Activities of Barbara LOCHBIHLER related to 2015/2104(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the role of the EU within the UN - how to better achieve EU foreign policy goals PDF (237 KB) DOC (200 KB)
Amendments (27)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to UNGA Resolution 65/276 of 10 May 2011, which grants the EU the right to intervene in the General Assembly, to present proposals and amendments orally which will be put to a vote at the request of a Member State, and to exercise the right to reply,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 b (new)
Citation 1 b (new)
– having regard to the statement by the President of the Security Council of 14 February 2014 commenting on the role the EU has played in maintaining international peace and security,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 c (new)
Citation 1 c (new)
– having regard to the UNGA High-Level Thematic Debate on Strengthening cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organisations of 4 May 2015,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 d (new)
Citation 1 d (new)
– having regard to the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions to the sixty-eight UNGA and UN Report A/68/382 on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 e (new)
Citation 1 e (new)
– having regard to the 15 May 2015 UN Evaluation Report on Enforcement and Remedial Assistance Efforts for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by the UN and Related Personnel in Peacekeeping Operations,
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas, according to its treaties, the EU promotes an international system based on stronger multilateral cooperation and good global governance and in this context supports and fosters the development of strong regional organisations, such as the MERCOSUR, African Union or ASEAN, which can contribute to counterbalance the weaknesses of the actual power balance in the UN system;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the European Union is the world leading power in four interrelated policy areas: trade, development, environment and human rights; whereas the EU and the Member States together are responsible for 38% of the UN's regular budget (40% of the peace keeping budget), and 50% of all contributions to the UN; whereas the EU is party to more than 50 UN multilateral agreements and conventions as the only non-State participant;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
Recital O
O. whereas the EU is the most dedicated defender and promoter of human rights, cultural values, democracy and the rule of law, whose provisions are included in all its bilateral partnerships and have a central position in its multilateral policy; whereas the EU has been a very strong supporter of International Justice through bodies such as the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, or regional bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital Z
Recital Z
Z. whereas the EU and its Member States take an active part in the work of the UN System in different ways and formats; whereassince the Lisbon treaty and the adoption of Resolution 65/276 by the UN General Assembly, the EU has acquired a much enhanced statute within the UN institutions; whereas when there is consensus among EU members - which is the case for the vast majority of all positions taken since Lisbon - the President of the European Council, the HR/VP, the EU delegation or an EU Commissioner now speak on behalf of the Member States in the various UN bodies up to the Security Council; in the WTO for example the Commission represents the Member States, while ministers participate in major conferences; whereas in environmental negotiations and cooperation the Commission plays a leading role, based on the Treaty provisions; whereas development policy is an area of shared competences; whereas the General Assembly and other universal UN organs are composed of representatives of their member countries; whereas according to the Treaty the EU Member States are obliged to coordinate their action in all international foraEU Member States are obliged to coordinate their action in all international fora and article 34 (2) of the Lisbon Treaty requires that Member States with a seat at the UNSC request the HR/VP to speak on the EU's behalf, where the EU has defined a common policy;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the General Assembly representing the governments of all member countries must be strengthened and have ways and means to give direction to the United Nations System and coordinate all its activities; is of the opinion that in the long term the democratic governance of the UN should also be strengthened by establishing a World Parliament representing the people;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is convinced that the Security Council, whose composition is based on an outdated world order, must be reformed in order to reflect the new world geopolitical reality and to more effectively meet the present and future security challenges; the EU and its member states in the Security Council could already promote and practice a more equitable decision making process with more transparency in the UNSC work, and by encouraging countries to refrain from exercising the veto in situations of genocide and crimes against humanity;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considering the contribution of the EU to the peace and security architecture in the world, calls on a reform of the Security Council that would ensure a permanent seat to the European Union; notes that, due to the absence of the EU from the Security Council, the burden of echoing, advocating for and defending the interests of the EU, based on a coordinated CFSP, lies on the two permanent and the rot the EU's credibility on the international stage would be much enhanced if the two permanent European members decided to put their weight into the service of the collective in order to advance the agenda for peace and sustainable development by renouncing to their seat ing European members favour of the EU;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Believes that there is great potential for strengthened cooperation between the UN and regional and subregional organisations as foreseen in Chapter VIII of the UN Charter and calls on the EU to aim for a greater role for regional organisations in global governance;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Believes that the European Court of Human Rights has contributed very successfully to the progress Europe has made in terms of respect for human rights and can serve as an example for other regions;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. In order for the EU to be credible as a promoter of international rule of law, calls on all its Member States, to speedily ratify the Kampala amendments to the Rome Statutes of the ICC which define the crime of aggression;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3d. Calls on the EEAS and the member states to support a reform of the election and mandate of the Secretary General, notably a single, non-renewable mandate, formal selection and qualification criteria and a transparent, public vetting phase in close cooperation with the UNGA;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Paragraph 3 e (new)
3e. Encourages the EU and its Member States to support attempts to make the UN more efficient and to secure the UN budget including through punitive measures for late or non-paying members;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on further development of preventive and early warning tools and enhanced mediation capabilities of the UN, and on more precise mandates and clear exit strategies for peacebuilding and peacekeeping operations; bearing in mind the recent atrocities and human rights violations perpetrated by some extremist groups, urges the Security Council to define an ambitious set of tools and means to ensure effective prevention of these atrocities; notes the active involvement of the EU in the UNGA Informal Interactive Dialogue on the R2P and the need to develop the concept further;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that besides these necessary reforms to be carried out within the UN a better achievement of EU foreign policy goals implies a more effective coordination of the various dimensions of all its external policy, both bilateral and multilateral; Highlights the Court of Auditors special report on the efficiency and effectiveness of EU contributions channelled through UN organisations in conflict-affected countries; stress the need for the EEAS to develop a much more efficient and strategic approach to the UN agencies in particular regarding the programming of the external financial instruments; calls on the HR/VP and relevant EU Delegations to ensure stronger visibility and effectiveness of EU aid on the ground;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Considering that European troops currently make up only 7% of UN peacekeepers (down from 40% 20 years ago), calls on the EU Member States to strengthen the UN capacities to preserve and restore peace by increasing significantly their troop and police contributions to UN missions;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. In view of recent revelations on sexual abuse by UN peacekeeping troops also implicating European soldiers, stresses the urgent need to reform the existing structures in order to end impunity of UN personnel by establishing functioning and transparent oversight and accountability mechanisms;
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11c. Considers that thanks also to strong EU support, emphasis on humanitarian concerns and international humanitarian law have brought about international treaties to ban weapons which are considered excessively injurious or the effect of which are indiscriminate, such as the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, and the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, leaving nuclear weapons as the only weapon of mass destruction not yet subject to a specific international ban; Calls on the EU and all EU Member States to join the majority of UN members who have already formally endorsed the Humanitarian Pledge, "to cooperate with all relevant stakeholders, States, international organisations, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movements, parliamentarians and civil society, in efforts to stigmatise, prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons in light of their unacceptable humanitarian consequences and associated risks";
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)
Paragraph 11 d (new)
11d. Stresses that there is the urgent need to regulate and restrict the global transfers of arms and ammunitions especially to fragile and war prone regions as part of an attempt by the EU to prevent conflicts; welcomes the outreach activities undertaken by the EU to promote universal ratification and implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty; call on the Council and the EU Member States to assure that the EU Common Position on arms exports is fully in line with the ATT provisions;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 e (new)
Paragraph 11 e (new)
11e. Stresses the urgent need to reinforce existing, strict interpretations of an international legal framework which stipulates that the use of armed drones has to strictly respect international law in particular international human rights law, international humanitarian law and the law on inter-States use of force preventing wide and permissive interpretations;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 f (new)
Paragraph 11 f (new)
11f. Reminds the EU and the Member States of their strong commitment to international rule of law, and underlines that there should be no military intervention without Security Council mandate and in violation of the UN Charter;
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes in that regard the organizing into clusters of the work of the Commission elected in 2014 giving the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative the responsibility of coordinating the external policy of the EU; stresses that policies of global dimension must be at the core position in the work of this specific cluster; expects that the new 'EU Global Strategy for foreign and security policy' which the HR/VP will present by June 2016 will adequately reflect the relevance of and engagement of the EU in multilateral fora, notably the UN;