37 Amendments of Izaskun BILBAO BARANDICA related to 2017/2036(INI)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15
Citation 15
— having regard to its previous resolutions on Cuba, in particular the ones of 17 November 2004 on Cuba, of 2 February 2006 on the EU's policy towards the Cuban Government, of 21 June 2007 on Cuba and of 11 March 2010 on prisoners of conscience in Cuba,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)
Citation 15 a (new)
- having regard to the findings of the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances on Cuba issued on 17 March 2017,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 b (new)
Citation 15 b (new)
- having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human rights;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas pursuant to Article 21 of the Treaty of the European Union, the external action of the Union should be guided by the principles of democracy, rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for human dignity, the principles of equality and solidarity, and the respect for the principles of the UN Charter and the international law;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the historical, economic and cultural ties linking Europe and Cuba are characterised by their depth and strength;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the European Union maintains relations with the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean and there is broad consensus among its 33 member states on the desira possibility of expanding relations between the European Union and Cuba;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Cuba was the only country in Latin America and the Caribbean with which the EU had not signed any type of agreement; whereas 20 of its Member States have signed various types of bilateral agreements and maintain good relations with the island;
Amendment 18 #
E. whereas what is known as the ‘cCommon pPosition of the EU’, adopted in 1996, has been superseded by the bilateral agreements with Cuba that have been signed during this period by 20 EU Member States96/697/CFSP was repealed by Council decision (CFSP) 2016/2233 of 6 December 2016;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas closer political and economic relations with Cuba could help advancing political reforms in the country in accordance with the aspirations of all its citizens;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas in particular the protection of the universality and indivisibility of human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights is one of the main objectives of the European Union, both internally and in its relations with third countries; whereas in this sense the full compliance with human rights and the defence of democracy and the rule of law, should be the aspiration of the EU in its relations with Cuba;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the human rights dialogue between the EU and Cuba, led by the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, began in 2015; whereas no tangible results have been achieved on human rights in Cuba, despite the setup of the Human rights dialogue;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas the political dialogue between the EU and the Cuban Government, must neither forget nor neglect the direct 'intensive dialogue with civil society and the peaceful opposition' without any restriction, and should follow the EU's 'views on democracy, universal human rights and fundamental freedoms' such as freedom of expression, assembly and political association, as well as its 'worldwide policy of support to human rights defenders';
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
La. whereas independent journalists, peaceful dissidents and human rights defenders, mostly members of the democratic opposition, are still persecuted, arbitrarily detained or being held in jail in Cuba for exercising the basic rights of expression, assembly and political association;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L b (new)
Recital L b (new)
Lb. whereas throughout March 2017 the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation verified at least 432 arbitrary detentions of peaceful dissidents in Cuba; whereas 11 cases of physical assaults and 8 cases of harassment by secret political police and para-police agents, of which peaceful opponents were also victims, were also documented;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L c (new)
Recital L c (new)
Lc. whereas a humane treatment must be ensured for the political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Cuba; whereas on 24 February 2017, political prisoner Hamel Santiago Maz Hernández, a member of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), died in the great prison of Havana, known as Combinado del Este; whereas since 3 June 2016 he was in jail accused of disrespect to any government official, without being subjected to any trial;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L d (new)
Recital L d (new)
Ld. whereas on 20 March Eduardo Cardet Concepción, leader of the opposition Christian Liberation Movement was sentenced to 3 years in prison after publicly criticizing the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro; whereas Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q a (new)
Recital Q a (new)
Qa. whereas the Cuban economic system is in need of trade liberalization, economic and financial investments, technological innovation and overall market freedoms that would allow the island to modernize its economy;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q b (new)
Recital Q b (new)
Qb. whereas this economic and trade liberalization should enable the country to overcome the limitations to the population in the provision of goods and services and bring inevitably a progressive move towards free social spaces, coexistence, technology and communication, that the Cuban population appreciate and demand;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital S
Recital S
S. whereas Cuba is a signatory to 11 of the 18 United Nations human rights conventions and has ratified eight of them; whereas Cuba has not ratified the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convenant on Economic, social and cultural rights;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital U a (new)
Recital U a (new)
Ua. whereas the need for Cuba to launch a process of political transition to multi-party democracy, with participation and decision-making open to all Cubans on the basis of an open-ended dialogue that excludes no-one;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital V a (new)
Recital V a (new)
Va. whereas on three occasions the European Parliament have awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Cuban activists, Oswaldo Payá in 2002, the Ladies in White in 2005 and Guillermo Fariñas in 2010;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital V b (new)
Recital V b (new)
Vb. whereas Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament decided to send a delegation to Cuba to ascertain the situation without any positive response from the Cuban authorities yet; whereas some political groups are facing the same situation despite several attempts to visit Cuba;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. RecogniStresses the high level of commitment thatresponsibility of the Republic of Cuba is undertaking with the European Union in a wide range of fields and through a sophisticated system of political dialoguewhen fulfilling the engagements included in the agreement;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Urges the Cuban government to redefine its policy on Human rights aligning with the provisions of the Charters, declarations and international instruments to which Cuba is a signatory; insists that the persecution and imprisonment of dissidents for their ideals and their peaceful political activity is contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Calls on the Cuban authorities to immediately release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, arbitrarily detained solely for exercising their freedom of expression and assembly and condemns again such detentions; urges the authorities to stop harassing, persecuting and intimidating independent journalists, peaceful dissidents and human rights defenders and to hold those responsible accountable;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Reminds the Cuban authorities that these acts and detentions constitute an attack on the most basic human rights in particular freedom of expression, assembly and political association; Urges the EEAS and its delegation in Cuba to take the necessary actions in order to seek the release of the above individuals, to ensure that an immediate stop is put to the harassment of political opponents and human rights defenders as well as to assist and protect them;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Affirms the European Parliament’s aspiration to see relations between the EU and Cuba develop to the greatest possible extent, with full respect for the independence and autonomy of the partiesStresses that the political future of Cuba must rest on the sole will of its citizens; Recalls that reconciliation and mutual understanding must include all Cubans who are willing to work peacefully for freedom, democracy and harmony;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Supports the findings of the UN Committee on enforced disappearances in Cuba of 17 March 2017 urging Cuba to take the necessary measures to guarantee the full independence of its judicial system as well as to set up an independent National Institution of Human Rights in lines with the Paris Principles;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Reiterates that the objectives of the European Union's policy towards Cuba has to continue to be the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, encouragement of a process of transition to a pluralist democracy and a lasting economic recovery aimed at improving the living standards of the Cuban population;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Urges the European institutions and the Member States to assist the economic and political transition in Cuba, encouraging the evolution towards a fully democratic regime that respects the basic rights of all its citizen; supports the use of the various EU's foreign policy instruments, and in particular the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) in order to reinforce EU's dialogue with Cuba's civil society and those who support a peaceful transition in Cuba;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls that the PDCA, as the first agreement between the EU and Cuba, will mark a turning point in bilateral relations between the two Parties; welcomes the fact that both Parties have agreed to develop this relationship in a structured manner, mutually subscribing to an agenda and obligations that are binding for both signatories;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls that the PDCA includes a provision for suspension of the agreement in case of violation of the provisions on human rights; in this sense calls on the EU to closely follow the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba when implementing the PDCA;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Stresses that the PDCA should contribute to improving the living conditions and social rights of Cuban citizens, reaffirming the importance of working systematically in promoting the values of democracy and human rights, including freedom of expression, association and assembly;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Takes note of the measures that the Cuban authorities have adopted to encourage free enterprise and economic liberalization in general, in the recent months, while emphasizing that the development of strong foreign investment to improve the physical and technological infrastructure of the country and build a competitive Cuban production system will require many other economic and financial measures with regulations that give legal certainty and economic stability to the country;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Takes the view that the agreement will serve to promote dialogue and economic cooperation, facilitating a predictable and transparent business environment and the development of a stronger, more stable framework in the future where it is ensured that Cubans can participate in investments jointly with companies and individuals from the European Union;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Voices its profound solidarity with the entire Cuban people and its support for them in their progress towards democracy and respect and promotion of fundamental freedoms;
Amendment 174 #
22b. Confirms its decision to send an official delegation of the Foreign Affairs committee of the European Parliament to Cuba, and urges the Cuban authorities to allow the entry of such a delegation and have an unimpeded access to its interlocutors; regrets the Cuban authorities' refusal to allow some EP political groups visiting Cuba and calls on the authorities to alter their position;