wages, wage theft, unsafe workplaces, and sexual harassment, to precarious work;
Amendment 47 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas a number of promising initiatives led by the private sector, such as codes of conduct, labels, self-assessments and social audits, have not proven to be at all effectivecontributed positively to improving supply chain standards over the last 20 years in terms of increasing workers’ rights in the garment supply chain;
Amendment 57 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the specific characteristics of the garment sector value chains, such as geographically dispersed stages of the production process, low prices, short lead times, subcontracting and short-term buyer-supplier relationships are conducive to reducing visibility and transparency over an enterprise’'s supply chain and to inc; whereas ing the risks of human rights and labour abusesternational companies should positively contribute to the social and of environmental damagewell-being of developing countries; whereas transparency is a prerequisite for a company’'s accountability and responsible consumption; whereas the consumer has the right to know where a piece of clothing was produced, and in which social and environmental conditionsshould have access to information regarding the social and environmental conditions involving the production of a piece of clothing;
Amendment 65 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas women’s rights are a constitutive part of human rights; whereas gender equality falls within the scope of the chapters of trade agreements on sustainable development; whereas the specific impact of trade and investment agreements affects women and men differently owing to structural gender inequalities, and whereas sustainable and inclusive development, growth and trade agreements must includeshould respect human rights, including from a gender perspective;
Amendment 70 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas an estimated 60-70 % of employees in the ready-made garment sector are young, mostly low-skilled female workers; many are just children, whereas low wages, coupled with low if any social protection make these women particularly vulnerable to exploitation; whereas a gender perspective and specific measures on women's empowerment is largely missing in the ongoing sustainability initiatives;
Amendment 72 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
I a. whereas the private sector plays an essential role in fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in developing countries; whereas the economy of some developing countries depends on the garment industry; whereas the expansion of this industry has allowed many workers to move from informal economy to the formal sector;
Amendment 74 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
I a. whereas employment of women in the garment sector in developing countries contributes significantly to the household income and poverty reduction;
Amendment 77 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the garment sector is the sector which has the most sustainability initiatives in progress; whereas few existing initiatives reach the scale needed to make a significant impact;
Amendment 93 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for the Commission to be committed to promoting binding and non- negotiable human rights and social and environmental clauses in the negotiation of international agreements; regrets that current human rights clauses in free trade agreements and other economic partnership agreements are usually not respected;
Amendment 99 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. AcknowledgWelcomes the increasing attention given to promoting good working conditions through global supply chains following the Rana Plaza factory collapse, the introduction of the draft French law on mandatory due diligence, the UK anti- slavery bill, and the statement made by President Juncker at the G7 Summit in favour of ‘urgent action’ to improve responsibility in global supply chains; acknowledges the Commission’s commitment towards responsible management of supply chains, including in the garment sector, as outlined in the Communication entitled ‘Trade for All’; welcomes the green card initiative in which eight Member States have called for a duty of care by EU-based companies towards individuals and communities whose human rights and local environment are affected by the companies’ activities;
Amendment 106 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to present a legislative proposals on bindingoosting industry capacity to implement due diligence obligations for supply chains in the garment sector aligned with OECD guidelines and internationally agreed standards on human rights and social and environmental standards; this proposal should focus on the core problems garment workers face (occupational health and safety, a living wage, child labor, freedom of association, sexual harassment and violence) and should address the following matters: key criteria for sustainable production, transparency and traceability, including collection of data and tools for consumer information, due diligence checks and auditing, access to remedy; gender equality, supply-chain due diligence reporting; awareness raising; notes, however, with concern that a lot more needs to be done and urges the Commission to take further actions which have a direct impact on workers’ lives;
Amendment 107 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to present a legislative proposal on bidemanding due diligence obligations for supply chains in the garment sector alignedthat all enterprises which operate in developing countries through supply chains in the garment sector provide a level of transparency in accordance with OECD gGuidelines and internationally agreed standards on human rights andfor Multinational Enterprises in terms of respecting human rights, positively contributing to the social and environmental well-being of developing countries and abiding by social and environmental standards; this proposal should focus on the core problems garment workers face (occupational health and safety, a living wage, freedom of association, sexual harassment and violence) and should address the following matters: key criteria for sustainable production, transparency and traceability, including collection of data and tools for consumer information, due diligence checks and auditing, access to remedy; gender equality, supply-chain due diligence reporting;, awareness raising; notes, however, with concern that a lot more needs to be done and urgesthat the Commission toshould take further actions which havto encourage a dfairect impact on workers’ livr, more ethical garment industry recognising the essential growth opportunity it provides;
Amendment 117 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 123 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Calls on the Commission to reinforce corporate social responsibility initiatives and due diligence across the production chain with a focus on upholding human rights and their social, labour and environmental aspects;
Amendment 131 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Reiterates its commitment to gender equality and women empowerment; underlines the need to promote access to leadership positions of women by supporting training of female workers about their rights, labour legislation and safety and health issues, as well as training of male managers on gender equality and discrimination;
Amendment 132 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Stresses the importance of implementation, enforcement or transposition of already existing legislation at regional, national and international levels;
Amendment 133 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Points out that coordination, sharing information and exchange of best practices may contribute to increasing efficiency of private and public value chain initiatives and achieve positive results on sustainable development;
Amendment 136 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the Commission to deliver on its objective to foster improvements in the ready-made garment sector, including through a strong gender focus; calls on the Commission to make gender equalitywomen empowerment a central focus of its flagship legislative initiative;
Amendment 147 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Emphasises the need to enhance codes of conduct, labels and fair trade schemes, and of ensuring alignment with international standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, UN Global Compact, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the upcoming OECD due diligence guidance for the garment and footwear sector;
Amendment 162 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Believes that it is crucial to ensure increased access to information on the conduct of enterprises; considers it fundamental to introduce a mandatoryn effective reporting system and due diligence for EU companies that outsource their production to third countries; believes that responsibility should extend throughout the entire supply chain, including sub- contractors in the formal and informal economy, and commends existing efforts to this effect; believes, however, that the EU is best placed to develop a common framework through legislation on mandatory transnational due diligence and supply chain transparency and traceability;
Amendment 163 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Believes that it is crucial to ensure increased access to information on the conduct of enterprises; considers it fundamental to introduce a mandatory reporting system and due diligence for EU companies that outsource their production to third countries; believes that responsibility should extend throughout the entire supply chain, including sub- contractors in the formal and informal economy, and commends existing efforts to this effect; believes, however, that the EU is best placedshould cooperate with the private sector to develop a common framework through legislation on mandatoryon transnational due diligence and supply chain transparency and traceability consistent with the EU directive on non-financial reporting;
Amendment 15 #
2016/2076(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas wildlife trafficking is not a new phenomenon, but its scale, nature and impacts have changed considerably in recent years, with poaching reaching unprecedented levels for some species
Amendment 17 #
2016/2076(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas wildlife crime, is a serious transnationally organised criminal business worldwide, with an annual turnover of at least USD 19 billion, and is now the fourth largest illegal activity in the world, with devastating effects for biodiversity and negative impact on the rule of law due to its close links with corruption; notably in some regions in Africa, it has a very negative impact on the potential for economic development
Amendment 21 #
2016/2076(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas the EU has an important role to play in tackling this traffic, as Europe is currently a destination market and a hub for trafficking in transit to other regions; it is also a region from which certain species are sourced for illegal trade
Amendment 25 #
2016/2076(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Supports the B4Life flagship initiative on biodiversity protection, implemented in particular via the European Development Fund and the Development Cooperation Instrument, as well as objective 1.2 of the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking relating to rural communities; calls on the Commission to ensure that relevant actions are consistent with the fundamental poverty reduction objective of EU development policy, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 15, reflect the potential of local communities to contribute to wildlife protection, and include creative solutions, adapted to local conditions, to human-wildlife conflicts;
Amendment 27 #
2016/2076(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Calls the European Commission and the Council to leverage their trade and development instruments to establish dedicated programmes to strengthen the implementation of CITES and provide resources for capacity-building against poaching and trafficking, in particular by supporting, strengthening and expanding enforcement initiatives such as ASEAN- WEN (ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network), HA-WEN (horn of Africa Wildlife enforcement Network), LATF (Lusaka Agreement Task Force), which aim to establish regional centres of expertise and provide models for cooperation against wildlife crime;
Amendment 49 #
2016/2076(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the need to responsibly manage the risks associated with combating poaching, which is often perpetrated by heavily armed and well- organised criminal groups; as well as the need for targeted awareness-raising amongst specialists on organised crime and money laundering;
Amendment 56 #
2016/2076(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls for support for private-sector initiatives in order to curb the illegal wildlife trade and encourage sustainable sourcing of wildlife products in/from Europe
Amendment 57 #
2016/2076(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Calls, in implementing the EU Action Plan, for closer and constructive cooperation between stakeholders, including civil society organisations and relevant business sectors to make more effective use of existing tools and policies and strengthen the synergies between them in order to ensure maximum impact in addressing wildlife trafficking across the EU and globally;
Amendment 83 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Union's ambitious External Investment Plan (EIP) is needed to engineer, guide and support investments starting in Africa and the Union's Neighbourhood for a start, as a means to promotecontribute to the achievement of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ('the 2030 Agenda') as well as the commitments under the recently revised European Neighbourhood Policy, thus addressing root causes of migration. It should also contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (COP 21).
Amendment 89 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The EIP should incorporate the Union commitment under the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development. It should also allow European investors and private companies, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, to participate more effectively to sustainable development in partner countries.
Amendment 98 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) This is in line with the Union Global Strategy for Foreign and Security Policy which embeds challenges such as migration and resilience in the overall EU foreign policy, ensuring full policy coherence and synergies with European development and Neighbourhood policies.
Amendment 106 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The EIP should provide an integrated financial package to finance investments starting in regions of Africa for countries that are signatories to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 200022 and the Neighbourhood countries, thereby creating sustainable and inclusive economic growth and employment opportunities, maximising additionality, delivering innovative products, and crowding-in private sector funds. __________________ 22 OJ L 317, 15.12.2000 as last amended by OJ L 287, 4.11.2010
Amendment 125 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Furthermore, the EFSD shouldall operate as 'one-stop-shop' to receive financing proposals from financial institutions and public or private investors and deliver a wide range of financial support to eligible investments. The EFSD Guarantee should be backed by the EFSD Guarantee Fund. The EFSD should deploy innovative instruments to supporand mechanisms to support and attract investments and involvepartner with the private sector.
Amendment 139 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The EFSD Guarantee should be granted to eligible counterparts for financing and investment operations or guarantee instruments for an initial investment period up to 31 December 2020, with a possibility for extension if deemed necessary.
Amendment 183 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The purpose of the EFSD as an integrated financial package shall be to supportguide, support and manage, through the supply of financing capacity in the form of grants, guarantees and other financial instruments to eligible counterparts, investments and increased access to financing starting in African and Neighbourhood partner countries.
Amendment 191 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The EFSD shall contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda with a particular focus on sustainable development, inclusive growth, job creation, poverty eradication, socio- economic sectors and on the development of the local private sector through the support to micro, small and medium sized enterprises, thus addressing root causes of migration and contributing to the sustainable reintegration of returned migrants in their countries of origin, while maximising additionality, delivering innovative products and solutions and crowding in private sector funds.
Amendment 198 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. The EFSD shall be composed of regional investment platforms, which will combine financing from existing blending facilities and the EFSD Guarantee. The first two regional investment platforms shall cover Africa and the EU Neighbourhood, with the possibility of expanding the coverage to other regions of the ACP at a later stage, as well as Latin America and Asia.
Amendment 211 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. The strategic board shall be composed of representatives of the Commission and of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (High Representative), of the Member States, of the EIB and of the EIBuropean Parliament. The Commission mayshall invite other contributors to become members of the strategic board having regard, where appropriate to the view, with the accord of the board. Partner Countries and relevant regional organisations, the eligible counterparts and the European Parliament may be given observer status, where appropriate. The strategic board shall be co-chaired by the Commission and the High Representative. The Secretariat of the EFSD, as a newly formed unit under the auspices of the European Commission, should encompass members of all relevant DGs - DG DEVCO, DG NEAR, DG BUDG - and be positioned under the guidance of the High-Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in order to benefit from the full weight and clout of the European Commission when taking crucial investment decisions.
Amendment 250 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) target socio-economic sectors, in particular infrastructure including sustainable energy, water, transport, information and communications technologies, digital innovation, environment, sustainable use of natural resources and blue growth, social infrastructure, human capital, in order to improve the socio-economic environment;
Amendment 258 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) provide finance in favour ofsupport mechanisms and finance for micro- , small- and medium- sized enterprises with a particular focus on private sector development and local entrepreneurship;
Amendment 297 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 4
Article 8 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission mayshall define investment windows for specific regions or partner countries or for both, for specific sectors, for specific projects or for specific categories of final beneficiaries or for both to be funded by instruments referred to in Article 9 to be covered by the EFSD Guarantee up to a fixed amount. All requests for financial support within investment windows shall be made to the Commission. The Commission will ensure that it has the capacity and expertise to manage a large financial portfolio and the potentially high volume of proposals.
Amendment 331 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 4 – point c
Article 12 – paragraph 4 – point c
(c) the amount of own resources that the counterpart is/counterparts is/are ready to mobilise for the investment window.
Amendment 351 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) an assessment of the added value, the mobilisation of private sector resources, the estimated and actual outputs and the outcomes and impact of the financing and investment operations covered by the EFSD Guarantee on an aggregated basis, including the impact on empassessing the impact and output according to a pre-determined scoreboard of indicators aimed at measuring the achievement ratio of the EFSD objectives, taking into account the indicators of the Sustainable Develoypment creationGoals and the mechanisms employed towards its measurement;
Amendment 369 #
2016/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
In accordance with its transparency policies and general Union principles on access to documents and information, the eligible counterparts shall make publicly available on their websites information relating to all financing and investment operations covered by the EFSD Guarantee under this Regulation, relating in particular to the manner in which those operations contribute to the requirements of this Regulation. The Commission's one-stop- shop web portal will refer in full to all its eligible counterparts and their operations under the Guarantee, made easily accessible by the public.
Amendment 12 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) A new results-oriented partnership framework with third countries which takes account of all Union policies and instruments should be developed. As part of that new partnership framework, the External Investment Plan should be established in order to support investments in regions outside the Union, while contributing to inclusive and sustainable development, wealth creation and to the achievement of the sSustainable dDevelopment gGoals (SDGs). It should also fulfil the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the objectives pursued by the other financing instruments for external action.
Amendment 19 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The EIB should develop and implement a set of indicators in its Results Measurement framework for projects in the public sector and in the private sector directed to refugees and host communities. Therefore, an assessment of the contribution of EIB financing operations addressing root causes of migration should be included in the Commission's annual reporting to the European Parliament and to the Council on EIB financing operations; ensuring full accountability and transparency.
Amendment 21 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The list of eligible regions and countries and potentially eligible regions and countries should be designed in order to achieve the greatest development impact and modified in order to exclude high income countries with high credit rating (Brunei, Iceland, Israel, Singapore, Chile and South Korea). In addition, Iran is to be added to the list of potentially eligible regions and countries.
Amendment 25 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b
Decision No 466/2014/EU
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
To ensure that private sector investments have the greatest development impact, the EIB shall endeavour to strengthen the local private sector and contribute to creating favourable conditions for private enterprise and investment in beneficiary countries through support to local investment as provided for in point (a) of paragraph 1. EIB financing operations supporting the general objectives set out in paragraph 1 shall endeavour to also enhance its support to investment projects run by SMEs from the Union. EIB financing operations shall contribute to improving market access for SMEs in Union third country partner countries and their integration into global value chains and shall further contribute to enhancing Union companies’ internationalisation and competitiveness. In order to effectively monitor the use of funds for the benefit of the SMEs concerned, the EIB shall establish and maintain adequate contractual provisions imposing standard reporting obligations on both the financial intermediaries and the beneficiaries;
Amendment 31 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point c
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point c
Decision No 466/2014/EU
Article 5 – paragraph 8
Article 5 – paragraph 8
EIB financing operations supporting the general objectives set out in point (d) of paragraph 1 shall back investment projects that address root causes of the migration and contribute to long-term economic resilience and safeguard sustainable development in beneficiary countries. EIB financing operations shall, in particular, address increased needs for infrastructure and related services to cater for the migrants influx, and, energy and access to energy and telecommunications, but also tap the potential in sectors such as agriculture, green technologies, research and innovation and property rights. EIB shall provide support mechanisms for businesses, technical assistance and related services to boost employment opportunities for host and refugee communities to foster economic integration and enable refugees to become self-reliant.
Amendment 6 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that NGOs are vital change agents and human rights defenders with a central role in implementing Agenda 2030; given current humanitarian crises, underlines NGOs’ importance to humanitarian aid; condemns efforts to control NGOs through public funds;
Amendment 11 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Underlines that funding for NGOs must be dedicated to their diverse development and humanitarian projects, and that financial resources in bureaucratic and administrative processes should be significantly reduced;
Amendment 23 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. UStresses the vital importance of openness and transparency in the way NGOs use aid money and resources; urges the Commission to build a central database outlining NGO funding and results, in particular through real-time information on the internet, and to make any data secure that might endanger NGO actors secure;
Amendment 32 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls for better coordination of NGOs’ activities in order to increase effectiveness of the response to humanitarian crises, to limit duplications of efforts and competition for resources;
Amendment 33 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Advises against the politicisation of NGOs and funding being diverted towards political campaigns, resulting in the prioritisation of public advocacy over the delivery of aid;
Amendment 53 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recognises that working with multiple donors increases administrative burdens; asks the Commission, therefore, to limit minimum percentage requirements in co-funding agreements, ensure that in-kind contributions are considered eligible, harmonise external evaluation requirements and make better use of existing evaluations;
Amendment 22 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the Commission to create a list of existing incoherencies between different policies in the five priority areas in their upcoming 2017 report on PCD; considers that the Commission should analyse different methods and instruments to remedy these incoherent policies;
Amendment 38 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recognises that implementing PCD correctly will require an appropriate level of resources and staff; urges that PCD focal points in national ministries and EU delegations be granted the necessary resources to put in place national and European strategies on PCDthis does not automatically imply an extension of resources allocated but rather calls for an efficient use thereof;
Amendment 39 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Emphasises the importance of preventing the PCD approach and the SDGs from resulting in red tape and overregulation for EU citizens and enterprises;
Amendment 45 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Calls on the Commission to include concrete strategies for the implementation of PCD in their upcoming 2017 report on PCD; emphasises that these strategies should propose answers on how to avoid and cope with incoherencies between different policies;
Amendment 48 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Acknowledges that the EU is facing its biggest refugee crisis since World War II; stresses that strengthening the link between mWelcomes the adoption of the European Agenda on Migration and, which development policies is essential to address the root causes of this phenomenon; welcomes the adoptions a comprehensive response to the fact that in many aspects the huge migratory pressure ofn the European Agenda on Migration, which develops a comprehensive response to the crisis (COM(2015)0240)U is caused by a lack of economic, political and social progress in developing countries;
Amendment 66 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Underlines that the EU and its Member States remain the most important Aid for Trade donor in the world (EUR 11.7 billion in 2013 - SWD(2015)0128); welcomes the Commission’s aims to make trade agreements development-friendlyplace more focus on the development chapter of trade agreements in general, while recognising that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is a key source of financing for sustainable development, if mobilised efficiently;
Amendment 112 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Emphasises that the CAP is the largest share of the EU budget, accounting for around 40% of total spending, and for the most part is comprised of direct subsidies to farmers and landowners; stresses that subsidising EU farmers can distort trade to the disadvantage of the agricultural sector in developing countries; urges the Commission to recognise in their upcoming 2017 report on PCD that the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is partially incoherent with the SDGs target goal 2b and goal 8 on inclusive growth;
Amendment 120 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls on the Commission to recognize that some actions for climate protection like the EU "biofuel policy" or the "carbon tax on aviation" can have negative unintended consequences for developing countries;
Amendment 135 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the EU to strengthen its capacities for crisis prevention and to reinforce the synergies between the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and development instruments, finding a balance between short-term responses to crises and longer-term development strategies; suggests that creating a new instrument dedicated to the development-security nexus might limit incoherencies and increase the efficiency of PCD, crisis preparedness and early response, finding a balance between short-term responses to crises and longer-term development strategies;
Amendment 140 #
2015/2317(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Calls on the Commission to re-assess the selection process of the five priority areas migration, trade and finance, food security, climate change and security; emphasises that these priority areas are not the only ones possible and suggests the incorporation of health, education and governance as additional priority areas;
Amendment 8 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
Amendment 14 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
Amendment 22 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
Amendment 25 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas land titling does not guarantees protection from land expropriation and resettlement, while the evidence suggests that titling schemes often increase inequalitie and it is an important feature for ensuring legal land rights, irrespective of whether they are customary rights or non-customary rights;
Amendment 36 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Observes that agricultural investment policies tend to encourageat times witness large-scale land acquisitions and focus on export-oriented agriculture that is usually unrelated to local economies; accordingly, questions the ability of mega-PPPs to contribute to poverty reduction and food security;
Amendment 52 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the participating countries to continue to implement the policy reforms they signed up to under the New Alliance framework, as evidence highlights that some of the most difficult to implement reforms concern exactly the areas which The New Alliance itself is criticised for disregarding, such as land and resource rights, nutrition reforms, gender discrimination, access to financial instruments and insurance policies; calls on the participating countries to also commit to implementing international standards that regulate investment via a human-rights based approach, including the AU’s Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa and its Guiding Principles on Large Scale Based Investments in Africa;
Amendment 57 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that private companies involved in multilateral development initiatives should be accountable for their actions; calls on the parties to NAFSN, to this end, to set up a strictn accountability mechanism, including an appeal mechanism for local people and communities;
Amendment 59 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Highlights that the private sector is already driving 90% of jobs in partner countries and the potential for private sector participation is undeniable, as they are ideally suited to providing a sustainable base for mobilising domestic resources, which forms the basis of any aid program; underlines the importance of a transparent regulatory framework that clearly establishes the rights and obligations of all actors, including those of poor farmers and vulnerable groups, without which these rights cannot be successfully protected;
Amendment 63 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Warns that a pure focus on land titling often leads to insecuritStresses that formal land titling is not a matter of destabilising customary arrangements, but on the contrary, of enforcing them as tenure security, especially for small- scale food producers, women and indigenous people, especially women, whowho, under traditional arrangements lack legal recognition of their land rights and are vulnerable to unfair land deals, expropriation without consent or lack of fair compensation;
Amendment 66 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11c. Highlights that 1.2 billion people still live either without permanent access to land, or occupying property for which they have no formal claim, no legal titles, no surveys delineating their lands and no legal or financial means of turning property into capital;
Amendment 107 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 113 #
2015/2277(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Calls on the EU to withdraw itscontinue to support to NAFSN as long and address the deficiencies outlined above are not duly addressed;
Amendment 16 #
2015/2275(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes concern over the possible lack of transparency in EU PSOs; stresses that full investigations should be carried out if grievances arise; recalls the need to improve current EU funding for PSOs; underlines that African security should, in the future, be monitored by the AUfinancial concerns and other grievances arise, especially with regards to the cases of sexual abuse and violence; recalls the need to improve current EU funding structures for PSOs to be used more effectively; underlines that the AU should bear greater responsibility for African security, supported by the international community;
Amendment 26 #
2015/2275(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for a comprehensive plan to reinforce sustainable development policies in peacekeeping operations in order to ensure long-term development; recalls the need to provide tools to achieve clear steps towards democracy and democratic values such as the rule of law and freedom of speech, along with a sustainable economy and stable society; underlines the need for a comprehensive plan regarding conflict areas and their surroundings with a view to preventing the emergence of new conflicts; calls, in this regard, for an early warning system;
Amendment 37 #
2015/2275(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses the need to see PSOs in terms of a continuum between conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peace-building and post-conflict development; underlines the need for a holistic approach to peacekeeping operations by the UN, the AU, the EU and othe EUr actors;
Amendment 43 #
2015/2275(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that political, humanitarian and development policy efforts should be used initially, supported by civilian peacekeeping operations, and should be transformed into military operations only when necessary; demarecommends that military peacekeeping should be supported by humanitarian and development policy bothas appropriate: during operations, to aid peaceful resolution of the conflict, and afterwards, so as to make the settlement sustainable.
Amendment 27 #
2015/2229(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses the need for corporate accountability and for a clear and quick implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; calls on the Commission to take all necessary initiatives to present a legaemphasises that, in the same way the private sector was involved in the design of the SDGs, it needs to be fully binding international instrument on business and human rightvolved in the implementation of the SDGs, in partnership with the EU and all other stakeholders;
Amendment 33 #
2015/2229(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Highlights the role development policy can play in establishing a policy mechanism to tackle human rights injustices arising from tax avoidance, illicit financial flows and illegal trade transactions, including human trafficking, considering that developing countries lose annually approximately $ 1 trillion due to tax evasion and corruption;
Amendment 34 #
2015/2229(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Underlines the importance of property rights and land tenure security in protecting small farmers and local communities from inconsequential land acquisitions by state and non-state actors, including corporations or unwarranted claims to land by national governments;
Amendment 12 #
2015/2105(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that the importance of the potential contribution of trade policy to sustainable development was recently reaffirmed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;, recalls that the Sustainable Development Goals include several trade-related targets across a number of policy areas, one of the most concrete targets being aimed at increasing exports from developing countries with a view to doubling the least developed countries' (LCD) share of global exports by 2020;
Amendment 27 #
2015/2105(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the advances made at the World Trade Organisation’s Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, in particular in the area of agriculture (e.g. the elimination of trade-distorting agriculture export subsidies, and progress on market access for the least developed countries (LDCs)), emphasises the need for a renewed commitment to inclusive multilateralism and to advancing the WTO's negotiating agenda, keeping development together with special and differential treatment at its core;
Amendment 31 #
2015/2105(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses the rise of emerging economies which have become the main drivers of global economic growth; for the first time in history, developing countries as a whole account for more than half of world trade, which has contributed significantly to lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty;
Amendment 46 #
2015/2105(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recalls that Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are a key development instrument for helping to alleviate poverty in the long run; stresses, however, that their scope is still mainly limited to goods, and that expanding them to services and investment would considerably increase potential for growth, emphasizes that EPAs are equally essential in promoting regional economic integration;
Amendment 57 #
2015/2105(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Recalls that recent EU Free Trade Agreements systematically include provisions on trade and sustainable development in order to maximize the potential of increased trade and investment; welcomes in this respect the conclusion of the EU-Vietnam FTA which is the most ambitious and comprehensive FTA that the EU has ever concluded with a developing country;
Amendment 11 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the migration crisis can also be addressed only within the context of a European approach and not by bilateral meetings among Members States; calls for a new European agenda on migration under the leadership of the Commission and the European Council, underpinned by solidarity among the Member States. This agenda might include the replacement of the Dublin regulation with a centralised European asylum system;
Amendment 90 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission to reviewconsider migration patterns in Europe Aid’s evaluation and results- oriented monitoring systems, which are essential for planning, designing and implementing EU policies and interventions, and for enhancing transparency and democratic accountability.
Amendment 1 #
2015/2091(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Stresses the need to support the development of local communities whose livelihoods depend mostly on fishing and activities related to the fishing industry; underlines the need for supporting measures aimed at promoting the transfer of technologies, transfer of know-how, capacity management, multi-stakeholder partnerships and other investments for the benefit of the fishing industry;
Amendment 2 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989 and its Optional Protocol on the involvement of Children in Armed Conflict of 25 May 2000; and the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict (updated 2008);
Amendment 3 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas urbanization, population growth, demographic changes, environmental degradation, climate change, conflict and resource scarcity are adding to the consequences of poverty, inequality and fragility; whereas as consequently the need for humanitarian response throughout the globe has significantly increased;
Amendment 15 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas all parties in a conflict, including state and non-state armed parties, must grant humanitarian actors the necessary access to serveassist vulnerable, conflict- affected civilian populations;
Amendment 18 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the consolidated humanitarian appeal for 2015 reached a record high in UN history at close to EUR 19 billion; whereas, despite record contributions by donors, only a quarter of the global appeal was funded, and the EU has struggled to fund global humanitarian appeals and DG ECHO supported operations; therefore reinforcing the need for globally coordinated, timely, predictable and flexible funding tailored to different contexts and sustained by a new public- private partnership for innovative preparedness and by delivery methods; whereas the EU has struggled to fund global humanitarian appeals and ECHO operations;
Amendment 22 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas there is a need to develop greater trust and further cooperation between private sector actors , NGOs, international organizations and Governments; whereas business resources, expertise, supply chains , research and development capabilities, and logistics can serve for more effective preparedness and humanitarian action;
Amendment 24 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)
Recital H b (new)
Hb. whereas the EU humanitarian aid chapter, EUR 909 million in 2015, represents less than 1% of the total EU budget; whereas an improved linkage between relief and long-term assistance constitutes one element in order to reduce the current discrepancy between the extraordinary humanitarian needs and means available;
Amendment 30 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the humanitarian response and the tools used should rely on jointly assessed needs and should depend on varying contexts; whereas significantit is essential that all efforts should bare made to ensure that respect for human rights and the specific needs of women, children, the elderly, persons withe disabledilities and other vulnerable groups are integrated into humanitarian response efforts;
Amendment 33 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the first World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) to be held in Istanbul from 23 to 24 May 2016 should result in reshaping the humanitarian architecture to make it more inclusive, effective, transparent and truly global, in order to respond to anticipated increases in humanitarian needs linked to current and future challenges, such as food security, population growth, climate change, fragility, aid workers’' safety, forced displacement and socioeconomic development;
Amendment 35 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the WHS will follow a number of intergovernmental negotiations on disaster risk reduction, financing for development, the post-2015 sustainable development agenda and climate change that will shape the development and humanitarian landscapes for years to come, and will thus be a unique and critical opportunity to align objectives, principles and actions, and for the world to address the needs, and build the resilience, of the most vulnerable in a more coherent manner;
Amendment 38 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the UN Secretary-General’'s decision to call for the first multi- stakeholder World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) and the willingness of Turkey to host it.; calls on the EU Member States to support the WHS and to reach firm Council conclusions with specific commitments and priority areas for action, while pursuing operational efficiency, common quality standards, better coordination and partnerships with emerging donors, based on politically non- biased aid as well as on a common understanding and appliance of humanitarian principles and respect for obligations under international humanitarian law;
Amendment 39 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the UN Secretary-General’s decision to call for the first multi- stakeholder World Humanitarian Summit (WHS); calls on the EU Member States to support the WHS and to reach firm Council conclusions, while pursuing operational efficiency, common quality standards, better coordination and partnerships with emerging donors, based on politically non- biased aid as well as on a common understanding and appliance of humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence and respect for obligations under international humanitarian law;
Amendment 42 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that today’'s enormous humanitarian challenges require a more inclusive, diverse and truly global humanitarian system to be built at the WHS; calls on the EU to promote a Global Consensus on Humanitarian Action that reaffirms the principles of humanitarian aid and promotesthe obligations and entitlements under International Humanitarian law ( IHL), while ensuring people-centred protection responses, and also holds governments accountable for their roles and responsibilities in protecting people;
Amendment 44 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises that, in order to be meaningful, the WHS outcome document should include a five-year roadmap for the development and operationalisation of the political commitments undertaken, including an intergovernmental monitoring and accountability framework with full participation of other stakeholders;
Amendment 50 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls for the WHS to commit to a systematic results based and participatory approach by establishing specific indicators and work methodology, to be reinforced and shared by donors and implementing agencies, for affected people to take part in the whole cycle of humanitarian action; and to work towards the institutionalisation, better monitoring and evaluation of the UN Accountability to Affected Populations framework;
Amendment 51 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Underlines that the WHS is also an opportunity for all stakeholders to reflect on the vital need for UN reform towards an inclusive, transparent and effective coordination system, with a more inclusive and operative IASC, better engagement with partners to enhance complementarity and the full operationalization of the Transformative Agenda, and to strengthen the multilateral humanitarian architecture for all crisis by establishing a reliable system of needs assessments serving as a basis for joint appeals, ensuring comprehensive financial tracking, a system of cost comparison between agencies and a monitoring and evaluation mechanism;
Amendment 59 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the EU to place protection at the heart of humanitarian action by creating a compliance system and by mainstreaming it into programming; stresses the need for the institutionalisation of the role of protection officers and for the development of strategic and integrated approaches with sufficient funds for protection activities in the first phase of emergencies; urges the EUand to commit more strongly to a human rights- based approach in humanitarian action to ensure that both the needs and rights of specific vulnerable groups are respected;
Amendment 61 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the EU to place protection at the heart of humanitarian action within a needs based response by creating a compliance system and by mainstreaming it into programming; stresses the need for the institutionalisation of the role of protection officers and for the development of strategic and integrated approaches with sufficient funds for protection activities also in the first phase of emergencies; urges the EU to commit more strongly to a human rights-based approach in humanitarian action to ensure that bothdignity and the needs and rights of specific vulnerable groups are respected;
Amendment 62 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the EU to promote at the WHS a comprehensive agreement on practical ways to reinforce the respect and compliance of the IHL, Human Rights Law( IHRL) and the Refugee Law, such as dissemination of the rules of IHL among the regional and national administrations, security forces, local authorities and community leaders; and to support the International Criminal Court role to end impunity for violation of IHL and IHRL;
Amendment 63 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Stresses the need to expand the Refugee Convention and the Kampala Convention to protect and assist displaced people around the world as well as the population affected by other forms of violence, such as human trafficking since they may have a well-founded fear of persecution or be at risk of serious harm;
Amendment 71 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the EU and its Member States to work towards a global shared understanding and operationalization of humanitarian principles in preparation for the WHS, with the promotion of aand to jointly develop a wide participatory code of conduct among current and new donors in order to share best practices, facilitate access to people in need and to enhance existing commitments for good donor practices such as the Good Humanitarian Donorship principles;
Amendment 72 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the EU to advocate the inclusion of transparency and accountability as guiding principles in the WHS declaration, by using specific markers and disaggregated data (i.e.: gender, age, children specific) as the basis for programme design and evaluation and by promoting an international humanitarian aid transparency standard initiative with the aim of ensuring a global accountability results framework for measuring progress;
Amendment 73 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses the need to include child protection as an integral part of humanitarian response in order to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence against children; emphasizes that children are the main derivers of change, therefore the importance of creating child-friendly spaces as part of the humanitarian response;
Amendment 74 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Highlights the central role that women play in conflict and post-conflict situations since they are the first responders in crises, holding their families and communities together; Calls on Donors and Governments to mainstream gender equality in humanitarian programming and to support the empowerment of women and girls;
Amendment 75 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Urges for a global commitment to ensure that women and girls are safe from the start of every emergency or crisis by addressing the increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence in humanitarian situations and their physical and psychological consequences, by assuring the prosecution of their perpetrators and by ensuring victim´s health rights, as an essential contribution to the peace and state-building process in conflict-affected area;
Amendment 80 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on governments to live up to their primary responsibilities to protect and assist civilians and to put in place legal and policy frameworks to facilitate humanitarian access in accordance with IHL and aid delivery in order to ensure that professional and quality assistance reaches those who need it, even in remote areas; suggests that these frameworks include humanitarian tax exemptions, cuts of transaction cost of the remittances flows and simplified customs procedures;
Amendment 84 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Stresses the need for a continued dialogue on the complementary roles and mandates of the different humanitarian actors; underlines that better coordination is key for an efficient, effective and appropriate humanitarian response; Stresses the need for better analysis on local operational capacities and for better needs assessments and accountability of the humanitarian action;
Amendment 88 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Highlights the important role that the EU Aid Volunteers scheme can play in putting into practice the decisions taken at the future WHS and a revised EU Humanitarian Consensus; stresses that their experience, alongside other humanitarian activists can play a vital role in establishing best practices and implementation tools;
Amendment 91 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Stresses that to better preserve and guarantee life and dignity of the affected population local NGOs must have access to direct financing; Urges EU Member States and Donors to substantially increase direct funding for local humanitarian actors that have the capacity, expertise and capabilities to act in the field while ensuring accountability;
Amendment 92 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Calls for EU Member States and other donors to strengthen and develop national legal frameworks for humanitarian action and disaster risk reductions with specific means for implementation;
Amendment 93 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Underlines the needs for the international financial institutions to fully engage and remodel their soft lending window focus, mainly by redefining their concessional fund eligibility criteria, , to enable a more flexible institutional response to fragile situations and to reflect more closely on national capacity to raise domestic resource;
Amendment 94 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 d (new)
Paragraph 13 d (new)
13d. Urges Governments, Donors and their enabling environments to simplify administrative requirements for implementing partners by streamlining procedures and mapping administrative, contracting and reporting best practices while ensuring accountability; and to support initiatives that are designed to continuously help to strengthen the capacity and monitoring of local actors and to reinforce national coordination structures;
Amendment 95 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 e (new)
Paragraph 13 e (new)
13e. Calls for the WHS to stablish a new deal for engagement with fragile states and protracted crisis with sustainable programmes, implementation plans and predictable financing for development; underlines that the Addis Ababa Action Agenda emphasizes the need for investments in social protection systems and safety nets to more rapidly and effectively scale up the response in fragile contexts;
Amendment 98 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Emphasises the need to adapt the humanitarian response system to local, national and regional requirements, and the need to empower and engage regularly affected populations, and women and children in particular, by building on their capacitieof all ages , children and persons with disabilities in particular, by ensuring their participation in programming and building on their capacities as well as by being accountable to them and on their needs and rights;
Amendment 104 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses the need for a new global model forof complementarity between humanitarian/ and development actor´ cooperation starting with joint analysis and programming, the inclusion firstly of entry strategies for development actors in order to build bridges in the field, secondly of crisis modifiers in development programmes and thirdly of exit strategies in humanitarian responses that allow a more flexible approach; including accountable and flexible multiannual funding mechanism to respond to protracted crisis;
Amendment 105 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Calls on the European Commission to present an initiative to link more systematically humanitarian aid, development cooperation and resilience so as to enable the EU to be more flexible and effective in responding to growing needs, and to also promote a reflection for a better link a the WHS ; Calls on the EU to take advantage at the mid-term review of the current Multiannual Financial Framework to further enhance humanitarian/development linkages;
Amendment 106 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Stresses the importance of disaster risk reduction for resilience in four priority areas: 1) understanding disaster risks, 2) strengthening risk governance to manage disaster risk, 3) investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience, contingency plans and early warning systems, and 4) enhance disaster preparedness for effective response, and to "build back better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction;
Amendment 107 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15c. Underlines that disaster preparedness, risk reduction and resilience should be incorporated systematically in the response planes to be provided by local, regional and national actors, supported by sufficient financing and increase innovation on forecasting and risk modelling;
Amendment 108 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 d (new)
Paragraph 15 d (new)
15d. Emphasises that more work is needed to improve the access, safety and training of humanitarian workers; Calls on donors, host governments and implementing actors to fulfil their responsibilities to better facilitate professional, safe, coordinated and appropriate humanitarian access and response; supports the systematic inclusion of specific clauses strengthening accountability for the protection of humanitarian workers into the humanitarian legislation and plans of donors for all countries as well as a firm systematic monitoring of attacks against aid workers;
Amendment 116 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses that innovation should draw from multiple sources and in particular from the knowledge of affected people and local communities in the front line of response, but also from the business sector; believes that public-private and cross- sectorial partnerships can be a means to improve the response to growing humanitarian needs; notes that cash-based assistance is an efficient example of innovation in humanitarian assistance;
Amendment 118 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Emphasises the role of new technologies and innovative digital tools in the organisation and delivery of the humanitarian aid, especially with regards to aid delivery and tracking, disaster surveillance, information sharing, coordination between donors and facilitating relations between aid agencies and local governments, particularly in remote areas and disaster zones; highlights that Africa, and especially Sub- Saharan Africa, is currently undergoing a mobile digital revolution with a surge in mobile subscriptions ( and Internet use on mobile), makings such tools and services crucial for putting in place early warning systems and for providing speedy information on health matters, danger areas and aid contacts;
Amendment 120 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for the development of ethical standards in line withon the EU to impulse and support a global humanitarian innovation alliance for the development of global shared ethical approaches in line with the UN principles for innovation and technology in development and humanitarian principles andthat guarantees that all investment in humanitarian innovation is designed to improve outcomes for affected populations; calls for the establishment of humanitarian innovation funds at regional and national level;
Amendment 122 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Calls on the Commission and the EU Member States to support, while respecting humanitarian principles and ethical standards, business involvement, especially of SMEs, by building a business guide for action and promoting local and regional partnership platforms for a structured, coordinated and sustainable engagement of companies in emergencies; encourage EU Member States to better integrated businesses into national emergency response plans and accountability mechanisms;
Amendment 123 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Calls on the EU to explore and encourage partnership with start-ups, insurance and technology companies, amongst others, to develop tools for preparedness and deployment in emergencies; Underlines the need to support and further develop OCHAs works for a private sector global mapping of available assets and capacities to enhance technical cooperation for disaster response efforts;
Amendment 124 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)
Paragraph 17 c (new)
17c. Calls on the EU and its humanitarian partners to advocate at the WHS for better engagement of young people in humanitarian preparedness and recovery processes and to promote volunteering schemes;
Amendment 125 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 d (new)
Paragraph 17 d (new)
17d. Calls on the EU and its Member States to promote at the WHS the important role of humanitarian advocacy as this can be an effective way to strengthen protection and innovation;
Amendment 126 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 e (new)
Paragraph 17 e (new)
17e. Underlines that the commitments taken in Istanbul must be implemented at the level of the EU and its Member States; therefore calls on the EU and its Member States to jointly design with humanitarian actors, an agenda for the operationalisation of the Summit outcomes after Istanbul; Emphasizes the need to ensure predictable and timely funding for humanitarian aid through the EU budget by ensuring that the EU's humanitarian commitment appropriations are systematically fully funded through an equal amount of payment appropriations;
Amendment 127 #
2015/2051(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 f (new)
Paragraph 17 f (new)
17f. Calls for a coherent and solid new Action plan of the European Consensus on humanitarian aid that guarantees an impartial and effective European humanitarian response, tailored to the local context while being age and gender specific and acting without discrimination and in proportion to needs;
Amendment 33 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In order to reflect technological progress in the sectors concerned and adjust them to the relevant period of allocation, provision should be made for the values of the benchmarks for free allocations to installations, determined on the basis of data from the years 2007-8, to be updated in line with observed average improvement. For reasons of predictability, this should be done through applying a factor that represents the best assessment of progress across sectors, which should then take into account robust, objective and verified data from installations so that sectors whose rate of improvement differs considerably from this factor have a benchmark value closer to their actual rate of improvement. Where the data shows a difference from factor reduction of more than 0.5% of the 2007-8 value higher or lower per year over the relevant period, the related benchmark value shall be adjusted by that percentage. Where, nonetheless, the rate of improvement is below 0.3%, the related benchmark value should be adjusted by that percentage. To ensure a level playing field for the production of aromatics, hydrogen and syngas in refineries and chemical plants, the benchmark values for aromatics, hydrogen and syngas should continue to be aligned to the refineries benchmarks.
Amendment 36 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The existing provisions which are in place for small installations to be excluded from the EU ETS allow the installations which are excluded to remain so, and ishould be extended to cover installations emitting less than 50,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in each of the three years preceding the year of application for exclusion. It should be made possible for Member States to update their list of excluded installations and for Member States currently not making use of this option to do so at the beginning of each trading period and halfway through the period. Installations emitting less than 5,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in each of the three years preceding the beginning of each trading period should be excluded from the EU ETS subject to revision every 5 years.
Amendment 40 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point a
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 c
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 c
The total remaining quantity of allowances to be auctioned by Member States, except for half of the quantity of allowances referred to in Article 10a(8) which shall also be taken from the auction share, shall be distributed in accordance with paragraph 2.
Amendment 44 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – c a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – c a (new)
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 – paragraph 5
Article 10 – paragraph 5
(ca) Paragraph 5 is replaced by the following: "The Commission shall monitor the functioning of the European carbon market. Each year, it shall submit a report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the functioning of the carbon market including the implementation of the auctions, liquidity and the volumes traded. If necessary,The report shall also address the interaction of the EU ETS with other climate and energy policies at the European level, including how these policies impact on the supply-demand balance of the EU ETS. Member States shall ensure that any relevant information is submitted to the Commission at least two months before the Commission adopts the report. (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02003L0087-" Or. en 20140430&from=EN)
Amendment 45 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point a
Directive 2003/87EC
Article 10 a – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 10 a – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
"The Commission shall be empowered to adopt a delegated acts in accordance with Article 23. This act shall also supplementing this Directive by provideing for additional allocation from the new entrants reserve for significant production increases by applying the samthresholds referred to in paragraph 7 of this Article. The thresholds and allocation adjustments as apply in respect of both significant production increases and partial cessations of operation shall be the same. "
Amendment 46 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 a – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 a – point i a (new)
Article 10 a – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 a – point i a (new)
(ia) On the basis of information submitted pursuant to Article 11, the Commission shall identify that the rate of improvement does not exceed 0.3%. If so, the benchmark value shall be adjusted by 0.3% in respect of each year between 2008 and the middle of the period for which free allocation is to be made.
Amendment 47 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point d
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point d
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 a – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 1
Article 10 a – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 1
"Member States shouldmay adopt financial measures in favour of sectors or sub- sectors which are exposed to a genuine risk of carbon leakage due to significant indirect costs that are actually incurred from greenhouse gas emission costs passed on in electricity prices, taking into account any effects on the internal market. Such financial measures to compensate part of these costs shall be in accordance with state aid rules."
Amendment 48 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point e
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point e
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 a – paragraph 7 – point i a (new)
Article 10 a – paragraph 7 – point i a (new)
(ia) An installation is deemed to have significantly increased operations, provided that one sub-installation, which contributes to at least 30 % of the installation's final annual amount of emission allowances allocated free of charge or to the allocation of more than 50 000 allowances, increases its activity level in a given calendar year by at least 10% compared to the activity level used for calculating the sub- installation's allocation.
Amendment 49 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 b – paragraph 2 – introductory paragraph
Article 10 b – paragraph 2 – introductory paragraph
2. Sectors and sub-sectors where the product from multiplying their intensity of trade with third countries by their emission intensity is above 0.185 may be included in the group referred to in paragraph 1, on the basis of a qualitative assessment using the following criteria:
Amendment 52 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 b – paragraph 4
Article 10 b – paragraph 4
By 31 December 2019, the Commission shall adopt a delegated act for the precedingin accordance with Article 23 in relation to paragraphs 1 for activities at a 4- digit level (NACE-4 code) bas concerns paragraph 1ed on data for the five most recent calendar years available unless, ion accordance with Article 23, based on dthe basis of evidence, it is more appropriate for activities to be assessed at a for the three most recent calendar years availableurther aggregated or disaggregated level in which case that level of assessment shall be used.
Amendment 62 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 a
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 a
(8) In Article 11(1), the following second and third subparagraph iss are added: "A list of installations covered by this Directive for the five years beginning on 1 January 2021 shall be submitted by 30 September 2018, and lists for the subsequent five years shall be submitted every five years thereafter. Each list shall include information on production activity, transfers of heat and gases, electricity production and emissions at sub- installation level over the five calendar years preceding its submission. Free allocations shall only be given to installations where such information is provided. In the case of installations or sub- installations using benchmarks other than the product benchmarks, the improvements of energy efficiency shall not result in a decrease of free allocation pursuant to Article 10a. The Commission shall adopt an implementing act for this purpose in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 22a."
Amendment 63 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 22 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 22 a (new)
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 27 – paragraph 1
Article 27 – paragraph 1
(22a) In Article 27 paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: "Following consultation with the operator, Member States may exclude from the Community scheme installations which have reported to the competent authority emissions of less than 250 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and, where they carry out combustion activities, have a rated thermal input below 35 MW, excluding emissions from biomass, in each of the three years preceding the notification under point (a), and which are subject to measures that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions, if the Member State concerned complies with the following conditions: (a) it notifies the Commission of each such installation, specifying the equivalent measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions that are in place, before the list of installations pursuant to Article 11(1) has to be submitted and at the latest when this list is submitted to the Commission; (b) it confirms that monitoring arrangements are in place to assess whether any installation emits 250 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent, excluding emissions from biomass, in any one calendar year. Member States may allow simplified monitoring, reporting and verification measures for installations with average annual verified emissions between 2008 and 2010 which are below 5 000 tonnes a year, in accordance with Article 14; (c) it confirms that if any installation emits 250 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent, excluding emissions from biomass, in any one calendar year or the measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions are no longer in place, the installation will be reintroduced into the Community scheme; (d) it publishes the information referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) for public comment. Hospitals may also be excluded if they undertake equivalent measures. lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:2003L0087:20090625:en:PDF)" Or. en (http://eur-
Amendment 65 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 22 b (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 22 b (new)
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 27 a (new)
Article 27 a (new)
Amendment 66 #
2015/0148(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 22 c (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 22 c (new)
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 29
Article 29
(22c) Article 29 is replaced by the following: "If, on the basis of the regular reports on the carbon market referred to in Article 10(5), the Commission has evidence that the carbon market is not functioning properly, it shall submit a report to the European Parliament and to the Council. The report may be accompanied, if appropriate, by proposals aiming at increasing transparency of the carbon market and addressing measures to improve its functioning. (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02003L0087-, including measures to limit the impact of overlapping Union-wide energy and climate policies on the supply-demand balance of the EU ETS." Or. en 20140430&from=EN)
Amendment 6 #
2014/2233(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. RecognisUnderlines that private investments and finance are most likely to be the key engine for growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years; emphasises that the future public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the post-2015 development agenda must have a greater focus on poverty reductionshall pursue development cooperation objectives; special attention in this sense shall be attributed to projects on access to drinking water, energy supply, infrastructure - especially optic fibre cables, roads and ports- and waste management;
Amendment 19 #
2014/2233(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 h (new)
Paragraph 2 h (new)
2h. Recalls that the delivery of high quality, cost-effective products and services to the public is essential to ensure successful implementation, viability and social benefits of PPPs projects;
Amendment 47 #
2014/2233(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Stresses that key factors to promote PPPs in our partner third countries are good governance, rule of law, property rights, independence of the judiciary, control of corruption, transparency and accountability and a regulatory framework that facilitates a thriving private sector;
Amendment 49 #
2014/2233(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is concerned that certain safeguards to guarantee the purposeful use of public finance are not always in place; points out that a pro-poor development-oriented ex-ante impact assessment is needed for each PPP project that benefits from official development aid; stresses that measurable output indicators and monitoring as well as evaluation mechanisms need to be agreed upon during the preparatory phase of the projects; highlights the importance of the formal consultative and scrutiny role for parliaments and civil society in order to ensure full transparency and accountability;
Amendment 65 #
2014/2233(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Considers it indispensable to increasingly engage with both local and European SMEs in PPPsprivate sector- essential for domestic resource mobilisation and job creation- and European SMEs in PPPs in order to mobilize long term finance, generate innovation in technologies and business models and build mechanisms holding the private sector accountable;
Amendment 1 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph -A (new)
Paragraph -A (new)
-A. Notes open and fair trade coupled to well-designed domestic policies, has been a generator for growth, employment and prosperity globally, allowing, particularly in recent years, assisting many countries in raising living standards, wealth creation and finding their way out of poverty;
Amendment 27 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph C
Paragraph C
C. Is of the opinion that the effect of the TTIP on developing countries will vary depending on their economic structure and current trade relations; sees, however, the potential serious risk of diminished market access and resultingrisk of trade diversion for some countries;
Amendment 29 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph C
Paragraph C
C. Is of the opinion that the effect of the TTIP on developing countries will vary depending on their economic structure and current trade relations; sees, however, the potential serious risk of diminished market access and resulting trade diversion for some countries, while simultaneously noting that the removal of non-tariff barriers within the transatlantic area offers significant growth opportunities for export-oriented companies in third countries as well as providing a clearer and more predictable export environment to the US and EU;
Amendment 47 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph D a (new)
Paragraph D a (new)
Da. Believes that in order to alleviate the export problems of developing countries, EU policy needs to be orientated towards further tariff reductions in key export sectors for LDCs, coupled to political and technical support, not only to export to the EU but to create regional trading areas and integrate into global supply chains;
Amendment 71 #
2014/2228(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph F
Paragraph F
F. Sees, however, the potential of the TTIP to promote the highest global standards of this century on decent work, environmental protection, and food and product safety.
Amendment 9 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 b (new)
Citation 18 b (new)
- having regard to UNIDO's Lima Declaration: Towards Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID),
Amendment 13 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 d (new)
Citation 18 d (new)
Amendment 20 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas there is a clear correlation between the development of a strong manufacturing sector and market poverty reduction: 1% of increase in Manufacturing Value Added (MVA) per capita, decreases the poverty head count by almost 2 %;1 __________________ 1 http://www.unido.org/fileadmin/user_med ia/Services/PSD/WP4_2014_Industrializat ion_and_social_well-being.pdf
Amendment 25 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Amendment 35 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B f (new)
Recital B f (new)
Bf. whereas 60% of the developing world's jobs are in the informal sector in micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) and whereas 70% of MSMEs receive no financing from financial institutions, even though they need it to grow and create jobs;
Amendment 47 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas the willingness of the private sector to contribute to sustainable development is hindered by a lack of clear models for enterprises to engage in partnerships with the public sector;
Amendment 51 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C g (new)
Recital C g (new)
Cg. whereas the High-Level Panel advising UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- Moon on the post -2015 development agenda, which consulted the chief executive officers of 250 companies (with annual revenues of $8 trillion) from 30 countries, concluded that sustainability needs to be built into their corporate strategies to take advantage of the commercial opportunities for sustainable growth;
Amendment 64 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
Fb. whereas PPPs in developing countries are so far mostly concentrated in energy, infrastructure and telecommunications, while the potential in sectors such as agriculture, education, green technologies, research and innovation, healthcare and property rights remains largely untapped;
Amendment 70 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas 2.5 billion people, most of them in developing countries and a majority of them women and youth, remain excluded from the formal financial sector; whereas there is a persistent gender gap of 6-9 percentage points across income groups within developing countries; whereas a large proportion of those outside the banking sector turn to unsafe and expensive informal-savings mechanisms, such as rotating-savings clubs or credit associations;
Amendment 75 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H c (new)
Recital H c (new)
Hc. whereas 45 million job seekers join the developing world's labour force every year,1 however 34% of firms in 41 countries admit to the fact that they cannot find the workers they need; __________________ 1 Building an employment-Oriented Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth - in "Challenges of Growth, Employment and Social Cohesion", Background Paper for High- Level ILO-IMF Conference, ILO, 2010
Amendment 90 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission's initiative to endorse the private sector in becoming, alongside other governmental and non- governmental development organisations, a true partner in achieving inclusive and sustainable development, alleviating poverty, creating wealth, reducing inequalities and promoting human rights, societal development and environmental standards;
Amendment 108 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises that all partnerships and alliances with the private sector must focus on shared value priorities that align business goals with the EU's development objectives; be co-designed and co-managed to ensure that risks, responsibilities and profits are shared; be cost-effective; and have precise targets, regular milestones and clear accountability and transparency;
Amendment 116 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the vast potential of the EU's value added in partnering with the private sector, in close coordination with its Member States, many of which have a proven track record in working with the private sector;
Amendment 120 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Points out that the EU needs to take accessibility into account in its support to the private sector, as the exclusion of wide groups of the population, such as persons with disabilities, deprives private enterprises of a market of non-negligible size;
Amendment 134 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines the need for increased support towards partnering with developing countries to overhaul their regulatory frameworks by creating an environment friendly for private initiatives, providing support mechanisms for businesses; calls on partner governments to introduce a sunset clause whereby redundant measures can be annulled; notes that legislation should be subject to impact assessments aimed at gauging negative job creation and threats to environmental standards;
Amendment 140 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls for DG DEVCO to work with DG Enterprise in replicating regional support structures for SMMEs in developing countries, on the model of Enterprise Europe Network, aimed at helping them enter legality, get access to finance and capital, obtain market access and overcome legal obstacles;
Amendment 141 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Highlights that such structures could also become in time launching avenues for local and regional public-private partnerships in areas ranging from agribusiness to vocational training and healthcare programmes, therefore facilitating capacity building, sharing of knowledge and experience and the pooling of local and international resources;
Amendment 156 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Highlights that in fragile states and post-conflict nations, the private sector obstacles to development are greater than elsewhere and require a more targeted approach in order to improve the investment climate and remove stifling, obsolete business regulations, predatory behaviours and the high level of corruption; recommends in this respect that the Commission engages with partner countries and the private sector in policy reform dialogue, in order to overcome the deep mistrust between governments and the private sector, enabled traditionally by rent-seeking behaviours, cronyism and lack of legitimacy;
Amendment 162 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to step up their efforts to promote the economic empowerment of women; notes that a savings-led approach to the financial inclusion of women has a proven track record; recommends a gender mainstreaming approach in all partnership programmes, combined with entrepreneurship training for women and youth, youth and people with disabilities;
Amendment 163 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Recommends that the Commission works with partner countries to enhance women's voice by raising awareness of their rights and their participation in local workers' associations, helping them address issues before they become grievances and to contribute to programs for skills upgrading, in order to enable more women to rise into supervisory positions, where they are currently under- represented;
Amendment 174 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Emphasises that the private sector must be part of the policy dialogue, alongside all other development partners, in order to facilitate mutual understanding and manage expectations, ensuring efficiency and transparency;
Amendment 187 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Underlines the fact that DG Enterprise has numerous tools to help SMEs that wish to do business abroad, such as the SME Internationalisation Portal; calls for DG DEVCO to make more efficient use of such instruments to ensure that European SMEs are involved in multi-stakeholder partnerships;
Amendment 189 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses that one of the key constraints in increasing private participation in developing countries stems from the lack of bankable projects owing to weak legal, institutional and fiscal frameworks and enforcement capacities, as well as of resources for investment planning and project preparation; calls for increased technical assistance to the partner countries' public enterprise sector in order to raise their capacity to assume the ownership and responsibility for the management of PPPs;
Amendment 195 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that private participation in infrastructure in developing countries has increased considerably, from USD 18 billion in 1990 to USD 150 billion in 2013; calls for continued engagement; in this respect, noting that the lack of access to infrastructure is a key constraint to private sector growth, undermining output and job creation;
Amendment 200 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Highlights the vast potential for PPPs in agriculture, under a clearly defined legislative framework for property rights and land tenure security, to prevent land grabbing; and ensure increased and effective agricultural production; recommends that the EU and its delegations play an increasing role in working with the partner governments, as well as the EIB, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and other similar bodies, in engaging the private sector to develop market-based solutions to agricultural challenges;
Amendment 208 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recommends that the EU continues to engage PPPs in renewable and green energy projects in developing countries; welcomes the fact that one of the priorities of the EIB's IFE is the investment in energy, widely recognised as a key element in unlocking economic growth in Africa; expects the innovative financing instruments to catalyse private sector investment into renewable energy, energy efficiency and access to energy;
Amendment 212 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Recommends that, in reforming land tenure and property rights legislation in developing countries, PPPs could play a crucial role in implementing systematic titling and cadastral mapping using low- cost technologies, as well as in the digitalisation of land records;
Amendment 215 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Welcomes the achievements made in pooling public-private resources for healthcare and improved access to medicines, and for increasingly tapping the potential for technology transfer in developing countries; recommends that the EU becomes a facilitator in opening avenues for cooperation beyond access to medicines towards reforming dysfunctional healthcare systems in developing countries;
Amendment 217 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Highlights the importance of closing the gap between the education system and the existing job market in developing countries; calls for the European Commission to facilitate programs and support PPPs that involve all stakeholders concerned, from schools, universities, training centres and private sector actors to offer opportunities for training and education that that are relevant to the marketplace;
Amendment 225 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Highlights that engagement with the enterprise sector requires a flexible approach; tailored not just on the basis of intended outcomes, but also keeping in mind the extent to which local conditions are favourable to private enterprise and investment; recommends a differentiated approach with regards to least developed countries and fragile states;
Amendment 233 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Is concerned that safeguards to guarantee the purposeful use of public finance are not always in place; stresses that measurable output indicators must be agreed upon in the preparatory phase of the project; stresses the importance of risk assessment, debt sustainability, transparency and investment protection; highlights the importance of the formal consultative and scrutiny role of national parliaments, and of civil society in ensuring full accountability and transparency;
Amendment 239 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that enterprises involved in development partnerships abide by the principles of cre fully aligned with the SDGs through appropriate partnerships, financial instruments, incentives, an accountability framework and effective Corporate sSocial rResponsibility (CSR);
Amendment 241 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Welcomes the Commission's view that decent work needs to be fostered, as a way to address inequality and social exclusion, in particular among the most marginalised, including women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities; highlights the need for companies to support a fair treatment of workers, secure safe and healthy working conditions and enable a constructive relationship between workers, management and contractors;
Amendment 243 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 d (new)
Paragraph 20 d (new)
20d. Recalls that the European Union is committed to promoting gender equality and ensuring gender mainstreaming in all its actions; urges that the gender dimension be integrated into planning and delivery of PPPs; calls in this context for increased support to be given to local SMEs, especially to female entrepreneurs, so as to enable them to gain from private sector-led growth;
Amendment 251 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls for the setting up at EU level of sectorial, multi-stakeholder platforms, bringing together the private sector, CSOs, NGOs, think tanks, partner governments, donors and other stakeholders, in order to overcome the reservations and the lack of trust among partners and to resolve the challenges that inadvertently arise from collaborative development interventions; notes that the Commission's proposal to reinforce existing mechanisms, such as the Policy Forum for Development, is a step in the right direction, conditional upon ensuring that the private sector dialogue is made an overarching priority of such platforms;
Amendment 272 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for a stronger commitment on the part of the Commission, when it comes to leveraging its political weight and pursuing avenues of dialogue with partner governments and local authorities, to facilitate a greater and more positive interaction with the private sector; highlights the fact that Country Strategy Papers, National Indicative Programmes and budget support may be the most valuable instruments in spearheading business environment reforms in partner countries;
Amendment 273 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Recommends that the EU endorses UNCTAD's Action Plan for Investing in the SDGs; draws attention to the fact that the designing, structuring and implementing of PPPs remains a challenging and complex endeavour and their success is also dependent upon the enabling environment they operate in;
Amendment 274 #
2014/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Recognises that Africa and Latin America in particular and Central Asia require substantial infrastructure investments; while acknowledging and welcoming the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank with 4 EU Member States as shareholders will contribute to a substantial growth in Asian infrastructure investments, this will still leave Africa and Latin America to fend for themselves and therefore now calls on the EU to lead the way in setting up an African Infrastructure Investment Bank where their substantial shareholders will be the European Investment Bank and the European Commission together with European private banks;
Amendment 76 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that, although the MDGs have made a profound difference in people’s lives, key issues such as human rights violations, armed conflicts and terrorism, climate change, food insecurity, lack of property rights and land tenure insecurity, migration, unemployment, demographic changes, corruption, resource constraints, unsustainable growth, and financial and economic crises still pose extremely complex and interrelated challenges for the next decades;
Amendment 88 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that the new framework should respond effectively to these challenges and tackle important issues such as respect for the dignity of every human being, justice, equality, good governance, democracy, the rule of law, peace and security, climate change, disaster risk management, inclusive and sustainable growth, property rights and land tenure, health and social protection, education, research and innovation, and the central role of women in the new development frameworkwomen empowerment;
Amendment 112 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for the EU to continue to leadbe one of the leading players in the process and welcomes the consensus that the post-2015 agenda needs a renovatewed global partnership;
Amendment 198 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Considers that the post-2015 framework should duly reflect the peace- building and state-building goals agreed in Busan, focusing on the special attention required with regards to fragile states; highlights that, taking into account that approximately a third of the world’s poor live in fragile states, it is imperative to engage in structural, intensive and long term partnerships that prioritise security sector reform and the establishment of the rule of law and democratic institutions;
Amendment 212 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Considers that climate change mitigation and adaptation needs to be effectively mainstreamed in the post-2015 development framework, taking into consideration the strong linkages with several other priorities;
Amendment 239 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Heading II – Subheading 5
Heading II – Subheading 5
Food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, property rights and land tenure security, combating land degradation, water and sanitation
Amendment 241 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the fact that food and nutrition security is emerging as a priority area for the new development agenda; stresses, in this connection, the importance of addressing the linkages with improving the productivity of sustainable agriculture and fisheries; points out that land tenure security for smallholders, who constitute 95 % of potential landowners in developing countries, stimulates local economies, increases food security, decreases migration and slows down urban sprawl, with a particular reference to slums;
Amendment 250 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls for the EU to advocate for the inclusion of property rights and land tenure security on the post-2015 agenda, taking into account that: - 1.2 billion people worldwide inhabit property for which they do not hold formal rights and live without permanent homes or access to land, - the total extra-legal and unregistered wealth is estimated at over USD 9.3 trillion, - land tenure security has the capacity to avert large -scale land acquisitions and contribute to the fight against land grabbing, - land governance issues are closely linked with the key challenges of the 21st century, namely food security, energy scarcity, urban and population growth, environmental degradation, climate change, natural disasters and conflict resolution;
Amendment 283 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Takes the view that the health sector is crucial to the economic and social development of societies; calls for the EU, therefore, to focus on promoting equitable and universal health protection in the post-2015 agenda; sustainable health systems in the post-2015 agenda, encouraging developing countries' governments to re- commit to the Abuja pledge agreed in 2001, by which 15% of their annual budget expenditure is to be directed towards the health workforce, health systems and access to medicines; points out that so far, only four countries (Rwanda, Botswana, Zambia and Togo) have met their commitments, with all other 45 countries lagging behind;
Amendment 297 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses that development goes hand in hand with educationeducation is key to developing self-sustaining societies; urges that access to all levels of quality education, including vocational training, must be reflected in the new development framework;
Amendment 310 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the fact that the empowerment of women and the importance of gender equality was recognised as a priority in the post-2015 framework; calls for gender mainstreaming to be considered, where relevant, in development programming;
Amendment 332 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Underlines the fact that inclusive and sustainable growth, accompanied by decent jobs creation, resource efficiency and climate change mitigationeconomic growth, that includes sustainable consumption and production, brings the informal economy into the formal sector through property law, is crucial to the success of the post- 2015 development agenda;
Amendment 352 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses that the private sector should be a key driver of inclusive and sustainable growthCalls for the EU to effectively engage in supporting the development of the private sector in developing countries, as a key driver of wealth creation and sustainable growth; stresses that the EU must work in partnership with developing countries to set in place a regulatory system that can lead to a thriving private sector and warns against heavy taxation and over-burdening red tape;
Amendment 362 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Welcomes the Council recommendation to place an increased focus on supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises; advises that the programmes destined for strengthening the SMEs focus on facilitating an environment friendly for private initiatives, bringing the SMEs into the formal economy, cutting red tape and improving the general business climate for them to flourish;
Amendment 387 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Underlines the importance of including local authorities in the new development framework; stresses that this would require a truly participatory process, conducted early on in the development phase; believes that local authorities have a central role to play not only in development planning, but also in implementation and financial aid flows;
Amendment 411 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Calls for the EU to facilitate public- private partnerships where possible and to prioritise engaging the experience, expertise and management systems of the private sector, in partnership with public resources;
Amendment 437 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Calls for a significant reduction in the number of goals, targets and indicators foreseen for the post-2015 development framework, pointing out that estimates seem to suggest that merely the monitoring and garnering of sound data from such a list would cost $250 billion dollars over 15 years;
Amendment 448 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Welcomes the EU engagement in the post-2015 negotiations and calls for the EU to stress the importance of coordination, coherence and complementarity as guiding principles of the post-2015 framework and the sustained development efforts of the international community as a whole;
Amendment 453 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Highlights that the Sustainable Development Goals must be accompanied by step-by step monitoring and rigorous auditing, with results being thoroughly measured and made available to the development community, as well as to the public;
Amendment 460 #
2014/2143(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Welcomes the progress made by the OWG, but considers that the number of goals identified in its conclusions, targets and indicators identified need to be simplified and significantly reduced;
Amendment 6 #
2013/2168(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Is concerned with the extremely low tax revenue, which amounted to only 9.1% of GDP in 2011 - one of the lowest ratios in the world; is of the view that fundamental tax reform is required in order to boost public finances, especially spending on health, education and welfare;
Amendment 14 #
2013/2168(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Encourages Pakistan to play a constructive role in a region facing serious geopolitical challenges; welcomes the improvement of India-Pakistan relations over the past 12 months, the new VISA agreement which represents an important step in growing interaction between the two countries and calls for continued efforts on both sides at rapprochement;
Amendment 15 #
2013/2168(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Stresses the regional importance of stable Pakistan-Afghanistan relations and calls on Pakistan to normalise its relations with Afghanistan; calls on Pakistan to withdraw its patronage of the Afghan Taliban, to stop giving sanctuary and sustenance to Afghan insurgents and to re-establish control in the region bordering Afghanistan as its long-term national security interests are best served by a peaceful, moderate and prosperous Afghanistan;
Amendment 4 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission to coordinate the principles and objectives of such a policy together with the traditional and emerging donors, particularly China and India, using the United Nations’ millennium development goals and post- 2015 millennium goals as its point of reference; appeals to the emerging donors to take up development responsibilities in the region in line with their role as emerging powers and to move towards the introduction of a tax on financial transactions to support development cooperationa starting point for dialogue;
Amendment 6 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Also notes that poverty continues to be a problem in these countries and that it mainly affects women, the poorly-skilled, rural areas and minority ethnic or religious groups; therefore sees a need to improve the distribution of wealth and promote social justice at all levels, since inequality impedes economic growth and the attainmentfor the EU to recognise and address such clusters of poverty on a regional basis in cooperation with governmental institutions and tailored ofn the millennium goals and may give rise to sessential requirements of the locial conflictsenvironment;
Amendment 10 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 14 #
2013/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Also encourages the ASEAN states to ensure that their enterprises fully and effectively apply national and ILO labour standards and environmental rules and create a climate more favourable to the development and activities of trade unions, as well as urging them to take action, in coordination with civil society and national and regional authorities, to defend human rights and labour rightlaws; calls on national and foreign enterprises operating in ASEAN countries to act in accordance with the principles of corporate social responsibility;
Amendment 62 #
2013/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Points out that most initiatives launched internationally against conflict minerals aim to encourage responsible conduct by industries that buy the minerals, through certification systems for smelters; calls for the inclusion of social and environmentalrelevant human rights aspects in all certification programmes, including by taking into account labour, safety and the health of miners and communities directly affected by mining activitie line with international standards such as those established within the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas;
Amendment 66 #
2013/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 – introductory part
Paragraph 35 – introductory part
35. Stresses that an EU regulation requiring companies using and trading minerals and other natural resources sourced from conflict-affected and high-risk areas to carry out due diligence in accordance with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas is needed to complement the revisions of the EU transparency and Accounting Directives on disclosure of financial and non-financial information of large companies as well as the Dodd Frank Act’s conflict mineral provisions; in particular, believes that such legislation should:
Amendment 69 #
2013/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 – point a
Paragraph 35 – point a
a. create a legally binding obligations for all upstream companies operating in the EU that use and trade natural resources sourced from conflict- affected and high- risk areas and all downstream companies that act as the first placer on the European market to undertake supply chain due diligence to identify and mitigate the risk of conflict financing and human rights abuse;
Amendment 70 #
2013/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 – point b
Paragraph 35 – point b
b. be based on the relevant international instruments, includingsuch as the International Bill of Human Rights, further elaborated by international human rights treaties and standards (such as UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights and the Protect, Respect, and Remedy Framework), International Labour Organisation (ILO) core treaties, International Humanitarian and Criminal Law, and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict- Affected and High-Risk Areas;
Amendment 71 #
2013/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 – point c
Paragraph 35 – point c
c. apply to allthe upstream segments of the supply chain and to all natural resources, without exceptionconflict minerals, produced in any conflict- affected or high- risk area;
Amendment 74 #
2013/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 – point h
Paragraph 35 – point h
Amendment 7 #
2013/2110(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9a (new)
Paragraph 9a (new)
9a. Highlights that an effective disaster response management takes into account the setting in place of a framework allowing for the immediate mobilisation of all necessary resources, including military infrastructure;
Amendment 8 #
2013/2110(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls on the EU and its Member States, as well as on the Partner Countries to consider environmental sustainability and disaster risk management in programmes of land governance reform and land registration mechanisms;
Amendment 10 #
2013/2110(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses that the resilience approach must bring sustainable benefits to the most vulnerable sections of society, particularly those living in extreme poverty and, those living in informal settlements or slums and indigenous populations who are highly exposed to disaster risks;
Amendment 35 #
2013/2090(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Highlights that land tenure has been largely neglected in South Sudan, although disputes over land have long represented one of the root causes of conflict in the country; calls on the EU to support efforts of land governance and strengthening of tenure security, while at the same time taking into account local informal arrangements of dispute resolution and recognition of customary tenure;
Amendment 1 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4
Citation 4
– having regard to the Preamble and to Articles 2, 12, and 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989, which refer to non- discrimination, the right of the child to be heard, and the protection of maternal, infant and child health, in addition to developing family planning education and services,
Amendment 4 #
2013/2040(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Asserts that, when implementing the specific clauses on the prohibition on coercion or compulsion in sexual and reproductive health matters agreed on at the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development, as well as the legally binding international human rights instruments, the EU acquis communautaire and the Union policy competencies in these matters, Union assistance should not be provided to any authority, organisation or programme which promotes, supports or participates in the management of any action which involves such human rights abuses as coercive abortion, forced sterilisation of women and men, determining foetal sex resulting in prenatal sex selection or infanticide;
Amendment 5 #
2013/2040(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. States that every child, regardless of sex, has the right to appropriate legal protection before as well as after birth1, survival and development, and reaffirms that female children have equal status under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; calls on EU delegations in developing countries to work with the governments of those countries to ensure that girl children enjoy their rights without discrimination found on their sex, inter alia by ending the unethical and discriminatory practices of prenatal sex selection, abortion of female foetuses, female infanticide, early forced marriage, female genital mutilation; __________________ 1 Declaration of the Rights of the Child, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 1386 (XIV) of 10 December 1959.
Amendment 5 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)
Citation 15 a (new)
- having regard to the US House of Representatives Congressional Record Extension of Remarks entitled "Documents reveal deceptive practices by abortion lobby" on 8 December 2003, demonstrating how abortion promotion groups are planning to push abortion not by direct argument but by twisting words and definitions and bypassing national laws;
Amendment 6 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
- having regard to the report of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Prenatal sex selection on 16 September 2011
Amendment 7 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 b (new)
Citation 18 b (new)
- having regard to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) resolution 1763 (2010) of 7 October 2010 "The right to conscientious objection in lawful medical care";
Amendment 8 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 c (new)
Citation 18 c (new)
- having regard to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) motion for resolution of 11 May 2010 on 'Sex-selective abortion – 'Gendercide'', inviting its Member States to 'condemn sex-selective abortion, wherever and whenever it occurs',
Amendment 9 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)
Citation 20 a (new)
- having regard to Art. 168 (7) of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union stating that Union action shall respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care;
Amendment 10 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21
Citation 21
– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, especially Article 10 (Freedom of thought, conscience and religion) recognizing the right to conscientious objection;
Amendment 12 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)
Citation 22 a (new)
- having regard to ECJ ruling C-34/10 stating that as a matter of scientific fact a new human life begins at conception, and that the human embryo constitutes a precise stage in the development of the human body;
Amendment 13 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 26
Citation 26
– having regard to its resolutions of 29 September 19944 on the outcome of the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development, and 4 July 19965 on the follow-up to that Conference, and the numerous reservations expressed by States especially on the issue of SRHR and abortion,
Amendment 15 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 32 a (new)
Citation 32 a (new)
- having regard to its recommendation to the Council of 13 June 2013 on the draft EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief (P7_TA(2013)027);
Amendment 17 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas sexual and reproductive rights are human rights, the violations of which constitute breaches of women's and girls' rights to equalitywomen and girls are entitled to enjoy equal opportunities, non- discrimination based on sex, dignity and health, and freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment;
Amendment 20 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas there is no international legal obligation to provide access to abortion based on any ground, including but not limited to health, privacy, non- discrimination or sexual autonomy;
Amendment 22 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. whereas the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: "Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world," and UDHR Article 3 states, "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.";
Amendment 23 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
A c. whereas the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) implicitly recognizes the human rights of unborn children by providing in Article 6 that capital punishment "shall not be carried out on pregnant women.";
Amendment 28 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas no international legally binding treaties or conventions define the term "sexual and reproductive health and rights" ; whereas the WHO dictionary demonstrates the "inclusive language" approach: "sexual and reproductive health" includes "methods of fertility regulation" which includes "termination of pregnancies (abortion)"
Amendment 32 #
2013/2040(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Further reaffirms the sovereign right of each country to implement the recommendations of the Cairo ICPD Programme of Action or other proposals in the present resolution, consistent with national laws and development priorities, with full respect for the various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people, and in conformity with universally recognized international human rights;
Amendment 67 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
K a. whereas UN Treaty monitoring bodies have no competency to interpret these treaties in ways that create new State obligations or that alter the substance of the treaties; accordingly, any UN treaty monitoring body that interprets a treaty to include a right to abortion acts beyond its authority and contrary to its mandate ; whereas such ultra vires acts do not create any legal obligations for states parties to the treaty, nor should states accept them as contributing to the formation of new customary international law;
Amendment 71 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that ‘health is a fundamental human right indispensable for the exercise of other human rights’ and that the EU cannot reach the highest attainable standard of health unless the SRHR of all are fully acknowledged and promoted;
Amendment 73 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Amendment 94 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that even though it is a competence of Member States to formulate and implement policies on SRHR, the EU can exercise policy-making competence in the area of public health and of non- discrimination, and support better implementation of sexual and reproductive rights;
Amendment 98 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Asserts that, when implementing the specific clauses on the prohibition on coercion or compulsion in sexual and reproductive health matters agreed on at the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development, as well as the legally binding international human rights instruments, the EU acquis communautaire and the Union policy competencies in these matters, Union assistance should not be provided to any authority, organisation or programme which promotes, supports or participates in the management of any action which involves such human rights abuses as coercive abortion, forced sterilisation of women and men, determining foetal sex resulting in prenatal sex selection or infanticide;
Amendment 117 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. recalls that there exists no "human right to abortion" under international law, either by way of treaty obligation or under customary international law, and recalls that no international legally binding United Nations treaty can accurately be cited as establishing or recognizing a right to abortion;
Amendment 119 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2 a (new)
Subheading 2 a (new)
upholds the universal human right to conscientious objection together with the responsibility of the State to ensure that patients are able to access lawful medical care in a timely manner in particular in cases of emergency prenatal and maternal health care, and recalls that no person, hospital or institution shall be coerced, held liable or discriminated against in any manner because of a refusal to perform, accommodate, assist or submit to an abortion or any act which could cause the death of a human foetus or embryo, for any reason;
Amendment 123 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Urges the Member States to include the promotion of natural family planning methods in their public health policy;
Amendment 126 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underlines that in no case must abortion be promoted as a family planning method; and recalls that following internationally legally binding obligations every child regardless of sex has the right to appropriate legal protection before as well after birth;
Amendment 131 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 135 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. recalls that abortion is not mentioned in any internationally binding UN human rights treaty;
Amendment 137 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 160 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on Member States to ensure compulsory,propose age-appropriate and gender- sensitive sexuality and relationship education for all children and adolescents (both in and out of school)sex-specific sexuality, affective and relationship education for adolescents; recalls - with regard to the principle of "Public Policy Doctrine" and internationally accepted standards - that parents or legal guardians of a child have the liberty to ensure that their children receive an education in conformity with their own convictions, and that the child shall not be compelled to receive teaching on sexuality education including the promotion of SHRH and abortion against the wishes of his or her parents or legal guardians, the best interests of the child being the guiding principle; recalls that the right of parents to educate their children according to their religious or non-religious convictions includes their right to deny any undue interference by state or non-state actors in their education;
Amendment 167 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses that sexuality education mustay include the teaching of natural family planning methods, the fight against stereotypes and prejudices, shed light on gender and sexual orientation discrimination, based on sex and structural barriers to substantive equality, as well as emphasise mutual respect and shared responsibility;
Amendment 173 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4
Subheading 4
As regards STI prevention and treatment of STI and Post Abortion Stress Syndrome (PASS)
Amendment 179 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Urges the Member States to ensure access to non-judgmental information about the post abortion stress syndrome (PASS) as well as immediate and universal access PASS treatments, provided in a safe and non-judgmental manner;
Amendment 181 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the specific SRHRneeds for prenatal and maternal health of people living with HIV/AIDS, with a focus on the needs of women, notably by integrating access to testing and treatment and reversing the underlying socioeconomic factors contributing to the risk to women of HIV/AIDS, such as gender inequality and discrimination;
Amendment 186 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Condemns any violation of the bodily integrity of women, as well as harmful practices intended to control women's sexuality and reproductive self- determination; underlines that these are serious human rights violations that the Member States have a responsibility to urgently address;
Amendment 197 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Reminds the Member States that investments in reproductiveprenatal and maternal health and natural family planning are among the most cost- effective, in terms of development, and the most effective ways to promote the sustainable development of a country;
Amendment 204 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Urges the Commission to ensure that European development cooperation adopts a human rights-based approach and that it has a strong and explicit focus, and concrete targets on SRHRprenatal and maternal health;
Amendment 209 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. calls on EU delegations in developing countries to work with the governments of those countries to ensure that girl children enjoy their rights without discrimination based on their sex, inter alia by ending the unethical and discriminatory practices of prenatal sex selection, abortion of female foetuses, female infanticide, early forced marriage, female genital mutilation;
Amendment 212 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23 b. Invites the Commission to maintain in its development priorities the access to quality, affordable, acceptable and accessible prenatal and maternal health care services, relational, affective and sexual education for boys and girls under the prior responsibility of their parents1, voluntary family planning including natural family planning methods, while combating sex based discrimination leading to sex-selective and involuntary abortions, forced sterilization and sexual violence, as well as ensuring the provision of prenatal and maternal health care supplies, including HIV prevention, treatment, care and support without discrimination; __________________ 1 "Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children." Art 26.3 of UNGASS Resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948 (Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
Amendment 215 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 c (new)
Paragraph 23 c (new)
23 c. Urges the Commission and the EEAS to fully respect the reservations on SHRH and abortion expressed by national governments in the concerned international treaties, conventions and programs;
Amendment 216 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 d (new)
Paragraph 23 d (new)
23 d. Further reaffirms the sovereign right of each State to implement the proposals of the present resolution in conformity with its own national laws and with full respect for the various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people (Public Policy Doctrine) and in conformity with universally recognized international human rights;
Amendment 217 #
2013/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 e (new)
Paragraph 23 e (new)
23 e. recalls § 8.25 of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development stating: "In no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning. (...) Prevention of unwanted pregnancies must always be given the highest priority and every attempt should be made to eliminate the need for abortion. Women who have unwanted pregnancies should have ready access to reliable information and compassionate counselling. Any measures or changes related to abortion within the health system can only be determined at the national or local level according to the national legislative process."
Amendment 1 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2
Citation 2
– having regard to the Millennium Declaration of 8 September 2000 setting out the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in particular goals 1, 3 and 7,
Amendment 9 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9
Citation 9
– having regard to the Principles for Responsible Agricultural Investment that Respects Rights, Livelihoods and Resources (PRAI) and, to the Food and Agriculture Organisation's Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security and to the African Union's Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa (ALPFG),
Amendment 10 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)
Citation 10 a (new)
- having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (no. 169) of the International Labour Organization,
Amendment 11 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 b (new)
Citation 10 b (new)
- having regard to the recommendations of the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda to include a goal on governance of land tenure for women and men, and to recognise that women and girls must have, among other things "the equal right to own land and other assets",
Amendment 16 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas in Africa alone 90 % of land is unregistered;
Amendment 17 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas in developing countries the registration process is fraught with high costs, corruption and cumbersome bureaucracy; whereas to register a business in Peru, for example, takes 265 days and costs 1300 US dollars, 31 times the monthly minimum wage; whereas to obtain legal authorisation to build a house on state owned land and obtain legal title to that land takes in total, approximately 900 administrative steps;
Amendment 24 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas an estimated 1.4 billion hectares in the world are governed by customary norms; whereas existing land tenure structures in Africa, Asia and Latin America are considerably different from each other and the local, customary arrangements that have developed, freehold or communal, cannot be disregarded when formalisation of land is undertaken;
Amendment 26 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas women, who represent 70 % of Africa's farmers, formally own as little as 2 % of the land; whereas recent programmes throughout India, Kenya and, Honduras show that low-income female-headed households have better nutrition figures than higher-income households headed by men, Ghana, Nicaragua and Nepal have found that women –headed households have greater food security, better health care and a stronger focus on education rather than men-headed households;
Amendment 29 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas an estimated 370 million indigenous peoples worldwide have a strong spiritual, cultural, social and economic relationship with their traditional lands, whose management is usually community-based;
Amendment 33 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G b (new)
Recital G b (new)
Gb. whereas, considering that 99 % of conflicts could be classified ultimately as land disputes, i.e. Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Somalia, Darfur, in post-conflict societies and fragile nations, state-building must reflect a particularly strong focus on securing land tenure and accountable land governance for its citizens;
Amendment 43 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the fact that empowering people to make decisions about their own resources, combined with formal inheritance provisions, strongly encourages smallholders to invest sustainably in their land, practise terracing and irrigation, and mitigate the effects of climate change; for example, studies have shown that a household with fully secure and transferable land is estimated to be 59.8 % more likely to invest in terracing than one who expects a redistribution within the village during the next 5 years;
Amendment 44 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recognises that the challenge is overcoming the divorce between legality, legitimacy and practices by building land tenure mechanisms based on shared norms, starting from a recognition of existing rights, while making sure that men and women, as well as vulnerable communities in developing countries have secure rights over land and assets and are fully protected against vested interests that could seize their property;
Amendment 45 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Strongly condemns the practice of land grabbing, which illegally dispossesses the rural poor of land without adequate compensation; highlights the fact that 203at least 32 million hectares worldwide have been part of at least 886 transnational large-scale land deals of this kind between 2000 and 20103 3; highlights that the figure is likely to represent a significant underestimation of the accurate number of large land deals concluded; __________________ 3 http://www.landmatrix.org/get-the- idea/global-map-investments/
Amendment 59 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Highlights the fact that land reform requires flexibility, tailored to local, social and cultural conditions, and should be focused on empowering the most vulnerable, regularising tenure security for urban squatters and bringing pastoralist societies into the scope of formal property law;
Amendment 62 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Highlights that the co-existence of customary land regimes and the imposed colonial models represent one of the main reasons for the endemic land insecurity in developing countries; stresses therefore, the imperative to recognise the legitimacy of customary tenure arrangements that provide statutory rights to individuals and communities and prevent dispossession and abuses of land rights, especially prevalent among African communities and the large indigenous populations in Latin America;
Amendment 63 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Emphasises that regularising tenure security for urban squatters has a significant effect on residential investment, with studies showing that the rate of housing renovation increases by more than 2/3rds;
Amendment 65 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises that land tenure reform should begin with accurate land data collection and with systematic titling by means of cadastral mapping using low-cost technologies, such as mobile technologies, GPS, GPRS and GIS monitoring tools; encourages the development and use of geographical information systems, including satellite and aerial imagery, taking into account technologies for participatory mapping;
Amendment 78 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls on the EU to strongly assist newly empowered landowners' investment, through auxiliary support mechanisms, in new equipment, whilst facilitating technology transfer and training new landowners in the use of innovative techniques and best practices;
Amendment 79 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Points out that formal recognition of land rights for women doesn't automatically entail an effective implementation of those rights; calls for the EU to pay particular attention in its land reform programmes to women's vulnerability to changes in family structure, the degree to which she can enforce her rights and ensuring that in practice, household deeds have both spouses' names on the land title;
Amendment 80 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12c. Calls for the EU to support developing countries' efforts in reforming land rental markets to provide land access to the poor and promote growth, while avoiding excessive restrictions on lease markets;
Amendment 83 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Highlights the fact that large-scale land acquisitions are a direct consequence of weak land governance in developing countries; emphasises that empowering peopleindividuals and communities through clear and secure property rights will open contractual arrangements to scrutiny and prevent land grabbing;
Amendment 88 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Welcomes the Land Transparency Initiative, launched by the G8 in June 2013 on the basis of the EITI and the recognition that transparency with regards to ownership of companies and land, combined with secure property rights and strong institutions are crucial for poverty alleviation; stresses, however, that efforts need to be scaled up in order for efficient land reform to be implemented;
Amendment 89 #
2013/2026(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Recommends that property rights and land tenure security for all be included as an objective on the post -2015 development agenda, with a view to sound land management as a key to achieving the MDG goals and eradicating poverty;
Amendment 1 #
2013/0315(NLE)
The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on Fisheries, as the committee responsible, to propose that the Parliament decline to give its consent.
Amendment 44 #
2013/0238(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Key to the successful impact of Union action for development is the extent to which it enjoys broad popular and political support. The European Year should therefore act as a catalyst for raising awareness, building momentum and exchanging best practices between Member States, local and regional authorities, civil society, including local organisations from developing countries, social partners and international entities and organisations involved in development issues. It should help to focus political attention and mobilise everyone concerned in order to drive forward and promote further action and initiatives at Union and Member State level, in association with the beneficiaries of aid development assistance and their representatives.
Amendment 56 #
2013/0238(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 2
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 2
– the organisation of conferences, events and initiatives with all relevant stakeholders, to promote active participation and debate, to facilitate and encourage development programmes beyond 2015, and to raise awareness at European level;
Amendment 32 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The EIB should continue to finance investment projects in the areas of social, environmental and economic infrastructure, and should consider increasing its activity in support of health and education infrastructure when there is clear added value in doing soin conjunction with furthering the core objectives of EU's long-term development policy.
Amendment 34 #
2013/0152(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) While the EIB's strength remains its distinctiveness as an investment bank, EIB financing operations should contribute to the general principles guiding Union external action, as referred to in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), of promoting and consolidating democracy and the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to the implementation of international environmental agreements to which the Union is a party. In particular, in relation to developing countries, EIB financing operations should foster their sustainable economic, social and environmental development, particularly in the most disadvantaged amongst them, their smooth and gradual integration into the world economy, the campaign against poverty, as well as compliance with objectives approved by the Union in the context of the United Nations and other competent international organisations. While contributing to the implementation of the measures necessary to further the objectives of Union development cooperation policy in accordance with Article 209(3) of the Treaty, the EIB should strive to support indirectly the achievement of the UN's 2015 Millennium Development Goals in all regions where it is active, as well as the UN's post - 2015 Development Goals in all regions where it is active and in all regions where it will continue to be active or will start operations post-2015.
Amendment 33 #
2013/0025(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) Considering that illicit financial flows, in particular money laundering, represent in developing countries between 6 and 8.7 % of their GDP1, an amount 10 times larger than the EU's and its Member States assistance to the developing world, the measures taken to combat money laundering and terrorist financing need to be coordinated and to take into account the Member States' and the EU's development strategy and policies which aim to fight against capital flight. ____________ 1 Sources: "Tax havens and development. Status, analyses and measures", NOU, Official Norwegian Reports, 2009.
Amendment 3 #
2012/2248(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that morthe resources should be mobilisavailable should be efficiently employed, including by the EU, especially to improve sanitation, where unmet needs are particularly biglarge; stresses that determined efforts must be made to obtain maximum and long-term benefits from all projects, to eliminate recurring quality problems and to strengthen the EU Water Facility financially as well as in terms of management capacity and efficiency in building local capacity;
Amendment 7 #
2012/2248(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets the scarcity of data on many of the projects in the Court of Auditors Special Report and the absence of ex-post evaluation by the Commission of all but two of these projects; calls on the Commission to start focusing on accurately relaying the results of the projects undertaken in this field and on transparently accounting for the money spent;
Amendment 3 #
2012/2235(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points to the need for EU policies to be consistent with development objectives along the lines called for in Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; calls on the Commission to ensure that measures relating to Pacific fisheries make forguarantee responsible and sustainable exploitation of fishery resources – allowing as required for the effects of climate change – and help to, while at the same time contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in the Pacific region and responding to environmental challenges in the region;
Amendment 11 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the prospects for successful trade-driven development depend inter alia on well-functioning institutions, effective fight against corruption, a healthy private sector and the pursuit of broad-based economic development, diversification and progressive increases in added value;
Amendment 33 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital M a (new)
Recital M a (new)
Ma. whereas ensuring land tenure security for smallholders, who constitute the majority of land owners in developing countries and are the most vulnerable, is the foundation of healthy real estate and credit markets which are essential to stable and sustainable development;
Amendment 38 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Confirms its position that facilitating development must be the overriding objective of the EU's trade policy towards developing countries; takes the view that concrete development objectives should be formulated for all initiatives in the framework of this policypolicies that support developing countries to 'trade' their way out of poverty must be accompanied by concrete development targets;
Amendment 56 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Highlights that the successful integration of developing countries into world trade requires more than better market access and strengthened international trade rules; consequently, AfT programming should support developing countries in their domestic efforts to remove supply-side constraints and address structural weaknesses, which can be addressed through domestic reforms in trade related policies, trade facilitation, enhancement of customs capacities, upgrading of infrastructure, enhancements of productive capacities and the building of domestic and regional markets;
Amendment 59 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that in order for growth to be inclusive andand wealth creation to be efficient in poverty reduction, it should be pursued in sectors in which poor people are active; points out that growth should beneffocused on improving the general business climate for SMEs to flourish, as well as for sustainable microfinance and micro- credit opportunities to emerge; development and trade policies in this area should be guided by innovation, creativity and empower women and be associated with thecompetitiveness, with a view to creation ofng jobs as well as of micro- and small businessnd empowering the disadvantaged societal categories;
Amendment 75 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Believes that benchmarks for development progress should be set in trade agreement negotiations in order to facilitate monitoring and, when necessary, modification of timetables for implementation of measures, modification of accompanying measures, which may include Aid for Trade and assistance for adjustment, and the preparation of new initiatives, when the pursuit of the development objectives so requires; highlights that providing developing countries with the legal and other expertise necessary to work effectively within the WTO and similar organisations is essential for trade negotiations;
Amendment 84 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls for AfT instruments to be focused not only on trade between the EU and developing countries, but also on support for internal and South-South trade, as well as on triangular trade between ACP countries by promoting cross border value chains, by increasing the efficiency of key services and reducing transport costs which at the same time can help to strengthen developing countries ties with the global markets;
Amendment 85 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. EncouragesNotes that aid for trade should be motivated by the imperative to create effective market access and encourages to this end the development of more effective support instruments in relation to production adjustment and diversification, as well as to the development of processing industries and small and medium-sized companies in developing countries;
Amendment 91 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls for the EU to pay closer attention and improve the effectiveness of the AfT programmes in Asia and Latin America, given that currently the lion's share of AfT programmes are directed towards ACP countries;
Amendment 93 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Calls for the EU to focus on remedying the problems in the AfT programmes, especially with regards to implementation and monitoring capacity; subsequently calls for a shift in perspective that focuses on results and outcomes instead of inputs, but recognises the need for diligent and concerted external scrutiny that ensures open and transparent trade practices;
Amendment 94 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Calls for the EU to integrate the private sector in the design of AfT projects more effectively with a view to empowering companies in developing countries to boost trade;
Amendment 107 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for stronger EU efforts in relation to tax havens and capital flight; highlights that illegal capital fight from developing countries represents between six and 8.7 per cent of their GDP and 10 times the total development assistance for these countries; notes that greater transparency in the financial process could be a decisive step towards poverty alleviation and significant wealth creation;
Amendment 109 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Highlights the vital importance of promoting public-private growth initiative partnerships in our development policies and engaging the experience, expertise, and management systems of the private sector in partnership with public resources; calls for facilitating local authorities in European Member States with experience in, for example, building infrastructure, to twin and cooperate with local authorities in developing countries;
Amendment 110 #
2012/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Believes that Foreign Direct Investment is also a strong driver for sustained economic growth, the transfer of know-how, enterprising spirit and technology and job creation, and therefore vital to development; calls for the development agenda to focus on supporting capacity-building in developing countries aimed at creating a transparent, predictable and favourable investment climate, where red tape for business is reduced to a minimum, property rights are respected, competition is promoted and sound macroeconomic policies are being pursued.
Amendment 27 #
2012/2222(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Emphasises the importance of the Union budget, particularly in times of crisis, as it provides funding that could not be made available at national level, in particular development funding; stresses the need, therefore, to create new sources of EU budget revenue, such as the financial transaction tax due to be introduced in 11 Member States in 2013,develop innovative means of financing so that the Union's budget is no longer entirely dependent on national contributions;
Amendment 31 #
2012/2222(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recognises, nevertheless, that the application of the principle of differentiation is a vital political tool which can be used to encourage middle and higher income ACP countries to establish a welfare State and devise national policies to redistribute wealth anddevelop and continue on the path of self- sustainability and wealth creation, as well as to effectively tackle poverty and inequality;
Amendment 32 #
2012/2222(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Takes the view that differentiation should also take account of the specific situation in fragile States, given that the human consequences when a State fails are devastating and cancel out the progress made in terms of development; points out that re-establishing the rule of law in a failed State is a much more onerous and lengthy process than providing additional support to States identified as fragilerequires a different approach, as well as additional support, and therefore calls for a special focus on the Sahel region and the Horn of Africa in the programming of the 11th EDF;
Amendment 53 #
2012/2222(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Stresses that the success of efforts to tackle poverty and ensure aid effectiveness are contingent on the capacity to raise revenue at national level, and that the ACP-EU partnership must therefore make it a priority toprioritise the promoteion of effective and fair tax collection systems in order to improve tax collection, and prevent tax evasion and the use of tax havenand focus on tackling tax evasion and illicit financial flows;
Amendment 7 #
2012/2062(INI)
Draft opinion
Section 1 – paragraph 5
Section 1 – paragraph 5
5. Requests the Commission to integrate a human rights country strategiesportfolio into the programming and implementation of all assistance to third countries, as well as in through the strategy papers and multiannual indicative programmes;
Amendment 3 #
2012/2059(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that after the 2008 food crisis, which severely affected different sub- Saharan African countries, food prices have gradually returned to similar levels and that volatility and speculation are likely to continue; calls on the Commission to elaborate response strategies for different contingencies, making any relevant proposals; calls on the Commission to also take note of the fact that the gradually rising food prices is part of a marked, long-term upward trend, rather than a short-term shock and consequently, it requires a longer-term holistic strategy directly linked to the broader development goals; takes the view that a Food Facility should be included in the 2014-2020 MFF; believes that financial speculation exacerbates food price volatility and that it is therefore also necessary to take effective action against such speculation, for instance, through regulation and control of derivative markets;
Amendment 15 #
2012/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the JPA to continue to monitor the situation in North Africa and, in ACP countries in crisis and to play closer attention to situations of state fragility;
Amendment 21 #
2012/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas, in accordance with the Treaty of Lisbon, the implementation of development policy should be cohesive, and the measures aimed at encouraging economic growth and wealth creation in developing countries should contribute, first and foremost, to combating poverty and exclusion,
Amendment 57 #
2012/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes it essential for middle-income countries to commit an increasing proportion of their revenue to social purposes, thereby enabling the European Union to gradually scale back its current development programmes; additionally, calls on the EU to consider means of cooperating directly with the regional clusters of poverty in the middle-income countries, ranging from grants to specialised knowledge transfer;
Amendment 69 #
2012/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Believes that the conditions for the use of ODA in general, and budget support in particular, must go hand-in-hand with sound operational institutions and the democratic oversight of budgets by parliaments, budgetary control organisations and civil society in partner countries;
Amendment 89 #
2012/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)
Paragraph 11 d (new)
11d. Welcomes the Commission’s intention that ‘the EU should strive to help countries in situations of fragility’; notes, however, that a bilateral relationship might not be sufficient to do so given the new budgetary framework and the fact that countries in such a situation often lack a functioning government or legal system; therefore, calls on the EU to work with third countries in the region to support the development and functioning of institutions, the rule of law and judicial systems of the partner country;
Amendment 2 #
2012/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The imposition of the visa requirement on the nationals of Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu is no longer justified. These countries do not present any risk of illegal immigration or a threat to public policy for the Union in accordance with the criteria set out in recital 5 of Regulation (EC) N° 539/2001. Consequently, nationals of those countries should be exempt from the visa requirement for stays of no more than three months in all and references to those countries should be transferred to Annex II.
Amendment 4 #
2012/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Exemption from the visa requirement for nationals of Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu should not come into force until bilateral agreements on visa waiver between the Union and the countries concerned have been concluded in order to ensure full reciprocity.
Amendment 6 #
2012/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 1 – point a
Article 1 – point 1 – point a
(a) in point 1, the references to Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu are deleted and a reference to South-Sudan is inserted;
Amendment 7 #
2012/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 2 – point a – two last references
Article 1 – point 2 – point a – two last references
"Tuvalu*", "United Arab Emirates*" and "Vanuatu*"
Amendment 1 #
2011/2318(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the SFAs respect essential and fundamental elements of human rights and democratic principles as provided for in Article 9 of the Cotonou Agreement;
Amendment 3 #
2011/2318(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Reiterates the request made by the LDRAC (the Long-Distance Fleet Regional Advisory Council) that a distinction be made between the cost of access for the EU fleet (to be covered at an acceptable level by ship-owners and representing a fair share of the value of the catches) and the compensation intended to help towards development and that that aid should reflect the importance of the fisheries sector in the fight against poverty;
Amendment 4 #
2011/2318(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the SFAs concluded by the EU with developing countries are based on a true spirit of partnership under which the cost of access to fishery resources is a fair reflection of their value and developing countries’ fishery resources, ecosystems and marine biodiversity are sustainably conserved;
Amendment 5 #
2011/2318(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Takes the view that European fleets’ catches in developing countries’ waters which are provided for in the SFAs should be based on the existence of a surplus which cannot be caught by local fishing fleets and that ‘local catches’ should be understood within the meaning of Article 70 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which stipulates that they also include the catches of coastal States whose geographical situation makes them dependent upon the exploitation of the living resources of the exclusive economic zones of other States in the subregion or region;
Amendment 6 #
2011/2318(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Highlights the importance of the joint scientific groups responsible for providing scientific opinions on the state of fishing resources on the basis of the best information available and insists that those groups should have appropriate financial, technical and human resources to carry out their tasks and to work together with Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMO);
Amendment 7 #
2011/2318(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Would like to see the SFAs improve the integration of developing countries in the world economy and encourage investment and the development of the local private sector, including small enterprises andwith a particular focus on small- scale fisheries, by supporting processing and marketing activitieing communities needs, and ensure that investments will not contribute to overfishing or to competition with local communities which depend on fisheries for their livelihoods;
Amendment 15 #
2011/2318(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Commission to include a governance clause in future SFAs which acknowledges not only the rights of developing countries to develop their local fisheries sectors sustainably, but also the principles of good governance, transparency and the fight against corruption;
Amendment 17 #
2011/2318(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Points to the importance of the joint committees for proper implementation of SFAs and calls for those committees to be open to the fishery sector actors and parliamentarians developing countries and the EU in order to improve transparency and contribute to good governance at SFA level;
Amendment 18 #
2011/2318(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Commission to encourage third-country partners to gather and publish any relevant information, if not already available, on fishing activities carried out in their waters;
Amendment 4 #
2011/2198(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the EEAS, in line with Article 9 of Council Decision 2010/427/EU of 26 July 2010, to ensure that the programming, implementation and monitoring of the country initiatives for promoting the gender perspective in pre-conflict, conflict and post-conflict situations are managed at delegation level in order better to target the specificities of each context and the probability of an existing regional dimension;
Amendment 9 #
2011/2198(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Strongly encourages the EEAS, the Commission and the Member States to incorporate development issues, in particular women’s property rights and economic security, into their actions affecting women in conflict zones;
Amendment 10 #
2011/2198(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Highlights the crucial importance of ensuring that women are equal actors in processes of justice reform or transnational justice processes so that they can efficiently advocate the enforcement of equal rights in national judicial systems;
Amendment 1 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the ECA report's overall conclusion is that devolution has contributed to better aid delivery and that speed of aid delivery has improved, as has the thoroughness of financial procedures, but that there is still considerable room for improvement;
Amendment 2 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the recent reorganisation within the Commission and the creation of the EEAS following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty has not yet generated the expected increase in the overall efficiency and coherence of EU development assistance, generating on the contrary further delays and duplications;
Amendment 3 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
G a. whereas delegations, with the creation of the EEAS, have been forced to take on additional competencies such as diplomacy, information/communication and Freedom, Security and Justice policies, adding to the previously existing challenges of coordination, coherence and resource shortages;
Amendment 5 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas cumbersome overregulations and procedures can undermine the use of country systems and joint programming;
Amendment 6 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
Amendment 9 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the process of devolution should be coupled with a mechanism at Member State level to provide all relevant information on where agencies are planning to spend their budgets, therefore making aid more predictabletargeted and allowing resource gaps and funding opportunities in individual countries to be identifiedto be identified to eliminate wasteful duplication;
Amendment 11 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the reform of EC external aid should be used to showcase how the impact of aid is improving the lives of poor peoplefocus more extensively on measuring the output of aid, not just the input in order to showcase how the impact of aid is improving the lives of poor people, both internally, to reinforce best practices based on previous experiences and externally, in response to public scepticism about the effectiveness of aid;,
Amendment 14 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that consideration should be given to using local expertise alongsidend the existing staff of the EU delegations should strive towards greater involvement in the local societies, in order to bridge the knowledge gap and to ensure an accurate understanding of the local environment in which they operate;
Amendment 18 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Believes that the relevant EU budget instruments need to be more poverty- focusedfocused towards generating wealth for the poor and more flexible with regard to their approach and operation, and that more accountability and transparency and better value for money in terms of achieving clear results should also be encouraged;
Amendment 19 #
2011/2192(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 26 #
2011/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that HLF-4 will be a success if it results in a strong commitment to aid effectiveness, reflected in clear and measureable objectives with a precise timetable for their realisation; takes the view that with this in mind aid should be considered and evaluated in terms of output and objectives achieved as opposed to in terms of inputs if it is to be effective;
Amendment 37 #
2011/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Points out that aid should serve as a lever for growth, taking into account the individual characteristics of each country while strengthening aid effectiveness in those where the need is greatest; also notes that aid should be considered as a temporary measure with a view towards fostering self-sustainable growth in developing countries rather than as the long-term solution;
Amendment 41 #
2011/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Highlights that, given the high number of fragile states (41 according to OECD) and the fact that they are the furthest away from the MDGs, accounting for 75% of the deficit, it is important that special attention is given to this issue; notes that state building is a crucial aspect in the process of nation-building and that the current strategy needs to be thoroughly revised;
Amendment 61 #
2011/2145(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Points to the danger of taking a highly technical approach to aid efficiency; stresses the need to place greater emphasis on indicators showing the impact of aid on development and its effective contribution to eradicating poverty and, reducing inequalities and creating wealth; believes that the closer involvement of public and private development actors and the absorption of lessons learned from the implementation of the commitments given in the Paris Declaration and the AAA will help to improve the aid effectiveness programme;
Amendment 5 #
2011/2073(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Asks for the EU budget to support actions designed to anticipate disasters, prepare for them, avert them and react more quickly to them, as well as those enabling greater flexibility in launching development measures as a means of emerging from crisis situations; finds it regrettable that concrete progress on the link between emergency aid, rehabilitation and development remains limited despite the many political commitments made in recent years; calls therefore for more and better-managed resources to be deployed to guarantee continuity of aid in the transition phase between emergency and development, and for thought to be given to achieving greater flexibility and complementarity of the existing financial mechanisms, including the resources of the European Development Fund (EDF);
Amendment 6 #
2011/2073(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Commends that this transitional, rehabilitation phase between emergency aid and development should primarily focus its attention on the capacity- building of local institutions and a high level of involvement of local NGOs and associations in the phases of planning and implementation in order to facilitate and build the basis for qualitative and effective human development programmes;
Amendment 9 #
2011/2073(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the quality of DG ECHO’s partners, achieved by means of an effective selection method and the development of standards and practices applicable in the humanitarian field; stresses also that effective monitoring of the use of funds in the form of audits of the partners carried out by private audit firms is essential and helps to legitimise the humanitarian sector; notecalls, however, in the interests of safeguarding the diversity of the partners and guaranteeing access for small and medium-sized NGOs, for the cosimplexity of theification of the complex administrative access procedures and for the overcoming of the difficulties experienced with undergoing audits, given the lack of human resources, and calls forinstructs that the tools used to be appropriate to the specific requirements of the humanitarian sector;
Amendment 34 #
2011/2056(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the country-by-country reporting for extractive industries envisaged by the Commission; stresses the importance of EU - UN cooperation with regards to the Kimberley Process;
Amendment 39 #
2011/2056(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for stronger international cooperation on strategic resources, with the participation of civil society networks such as Publish What You Pay (PWYP); takes the view that global initiatives in such a sensitive field may serve as confidence- building measures between the EU and emerging economies like China, Brazil and India;
Amendment 24 #
2011/2047(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises that in keeping with the concept of democratic ownership, parliaments, local authorities, civil society and other stakeholders should be supported in their efforts to play their proper role in defining development strategies, holding governments to account and assessing concrete development resultoutcomes;
Amendment 49 #
2011/2047(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5d. Insists that targeted innovative financing mechanisms focused on wealth creation, property rights and the reduction of capital flight are duly taken into account in devising localised development directions, in accordance with the specific priorities of the recipients;
Amendment 66 #
2011/2047(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 72 #
2011/2047(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Acknowledges that economic growth can be an important main driver of development; stresses, however, that the impact of growth on poverty eradication will be much higher if inequality is reduced; insists, therefore, that EU development assistance must be geared towards pro-poor growth through the adoption of measures which specifically focus on the poor in order to foster an increase in their share of national wealth and allow them to become a driving force for growth;
Amendment 8 #
2011/2032(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that European aid channelled as budget support to authoritarian states does not guarantee democratic development and that it is the outputs of aid rather than the inputs that should be focused upon in our assessment of aid effectiveness,
Amendment 17 #
2011/2032(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages aid donors to treat democracy building as a political and ethical process, rather than a technical exercise, and to develop their local knowledge of the recipient countries so that aid can be directed effectively to suit the local contexts,
Amendment 22 #
2011/2032(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the EU to prioritise in-depth dialogue on democratic values and norms with actors engaged in all democracy strengthening processes; emphasises that building and strengthening democratic institutions improvescreates the stability necessary for economic development and poverty reduction,
Amendment 1 #
2011/2030(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph a) - indent 1
Paragraph a) - indent 1
– renewinforce the determination to meet commitmenthe targets by 2015,
Amendment 2 #
2011/2030(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph a) - indent 2
Paragraph a) - indent 2
– start a discussion on how the international community’s strong commitment to sustainable development and poverty eradication can be sustained and continued after 2015, and how the MDG goals achievon the basis of the lessons provided can serve as the basis for the next step, which should be total worldwide eradication of povertyd mistakes made in the ongoing attempts in achieving the MDGs,
Amendment 3 #
2011/2030(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph a) - indent 3
Paragraph a) - indent 3
– support statebuilding, good governance and take necessary measures to fight corruption, tax avoidance and tax evasionevasion and capital flight,
Amendment 7 #
2011/2030(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph a) - indent 4
Paragraph a) - indent 4
– improve the implementation of innovative financing mechanisms forin creating wealth, meeting the MDGs and the climate change goals;
Amendment 10 #
2011/2030(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph b)
Paragraph b)
b) to give priority to food security, productive capacity in agriculture, infrastructure, capacity building, inclusive economic growth, favourable markets and new businesses, access to technologies, and human and social development in the LDCs, in accordance with the Programme of Action adopted at the IV UNLDC;
Amendment 11 #
2011/2030(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph c)
Paragraph c)
c) to ensure the efficacy of monitoring and follow-upaudit mechanisms connected with the implementation of the UNLDC Programme of Action;
Amendment 13 #
2011/2030(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph d)
Paragraph d)
d) to assure that development continues to be viewed long-term and sustainable development remains a comprehensive, and coherent aend long-term manner byeavour in the LCDs and their partners’ action plans;
Amendment 16 #
2011/2030(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph e)
Paragraph e)
e) to examine how the aid effectiveness agenda can be turnincorporated into a development effectiveness agenda, devising in this context concrete strategies with respect to fragile states and post-conflict environments;
Amendment 1 #
2011/2023(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates that the European Union should respect humanitarian principles (humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence) to meet humanitarian needs outside the EU and that the use of civil protection resources must be needs-based and must complement and be consistent with humanitarian aid, with a view to the subsequent medium and long-term development strategies; emphasises that these principles are not dogma but stem from operational efficiency considerations;
Amendment 3 #
2011/2023(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses the importance of developing relief asset pre-positioning capacities in order to improve the speed at which humanitarian organisations respond to disasters; notes that the development of depots/hubs reflects the effectiveness of this approach in terms of speed, quality and cost efficiency, and calls on the Commission to continue to provide financial support in this field; highlights the importance of flexibility in terms of coordination and resource management in ensuring the speed and adequacy of humanitarian assistance and disaster response;
Amendment 22 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses the importance of zinc for the treatment and prevention of diarrhoea and malnutrition in order to improve the survival, growth and brain development of young children; urges the EU and the Member States to allocate the necessary funds to provide zinc supplementation in developing countries which could save the lives of 450,000 children under the age of five every year;
Amendment 30 #
2011/0412(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point d – point iv a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point d – point iv a (new)
(iva) by supporting the efforts of the partner country concerned in building and developing the framework and the institutional capacity required in order to uphold democracy and human rights after the democratic elections have taken place;
Amendment 17 #
2011/0411(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) improving market access and developing and further liberalising trade, investment and business opportunities for European companies by means of economic partnerships and business and regulatory cooperation. This objective shall be measured by the Union's share in foreign trade with key partner countries and by trade and investments flows to partner countries specifically targeted by actions, programmes and measures under this Regulation;
Amendment 20 #
2011/0411(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) enhancing widespread understanding and visibility of the Union and its role on the world scene by means of public diplomacy, education/academic cooperation and outreach activities to promote Union's values and interests. This objective may be measured, inter alia, by opinion surveys or evaluationsProjects carried out in this regard should, however, meet results-based criteria and deliver demonstrable value for money.
Amendment 35 #
2011/0411(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) Ensuring greater transparency and appropriate scrutiny of the cooperation programmes to deliver value for money should be a top priority.
Amendment 61 #
2010/2301(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the EU and the US not to lecture China but to engage at all levels with this emerging economic giant for the mutual benefit of all parties;
Amendment 63 #
2010/2301(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on China to be more engaged in global institutions, recognising that China is already playing a full and active role in the UN and in peace-keeping missions;
Amendment 6 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas many donors consider general and sectoral budget support as a means of fostering partner countries’ ownership of development policies and reform processes, strengthening national accountability institutions and systems, and facilitating growth, poverty reduction and the achievement of development objectives,
Amendment 23 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses the need to use sectoral budget support wherever appropriate in order to ensure better targeting of basic social sectors including health, education, and assistance for the most vulnerable groups, in particular persons with disabilities;
Amendment 26 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Draws attention to the EU’s innovative role in the field of budget support and stresses that the EU has a responsibilitycalls on the Commission, as a matter of urgency, to develop a methodology and conditionality arrangements that alsond apply a new methodology, efficient ex-ante and ex-post conditionality arrangements that measure adequately how development aid is spent, the concrete results achieved, and can be applyied to other donors;
Amendment 29 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Stresses that the Union has a responsibility to pass on its experience to other institutional stakeholders, in particular at the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan;
Amendment 33 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that the dynamic approach adopted by the Commission and a majority of budget support providers entails a number of risks which must be duly taken into account; warns against the danger of politicizing the use of budget support as financing tool;
Amendment 45 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Amendment 47 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is concerned at the effects of macro- economic destabilisation and the impact on the most vulnerable sections of the population which a sudden break in budget support might cause; proposes that, on the basis of concerted action by donors and following consultation of the civil society and parliament of the partner country concerned, a mechanism be set up for the gradual reduction of budget support payments, which could attenuate such impacts, encourage political dialogue and enable concerted solutions to be found to the difficulties encountered;
Amendment 52 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recalls that major deficiencies in capabilities, in particular weak governance, are liable to deprive in managing development aid and their national budgets, as well as an inability to stream funds in projects creating wealth and a competitive economy, which are essential elements in eradicating poverty and are crucial impediments in using budget support as a financing mechanism, as such depriving many developing countries of budget support;
Amendment 54 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Amendment 58 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Points out that, when granting budget support to banana-supplying ACP countries benefiting from accompanying measures in this sector, it is important to include in the variable tranche based on governance indicators the specific conditions contained in the new Article 17a ofthat Parliament is proposing be inserted in Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 (DCI Regulation), as set out in an amendment in the position of the European Parliament adopted at second reading on 3 February 2011 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) No .../2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation1; __________________ 1Texts adopted, P7_TA(2011)0030. 1 Texts adopted, P7_TC2- COD(2010)0059.
Amendment 64 #
2010/2300(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Stresses the need for a long term analysis on the impact or lack of impact of budget support as financial tool in order to assess and draw tangible conclusions for the formulation of more efficient EU development policies and tools for the future;
Amendment 18 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that strategic autonomy in security affairs entails, for the EU, the capacity to agree common political objectives and strategic guidelines, to establish strategic partnerships with a wide range of international organisations and states, to collect adequate information and generate joint analyses and assessments, to harness and where necessary pool financial, military, and civilian resources, and to plan and run effective crisis management operations across the entire range of the Petersberg tasks, and to frame and implement a common defence policy, laying the first tangible foundations on which to build common defence;
Amendment 35 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point b
Paragraph 5 – point b
(b) when conducting foreign and security policy, not least under the CSDP, the EU must ensure consistency and coherence between the different areas of its external action and between these and other policies;
Amendment 41 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines that the duty of consistency as defined by the Treaty, the new wording of Article 40 TEU (which states that the implementation of both the CFSP and the other EU policies shall not affect the application of the respective procedures), and recent ECJ case law (see the SALW case) protect both the primacy of the Community method and the distinguishing features and prerogatives of the CFSP, while encouraging the convergence of different policies, instruments, resources, and legal bases in a holistic, comprehensive approach, whereby security becomes a cross-cutting objective of EU external and internal action and the CSDP is one of its instruments; in this context, notes that civilian and military assets can be also deployed in situations other than CSDP missions, as has been shown in practice by the EU Military Staffthe event of natural and man-made disasters, as previously seen in the coordination of military capabilities during the Pakistan floods in summer 2010;
Amendment 53 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is convinced that a credible external security policy requires deepened interdependencecoordination between the Member States and improved internal cohesion and mutual trust and solidarity, similar to what has been achieved in the internal security sphere through Schengen cooperation (whereby Schengen countries, by protecting their own borders, protect the borders of the other Member States, national rules acquire continental scope, and tasks related to the protection of national security can also be performed on the territory of another state or in joint teams operating in accordance with European standards);
Amendment 60 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the European Council and its President to set about this task by engaging in political dialogue with the European Parliament and to discuss Parliament's recommendations; maintains that such a dialogue is required in the light of the new Treaty provisions and of the need to lay down and implement the foreign policy strategy, proceeding from an effective comprehensive approach; suggests that such a dialogue needs to take place on a regular basis, and to focus on progress achieved as much as on prospects;
Amendment 72 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Points out that the powers and responsibilities of the High Representative do not just constitute ‘double hatting’, but also amount to merging of functions and legal bases, making her central to the process of bringing the various instruments, actors, and procedures of EU external action into a coherent relationship; calls on the High Representative to interpret her role as one that is constantly evolving and requires her, while carrying on a constructive dialogue with Parliament, to commit herself to the twofold effort of actively fostering a political consensus among the Member States on the strategic directions and policy options for the CFSP and the CSDP, and of bringing coherence to, effectively coordinating, and fully exploiting the potential for the CFSP- CSDP to act synergistically with the other sectors of EU external action and with EU internal policies having an impact and implications at the external level;
Amendment 77 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Reiterates its view that the civilian and military crisis management structures and capabilities should be coordinated more closely and act more synergistically within the comprehensive approach, without altering the distinctions between civilian and military roles and the different decision-making procedures and chains of command; points out that missions must be conducted with a view to the humanitarian context as well as long term development, which by definition implies coherence with the respective humanitarian framework and development strategy;
Amendment 93 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 – point a a (new)
Paragraph 20 – point a a (new)
(a a) calls for the expansion and adequate resourcing of the Peacebuilding, Conflict Prevention and Mediation Unit, with an emphasis on local knowledge expertise necessary for designing missions tailored on an understanding of the root causes of conflict, keeping in mind that a successful response to crisis consists of longer term peacebuilding alongside the immediate measures;
Amendment 105 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 109 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes with anxiety that the current economic austerity could lead to cuts that were not concerted at European level and to continuing overlapping that might call the CSDP as such into question, whereas the end effect should be to push the Member States towards smarter defence spending whereby they would pool and share a larger proportion of their defence capabilities, budget, and requirements while achieving more security for their citizens;
Amendment 131 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Notes that, in addition to being a political necessity, the Permanent Structural Cooperation (PESCO), as provided for in the Treaty, takes the form of a legal obligation and not an option (i.e. Member States ‘shall establish’ and not ‘may establish’); calls on the Council and the Member States to remedy their failure hitherto to act in this area by determining the aims and substance of PESCO without further delay, involving the Member States on as broad a basis as possible and, not least, assessing the advisability of implementation based on variable geometry;
Amendment 150 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
Amendment 159 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Welcomes the fact that, in her reply to the Weimar initiative, the HR recognised the need for an EU military conduct capability; maintains that the cost efficiency analysis called for by the HR should also factor in the costs arfuture decision of establishing because the EU has no OHQ; declares itsa new structure to act as OHQ or instention of promoting a studyad making use onf that point and on the possible cost of, and financing arrangements for, the new structuree already existing structure and numerous adjacent units;
Amendment 190 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Urges the participating Member States to treat participation in the EDA as a permanent commitment and provide the Agency with the necessary human and economic resources; calls for the expenditure earmarked for operational projects and studies (which has hitherto accounted – on average – for about 25% of the budget) to be raised in the unwelcome event that vetoes on budget increases were to continue for a lengthy period;
Amendment 202 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
Amendment 206 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48 – indent 1
Paragraph 48 – indent 1
– expansion of the CSDP to include wideradequate internal and external coordination and coherence of the Petersberg-type missions that could contribute to counterterrorism, not least through support to help third countries fight terrorism on their territory; recommends that these provisions be interpreted in sweeping terms;
Amendment 262 #
2010/2299(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72
Paragraph 72
72. Calls on those Member States which have seats on the UN Security Council to defend the positions and interests of the EU and to ask the HR/VP to speak for the EU in that forum, in accordance with the Lisbon Treaty;
Amendment 22 #
2010/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Further notes that owing to the documented acceleration of glacial melting, especially prevalent in the Himalayas and the Andes, mountainous regions are increasingly at threat from floods and avalanches;
Amendment 27 #
2010/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points out that glacial retreat causes naturally occurring glacial lakes to expand rapidly to a point where they risk bursting as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs); welcomes the priority that the South Asia programme of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, in partnership with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction has given to the issue of GLOFs;
Amendment 30 #
2010/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses that the identified glacial lakes in the Himalayas span eight countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan – and that in the last 50 years there have been 20 identified flash floods in the region, many trans-border in nature, caused by glacial dams bursting; points out that knowledge concerning previous GLOFs is far from complete and that, due to the remote nature of glacial dams there is little reliable documentation as to their frequency, severity or points of origin aside from eyewitness accounts; states that it is clear that the EU must urgently move to alleviate the obvious knowledge gap concerning this problem;
Amendment 40 #
2010/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses that major infrastructure facilities, vital to promoting the EU's policy objectives of sustainable development and enhanced food security in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals, are increasingly at risk from the effects of flooding, and must be safeguarded; further stresses that hydropower plants, often essential to LDCs' energy resources are also particularly at risk from flash floods and avalanches;
Amendment 54 #
2010/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls upon the EU to promote existing technology that drastically reduces black carbon emissions, already proven to have been effective in Developed Countries where emissions from fossil fuel sources have dropped by more than a factor of 5 since 1950; further urges that regulations banning slash-and-burn tactics in forests, enforcing stringent and regular vehicle emissions tests, limiting biomass burning and monitoring the annual emissions of power plants must be supported and encouraged; if they are to prove effective in promoting climate mitigation and subsequently disaster prevention;
Amendment 57 #
2010/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls upon the EU, given the trans- boundary nature of GLOFs, to foster inter- country dialogues with a view to developing policies that deal with natural disasters and to encourage the appropriate investments to protect the countries of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas region from flooding; urges recognition of the fact that this is not an issue faced by one country but by many and as such calls for a multilateral approach in its resolution;
Amendment 58 #
2010/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recommends the formation as a matter of urgency of a cross-border agency, established under the auspices of the United Nations, with the express purpose of sharing available data, addressing the problems and causes of trans-boundary water-related hazards and proposing appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures; urges that without such an adjudicating agency at the helm, critical negotiations on flood prevention and alleviation may prove insurmountable between conflicting countries; emphasises that glacial regions, so often the source of flood events, are considered to be points of strategic importance, forming boundaries between nations, and as such the affected parties might prove reticent in sharing vital information;
Amendment 62 #
2010/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Further suggests that dam projects could easily be implemented as so-called ‘fast-win’ projects provided that a number of social, economic and environmental criteria are met; proposes that accompanying early warning systems would prove invaluable in giving people critical time to respond or evacuate from affected areas and greatly reduce the potential loss of life;
Amendment 2 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its concern that there are currently 34around 38 fragile states (Failed States Index 2010; Fund for Peace) worldwide in which 600 m1 billion (World Bank) people are affected; calls on the Commission to adopt a more proactive approach allowing migration from fragile states, and a strategy for medium- and long-term jobwealth creation in countries of origin;
Amendment 7 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recognises the crucial role played by the diaspora in promoting capacity development in countries of originand stabilisation efforts in home countries; calls for closer cooperation and policy coordination between institutions in developing countries and EU Member States with a view to engaging more fully with the diaspora as a major component of civil society, as well as to facilitate and support return;
Amendment 14 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges the stepping-up of efforts aimed at reducing the negative effects of the brain drain; emphasises the importance of promoting circular migration, regulating recruitment practices and supporting capacity-building through practices such as the development of vocational training;
Amendment 24 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on theall Member States and the developing world to adopt a fair and transparent procedures tohat facilitate migrants‘ access to employment coupled with decent working conditions, health care provision and social protection; further warns of the urgent need to address the civil rights of migrant workers, as outlined in the 2009 ILO Report "The Cost of Coercion," in view of the fact that migrant workers are often the worst paid and in extreme cases, as seen in the Gulf, are forced to live in labour camps with their passports withheld from them; urges the Commission to take into consideration the policy recommendations adopted at the Africa-EU Senior Officials Meeting on Migration, Mobility and Employment (15- 17 September 2010);
Amendment 32 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls for additional efforts to promote policy coherence in respect offor development within the EU's migration policy and to refrain from using ODA for policies aimed at deterring and controlling migration, often in where it involves the violation of migrants‘ human rights;
Amendment 36 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recommends increasingthat the financial resources allocated for strengthening the ‘migration- development nexus’, and need to be allocated more efficiently; recognises the necessity of improving the complementary and timely mobilisation of the EU's various financing instruments for its external action;
Amendment 37 #
2010/2269(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses the need to reinforce LRRD strategies (aimed at linking relief, rehabilitation and development) in order to secure sustainable solutions for displaced people and refugees; recognises the importance of a coordinated humanitarian response as a precursor of a viable development policy in post- conflict countries;
Amendment 30 #
2010/2233(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Draws attention to the social and political developments that have taken place in recent years in most countries in the Gulf; encourages the Gulf states to sustain and extend their efforts to promote human rights, gender equality, the right to work – including for migrant workers – and freedom of expression and opinion; invites the Gulf states to listen to the voices of civil society and to support the emergence of local structures and associations;
Amendment 38 #
2010/2233(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses the urgent need to address the civil rights of migrant workers in particular, as outlined in the 2009 ILO Report "The Cost of Coercion"; specifically the right to a fair wage and fair treatment, highlighting that migrant workers are the worst paid workers and often forced to live in labour camps, even having their passports withheld;
Amendment 42 #
2010/2233(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Encourages the Gulf states to further sustain the promotion of freedom of expression and opinion; invites the Gulf states' governments to more positively interact with civil society and to support the emergence of local structures and associations;
Amendment 65 #
2010/2233(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that education is a national priority in the GCC countries, with high levels of need in terms of human resources (there are not enough teachers), course content (which has not kept pace with changing labour markets) and, syllabus quality (teaching methods and materials are out of date) and the use of new technologies; asks that the authorities‘ efforts to address these shortcomings be actively supported and proposes cooperation on an ambitious scale in higher, secondary and primary education;
Amendment 9 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Recalls that since the MDGs were first agreed the world has undergone an accelerated process of globalisation and faces an unprecedented financial crisis; stresses the important ace of Member States continuing to strive towards achieving these goals;
Amendment 18 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Highlights that development aid mechanisms should be also aimed at promoting wealth creation, since wealth creation remains a crucial tool in alleviating poverty; recalls that an estimated EUR 800 billion is lost annually from developing countries through illicit capital flows, prevention of which could prove decisive in alleviating poverty and achieving the MDGs;
Amendment 19 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Stresses that any additional funding in the area of development policy should be coordinated and create effective synergies with Member States development programmes and with the wider international community in order to ensure real added value at European level;
Amendment 21 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Insists that existing and future spending pledges aimed at combating climate change must be additional to current development budgets, whilst maintaining an adequate level of coherence between the two policies;
Amendment 27 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Insists that, in accordance with Article 208 of the TFEU, the EU significantly reform and downscale agricultural subsidies and, in particular, put an end to exports of surpluses taken off the European market through price innovation mechanisms and export refunds, in view of their harmful effects on farmers in the developing worldCommon Agricultural Policy continues the market liberalisation reforms carried out over the last ten years and, in particular, makes efforts to fully phase out export refunds on the condition that the same commitments are made by other major world trading partners;
Amendment 33 #
2010/2211(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses that innovative financing mechanisms need to be developed and supported by the Commission on a far bigger scale than today, in order to create inclusive financing and provide effective support to SMEs and micro-entities in the developing world; believes that this can be done with various instruments, such as through the implementation and protection of property rights and land mapping, credit guarantees and revolving funds, in cooperation with local banks and organisations with specific know-how in the field of micro-finance, thereby significantly enhancing the leverage of the EU development budget, and that this requires close cooperation with international financial institutions and bilateral financial institutions;
Amendment 2 #
2010/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that observance of the core labour standards (CLS) and of the ILO's decent work agenda is essential in order to achieve the MDGs; expresses disappointmentunderlines the importance of taking concrete measures to ensure that the social provisions of EU preferential trade agreements are presented as objectives to be achieved rather than legal commitments to be enfachieved and adequately monitorced, as there is no provision for genuine enforcement mechanismsnd reviewed;
Amendment 11 #
2010/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Deplores the fact that FTAs contain few references to social standards; urges the EU to incorporate a social clause into all EU external trade agreements in line with other internationally agreed and recognised standards, including those coming within the ambit of the WTO;
Amendment 16 #
2010/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. DeploreHighlights that it is up to individual countries and Member States to sign up to the ILO conventions, however, regrets the poor implementation and enforcement of social standards, especially the ILO conventions and CSR principles; emphasises that the ILO permits the imposition of trade sanctions on countries that do not comply with their international obligations; calls on the EU to pursue an approach based on incentives and sanctions, transparent and independent reviews and public awareness campaigns rather than a sanctions based approach in the context of bilateral and regional agreements, so as to ensure that the social provisions of EU preferential agreements are effectively enforced;
Amendment 22 #
2010/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. UrgesNotes that the EU has already committed to promoting decent work and to combating exploitation notably in its trade agreements; urges in this context the EU to mainstream social policy in the context of the External Action Service and to consider the social arguments in favour of increaseing development aid to ensure the ratification and implementation of the CLS, while avoiding derogations from general regulations, e.g. in export processing zones;
Amendment 26 #
2010/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Insists that trade negotiations pursued within the WTO must not jeopardise social development; reasserts that the ILO should be allowed to submit expert reports to the WTO during trade disputes, and that there should be an appeal route to the ILO where a decision by the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body questions the findings of an ILO decision;
Amendment 30 #
2010/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that the heterogeneity of the concept of CSR raises the issue of comparability; urges the EU to move CSR away from a purely voluntary approach and to identify clear legal obligations on corporations as regards human rights and CLS, along with effective ways to hold them accountable in the event of breaches.Recognises however that CSR is a concept whereby companies voluntarily incorporate social and environmental concerns into their business strategy for the overall wellbeing of stakeholders actively engaging with public policy as an important aspect of value driven social change;
Amendment 3 #
2010/2204(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service to allocate morthe resources in orderavailable more effectively to enable delegations to better manage regional integration processes more effectively, and to ensure greater coordination and more coherence between regional and national programmes;
Amendment 6 #
2010/2204(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Invites the Commission to provide particular support for smaller statessists that smaller states’ fund allocation, especially for the least- developed countries, that are heavilyshould be more focused on sustainable economic development, such as through wealth creation mechanisms, so as to reduce the dependentcy on regional economic 'giants', such as Nigeria in West Africa;
Amendment 20 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the EU to meet its aid-for-trade commitments and to step up support for capacity building and governance, especially for parliaments, the judiciary, infrastructure, strengthening tax systems and promoting fairer access to capital and, such as nonprofit microfinance in developing countries, in line with the recent Commission Green Paper on development policy, so as to make them more attractive as locations for foreign investment;
Amendment 21 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Believes that EU investment policy should, particularly regarding developing countries, take into account the differences between Middle Income and Low Income countries and particularly work to encourage foreign investment in developing countries in activities and sectors with a clear and significant impact on sustainable development, in which they might otherwise not engage because of the risks involved;
Amendment 29 #
2010/2203(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 4 #
2010/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. In that sense, underlines the extreme importance of designing a trade policy which leads to the fulfilment of MDG 8 (Develop a Global Partnership for Development), whilst taking into account the differences between Middle Income, Low Income countries and fragile states;
Amendment 15 #
2010/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that trade-related assistance, such as the Aid for Trade scheme, can support developing countries in areas such as trade facilitation, developing investment-friendly environments, the implementation of the Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and on Technical Barriers to Trade, and increase competitiveness and decrease dependence on preferences;
Amendment 24 #
2010/2152(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the need to foster sustainable development by negotiating trade agreements and investment treaties that take into account the particular economic, environmental and social factors in the partner countries conducive to effective development and that allow policy space and resources for partner countries to ensure food security, to build local and regional markets and to formulate a coherent strategy on the extraction of raw materials; considers that such a strategy can render the extractive process environmentally and socially sustainable by means of adherence to international standards and render it economically sustainable by securing for those countries a fair amount of revenue and, if convenient, could also allow the preservation of commodities for later use; however, suggests that this strategy should also focus on the development of higher-value added, post-extractive industries in developing countries;
Amendment 1 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the record levels of commitments reached in 2009; is also satisfied by a number of other improvements in the Commission's management of the European Development Fund (EDF), including strengthening of the accounting environment (new accrual- based system), better guidance to fragile states for budget support and more effective, efficient and closely monitored external audits; recognises, however, that, first and foremost, fragile states require a better defined strategy and attention to particular sectors of the fragile states' economies.;
Amendment 2 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Urges the Commission to help partner countries develop parliamentary control and audit capacities and to involve parliaments, as well as local civil society partners, in drawing up their national development strategies;
Amendment 3 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls for the DCI benchmark allocating 20 % of spending on basic and secondary education and basic health, including safe access to water and sanitation, to apply also to the EDF; urges the Commission to place greater emphasis on maternal health, as this is the Millennium Development Goal in respect of which progress has been most disappointing;
Amendment 4 #
2010/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Highlights that development aid mechanisms should be also aimed at promoting wealth creation and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, since wealth creation remains a crucial tool in alleviating poverty; recalls that an estimated EUR 800 billion is lost annually from developing countries through illicit capital flows, prevention of which could prove decisive in alleviating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals;
Amendment 1 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is concerned that the Court of Auditors found the supervisory and control systems for external aid and development to be merely partially effective in ensuring the regularity of payments and that payments were affected by material error; is concerned that errors in some final payments found by the Court were not detected by the Commission and that the Commission does not monitor the extent to which the Humanitarian Procurement Centres are used by partners; welcomes, however, the fact that the number of transactions affected by error (13 %) was less than half the number in previous years, however, underlines that efforts need to be made towards a further reduction of this percentage;
Amendment 2 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls once again for greater involvement of parliaments and consultation of local civil society in partner countries when drawing up and reviewing Development Co- operation Instrument (DCI) Country Strategy Papers;
Amendment 3 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5a (new)
Paragraph 5a (new)
5a. Implores the Commission to consider the fact that local civil society in partner countries needs to be further developed, as well as granted particular selection criteria in qualifying for grants; deplores the fact that the funds from the Civil Society heading of the DCI are, to a large extent, being allocated to civil society awareness meetings in the Union, instead of being used towards promoting localism and ownership;
Amendment 4 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls once again on the Commission to demonstrate that it has spent at least 20 % of development aid on basic and secondary education and basic health, including safe access to water and sanitation; further suggests that impact assessments accounting for this spending should be thoroughly carried out in order to maximise the effectiveness of the programmes undertaken;
Amendment 5 #
2010/2142(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7a (new)
Paragraph 7a (new)
7a. Highlights that development aid mechanisms should be also aimed at promoting wealth creation and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, since wealth creation remains a crucial tool in alleviating poverty; recalls that an estimated EUR 800 billion is lost annually from developing countries through illicit capital flows, prevention of which could prove decisive in alleviating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals;
Amendment 55 #
2010/2124(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes, however, that full coherence and consistency across EU foreign policy will not be achieved simply by setting up the EEAS, but will also require EU Member States to overcome their differing outlooks on key foreign policy issues; considers it essential, in this regard, that EU Member States not only agree on a common strategy for foreign and security policy, but also ensure that their national policies are supportive of EU positions;
Amendment 80 #
2010/2124(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Emphasises the need for optimal coordination between EU disaster responses and other EU instruments – such as CSDP civilian or military missions – which are already being deployed on the ground or which could be set up in the aftermath of a crisis; believes that a rigid distinction between military and civilian crisis-management operations reflects outdated institutional patterns rather than the reality on the ground, and therefore emphasises the fact that responses to crises require a combination of military and civilian instruments, based on a comprehensive understanding of the links between security and development;
Amendment 91 #
2010/2124(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Considers that, according to the 2010 Failed States Index, Fund for Peace, there are currently an estimated 38 fragile states worldwide, affecting, according to the World Bank, over 1 billion people, and as such the EU should devise a more comprehensive strategy to use its external action instruments in order to foster democratic state building;
Amendment 113 #
2010/2124(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Takes the view that, in order to be consistent, EU foreign policy must give absolute priority to promoting democracy, given that a democratic society is the basis for upholding human rights; believes that the new institutional structure of the EU, with particular reference to the EEAS and its dedicated department, offers an opportunity to enhance the EU's coherence and effectiveness in this area; reiterates Parliament's strong determination, and recalls its longstanding efforts, to defend human rights and democracy in the world through bilateral relations with third countries and active participation in international forums, as well as support for international and local civil-society organisations;
Amendment 136 #
2010/2124(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Believes that the EU should take advantage of the adoption of NATO's new Strategic Concept in order to strengthen its partnership with NATO, bearing in mind the development of the EU's foreign, security and defence policies; points to the need to find pragmatic ways of solving the difficulties – in particular the differences between Cyprus and Turkey – which are hampering the development of closer cooperation between the EU and NATO, given the importance of ensuring that existing forces and capabilities which are shared to a large extent by both organisations are used as efficiently as possible; calls upon NATO to normalise its relations with Russia to ensure a more stable and harmonious coexistence; recognises the crucial role the EU can play in this regard;
Amendment 151 #
2010/2124(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Welcomes the US administration's recent calls for a closer US-EU partnership; urges that the EU adopts a stronger approach in this regard, in recognition of the need to ensure a more equal balance of power;
Amendment 165 #
2010/2124(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Welcomes the fact that the situation in Kosovo remains stable and peaceful, but is concerned at the serious problems and breaches of electoral law which occurred in several municipalities during the recent elections; stresses the importance of fair elections as part of Kosovo's ongoing democratic transition; urges the Government of Kosovo to improve future electoral processes in order to secure the democratic rights of Kosovo citizens and to strengthen the country's European perspective; calls for the planned talks between Kosovo and Serbia to start without delay, under the sponsorship of the EU, and stresses that they have vast potential to contribute to stability in Kosovo and to improving the situation for local people, including as regards upholding the rule of law in the north of the country; reiterates the need for the EULEX Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo to ensure that it can function effectively and adequately train the local administration in good governance throughout the entire territory of Kosovo, by stepping up its activities in the north of the country, and to enjoy the trust and support of the entire population;
Amendment 169 #
2010/2124(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls on the VP/HR and the Commission to enhance dialogue with the political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) following the elections, in order to help that country and its peoples to remain on the road towards EU integration; takes the view that BiH has made limited progress on reforms relating to the EU integration process and that the prevailing ethnic and entity agendas can hamper the fulfilment of requirements for EU and NATO membershipdue to a misguided approach to date that has emphasised the OHR's role as an international overseer and a reliance upon external legislation; urges that instead the EU shifts its focus towards offering BiH technical assistance and guidance towards good governance;
Amendment 250 #
2010/2124(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Expresses its satisfaction at the intensification of sectoral dialogues with Chinaofficial delegations to China, totalling 322 in the past year and calls for concerted joint work on the controversial issues highlighted at the recent EU-China Summit; regrets, however, that progress towards better economic and judicial governance is not reflected in a willingness to tackle the continuing severe and systematic violations of human rights in the country; points out that relations with Japan, a country which shares the EU's democratic values and concern for human rights, remain extremely important both in economic terms and as regards working together in multinational fora and that the current focus on China must not overshadow the necessary efforts to step up cooperation with Japan and remove the remaining barriers to economic interpenetration;
Amendment 5 #
2010/2110(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the reduction of export subsidies and calls for further reforms of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) including the complete elimination of these subsidies, which were reintroduced in 2009 for dairy products; points out that export subsidies have, in the past, allowed the dumping of cheap EU products in developing countries, distorting competition with local producers and undermined their productive capacity;.
Amendment 6 #
2010/2110(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Points out that export subsidies have, in the past, allowed the dumping of cheap EU products in developing countries, distorting competition with local producers and undermining their productive capacity;
Amendment 8 #
2010/2110(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates concerns over the EU's trade strategy (‘Global Europe: competing in the World’) which focuses on competition and market access for EU products and which fails to provide a pro-development approach; urges the need for greater focus on development concerns within the ongoing EPA negotiations;
Amendment 11 #
2010/2110(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. ENotes that an estimated USD 10 billion would be produced for the developing countries by halving the export tariffs on agricultural products of the OECD countries; encourages a radical reduction of tariffs on agricultural imports from all developing countries and the limitation and simplification of non-tariff barriers in order to promote sustained wealth creation and provide real market- access opportunities for developing countries;
Amendment 16 #
2010/2110(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Underlines the need for transparency and accountability in the Commission's conduct of impact assessments and consultation with interested stakeholders, in particular regular dialogue with relevant committees in the European Parliament, including the Development Committee.
Amendment 5 #
2010/2102(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas developing countries face important challenges in raising tax revenues due to insufficient human and financial resources to collect taxes, weak administrative capacity, corruption, lack of legitimacy of the political system and, unequal distribution of revenues and poor tax governance,
Amendment 43 #
2010/2102(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the Commission to upgrade its assistance to strengthen the judiciary and anti-corruption agencies in developing countries, to effectively integrate the principles of good governance in tax matters into the programming, implementation and monitoring of country and regional strategy papers, and to systematically include clauses on good governance in future trade agreements; recommends that the Commission includes national parliaments of the developing countries in the budgetary process, thereby fostering a harmonious relationship and promoting greater transparency in this process;
Amendment 47 #
2010/2102(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recalls that the main challenge for poor countries is to broaden the tax base; points out that the decline in trade taxes has led to the introduction of consumption taxesshould be implemented in parallel to developing countries tax reforms mobilising alternative sources of revenue for their public budgets offsetting the shortfall in customs revenue (VAT or energy taxes); considers that even if VAT can enable the widening of the tax base in economies with large informal sectors, it is not an ideal instrument as it hits poor people the hardest; believes that EU assistance for tax reform should be geared to developing direct taxationwards investigating ways in which developing countries can broaden their tax base/tax revenue stream;
Amendment 50 #
2010/2102(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Insists that the adequate means of devising alternative sources of revenue collection should be supportive of and not infringe upon innovation, entrepreneurship and the creation of SMEs, strengthening ownership and local development;
Amendment 61 #
2010/2102(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Urges the EU toCalls on Member States to consider the social and economic arguments of defending within the G20 and OECD the principle of the automaticmutual exchange of information on tax matters along the lines ofwhich can be effectively used in certain circumstances such as in the EU savings tax directive, as a way to curb illicit financial flows in secrecy jurisdictions; Calls on Member States to consider further area's where exchange of information may be appropriate;
Amendment 74 #
2010/2102(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Highlights that as much as 800 billion euros is lost each year from developing countries to tax havens and illicit financial flows; notes that greater transparency in the financial process could be a decisive step towards poverty alleviation and significant wealth creation;
Amendment 8 #
2010/2101(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas there has been a dramatic increase in the number and severity of natural disasters caused, in particular, by the impact of climate change; the incidence of complex crises is rising which is linked to a number of factors including the changing nature of conflicts, poor governance and situations of fragility; violations of international humanitarian law are worsening; and the ‘humanitarian space’ is shrinking,
Amendment 38 #
2010/2101(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Points out that the provision of aid must be based solely on needidentified need and the degree of vulnerability, that the quality of the aid is determined primarily by an initial evaluation and that the evaluation process needs to be further improved, particularly with regard to the application of vulnerability criteria;
Amendment 62 #
2010/2101(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Council and the Commission to introduce strictflexible and transparent rules on cooperation and coordination between the EEAS and the Commission in the management of large- scale crises outside the EU;
Amendment 73 #
2010/2101(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission to undertake awareness-raising activities about the specificity of humanitarian aid as part of EU foreign policy and calls on the Member States to ensure that their armed forces observe and apply the UN guidelines; considers, further, that there is a need for dialogue between military and humanitarian bodies in order to develop mutual understanding;
Amendment 76 #
2010/2101(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on the Commission to bring forward ambitious legislative proposals for the establishment of a European civil protectiofurther explore ways in which the EU can develop its civilian capabilities in force, based onder to better contribute and optimisinge the existing Community Civil Protection Mechanism and pooling existing national resources so that no major additional costs will be incurred, and drawing on systems tried and tested during preparatory initiatives;
Amendment 85 #
2010/2101(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Stresses the importance of a timely transition from emergency to development, based on specific criteria and a thoroughly conducted assessment of needs;
Amendment 4 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
– having regard to the FAO most recent Biannual Food Outlook Report (June, 2011)
Amendment 5 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 b (new)
Citation 11 b (new)
– having regard to the Agriculture Outlook 2011-2020 released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Amendment 12 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the number of undernourished people amounted to 925 million in 2010 according to the FAO,; whereas the global economic downturn, rising food and fuel prices has worsened the food situation in many developing countries, especially the least-developed countries, thus partly setting back the last decade’s progress on poverty reduction;
Amendment 14 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas food prices have risen steadily since Augustaccording to the recent publication by the FAO Food Price Index in January 2011, there has been a month on month increase in food prices with levels now higher than those recorded in the food price peak of 20108; whereas the volatility of commodity prices is impacting greatly on low income countries,
Amendment 18 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas global demand for agricultural products is expected to increase by 70% by 2050 which will need to be done using less water and pesticides and with less agricultural land available; whereas food insecurity is further exacerbated by abusive speculation on commodities, land degradation, water scarcity, climate change, global land acquisitionsland tenure insecurity, demands for agro-fuels and energy-related policies,
Amendment 23 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas evidence shows the potential of smallholder agricultural systems in increasing overall food production; whereas focussing solely on export production in developing countries hascan have negative impacts on women as smallholder farmers,
Amendment 27 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas strong State capacitieable, accountable and transparent state institutions are crucial for sustainable development and for building up production and processing capacities,
Amendment 31 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the EU has responded quickly to the 2008 food crisis through the creation of the Food Facility; whereas the impact of such measures on the structural causes of hunger and food insecurity has been difficult to measure,; considers that further extension of this Food Facility, or additional allocation of funding to it, should not be automatic, but decided based on an independent impact assessment of the funds disbursements’ efficiency in improving food security in all the beneficiary countries;
Amendment 36 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the number of people suffering from hunger is unacceptableextraordinarily high and regrets that the overall international efforts have so far fallen short of achieving MDG 1; calls for urgent steps to be taken to fulfil internationally binding commitments and make the right to adequate food a reality;
Amendment 50 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the EU to increase support in favour of agriculture in its development aid programmes and to invest in nationally ledparticipatory home-grown plans; emphasises the need for increased public investments in research for sustainable agro-ecological production systems;
Amendment 54 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable small-scale food production and that priority should be given to ‘ecologically-efficient’ approaches that strengthen biodiversity, prevent the degradation of fertile land, promote agro-ecological and low- external-input (LEI) practices, and excludes GMOs;
Amendment 67 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the EU and developing countries to develop joint research and training capacities in sustainable farming methods and new technologies, notably through public private partnerships and joint ventures; including producing value addition at the point of food collection and storage through packaging and processing;
Amendment 72 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that the fair integration oif smallholder farmers in the value chadeveloping countext can only be successful if conditions arries are to become not only sustainable, but are to also fulfil their production potential they must have cgreated to facilitate their access to the means ofr access to microcredit, including non-profit microcredit, for investment in improved seeds, fertilisers and irrigation mechanisms and the necessary range of crop produtection, processing and trade opportuniti tools to protect their harvests from pests and diseases;
Amendment 78 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses the need to give small farmers in developing countries greater access to property rights, allowing small land owners to prove ownership and as such posses collateral for the loans required to elevate their production;
Amendment 81 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to support agro-processing capacities in partner countries in order to reduce post-harvest losses, extend the shelf-life of food and, create decent work for the local population; and develop better storage facilities, thus preventing losses from spoiling, which are currently very high in developing countries worldwide;
Amendment 99 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Welcomes the example set by Brazil, which has over the last four decades transformed from a country facing a food crisis to one of the major food producers in the world, based upon a strategy where sustainability is seen as paramount, new technology is welcomed and there is overwhelming state support for agricultural research and GM crops;
Amendment 101 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Draws attention to the structural causes of price volatility and strongly emphasises that abusive or excessive speculation on derivatives of essential food commodities has significantly worsened price volatilityare only one of the factors that can have an impact on price volatility; stresses that governance issues and restrictive trade rules can have a much greater impact on food insecurity in the developing world; endorses the conclusions of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food regarding the role played by large investors in influencing commodities price indexes;
Amendment 102 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Stresses that recently a host of other unpredictable factors have also negatively impacted upon stability in the food markets, including the catastrophe in Japan, an unprecedented wave of political unrests engulfing many countries in North Africa and the Near East, another strong increase in oil prices, prolonged uncertainty in financial markets and in the global economy have all had an impact;
Amendment 105 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the Commission and the Member States to take concrete action to effectively tackle abusive or excessive financial speculation on grain and food;
Amendment 108 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Amendment 109 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 116 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Expresses deep concern regarding the large-scale land acquisitions that are currently carried out by foreign investors in developing countriethat unregistered property allows governments, corporations and individuals to consistently violate property rights without difficulty, and that the international community still has tno the detriment of local smallholder farmers that need to be better protectedmechanism for identifying legitimate claims and protecting landholders from expropriation;
Amendment 122 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Encourages the adoption of the FAO voluntary guidelines on land acquisitions, but also calls for strict binding nationalwelcomes the broad and strong consensus for the development on and international regulations on land acquisitioninstrument on the governance of tenure of lands, fisheries and forests; stresses that contract negotiations should be made transparent allowing for the participation of civil society and all stakeholders;
Amendment 135 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Reminds the Commission and partner countries of the positive effects of agro- ecological production systems regarding climate change mitigation and long-term food security relies on dealing with the environmental impact of production, so that natural resources and food supplies are protected;
Amendment 140 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 152 #
2010/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 34 #
2010/2087(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Recommends that cohesiveness between EU-level policy and the national strategies of the EU Member States in the Black Sea region needs to be ensured;
Amendment 35 #
2010/2087(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its call on the Commission to carry out regular review of the implementation of the strategy by establishing concrete monitoring, evaluation, follow-up and reporting mechanisms; urges that the relevant European Parliament committees be consulted at key stages of this process;
Amendment 114 #
2010/2087(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Believes that the economic, social and human development of the region as a whole should be promoted; regards further liberalization of trade and intensification of intra-regional trade as essential to the economic development of the region; supports the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy aimed at the socio-economic development of maritime regions, but regrets that its Black Sea dimension is poorly developed; welcomespoints out that the region has extraordinary natural resources which can encourage rapid economic growth; stresses that the proper management of these results registered in cooperation on education, research and technology; further encourages the goal of promoting social development, people-to-people contacts andources is vital to the facilitation of theis development of a strong civil society;
Amendment 129 #
2010/2087(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Stresses that further liberalisation of trade and intensification of intra-regional trade is essential to the economic development of the region; supports the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy aimed at the socio-economic development of maritime regions, but regrets that its Black Sea dimension is poorly developed; welcomes the results registered in cooperation on education, research and technology; further encourages the goal of promoting social development and a strong civil society;
Amendment 29 #
2010/2050(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas since the controversial June 2009 presidential electionspresidential elections of June 2009, widely considered as fraudulent, the reformists have become most commonly identified with the Green Movement, the popular, grass-roots social movement that took shape during the mass protests against President Ahmadinejad's re-election,
Amendment 137 #
2010/2050(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is horrified by the fact that shooting into demonstrating crowds was considered acceptable by the security forces from the night of 15 June 2009 on, as shown in video footage, including of the brutal murder of peaceful protester Neda Agha- Soltan on 20 June 2009; urges the EU institutions to present to the Iranian authorities a detailed list of all known incidents/violent actions against Iranian civilians in the aftermath of the election and insist that there be an honest judicial investigation;
Amendment 175 #
2010/2050(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Expects the Council and the Commission to urge the Iranian authorities to react positively to longstanding requests by several UN Special Rapporteurs (e.g. Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions; Torture; Freedom of Religion or Belief; Independence of Judges and Lawyers) for official visits to Iran, and likewise condemns the instance of diplomatic intimidation, with regards to the recent communication from the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 12 October 2010, to British MEPs and others, seeking to prejudice opinion against this current report;
Amendment 214 #
2010/2050(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Expresses its concerns at Russia’s deepening relationship with Iran, especially with regards to the supply of fuel for its nuclear reactor, and therefore the potential proliferation of nuclear weapons-grade materials;
Amendment 253 #
2010/2050(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. RejectCondemns fiercely the desire expressed by the Iranian leadership to "President Ahmadinejad that “Israel must be wiped out" Israelff the map”; also fiercely rejects the anti-Semitic rhetoric of the Iranian president, especially his denial of the Holocaust and his underlying agenda of delegitimizing the Israeli state; calls on the EU institutions to safeguard the existence of the Jewish state;
Amendment 1 #
2010/0335(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 - point d a (new)
Paragraph 1 - point d a (new)
(da) a fair market price should be paid per tonne of catch in order to combat exploitation and promote self- sustainability;
Amendment 2 #
2010/0335(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 - point e
Paragraph 1 - point e
(e) The European Union should receive regular reports on the implementation of the Agreement in order to facilitate monitoring, transparency and policy coherence for development.
Amendment 4 #
2010/0290(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 - point d a (new)
Paragraph 1 - point d a (new)
(da) the Commission should ensure that a fair market price is paid per tonne of catch in order to combat exploitation and promote self-sustainability;
Amendment 5 #
2010/0290(NLE)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 - point e
Paragraph 1 - point e
(e) regular reports monitoring the implementation of the Agreement should be brought to the attention of the European Union in order to promote transparency and policy coherence for development.
Amendment 9 #
2010/0289(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) It will be important to use all available means to support Pakistan's recovery from this emergency and progress towards future development, while ensuring that consistency and coherence is maintained at all levels with a view to developing a sustainable long-term strategy.
Amendment 8 #
2010/0171(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 - point 4 a (new)
Article 1 - point 4 a (new)
Regulation (EC) No 732/2008
Article 18 - paragraph 3
Article 18 - paragraph 3
Amendment 2 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas since the last revision of the Cotonou Agreement in 2005 numerous changes have occurred on the international scene – such as soaring food and energy prices, unprecedented financial crisis, climate changmainly the unintended results of the governmental manipulation of the free market (such as the trillions of dollars which have been directed towards financial institutions as opposed to agricultural production, as well as the terrifying expansion of the global money supply, resulting in soaring food prices; or the global artificial cutting of interest rates which is resulting in the unprecedented expansion of wealth- destroying but politically expedient enterprises) − the consequences –of which have their most serious repercussions on developing countries,
Amendment 6 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the second review of the Cotonou Agreement should be an occasion to adjust it in the lightnalyse without prejudice the genuine causes of recent and current crisesphenomena including climate changeic trends, soaring food and oil prices, financial crisimarket corrections and abject poverty in Africa; believes that the need to addressidentify the root causes of these crisesphenomena is not an option, but a necessity in order to address them;
Amendment 17 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that policy coherence for development, particularlyalleviating poverty through development, particularly through greater coherence between policies on trade, development, agriculture and fisheries, should be a guiding principle of EU development cooperation and must be explicitly addressed in the revised Agreement;
Amendment 23 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission and ACP governments to include the fight against abuses of tax havens,destructive economic policies which lead to tax evasion and illicit capital flight as a matter of priority in the Cotonou Agreement; calls therefore for a binding mechanism, which forces transnational corporations to disclose automatically the profits made and the taxes paidbribes and donations paid to every government official in every ACP country where they operate;
Amendment 30 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Urges ACP countries and the Commission to focus on agriculturalfree market development to ensure food security and requests that agriculture and rural development become matters of priority in the Agreement and in the country and regional strategy papers; emphasises that ACP farmers need support and decent wagea stable market and sustainable demand to produce for local and international markets;
Amendment 36 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges ACP countries to establish policies, based on respect for human rights, democratic principles, rule of law, sound economic development and decent work, in order to combat brain drain and allow ACP countries to use their trained work force for their own development, and to promote policies that uphold property rights (through land registries) and intellectual property rights (by respecting the spirit of existing international treaties);
Amendment 47 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for the strengthening and upgrading of the ACP-EU JPA and insists for provisions to be made in the Cotonou Agreement to allow the JPA and ACP parliaments to scrutinise the country and regional strategy papers, the ACP-EC EPAs and the European Development Fund;
Amendment 54 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls for the budgetisation of the EDF and for the application of the procedure for delegated acts under Article 290 of the Treaty of Lisbon when scrutinising the Strategy Papers under the EDF as well as under the DCI;
Amendment 56 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Calls on the International Criminal Court to cooperate with the EU to draw up a plan for the greater use of "smart" sanctions for imposition against countries that culpably impoverish their own nations by tolerating endemic corruption;
Amendment 57 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c. Calls for a greater priority to be given to treating easily-preventable diarrheal diseases (through wide availability of hand detergent gels), and to greater access to clean water;
Amendment 58 #
2009/2165(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)
Paragraph 16 d (new)
16d. Calls on the EU to cease immediately the practice of funding both forced abortions and gender-selective abortions through its Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights strategies;
Amendment 1 #
2009/2000(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 18 December 2008 on development perspectives for peace building and nation building in post-conflict situations1,
Amendment 12 #
2009/2000(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 − point e
Paragraph 1 − point e
(e) to ensure that the preventive character of R2P is adequately emphasised in the above debate and that adequate attention is paid to helping vulnerable and unstable countries develop the capacity to shoulder such responsibility, focussing specifically on regional actors as the most effective interlocutors in unstable situations,
Amendment 26 #
2009/2000(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 − point s a (new)
Paragraph 1 − point s a (new)
(sa) to call for India to be given full Permanent Security Council member status,
Amendment 2 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Reiterates its conviction that, in order to effect an improvement in the promotion of human rights, the EU's common foreign and security policy (CFSP) needs to be strengthened, and that it is necessary to ensure that the promotion of human rights as a main objective of the CFSP, as outlined in Article 11 of the Treaty on European Union, is strictly implemented;
Amendment 8 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Council and Commission to make greater efforts to disseminate their annual report on human rights and ensure it reaches as large a public as possible; also calls for information campaigns aimed at raising the EU's profile in this field;
Amendment 13 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 17 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 28 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Welcomes the fact that the ratifications of the Rome Statute by Madagascar, Cook Islands and Suriname in 2008 brought the 1 As of 18 July 2008, 85 states had not yet ratified the Rome Statute: Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Brunei, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya,, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar/Burma, Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe. total number of States Parties to 108 in July 2008; demands that the Czech Republic, as the only remaining European Union Member State not to have ratified the Rome Statute, finally do so without further delay1; urges Romania to rescind its Bilateral Immunity Agreement with the United Statestotal number of States Parties to 108 in July 2008;
Amendment 40 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Notes with regret that, despite the fact that the Commission has recommended ratification of ILO Convention 169 on several occasions, at the present time, almost twenty years after its entry into force, only three Member States – Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain – have ratified it; encourages, therefore, initiatives to increase awareness of this important legislative instrument and to enhance its effectiveness worldwide by ensuring that it is ratified by all the Member States;
Amendment 47 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
Amendment 49 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Welcomes the new priority status given by the French presidency in the second half of 2008 to women's issues in the context of the EU's action in the field of human rights; stresses, in particular, the need to tackle the tragic phenomena of violence against women and feminicide(including the practice of female circumcision) and feminicide (including the practice of gender-selective abortion);
Amendment 56 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
Amendment 57 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
Amendment 58 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Calls on the Presidency to encourage Italy, Latvia, Poland and Spain, which have signed but not yet ratified Protocol No 13 to the ECHR concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances, to do so; rRecognises in that regard that the Guidelines on the Death Penalty could be implemented more coherently if Member States were to sign up to and ratify such protocols and conventions;
Amendment 61 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Welcomes the fact that death penalty is in retreat, having been abolished for all crimes in 2008 by Rwanda and Uzbekistan; welcomes the draft penal code in Iran, which prohibits stoning sentences, and urges the Iranian parliament to conclude the penal code so as to provide for the absolute prohibition of stoning; condemns the fact that the Iranian regime still sentences to death, and executes, defendants under the age of 18 (particularly those whose only ‘crime’ under sharia law is having committed acts of homosexuality); once again condemns the Iranian regime's increasing use of death penalty, which places Iran in second position, just after China, in the league table of countries having highest number of executions; notes that there has not been any death sentence passed in Guatemala; however, expresses its disquiet at the possibility that the death penalty might once again start to be enforced; urges the Guatemalan Government, on the contrary, to genuinely commit itself to the universal moratorium on the death penalty; however, welcomes the decisions taken by President Colom in March 2008 which may lead to the abolition of the death penalty in Guatemala; expresses its concern at the retention of the death penalty in domestic legislation in Peru; notes that since 2007 all death penalty cases in China have been reviewed by the Supreme Court; however, remains concerned that China still carries out the greatest number of executions worldwide; condemns the practice of the death penalty in Belarus, which runs counter to European values;
Amendment 96 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 106
Paragraph 106
106. Underlines that economic, social and cultural rights are just as important as civil and political rights; underlines the EU's commitment to supporting the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals, as set out in the conclusions of the European Councils held in December 2007 and June 2008;
Amendment 97 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 107
Paragraph 107
Amendment 98 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 108
Paragraph 108
Amendment 100 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 109
Paragraph 109
109. Stresses that human rights also include rights to food, to adequate housing, to education, to water, to l and, to decent work, to social security and to form a trade unland, and the right to free association, and that it is especially important to ensure that those rights are enjoyed by extremely vulnerable groups such as people in least-developed, post- conflict or emerging countries, indigenous peoples, climate change refugees, migrants, etc.;
Amendment 106 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas human rights and the protection of those rights rely on recognition of the dignity of the human person; recalls in this connection the opening words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, namely: “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world",
Amendment 107 #
2008/2336(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A a (new)
Recital -A a (new)
-Aa. whereas justice, freedom, democracy and the rule of law arise out of an authentic recognition of the dignity of the human person, and whereas such recognition is the foundation of all human rights,
Amendment 1 #
2008/2305(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that in the past year the number of refugees has grown to more than 16 million worldwide; in this context, supports the establishment of a Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and welcomes the Commission’s Policy Plan on Asylum, serving as a roadmap for the completion of the CEAS;
Amendment 2 #
2008/2305(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Regrets that the concept of the institution of asylum, an essential part of democracy and protection of human rights, has been severely eroded in recent years; reiterates the need for full respect of the rights and needs of asylum seekers and the principle of non-refoulement;
Amendment 3 #
2008/2305(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that a CEAS should be established that isMember States’ asylum policies should be fully coherent with the objectives and activities in the area of refugee protection of EU instruments for cooperation with developing countries (such as the European Development Fund (EDF), the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI), the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) and the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)) and agreements and partnerships between the EU and developing countries (such as the Cotonou Agreement and the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership);
Amendment 4 #
2008/2305(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 6 #
2008/2305(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Shares the Commission’s views on asylum as an integral part of development cooperation with third countries rather than a crisis management tool;rReiterates also that development cooperation, particularly crisis prevention, conflict transformation and peace-building, could serve as a preventive instrument of displacement; stresses therefore that CEAS should be closely connected with European development and humanitarian policies;
Amendment 9 #
2008/2305(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission to promote greater participation by Member States in worldwide refugee resettlement efforts; encourages therefore the creation of an EU resettlement scheme to serve as a solidarity mechanism and responsibility- sharing towards third countries that receive the highest number of refugees;
Amendment 2 #
2008/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas a clear definition of the common interests of the Union is essential in order to attain the goals of the Union’s external action and in particular those of its Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), where those goals do not override the nationally determined priorities of any of the EU Member States,
Amendment 5 #
2008/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas, in order to be an effective player on a global stage, the EU needs, first and foremost, the foreign policy tools provided for by the Lisbon Treaty; whereas, none the less, all the practical possibilities offered by the current treaties, coupled with a strong common political will, should be used to strengthen the institutional coherence of the EU’s external action,
Amendment 7 #
2008/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates that the CFSP must be underpinned by the values which the European Union and its Member States cherish, notably democracy, the rule of law and respect for the dignity of the human person, for human rights and for fundamental freedoms, which is precisely why the very legitimacy of the CFSP must be mandated by the peoples of Europe, and the Lisbon Treaty put to a referendum immediately in all countries able to hold one;
Amendment 14 #
2008/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Strongly believes that the European Union can make an impact only if it speaks with one voice, if it is equipped with appropriate instruments and if it is granted the robust democratic legitimacy which results from parliamentary scrutiny; believes in this respect that the committees on foreign affairs and defence of the Member States’ national parliaments should meet regularly, under the auspices of the European Parliament, in order to scrutinise the main developments in the CFSP;
Amendment 16 #
2008/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 51 #
2008/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes the view that the recent crisis in the South Caucasus has clearly demonstrated the need for a strong EU presence in its eastern neighbourhood; therefore supports the idea of establishing an enhanced partnership with our eastern neighbours covering essentially threewo areas – a comprehensive and deep free trade area, visa liberalisation leading to visa- free travel and energy security; takes the view that this partnership should be matched by a doubling of EU financial assistance and by a strong political dimension of which EURONEST, the joint parliamentary assembly comprising Members of the European Parliament and of the parliaments of the neighbourhood, should be an integral part;
Amendment 89 #
2008/2241(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Is ashamed to note that, whilst this very resolution (paragraph 1) speaks of ‘the values which the European Union and its Member States cherish, notably democracy…’, those words are robbed of any moral authority due to the fact that various Member States of the EU promised their citizens a referendum on the new Treaty when they thought they could win and then promptly rescinded those pledges when they realised they would lose; therefore sorrowfully observes that democracy, like charity, must begin at home; furthermore, draws the sad conclusion that Parliament likes to talk about democracy far more than it likes to understand what it means;
Amendment 1 #
2008/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that, according to recent polls (such as the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland), a large majority of Europeans are not in favour of Europe speaking with one voice on matters of foreign policy; highlights the fact that a statement to that effect was included at the request of European citizens in the open letter/recommendations from the participants at the concluding conference of the six "Plan D" citizens' projects on 9 December 20071;
Amendment 8 #
2008/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that, particularly in the context of the increase in the number of third-country nationals in the EU and the emergence of multicultural societies, greater efforts should beefforts made to provide for the integration of immigrants into the EU, giving them better access to information about what EU citizenship entails by, for example, strengthening partnerships between different levels of government (local, regional and national) and non- governmental actors (e.g. employers, civil society, migrants' associations, the media and non-governmental organisations supporting migrants)are best handled at Member State level;
Amendment 10 #
2008/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls onStresses the importance of considering citizens' opinions on Europe, and therefore, noting that the citizens of Europe have huge concerns about the numbers of people coming into Member States from outside the Union, demands that the Commission toin no way launch local, small-scale communication campaigns with the involvement of local actors, and to or promote agreements providing for citizens to be better informed about immigrants' countries of origin, as the most effective and meaningful ways of achieving these communication goals, and also to continue with the efforts made in the context of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008because the citizens of Europe would be horrified to learn that their taxes, being wealth robbed from them by the state, were then being spent by the EU on propaganda designed to brainwash them.
Amendment 5 #
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 a coherent strategy vis-à-vis its main external suppliers; supports Europe-wide referenda on the Lisbon Treaty, which contains an energy solidarity clause and makes energy policy a shared responsibility between the EU and the Member States, as a step in the right direction;
Amendment 4 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the aims set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child remain largely unfulfilled, not least the very right to life itself, considering that its own Preamble states quite clearly: 'The child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth',
Amendment 7 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas child labour depresses adult wages, and therefore contributes to the cycle of poverty by forcing adults to compete against the cheap labour which children provide, and whereas those who desire higher wages for adults in developing countries must therefore be totally committed to eradicating the practice of child labour,
Amendment 8 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas the difference between child labour and child work is that the former consists of labour, often under severe conditions, for twelve to fourteen hours a day, where what little is earned in ‘wages’ is often returned to the employer for room and board, or as a fine for unachieved quotas, and the latter is work that a child can do on the family farm or around the home after that child's appropriate studying obligations have been fulfilled,
Amendment 9 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E c (new)
Recital E c (new)
Ec. whereas the commercial exploitation of children is a gross violation of their human dignity and is against the principles of social justice; whereas upon the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child the states-party endorse the recognition of the human rights of children,
Amendment 10 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E d (new)
Recital E d (new)
Ed. whereas there is no objection to employing older children part-time in the family farm or business, provided that the education, health and welfare of the child is not impaired, and that the right to education is non-negotiable,
Amendment 11 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E e (new)
Recital E e (new)
Ee. whereas purchasers of goods from the developing world are in a key position to detect and refuse to purchase goods which are made wholly or in part with child labour, and can thus bring direct and effective economic pressure to bear,
Amendment 12 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E f (new)
Recital E f (new)
Ef. whereas child labour is morally equivalent in principle to slavery, and whereas it will require the same measure of commitment to eradicate;
Amendment 16 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the Commission’s commitment to address child rights violations such as child labour, child trafficking, children affected by armed conflict and all forms of violence against children, including sexual exploitation and harmful traditional practicesbarbaric practices such as ‘female circumcision’; insists, however, that the focus should be on the root causes and prevention of child rights violations;
Amendment 18 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Demands in the strongest possible terms that anyone against whom there is evidence of recruiting or using child soldiers must be surrendered to the International Criminal Court for prosecution;
Amendment 19 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Urges all parties to cooperate fully to ensure that any company found to be using child labour is held responsible for ensuring that the children working for that company are properly integrated into the education system;
Amendment 30 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Calls for the international community (which includes the WTO) to pioneer a ‘child kite mark’, which would indicate clearly that a product was “grown/manufactured without child labour” and which could be used specifically with countries where child labour is known to be prevalent, and where spot checks could be carried out, with appropriate measures taken in the event of fraud, where at the end of a phased enforcement programme the import of products into the EU without the ‘child kite mark’ would be totally prohibited;
Amendment 32 #
2008/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Deplores the pressures which exist to undermine policies on sexual and reproductive health rights, with the resulting increase in unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions for young people,anti-child term ‘unwanted’ pregnancies, with regard to sexual and reproductive health policies, and notes that concerning unsafe abortions, whether they are legal or otherwise, they are never safe for the child; and urges the EU to maintain levels of funding for the full range of sexual and reproductive health services to meet MDG 5 on improving maternal health;
Amendment 6 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that the nations of the European Union needs a strong and effective foreign, security and defence policyies in order to defend itstheir interests in the world, to protect the security of itstheir citizens and to defend human rights;
Amendment 39 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that until now, Member States have defined their security interests on a purely national basis while the notion of "European security interest", by contrast, is still politically taboo; considers this approach no longer acceptabview to be an authentic reflection of certain Member States’ peoples;
Amendment 43 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers it therefore necessary to define the Union's common security interests; stresses that only with a clear idea of itsntification of their common interests can the Member States of the European Union make itstheir common policy more coherent and effective;
Amendment 53 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers that the European Union has to define more clearly its ambitions concerning its role in the world; is of the opinion that the European Union should not try to become a superpower like the United States, but that it should instead guarantee its security and security in its neighbourhood and contribute to a multilateral global system of security;
Amendment 84 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Notes that the Euro-Atlantic partnership with Russia rests largely on the supposition that both parties will abide by their commitments; and notes that if this confidence breaks down, alternative guarantees of security of will need to be considered;
Amendment 111 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
Amendment 119 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 130 #
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 States;
Amendment 178 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Considers that the United States' ballistic missile defence system has important 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 Europeannational interests are safeguarded as regards the force structure, command and control and participation in research and development;
Amendment 183 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Considers it particularly important to strengthen the European Security and Defence College and give it a permanent structure which will contribute more to the development of a specifically Europeanfor Member States to coordinate security culture among political and military elites where appropriate and according to need;
Amendment 190 #
2008/2202(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. DemandUrges further initiatives concerning common training and common standardcooperation in training initiatives for personnel in civil and military operations, and exchange programmes and the opening-up of armies to citizens of other Member States;
Amendment 4 #
2008/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 18 December 2008 on development perspectives for peace-building and nation building in post-conflict situations1,
Amendment 11 #
2008/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the legacy of the wars of the 1990s continues to be a significant impediment to the establishment of lasting security and political stability in the region; whereas this poses new and unique challenges for the EU's enlargement policy and calls for recourse to be had to all Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)/European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) tools at the disposal of the Union as a part of an overall approach tailored to the needs of post-conflict societies, taking the needs of post-conflict societies into consideration,
Amendment 44 #
2008/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Lends its full support to the ESDP missions and the EU Special Representatives (EUSRs) deployed in the region, which still have key roles to play in maintaining stability and ensuring progress in the process of building functioning states capable of meeting the Copenhagen criteria; stresses that no ESDP mission or EUSR office may be wound up until their respective mandates have unambiguously been fulfilled;
Amendment 1 #
2008/2198(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)
Citation 20 a (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 18 December 2008 on development perspectives for peace-building and nation building in post-conflict situations1,
Amendment 3 #
2008/2198(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EU needs’s external relations’ peace-building and nation-building policy could benefit from a holistic and coherent approach to gender mainstreaming,
Amendment 15 #
2008/2198(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers the current number of personnel working on gender issues within the Commission and the Council inadequate; calls on them to allocate morealls on the Commission and the Council to reallocate from the existing base an appropriate level of staff to the structures in charge of the EU's external action with specific responsibility for gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment to the structures in charge of the EU's external action;
Amendment 16 #
2008/2198(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes the continued lack of women on high-level posts in the Commission and the Council structures, and, whilst avoiding tokenism, calls, in particular, for more efforts to boost the number of women among the heads of EU delegations and the EU Special Representatives; stresses that the future External Action Service should be created with a better balance of men and women, particularly on the high-level posts and that it should include more staff responsible for gender issues;
Amendment 71 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines that the original raison d'être of the European Union iwas to build peacemaintain peace within the Union; notes that an ineffective security strategy or security policy leads to unnecessary human suffering;
Amendment 77 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Therefore calls on the EU to extend the missions of the European Security and Defence Policy so as to prevent conflicts, promote stability and bring relief to where it is needed, subject to a common consensus between EU Member States;
Amendment 88 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recognises that the diversity of interests inherent in a Union of 27 or more Member States – in other words, the mosaic-like composition of the EU – gives it a unique character and the potential to intervene, mediate and help in different parts of the world, unlike any other major power; hopes that the existing military capability of the EU will develop into a credible force enablingenable the Union to exploit its unique abilities in the fields of conflict prevention and conflict resolution and complementing its broad range of civilian crisis management mechanisms;
Amendment 119 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is of the view that both NATO and the ESDPU should endorse as their long-term and common goal a commitment to building a safer world, for the inhabitants of their member states and in general, and should also actively prevent and react to mass atrocities and regional conflicts which continue to cause much human suffering;
Amendment 125 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Insists that all democracies should be united in their efforts to build democracy, stability and peace, and thus join withshould support all intergovernmental organisations in promoting these goals; regrets profoundly that the doctrine of non-alignment, inherited from the Cold War era, undermines the alliance of democracies to the benefit of undemocratic and not yet truly democratic powers; regrets that, in the name of a doctrine of non-alignment, certain Member States opted out of the joint responsibility provided for by the solidarity clause contained in the Treaty of Lisbon;
Amendment 144 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Emphasises the increasing importance of the ESDP which will help to improve the EU's ability to confront existing and emerging 21st-century security threats, particularly in joint civilian-military operations and crisis management measures ranging from intelligence- driven crisis prevention actions to security sector reform, reform of the police and judiciary and military actionidentifying emerging 21st-century security threats;
Amendment 164 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that the Berlin plus arrangements, which have been useful up until now, need to be improved in order to allow the two organisations to effectively deliver relief in current crises which demand a multi-task civilian-military response; regards it as necessary, therefore, to further develop the existing relationship between NATO and the EU, making them ever more integrated, reducing duplication and creating permanent joint structures of cooperation, while respecting the independent nature of both organisations and the need for member states where necessary to pursue policies in accordance with their nationally determined priorities;
Amendment 180 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that EU citizens support missions aimed at alleviating human suffering in conflict zones; notes that citizens are insufficiently informed about EU and NATO missions and their purpose; therefore calls on the EU and NATO to better inform people of their missions;
Amendment 186 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 193 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Underlines that the experience of EU operations demonstrates that the lack of a permanent planning and command capability for EU operations has become a capability shortfall limiting the effectiveness and credibility of EU operations; emphasises that the proposed EU Operational Headquarters provides the solution to this problem; recalls that, given the civilian- military focus of the EU, such a structure would not duplicate anything that exists elsewhere; further recalls that the NATO Headquarters is primarily intended for military planning whereas the EU possesses expertise in planning and conducting both civilian and joint civilian- military operations which no other global actor is currently able to conduct successfully;
Amendment 198 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that an EU Operational Headquarters would complement the current NATO command structures and should not in any case lead to the creation of an EU caucus inside the NAC which could further undermine NATO's transatlantic integrity; iIs of the view that development of the EU and NATO should not under any circumstances lead to any degree of disintegration in the Alliance and that an adequate level of international credibility must be maintained;
Amendment 213 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Is of the view that, in addition to the need for more efficient use of military resources, the need for more investment in defence at Member State level is essential in order to support the efforts to build effective EU-NATO cooperation and action; nNotes that the United States called on European NATO members during the NATO Bucharest Summit to increase their defence investments so as to support both NATO and EU operations; notes also the significant difference in numbers, as well as in effectiveness of defence spending, between European members of NATO and the U.S.; calls on the EU to commit itself to fairer global burden-sharing;
Amendment 226 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Proposes that those NATO Allies that are candidates for EU accession should at this point at least be given the status of Associate Members of the European Defence Agency, and that they should thereafter should be further, more thoroughly and more permanently involved in ESDP in the spirit of being likely future members;
Amendment 235 #
2008/2197(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
Amendment 2 #
2008/2171(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomNotes China's achievements in lifting 350 million of its citizens out of extreme poverty through far-reaching economic reforms, which haves benefited above all the urban population; is concerned about the large rural population living in poverty which has not yet to benefited from the boom, and calls on China to continue its efforts to attain the Millennium Development Goals for the benefit of the more deprived members of its population;
Amendment 6 #
2008/2171(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 23 #
2008/2171(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes Chinese investment in Africa and Latin America but calls on the Commission to monitor developments closely to ensure that such activities are not to the financial, environmental or social detriment of the local populations in the least developed countries, whereas imports of Chinese consumer goods have proved to undercut local production and cost African jobs; therefore calls on the Commission to initiate a dialogue in this regard through the EU-China-Africa trialogue swiftly;
Amendment 6 #
2008/2153(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that some growing economies might be planning to lease large tracts of land in poorer parts of Africa and Asia for the purposes of growing crops and shipping them back to their markets so as to improve their own food security; believes that, together with the FAO, the EU must takecalls for further research into the question whether this phenomenon seriously aconstitutes a major threat to food security and to effective agriculture policy in host countries; points out that food scarcity in Africa is more the result of such things as war, corruption and failing infrastructure than any current maximum food production capacity; furthermore, suggests that, should third countries prove more successful in the cultivation of African land, host countries could consider negotiating some form of ‘output tithing’, whereby an agreed percentage of the crop harvest is returned to the host country to support its own domestic needs – in addition to the source of income from the leased land itself.
Amendment 2 #
2008/2135(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the fact that the EU and India committed themselves to strengthening their consultations in the United Nations Human Rights Council and sustaining their dialogue with a view to promoting the universality of human rights at the ninth India-EU Summit on 29 September 2008, as reflected in the published Joint Action Plan, and commends its expansion to include research and cooperation in the areas of decent work, sustainable development and climate change;
Amendment 1 #
2008/2127(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 1 #
2008/2120(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that the Lisbon Treaty opens the way to incorporate the European Development Fund (EDF) in the General Budget of the European Union, without the need for a revision of the Lisbon Treaty; strongly believes that the democratic scrutiny of the EDF, until the budgetisation of the EDF becomes reality, needs a more thorough approach by the national parliaments of the Member States; calls on the Council and Commission to include the EDF in the General Budget of the European Union at the 2009 Mid-term Review, as this will bring transparency and democratic legitimacy to an important part of the EU's development policy and budget; and insists, so that the term ‘democratic legitimacy’ does not disappear up its own funnel of irony, that the Lisbon Treaty, in addition to having legal force, must have moral force too, and therefore demands that it be offered to the peoples of Europe for their consent (or rejection);
Amendment 1 #
2008/2117(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas it may be desirable for the Community to undertake in developing countries actions to promote knowledge of the EU, or to improve mutual understanding between nations or regions, or to respond to the strategic interests of the EU, even though such actions would not meet the requirements for ODA classification,
Amendment 18 #
2008/2111(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) considers that this formal position should be regarded by the Permanent Representations of EU Member States in New York as a binding political platform to be used in negotiations with other countries, where necessary leaving individual Member States free to diverge from the common position in so far as such divergence is dictated by their nationally determined priorities,
Amendment 29 #
2008/2111(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) welcomes the resumption of the activities of the Working Group on the revitalisation of the UN General Assembly tasked with identifying ways to enhance the Assembly’s role, authority, effectiveness and efficiency, and calls on the EU Member States to promote, in this context, a strengthening of the role of the President of the General Assembly, matched by the allocation of adequate financial, human and infrastructural resources, and the establishment of more systematic cooperation between the General Assembly, the Secretary-General and the UN Security Council, in order to increase the latter’s accountability and legitimacy,
Amendment 30 #
2008/2111(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
(ha) reminds Member States that the UN is an unelected institution, with no popular mandate and no democratic accountability; therefore believes that, whilst international cooperation between countries is generally a good thing, in the interests of defending the principles of democracy the EU should be more assertive in recognising the greater moral authority of its own democratic sovereign states and very cautious about implying that the UN – an institution prone to corruption – somehow better represents the interests of the peoples of Europe than their own elected governments,
Amendment 37 #
2008/2111(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point m
Paragraph 1 – point m
(m) calls on Member States to arrive at a more cohesive position on the reform of the UN Security Council – one which, whilst maintaining the ultimate objective, within a reformed United Nations, of one permanent seat for the European Union (an objective which should not be achieved at the expense of those EU Member States that are members of the UN Security Council in their own right), aims in the meantime at augmenting the weight of the Union in a manner which is commensurate with the EU’s contribution to UN peacekeeping operations and to UN development assistance,
Amendment 38 #
2008/2111(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point n
Paragraph 1 – point n
Amendment 44 #
2008/2111(INI)
Proposal for a recommendation
Paragraph 1 – point o a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point o a (new)
Amendment 1 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Indent -1 (new)
Indent -1 (new)
- having regard to international law underpinning the Treaty of Westphalia, and the Montevideo Convention which defined the notion of the "State" and later President Woodrow Wilson's 14 points which defined "self determination" as a fundamental characteristic and prerequisite of a "State",
Amendment 2 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Indent -1a (new)
Indent -1a (new)
- having regard to the 1907 Hague Regulations, the four Geneva Conventions from 1949 and their 1977 Additional Protocols;
Amendment 3 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Indent -1b (new)
Indent -1b (new)
Amendment 4 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Indent -1c (new)
Indent -1c (new)
- having regard to all United Nations human rights conventions and the optional protocols thereto,
Amendment 5 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Indent -1d (new)
Indent -1d (new)
- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the two optional protocols thereto,
Amendment 6 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Indent -1e (new)
Indent -1e (new)
Amendment 7 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Indent -1f (new)
Indent -1f (new)
- having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights and the protocols thereto,
Amendment 8 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Indent 2a (new)
Indent 2a (new)
- having regard to UN peace keeping and peace making interventions in the Congo (1962), Namibia (1988), El Salvador (1992), Cambodia (1992), Somalia (1992), Yugoslavia - Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia (1992- 2002), Haiti (1994), Eastern Slavonia (1995- 1998), Kosovo (1999), Sierra Leone (1999), East Timor (1999), and US/UK led mission to Iraq and NATO ISAF led missions to Afghanistan (2001),
Amendment 20 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas half of all countries that emerge from conflicts return to conflict within five years and 340 million of the world's extreme poor are estimated to live in fragile states, with the absence of hostilities not automatically leading to entrenched and lasting stability,
Amendment 22 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Aa (new)
Recital Aa (new)
Aa. whereas the Roman Empire was the initial precursor to civic and legal administration in what became the European Member States,
Amendment 23 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ab (new)
Recital Ab (new)
Ab. whereas the British, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish, Belgian, German and Portuguese Empires in their time with differing levels of success, competence and failure tried to create states in all parts of the world with functioning institutions such as a civil service, law courts, legal systems, police forces, educational and health systems, railway and transport systems, the rule of law and civic and municipal administrations,
Amendment 24 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ac (new)
Recital Ac (new)
Ac. whereas the USA, once peopled by millions of poor illiterate immigrants from Europe, should be considered one of the most successful cases of development in recent history; whereas wealth was created by full implementation of property law and property rights, allowing people to convert basic assets - land, farms, forges and mining rights - to their full potential as investments, shareholdings, equity and debentures, mortgages and insurance, providing the tools to create surplus wealth,
Amendment 25 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ad (new)
Recital Ad (new)
Ad. whereas formal property can be used as collateral to form a loan, as equity exchanged for investment, as an address for collecting debts, rates, taxes, as a locus point for the identification of individuals for commercial contracts, judicial judgements or civic purposes and as a terminal for receiving public utilities and services,
Amendment 26 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ae (new)
Recital Ae (new)
Ae. whereas, because of a high level of education, property and commercial law and a residual administrative, legal, and civic capacity Germany and France after the Second World War could be redeveloped rapidly under the Marshall Plan, leading them later to form the European Union,
Amendment 27 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Af (new)
Recital Af (new)
Af. whereas in the Congo in 1960 a lack of unity of UN command, over ambitious aims, attempts to establish democratic structures too early and a misrepresentation of the amount of time and resources it takes to build a state after conflict led to failure,
Amendment 28 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ag (new)
Recital Ag (new)
Ag. whereas in Namibia in 1988 the UN operation benefited from the active assistance of the neighbouring states, a very important determinate in state building following war, resulting in a competent indigenous government,
Amendment 29 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ah (new)
Recital Ah (new)
Ah. whereas El Salvador in 1992 was a successful positive benchmark UN operation, which for the first time tackled issues such as Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration of former combatants, and early on successfully established the rule of law by addressing comprehensively all components of the justice system including police, judges, prosecutors, criminal codes, economic law and detention facilities in a holistic and interlocking way,
Amendment 30 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ai (new)
Recital Ai (new)
Ai. whereas in Cambodia in 1992, the UN Commander stood up to the Khmer Rouge forces thereby enabling elections to take place possibly too early before the rule of law was properly established and thereby impeded the process of state building,
Amendment 31 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Aj (new)
Recital Aj (new)
Aj. whereas in Somalia in 1992 the UN forces, led by the US, were withdrawn too early leaving massively reduced troop numbers and few resources, establishing the ideal that it is best to go in with overwhelming force and stay as long as necessary to establish order and the rule of law,
Amendment 32 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ak (new)
Recital Ak (new)
Amendment 33 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Al (new)
Recital Al (new)
Al. whereas in Haiti in 1994 UN security Council mandated troops entered in overwhelming force, the Haitian military was abolished, a new civilian police was created, local and national elections held, new mayors, members of parliament and a prime minister were elected without creating the long term economic reforms which Haiti needed to become a self- sustaining and successful state,
Amendment 34 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Am (new)
Recital Am (new)
Am. whereas in Eastern Slavonia in 1995 the UN demilitarised the area within 30 days, established a temporary police force, facilitated the return of refugees, ran the transitional civil administration, ensured the delivery of public services, organised elections and launched a programme of reconstruction and development; successes were due to unified military and civilian command structures, the support of the neighbouring states and an agreed final destination mapped out by the peace process,
Amendment 35 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital An (new)
Recital An (new)
An. whereas in Kosovo in 1999 the UN created a single unified command to implement the civilian aspects of post- conflict reconstruction with efficient burden sharing between the agencies, involving a Special Representative of the Secretary General equipped with huge powers and clear mandates for the different agencies; though there was an insufficient ability to see through the war phase, not defining a final status until the Martti Ahtisaari plan in 2007,
Amendment 36 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ao (new)
Recital Ao (new)
Ao. whereas in Sierra Leone in 1999 the UN peace building mission was hampered by a lack of support from the neighbouring states, and by the poor quality of the UN troops initially sent, later remedied by the UK, which saved the day; remembering the importance that peace building requires the most difficult kind of soldiering with high levels of discipline, good communication and strong leadership, especially in the junior command structures,
Amendment 37 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ap (new)
Recital Ap (new)
Ap. whereas in East Timor in 1999, one of the UN's most successful interventions, the Australian led heavy weight UN peacekeeping force handed over authority to civilian administration in a little over two years; subsequent setbacks required further intervention and fine tuning as the new state institutions were developed,
Amendment 38 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Aq (new)
Recital Aq (new)
Aq. whereas intervention requires detailed planning for sustainable development; such inputs into these plans are better coming from ministries of foreign affairs or development rather than ministries of defence of the intervening states; and that these plans should be based on worst case scenarios not best case scenarios,
Amendment 39 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ar (new)
Recital Ar (new)
Ar. whereas the international community must at all times fight the battle for public opinion; a properly funded public relations campaign is essential to win the hearts and minds of the people, without which such interventions will be seen as hostile and inimical as in Afghanistan,
Amendment 40 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the MDGs set out coherent and time bound targets for long term poverty eradication,; whereas by 2010, half of the world’s poorest people could be living in states that are experiencing, or at risk of, violent conflict1; whereas institution building as a means of avoiding a return to violence should take precedence over the MDG agenda,
Amendment 41 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ba (new)
Recital Ba (new)
Ba. whereas the building of stable and enduring states requires the creation of a merit-based and accountable civil service free from political interference and corruption,
Amendment 45 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas violent conflicts deter foreign investors, and substantially reducinges growth, 1 Safer World, Oxfam, IANSA report Oct 2007- Africa's Missing Billions. (according to a recent report1 armed conflict has been shown to shrink an African nation's economy by 15%); whilst a healthy private sector will eventually provide the basis for sustainable revenues for a legitimate government,
Amendment 51 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ga (new)
Recital Ga (new)
Ga. whereas in the Philippines 57% of city dwellers and 67% of rural people live in housing which is not registered and outside the formal legal sector; whereas in Peru this is 57% of city and 81% of country dwellers; in Haiti 68 % of city dwellers and 91% of country dwellers; in Egypt, 92 % of city dwellers and 81% of country dwellers,
Amendment 52 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Gb (new)
Recital Gb (new)
Amendment 55 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ia (new)
Recital Ia (new)
Ia. whereas a sustainable well functioning state also requires a strong civil society to protect people from abuses of power, and a free press pushes against the actions of an over mighty executive,
Amendment 56 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ib (new)
Recital Ib (new)
Ib. whereas states in situations of fragility must be encouraged to allow NGOs to operate free from unduly bureaucratic registration laws and processes which hinder the development of a truly effective civil society,
Amendment 57 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ic (new)
Recital Ic (new)
Ic. whereas the average developing country hosts 260 visits from donors a year and in 2006, across all developing countries, donors directed 70,000 aid transactions and the average project size was only $1.7 million,
Amendment 61 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ka (new)
Recital Ka (new)
Ka. whereas creating identity and loyalty to the new state is a process, coming from such obtuse connections as winning an international football match or an international prize, such loyalty should be earned by the state’s fullest recognition of the dignity of the human person, and the public institutions which uphold this dignity in an authentic and meaningful way,
Amendment 65 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1a (new)
Paragraph 1a (new)
1a. Demands the implementation of then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s declaration: “state sovereignty implies responsibility and the primary responsibility for the protection of its people lies with the state itself; where a population is suffering serious harm as a result of internal war, insurgency, or state failure, and the state in question is unwilling or unable to halt or avert it, the principle of non-intervention yields to the international Responsibility to Protect”;
Amendment 67 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1b (new)
Paragraph 1b (new)
1b. Believes that there are two phases of peace building and state building: the stabilisation phase where the emphasis is on security, law and order and provision of basic services; and the second phase of state building which focuses on governance and the institutions which will deliver it; with the proviso that: a) the second phase should not take place until the country is stabilised, as institutions created before stabilisation will reflect the character of the conflict and not what the country needs for a stable and enduring peace, b) in the state building phase it is important to compromise to conform to the norms and expectations of the citizens of the nation concerned and not the ideals of the interveners, c) as the state building phase progresses interveners will need to hand over individual institutions to the domestic authorities; it is at this time potential set- backs can occur and need to be accepted, provided they are not fundamental to the progress that the country is making;
Amendment 68 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1c (new)
Paragraph 1c (new)
1c. Calls for the full implementation of the Stability, Development and Human Rights Instruments to enable funding for conflict prevention activities; developing mechanisms to provide early warning signs of failing states by looking at possible predictors or indicators of civil violence such as: historic divisions, ethnic and tribal grievances, environmental factors such as drought or economic conflicts; remembering that prevention is always better than cure;
Amendment 69 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1d (new)
Paragraph 1d (new)
1d. Calls for the creation of a database of a highly trained corps of UN peacekeeping officers and senior NCOs able to take charge and train troops at short notice; with such a corps being drawn from UN Member States with a proven record of success in peace keeping operations;
Amendment 71 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 75 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Takes the view that in post-conflict situations the transition from military to civilian security must take place as soon as is practicable and that civilian indigenous policeinternational forces should be gradually supplemented and eventually replace international forcesreplaced by a national and regional civilian police force, professionally trained; ensuring a high priority is given to an even-handed application of the rule of law and administrative procedures to all groups involved in the conflict;
Amendment 77 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3a (new)
Paragraph 3a (new)
3a. Calls for the promotion of human rights, by supporting human rights training for the army and police (including human and civil rights campaigns for effected segments of the population); the empowerment of staff colleges on international standards of policing and military police; the creation of a code of conduct for security personnel, delineating areas of responsibility between the police and army, the creation of offices of human rights ombudsmen and human rights commissions as well as human rights training for district authorities and civil servants;
Amendment 82 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4a (new)
Paragraph 4a (new)
4a. Calls on the Commission and the Council to implement the European Strategy to Combat Illicit Accumulation and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and their ammunition; focusing on augmenting security and stockpile management, surplus destruction, marking and tracing, and strengthening export and border controls and control brokering activities within both the post-conflict state itself and the states in the immediate vicinity;
Amendment 85 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4b(new)
Paragraph 4b(new)
4b. Requests that multilateral and regional financial institutions take measures, where appropriate, to establish SALW programmes in the framework of reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in post-conflict areas and in efforts to consolidate governance issues, to strengthen legislation and to improve the operational capacity of law enforcement agencies regarding SALW;
Amendment 86 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that the voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) must be a high priority while ensuring them a viable livelihood, in particular by providing functional health and education services (including literacy campaigns for women) and job opportunities, and that it must take place by means of inter-group dialogue, peace education, international accompaniment, prejudice reduction and diversity training, ex-combatant- community engagement, processes for handling land claims and trauma healing; providing the ethnic or religious profile is compatible, IDPs should be spread across the country and resettled in their original villages or towns and not concentrated in large groups which can lead to conflict and violence;
Amendment 89 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6a (new)
Paragraph 6a (new)
6a. Calls for the effective implementation of the Commission's proposal for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of former combatants; including the reintegration of combatants into civil society by the provision of food, tents, blankets, medical support and civilian clothes; the transportation of ex-soldiers to their community of origin or destination of choice; support retirement programmes for political or military officers, re- housing of ex-soldiers, and salary support schemes; civic education classes for ex- soldiers and psychological regeneration programmes for ex-combatants with specific allocation of additional resources for employment schemes and job creation programmes;
Amendment 92 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Observes that interim institutional structures may have to retainStresses that features of the previous conflict (for example, ethnic quotas); stresses that allowing thesehould not be allowed to become entrenched in long term institutional structures should be avoided so that the divisions of war do not forge a divided society;
Amendment 93 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Believes that lostate legitimacy caln ownership of the peace building process isnly be built through good and essential tool for lasting institution buildingffective governance; stresses that institutions, electoral processes, voter registration and electoral rolls, voter identification and anti- corruption mechanisms must be as transparent and accountable as possible, as they are a prerequisite for defending the rule of law, human rights, democratic institutions, and the dignity of the population as well as for economic development, investment and trade;
Amendment 95 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8a (new)
Paragraph 8a (new)
8a. Considers such concepts as the rule of law; sound money, a free market, an efficient, competent civil service, independent judiciary, legislative and executive branches free from corruption, to comprise the apparatus through which individuals and communities, through their industry and initiative, can truly increase the wealth of their nations;
Amendment 96 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8b (new)
Paragraph 8b (new)
8b. Calls for the creation of one-stop-shop boards of investment to foster priority sectors where foreign direct investment (FDI) can be attracted, creating jobs outside of the traditional agricultural sectors by supporting the development of liberal investment codes and tax-free industrial zones;
Amendment 97 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8c (new)
Paragraph 8c (new)
8c. Calls on the Commission to create a deregulation unit which can advise countries emerging from conflict on how to structure their economic infrastructure to remove bureaucratic controls which stop or delay the creation of small businesses, the opening of bank accounts, the registration of land and companies; the deceleration of venture capitals being applied where possible and tax incentives for enterprise formation should be applied particularly through budget support programmes;
Amendment 98 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8d (new)
Paragraph 8d (new)
8d. Strongly believes that local ownership of EU development cooperation can be strengthened through involvement of national parliaments, including mutual interaction and capacity building between the EU parliament and parliaments of partner countries; including ICT support systems, technology capacities to create state of the art voter roles, the provision of ID cards where birth registrations and other citizenship supporting documents are unavailable;
Amendment 103 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underlines that societies are best built from "the bottom upwards"; therefore support to local communities, families, civil society organisations, micro-credit organisations and local networks are preconditions for any successful development policy; recognising the leading role women can play in this area;
Amendment 104 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses that a high priority should be to establish and improve Land Registries, provide the resources for mapping and registration of land and intellectual property, and for courts to enforce property and commercial law and to facilitate land restitution regardless of gender;
Amendment 107 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10a (new)
Paragraph 10a (new)
10a. Calls on the Commission to ensure the availability of the latest drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for peoples affected by civil conflict as part of its Development priorities, whilst at the same time respecting the TRIPS provisions, without which pharmaceutical R&D would collapse;
Amendment 108 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10b (new)
Paragraph 10b (new)
10b. Calls on the Commission to always and everywhere uphold the moral principle of intellectual property rights; the importance of which cannot be overstated with regards to the embryonic market economies of nations arising out of civil conflict; as the free market is squarely founded on confidence that one’s ‘property’ will not be confiscated by those with the power to take;
Amendment 112 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Observes that natural resources such as oil and diamonds can drive countries back to the conflict cycle; recognising the achievements of the Kimberley Process and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and Forest, Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) calls for ithem to be strengthened and more effectively enforced;
Amendment 116 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Considers that justice for victims of conflict is essential and that national courts are better placed than international war crime tribunals to ensure ownership of national judicial processes and punishment of perpetrators; takes the view that judicial reform may be required so as to implement properly the rule of law and ensure transparency;
Amendment 120 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12a (new)
Paragraph 12a (new)
12a. Calls for the strengthening of judicial systems by training judges, general prosecutors, conferences on judicial reform, independent systems for judicial appointments, proper remuneration of judicial personnel, provision of equipment for the courts, improved court administration, record keeping, budget and personnel management and acquisition of modern technology including computers for case tracking;
Amendment 121 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12b (new)
Paragraph 12b (new)
12b. Calls for legal aid for vulnerable groups, ethnic minorities, landless peasants and other marginalised groups, and paralegal training to increase access to the judicial system provided by experienced NGOs;
Amendment 124 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that everySerious effort must be made to prosecute the perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence, ensuring that all victims, particularly women and girls, have equal 1 UNSCR 1820 (2008) on Sexual Violence against Civilians in Conflict. protectioprotection under the law and equal access to justice1; given the situation of disadvantage that women uander the law and equal children in many societies have in access toing justice1, special arrangements should be made whenever necessary;
Amendment 130 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16a (new)
Paragraph 16a (new)
16a. Calls for the establishment of standing Peace Commissions that includes influential members of all contending parties so as to pre-empt eruptions of large scale violence;
Amendment 132 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Believes that relevant civil society organisations can be used as a forum for dialogue among conflicting groups when twinned with training in conflict resolution and peace education; supports the creation of opportunities for dialogues by arranging national conferences, round table discussions between contending parties, small group contact meetings at grass roots level, mediation training for local NGOs and community elders, and leaders of traditional institutions;
Amendment 133 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17a (new)
Paragraph 17a (new)
17a. Calls on Member States in pursuing development projects to first appoint a lead partner from among themselves to streamline reporting mechanisms (even if the funds for the project come from a different Member State) to achieve donor coordination and coherence; including the establishment of accounting standards for disclosure requirements in respect of national parliaments, local authorities and international organisations;
Amendment 134 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17b (new)
Paragraph 17b (new)
17b. Calls for the creation of a national audit office and a surveyor general's office to create a ‘Domesday Book’, using modern technology including satellite imagery (as happened in Bandaceh following the Tsunami), to take a national census of the population, buildings, homes, livestock, arable land water systems and water sources infrastructure for each town and village creating a sustainable national development plan;
Amendment 137 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses the need for a conflict sensitive approach and full conflict analysis when designing development programmes on the basis of the ownership of the partner country, in order to improve their efficiency and take into account the dynamics of a conflict; considers that the introduction of benchmarks is a useful tool in the evaluation of the impact of development cooperation actions;
Amendment 141 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19a (new)
Paragraph 19a (new)
19a. Calls for the conflict zone’s neighbouring states to be actively involved in the plan for post-conflict development and reconstruction, together with the international community;
Amendment 146 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21a (new)
Paragraph 21a (new)
21a. Considers that, in order to effectively address the challenge of post-conflict transition, interventions must be timely, flexible, and predictable;
Amendment 150 #
2008/2097(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Considers it crucial that the EU direct resources to building necessary capacities including internal audit offices reporting to national parliaments, so that they are empowered to monitor EUStresses that the Commission has a legal obligation to support efforts of partner countries to develop democratic domestic accountability capacities (parliamentary control and audit capacities) where Community assistance is delivered via budgetary support, particularly in post conflict countries where conflict s; urges the Commission to fulfil this obligation in a more robust and consistent manner; stresses that empowered parliamentary control enstitivity to EC programming is highes and audit institutions are a major factor for achieving a sustainable impact of the EU Budget support;
Amendment 1 #
2008/2073(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines that the Member States and the Union should strive towards enhanced donor coordination and a better division of labour, which must contribute to greater aid effectiveness and calls on the EU institutions to play a greater coordinating role, whilst leaving room for Member States to pursue policies as identified by their nationally determined priorities;
Amendment 2 #
2008/2073(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the fact that the Lisbon Treaty maintains the co-decision procedure in the area of development cooperation; stresses that this means that the Parliament must make full use of its powers to shape the content of the regulations and of its right to democratic scrutiny over all aspects of EU development cooperation policy, and insists, so that the term ‘democratic scrutiny’ does not disappear up its own funnel of irony, that the Lisbon Treaty, in addition to having legal force, must have moral force too, and therefore demands that it be offered to the peoples of Europe for their consent (or rejection);
Amendment 6 #
2008/2073(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Insists that, in order to ensure policy coherence for development, there is a continued need for a specific directorate general for development at the administrative level, responsible for the policy setting, advice and management of EU development cooperation., but demands that this DG leaves a net addition of new Commission personnel of zero, and therefore avoids becoming an excuse for further bureaucratic expansion;
Amendment 1 #
2008/2063(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomNotes the fact that Article 208 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) stipulates that the "Union's development cooperation policy and that of the Member States complement and reinforce each other" as opposed to the actual Article 177 (1) of the Treaty establishing the European Community "Community policy in the sphere of development cooperation, which shall be complementary to the policies pursued by the Member States"; stresses that this gives the Union a greater role of initiative in policy setting which should lead to a better donor coordination and division of labour and to greater aid effectiveness but which also entails greater res and therefore entails greater responsibilities for the Union's institutions, including Parliament; regrets the diminution of national sovereignty of Member States that this shift represents, a shift that many Members of the European Parliament were elected to oppose, and calls for referenda (where constitutionally ponssibilities for the Union's institutions, including Parliamentle) across the Union so that the TFEU might be legitimised with a popular mandate;
Amendment 42 #
2008/2063(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Takes the view that both the Parliament and the Commission should be present at all Council meetings and related preparatory meetings when external action issues are considered, in order to ensure consistency of the external action of the Union as a whole;
Amendment 48 #
2008/2063(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Regrets the diminution of national sovereignty of member states that the Treaty of Lisbon represents, a shift that many MEPs were elected to oppose, and calls for referenda (where constitutionally possible) across the Union so that the TFEU might be legitimised with a popular mandate – or contrariwise rejected – as the peoples of Europe see fit;
Amendment 64 #
2008/2063(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Demands a larger role for Parliament iwithin the EU institutions on international agreements dealing with foreign policy matters, where the competence of the EU is so mandated by the Lisbon Treaty;
Amendment 65 #
2008/2063(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 21 #
2008/2050(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Views as totally unacceptable the discrepancy between the frequent pledges of increased financial assistance and the considerably lower sums that are actually disbursed; stresses that, for the sake of the credibility of international cooperation, Member States should either meet their commitments, or refrain from making these commitments in the first place;
Amendment 35 #
2008/2050(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Regrets that the Commission communication package on aid effectiveness1 does not mention capital flight as a risk factor for the economies of developing countries; points out that capital flight does serious damage to the development of sustainable economic systems in developing countries; calls on the Commission to include measures to prevent capital flight in its policies, as required by the Monterrey Consensus, including a frank analysis of the causes of capital flight; and furthermore draws attention to acts of irresponsibility of developing countries which are often in themselves the root causes of capital flight; and reiterates that sound economies, with minimal regulation, minimal corruption and a stable currency are among the best means of avoiding the scourge of capital flight;
Amendment 50 #
2008/2050(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Instructs the European Union to call on the UN General Assembly to augment the failing eight existing MDGs by formally adopting as a political priority a new MDG 9 “to ensure that every community, and ultimately every child, has immediate access to a personal laptop computer by 2015”; acknowledges that MDG 9 will support the original MDGs with the vital digital interconnectivity that has been missing up until now; therefore proposes the establishment of a multilateral global fund for digital education (GFDE) as part of the UN Millennium Goals programme with MDG 9 acting in partnership with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO);
Amendment 5 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas this situation of underperformance leads to low levels of ownership, less effective programmes and developing countries being greatly overloaded with donor demands,
Amendment 13 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas Article 188 D of the Treaty of Lisbon requires that the Union's development cooperation policy and that of the Member States complement and reinforce each other', requiring the Member States and the Union to strive towards enhanced donor coordination and a better division of labour (mindful of the primacy of Member States’ nationally determined priorities), which will contribute to greater aid effectiveness,
Amendment 21 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital P
Recital P
P. whereas aid is often disbursed according to donors’ own priorities and timetables, without making sufficient efforts to respect and conform to national planning and development priorities, or the national budgeting timeframe, which makes very difficult for recipients to prepare effective budgets, or to plan ahead, and makes it hard for parliaments, civil society and othin coordination with the recipient state’s national budgeting timeframe, and parliaments, civil society and others must demand the widest degree of aid transparency possible in orders to monitor aid flows and effectiveness diligently,
Amendment 25 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital U
Recital U
U. whereas aid effectiveness cannot bmight in reality become a pretext for not reaching the commitments that the Member States made according to the Monterrey agreements in 2002, and this is to be discouraged; therefore calls attention to the seriousness of recipient states’ aid effectiveness commitments and their importance in the EU’s development expectations,
Amendment 30 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the Member States and the Commission together to make every effort to ensure that the EU speaks with one voice where appropriate, to align aid delivery and to make their actions more harmonized, transparent and collectively effective;
Amendment 52 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Supports the role that the Commission is playing in order to harmonizcoordinate development co-operation among Member States in headquarters and in the field;
Amendment 55 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Commission to continue to simplify procedures, to further decentralise responsibility and to provide the delegations with sufficient capacity (staff and skills) and moreto control or influence overas required by necessity the shape and approval procedure of the thematic and regional budget lines to fulfil their responsibilities;
Amendment 59 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11a (new)
Paragraph 11a (new)
11a. Notes the forthcoming Third High Level Roundtable on Aid Effectiveness in Accra this September, and in this regard acknowledges the importance of the Development Gateway (a not-for-profit foundation originally established by the World Bank but totally separate for over five years), which is the only ICT4D (Information and Communications Technology for Development) organisation that systematically seeks to support the international aid effectiveness agenda through the provision of web- based tools to strengthen country systems (financial management, procurement statistics); and therefore calls on the Commission to implement the Paris agenda through stronger support for NGOs such as the Development Gateway, including through membership to of Development Gateway International (the European Office of Development Gateway), based in Brussels, and its Aid Effectiveness Steering Committee (chaired by the OECD Development Assistance Committee and also comprising the World Bank and UNDP);
Amendment 69 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15b (new)
Paragraph 15b (new)
15b. Acknowledges that ‘democratic ownership’ works both ways, and upholds the legitimacy of economic conditionality in the interests of Member States’ taxpayers, as manifested through their governments’ priorities;
Amendment 70 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses the need to disburse aid according to partners´ ownthe EU and recipient Member States’ jointly delineated priorities and timetables, and conform to national planning and development priorities, or the national budgeting timeframe;
Amendment 87 #
2008/2048(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Recognises the importance to set targets in order to gradually accomplish that 100% of technical assistance is demand-driven and aligned to partners national strategies only when the recipient country is totally democratic, the state apparatus has minimal corruption and there is full transparency and accountability as to how all EU funds have been spent;
Amendment 4 #
2008/2031(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the mutuality of the two concepts of human rights and human dignity, and their interdependence, is definitively identified in the Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 'Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world',
Amendment 5 #
2008/2031(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas recognising man’s rights as inalienable to his being, and not as the product of a legal charter, is essential to sustaining liberty in a free society, and whereas in failing to propagate this understanding man has been left in the precarious state of having no inherent rights other than those which the social community deigns to confer on him,
Amendment 6 #
2008/2031(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas concern for the human dignity of man, as well as his human rights, must be placed at the centre of any consideration of the role that sanctions have to play in the area of international policy – because whilst international charters may recognise certain rights arising out of human dignity, such charters can never in themselves be regarded as the source of such rights,
Amendment 6 #
2008/2031(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Deplores the fact that sanctions have not been used consistently by the EU and its Members States; believes that in order to uphold credibility and avoid the accusation of "double standards", the EU must be able to justify the adoption or non-adoption of sanctions, based primarily on human rights grounds and arguments of effectiveness; recalls that the UN Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq which in principle was a noble concept, was in practice a massive opportunity for graft and corruption; and therefore suggests that new sanctions, and any specified waivers, be monitored by Member States with unblemished reputations on sanctions- busting specifically, and corruption more generally;
Amendment 30 #
2008/2031(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that, for sanctions to be effective, their introduction must be seen as legitimate by public opinion at European and international levels and in countries in which changes are expected; stresses that consultation of the European Parliament in the decision-making process gives them added legitimacy and therefore, to that end, demands that the EU itself demonstrates this respect for legitimacy (and in fact gives credibility to it) by encouraging the governments of Europe to give their peoples (where constitutionally allowable) a chance to approve, or reject, the Lisbon Treaty that has been forced upon them;
Amendment 42 #
2008/2031(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. RegretAcknowledges 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 countries such as Serbia, could be a useful tool in order to pressure third countries to fully cooperate with international mechanisms;
Amendment 71 #
2008/2031(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the EU to systematically develop a dialogue with non-sanctioning states with a view to reaching a common position on restrictive measures, especially at regional level; points out that, as shown in the case of Burma/Myanmar, sanctions do not bring about the required change of policy or activities when the international community is divided and major players are not involved in their implementation; however, recalls that, as shown in the case of pre-invasion Iraq, sanctions do not necessarily bring about the required change even when the international community is unanimous either; and therefore observes that where they are ineffective the failure of sanctions may be due more to a visible lack of will in the international community to move beyond posturing as opposed to any lack of visible unity;
Amendment 75 #
2008/2031(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls for the systematic inclusion in the legal instruments of clear and specific benchmarks as conditions for the lifting of the sanctions; insists, in particular, that the reference criteria should be establishremembers that the UN Oil for Food Programme in Iraq, which in principle was a noble concept, provided oin the basis of an independent evaluapractice a massive opportunity for graft and corruption, and therefore suggests that new sanctions, and should not be altered at a later stage, depending on political changes within the Councilany specified waivers, be monitored by Member States with unblemished reputations with regard to sanctions-busting specifically, and corruption more generally;
Amendment 2 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the importance of the space dimension to the security of the European Union and the need for a common approach necessary for exerting European Union Member States’ sovereignty in space;
Amendment 10 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 11 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Emphasises the importance of GMES for foreign as well as security and defence policies of the European Union; urges the creation of an operational budget line, funded from savings made in other areas, to ensure the sustainability of GMES services in response to users’ needs;
Amendment 15 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Supports the creation of a Europeanglobal space surveillance system leading to space situational awareness (including, for example, GRAVES, TIRA) to monitor the space infrastructure, space debris and, possibly, other threats;
Amendment 16 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Deplores the fact that EU Member States do not have access to instant data on ballistic missile launches around the world; expresses support, therefore, for projects leading towards satellite-based early warning against ballistic missile launches (such as the French ‘Spirale’); furthermore, calls for information acquired through these future systems to be available to all Member States of the European Union in order to protect their population and to support possible countermeasures;
Amendment 17 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Supports the development and exchange of signal intelligence (electronic intelligence such as Essaim and communications intelligence) at European level;
Amendment 18 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Supports secure, independent and sustainable access to space for the Member States of the European Union as one of the preconditions of itstheir autonomous action;
Amendment 20 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Recommends that strategic long-term investment in new European launchers be initiated as soon as possible, in order to keep up with the rising global competition; demands a greater degree of discipline for this project, in budgetary and time-frame terms, than that exhibited by the Eurofighter project;
Amendment 23 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Strongly recommendNotes that the smaller EU countries withhave reduced possibilities to finance their own space assets be given access to operational data under a, and therefore strongly recommends that they conclude partnership agreements between themselves with a view to developing and refinforced ESDP frameworking technological research according to their own interests;
Amendment 25 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
Amendment 27 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Is alarmed by the fact that the lack of coordination among Member States results in a scarcity of resources due to unnecessary duplication of activities; therefore supports the idea of the launching of joint programmes by the Member States, which can be entered into voluntarily according to the individual Member State’s needs, and which will provide costs savings in the longer term;
Amendment 28 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
Amendment 30 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Takes the view that the European Union, the European Space Agency, the European Defence Agency and their Member States should provide for reliable and adequate funding for the space activities envisaged and the research connected therewith; attaches great importance to the financing from the budget of the EU, such as onwith the work of the European Space Agency and the European Defence Agency, and therefore attaches great importance to the Galileo project;
Amendment 32 #
2008/2030(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Calls for the strongest possible levels of partnership and cooperation in the sharing of data between the EU and the USA, our historic and most important ally on the world stage, and requests that this resolution be interpreted only in such a way as to augment this relationship; furthermore reiterates the need to fully involve NATO at all appropriate stages in security cooperation;
Amendment 31 #
2008/0000(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission and Member States to agree to earmark at least 25 %Member States to direct a portion of expected revenues from auctioning within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) in the next trading period, for towards funding of the GCCA and other climate change measures in developing countries;
Amendment 1 #
2007/2274(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls the Millennium Development Goals, and stresses that access to education and health are basic human rights; believes that health programmes, including sexual and reproductive health, promotion of gender equality, empowerment of women and rights of the child should be prominent in the EU´s development and human rights policy,the following should therefore be prominent in the EU’s development and human rights policy: - health programmes, including sexual and reproductive health - Notes that the most important means for reducing maternal mortality are the presence of skilled birth attendants and access to emergency obstetric care (according to the UNFPA); - Notes that with regard to the maternal mortality rate as prioritised within MDG 5, data from the UN Population Division has shown that countries with the tightest controls on abortion also enjoy lower rates of maternal mortality than countries where abortion is legal – and that countries with the most liberalised abortion laws have the highest maternal mortality rates; and that furthermore a recent study for the Finnish government found that women who abort are four times more likely to die within a year than are women who carry to term; - promotion of gender equality - Calls for a greater recognition of the role of faith in societies, specifically those faiths which are not predicated on the religiously-sanctioned subjugation of women, to safeguard – from the heart – the fundamental moral equality of women; - Notes with alarm the UNFPA’s State of the World Population Report last year, which admits that there is a global deficit of 60,000,000 women in the world, and that these ‘missing’ females have been prenatally sex-selected, aborted, and infanticised out of existence; and therefore condemns in the strongest possible terms the ‘woman’s right to choose’ ideology, which has indeed resulted in women choosing to abort babies solely due to their female gender; - Calls on the Commission to instruct all of the Union’s partners around the world (both governments and NGOs), who provide sexual health services, to undertake a permanent gender analysis of all EU funded and partially funded abortions; and to routinely report these findings to Parliament; - Whilst noting that due to the widespread existence of sex-selected abortions in the developing world, and until sexual and reproductive health services can be demonstrated to be gender-neutral in their application, sexual and reproductive health services should be taken to expressly exclude abortion; - empowerment of women and rights of the child - Recalls the late Benazir Bhutto’s generally forgotten opening of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995: “To please her husband, a woman wants a son. To keep her husband from abandoning her, a woman wants a son. And, too often, when a woman expects a girl, she abets her husband in abandoning or aborting that innocent, perfectly formed child.”; Mrs Bhutto went on say that she heard “the cries of the girl child,” and added that “this conference needs to chart a course that can create a climate where the girl child is as welcome and valued as the boy child.”; - Acknowledging that the empowerment of women and the rights of the child start in the womb, recognises the strong commitment the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states in its preamble that "the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth," and seeks to make this principle its own by promoting this core value in all aspects of EU policy making; - in particular situations where gender- based violence is pervasive and- Deplores in the strongest possible terms the virtual chattel status of women trapped under Sharia law, and understands this oppression to represent the diametric opposite of every principle which the EU holds to be paramount; - situations where women and children are put at risk of HIV/AIDS, or denied access to information, prevention and/or treatment;
Amendment 18 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas, whilst 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, without significant detriment to the Member States which are already members of the EU and also to those aspirant accession states which intend to join,
Amendment 97 #
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 betweetake into consideration the Union's geo-strategic interests, the impact of political developments outside its borders together with the resulting expectations of its neighbouring countries, and, most importantly, the Union's integration capacity, including its ability to cope with future internal and external challenges and to realise its political integration project;
Amendment 166 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Warns, therefore, that further enlargement without adequate consolidation could lead toRecognises that, instead of further ‘consolidation’, external EU appearances of unity can be preserved by the EU itself doing less, and not assuming a ‘superstate’ presence where none is needed, and that this could avoid the scenario of a Union of multiple configurations, with core countries moving towards closer integration and others lying at its margins, and that this scenariowhich would have seriously detrimental implications for the Union's capacity to act – since it would weaken its institutions, for the stability of some of its Member States – since it would make them more vulnerable to external pressure, and for and diminish its credibility as global actor – since it wouldby undermineing its already precarious unity in external affairs;
Amendment 182 #
2007/2271(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls for future enlargement to proceed only in tandem with an authentic democratic mandate, not only from the future accession countries themselves but also from the peoples of the current EU Member States;
Amendment 47 #
2007/2268(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Expresses the hope that application as from May 2008 of the Law on the Legal Status of Churches, Religious Communities and Religious Groups, adopted on 20 September 2007, will make it possible to put an end, once and for all, to complaints by small churcfaith communities, in particular communities which have arisen or developed over the last few decades as a result of foreign proselytisation or by seceding from existing churches, on not being allowed to build, own or use premises serving as prayer rooms; furthermore, recognises the historic and essential role that the Macedonian Orthodox Church has to play in unifying the culture and ameliorating the fractures that exist within Macedonian society;
Amendment 70 #
2007/2268(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Draws attention to the call by Amnesty International to set up an inquiry into the events on 7 November 2007, north of Tetovo, during which at least six possible intruders from Kosovo diedtwo escaped convicts from Kosovo, and four paramilitary operatives (all six ethnic Albanians) were shot dead by the Macedonian authorities, apparently after the six outlaws opened fire on the police; recognises that a full and transparent disclosure of the events will aid the police in their efforts to maintain law and order;
Amendment 1 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
Amendment 6 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Strongly believes that the European Union can make an impact and conduct a genuine, effective and credible CFSP only if it speaks with one voice, has the appropriate instruments at its disposal and enjoy, but that this CFSP must visibly possess the strong democratic legitimacy afforded by Parliament's authentic scrutiny;
Amendment 8 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Member States to commit themselves tonsider consulting their EU partners and the High Representative before adopting strategic decisions in the area of foreign policy, particularly in multilateral organisations, which may affect the coherence and cohesion of the EU's external action and may undermine the EU's credibility as a global player vis-à- vis third countries;
Amendment 12 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. While recognising progress in the structure of the report, especially the inclusion of more forward-looking planning alongside the description of activities carried out in the previous year, inviteexpects the Council, where appropriate, to take into account for the next annual report the relevant resolutions and/or recommendations adopted by Parliament;
Amendment 15 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is of the view that Parliament should more systematically adopt positions on each successive stage of CFSP and ESDP decision–making; recommends that, in order to enhance their democratic legitimacy, common positions and joint actions should where appropriate contain references to those positions adopted by Parliament (where the positions in question do not override the interests of individual Member States);
Amendment 19 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the growing recognition that the legitimacy and coherence of the CFSP/ESDP depend to a great degree on the growing willingness of the High Representative and his services to cooperate with Parliament, as well as the Council Presidency's readiness to engage with Parliament – not to mention the willingness in practice of Member States to surrender their sovereignty with respect to these key national prerogatives;
Amendment 44 #
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; recommends 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; deplornotes the use of energy by third parties as a political instrument and the uncoordinated signing of bilateral energy agreements by Member States, which may 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 50 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Reiterates that terrorism constitutes one of the main threats to the EU’s security but that the fight against terrorism must be conducted with due 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 Nato the relevant international conventions;
Amendment 54 #
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 effectivecan only serve to further alienate and remove the people from the decision-making process pursued in their name; underlines in this regard the corruption and vested interests latent within the unelected United Nations and protected under the shield of 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 prosperous and secure world;
Amendment 68 #
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 impact of enlargement on its institutions, its financial resources and its capacity to pursue its political objectives as well as a proven demonstrable affinity of the applicant state with the values and ideals of the existing Member States);
Amendment 130 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Draws attention to its extensive resolutions and reports concerning the different geographical areas of interest, since they contain valuable contributions to the debate onwhich must play their necessary part in shaping the way in which the EU's policy vis-à-vis those geographical areas should evolve;
Amendment 132 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
Amendment 136 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Is ashamed to note that, whilst this very resolution (paragraph 2) states that “the values which the European Union and its Member States cherish, notably democracy…”, that declaration itself is void of any moral authority due to the fact that the governments of various Member States of the EU promised their citizens a referendum on the new Treaty when they thought they could win, and then promptly rescinded that pledge when they realised they would lose; therefore laments the fact that, like charity, democracy must begin at home; furthermore, draws the sad conclusion that Parliament far prefers to talk about democracy than to understand what that term means;
Amendment 137 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 – introductory wording
Paragraph 36 – introductory wording
36. Welcomes the improvement of the institutional framework of the Union in the field of the CFSPUnequivocally regrets the severe diminution of democratically accountable national sovereignty by unnecessary unelected bureaucratic expansion, mainly by:
Amendment 140 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Recalls that the establishment of the Union's legal personality raises the question of its status within international organisations such as the United Nations; takes the view that the Union's future status within the UN should be commensurate with its financial and political contribution, and asserts that this potential future development must not be at the expense of those EU Member States that are members of the UN Security Council in their own right;
Amendment 154 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
Amendment 156 #
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 (where those goals do not override the nationally determined priorities of any of the Member States),
Amendment 164 #
2007/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
Amendment 14 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Notes that in Afghanistan the EU is primarily known as a humanitarian organisation, but considers that there is also a need for the EU to be seen as having a stronger political influence and therefore calls on the Commission to propose strategies whereby, mindful of the natural sovereignty of the Afghan people, the EU might strengthen its visibility when empowering the civil, political and bureaucratic apparatus, until the governmental infrastructure has passed into times of greater stability and permanence;
Amendment 17 #
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 prevailing 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 41 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Notes that redevelopment needs are important throughout Afghanistan, but that the problem of aid distribution and security is a singular problem in the Pashtun-dominated area, and therefore calls for the reconstruction activities in southern Afghanistan to be speeded up;
Amendment 77 #
2007/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Strongly supports the urgent need to develop and strengthen the nascent civil society in Afghanistan, which requires a lot of time and effort to develop gradually a broad awareness of the importance of human rights and democracy, and in particular gender equality and education; in order to overcome the prevailing ‘culture of violence’ the international donor community should lend financial and technical support to local projects aimed at reconciliation;
Amendment 9 #
2007/2118(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is of the opinion that Nord Stream is an infrastructure project with a wide political and strategic dimension for both the EU and Russia; underlines that it is primarily driven by Russian commercial and political interests, aimed at delivering gas straight from Russia to Western Europe, bypassing the transit states; underlines that this project increases Russia's energy leverage over the EU and its neighbours and decreases the ability of small littoral states to act as security providers in the Baltic Sea region; considers that since the project goes against the priorities of several EU Member States, it undermines the EU's ability to act as a unified entity and speak with one voice on energy issues;
Amendment 29 #
2007/2118(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – indents 2 and 3
Paragraph 4 – indents 2 and 3
Amendment 46 #
2007/2118(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Suggests, further, that the permission for the construction and maintenance of the pipeline should be managed by an Executive Board nominated by all the littoral states with the participation, where appropriate, of the Commissionthrough a process of open tender, subject to the discipline of the free market and in an environment of complete transparency;
Amendment 56 #
2007/2118(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes the lack of institutional structures capable of responding adequately to the environmental and geopolitical security issues associated with this project, and once again calls on the Council to; however, considers the proposal for the creation of the office of High Official for Foreign Energy Policy, who, wearing a "double hat", would act under the authority of the newly created strengthened High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, a Vice- President of the Commissionat the further emasculation of national sovereignty and its absorption into the lethargic bureaucracy of the European Union to be the last thing that Member States currently need.
Amendment 1 #
1012/2026(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes, in the interests of both regional development aid and humanitarian aid, the new plan for the Horn of Africa proposed by the Commission in 2012 known as SHARE (Supporting Horn of Africa Resilience), which seeks to be an instrument linking short-term humanitarian aid to long-term development, in order to break the vicious circle of crises that afflict the region; fully supports the Commission in this project to strengthen the link between relief, rehabilitation and development (LRRD); calls for the EU to give strong support by its acwork through this programme towards the provision of diverse livelihood opportunities, of better access to markets and informations to the resilience of the many pastoral communities living in the regboost household income to pastoralist, agropastoralist, riverine, coastal, urban and periurban populations, to improve access to basic social services and seek to offer reliable and predictable levels of support for chronically and seasonally at-risk populations;