Activities of Marie-Christine VERGIAT related to 2018/2098(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the Annual report on human rights and democracy in the world 2017 and the European Union’s policy on the matter PDF (1 MB) DOC (124 KB)
Amendments (44)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
— having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other UN human rights treaties and instruments, and notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), both adopted on 16 December 1966 by the United Nations General Assembly in New York,
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
— having regard to the UN report of 26 October 2015, and the associated annual reports of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of states on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17
Citation 17
— having regard to UN General Assembly resolution 69/167 of 18 December 2014the 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which reiterates the need to protect and promote the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants regardless of migration status,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18
Citation 18
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 a (new)
Citation 27 a (new)
— having regard to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 December 2007,
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 b (new)
Citation 27 b (new)
— having regard to International Labour Organisation Convention No 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, adopted on 27 June 1989,
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 c (new)
Citation 27 c (new)
— having regard to the UN report of 26 October 2015 on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of states on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights,
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 32
Citation 32
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas respect for and the promotion, indivisibility and safeguarding of the universality, under Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union, the EU is to accede to the European Convention for the Protection of hHuman rRights are the cornerstones of the EU’s ethical and legal acquis and its common security and defence policy (CFSP); whereas the EU should continue to strive to be a leading player in the universal promotion and protection ofnd Fundamental Freedoms; whereas Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union commits the EU to ensuring that all its policies, thus including its common foreign and security policy (CFSP), conform to the principles of democracy, the rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for human dignity, equality and solidarity,as well as respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter, of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and of international law; whereas respect for and the promotion, indivisibility and the universality of human rights should be the cornerstones of the policies of the EU which should continue to strive to promote human rights, including at a multilateral level, in particular through an active and constructive role in diverse UN bodies;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas certain ‘structural’ economic reforms, and in particular the budgetary cuts accompanying them at the request of international institutions, have a negative impact on human rights, in particular on economic and social rights and on the living conditions of people, and can lead to increased unemployment, poverty, inequalities and precarious work, and a reduction in the quality of basic public services and restricted access to these services; whereas without an adequate system of social protection, there is a risk that these measures will entail a violation of governments' obligations in the area of human rights and of the commitments made under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Objectives;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas there has been a worrying increase in killings and assaults and other forms of violence against people defending environmental, land and territorial rights in recent years; whereas, according to the NGO Global Witness, in 2017 at least 207 land and environmental activists were murdered in 22 countries, making it the worst year on record;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the vital and central role played by human rights defenders and NGOs in promoting and supporting the application and ensuring the respect of the fundamental rights enshrined in the core international human rights treaties; underlines, in this respect, the importance of the EU’s capacity to maintain support, through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), for human rights defenders and NGOs in situations where they are most at risk, while devoting special attention to the ProtectDefenders.eunotably by ensuring the sustainability of the ProtectDefenders.eu mechanism including through ad hoc means; stresses the importance of ensuring effective support for these people, in particular through the implementation of the European Union’s Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders; requests that particular attention be given to the issue of environmental rights defenders and that they be afforded enhanced protection, including through EU mechanisms;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Expresses its grave concern at the gradual shrinking of civil society space in 2017 and deplores the fact that human rights defenders and NGOs are too often the target of violence, harassment and intimidation; condemns the fact that some governments have adopted legislation that restricts the activities of the social movement, inter alia, closing NGOs or freezing their assets; is concerned about the continued imposition of travel bans on human rights activists who wish to attend sessions of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and other international institutions and calls for the governments involved to lift these bans; emphasises that it is unacceptable that representatives of civil society and the media are prevented from participating in the work of international bodies, and insists that the fundamental human and political rights of civil society representatives be respected; calls for effective deployment of adequate resources to further promote human rights and democracy in third countries by providing support to civil society and human rights defenders in particular; regrets that some of them may have been arrested on returning to their country after having been heard in those bodies, including the European Parliament;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Denounces the fact that media freedom had never been so threatened as it was in 2017; that, according to the annual index by Reporters Without Borders, attacks against the press attained unprecedented levels in 2017 and are no longer the exclusive prerogative of authoritarian states1 a; reiterates the importance of freedom of expression, both online and offline, as it fosters a culture of pluralism; strongly condemns the threats, intimidation and attacks against journalists, independent media, bloggers and whistle- blowers, as well as hate speech, defamation laws and incitements to violence, as they constitute a threat to the rule of law and the values embodied by human rights; believes that the free expression of legitimate and peaceful grievances must be allowed;recalls that freedom of expression constitutes one of the cornerstones of any democratic society and can only be restricted for exceptional reasons with particular regard to the principles of necessity and proportionality; _________________ 1a https://rsf.org/en/2017-world-press- freedom-index-tipping-point
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Strongly condemns the fact that so many human rights defenders faced digital threats in 2017, including compromised data through the confiscation of equipment, remote surveillance and data leakages; condemns the practice of online surveillance and hacking, for the purposes of gathering information, which can be used in legal cases or defamation campaigns; expresses its concern at the ever-increasing use of certain cyber surveillance dual-use technologies against politicians, activists and journalists; welcomes, in this regard, the EU institutions’ ongoing efforts to update the dual-use export control regulation; is, however, concerned by the proliferation of agreements on judicial and police cooperation with countries which do not respect human rights;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Acknowledges that the open internet and technological advances have enabled human rights abuses to be reported more swiftly; criticises the attempts by some governments to control mass communication tools; is concerned at the prevalence of fake news and disinformation generated by state and non- state actors in 2017, which may have contributed to the spreading of anti-human rights narratives, limited access to free, accurate and impartial information, incited violence, hatred or discrimination against certain groups or individuals, and affected the outcomes of elections;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Denounces the fact that, in a number of countries, the population is denied the right to peaceful protest, by means of legal, administrative and other measures such as the suppression of protests through the use of force, harassment and arbitrary detention; underlines that in 2017 hundreds of peaceful protesters and journalists were arrested, many of whom were mistreated, detained arbitrarily and forced to pay heavy fines in trials where minimum procedural standards were not guaranteed; demands respect for the rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression guaranteed by international standards and the treaties of the United Nations, and calls on governments not to use force against peaceful demonstrators;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reaffirms that freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief, andincluding the freedom to believe or not to believe, to practice or not the religion of one's choice, to give up or change religion; considers, therefore, that the rights to apostasy and to espouse atheistic views, must be enhanced unconditionally through interreligious and intercultural dialogue; condemns the persecution of and attacks against ethnic and religious groups in 2017; condemns the exploitation of religious issues for political ends in numerous countries; deplores the attempts by state actors to limit freedom of religionthought, conscience and breliefgion and freedom of expression, in particular by adopting and implementing blasphemy laws, among other means; requests that further action be taken to protect religious minorities, non-believers and atheists, including the victims of blasphemy laws, and calls for the EU and its Member States to increase their engagement in political discussions to repeal such laws; supports the EU’s efforts to implement the Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or beliefthought, conscience and religion;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers it deeply regrettable thatdemns the use of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment and the death penalty in many countinue to be applied in many countries all over the world,ries all over the world; considers that the detention conditions and the state of prisons in a number of countries are a matter of grave concern; considers it essential to combat all forms of torture and ill-treatment of detainees, including psychological torture, and to step up efforts to ensure compliance with the relevant international law; recalls that refusal to permit prisoners access to care and medicines, particularly in the case of those with hepatitis or HIV, constitutes ill- treatment or even an act of torture, and may be tantamount to failure to assist persons in danger; and calls for the EU to intensify its efforts to eradicate these practices; welcomes the formal launch of the Alliance for Torture-Free Trade on 18 September 2017 and the establishment of the EU Anti-Torture Coordination Group, which is tasked with following its implementation; welcomes, in this regard, updates to EU legislation on trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other treatment or punishment; notesrecalls that in 2017, 23 countries carried out executions as in 2016; notes, however, that in 2017, the number of executions carried out worldwide fell by 4 % compared with the previous year; calls on countries that have not already done so to establish an immediate moratorium on the death penalty as a step towards its abolitionas well as the number of capital punishment convictions fell overall by 4 % compared with the previous year, despite differences between countries; is concerned at the number of convictions and executions carried out for reasons inconsistent with the definition of serious crimes, which is contrary to international law; calls on countries that have not already done so to establish an immediate moratorium on the death penalty as a step towards its abolition and calls on the Union and its Member States to be particularly vigilant with regard to States which threaten to restore or are restoring the death penalty in law or in fact;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Strongly condemns all heinous crimes and human rights violations committed by state and non-state actors; urges the EU and its Member States to fight crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and to ensure that their perpetrators are brought to justice; calls for the EU to provide support for organisations that collect, keep and protect evidence – digital or otherwise – of the crimes committed by any parties to these conflicts, in order to facilitate their prosecution at an international level; supports the key role played by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in cases where the states concerned are unable or unwilling to exercise their jurisdiction; calls on all the signatories of the Rome Statute to coordinate and cooperate with the ICC; calls on the EU and its Member States not to engage in cooperation in any area with countries whose leaders are subject to an ICC arrest warrant and to cease diplomatic relations with them; reiterates its call for the VP/HR to appoint an EUSR on International Humanitarian Law and International Justice with a mandate to promote, mainstream and represent the EU’s commitment to the fight against impunity;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Deeply regrets the lack of respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) and expresses its strong condemnation of the deadly attacks that were carried out with such alarming frequency against hospitals, schools and other civilian targets in armed conflicts around the world in 2017; believes that the international condemnation of attacks must be backed up by independent investigations and genuine accountability; commends the work done by aid workers when delivering humanitarian aid; calls on the EU and its Member States to increase their financial contribution to humanitarian and development aid; condemns in this regard the 2.4 % cut in official development aid compared with 2016, a level that is less than the 0.7 % of GNI target, as established in the Programme by 20301 a; calls for development aid to be in the form of grants rather than loans in order not to further increase the debt burden; calls on the Member States, the EU institutions and the VP/HR to ensure that EU policies and actions relating to IHL are developed coherently and effectively and to use all the instruments at their disposal to address this matter; concludes that more detailed reporting by the EU and its Member States on the implementation of the Guidelines on Promoting Compliance with International Humanitarian Law in specific conflict situations should have been made available, not least the EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy; calls on the EU and its Member States not to include in their development aid any monies spent on receiving refugees or migrants or on controlling or returning migrants, and not to make aid in this area conditional; _________________ 1a http://europa.eu/rapid/press- release_MEMO-18-3081_en.htm
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Stresses that corruption undermines the rule of law, democracy and the competitiveness of economies, and puts human rights at riskstrikes at the very foundations of democracy, undermines the rule of law, threatens human rights and plunges the populations of some countries into poverty despite their nation's wealth of natural resources; whereas tax evasion worldwide is said to amount to USD 10 trillion, which demonstrates the insufficiency of government and institutional action in this field; calls for improvements to anti- corruption mechanisms and practices, such as the imposition of sanctions on those individuals and countries that commit serious corruption offences; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to devise joint programming on human rights and the fight against corruption, in particular initiatives for improving transparency, fighting impunity and strengthening anti- corruption agencies, and ensuring greater transparency and traceability in the use of EU funds;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. CWhereas freedom of opinion and expression, and the holding of regular, transparent and genuine electoral processes are essential elements of democracy; considers that the support the EU provides for electoral processes and democracy around the world – its electoral missions and subsequent follow-up, its electoral assistance and, in particular, the active role played by the European Parliament in this regard – is of the utmost importance; stresses the importance of electoral observation in the context of peaceful democratic transitions, of strengthening the rule of law, of political pluralism and increasing the participation of women in electoral processes, and of transparency and respect for human rights;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Welcomes the EU’s signature of the Istanbul Convention and stresses the need to combat by all means violence against women, including domestic violence; calls on those Member States that have not yet done so, to ratify and implement this Convention as soon as possible; supports, in this connection, the joint EU- UN Spotlight Initiative; urges countries to step up their legislation in order to tackle, at the earliest possible stage, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and sexual violence, while promoting gender equality; considers that violence towards women is also expressed psychologically by the presence of a relationship of domination in society and by the dissemination of degrading images of women; stresses that it is therefore necessary to combat all violence against women be it physical, psychological, social or economic; recalls in this respect that education, especially non-gender- based education, is the best tool to combat discrimination against girls and women and that this is a key development factor; condemns the frequent violation of women’s sexual and reproductive rights; emphasises that proper, affordable healthcare and universal respect for and access to sexual and reproductive rights and education should be guaranteed for all women, including the right to an abortion; is therefore concerned that respect for this fundamental right is on the decline and risks declining further;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Recalls that according to the UN report on ‘financial globalisation’, the liberalisation of trade, the ongoing privatisation of public services and the ever-increasing role of corporate interests in development have shifted the balance of power to such an extent that fundamental rights and the establishment of a sustainable means of subsistence have been compromised; stresses that the economic crisis has further accentuated inequalities and that women are the greatest victims of this, and stresses furthermore that the aim of ‘empowering’ women can only be achieved by providing stable, well-paid employment instead of precarious and part-time posts that are too often occupied by women, and by the creation of genuine wage equality;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
21b. Calls on the EU and its Member States to increase the funding for and the provision of basic public services; stresses in this connection the importance of social protection and the need to support the initiatives of the United Nations to introduce “universal health protection”;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes with appreciation the adoption of the revised EU Guidelines for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child; underlines the fact that children are often exposed to specific abuses, such as child marriage, genital mutilation and child labour, especially in humanitarian crises and armed conflicts, and therefore require enhanced protection; notes that according to UNICEF, in 2016 some 28 million children, or 1 child in 80 across the world, had been displaced - including 12 million child refugees and asylum seekers and 16 million children displaced by conflict and violence1 a; stresses in this regard the vulnerability of migrant children to a rising tide of violence as revealed in many reports and testimonies; stresses the need to step up the EU’s engagement when it comes to addressing the protection of children, includingand in particular unaccompanied minors and unregistered or stateless children, and to devote particular attention to education and psycho-social support; recalls their right to special protection based on the best interests of the child and calls for their protection to be ensured in accordance with international law; _________________ 1a https://data.unicef.org/wp- content/uploads/2018/02/Data-brief- children-on-the-move-key-facts-and- figures-1.pdf
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Notes that UNHCR estimates that at the end of 2017 some 68.5 million people were displaced, of which 16.2 million had been newly displaced in 2017 alone: 11.8 million displaced within their own country and 4.4 million refugees and asylum seekers1 a; notes also that UNHCR reports an increase of 2.9 million refugees who have fled their countries to escape conflict and persecution compared with 2016, the highest increase ever recorded by UNHCR for a single year; _________________ 1a http://www.unhcr.org/global-trends- 2017-media
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23b. Notes that in its international migration report the United Nations recorded some 258 million people living in a country other than their country of birth in 2017; also notes that 3.4 % of the world’s population are international migrants, which represents a slight increase on the 2.8 % recorded in 2000, in particular in view of the increase in international travel (over 1.3 billion); recalls that more than 60 % of international migrants live in Asia (80 million) and Europe (78 million), followed by North America, (58 million), then Africa (25 million), Latin America and the Caribbean (10 million) and Oceania (8 million)1 a; _________________ 1a http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/p opulation/migration/publications/migratio nreport/docs/MigrationReport2017_Highl ights.pdf
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Condemns the dramatic increase in the number of deaths at sea in the Mediterranean; rejects abuses and violations of the human rights of refugees and migrants; regrets that some of these people have even been returned to the border or deported to places where their lives were at risk, in breach of international law and in particular the right to asylum; condemns attacks on NGOs that provide relief to these people but which have been subjected to campaigns seeking to discredit them and which are increasingly seeing their work challenged; calls on the EU and its Member States to establish full transparency as regards the funds allocated to third countries for cooperation on migration and to ensure that such cooperation should not benefit, either directly or indirectly, security, police and justice systems involved in human rights violations; calls on the EU and its Member States not to count in their public development aid any monies spent on receiving refugees or migrants or on controlling or returning migrants; warns against the instrumentalisation of EU foreign policy as ‘migration management’ and emphasises that all attempts to work with third countries on migration must go hand in hand with improving human rights conditions within these countries; condemns, in particular, the conditions placed on aid to certain countries via readmission agreements and the increase in negotiations to that end; calls for the suspension of all readmission agreements and any associated negotiations with countries that do not respect human rights; calls on Member States to respect the principle of non-refoulement to countries where the lives and liberty of the persons concerned would be at risk; calls on the Commission to continue to treat the protection and promotion of the rights of migrants and refugees as a priority in its policies, based on a solidarity principle and a comprehensive strategy; insists on the need to develop and better implement protection frameworks for migrants; calls for the European Parliament to have oversight of migration agreements, in particular through the opening of safe and legal routes for migrants and the granting of humanitarian visas, and to improve their implementation; calls for the European Parliament to have oversight of migration agreements; stresses the importance of the active participation of the European Union in the framework of the discussions on the Global Compact for Migration to be adopted by the United Nations in December;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Amendment 306 #
25. Denounces and explicitly rejects all trafficking in human beings; underlines the fact that trafficking in human beings is a modern kind of slavery, and a serious crime which constitutes one of the worst forms of human rights violations; emphasises, in this respect, the importance of a consistent approach to the internal and external dimensions of the EU’s policies for combating trafficking in human beings; calls for the EU and the Member States to increase cooperation with third countries in order to investigate all stages of trafficking in human beings and to cooperate with the United Nations and all NGOs in the field;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Encourages all countries, including the Member States, and the EU to engagetake an active part in the negotiations to adopt a legally binding international human rights instrument for transnational corporations and other companies with respect to human rights, through active participation in the UN-established open-ended intergovernmental working group; welcomes the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and calls for their universal application; recognises the major importance of the UN Global Compact and the National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights; encocalls on the European Union to adopt a similar plan of action; urages companies to exercise due diligence; calls on all countries to swiftly implement the UNGPs and guarantee that businesses in their jurisdictions or those exporting products thereto abide by human rights and social labour standards; encouragescalls on all countries to tackle companies which use raw materials or other commodities originating from conflict zones; reiterates its call to include the rules of corporate liability for human rights violations into trade and investment agreements; sees a need, in this connection, for ex ante monitoring mechanisms prior to a framework agreement being concluded, as a fundamental condition for the conclusion of such an agreement, and for ex post monitoring mechanisms that enable infringements of human rights clauses to be condemned and practical action taken in response to them, including possible suspension of the agreement; emphasises that the victims of business- related human rights abuses should be guaranteed effective access to remedies;
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
Amendment 327 #
27a. Highlights, nevertheless, the failure to introduce human rights clauses in free trade agreements with third countries, in so far as such agreements may even have led to the violation of basic economic and social rights, including the impoverishment of the populations concerned and the monopolisation of resources by transnational companies; sees a need, moreover, for ex ante monitoring mechanisms prior to a framework agreement being concluded, as a fundamental condition for the conclusion of such an agreement, and for ex post monitoring mechanisms that enable tangible action to be taken in response to infringements of these clauses, including possible suspension of the agreement; believes that besides these clauses there is a need to implement new forms of cooperation to facilitate the economic and social development of third countries based on the needs of their peoples;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
21b. Highlights the essential obligations and responsibilities of states and other duty bearers, especially businesses, to mitigate climate change, prevent its negative impacts on human rights and foster coherent, adequate, sufficiently ambitious and non- discriminatory policies that are compliant with human rights obligations; stresses that environmental changes are undermining the most basic human rights such as access to water, natural resources and food; stresses that land grabbing by agri-food multinationals has increased exponentially since 2008 with, according to the FAO, 50-80 million hectares of agricultural land in developing countries being subject to lease or purchase negotiations on the part of international investors, some two-thirds of the land being in sub-Saharan Africa; Considers that the fight against the exploitation and appropriation of resources should be a priority for the EU and its Member States; highlights in particular the link between the exploitation of resources and the direct or indirect funding of conflicts, wars and violence by multinational corporations; recognizes that the environmental consequences of climate change can exacerbate forced migration and displacement and therefore stresses the need to rapidly implement policies to reduce the impacts of climate change in line with the Paris Agreement; therefore considers it important to work at international level to establish a definition of 'environmentally displaced persons' within the United Nations in order to establish an international legal framework and adopt a common approach to the protection of those persons forced to leave their place of residence ('uprooted' in UNHCR parlance); considers that Global Migration Compact negotiations may be a useful tool in this area;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls on all the Member States to strictly observe the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, and in particular to halt all transfers of weapons, surveillance and intelligence equipment and material that could be used by governments to crack down on human rights and a fortiori for the purposes of armed conflict; notes that the EU Member States are among the biggest arms exporters at the global level and considers it essential that international standards governing arms sales be enforced and reinforced, so as to prevent all EU Member States and European businesses from participating directly or indirectly in an escalation of violence and the funding of armies or groups involved in acts of violence; calls for these companies to assume their moral, social and legal responsibilities to the full; strongly opposes any CFSP reorientation towards increased militarisation relating only to the reinforcement of NATO and considers that European policies should be oriented solely towards peace and conflict resolution;
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Regrets that EU human rights policy is not limited, or even contradicted, by diplomatic, political or economic considerations and that democracy and human rights clauses are rarely implemented;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Strongly condemns all forms of discrimination, including that carried out on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability or any other status; is alarmed by the many manifestations of racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance and a lack of political representation for the most vulnerable groups, such as ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities, people with disabilities, the LGBTI community, women and children; stresses, inter alia, the vulnerability of indigenous peoples who are victims of continued decriminalisation, in their home countries and elsewhere, and regrets impunity in this area; calls for the EU to enhance its efforts to eradicate, without distinction, all forms of discrimination and to promote awareness, a culture of tolerance and inclusion, and special protection for the most vulnerable groups by means of human rights and political dialogues, the work of EU delegations and public diplomacy; calls on all countries to ensure that their respective institutions provide effective legal protection within their jurisdictions;
Amendment 344 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Stresses that the more intensive exploitation of natural resources often places indigenous communities at the forefront of conflicts; recalls that, according to the special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, there has, in recent years, been a worrying increase in attacks and threats against indigenous peoples and the criminalisation of those defending their lands, territories and resources, and, in particular, those denouncing mining and investment projects; expresses concern at the continued racism and discrimination faced by them and especially at the refusal to grant them access to certain basic services, for example in the areas of health and education; stresses that indigenous women in particular are victims of violence and dual discrimination because of their cultural background and gender; urges the EU and its Member States to actively seek full recognition, protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples; calls on every country to take all necessary measures to effectively implement the provisions of ILO Convention 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples and to recognize the importance of prior consultation with indigenous peoples on matters concerning them;
Amendment 360 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Condemns the arbitrary detention, torture, persecution and killings of LGBTI people; acknowledges that sexual identity and gender identity can increase the risk of discrimination; notes that in a number of countries around the world, LGBTI people still face persecution and violence on the basis of their sexual orientation; notes that 72 countries still criminalise same-sex relationships and that, in 13 of these countries, they are treated as a capital offence; urges these states to immediately change their legislation; welcomes the EU’s efforts to improve the rights of and legal protection for these people and calls on the Commission to carry out annual reporting on the implementation of Council conclusions to this end;
Amendment 367 #
31. Takes notes of the manifold benefits the internet provides; is concerned, however, at large commercial operators’ mass collection, for marketing purposes, of users’ personal data without their full awareness and/or consent, which could then be used in potentially harmful ways, including in affectfor example repressing the activities of human rights defenders, undermining their freedom of expression and falsifying electoral outcomes and political decision- making; calls on data companies to undertake human rights assessmenfor the competent authorities to carry out assessments and surveys on the use of personal data by data companies, especially the GAFA, and their impact on human rights; deplores business models that are based on human rights violations and calls for personal data to be collected in accordance with data protection rules and human rights;
Amendment 371 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Recognises that terrorism and radicalisation pose acute threats to democracy and human rights and regrets the fact that the attacks perpetrated in 2017 often targeted the very individuals or groups who embody these values; points out that over 90% of the victims of attacks were in countries in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and sub- Saharan Africa and that they are predominantly Muslim; supports the EU’s efforts to combat terrorism and radicalisation, including EU-wide initiatives and networks such as the Radicalisation Awareness Network, but reiterates that all efforts must comply with international human rights laws; stresses that most anti-terrorist policies are doomed to failure unless trade agreements and political relations with the countries funding terrorism are at risk of being compromised; denounces arms sales to those countries by certain EU Member States and calls therefore for the suspension of those agreements and for the prosecution of undertakings that directly or indirectly finance terrorism; calls on the Commission to develop a better exchange and coordination of information via its channels and agencies in order to swiftly prevent, and identify and bring to justice terrorist threaterrorist threats and bring their perpetrators to justice; calls at the same time for all cooperation in this area to be organised in compliance with human rights, thereby excluding countries infringing human rights or using the terrorist threat against their opponents;