# Official Journal C 283/11 A

| | ISSN 1977-091X |
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| Official Journal
  of the European Union | C 283 |
| | |
| English edition | Information and Notices | Volume 6611 August 2023 |

ISSN 1977-091X

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 283

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 6611 August 2023

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| Contents | page |
| --- | --- |
| | |
| | EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
  2022-2023 SESSIONSittings of 13 to 16 February 2023TEXTS ADOPTED | 1 |

Contents

page

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
  2022-2023 SESSIONSittings of 13 to 16 February 2023TEXTS ADOPTED

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

1

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| | I   Resolutions, recommendations and opinions |
| --- | --- |
| | RESOLUTIONS |
| | European Parliament |
| | Wednesday 15 February 2023 |
| 2023/C 283/01 | European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2023 on the situation of the former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili (2023/2543(RSP)) | 2 |
| 2023/C 283/02 | European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2023 on the EU priorities for the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (2022/2839(RSP)) | 5 |
| | Thursday 16 February 2023 |
| 2023/C 283/03 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko (2023/2551(RSP)) | 12 |
| 2023/C 283/04 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on violence against opposition activists in Equatorial Guinea, notably the case of Julio Obama Mefuman (2023/2552(RSP)) | 14 |
| 2023/C 283/05 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexei Navalny (2023/2553(RSP)) | 16 |
| 2023/C 283/06 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on an EU strategy to boost industrial competitiveness, trade and quality jobs (2023/2513(RSP)) | 18 |
| 2023/C 283/07 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on following up on measures requested by Parliament to strengthen the integrity of the European institutions (2023/2571(RSP)) | 27 |
| 2023/C 283/08 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the establishment of an independent EU ethics body (2023/2555(RSP)) | 31 |
| 2023/C 283/09 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on one year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine (2023/2558(RSP)) | 34 |
| 2023/C 283/10 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the European Central Bank — annual report 2022 (2022/2037(INI)) | 40 |
| 2023/C 283/11 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on developing an EU cycling strategy (2022/2909(RSP)) | 48 |
| 2023/C 283/12 | European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the Commission communication on ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers (2022/2982(RSP)) | 51 |

I   Resolutions, recommendations and opinions

RESOLUTIONS

European Parliament

Wednesday 15 February 2023

2023/C 283/01

European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2023 on the situation of the former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili (2023/2543(RSP))

2

2023/C 283/02

European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2023 on the EU priorities for the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (2022/2839(RSP))

5

Thursday 16 February 2023

2023/C 283/03

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko (2023/2551(RSP))

12

2023/C 283/04

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on violence against opposition activists in Equatorial Guinea, notably the case of Julio Obama Mefuman (2023/2552(RSP))

14

2023/C 283/05

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexei Navalny (2023/2553(RSP))

16

2023/C 283/06

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on an EU strategy to boost industrial competitiveness, trade and quality jobs (2023/2513(RSP))

18

2023/C 283/07

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on following up on measures requested by Parliament to strengthen the integrity of the European institutions (2023/2571(RSP))

27

2023/C 283/08

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the establishment of an independent EU ethics body (2023/2555(RSP))

31

2023/C 283/09

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on one year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine (2023/2558(RSP))

34

2023/C 283/10

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the European Central Bank — annual report 2022 (2022/2037(INI))

40

2023/C 283/11

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on developing an EU cycling strategy (2022/2909(RSP))

48

2023/C 283/12

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the Commission communication on ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers (2022/2982(RSP))

51

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| | III   Preparatory acts |
| --- | --- |
| | European Parliament |
| | Tuesday 14 February 2023 |
| 2023/C 283/13 | European Parliament decision of 14 February 2023 amending the decision of 10 March 2022 on setting up a special committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation (INGE 2), and adjusting its title and responsibilities (2023/2566(RSO)) | 60 |
| 2023/C 283/14 | European Parliament decision of 14 February 2023 on setting up a subcommittee on public health (2023/2565(RSO)) | 64 |
| 2023/C 283/15 | P9_TA(2023)0032Union rights in enforcing and implementing the UK Withdrawal Agreement and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation AgreementEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the exercise of the Union's rights in the implementation and enforcement of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (COM(2022)0089 — C9-0059/2022 — 2022/0068(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2022)0068Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the exercise of the Union's rights in the implementation and enforcement of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part | 65 |
| 2023/C 283/16 | P9_TA(2023)0033Union Secure Connectivity Programme 2023-2027European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027 (COM(2022)0057 — C9-0045/2022 — 2022/0039(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2022)0039Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027 | 66 |
| 2023/C 283/17 | European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09272/2022 — C9-0432/2022 — 2022/0142(NLE)) | 68 |
| 2023/C 283/18 | European Parliament non-legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09272/2022 — C9-0432/2022 — 2022/0142M(NLE)) | 69 |
| 2023/C 283/19 | P9_TA(2023)0036REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plansEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2021/241 as regards REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, Directive 2003/87/EC and Decision (EU) 2015/1814 (COM(2022)0231 — C9-0183/2022 — 2022/0164(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2022)0164Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2021/241 as regards REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans and amending Regulations (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) 2021/1060 and (EU) 2021/1755, and Directive 2003/87/EC | 74 |
| 2023/C 283/20 | European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast) (COM(2021)0732 — C9-0021/2022 — 2021/0372(CNS)) | 76 |
| 2023/C 283/21 | European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in municipal elections by Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast) (COM(2021)0733 — C9-0022/2022 — 2021/0373(CNS)) | 100 |
| 2023/C 283/22 | P9_TA(2023)0039CO2 emission standards for cars and vansEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/631 as regards strengthening the CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles in line with the Union’s increased climate ambition (COM(2021)0556 — C9-0322/2021 — 2021/0197(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2021)0197Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/631 as regards strengthening the CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles in line with the Union’s increased climate ambition | 127 |
| | Wednesday 15 February 2023 |
| 2023/C 283/23 | P9_TA(2023)0040Amendments to the European Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs) RegulationEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/760 as regards the scope of eligible assets and investments, the portfolio composition and diversification requirements, the borrowing of cash and other fund rules and as regards requirements pertaining to the authorisation, investment policies and operating conditions of European long-term investment funds (COM(2021)0722 — C9-0435/2021 — 2021/0377(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2021)0377Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 15 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/760 as regards the requirements pertaining to the investment policies and operating conditions of European long-term investment funds and the scope of eligible investment assets, the portfolio composition and diversification requirements and the borrowing of cash and other fund rules | 128 |
| 2023/C 283/24 | European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia (12895/2022 — C9-0369/2022 — 2022/0301(NLE)) | 129 |
| 2023/C 283/25 | European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft Council decision authorising Poland to ratify, in the interest of the European Union, the amendment to the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea (10918/2022 — C9-0293/2022 — 2022/0177(NLE)) | 130 |
| 2023/C 283/26 | European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of the Protocol to the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia and Romania to the European Union (06739/2019 — C9-0366/2022 — 2018/0429(NLE)) | 131 |
| 2023/C 283/27 | European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, as regards the Chips Joint Undertaking (COM(2022)0047 — C9-0113/2022 — 2022/0033(NLE)) | 132 |
| 2023/C 283/28 | European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft implementing provisions for the Statute of the European Ombudsman (N9-0065/2022 — C9-0338/2022 — 2022/0903(NLE)) | 142 |
| 2023/C 283/29 | European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, by the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (COM(2016)0109 — 2016/0062R(NLE)) | 149 |
| | Thursday 16 February 2023 |
| 2023/C 283/30 | P9_TA(2023)0052Transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devicesEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 16 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices (COM(2023)0010 — C9-0003/2023 — 2023/0005(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2023)0005Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 16 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices | 163 |

III   Preparatory acts

European Parliament

Tuesday 14 February 2023

2023/C 283/13

European Parliament decision of 14 February 2023 amending the decision of 10 March 2022 on setting up a special committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation (INGE 2), and adjusting its title and responsibilities (2023/2566(RSO))

60

2023/C 283/14

European Parliament decision of 14 February 2023 on setting up a subcommittee on public health (2023/2565(RSO))

64

2023/C 283/15

P9_TA(2023)0032Union rights in enforcing and implementing the UK Withdrawal Agreement and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation AgreementEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the exercise of the Union's rights in the implementation and enforcement of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (COM(2022)0089 — C9-0059/2022 — 2022/0068(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2022)0068Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the exercise of the Union's rights in the implementation and enforcement of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part

65

2023/C 283/16

P9_TA(2023)0033Union Secure Connectivity Programme 2023-2027European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027 (COM(2022)0057 — C9-0045/2022 — 2022/0039(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2022)0039Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027

66

2023/C 283/17

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09272/2022 — C9-0432/2022 — 2022/0142(NLE))

68

2023/C 283/18

European Parliament non-legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09272/2022 — C9-0432/2022 — 2022/0142M(NLE))

69

2023/C 283/19

P9_TA(2023)0036REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plansEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2021/241 as regards REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, Directive 2003/87/EC and Decision (EU) 2015/1814 (COM(2022)0231 — C9-0183/2022 — 2022/0164(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2022)0164Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2021/241 as regards REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans and amending Regulations (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) 2021/1060 and (EU) 2021/1755, and Directive 2003/87/EC

74

2023/C 283/20

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast) (COM(2021)0732 — C9-0021/2022 — 2021/0372(CNS))

76

2023/C 283/21

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in municipal elections by Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast) (COM(2021)0733 — C9-0022/2022 — 2021/0373(CNS))

100

2023/C 283/22

P9_TA(2023)0039CO2 emission standards for cars and vansEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/631 as regards strengthening the CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles in line with the Union’s increased climate ambition (COM(2021)0556 — C9-0322/2021 — 2021/0197(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2021)0197Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/631 as regards strengthening the CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles in line with the Union’s increased climate ambition

2

2

2

127

Wednesday 15 February 2023

2023/C 283/23

P9_TA(2023)0040Amendments to the European Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs) RegulationEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/760 as regards the scope of eligible assets and investments, the portfolio composition and diversification requirements, the borrowing of cash and other fund rules and as regards requirements pertaining to the authorisation, investment policies and operating conditions of European long-term investment funds (COM(2021)0722 — C9-0435/2021 — 2021/0377(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2021)0377Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 15 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/760 as regards the requirements pertaining to the investment policies and operating conditions of European long-term investment funds and the scope of eligible investment assets, the portfolio composition and diversification requirements and the borrowing of cash and other fund rules

128

2023/C 283/24

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia (12895/2022 — C9-0369/2022 — 2022/0301(NLE))

129

2023/C 283/25

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft Council decision authorising Poland to ratify, in the interest of the European Union, the amendment to the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea (10918/2022 — C9-0293/2022 — 2022/0177(NLE))

130

2023/C 283/26

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of the Protocol to the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia and Romania to the European Union (06739/2019 — C9-0366/2022 — 2018/0429(NLE))

131

2023/C 283/27

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, as regards the Chips Joint Undertaking (COM(2022)0047 — C9-0113/2022 — 2022/0033(NLE))

132

2023/C 283/28

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft implementing provisions for the Statute of the European Ombudsman (N9-0065/2022 — C9-0338/2022 — 2022/0903(NLE))

142

2023/C 283/29

European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, by the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (COM(2016)0109 — 2016/0062R(NLE))

149

Thursday 16 February 2023

2023/C 283/30

P9_TA(2023)0052Transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devicesEuropean Parliament legislative resolution of 16 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices (COM(2023)0010 — C9-0003/2023 — 2023/0005(COD))P9_TC1-COD(2023)0005Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 16 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices

in vitro

in vitro

in vitro

163

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11.8.2023

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/1 |
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Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/1

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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

2022-2023 SESSION

Sittings of 13 to 16 February 2023

TEXTS ADOPTED

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I Resolutions, recommendations and opinions

RESOLUTIONS

European Parliament

Wednesday 15 February 2023

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/2 |
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11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/2

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P9_TA(2023)0046

Situation of the former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili

European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2023 on the situation of the former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili (2023/2543(RSP))

(2023/C 283/01)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to its previous resolutions on Georgia, in particular that of 9 June 2022 on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia (1) and of 14 December 2022 on the implementation of the EU Association Agreement with Georgia (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its previous resolutions on Georgia, in particular that of 9 June 2022 on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia (1) and of 14 December 2022 on the implementation of the EU Association Agreement with Georgia (2),

| — | having regard to the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part (3), and to section 1.4 of the short and medium-term priorities laid down in Recommendation No 1/2022 of the EU-Georgia Association Council of 16 August 2022 on the EU-Georgia Association Agenda 2021-2027 (4), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part (3), and to section 1.4 of the short and medium-term priorities laid down in Recommendation No 1/2022 of the EU-Georgia Association Council of 16 August 2022 on the EU-Georgia Association Agenda 2021-2027 (4),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 17 June 2022 entitled ‘Commission Opinion on Georgia’s application for membership of the European Union’ (COM(2022)0405) and to the European Council conclusions of 23-24 June 2022 on the membership applications of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 17 June 2022 entitled ‘Commission Opinion on Georgia’s application for membership of the European Union’ (COM(2022)0405) and to the European Council conclusions of 23-24 June 2022 on the membership applications of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia,

| — | having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, |
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—

having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,

| — | having regard to UN General Assembly resolution 45/111 on Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners and to UN General Assembly resolution 70/175 on United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to UN General Assembly resolution 45/111 on Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners and to UN General Assembly resolution 70/175 on United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules),

| — | having regard to resolution 2463 (2022) of 13 October 2022 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe entitled ‘Further escalation in the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine’, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to resolution 2463 (2022) of 13 October 2022 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe entitled ‘Further escalation in the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine’,

| — | having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

| A. | whereas former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was detained in October 2021 upon his return to Georgia following an eight-year exile; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was detained in October 2021 upon his return to Georgia following an eight-year exile;

| B. | whereas in 2018, he was convicted in absentia by a Georgian court to a six-year prison term for abuse of power while in office, charges that Mikheil Saakashvili denied and qualified as politically motivated; whereas he currently faces trial on additional charges; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas in 2018, he was convicted in absentia by a Georgian court to a six-year prison term for abuse of power while in office, charges that Mikheil Saakashvili denied and qualified as politically motivated; whereas he currently faces trial on additional charges;

| C. | whereas in November 2021 he was transferred to a prison hospital following a hunger strike and reports about his deteriorating health; whereas in May 2022 he was transferred to a prison service-contracted civilian clinic following opinions from independent doctors that his condition would not improve otherwise; whereas his health has continued to deteriorate since then, he has lost a substantial amount of weight and according to recent medical reports he is still not receiving proper care, which raises fears for his life; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas in November 2021 he was transferred to a prison hospital following a hunger strike and reports about his deteriorating health; whereas in May 2022 he was transferred to a prison service-contracted civilian clinic following opinions from independent doctors that his condition would not improve otherwise; whereas his health has continued to deteriorate since then, he has lost a substantial amount of weight and according to recent medical reports he is still not receiving proper care, which raises fears for his life;

| D. | whereas a toxicology report by Dr David E. Smith, M.D. & Associates concluded in 28 November 2022 that the tests on hair and nail samples from Mikheil Saakashvili had revealed the presence of heavy metals and other agents, and that many of the pathological symptoms displayed by Mikheil Saakashvili are consistent with heavy metal poisoning while in detention, contributing to his rapidly declining health; whereas in December 2022, Empathy Centre, a Georgian anti-torture non-governmental organisation, published a medical report on Mikheil Saakashvili’s health status based on a medical examination conducted by a commission of 10 Georgian and six international experts; whereas this report diagnosed Mikheil Saakashvili with more than 20 disorders, 10 of them serious, and stated that his condition was incompatible with imprisonment; whereas the report stated that certain conditions would cause irreversible deterioration in health, reduced life expectancy and even death if Saakashvili were not given adequate treatment; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas a toxicology report by Dr David E. Smith, M.D. & Associates concluded in 28 November 2022 that the tests on hair and nail samples from Mikheil Saakashvili had revealed the presence of heavy metals and other agents, and that many of the pathological symptoms displayed by Mikheil Saakashvili are consistent with heavy metal poisoning while in detention, contributing to his rapidly declining health; whereas in December 2022, Empathy Centre, a Georgian anti-torture non-governmental organisation, published a medical report on Mikheil Saakashvili’s health status based on a medical examination conducted by a commission of 10 Georgian and six international experts; whereas this report diagnosed Mikheil Saakashvili with more than 20 disorders, 10 of them serious, and stated that his condition was incompatible with imprisonment; whereas the report stated that certain conditions would cause irreversible deterioration in health, reduced life expectancy and even death if Saakashvili were not given adequate treatment;

| E. | whereas according to the opinion submitted to the Tbilisi City Court by the Public Defender of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili’s health has worsened dramatically over the past months, his condition is rated as severe and, as a result, he should be released to undergo medical treatment in accordance with Article 283 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia; whereas on 6 February 2023 the judge of the Tbilisi Court ruled against Mikhail Saakashvili’s release or the deferral of the execution of his sentence on health grounds; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas according to the opinion submitted to the Tbilisi City Court by the Public Defender of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili’s health has worsened dramatically over the past months, his condition is rated as severe and, as a result, he should be released to undergo medical treatment in accordance with Article 283 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia; whereas on 6 February 2023 the judge of the Tbilisi Court ruled against Mikhail Saakashvili’s release or the deferral of the execution of his sentence on health grounds;

| F. | whereas Mikheil Saakashvili has on multiple occasions asked to be moved abroad for appropriate medical treatment; |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas Mikheil Saakashvili has on multiple occasions asked to be moved abroad for appropriate medical treatment;

| G. | whereas the EU Head of Delegation as well as the Heads of Mission of EU Member States present in Georgia have raised their concerns about Mikheil Saakashvili’s deteriorating health and underlined the responsibility of the Georgian authorities to protect his rights in several meetings with representatives of the Georgian government; |
| --- | --- |

G.

whereas the EU Head of Delegation as well as the Heads of Mission of EU Member States present in Georgia have raised their concerns about Mikheil Saakashvili’s deteriorating health and underlined the responsibility of the Georgian authorities to protect his rights in several meetings with representatives of the Georgian government;

| H. | whereas many key Georgian civil society organisations signed statements calling on the government to take responsibility for saving Mikheil Saakashvili’s life and health, such as the statement of 14 December 2022 entitled ‘The government should bear responsibility for Mikheil Saakashvili’s health condition’ and of 2 February 2023 entitled ‘Statement regarding the trial of Mikheil Saakashvili’; |
| --- | --- |

H.

whereas many key Georgian civil society organisations signed statements calling on the government to take responsibility for saving Mikheil Saakashvili’s life and health, such as the statement of 14 December 2022 entitled ‘The government should bear responsibility for Mikheil Saakashvili’s health condition’ and of 2 February 2023 entitled ‘Statement regarding the trial of Mikheil Saakashvili’;

| I. | whereas many representatives of the international community have called for the immediate release of Mikheil Saakashvili, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in its Resolution 2463 (2022); |
| --- | --- |

I.

whereas many representatives of the international community have called for the immediate release of Mikheil Saakashvili, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in its Resolution 2463 (2022);

| J. | whereas the Georgian authorities have so far rejected the many public calls to release Mikheil Saakashvili and allow him to receive medical treatment abroad; whereas the Georgian authorities have declined requests by Members of the European Parliament, international experts and even the Public Defender of Georgia to visit Mikheil Saakashvili in prison; whereas on several occasions high-ranking officials of Georgia’s ruling party have made unacceptable statements about former President Saakashvili’s health condition and situation; |
| --- | --- |

J.

whereas the Georgian authorities have so far rejected the many public calls to release Mikheil Saakashvili and allow him to receive medical treatment abroad; whereas the Georgian authorities have declined requests by Members of the European Parliament, international experts and even the Public Defender of Georgia to visit Mikheil Saakashvili in prison; whereas on several occasions high-ranking officials of Georgia’s ruling party have made unacceptable statements about former President Saakashvili’s health condition and situation;

| 1. | Expresses grave concern about the deteriorating health of former President Mikheil Saakashvili and the inadequate response by the Georgian authorities so far; considers that the treatment of prisoners, such as former President Saakashvili, is a litmus test of the Georgian government’s commitment to European values and its declared European aspirations, including EU candidate status; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Reiterates its call on the Georgian authorities to release former President Mikheil Saakashvili and allow him to receive proper medical treatment abroad on humanitarian grounds and as a way of reducing political polarisation; takes note of the recent statement by the President of Georgia urging all sides to resolve the situation of Mikheil Saakashvili in order to put the country’s progress with European reforms back on the centre stage of politics and invites her to use her constitutional right to pardon Mikheil Saakashvili; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Reminds the Georgian authorities that they have responsibility to ensure the health and well-being of the former President, to provide him with adequate medical treatment and to respect his fundamental rights and personal dignity, in line with Georgia’s constitution and international commitments; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Calls on the European Council and the Commission to become more actively involved in securing the release of former President Mikheil Saakashvili and enabling him to receive proper medical treatment abroad; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Underlines the fact that the continuing failure to improve the situation of former President Mikheil Saakashvili will continue to damage Georgia’s reputation and hamper its European Union candidacy prospects; is of the opinion that Mikheil Saakashvili’s death in custody would be a blow to Georgian democracy and to Georgia’s international reputation; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Underlines that in the already polarised political climate in Georgia, the continued detention of Mikhail Saakashvili only deepens the rift between the government and opposition and erodes public trust in democratic institutions; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Emphasises that the case of Mikheil Saakashvili further highlights the importance of implementing genuine reform of the justice system; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Calls on the European External Action Service and the Commission to continue to systematically monitor Mikheil Saakashvili’s court hearings, both those on the charges brought against him and those on his request to be transferred abroad; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the President, Government and Parliament of Georgia. |
| --- | --- |

9.

---

(1)  OJ C 493, 27.12.2022, p. 104.

(2)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0442.

(3)  OJ L 261, 30.8.2014, p. 4.

(4)  OJ L 218, 23.8.2022, p. 40.

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/5 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/5

---

P9_TA(2023)0048

The EU priorities for the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women

European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2023 on the EU priorities for the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (2022/2839(RSP))

(2023/C 283/02)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and its priority theme ‘Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls’, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and its priority theme ‘Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls’,

| — | having regard to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 15 September 1995 and the outcomes of its review conferences, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 15 September 1995 and the outcomes of its review conferences,

| — | having regard to the 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,

| — | having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’ and, in particular, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 which seeks to achieve inclusive and quality education, SDG 5 which seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, SDG 8 which seeks to achieve sustainable and economic growth, SDG 9 which seeks to significantly increase access to information technology, SDG 10 which seeks to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities and SDG 13 on climate change, providing for the possibility of tackling the root causes of gender inequalities and thus strengthening women’s resilience to climate change, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’ and, in particular, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 which seeks to achieve inclusive and quality education, SDG 5 which seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, SDG 8 which seeks to achieve sustainable and economic growth, SDG 9 which seeks to significantly increase access to information technology, SDG 10 which seeks to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities and SDG 13 on climate change, providing for the possibility of tackling the root causes of gender inequalities and thus strengthening women’s resilience to climate change,

| — | having regard to the United Nations General Assembly resolutions of 16 December 2020 entitled ‘Intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls’ (A/RES/75/161) and ‘The right to privacy in the digital age’ (A/RES/75/176), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the United Nations General Assembly resolutions of 16 December 2020 entitled ‘Intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls’ (A/RES/75/161) and ‘The right to privacy in the digital age’ (A/RES/75/176),

| — | having regard to the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution of 5 July 2018 entitled ‘Accelerating efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls: preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in digital contexts’ (A/HRC/RES/38/5), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution of 5 July 2018 entitled ‘Accelerating efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls: preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in digital contexts’ (A/HRC/RES/38/5),

| — | having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime of 23 November 2001, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime of 23 November 2001,

| — | having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence of 11 May 2011 (‘Istanbul Convention’), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence of 11 May 2011 (‘Istanbul Convention’),

| — | having regard to the Council conclusions on ‘Women, Peace and Security’ of 10 December 2018, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council conclusions on ‘Women, Peace and Security’ of 10 December 2018,

| — | having regard to the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative aiming at eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative aiming at eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls,

| — | having regard to Articles 21 and 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Articles 21 and 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’),

| — | having regard to the EU action plan on digital education for 2021-2027, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the EU action plan on digital education for 2021-2027,

| — | having regard to the EU action plan on gender equality and women’s empowerment in external action 2021-2025 (GAP III), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the EU action plan on gender equality and women’s empowerment in external action 2021-2025 (GAP III),

| — | having regard to the EU Gender Equality Strategy for 2020-2025 of 5 March 2020, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the EU Gender Equality Strategy for 2020-2025 of 5 March 2020,

| — | having regard to its resolution of 17 April 2018 on empowering women and girls through the digital sector (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 17 April 2018 on empowering women and girls through the digital sector (1),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on closing the digital gender gap: women’s participation in the digital economy (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on closing the digital gender gap: women’s participation in the digital economy (2),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 10 June 2021 on promoting gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and careers (3), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 10 June 2021 on promoting gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and careers (3),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 14 December 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on combating gender-based violence: cyberviolence (4), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 14 December 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on combating gender-based violence: cyberviolence (4),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 3 May 2022 on reaching women’s economic independence through entrepreneurship and self-employment (5), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 3 May 2022 on reaching women’s economic independence through entrepreneurship and self-employment (5),

| — | having regard to Article 157(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 157(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to the question to the Council on the EU priorities for the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (O-000004/2023 — B9-0011/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the question to the Council on the EU priorities for the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (O-000004/2023 — B9-0011/2023),

| — | having regard to the question to the Commission on the EU priorities for the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (O-000005/2023 — B9-0012/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the question to the Commission on the EU priorities for the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (O-000005/2023 — B9-0012/2023),

| — | having regard to Rules 136(5) and 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rules 136(5) and 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality,

| A. | whereas gender equality is a fundamental principle of the EU enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 23 of the Charter; whereas gender mainstreaming is therefore an important tool for integrating this principle into all EU policies, measures and actions, including its external action; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas gender equality is a fundamental principle of the EU enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 23 of the Charter; whereas gender mainstreaming is therefore an important tool for integrating this principle into all EU policies, measures and actions, including its external action;

| B. | whereas 189 countries across the world, including the European Union and its Member States, committed to working towards gender equality and empowering all women and girls at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995; whereas SDG 5 of the Sustainable Development Agenda adopted by UN Member States in 2015 sets 2030 as the deadline for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls; whereas SDG target 5b specifically identifies the enhanced use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technologies (ICTs), to promote the empowerment of women and girls; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas 189 countries across the world, including the European Union and its Member States, committed to working towards gender equality and empowering all women and girls at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995; whereas SDG 5 of the Sustainable Development Agenda adopted by UN Member States in 2015 sets 2030 as the deadline for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls; whereas SDG target 5b specifically identifies the enhanced use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technologies (ICTs), to promote the empowerment of women and girls;

| C. | whereas the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action stressed that it is essential for women not only to benefit from technology, but also to participate in the process from the design to the application, monitoring and evaluation stage, and underlined the link between biased teaching and girls being often discouraged and deprived of basic education in mathematics and science and technical training; whereas gender-sensitive education benefits entire societies by contributing to overall societal well-being, economic growth and innovation; whereas gender stereotypes negatively impact girls’ self-confidence to pursue studies in STEM- and ICT-related subjects, hampering their ability to work in better-paid high-growth sectors; whereas gender-sensitive education and training are crucial tools for combating harmful gender stereotypes; whereas 2023 is the European Year of Skills and should emphasise the shortage of women in STEM careers and education; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action stressed that it is essential for women not only to benefit from technology, but also to participate in the process from the design to the application, monitoring and evaluation stage, and underlined the link between biased teaching and girls being often discouraged and deprived of basic education in mathematics and science and technical training; whereas gender-sensitive education benefits entire societies by contributing to overall societal well-being, economic growth and innovation; whereas gender stereotypes negatively impact girls’ self-confidence to pursue studies in STEM- and ICT-related subjects, hampering their ability to work in better-paid high-growth sectors; whereas gender-sensitive education and training are crucial tools for combating harmful gender stereotypes; whereas 2023 is the European Year of Skills and should emphasise the shortage of women in STEM careers and education;

| D. | whereas UN Secretary-General António Guterres has described digitalisation as one of two seismic shifts that will shape the 21st century, the other being climate change; whereas meaningful access to digital services has become critical for inclusive social and economic engagement; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas UN Secretary-General António Guterres has described digitalisation as one of two seismic shifts that will shape the 21st century, the other being climate change; whereas meaningful access to digital services has become critical for inclusive social and economic engagement;

| E. | whereas 62 % of men use the internet compared to only 57 % of women; whereas while the gender digital divide has been narrowing across all regions, women are still digitally marginalised in many of the world’s poorest countries and especially in remote and rural areas, with at least 1,7 billion women in the Global South still unconnected (6); whereas this gap exists irrespective of a country’s overall ICT access levels, economic performance, income levels or geographic location and widens as technologies become more sophisticated and expensive (7); whereas bringing an additional 600 million women and girls online could boost global gross domestic product (GDP) by as much as USD 18 billion (8); |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas 62 % of men use the internet compared to only 57 % of women; whereas while the gender digital divide has been narrowing across all regions, women are still digitally marginalised in many of the world’s poorest countries and especially in remote and rural areas, with at least 1,7 billion women in the Global South still unconnected (6); whereas this gap exists irrespective of a country’s overall ICT access levels, economic performance, income levels or geographic location and widens as technologies become more sophisticated and expensive (7); whereas bringing an additional 600 million women and girls online could boost global gross domestic product (GDP) by as much as USD 18 billion (8);

| F. | whereas only a gender-responsive digital transformation can provide the necessary opportunities for changing negative gendered patterns of employment; whereas women still face structural and cultural barriers when participating in all aspects of the digital transition, which can have a detrimental effect on their access to and position in the labour market; whereas women are currently underrepresented in better-paid high-growth sectors, such as ICT and STEM occupations, while being overrepresented in unpaid and precarious work (9); whereas the low number of women working in innovative and disruptive technology sectors can adversely impact the design, development and implementation of new technologies, thereby causing the replication of current discriminatory practices and stereotypes, including the development of gender-biased algorithms; whereas it is important for women and girls to be an integral part of the digital transformation process so they can become key actors of innovation and technological change while reaping its full benefits; |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas only a gender-responsive digital transformation can provide the necessary opportunities for changing negative gendered patterns of employment; whereas women still face structural and cultural barriers when participating in all aspects of the digital transition, which can have a detrimental effect on their access to and position in the labour market; whereas women are currently underrepresented in better-paid high-growth sectors, such as ICT and STEM occupations, while being overrepresented in unpaid and precarious work (9); whereas the low number of women working in innovative and disruptive technology sectors can adversely impact the design, development and implementation of new technologies, thereby causing the replication of current discriminatory practices and stereotypes, including the development of gender-biased algorithms; whereas it is important for women and girls to be an integral part of the digital transformation process so they can become key actors of innovation and technological change while reaping its full benefits;

| G. | whereas female students now outnumber male students globally and whereas 54 % of university graduates in 2019 were women (10), while only 18 % of women in tertiary education are pursuing STEM studies, compared to 35 % of men (11); whereas a large number of women abandon their higher level education and careers in the STEM sector or do not pursue academic opportunities in the sector due to unequal gender roles in family life, including unequal sharing of unpaid caring responsibilities between women and men within the household, a poor work-life balance, organisational constraints, harassment and bias in the workplace and lack of opportunities for career progression; whereas a lack of diversity in STEM sectors and professions will affect the profitability of companies and economic prosperity, potentially leading to them losing out on a EUR 16 billion GDP boost to the European economy by not encouraging women to participate in the digital sector; |
| --- | --- |

G.

whereas female students now outnumber male students globally and whereas 54 % of university graduates in 2019 were women (10), while only 18 % of women in tertiary education are pursuing STEM studies, compared to 35 % of men (11); whereas a large number of women abandon their higher level education and careers in the STEM sector or do not pursue academic opportunities in the sector due to unequal gender roles in family life, including unequal sharing of unpaid caring responsibilities between women and men within the household, a poor work-life balance, organisational constraints, harassment and bias in the workplace and lack of opportunities for career progression; whereas a lack of diversity in STEM sectors and professions will affect the profitability of companies and economic prosperity, potentially leading to them losing out on a EUR 16 billion GDP boost to the European economy by not encouraging women to participate in the digital sector;

| H. | whereas according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) women are paid about 20 % less than men globally; whereas the gender pay gap in male-dominated sectors, such as ICT and technological companies is even larger; whereas women earn around 28 % less than their male colleagues in the same tech roles (12); |
| --- | --- |

H.

whereas according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) women are paid about 20 % less than men globally; whereas the gender pay gap in male-dominated sectors, such as ICT and technological companies is even larger; whereas women earn around 28 % less than their male colleagues in the same tech roles (12);

| I. | whereas women’s economic independence and empowerment is central to achieving gender equality and to guaranteeing women’s rights; whereas this includes the ability to participate fully in society, including by having control over their own time, lives and bodily autonomy, by achieving self-fulfilment and having equal access to labour markets, civic participation and economic decision-making at all levels; whereas the promotion of economic independence requires recognising and compensating feminised labour sectors that are systematically underpaid and undervalued and implementing appropriate measures to ensure women’s equal participation in labour markets, equal pay for equal work or work of equal value, access to decent work opportunities and sharing and recognition of domestic and care responsibilities; |
| --- | --- |

I.

whereas women’s economic independence and empowerment is central to achieving gender equality and to guaranteeing women’s rights; whereas this includes the ability to participate fully in society, including by having control over their own time, lives and bodily autonomy, by achieving self-fulfilment and having equal access to labour markets, civic participation and economic decision-making at all levels; whereas the promotion of economic independence requires recognising and compensating feminised labour sectors that are systematically underpaid and undervalued and implementing appropriate measures to ensure women’s equal participation in labour markets, equal pay for equal work or work of equal value, access to decent work opportunities and sharing and recognition of domestic and care responsibilities;

| J. | whereas women facing multiple intersectional forms of discrimination have particular difficulty entering the STEM sector; whereas women in poverty and women in areas with limited infrastructure, especially rural areas, experience digital, gender and rural discrimination and barriers in access to and use of digital technologies, due to unaffordability, low digital literacy and negative social norms; |
| --- | --- |

J.

whereas women facing multiple intersectional forms of discrimination have particular difficulty entering the STEM sector; whereas women in poverty and women in areas with limited infrastructure, especially rural areas, experience digital, gender and rural discrimination and barriers in access to and use of digital technologies, due to unaffordability, low digital literacy and negative social norms;

| K. | whereas only a marginal percentage of venture capitalists, business angels and investors are women; whereas significantly fewer women are working within these roles and as founders and owners of private companies and start-ups; |
| --- | --- |

K.

whereas only a marginal percentage of venture capitalists, business angels and investors are women; whereas significantly fewer women are working within these roles and as founders and owners of private companies and start-ups;

| L. | whereas the gender dimension of the digital transformation is acknowledged in the EU’s Gender Equality Strategy for 2020-2025 and the Gender Action Plan III; whereas promoting women’s equal access to the untapped potential of digital technologies is central to the EU’s digital strategy and to sustainable growth; |
| --- | --- |

L.

whereas the gender dimension of the digital transformation is acknowledged in the EU’s Gender Equality Strategy for 2020-2025 and the Gender Action Plan III; whereas promoting women’s equal access to the untapped potential of digital technologies is central to the EU’s digital strategy and to sustainable growth;

| M. | whereas gender-based violence is not limited to physical violence, but also includes gender-based cyberviolence; whereas it is estimated that one in ten women have already experienced a form of cyberviolence since the age of 15 (13); whereas during the COVID-19 pandemic, gender-based violence increased exponentially, including online and ICT-facilitated violence; whereas the World Wide Web Foundation survey conducted in 2020 among respondents from 180 countries revealed that 52 % of young women and girls have experienced online abuse and 64 % of respondents stated that they know someone who has experienced it; |
| --- | --- |

M.

whereas gender-based violence is not limited to physical violence, but also includes gender-based cyberviolence; whereas it is estimated that one in ten women have already experienced a form of cyberviolence since the age of 15 (13); whereas during the COVID-19 pandemic, gender-based violence increased exponentially, including online and ICT-facilitated violence; whereas the World Wide Web Foundation survey conducted in 2020 among respondents from 180 countries revealed that 52 % of young women and girls have experienced online abuse and 64 % of respondents stated that they know someone who has experienced it;

| N. | whereas one in five girls (19 %) have left or significantly reduced their use of a social media platform after being harassed, while one in ten (12 %) have changed the way they express themselves (14); whereas more than a third (37 %) of girls who are from an ethnic minority and have suffered abuse say they are targeted because of their race or ethnicity, while more than half (56 %) of those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex or queer LGBTIQ+ say they are harassed because of their gender identity or sexual orientation; |
| --- | --- |

N.

whereas one in five girls (19 %) have left or significantly reduced their use of a social media platform after being harassed, while one in ten (12 %) have changed the way they express themselves (14); whereas more than a third (37 %) of girls who are from an ethnic minority and have suffered abuse say they are targeted because of their race or ethnicity, while more than half (56 %) of those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex or queer LGBTIQ+ say they are harassed because of their gender identity or sexual orientation;

| O. | whereas the rise of new smart devices and the internet of things provides further opportunities for technology-facilitated abuse; |
| --- | --- |

O.

whereas the rise of new smart devices and the internet of things provides further opportunities for technology-facilitated abuse;

| P. | whereas education is key to preventing gender-based cyberviolence, including through digital literacy and skills such as cyber hygiene and netiquette, as well as to building a gender-inclusive educational environment that addresses gender stereotypes, which should be a key element of any public policy aiming to tackle gender-based cyberviolence; whereas technology can play an important role in the prevention of cyberviolence; |
| --- | --- |

P.

whereas education is key to preventing gender-based cyberviolence, including through digital literacy and skills such as cyber hygiene and netiquette, as well as to building a gender-inclusive educational environment that addresses gender stereotypes, which should be a key element of any public policy aiming to tackle gender-based cyberviolence; whereas technology can play an important role in the prevention of cyberviolence;

| Q. | whereas the development of new ways of working and teleworking possibilities pose a series of challenges and opportunities for women and their work-life balance; whereas the development of new options of distance learning provides new possibilities for women and girls to bridge the digital and education gap; |
| --- | --- |

Q.

whereas the development of new ways of working and teleworking possibilities pose a series of challenges and opportunities for women and their work-life balance; whereas the development of new options of distance learning provides new possibilities for women and girls to bridge the digital and education gap;

| 1. | Addresses the following recommendations to the Council:






  (a) | to reconfirm the EU’s unwavering commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action and subsequent review conferences and to the range of actions for gender equality they outline; |
| --- | --- | --- |

1.

(a)

to reconfirm the EU’s unwavering commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action and subsequent review conferences and to the range of actions for gender equality they outline;

| (b) | to ensure the full involvement of Parliament and its Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in the decision-making process on the EU’s position at the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and to ensure that Parliament has adequate information and access to the EU position document ahead of the negotiations; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

to ensure the full involvement of Parliament and its Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in the decision-making process on the EU’s position at the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and to ensure that Parliament has adequate information and access to the EU position document ahead of the negotiations;

| (c) | to ensure that the EU shows strong leadership and takes a unified position on the importance of empowering women and girls in all their diversity and achieving gender equality in the digital transformation; to take strong action to univocally denounce the current backlash against gender equality, including policies and attempts to undermine women’s rights, autonomy and emancipation in every field; to support calls for the standardisation of women’s rights; |
| --- | --- |

(c)

to ensure that the EU shows strong leadership and takes a unified position on the importance of empowering women and girls in all their diversity and achieving gender equality in the digital transformation; to take strong action to univocally denounce the current backlash against gender equality, including policies and attempts to undermine women’s rights, autonomy and emancipation in every field; to support calls for the standardisation of women’s rights;

| (d) | to condemn in the strongest terms the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war in armed conflicts, specifically their ongoing use in the unjustified attack on Ukraine by Russia, as well as other conflicts such as in the Tigray region in Ethiopia; to condemn all forms of gender-based violence, including cyberviolence, as well as all forms of gender-based discrimination, as these are violations of human rights that prevent achieving gender equality and therefore truly equal societies; |
| --- | --- |

(d)

to condemn in the strongest terms the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war in armed conflicts, specifically their ongoing use in the unjustified attack on Ukraine by Russia, as well as other conflicts such as in the Tigray region in Ethiopia; to condemn all forms of gender-based violence, including cyberviolence, as well as all forms of gender-based discrimination, as these are violations of human rights that prevent achieving gender equality and therefore truly equal societies;

| (e) | to pledge its strong support for the work of UN Women, which is a central actor in the UN system for advancing the rights of women in all their diversity and bringing together all relevant stakeholders in order to generate policy change and coordinate actions; to call on all UN member states, together with the EU, to ensure adequate funding for UN Women; |
| --- | --- |

(e)

to pledge its strong support for the work of UN Women, which is a central actor in the UN system for advancing the rights of women in all their diversity and bringing together all relevant stakeholders in order to generate policy change and coordinate actions; to call on all UN member states, together with the EU, to ensure adequate funding for UN Women;

| (f) | to reaffirm the commitments to gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls made at relevant UN summits and conferences, including the International Conference on Population and Development and its programme of action and the outcome documents of its reviews; |
| --- | --- |

(f)

to reaffirm the commitments to gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls made at relevant UN summits and conferences, including the International Conference on Population and Development and its programme of action and the outcome documents of its reviews;

| (g) | to highlight the need to facilitate and increase women’s access to information and education worldwide, including in science, technology and economics, thus enhancing their knowledge, skills and opportunities; to underline the importance of ensuring gender mainstreaming in digital education at all levels and the need to abolish the digital gender divide together with any gender-related discrimination in access to education at all levels, from early childhood to higher education, in formal, non-formal and informal settings and from planning infrastructure to training teachers; to underline that broader human and economic development is necessary for overcoming digital inequality and achieving the full potential of women and girls worldwide; |
| --- | --- |

(g)

to highlight the need to facilitate and increase women’s access to information and education worldwide, including in science, technology and economics, thus enhancing their knowledge, skills and opportunities; to underline the importance of ensuring gender mainstreaming in digital education at all levels and the need to abolish the digital gender divide together with any gender-related discrimination in access to education at all levels, from early childhood to higher education, in formal, non-formal and informal settings and from planning infrastructure to training teachers; to underline that broader human and economic development is necessary for overcoming digital inequality and achieving the full potential of women and girls worldwide;

| (h) | to advocate for improved access of girls, women and people with diverse gender identities to universally accessible, safe and secure digital connectivity, reaching out to the rural and remote areas; |
| --- | --- |

(h)

to advocate for improved access of girls, women and people with diverse gender identities to universally accessible, safe and secure digital connectivity, reaching out to the rural and remote areas;

| (i) | to highlight the need to ensure the universal and full access to online information on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including the right to safe and legal abortion, and to ensure robust processes that prevent any personal data from being used against persons seeking abortion; |
| --- | --- |

(i)

to highlight the need to ensure the universal and full access to online information on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including the right to safe and legal abortion, and to ensure robust processes that prevent any personal data from being used against persons seeking abortion;

| (j) | to reiterate the need to enhance women’s and girls’ inclusion and participation in society; to reiterate the need to accelerate progress in gender equality, including through the promotion of laws, policies, budgets and institutions that advance gender equality; to also reiterate the need for greater investment in gender statistics, since less than half of the data required to monitor SDG 5 is currently available; |
| --- | --- |

(j)

to reiterate the need to enhance women’s and girls’ inclusion and participation in society; to reiterate the need to accelerate progress in gender equality, including through the promotion of laws, policies, budgets and institutions that advance gender equality; to also reiterate the need for greater investment in gender statistics, since less than half of the data required to monitor SDG 5 is currently available;

| (k) | to note that the post-pandemic recovery needs to take place in line with the green and digital transitions, and that STEM competences are set to play an ever more essential role in the future economy; |
| --- | --- |

(k)

to note that the post-pandemic recovery needs to take place in line with the green and digital transitions, and that STEM competences are set to play an ever more essential role in the future economy;

| (l) | to take into account that responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the digital transition and that the future of work will see an increase in the demand for technology professionals; to note in this context that there is continuing gender segregation in ICT education and ICT occupations and that thus the digital divide could be further deepened if not appropriately addressed; |
| --- | --- |

(l)

to take into account that responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the digital transition and that the future of work will see an increase in the demand for technology professionals; to note in this context that there is continuing gender segregation in ICT education and ICT occupations and that thus the digital divide could be further deepened if not appropriately addressed;

| (m) | to ensure that any policies connected with the digital transition take into account gender specific needs and do not negatively affect women, girls and people with diverse gender identities; to show greater commitment to the collection and analysis of gender-disaggregated data, including but not limited to gender, income, education, employment and age in order to allow informed and innovative policies, which are required to better understand and regulate the digital space if there are to be more equitable outcomes, and also to the collection and analysis of data on marginalised groups to capture the situation of people facing multiple discrimination; |
| --- | --- |

(m)

to ensure that any policies connected with the digital transition take into account gender specific needs and do not negatively affect women, girls and people with diverse gender identities; to show greater commitment to the collection and analysis of gender-disaggregated data, including but not limited to gender, income, education, employment and age in order to allow informed and innovative policies, which are required to better understand and regulate the digital space if there are to be more equitable outcomes, and also to the collection and analysis of data on marginalised groups to capture the situation of people facing multiple discrimination;

| (n) | to reiterate that women’s economic independence and empowerment is central to achieving gender equality and guaranteeing women’s rights; to underline the importance of access for women in all their diversity to emerging job opportunities in the digital transition with a view to ensuring that jobs in STEM are equally beneficial and accessible to all; to underline the need to support women’s entrepreneurship while addressing the gender norms and stereotypes that steer women and girls away from technology; to emphasise the need to support women digital innovators across multiple industrial ecosystems in order to build an inclusive digital economy; to fight against gender stereotyping and to promote more female role models, which deeply affects girls’ and women’s opportunities for finding a career in STEM and other digital-related roles, and to promote increases in the number of women in leadership positions in the digital sector; |
| --- | --- |

(n)

to reiterate that women’s economic independence and empowerment is central to achieving gender equality and guaranteeing women’s rights; to underline the importance of access for women in all their diversity to emerging job opportunities in the digital transition with a view to ensuring that jobs in STEM are equally beneficial and accessible to all; to underline the need to support women’s entrepreneurship while addressing the gender norms and stereotypes that steer women and girls away from technology; to emphasise the need to support women digital innovators across multiple industrial ecosystems in order to build an inclusive digital economy; to fight against gender stereotyping and to promote more female role models, which deeply affects girls’ and women’s opportunities for finding a career in STEM and other digital-related roles, and to promote increases in the number of women in leadership positions in the digital sector;

| (o) | to underline the importance of addressing the diverse representation of women in online platforms and social media, through a better understanding of the related technology, digital skills as well as access to digital means; to stress the importance of this as helping women’s participation in peace and security matters; |
| --- | --- |

(o)

to underline the importance of addressing the diverse representation of women in online platforms and social media, through a better understanding of the related technology, digital skills as well as access to digital means; to stress the importance of this as helping women’s participation in peace and security matters;

| (p) | to work with the United Nations to ensure that the Global Digital Compact to be adopted in 2024 and aiming to outline shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all is gender-sensitive and takes into account the specific needs of women and girls in the digital transformation, leaving no one behind; |
| --- | --- |

(p)

to work with the United Nations to ensure that the Global Digital Compact to be adopted in 2024 and aiming to outline shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all is gender-sensitive and takes into account the specific needs of women and girls in the digital transformation, leaving no one behind;

| (q) | to underline that gender-based cyberviolence is often a continuation of offline gender-based violence and that all effective policy considerations must take into account this reality; to reiterate the need for effective policies and measures to prevent, combat and criminalise all forms of gender-based violence, including online; to acknowledge the importance of taking account of the overlap between gender-based cyberviolence and human trafficking based on sexual exploitation of women and girls; to support calls to put an end to sexual exploitation online, including sex trafficking and other forms of assault and abuse of women and children; |
| --- | --- |

(q)

to underline that gender-based cyberviolence is often a continuation of offline gender-based violence and that all effective policy considerations must take into account this reality; to reiterate the need for effective policies and measures to prevent, combat and criminalise all forms of gender-based violence, including online; to acknowledge the importance of taking account of the overlap between gender-based cyberviolence and human trafficking based on sexual exploitation of women and girls; to support calls to put an end to sexual exploitation online, including sex trafficking and other forms of assault and abuse of women and children;

| (r) | to promote awareness-raising campaigns, training and educational programmes, including on digital education, literacy and skills, which should also target the younger generation, to combat gender-based cyberviolence; |
| --- | --- |

(r)

to promote awareness-raising campaigns, training and educational programmes, including on digital education, literacy and skills, which should also target the younger generation, to combat gender-based cyberviolence;

| (s) | to strengthen international efforts to fight against the impunity of perpetrators of gender-based cyberviolence; to stress the need to look for legal and sociological solutions for all instances of online and technology-facilitated gender-based violence, taking account of issues such as non-consensual distribution and manipulation of intimate images and information, the use of deepfake technologies to generate harmful images, online hate speech, cyber harassment, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, hacking, identity-theft and sharing content without consent; to promote access to and the use of ICT as tools to combat gender discrimination and gender-based violence, as well as to achieve appropriate work-life balance; |
| --- | --- |

(s)

to strengthen international efforts to fight against the impunity of perpetrators of gender-based cyberviolence; to stress the need to look for legal and sociological solutions for all instances of online and technology-facilitated gender-based violence, taking account of issues such as non-consensual distribution and manipulation of intimate images and information, the use of deepfake technologies to generate harmful images, online hate speech, cyber harassment, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, hacking, identity-theft and sharing content without consent; to promote access to and the use of ICT as tools to combat gender discrimination and gender-based violence, as well as to achieve appropriate work-life balance;

| (t) | to point to the need to protect democracy and human rights in the digital space, such as freedom of expression, the right to privacy and data protection; to underline the dangers posed online to women human rights defenders (WHRDs), women politicians, journalists and other women and LGBTIQ+ activists, as cyberviolence and harassment is often instrumentalised in attempts to silence women’s voices; to promote efforts to protect them; |
| --- | --- |

(t)

to point to the need to protect democracy and human rights in the digital space, such as freedom of expression, the right to privacy and data protection; to underline the dangers posed online to women human rights defenders (WHRDs), women politicians, journalists and other women and LGBTIQ+ activists, as cyberviolence and harassment is often instrumentalised in attempts to silence women’s voices; to promote efforts to protect them;

| (u) | to advocate for stronger regulation of online platforms, with particular focus on the protection of women’s rights and elimination of gender-based violence online; |
| --- | --- |

(u)

to advocate for stronger regulation of online platforms, with particular focus on the protection of women’s rights and elimination of gender-based violence online;

| (v) | to emphasise the need to protect and promote the rights of groups experiencing multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination, including women with disabilities, racialised women, including Black women and women of colour, migrant and ethnic minority women, older women, women with lower education levels, women with health problems, single mothers and LGBTIQ+ women in rural and depopulated areas; to work to promote the concept of combating multiple discrimination and to integrate intersectional analysis throughout all UN bodies, as well as in the EU and its Member States; |
| --- | --- |

(v)

to emphasise the need to protect and promote the rights of groups experiencing multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination, including women with disabilities, racialised women, including Black women and women of colour, migrant and ethnic minority women, older women, women with lower education levels, women with health problems, single mothers and LGBTIQ+ women in rural and depopulated areas; to work to promote the concept of combating multiple discrimination and to integrate intersectional analysis throughout all UN bodies, as well as in the EU and its Member States;

| (w) | to ensure that any policies connected with the digital transition take into account gender-specific needs and do not negatively affect women, girls and people with diverse gender identities; |
| --- | --- |

(w)

to ensure that any policies connected with the digital transition take into account gender-specific needs and do not negatively affect women, girls and people with diverse gender identities;

| 2. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the EU Special Representative for Human Rights. |
| --- | --- |

2.

---

(1)  OJ C 390, 18.11.2019, p. 28.

(2)  OJ C 456, 10.11.2021, p. 232.

(3)  OJ C 67, 8.2.2022, p. 137.

(4)  OJ C 251, 30.6.2022, p. 2.

(5)  OJ C 465, 6.12.2022, p. 54.

(6)  https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2020/The-digital-revolution-Implications-for-gender-equality-and-womens-rights-25-years-after-Beijing-en.pdf

(7)  https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2022-10/CSW67%20EGM%20Draft%20Concept%20Note.pdf

(8)  https://www.itu.int/women-and-girls/women-in-ict/

(9)  EPRS briefing, Beijing Platform for Action: 25-year review and future priorities, 27 February 2020, available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2020)646194

(10)  UNESCO-IESALC and Times Higher Education, Gender Equality: How global universities are performing, 2022.

(11)  UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union, Towards an equal future: Reimagining girls’ education through STEM, UNICEF, New York, October 2020.

(12)  https://www.womenintech.co.uk/women-technology-survey-2019

(13)  https://eige.europa.eu/publications/cyber-violence-against-women-and-girls

(14)  https://plan-international.org/news/2020/10/05/abuse-and-harassment-driving-girls-off-facebook-instagram-and-twitter/

---

Thursday 16 February 2023

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/12 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/12

---

P9_TA(2023)0049

The situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the situation of human rights defenders in Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani Maseko (2023/2551(RSP))

(2023/C 283/03)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

| A. | whereas in Eswatini, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, human rights and fundamental freedoms are curtailed and political parties are outlawed; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas in Eswatini, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, human rights and fundamental freedoms are curtailed and political parties are outlawed;

| B. | whereas on 21 January 2023, Thulani Maseko, a prominent human rights and trade union lawyer and chairman of Eswatini pro-democracy organisation the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, renowned for his efforts in advancing democracy, the rule of law, good governance and human rights, was killed at his home just hours after King Mswati III made threats against members of Eswatini’s pro-democracy movement; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas on 21 January 2023, Thulani Maseko, a prominent human rights and trade union lawyer and chairman of Eswatini pro-democracy organisation the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, renowned for his efforts in advancing democracy, the rule of law, good governance and human rights, was killed at his home just hours after King Mswati III made threats against members of Eswatini’s pro-democracy movement;

| C. | whereas in 2021, protests demanding democratic reforms began and the King’s government launched a brutal crackdown on human rights activism, retaliating with arbitrary detentions, harassment, threats and abductions, internet shutdowns and bans on protests; whereas several dozen people have been killed by the security forces; whereas mercenaries have allegedly been hired to repress growing dissent; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas in 2021, protests demanding democratic reforms began and the King’s government launched a brutal crackdown on human rights activism, retaliating with arbitrary detentions, harassment, threats and abductions, internet shutdowns and bans on protests; whereas several dozen people have been killed by the security forces; whereas mercenaries have allegedly been hired to repress growing dissent;

| D. | whereas Members of the Eswatini Parliament Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza have been in jail since July 2021; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas Members of the Eswatini Parliament Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza have been in jail since July 2021;

| E. | whereas the security forces systematically intimidate trade unionists and violate fundamental workers’ rights; whereas the authorities have detained and allegedly tortured student union leaders; whereas other human rights problems in Eswatini include impunity for the security forces and discrimination against women and minorities; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas the security forces systematically intimidate trade unionists and violate fundamental workers’ rights; whereas the authorities have detained and allegedly tortured student union leaders; whereas other human rights problems in Eswatini include impunity for the security forces and discrimination against women and minorities;

| 1. | Strongly condemns the killing of Thulani Maseko; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Calls for a prompt, independent, impartial, transparent and thorough investigation, under the auspices of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN, into the attacks against other pro-democracy and human rights activists and the alleged recruitment of mercenaries to help security forces repress opposition; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Condemns the widespread human rights violations in Eswatini and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners — particularly MPs Mthandeni Dube and Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza — and an immediate end to the harassment, violence and pressure exercised against human rights defenders, trade unionists, pro-democracy activists and politicians; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Urges the authorities in Eswatini to respect, promote and protect human rights, including the freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and to allow the people of Eswatini to exercise their civil and political rights; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Considers the imprisonment of politicians and human rights defenders and the banning of trade unions to be clear contraventions of Eswatini’s commitments under the Cotonou Agreement; stresses that the country’s authorities must respect the principles of the International Labour Organization; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Urges the authorities in Eswatini to respect their commitments and launch, without delay, a comprehensive dialogue with all affected stakeholders to work towards national reconciliation and the protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy, with the ultimate goal of lasting peace, mediated and supported by the Southern African Development Community; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Calls for the EU to review and, where applicable, suspend support programmes for Eswatini where funds risk being used for activities that violate human rights; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and to the Kingdom of Eswatini. |
| --- | --- |

8.

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/14 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/14

---

P9_TA(2023)0050

Violence against opposition activists in Equatorial Guinea, notably the case of Julio Obama Mefuman

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on violence against opposition activists in Equatorial Guinea, notably the case of Julio Obama Mefuman (2023/2552(RSP))

(2023/C 283/04)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

| A. | whereas since 1979 Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by Teodoro Obiang Nguema’s regime, whose long disregard for, and violation of, human rights has resulted in barbarous acts, such as the persecution of hundreds of political opponents, government critics and human rights defenders; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas since 1979 Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by Teodoro Obiang Nguema’s regime, whose long disregard for, and violation of, human rights has resulted in barbarous acts, such as the persecution of hundreds of political opponents, government critics and human rights defenders;

| B. | whereas four members of the Equatoguinean opposition movement Movimiento para la Liberacion de Guinea Ecuatorial Tercera Republic (MLGE3R), namely two dual Spanish and Equatoguinean citizens, Julio Obama Mefuman and Feliciano Efa Mangue, and two Equatoguinean citizens living in Spain, Martín Obiang Ondo Mbasogo and Bienvenido Ndong Ono, were kidnapped in South Sudan in late 2019 and flown to Equatorial Guinea on Teodoro Obiang’s presidential plane; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas four members of the Equatoguinean opposition movement Movimiento para la Liberacion de Guinea Ecuatorial Tercera Republic (MLGE3R), namely two dual Spanish and Equatoguinean citizens, Julio Obama Mefuman and Feliciano Efa Mangue, and two Equatoguinean citizens living in Spain, Martín Obiang Ondo Mbasogo and Bienvenido Ndong Ono, were kidnapped in South Sudan in late 2019 and flown to Equatorial Guinea on Teodoro Obiang’s presidential plane;

| C. | whereas Obama Mefuman and Efa Mangue were denied consular assistance, tried without guarantees of a fair trial and sentenced in March 2020 in Equatorial Guinea to 60 and 90 years in prison, respectively, on charges of terrorism and participation in an alleged attempted coup against President Obiang in 2017; whereas they were both allegedly tortured repeatedly; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas Obama Mefuman and Efa Mangue were denied consular assistance, tried without guarantees of a fair trial and sentenced in March 2020 in Equatorial Guinea to 60 and 90 years in prison, respectively, on charges of terrorism and participation in an alleged attempted coup against President Obiang in 2017; whereas they were both allegedly tortured repeatedly;

| D. | whereas Obama Mefuman died on 15 January 2023 in Mongomo; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas Obama Mefuman died on 15 January 2023 in Mongomo;

| 1. | Strongly condemns the death of Spanish citizen Obama Mefuman in custody and holds the Equatoguinean dictatorial regime responsible; calls for the repatriation of his body and for the release of the three remaining MLGE3R members; urges Equatorial Guinea to cooperate fully with the Spanish judicial authorities; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Deplores the dictatorial Obiang regime’s systematic and organised strategy of political persecution and repression of political opponents domestically and abroad; strongly condemns the country’s barbaric repression of human rights defenders and its lack of democratic space for political opponents and government critics, which translates into arbitrary detention, harassment, abductions, forced transfers, torture, murders and death sentences; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Demands the immediate and unconditional cessation of the hounding of members of the democratic opposition and the release of political prisoners; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Calls on the authorities in Equatorial Guinea to urgently comply with international human rights law and to ensure that all detainees are protected against torture and ill-treatment, held in humane conditions, judged in fair trials and have access to their families and lawyers; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Urges the Member States and the Commission, in their relations with the Government of Equatorial Guinea, to show the utmost firmness in demanding an end to all political persecution and repression and an independent international inquiry into the death of Obama Mefuman and into the wider situation of political prisoners and human rights defenders; further calls for the suspension of any type of military, police and security cooperation and stresses that any cooperation with the regime must be conditional upon respect for human rights and democratic openness; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Calls for the EU to sanction regime members that have perpetrated human rights violations; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Is extremely concerned about the extra-territorial actions of the Government of Equatorial Guinea, including the targeting and kidnapping of political dissidents who hold citizenship or are resident in third countries, including within the EU; urges the European External Action Service, EUROPOL, EUROJUST and Commission to work closely with Member State investigative and judicial authorities to strengthen protection for EU citizens and those resident in the EU; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, EUROPOL, EUROJUST, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the African Union, the Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Government of Equatorial Guinea. |
| --- | --- |

8.

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/16 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/16

---

P9_TA(2023)0051

The recent deterioration of the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexey Navalny and other political prisoners in Russia

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexei Navalny (2023/2553(RSP))

(2023/C 283/05)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia,

| — | having regard to Rule 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

| A. | whereas Alexei Navalny, a prominent Russian political figure and laureate of the 2021 Sakharov Prize, who was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent by the Kremlin regime, has been detained since 17 January 2021 and is currently incarcerated in a penal colony; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas Alexei Navalny, a prominent Russian political figure and laureate of the 2021 Sakharov Prize, who was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent by the Kremlin regime, has been detained since 17 January 2021 and is currently incarcerated in a penal colony;

| B. | whereas since his arrest, Navalny has been subjected to ill-treatment, including torture, arbitrary punishment and psychological pressure; whereas Navalny has not had visitors for the last eight months; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas since his arrest, Navalny has been subjected to ill-treatment, including torture, arbitrary punishment and psychological pressure; whereas Navalny has not had visitors for the last eight months;

| C. | whereas Navalny is due to stand trial in March or April 2023 on new charges, and risks a further prison sentence of up to 35 years; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas Navalny is due to stand trial in March or April 2023 on new charges, and risks a further prison sentence of up to 35 years;

| D. | whereas since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian authorities have increased their repression of political opposition and civil society; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian authorities have increased their repression of political opposition and civil society;

| E. | whereas the Kremlin’s behaviour towards political opponents and political prisoners, including Navalny, reveals its brutal nature, as does its war against both Ukraine and democratically-minded Russians; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas the Kremlin’s behaviour towards political opponents and political prisoners, including Navalny, reveals its brutal nature, as does its war against both Ukraine and democratically-minded Russians;

| 1. | Stands together with Alexei Navalny and all other brave Russian political prisoners in their fight for democracy in Russia; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Calls for the release of Navalny and all other political prisoners in Russia, including Dmitry Ivanov, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ioann Kurmoyarov, Viktoria Petrova, Maria Ponomarenko, Aleksandra Skochilenko, Dmitry Talantov, Aleksei Gorinov, Ilya Yashin and others who have been prosecuted solely for their association with Navalny, their opposition to the war of aggression against Ukraine or under Article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Demands that, pending their release, the conditions in which Navalny and all other prisoners are detained be brought into compliance with Russia’s international obligations, in particular regarding Navalny’s access to doctors of his choice and medical treatment in a civilian hospital, his right to move to a pre-trial facility with access to his lawyers, and communication with his family; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Reiterates its calls for the EU institutions to continue monitoring the human rights situation in Russia; urges the EU to support Russian civil society; urges Member States to provide assistance to Russian human rights defenders, pro-democracy activists and independent journalists in and outside of Russia; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Stresses that both Ukraine and democracy in Russia must be victorious, and that both victories will also be victories for Alexei Navalny; calls for the EU and the whole democratic community to have a clear strategy to assist in both victories as the best demonstration of our solidarity with Alexei Navalny and all others who are fighting for the democratic future of Russia; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Stresses that Putin must be put on trial for crimes against his own population; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Urges the Council to adopt restrictive measures against those responsible for arbitrary prosecutions and torture against anti-war protesters; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Russian authorities. |
| --- | --- |

8.

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| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/18 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/18

---

P9_TA(2023)0053

An EU strategy to boost industrial competitiveness, trade and quality jobs

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on an EU strategy to boost industrial competitiveness, trade and quality jobs (2023/2513(RSP))

(2023/C 283/06)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 10 March 2020 entitled ‘An SME Strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe’ (COM(2020)0103), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 10 March 2020 entitled ‘An SME Strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe’ (COM(2020)0103),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 10 March 2020 entitled ‘A New Industrial Strategy for Europe’ (COM(2020)0102), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 10 March 2020 entitled ‘A New Industrial Strategy for Europe’ (COM(2020)0102),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 11 March 2020 entitled ‘A new Circular Economy Action Plan for a cleaner and more competitive Europe’ (COM(2020)0098), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 11 March 2020 entitled ‘A new Circular Economy Action Plan for a cleaner and more competitive Europe’ (COM(2020)0098),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 8 July 2020 entitled ‘A hydrogen strategy for a climate-neutral Europe’ (COM(2020)0301), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 8 July 2020 entitled ‘A hydrogen strategy for a climate-neutral Europe’ (COM(2020)0301),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 24 September 2020 entitled ‘A Capital Markets Union for people and businesses — new action plan’ (COM(2020)0590), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 24 September 2020 entitled ‘A Capital Markets Union for people and businesses — new action plan’ (COM(2020)0590),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 5 May 2021 entitled ‘Updating the 2020 New Industrial Strategy: Building a stronger Single Market for Europe’s recovery’ (COM(2021)0350), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 5 May 2021 entitled ‘Updating the 2020 New Industrial Strategy: Building a stronger Single Market for Europe’s recovery’ (COM(2021)0350),

| — | having regard to the Commission staff working document of 5 May 2021 entitled ‘Strategic dependencies and capacities’ (SWD(2021)0352), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission staff working document of 5 May 2021 entitled ‘Strategic dependencies and capacities’ (SWD(2021)0352),

| — | having regard to the Commission staff working document of 5 May 2021 entitled ‘Annual Single Market Report 2021’ (SWD(2021)0351), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission staff working document of 5 May 2021 entitled ‘Annual Single Market Report 2021’ (SWD(2021)0351),

| — | having regard to the Commission staff working document of 5 May 2021 entitled ‘Towards competitive and clean European steel’ (SWD(2021)0353), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission staff working document of 5 May 2021 entitled ‘Towards competitive and clean European steel’ (SWD(2021)0353),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 15 September 2022 entitled ‘Implementation of the Updated New Industrial Strategy for Europe: aligning spending to policy’ (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 15 September 2022 entitled ‘Implementation of the Updated New Industrial Strategy for Europe: aligning spending to policy’ (1),

| — | having regard to Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 establishing the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 establishing the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 (2),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 1 February 2023 entitled ‘A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age’ (COM(2023)0062), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 1 February 2023 entitled ‘A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age’ (COM(2023)0062),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2022 entitled ‘The social and economic consequences for the EU of the Russian war in Ukraine — reinforcing the EU’s capacity to act’ (3), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2022 entitled ‘The social and economic consequences for the EU of the Russian war in Ukraine — reinforcing the EU’s capacity to act’ (3),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 5 October 2022 on the EU’s response to the increase in energy prices in Europe (4), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 5 October 2022 on the EU’s response to the increase in energy prices in Europe (4),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 25 November 2020 on a new industrial strategy for Europe (5), |
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—

having regard to its resolution of 25 November 2020 on a new industrial strategy for Europe (5),

| — | having regard to the Council conclusions of 21 November 2018 on a future EU industrial policy strategy, |
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—

having regard to the Council conclusions of 21 November 2018 on a future EU industrial policy strategy,

| — | having regard to the Council conclusions of 27 May 2019 on an EU industrial policy strategy: a vision for 2030, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council conclusions of 27 May 2019 on an EU industrial policy strategy: a vision for 2030,

| — | having regard to the Council conclusions of 16 November 2020 on a recovery advancing the transition towards a more dynamic, resilient and competitive European industry, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council conclusions of 16 November 2020 on a recovery advancing the transition towards a more dynamic, resilient and competitive European industry,

| — | having regard to the Council conclusions of 17 December 2020 on making the recovery circular and green, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council conclusions of 17 December 2020 on making the recovery circular and green,

| — | having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

| A. | whereas the EU’s industrial strategy should enable European industry to foster the green and digital transitions and at the same time defend its open strategic autonomy, preserve its competitiveness on the global market, maintain a high level of employment and quality jobs in Europe and strengthen its ability to innovate and produce in Europe; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas the EU’s industrial strategy should enable European industry to foster the green and digital transitions and at the same time defend its open strategic autonomy, preserve its competitiveness on the global market, maintain a high level of employment and quality jobs in Europe and strengthen its ability to innovate and produce in Europe;

| B. | whereas in a changing geopolitical world, it is vital to strengthen European industrial competitiveness, to reduce European dependence on third countries for critical and strategic materials, products and technologies, as well as to provide for affordable, clean and secure energy for its industries; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas in a changing geopolitical world, it is vital to strengthen European industrial competitiveness, to reduce European dependence on third countries for critical and strategic materials, products and technologies, as well as to provide for affordable, clean and secure energy for its industries;

| C. | whereas the global race to shape the future of clean energy technology manufacturing is accelerating, stoked by massive public interventions, such as the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), by global powers; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas the global race to shape the future of clean energy technology manufacturing is accelerating, stoked by massive public interventions, such as the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), by global powers;

| D. | whereas the reinforcement of EU open strategic autonomy requires a combination of different solutions, including reducing energy and material use, boosting EU manufacturing and production capacities, investments in strategic sectors and research and development, and diversifying suppliers through sectoral partnerships and alliances, and trade and technology councils with partner countries; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas the reinforcement of EU open strategic autonomy requires a combination of different solutions, including reducing energy and material use, boosting EU manufacturing and production capacities, investments in strategic sectors and research and development, and diversifying suppliers through sectoral partnerships and alliances, and trade and technology councils with partner countries;

| E. | whereas the Union’s industrial strategy should also ensure the correct functioning of the single market, avoid market distortions and create a level playing field inside and outside the EU; whereas it also needs strong single market surveillance and enforcement in order to give a competitive edge to EU companies and lead the global transition to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and circular economy; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas the Union’s industrial strategy should also ensure the correct functioning of the single market, avoid market distortions and create a level playing field inside and outside the EU; whereas it also needs strong single market surveillance and enforcement in order to give a competitive edge to EU companies and lead the global transition to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and circular economy;

| F. | whereas not all Member States have the same fiscal space for State aid; whereas an uncoordinated response by the European Union and the Member States, which have varying fiscal space for State aid, could create a risk of fragmentation of the single market; whereas a very large majority of State aid approved under the Temporary Crisis Framework was notified by only two Member States; |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas not all Member States have the same fiscal space for State aid; whereas an uncoordinated response by the European Union and the Member States, which have varying fiscal space for State aid, could create a risk of fragmentation of the single market; whereas a very large majority of State aid approved under the Temporary Crisis Framework was notified by only two Member States;

| G. | whereas the Commission’s plan acknowledges that in order to respond to the current challenges, the EU should give faster access to sufficient funding, using private funding, State aid, EU funds and a new European Sovereignty Fund which could support the European industrial strategy; |
| --- | --- |

G.

whereas the Commission’s plan acknowledges that in order to respond to the current challenges, the EU should give faster access to sufficient funding, using private funding, State aid, EU funds and a new European Sovereignty Fund which could support the European industrial strategy;

| H. | whereas Parliament should always play the role of budgetary authority in any budgetary environment in order to ensure democratic accountability and transparency for the remainder of the current multiannual financial framework (MFF); |
| --- | --- |

H.

whereas Parliament should always play the role of budgetary authority in any budgetary environment in order to ensure democratic accountability and transparency for the remainder of the current multiannual financial framework (MFF);

| I. | whereas the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has shown us that peace in Europe cannot be taken for granted; whereas its consequences, including the rises in energy prices as well as inflation, have created an unprecedented economic turmoil and a cost-of-living crisis in Europe, the evolution of which is highly uncertain; |
| --- | --- |

I.

whereas the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has shown us that peace in Europe cannot be taken for granted; whereas its consequences, including the rises in energy prices as well as inflation, have created an unprecedented economic turmoil and a cost-of-living crisis in Europe, the evolution of which is highly uncertain;

| J. | whereas energy-intensive industry, which employs 8 million workers in Europe, is facing high energy prices, with gas prices being around six times higher than the average over the previous 10 years, and more than four times higher than in the United States; |
| --- | --- |

J.

whereas energy-intensive industry, which employs 8 million workers in Europe, is facing high energy prices, with gas prices being around six times higher than the average over the previous 10 years, and more than four times higher than in the United States;

| K. | whereas education, vocational training and higher education have a global and relevant impact on the quality of jobs and on the future of European industry in the context of open strategic autonomy and the green and digital transitions; whereas the university community plays a key role in terms of innovation and research in industry; |
| --- | --- |

K.

whereas education, vocational training and higher education have a global and relevant impact on the quality of jobs and on the future of European industry in the context of open strategic autonomy and the green and digital transitions; whereas the university community plays a key role in terms of innovation and research in industry;

| L. | whereas the Union has the objective to achieve at least 80 % coverage of collective bargaining in the Member States, in line with the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages (6); |
| --- | --- |

L.

whereas the Union has the objective to achieve at least 80 % coverage of collective bargaining in the Member States, in line with the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages (6);

| M. | whereas industry requires stable and predictable rules to ensure a level playing field and to combat unfair practices from third countries and from within the Union; whereas the EU should continue to promote an open economy based on fair competition within Europe and in its relations with its international partners; |
| --- | --- |

M.

whereas industry requires stable and predictable rules to ensure a level playing field and to combat unfair practices from third countries and from within the Union; whereas the EU should continue to promote an open economy based on fair competition within Europe and in its relations with its international partners;

| N. | whereas this includes consolidating the EU’s partnerships with Latin America, and ratifying the agreements with Chile, New Zealand and Mexico; whereas it also includes ratifying the outstanding bilateral agreement with Mercosur, provided that pre-ratification commitments on climate change, deforestation and other concerns are satisfactory; whereas it also means monitoring further negotiations and the possible conclusion of the agreement with Australia and pushing for negotiations to begin on a bilateral investment agreement with Taiwan as well as to further advance our partnership of equals with Africa following the European Union — African Union summit of 2022; whereas EU trade policy should aim to ensure that our free trade agreements come with strong sustainable development chapters, which include sanctions enforceable as a last resort, strong labour standards in line with International Labour Organization conventions, and environmental and climate change commitments; |
| --- | --- |

N.

whereas this includes consolidating the EU’s partnerships with Latin America, and ratifying the agreements with Chile, New Zealand and Mexico; whereas it also includes ratifying the outstanding bilateral agreement with Mercosur, provided that pre-ratification commitments on climate change, deforestation and other concerns are satisfactory; whereas it also means monitoring further negotiations and the possible conclusion of the agreement with Australia and pushing for negotiations to begin on a bilateral investment agreement with Taiwan as well as to further advance our partnership of equals with Africa following the European Union — African Union summit of 2022; whereas EU trade policy should aim to ensure that our free trade agreements come with strong sustainable development chapters, which include sanctions enforceable as a last resort, strong labour standards in line with International Labour Organization conventions, and environmental and climate change commitments;

| O. | whereas the EU is a world leader in research and innovation, including industrial innovation, owing to its world-leading institutions, engineering companies and highly skilled labour force; |
| --- | --- |

O.

whereas the EU is a world leader in research and innovation, including industrial innovation, owing to its world-leading institutions, engineering companies and highly skilled labour force;

| 1. | Welcomes the Commission communication of 1 February 2023 entitled ‘A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age’; believes that the European industrial strategy should be designed both for securing European leadership in clean energy technologies and for improving the existing industrial base and supporting its transformation in the future to provide high-quality jobs and economic growth for all Europeans in order to achieve the objectives of the Green Deal; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Stresses the importance of enhancing the EU’s manufacturing capabilities in key strategic technologies, such as solar and wind energy, heat pumps, electricity grids, batteries, long-duration energy storage, electrolyser manufacturing for renewable hydrogen and pre-fabricated sustainable building materials; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Underlines the importance of the Commission fully developing the Transition Pathways, setting out the actions and support measures needed to ensure all sectors maintain their competitiveness, while decarbonising in order to contribute to the Union’s climate and Green Deal objectives; |
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3.

| 4. | Asks the Commission and the Council to take into account the following considerations in order to ensure that the plan achieves the objectives of open strategic autonomy and the green and digital transitions, is truly European, ensures Europe’s competitiveness, strives to develop industrial capacity throughout the Union and protects the single market’s integrity, while ensuring that jobs remain in Europe and Europeans are in possession of adequate skills to cope with the current challenges; |
| --- | --- |

4.

A predictable and simplified regulatory environment

| 5. | Stresses that the Transition Pathways must enhance long-term investor certainty and regulatory predictability, and serve as guidelines for future policy actions, which, in turn, must orient future industrial and investment decisions; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Calls on the Commission to elaborate an effective strategy to redeploy, relocate and re-shore industries in Europe, diversifying supply chains and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, taking into account the positive spill-over effects across Member States; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Notes that European standards will be used to promote the roll-out of strategic technologies; believes that European standards play a very important role in the functioning of the single market and can enhance the competitiveness of European industry, reduce costs and improve safety, as well as increase productive and innovative efficiency; emphasises the importance of a strong European presence in the international standardisation bodies; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Calls on the Commission to tailor its industrial strategy for competitiveness to the scaling-up and commercialisation of strategic technologies in the Union to bridge the gap between innovation and market deployment, by providing risk financing for early-stage technology and demonstration projects, and by developing early value chains to provide support to commercial-scale, zero-emission technologies and other environmentally sustainable products above others; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Highlights the need to ensure fast permitting procedures and predictability to set up new projects aiming to use clean and renewable energy sources and improving the sustainability of existing ones as quickly as possible, while reducing the administrative burden to a minimum and in full compliance with the regulatory framework; in this context, encourages the Commission and the Member States to process applications for supporting measures related to the planning, construction and operation of such projects as rapidly as possible; |
| --- | --- |

9.

| 10. | Takes note of the Commission’s proposal for a Critical Raw Materials Act; recalls the importance of secure access to critical raw materials as a prerequisite for the ecological and digital transformation, for achieving our climate targets, for competitive value chains in Europe and for strengthening strategic independence; further recalls the need for building up recycling and stable secondary markets as well as for research for substitution of critical raw materials; insists on fully exploiting the potential of domestic resources respecting adequate standards; strongly believes that strategic European projects need faster and more transparent permitting, access to new funding and a coherent policy framework; |
| --- | --- |

10.

| 11. | Underlines the importance of a just transition aimed at maintaining quality jobs and employment in Europe through increased industrial competitiveness; calls for adequate measures to support the re-industrialisation and prevent the de-industrialisation of European regions through strategic interregional investment projects and through development plans for vulnerable regions, particularly regions in transition, in rural and remote areas; |
| --- | --- |

11.

| 12. | Insists that the Commission should carry out a sovereignty test in its impact assessment in order to assess the potential impact of European legislation and funds on the creation of new undesirable dependencies, in particular dependencies on non-market economies and unreliable partners; asks the Commission also to screen key existing legislation within the regulatory fitness and performance programme in that regard; |
| --- | --- |

12.

Energy and dependencies

| 13. | Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure energy supplies for next winter and to come up with additional and ambitious plans, to take all necessary measures to accelerate production capacities for affordable, secure and clean energy to be made available to our industries and to increase energy savings and energy efficiency measures; welcomes, in this context, the Commission’s intention to reform the electricity market design; |
| --- | --- |

13.

| 14. | Underlines the importance of kick-starting the hydrogen market, while working towards clean hydrogen, by assessing the role of its various types, making its production faster and less bureaucratic, and developing a plan to create the needed infrastructure as a matter of urgency; |
| --- | --- |

14.

| 15. | Insists on the importance of predictability, certainty and long-term signals to investors and other economic agents for facilitating and boosting the vital changes across the economy; |
| --- | --- |

15.

| 16. | Stresses the importance of enhancing the EU’s open strategic autonomy by boosting its capabilities in the key strategic technologies identified in the Commission communication entitled ‘A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age’, as well as other technologies which are fundamental for European industrial competitiveness, such as the Key Enabling Technologies; welcomes the launch of the European Solar Photovoltaic Industry Alliance and of the European Clean Tech Platform at the end of 2022; |
| --- | --- |

16.

Regulatory burden

| 17. | Reiterates the need to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens for companies, especially SMEs and start-ups, while maintaining the highest standards for consumers, workers and health and environmental protection; continues to support the ‘one in, one out’ principle to reach this goal; |
| --- | --- |

17.

| 18. | Supports the introduction by the Commission of a competitiveness test as part of its preparation of new legislation, bearing in mind that any assessment should also take into account the protection of and safeguards for workers and social rights; considers that, to help achieve the Union’s policy objectives, the measures proposed in the context of this plan should, where relevant, take advantage of and inspire innovation-friendly regulation, in line with the innovation principle, to support a faster and more intensive transformation of the Union’s substantial knowledge assets into innovation; |
| --- | --- |

18.

Faster access to sufficient funding and the European Sovereignty Fund

| 19. | Highlights that new political initiatives, objectives and tasks funded through the EU budget, including both EU-wide and cross-border projects, must be financed with additional fresh money; highlights the MFF mid-term revision as a timely and unique opportunity to incorporate any new funds into the EU budget; |
| --- | --- |

19.

| 20. | Calls on the Commission to carry out a clear assessment of the costs and investment gaps, also taking into account the IRA and its impact on the Union as a whole and in individual Member States; |
| --- | --- |

20.

| 21. | Calls on the Commission and the Member States to make EU funding conditional on relevant requirements linked to public policy objectives, in particular social, environmental and financial requirements, and respect EU labour rights, standards and improved working conditions, which should be fulfilled by beneficiaries for as long as they receive public support, while ensuring fair and open competition, a level playing field between our companies, and respect for the fundamental principles on which our single market is based; |
| --- | --- |

21.

| 22. | Underlines that the recent geopolitical challenges the Union has been facing demonstrate that the EU must take all necessary measures to ensure its open strategic autonomy, including in defence; |
| --- | --- |

22.

| 23. | Highlights the need to reinforce the InvestEU programme in the upcoming MFF mid-term revision, in line with the Green Deal objectives; recalls the importance of reviewing the InvestEU Regulation (7) in order to broaden the scope of capital support and create an additional window for investments in strategic sectors in order to help enterprises besides SMEs, as well as to support those which have suffered from the impacts of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the energy crisis, inflation and those which could be impacted further by the IRA; insists on the importance of reducing bureaucracy and streamlining application processes to increase absorption capacity; |
| --- | --- |

23.

| 24. | Considers it essential for the proposal on the new European Sovereignty Fund to be based on this assessment so that it responds to real needs, maps existing funds, including the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the current MFF, and utilises, to the greatest extent possible, existing funds that have not been utilised yet and to provide fresh money; insists that the fund must not be financed at the expense of cohesion funds or funds which have already been committed; |
| --- | --- |

24.

| 25. | Highlights that new own resources are a key enabler for the Union to implement its policy priorities; stresses that the introduction of such new own resources would assure sustainable financing of the EU budget on a long-term basis in order to avoid new EU priorities being financed to the detriment of existing EU programmes and policies; believes that introducing new own resources as agreed in the legally binding Inter Institutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 will achieve lasting benefits; in this respect, urges the Commission and the Member States involved in the negotiations on the enhanced cooperation to do their utmost to reach an agreement on the financial transaction tax before the end of June 2023; asks, in addition, the Commission to be even more ambitious and come forward with proposals for new genuine own resources; |
| --- | --- |

25.

| 26. | Considers that the European Sovereignty Fund should strengthen our open strategic autonomy in a comprehensive way and the green and digital transitions in a comprehensive way, that it should be integrated into the MFF as part of the in-depth revision of the current MFF, and should also mobilise private investments; |
| --- | --- |

26.

| 27. | Considers, furthermore, that the fund should finance cross-border energy infrastructure, avoiding lock-in effects on fossil fuels, as well as funding renewable energy production and energy efficiency, reinforcing the path towards the European Green Deal, as well as cybersecurity, industrial competitiveness, the circular economy, food security and sustainable development; |
| --- | --- |

27.

| 28. | Considers that the fund should also increase European investments across the Union in key strategic sectors, including, among others, health, raw materials and space; considers that these investments are key to increase our open strategic autonomy and reduce our dependencies in strategic sectors; |
| --- | --- |

28.

| 29. | Considers that one of the fund’s objectives is also to avoid the fragmentation caused by national schemes and ensure a truly united European response to the current crisis; highlights the multiple advantages of operating through the EU budget rather than through uncoordinated national State aid provision; stands firmly against any attempt to make State aid rules flexible while not providing a European solution to all Member States that do not have large fiscal capacities to rely on massive State aid; |
| --- | --- |

29.

| 30. | Insists that any new fund should be established according to the ordinary legislative procedure and be incorporated into the MFF, thereby ensuring full oversight by Parliament; considers that the MFF ceilings should be adjusted to accommodate all new funds, political initiatives, objectives or tasks funded through the EU budget; notes, in this context, that the EU budget is currently suffering from inflationary pressure; |
| --- | --- |

30.

| 31. | Calls on the Commission and the Council to reinforce the European instrument for temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE) to support short-time work schemes, workers’ income and workers that would be temporarily laid-off because of the increase in energy prices; |
| --- | --- |

31.

| 32. | Stresses that the Member States should unleash the full potential of the existing green public procurement instruments to empower all levels of governance to make smart and strategic procurement choices and strengthen the EU’s industrial base; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to issue strategic guidance on public procurement as soon as possible; urges the Commission to develop policy solutions to encourage more sustainable procurement; considers, in this context, that the use of social and environmental award criteria by contracting authorities should be extended, as it would help to stimulate the sustainable transition in a harmonised and coordinated manner across the Member States; calls on the Commission to strongly enforce the social clause of the existing EU Public Procurement Directive (8); recalls that according to current EU law, it should also be possible to include clauses ensuring compliance with collective agreements without breaching Union law on public contracts; |
| --- | --- |

32.

| 33. | Is convinced that, to date, the potential for integration of innovative, social and environmental considerations of the EU Public Procurement Directive on public procurement have only partially been exploited in the EU; calls on the Member States and the Commission to make the best use of the existing rules for fostering the production and use of products made in the EU; calls for using this Directive, including innovation partnerships, to regain sovereignty over essential sectors, help foster a socially and environmentally sustainable economy, strengthen local businesses, and particularly SMEs; |
| --- | --- |

33.

| 34. | Encourages the Commission and the Member States to pay particular attention to the energy-intensive sectors in the REPowerEU chapters currently being developed; believes the financial support for the transition of this sector should be strengthened, if needed, in order to ensure their competitiveness and sustainability in the context of high energy prices; |
| --- | --- |

34.

State aid

| 35. | Is deeply convinced that the strong regulation of State aid in the single market is an essential part of Europe’s economic well-being, as it facilitates robust competition on a level playing field free of distortions; |
| --- | --- |

35.

| 36. | Stresses that EU State aid rules should be simplified and should allow for flexibilities in order to achieve Europe’s strategic objectives; welcomes, in this regard, the Commission’s preparatory work on a Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, including for companies producing strategic items, such as transformative technologies, clean innovative technologies, and for energy purposes; stresses that any flexibility should be targeted, temporary, proportionate and consistent with EU policy objectives; |
| --- | --- |

36.

| 37. | Supports the Commission in proposing a framework on tax incentives that do not distort the single market; |
| --- | --- |

37.

| 38. | Stresses, however, that uncoordinated State aid rules across Europe would hamper economic recovery and jeopardise the existence of the single market; believes that State aid controls are intended to enhance consumer welfare and preserve the level playing field; |
| --- | --- |

38.

| 39. | Believes that the Commission must take into account the potential effect of any reform of State aid rules on the single market; |
| --- | --- |

39.

| 40. | Is worried about the processing time required for setting up Important Projects of common European interest, as well as about the long waiting time for Commission decisions on State aid notifications; calls on the Commission to reform and streamline the notification system so that any notification is completed within six months at the latest; |
| --- | --- |

40.

| 41. | Acknowledges the contribution of the EC Merger Regulation (9) to the proper functioning of the internal market and calls on the Commission to continue promoting and enforcing its core principles; at the same time, urges the Commission to accelerate efforts to deliver on its commitment to reviewing its notice on the definition of relevant market for the purposes of EU competition law, in order to adapt it to reflect increased global competition in selected key strategic sectors; |
| --- | --- |

41.

Enhanced quality jobs and skills

| 42. | Stresses that the European industrial strategy should contribute to strengthening the European model of a social market economy; stresses the importance of promoting gender equality and equal opportunities in this context; |
| --- | --- |

42.

| 43. | Calls on the Commission and the Member States to make sure that the EU industrial plan can help to achieve the just transition and its objectives, including the creation of quality jobs with fair working conditions and good pay, the promotion of collective bargaining and respect for collective agreements; |
| --- | --- |

43.

| 44. | Highlights the importance of access to training and the reskilling of workers in industries and sectors that need to undergo fundamental changes with a view to a green and digital transition; stresses that qualifications and certified competences provide added value to workers, improving their position on the labour market, and can be transferred in labour market transitions; calls for public policy on skills to be oriented towards the certification and validation of qualifications and competences; |
| --- | --- |

44.

| 45. | Welcomes the contribution of the plan to delivering a highly skilled workforce for European industry by strengthening the relevance of skills, using local pacts for skills, while supporting the development of one-stop shops and local hubs for skills development, and its ambition to harness talent within the EU, and to enhance cross-border labour mobility, as well as to attract skilled labour from non-EU countries via the European Talent Pool; calls on the Commission to put forward a plan to improve Europe’s attractiveness as a place of employment for engineers and academics; |
| --- | --- |

45.

| 46. | Calls for the EU industrial plan to create synergies and connections with mainstream education policies owing to the high impact of this sector; stresses the need to coordinate with the European strategy for universities in order to foster cooperation with the industrial ecosystem, in particular through the implementation of strategic research and innovation actions; stresses the importance of vocational training in order to have qualified staff with green and digital skills in industries; |
| --- | --- |

46.

| 47. | Emphasises the need for the plan to contribute to reaching the objectives and targets for 2030, as set out in the Digital Decade policy programme, including through creating access to employment for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs) and people with lower skill levels; |
| --- | --- |

47.

| 48. | Draws attention to the fact that while general training uptake in the EU has been increasing steadily, it is still considerably below the target for 60 % of the adult population participating in training every year by 2030, also owing to a lack of interest and a perceived lack of need for it; stresses that skills-based compensation systems are a useful tool to increase training uptake; |
| --- | --- |

48.

Open and fair trade for resilient supply chains

| 49. | Recalls that one in five jobs in the Union depends on exports; calls on the Commission, the European External Action Service and the Member States to promote new economic partnerships with democratic countries, so the Union and its partners can, among other things, face climate change and the consequences of the Russian aggression together; |
| --- | --- |

49.

| 50. | Calls on the Commission to assess current dependencies and find alternative sources to diversify Europe’s supply chains for critical technologies and raw materials, and highlights the need to coordinate better as well as joint efforts to create resilient supply chains in order to meet the EU’s industrial needs; takes note of the upcoming proposal for a critical raw materials act; |
| --- | --- |

50.

| 51. | Welcomes the instruments adopted during this mandate to fight against unfair practices by trading partners, notably on public procurement and foreign subsidies; calls on the Commission to make full use of them; calls, moreover, on the Commission to adopt a stronger stance on tackling unfair global competition, such as that caused by unjustified State aid; |
| --- | --- |

51.

| 52. | Calls further on the Commission to propose a ‘new generation of partnerships in the world’, which would make full use of the EU’s economic and political leverage with its current trading partners to ensure the Union gets the most for its industry exports and imports, while promoting its values and standards, not least human rights and the European Green Deal; calls on the Commission to use all Europe’s trade policy instruments to promote its prosperity by seeking and creating new trade partnerships and to safeguard the single market from distortions from non-EU countries; |
| --- | --- |

52.

| 53. | Urges the Commission to ensure that these partnerships support the transition to green industry in the EU and in partner countries; |
| --- | --- |

53.

| 54. | Stresses the need for an urgent reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure its effectiveness, preserve the rules-based global trade system, avoid a subsidy race and unfair competition, and make sure we have a functioning dispute settlement body to enforce the rules agreed on multilaterally; |
| --- | --- |

54.

| 55. | Underlines the importance of implementing the provisions of the Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regulation more quickly in order to create resilience and strengthen strategic supply chains; |
| --- | --- |

55.

The US Inflation Reduction Act

| 56. | Expresses concerns about the provisions of the US IRA, which discriminate against EU companies and urges the Commission to work with the US Administration to find a solution that is WTO-compatible within the Inflation Reduction Act Task Force; recognises, however, the act’s objective to promote clean production and innovation in clean technologies, and to accelerate climate efforts; |
| --- | --- |

56.

| 57. | Calls on the Commission and the Member States to swiftly assess the potential impact of the IRA on European industry and its competiveness, taking into consideration the current challenges as regards stretched supply chains and the high costs of energy, transport and raw materials; |
| --- | --- |

57.

| 58. | Notes that some components of the US IRA and the large amount of funding mobilised might pose challenges for transatlantic trade and investment; |
| --- | --- |

58.

| 59. | Calls on the Commission to work with the USA to make the IRA’s implementation as compatible with European interests as possible; calls on the Commission to ensure, in particular, that the EU is covered by the exceptions provided for in the IRA for countries which participate in free trade cooperation and that European products are eligible for tax credits the same way as US products; |
| --- | --- |

59.

| 60. | Calls on the Commission to work with like-minded countries to influence the implementation of the IRA, especially in strategic sectors for the European economy; underlines that the EU should be ready to file a complaint against the IRA through the dispute settlement system if the assessment shows that the IRA continues to be discriminatory in its implementation; |
| --- | --- |

60.

o

o o

| 61. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and candidate countries, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, the Court of Auditors, the European Committee of the Regions, the European Economic and Social Committee, for distribution to subnational parliaments and councils, the Council of Europe and the United Nations. |
| --- | --- |

61.

---

(1)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0329.

(2)  OJ L 323, 19.12.2022, p. 4.

(3)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0219.

(4)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0347.

(5)  OJ C 425, 20.10.2021, p. 43.

(6)  Directive (EU) 2022/2041 of the European parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on adequate minimum wages in the European Union (OJ L 275, 25.10.2022, p. 33).

(7)  Regulation (EU) 2021/523 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 March 2021 establishing the InvestEU Programme and amending Regulation (EU) 2015/1017 (OJ L 107, 26.3.2021, p. 30).

(8)  Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on public procurement and repealing Directive 2004/18/EC (OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 65).

(9)  Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 of 20 January 2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1).

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/27 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/27

---

P9_TA(2023)0054

Following up on measures requested by Parliament to strengthen the integrity of European institutions

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on following up on measures requested by Parliament to strengthen the integrity of the European institutions (2023/2571(RSP))

(2023/C 283/07)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the measures for strengthening integrity, independence and accountability adopted by its Conference of Presidents on 8 February 2023, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the measures for strengthening integrity, independence and accountability adopted by its Conference of Presidents on 8 February 2023,

| — | having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2022 on suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2022 on suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions (1),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body (2),

| — | having regard to the Commission President’s 2022 State of the Union address of 14 September 2022 and to the 2023 Commission Work Programme, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission President’s 2022 State of the Union address of 14 September 2022 and to the 2023 Commission Work Programme,

| — | having regard to its decision of 27 April 2021 on the conclusion of an interinstitutional agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (3), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its decision of 27 April 2021 on the conclusion of an interinstitutional agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (3),

| — | having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 May 2021 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (4), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 May 2021 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (4),

| — | having regard to the Decision of the European Parliament of 28 September 2005 adopting the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (2005/684/EC, Euratom) (5), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Decision of the European Parliament of 28 September 2005 adopting the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (2005/684/EC, Euratom) (5),

| — | having regard to Rules 10 and 11 of its Rules of Procedure and to the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rules 10 and 11 of its Rules of Procedure and to the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,

| — | having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

| A. | whereas ongoing investigations led by the Belgian authorities have uncovered substantiated suspicions of corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organisation involving three sitting Members of the European Parliament and one former Member, as well as other staff, in particular by Morocco and Qatar, as well as other states; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas ongoing investigations led by the Belgian authorities have uncovered substantiated suspicions of corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organisation involving three sitting Members of the European Parliament and one former Member, as well as other staff, in particular by Morocco and Qatar, as well as other states;

| B. | whereas on 15 December 2022, the European Parliament adopted by a large majority its resolution on suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions; whereas the resolution called for a number of urgent measures to be adopted to strengthen the integrity, transparency and accountability of EU institutions; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas on 15 December 2022, the European Parliament adopted by a large majority its resolution on suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions; whereas the resolution called for a number of urgent measures to be adopted to strengthen the integrity, transparency and accountability of EU institutions;

| C. | whereas the President of the European Parliament presented draft proposals on reforming Parliament’s ethics rules which were endorsed at a meeting of the Conference of Presidents in early January 2023; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas the President of the European Parliament presented draft proposals on reforming Parliament’s ethics rules which were endorsed at a meeting of the Conference of Presidents in early January 2023;

| D. | whereas transparency and accountability are a precondition for citizens’ trust in EU institutions and whereas, therefore, corruption constitutes a serious attack on European democracy; whereas the recent revelations have led to greater public interest in the measures in place to guarantee the transparency, independence and accountability of Members of the European Parliament and in the other institutions’ measures in this area; whereas public trust in the European Parliament has been shaken by allegations of corruption by foreign interests; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas transparency and accountability are a precondition for citizens’ trust in EU institutions and whereas, therefore, corruption constitutes a serious attack on European democracy; whereas the recent revelations have led to greater public interest in the measures in place to guarantee the transparency, independence and accountability of Members of the European Parliament and in the other institutions’ measures in this area; whereas public trust in the European Parliament has been shaken by allegations of corruption by foreign interests;

| E. | whereas it is key to ensure that democratic processes are not captured by private and external interests and that citizens’ rights are fully respected; whereas the EU institutions and their officials must protect the integrity of the EU’s democratic principles and values; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas it is key to ensure that democratic processes are not captured by private and external interests and that citizens’ rights are fully respected; whereas the EU institutions and their officials must protect the integrity of the EU’s democratic principles and values;

| F. | whereas the internal monitoring and alert mechanisms of the EU institutions have dramatically failed to detect the ongoing corruption and foreign interference; whereas the existing safeguards and sanction mechanisms have proven ineffective in deterring the aforementioned criminal behaviour; |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas the internal monitoring and alert mechanisms of the EU institutions have dramatically failed to detect the ongoing corruption and foreign interference; whereas the existing safeguards and sanction mechanisms have proven ineffective in deterring the aforementioned criminal behaviour;

| 1. | Reiterates its deep shock and condemnation of the recent allegations of corruption against current and former Members of the European Parliament and reaffirms its zero-tolerance policy on corruption in any shape and at any level; insists that the magnitude of the ongoing investigations requires Parliament and the EU institutions to react with unequivocal unity and unwavering resolve, in an inter-institutional and non-partisan manner and by taking strong and immediate measures; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Notes that not a single financial penalty has ever been imposed for a breach of the Code of Conduct of Members despite at least 26 breaches having been documented in the annual reports of the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members; considers it of the utmost importance to ensure that the current transparency and accountability rules are fully implemented, including financial sanctions for breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament; calls for a review of the list of sanctionable activities for Members in order to help improve compliance with their obligations and responsibilities, including a revision of Rule 176 of the EP Rules of Procedure, to establish a strong and visible framework which is enforceable and dissuasive; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Notes that laws are essential to fight against corruption and criminal behaviours but cannot alone prevent criminal behaviour by individual Members, former Members, staff or officials of the European Parliament or the other Europeans institutions; insists that potential loopholes in the institutions’ rules and procedures that facilitate unlawful behaviour need to be detected and closed; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Notes that all EU institutions have mechanisms in place to address transparency and accountability; highlights that these existing mechanisms and tools need to be reviewed and revised where appropriate, including with a view to detecting vulnerability to foreign interference; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Notes that in the case of the Members and former Members under investigation, NGOs were allegedly used as vectors of foreign interference in European parliamentarism; urges a review of existing regulations with the aim of increasing transparency and accountability of NGOs, in particular related to governance, budget, foreign influence and persons of significant control; underlines that NGOs receiving money from third parties whose registration in the Transparency Register is not required need to disclose the sources of their funding by specifying the same information as all regular registrants; requests that if this information is not disclosed, any public EU funding to the NGO in question should be freezed immediately; calls for comprehensive financial pre-screening of NGOs before they are listed on the EU transparency register, the publishing of contractual agreements between the European Commission and NGOs and a clear definition of NGOs allowed to register under the transparency register and eligible to receive EU funding; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Reiterates its full support for the proposals it put forward to strengthen transparency, integrity and accountability, as set out in its resolution of 15 December 2022; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Notes that the initial proposals aimed at strengthening integrity, independence and accountability put forward by the President of the European Parliament on 8 February 2023 are a necessary first step towards acting on the urgent need for the institution to ensure the accountability, transparency and integrity of EU institutions; notes that the plan adopted by the Conference of President covers some measures voted by Parliament in December 2022 and does not exclude the consideration of other measures as part of a wider reform process; commits to follow through with all measures adopted in the December resolution and restates its ambition to take all necessary measures to guarantee the accountability, transparency and integrity of the EU institutions; commits, henceforth, to an open and transparent process in order to demonstrate to the public a strong commitment to reform and gain back citizens’ trust; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Calls for the full implementation of all measures and demands adopted in the December resolution without delay; calls for additional, more extensive measures to be taken, in particular on whistleblower protection, monitoring, reporting and oversight; calls for decisions and deliberations in regard to transparency, accountability and integrity to be taken as part of public meetings, thus ensuring accountability and oversight as a matter of principle, unless a legitimate and pressing concern requires confidentiality; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Entrusts the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, including Disinformation, and the Strengthening of Integrity, Transparency and Accountability in the European Parliament (INGE 2) with the task of identifying potential flaws in Parliament’s rules and of making proposals for reforms, in line with the December resolution, building on the work of and cooperating with the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the best practices of other parliaments; |
| --- | --- |

9.

| 10. | Reiterates, in particular, its long-standing call for the Commission to put forward a proposal to set up an independent and effective ethics body as soon as possible, in line with Parliament’s resolution of 16 September 2021; deplores the fact that the Commission has still not made such a proposal, despite its inclusion by the Commission President in the mission letter of Commissioner Věra Jourová in 2019, and regrets that the action plan of the President of the European Parliament does not include any measures to speed up the process; urges the Commission to come forward with its proposal to establish an independent ethics body by March 2023 at the latest, in line with Parliament’s resolution of February 2022 on the establishment of an independent ethics body; |
| --- | --- |

10.

| 11. | Regrets that the measures adopted do not include proposals for a credible reform of the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members; commits to reforming the Advisory Committee in line with its proposal for an independent ethics body, until the independent EU ethics body is able to take over the Advisory Committee’s current role, allowing it to scrutinise Members on its own initiative, allowing substantiated complaints to be raised by anyone, introducing proactive checks of Members’ declarations of interests and ensuring a more effective, transparent system of stricter sanctions against Members and former Members; |
| --- | --- |

11.

| 12. | Recommends additional vetting for parliamentary assistants and staff working on sensitive policy fields, particularly in foreign affairs, security and defence; is of the opinion that the staff working in such fields could be considered as politically exposed persons according to the definition in the Anti-Money Laundering Directive; is of the opinion that trips paid for by third countries should be subject to prior approval by a dedicated body of the European Parliament; |
| --- | --- |

12.

| 13. | Considers essential the introduction of a ‘cooling-off period’ for Members for a period of six months immediately following the end of their respective mandates and believes that the period should be defined taking into account rules applicable for example to former Commissioners when taking up lobbying activities related to the European Parliament; |
| --- | --- |

13.

| 14. | Commits to guaranteeing adequate resources for the secretariat of the Transparency Register to ensure that the entries on the lobbying activities of interest groups, lobbies and NGOs can be checked for accuracy and that lobbying becomes more transparent; |
| --- | --- |

14.

| 15. | Calls for a ban on Members carrying out remunerated side activities that could create a conflict of interest with their mandate; |
| --- | --- |

15.

| 16. | Welcomes the measures adopted to increase the transparency of financial declarations by Members, which require more information on Members’ side-jobs and outside activities, including the exact amount of side-income they earn and the clients on whose behalf they work for payment; reiterates its call for the consideration of additional safeguards against corruption, such as a declaration of assets by Members at the beginning and the end of each mandate; |
| --- | --- |

16.

| 17. | Calls for the extension to accredited parliamentary assistants and staff of the obligation for Members working on specific reports or resolutions, or in situations in which Members have an active role and clear and immediate influence in the evolution of specific files, to declare all scheduled meetings with diplomatic representatives of third countries and third parties covered by the scope of the Transparency Register, except in specific cases such as when the naming of an individual or organisation would undermine the protection of the life or the integrity of any individua, l when other compelling reasons of public interest require confidentiality, for meetings with natural persons acting in a strictly personal capacity and not in association with others,; or for spontaneous meetings or meetings of a purely private or social character; |
| --- | --- |

17.

| 18. | Notes that in its December resolution, Parliament called for a revision of the Staff Regulations, in particular Article 22(c) thereof, in order to align it with the standards of the Whistleblower Directive; reiterates this call and calls, furthermore, for the revision of the whistleblower rules applicable to assistants; |
| --- | --- |

18.

| 19. | Welcomes the measures adopted with regard to representatives of Qatar following the revelations; reiterates, however, its deep concern about the allegations of bribery by Moroccan authorities and calls for the implementation of the same measures for representatives of Morocco; reiterates its commitment to fully investigate and address cases of corruption involving countries seeking to buy influence in Parliament; |
| --- | --- |

19.

| 20. | Reiterates with utmost determination that the European Parliament should continue to speak up against human rights violations; |
| --- | --- |

20.

| 21. | Deplores the use of the corruption scandal to launch a misguided smearing campaign against NGOs and spread misinformation on the lack of transparency of their funding; reiterates its unwavering support for civil society organisations that speak up for human rights and the environment in full respect of transparency and integrity rules of the European institutions; |
| --- | --- |

21.

| 22. | Believes that the existing ethical framework for Commissioners must be expanded in order to close existing legislative gaps, such as the absence of a Commissioners’ statute; underlines that this process is closely linked with parliamentary scrutiny and oversight; is therefore of the opinion that any such Commissioners’ statute must be drawn up in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure; calls on the Commission to present a proposal for a Commissioners’ statute as part of the package on the defence of European democracy; |
| --- | --- |

22.

| 23. | Calls on the Commission and the Council to cooperate with Parliament on working towards carrying out the reforms needed to ensure prevention and preparedness, to reinforce the transparency and accountability of EU institutions and to fight against corruption; |
| --- | --- |

23.

| 24. | Supports urgent action to implement all measures already endorsed by Parliament; calls on the INGE 2 Committee and Parliament’s other responsible bodies to revise the rules on ethics as soon as possible, and at the latest before summer, and calls for a public assessment of progress made within six months; |
| --- | --- |

24.

| 25. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Bureau of the European Parliament. |
| --- | --- |

25.

---

(1)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0448.

(2)  OJ C 117, 11.3.2022, p. 159.

(3)  OJ C 506, 15.12.2021, p. 127.

(4)  OJ L 207, 11.6.2021, p. 1.

(5)  OJ L 262, 7.10.2005, p. 1.

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/31 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/31

---

P9_TA(2023)0055

Establishment of an independent EU Ethics Body

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the establishment of an independent EU ethics body (2023/2555(RSP))

(2023/C 283/08)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Articles 9, 10, 15(3) and 17(3) thereof, and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Article 298 thereof, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Articles 9, 10, 15(3) and 17(3) thereof, and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Article 298 thereof,

| — | having regard to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s letter to the Council of 18 March 2022 including the Commission’s follow-up to the European Parliament’s non-legislative resolution of 16 September 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s letter to the Council of 18 March 2022 including the Commission’s follow-up to the European Parliament’s non-legislative resolution of 16 September 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body,

| — | having regard to the Commission President’s mission letter of 1 December 2019 to Věra Jourová, the Vice-President designate for Values and Transparency, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission President’s mission letter of 1 December 2019 to Věra Jourová, the Vice-President designate for Values and Transparency,

| — | having regard to the political guidelines for the next European Commission 2019-2024, presented on 16 July 2019 by Ursula von der Leyen in her capacity as candidate for President of the European Commission, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the political guidelines for the next European Commission 2019-2024, presented on 16 July 2019 by Ursula von der Leyen in her capacity as candidate for President of the European Commission,

| — | having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2022 on suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2022 on suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions (1),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body (2),

| — | having regard to the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament,

| — | having regard to its Rules of Procedure, in particular Rules 2, 10, 11 and 176(1), Articles 1-3, 4(6), 5 and 6 of Annex I, and Annex II, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its Rules of Procedure, in particular Rules 2, 10, 11 and 176(1), Articles 1-3, 4(6), 5 and 6 of Annex I, and Annex II,

| — | having regard to Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC) laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (3), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC) laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (3),

| — | having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

| A. | whereas the President of the Commission committed to establishing an ethics body in her political guidelines in July 2019; whereas the Vice-President of the Commission for Values and Transparency made the same commitment in her mission letter; whereas Parliament has already expressed its support for such a body; whereas the Commission has nevertheless still not presented a proposal for an interinstitutional agreement with a view to establishing an independent ethics body; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas the President of the Commission committed to establishing an ethics body in her political guidelines in July 2019; whereas the Vice-President of the Commission for Values and Transparency made the same commitment in her mission letter; whereas Parliament has already expressed its support for such a body; whereas the Commission has nevertheless still not presented a proposal for an interinstitutional agreement with a view to establishing an independent ethics body;

| B. | whereas the recent corruption revelations have rightly increased public and political scrutiny of the current standards and practices within Parliament and other institutions; whereas the independence, transparency and accountability of public institutions and their elected representatives, Commissioners and officials are of the utmost importance for fostering citizens’ trust, which is necessary for democratic institutions to function legitimately; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas the recent corruption revelations have rightly increased public and political scrutiny of the current standards and practices within Parliament and other institutions; whereas the independence, transparency and accountability of public institutions and their elected representatives, Commissioners and officials are of the utmost importance for fostering citizens’ trust, which is necessary for democratic institutions to function legitimately;

| C. | whereas ethics standards already exist within the EU institutions, but are very fragmented and rely solely on a self-regulatory approach; whereas the creation of an independent ethics body could contribute to strengthening trust in the EU institutions and their democratic legitimacy; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas ethics standards already exist within the EU institutions, but are very fragmented and rely solely on a self-regulatory approach; whereas the creation of an independent ethics body could contribute to strengthening trust in the EU institutions and their democratic legitimacy;

| D. | whereas the Meroni doctrine developed by the Court of Justice of the European Union allows for the delegation of EU institutions’ competences to external bodies, including competences that are not yet exercised; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas the Meroni doctrine developed by the Court of Justice of the European Union allows for the delegation of EU institutions’ competences to external bodies, including competences that are not yet exercised;

| 1. | Reiterates its deep shock at and condemnation of the alleged acts of corruption in the European Parliament and states its zero-tolerance policy on corruption in any shape or form; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Reiterates its support for the establishment of an independent ethics body, as outlined in its resolution of 16 September 2021, in order to restore citizens’ trust in the EU institutions; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Urges the Commission to submit, by the end of March 2023, its proposal to establish an independent ethics body for the European Parliament and the Commission that is open to the participation of all institutions and agencies of the EU, and to finalise the negotiations on the body’s structure, governance, name, composition and powers, as well as on any other issues that might arise, before the summer recess; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Insists that a clear distinction between criminal acts, breaches of institutional rules, and unethical behaviour needs to be made; recalls that the independent ethics body should work on establishing a common definition of conflicts of interest for the EU institutions on the basis of the highest standards; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Considers that the new EU ethics body should be delegated a list of agreed tasks to propose and advise on cases and rules for Commissioners, Members of the European Parliament and staff of the participating institutions before, during and in some instances after their term of office or service in line with the applicable rules; considers that, in order to ensure the consistent application of ethical standards and predictability, advice should be binding for the independent EU ethics body in its position on the same matter; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Recalls that the body should have the right to start investigations on its own and to conduct on-the-spot and records-based investigations using the information that it has collected or that it has received from third parties; recalls that the body should also have the possibility to check the veracity of declarations of financial interests and assets; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Emphasises that in the Qatargate case, NGOs were allegedly used as vectors of foreign interference in European democracy; urges a review of existing regulations with the aim of increasing transparency and the accountability of interest representatives in their interactions with Members; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Recalls that its proposal envisages a nine-person body composed of ethics experts; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Stresses the need for the body to protect whistleblowers, in particular European public officials, so that they can express their concerns about possible violations of rules without the fear of reprisals; recommends a revision of the Staff Regulations, especially Article 22c thereof, in order to align them with the standards of the Whistleblower Directive (4); reiterates its calls on the Bureau, in the interim, to immediately revise Parliament’s Internal Rules Implementing Article 22c of the Staff Regulations to bring them in line with the protections provided for in the Whistleblower Directive; |
| --- | --- |

9.

| 10. | Recommends that the independent ethics body should have the possibility to engage in cooperation and information exchange with relevant EU bodies such as the European Anti-Fraud Office, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the European Ombudsman and the European Court of Auditors, within their respective mandates; |
| --- | --- |

10.

| 11. | Recommends the adoption of harmonised and adequate cooling-off periods by all EU institutions and the strengthening of their enforcement; recognises that the ‘revolving doors’ phenomenon also applies to NGOs and urges further analysis of conflicts of interest in this regard; calls, in order to limit potential conflicts of interest, for a ban on Members of the European Parliament performing paid side jobs or activities on behalf of organisations or individuals covered by the scope of the Transparency Register; |
| --- | --- |

11.

| 12. | Suggests reinforcing and making full use of the sanctions procedures within the European Parliament without delay, while working towards the establishment of an independent ethics body; points in that regard to the recent observations made by the European Ombudsman regarding the Parliament’s Advisory Committee; underlines that she suggests to strengthen its independence while granting it powers proactively to monitor, investigate and ensure compliance with ethics rules, in particular the Code of Conduct, and providing it with sufficient resources; |
| --- | --- |

12.

| 13. | Commits to working as fast as possible in accordance with the principle of sincere cooperation in order to finalise the negotiations by the summer; calls on its Conference of Presidents to appoint its negotiators and send a letter to open negotiations with the Commission and other institutions, agencies and bodies that are willing to join; |
| --- | --- |

13.

| 14. | Instructs its President to send this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States. |
| --- | --- |

14.

---

(1)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0448.

(2)  OJ C 117, 11.3.2022, p. 159.

(3)  OJ P 045, 14.6.1962, p. 1385.

(4)  Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law, OJ L 305, 26.11.2019, p. 17.

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/34 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/34

---

P9_TA(2023)0056

One year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on one year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine (2023/2558(RSP))

(2023/C 283/09)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to its previous resolutions on Ukraine and on Russia, in particular since the escalation of Russia’s war against Ukraine in February 2022, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its previous resolutions on Ukraine and on Russia, in particular since the escalation of Russia’s war against Ukraine in February 2022,

| — | having regard to the Association Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part (1), and to the accompanying Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between the European Union and Ukraine, signed in 2014, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Association Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part (1), and to the accompanying Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between the European Union and Ukraine, signed in 2014,

| — | having regard to the UN Charter, the Hague Conventions, the Geneva Conventions and the additional protocols thereto and to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the UN Charter, the Hague Conventions, the Geneva Conventions and the additional protocols thereto and to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,

| — | having regard to Ukraine’s application for EU membership of 28 February 2022 and the European Council’s consequent granting of candidate status on 23 June 2022 based on a positive assessment by the Commission and in line with the views expressed by the European Parliament, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Ukraine’s application for EU membership of 28 February 2022 and the European Council’s consequent granting of candidate status on 23 June 2022 based on a positive assessment by the Commission and in line with the views expressed by the European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the joint statement following the 24th EU-Ukraine Summit of 3 February 2023, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the joint statement following the 24th EU-Ukraine Summit of 3 February 2023,

| — | having regard to the European Council conclusions of 9 February 2023, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the European Council conclusions of 9 February 2023,

| — | having regard to the speech given by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy upon his visit to Parliament on 9 February 2023, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the speech given by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy upon his visit to Parliament on 9 February 2023,

| — | having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

| A. | whereas Russia has been carrying out an illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine since 24 February 2022; whereas this war of aggression constitutes a blatant and flagrant violation of the UN Charter and of the fundamental principles of international law; whereas Ukraine has suffered from Russian aggression ever since protests broke out in November 2013 against the decision by the then president to suspend the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement; whereas Russia’s actions in Ukraine over the past year continue to threaten peace and security in Europe and worldwide; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas Russia has been carrying out an illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine since 24 February 2022; whereas this war of aggression constitutes a blatant and flagrant violation of the UN Charter and of the fundamental principles of international law; whereas Ukraine has suffered from Russian aggression ever since protests broke out in November 2013 against the decision by the then president to suspend the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement; whereas Russia’s actions in Ukraine over the past year continue to threaten peace and security in Europe and worldwide;

| B. | whereas Russia’s forces have conducted indiscriminate attacks against residential areas and civilian infrastructure; whereas thousands of civilians, including hundreds of children, have already been murdered and many more have been tortured, harassed, sexually assaulted, kidnapped or forcibly displaced; whereas this inhumane conduct by Russian forces and their proxies is in total disregard of international humanitarian law; whereas on 30 September 2022, Russia unilaterally declared its annexation of the partly Russian-occupied Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, in addition to its previous annexation of the Crimean peninsula; whereas Russia’s attempt to ethnically cleanse occupied parts of Ukraine has included mass atrocities; whereas Russia aims to destroy Ukraine’s national identity and erase Ukrainian culture and statehood; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas Russia’s forces have conducted indiscriminate attacks against residential areas and civilian infrastructure; whereas thousands of civilians, including hundreds of children, have already been murdered and many more have been tortured, harassed, sexually assaulted, kidnapped or forcibly displaced; whereas this inhumane conduct by Russian forces and their proxies is in total disregard of international humanitarian law; whereas on 30 September 2022, Russia unilaterally declared its annexation of the partly Russian-occupied Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, in addition to its previous annexation of the Crimean peninsula; whereas Russia’s attempt to ethnically cleanse occupied parts of Ukraine has included mass atrocities; whereas Russia aims to destroy Ukraine’s national identity and erase Ukrainian culture and statehood;

| C. | whereas millions of Ukrainians have been displaced inside and outside Ukraine, having fled from Russia’s aggression; whereas Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine will keep forcing people to flee their homes; whereas Russia’s war crimes will leave a generation of Ukrainian children traumatised and millions of Ukrainian civilians and military personnel requiring treatment for mental distress, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas millions of Ukrainians have been displaced inside and outside Ukraine, having fled from Russia’s aggression; whereas Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine will keep forcing people to flee their homes; whereas Russia’s war crimes will leave a generation of Ukrainian children traumatised and millions of Ukrainian civilians and military personnel requiring treatment for mental distress, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder;

| D. | whereas the liberation of Ukrainian territories has led to the discovery of overwhelming evidence of structural and widespread human rights violations and war crimes committed by Russian forces and their proxies, such as summary executions and burials in mass graves, rape and other forms of sexual violence, torture, the use of civilians as human shields, the forced displacement of civilians (including children) to Russia, the destruction of ecosystems, the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects, including illegal cluster munitions in densely populated areas, and the targeted destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, homes and schools; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas the liberation of Ukrainian territories has led to the discovery of overwhelming evidence of structural and widespread human rights violations and war crimes committed by Russian forces and their proxies, such as summary executions and burials in mass graves, rape and other forms of sexual violence, torture, the use of civilians as human shields, the forced displacement of civilians (including children) to Russia, the destruction of ecosystems, the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects, including illegal cluster munitions in densely populated areas, and the targeted destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, homes and schools;

| E. | whereas women and girls are particularly at risk during humanitarian and displacement crises, as they continue disproportionately to be the victims of gender-based violence; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas women and girls are particularly at risk during humanitarian and displacement crises, as they continue disproportionately to be the victims of gender-based violence;

| F. | whereas the Russian blockade of Ukraine’s grain exports over the last year has created the risk of famine for many millions of people inside and outside Ukraine, which is reminiscent of the Holodomor; |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas the Russian blockade of Ukraine’s grain exports over the last year has created the risk of famine for many millions of people inside and outside Ukraine, which is reminiscent of the Holodomor;

| G. | whereas Russia’s war of aggression shows its colonial attitude towards its neighbours; whereas as long as Russia remains an imperial state, it will continue its efforts to maintain the ever-looming threat of aggression on the European continent; whereas numerous international actors have recognised Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and a state which uses means of terrorism, which should now be followed by concrete measures; |
| --- | --- |

G.

whereas Russia’s war of aggression shows its colonial attitude towards its neighbours; whereas as long as Russia remains an imperial state, it will continue its efforts to maintain the ever-looming threat of aggression on the European continent; whereas numerous international actors have recognised Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and a state which uses means of terrorism, which should now be followed by concrete measures;

| H. | whereas Ukraine is now a recognised candidate for membership of the European Union and has received massive support in all areas from the EU, including unprecedented military support; whereas since February 2022, the overall assistance pledged to Ukraine by the EU, its Member States and European financial institutions amounts to at least EUR 67 billion, including military assistance; |
| --- | --- |

H.

whereas Ukraine is now a recognised candidate for membership of the European Union and has received massive support in all areas from the EU, including unprecedented military support; whereas since February 2022, the overall assistance pledged to Ukraine by the EU, its Member States and European financial institutions amounts to at least EUR 67 billion, including military assistance;

| I. | whereas despite the Russian aggression and the precarious socio-economic situation, the Government of Ukraine has managed to achieve some success in its continued decentralisation and democratisation reforms; |
| --- | --- |

I.

whereas despite the Russian aggression and the precarious socio-economic situation, the Government of Ukraine has managed to achieve some success in its continued decentralisation and democratisation reforms;

| J. | whereas the Russian war of aggression is the largest military conflict on the European continent since the end of the Second World War and reflects the growing conflict between authoritarianism and democracy; |
| --- | --- |

J.

whereas the Russian war of aggression is the largest military conflict on the European continent since the end of the Second World War and reflects the growing conflict between authoritarianism and democracy;

| 1. | Reiterates its unwavering solidarity with the people and leadership of Ukraine and its support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Reiterates its strongest condemnation of Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine. as well as of the involvement of the regime in Belarus; demands that Russia and its proxy forces cease all military actions, in particular their attacks against residential areas and civilian infrastructure, and that Russia withdraw all military forces, proxies and military equipment from the entire internationally recognised territory of Ukraine, end its forced deportations of Ukrainian civilians and release all detained Ukrainians; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Pays tribute to the brave people of Ukraine, rightful laureates of the 2023 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, who are courageously defending their country, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, while also defending freedom, democracy, the rule of law and European values against a brutal regime that seeks to undermine our democracy and weaken and divide our Union; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Expresses its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the courageous defenders who have sacrificed their lives in defence of Ukraine, its people, freedom and democracy; calls for continuous and increased support from the EU and its Member States for the treatment and rehabilitation of injured defenders of Ukraine; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | States its resolve to contribute to maintaining the Ukrainian people’s spirit of resilience and faith in a better future in which peace will reign in Ukraine and Europe, no part of Ukrainian territory will be under Russian occupation and no Ukrainian or other citizen will feel threatened or under attack for their wish to live in peace, safety and prosperity and with respect for European values and principles; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Praises the solidarity shown by EU citizens, civil society, Member States and the EU itself towards Ukraine and its people; supports the continuous extension of the Temporary Protection Directive (2) for persons fleeing Ukraine as a consequence of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Believes that the outcome of the war and the stance taken by the international community will play a crucial role in affecting future action by other authoritarian regimes, which are closely observing the course of the war; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Underlines that the main objective for Ukraine is to win the war against Russia, understood as its ability to drive all the forces of Russia, its proxies and allies out of the internationally recognised territory of Ukraine; considers that this objective can be met only through the continued, sustained and steadily increasing supply of all types of weapons to Ukraine, without exception; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Demands that Russia permanently cease violating or threatening the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine and other neighbouring countries; stresses that Russian aggression is not limited to Ukraine, as it has a detrimental security and economic impact on all the EU’s Eastern Partnership countries, in particular the Republic of Moldova, which is constantly facing Russian political blackmail, security threats and provocations aimed at destabilising the government and undermining democracy and that threaten to derail the country’s European path; takes note of the recent statement by President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu concerning the risk of a coup d’état in the country; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue supporting the Republic of Moldova, as its vulnerabilities could weaken Ukraine’s resilience and affect Europe’s security; calls for the EU and its Member States to promote solidarity and cooperation under the EU’s Eastern Partnership Initiative, using all necessary resources to respond adequately to emerging threats and to ensure the stability and prosperity of the region; |
| --- | --- |

9.

| 10. | Underlines that President Putin, other Russian leaders and their Belarusian allies who planned and gave the relevant orders to start this war of aggression against Ukraine must be held accountable for the crime of aggression they have committed; insists further that those accomplices enabling the Russian regime must also be held accountable for their role in Russia’s war of aggression; |
| --- | --- |

10.

| 11. | Reiterates its call on the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) and the Member States to support accountability for the crimes committed during Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, especially the crime of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity and alleged genocide; reiterates, therefore, its call on the Commission, the VP/HR and the Member States to work together with Ukraine and the international community on setting up a special tribunal to investigate and prosecute the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine by Russia’s leaders and their allies; |
| --- | --- |

11.

| 12. | Calls on the VP/HR, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Member States and their diplomatic services to continue working as closely and intensely as possible with international partners to increase the unity of the international community in condemning and countering Russia’s war of aggression and in establishing accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression; reiterates its full support for the work of the International Criminal Court in helping to end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community; |
| --- | --- |

12.

| 13. | Condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the use of sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of war and stresses that this constitutes a war crime; calls for the EU and host countries of women and girls who have fled Ukraine to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health and rights services, particularly emergency contraception, including for survivors of rape, and to support the provision of these services in Ukraine; |
| --- | --- |

13.

| 14. | Underlines the continued need to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine, as well as to address the needs of the millions of people displaced from and within Ukraine, in particular those belonging to vulnerable groups; reiterates that the continued forced relocation and deportation of Ukrainian children, including those from institutions, to Russia and their forced adoption by Russian families is in breach of Ukrainian and international law; underlines that forcibly transferring children of a group to another group constitutes the crime of genocide, according to the Article II of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; calls on the international community, in this regard, to support the Ukrainian authorities’ efforts to collect, document and preserve evidence of the human rights violations committed during the Russian war against Ukraine; |
| --- | --- |

14.

| 15. | Welcomes and fully endorses the statement by President Zelenskyy in his address to the European Parliament that ‘This is our Europe. These are our rules. This is our way of life. And for Ukraine, it’s a way home’; reaffirms its commitment to Ukraine’s membership of the European Union; reiterates its call for innovative, complementary and flexible interaction between the ongoing work on the implementation of the Association Agreement in force and the accession negotiation process, thus allowing for Ukraine’s gradual integration into the EU single market and sectoral programmes, including access to EU funds in the respective areas, so that Ukrainian citizens can reap the benefits of accession throughout the process and not only upon its completion; |
| --- | --- |

15.

| 16. | Underlines that the Russian war of aggression has fundamentally changed the geopolitical situation in Europe, which necessitates bold, brave and comprehensive political, security and financial decisions by the EU; reiterates, in this context, its support for the European Council’s decision to grant EU candidate status to Ukraine; calls on Ukraine, the Commission and the Council to work towards the start of accession negotiations this year; believes that Ukraine’s membership of the EU represents a geostrategic investment in a united and strong Europe and that it equates to showing leadership, resolve and vision; |
| --- | --- |

16.

| 17. | Welcomes the European Council’s decision to grant EU candidate status to Ukraine; underlines that accession to the EU must take place in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, based on respect for the relevant procedures and conditional upon the fulfilment of the established criteria, in particular the so-called Copenhagen criteria for EU membership, and remains a merit-based process that requires the adoption and implementation of relevant reforms, in particular in the areas of democracy, the rule of law, human rights, a market economy and implementation of the EU acquis; calls on the Ukrainian Government to continue to strengthen local self-government, a reform that has received significant national and international acclaim, and to embed the success of the decentralisation reform in the overall architecture of Ukraine’s repair, recovery and reconstruction processes; |
| --- | --- |

17.

| 18. | Reaffirms its support for providing military aid to Ukraine for as long as necessary; recognises the efforts made by the Member States in providing and by the VP/HR in coordinating military support to allow Ukraine to exercise its legitimate right to defend itself against Russia’s war of aggression; reiterates its call on the Member States to nevertheless substantially increase and accelerate their military support with a view to not only allowing Ukraine to defend itself against Russian attacks, but also to enabling it to regain full control over its entire internationally recognised territory; calls on the Member States, the US, the UK and Canada to swiftly deliver on their pledge to provide Ukraine with modern battle tanks; underlines the importance of maintaining close coordination and unity among Ukraine’s allies on the analysis of critical requests by the Ukrainian authorities for heavy weaponry and advanced air-defence systems; calls for serious consideration to be given to supplying Ukraine with Western fighter jets, helicopters and appropriate missile systems and to substantially increasing munitions deliveries; |
| --- | --- |

18.

| 19. | Calls on the Council to maintain its sanctions policy against Russia and Belarus, while monitoring, reviewing and enhancing its effectiveness and impact; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the swift implementation and strict enforcement of all sanctions; calls on the Council to adopt its 10th sanctions package by the end of February 2023, to substantially broaden the scope of the sanctions, in particular those on the economy and the energy sector by prohibiting imports of Russian fossil fuels, uranium and diamonds, and those against persons and entities, to sanction all persons associated with the so-called Wagner Group and other Russian-funded armed groups, militias and proxies, including those active in the occupied territories of Ukraine, and for the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines to be completely abandoned in order to stop financing Putin’s war machine with EU money; calls on all Member States to remain united in their response to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and on all EU candidate countries and potential candidates to align with the EU’s sanctions policy; |
| --- | --- |

19.

| 20. | Asks the Commission for an impact assessment on the effectiveness of sanctions on the Russian war effort and on the circumvention of sanctions; recalls that the violation of restrictive measures has been added to the EU list of criminal offences; |
| --- | --- |

20.

| 21. | Calls on the EU and its Member States to take further action to continue the international isolation of the Russian Federation, including with regard to Russia’s membership of international organisations and bodies such as the United Nations Security Council; |
| --- | --- |

21.

| 22. | Is deeply concerned about reports that several third countries are collaborating with Russia to help it circumvent sanctions, including reports that Iran and North Korea have been continuously supplying military equipment to Russia and that Chinese state-owned defence companies are shipping dual-use equipment, navigation equipment, jamming technology and fighter aircraft parts to Russia and reports of ‘shadow tanker’ activities, and asks the Commission to guarantee that no gas imports from third countries, such as Azerbaijan, could be whitewashing Russian gas under European sanctions; calls for the EU, the Member States and their allies to strengthen the effectiveness of the sanctions already imposed, to take urgent steps to block any attempt to circumvent these sanctions and to work on a secondary sanctions mechanism that would close any loopholes; condemns those countries that are helping Russia to avoid the effects of the sanctions imposed and calls for the EU to rigorously prosecute companies, associations and individuals who participate in the circumvention of sanctions; |
| --- | --- |

22.

| 23. | Calls on the Commission and the co-legislators to complete the legal regime allowing for the confiscation of Russian assets frozen by the EU and for their use to address the various consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, including the reconstruction of the country and compensation for the victims of Russia’s aggression; underlines its conviction that once the war ends, Russia must be obliged to pay reparations imposed on it to ensure that it makes a substantial contribution to the reconstruction of Ukraine; |
| --- | --- |

23.

| 24. | Reiterates its condemnation of the recent decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in qualifications for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games under a neutral flag, which runs counter to those countries’ multifaceted isolation and will be used by both regimes for propaganda purposes; calls on the Member States and the international community to exert pressure on the IOC to reverse this decision, which is an embarrassment to the international world of sport, and to adopt a similar position on any other sport, cultural or scientific events; |
| --- | --- |

24.

| 25. | Calls for the EU and its Member States to actively support the diplomatic efforts made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has proposed setting up a nuclear safety and security protection zone around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant; stresses the importance of preserving the integrity of infrastructure and ensuring easy access to nuclear sites for the IAEA mission; calls for the EU institutions and Member States to ban Rosatom from ongoing investments in critical infrastructure in the EU and for all its activities in the EU to be stopped; |
| --- | --- |

25.

| 26. | Calls for the EU institutions to extend the opportunities for Ukrainian elected representatives and officials to study and observe the work of the EU institutions; calls for procedures to be launched to establish the Eastern Partnership Academy for Public Administration; |
| --- | --- |

26.

| 27. | Calls for the EU and its Member States to work strategically and proactively to counter hybrid threats and to prevent Russia’s interference in political, electoral and other democratic processes in Ukraine and in the EU, in particular malicious acts aimed at manipulating public opinion and undermining European integration; calls for the EU and its Member States to increase resilience against disinformation and disruptive campaigns designed to undermine democratic processes and create divisions in Ukraine and in the EU and to close the gap by ensuring that European broadcasting companies and television channels do not provide services to any sanctioned Russian television channels nor contribute to the spread of Russian disinformation content; |
| --- | --- |

27.

| 28. | Calls on the UN General Assembly to keep Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on its agenda and calls on the EU’s partners around the world to continue to provide political and humanitarian support for Ukraine as it defends its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity; calls on the EEAS and the Member States to increase their engagement with world leaders from other regions with regard to support for Ukraine and to strengthen international pressure on the Russian regime; |
| --- | --- |

28.

| 29. | Expresses its gratitude to the countries that have shown unprecedented unity, solidarity and support for Ukraine since the first hours of the war and continue to do so; |
| --- | --- |

29.

| 30. | Expresses its solidarity and support for the courageous people in Russia and Belarus protesting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; demands that Member States protect and grant asylum to Russians and Belarusians being persecuted for speaking out against or protesting the war, as well as Russian and Belarusian deserters and conscientious objectors; |
| --- | --- |

30.

| 31. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the President, Government and Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee and the Russian and Belarusian authorities. |
| --- | --- |

31.

---

(1)  OJ L 161, 29.5.2014, p. 3.

(2)  Council Directive 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001 on minimum standards for giving temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons and on measures promoting a balance of efforts between Member States in receiving such persons and bearing the consequences thereof (OJ L 212, 7.8.2001, p. 12).

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/40 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/40

---

P9_TA(2023)0057

European Central Bank — annual report 2022

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the European Central Bank — annual report 2022 (2022/2037(INI))

(2023/C 283/10)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the European Central Bank (ECB) Annual Report 2021, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the European Central Bank (ECB) Annual Report 2021,

| — | having regard to the ECB’s feedback of 28 April 2022 on the input provided by the European Parliament as part of its resolution on the ECB Annual Report 2020, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the ECB’s feedback of 28 April 2022 on the input provided by the European Parliament as part of its resolution on the ECB Annual Report 2020,

| — | having regard to the ECB climate action plan of 4 July 2022 to further incorporate climate change into its monetary policy operations, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the ECB climate action plan of 4 July 2022 to further incorporate climate change into its monetary policy operations,

| — | having regard to the ECB staff macroeconomic projections of 8 September 2022 for the euro area, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the ECB staff macroeconomic projections of 8 September 2022 for the euro area,

| — | having regard to Eurostat’s flash estimate of 30 September 2022, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Eurostat’s flash estimate of 30 September 2022,

| — | having regard to the results of the ECB climate risk stress test of 8 July 2022, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the results of the ECB climate risk stress test of 8 July 2022,

| — | having regard to the Commission’s Summer 2022 economic forecast, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission’s Summer 2022 economic forecast,

| — | having regard to the 2022 World Economic Outlook of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the 2022 World Economic Outlook of the International Monetary Fund (IMF),

| — | having regard to the Eurobarometer survey of June-July 2022, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Eurobarometer survey of June-July 2022,

| — | having regard to its resolution of 14 March 2019 on gender balance in EU economic and monetary affairs nominations (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 14 March 2019 on gender balance in EU economic and monetary affairs nominations (1),

| — | having regard to the Paris Agreement adopted under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Paris Agreement adopted under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,

| — | having regard to Articles 123(1), 125, 127(1) and (2), 130, 282(2) and 284(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Articles 123(1), 125, 127(1) and (2), 130, 282(2) and 284(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

| — | having regard to the monetary dialogues with the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde, of 7 February, 20 June, 26 September and 28 November 2022, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the monetary dialogues with the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde, of 7 February, 20 June, 26 September and 28 November 2022,

| — | having regard to the ECB Governing Council’s approval of the Transmission Protection Instrument on 21 July 2022, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the ECB Governing Council’s approval of the Transmission Protection Instrument on 21 July 2022,

| — | having regard to the ECB Governing Council’s monetary policy decisions to raise ECB interest rates in July, September, November and December 2022, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the ECB Governing Council’s monetary policy decisions to raise ECB interest rates in July, September, November and December 2022,

| — | having regard to the ECB report of 29 September 2022 on the progress made during the investigation phase of a digital euro, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the ECB report of 29 September 2022 on the progress made during the investigation phase of a digital euro,

| — | having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights,

| — | having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2022 on the social and economic consequences for the EU of the Russian war in Ukraine — reinforcing the EU’s capacity to act (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2022 on the social and economic consequences for the EU of the Russian war in Ukraine — reinforcing the EU’s capacity to act (2),

| — | having regard to Articles 3 and 13 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Articles 3 and 13 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU),

| — | having regard to Rule 142(1) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 142(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A9-0022/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A9-0022/2023),

| A. | whereas according to the ECB baseline projections of September 2022, economic growth will decline from 3,1 % in 2022 to 0,9 % in 2023, before recovering to 1,9 % in 2024 in the baseline scenario; whereas certain core assumptions of that forecast are already outdated; whereas the outlook for euro area activity is highly heterogeneous across countries and surrounded by a high degree of uncertainty, related to the development of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, with a number of independent forecasts predicting a recession; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas according to the ECB baseline projections of September 2022, economic growth will decline from 3,1 % in 2022 to 0,9 % in 2023, before recovering to 1,9 % in 2024 in the baseline scenario; whereas certain core assumptions of that forecast are already outdated; whereas the outlook for euro area activity is highly heterogeneous across countries and surrounded by a high degree of uncertainty, related to the development of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, with a number of independent forecasts predicting a recession;

| B. | whereas Russia’s unprovoked, immoral and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine has severely hit confidence, caused energy and food prices to soar and, in conjunction with other supply-side disruptions in China, compounded existing supply chain pressures; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas Russia’s unprovoked, immoral and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine has severely hit confidence, caused energy and food prices to soar and, in conjunction with other supply-side disruptions in China, compounded existing supply chain pressures;

| C. | whereas the primary objective of the ECB is to maintain price stability, which it has defined as 2 % inflation over the medium term; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas the primary objective of the ECB is to maintain price stability, which it has defined as 2 % inflation over the medium term;

| D. | whereas according to the ECB projections of September 2022, headline inflation is expected to fall from 8,1 % in 2022 to 5,5 % in 2023 and 2,3 % in 2024; whereas 2,3 % is still slightly above the ECB target rate; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas according to the ECB projections of September 2022, headline inflation is expected to fall from 8,1 % in 2022 to 5,5 % in 2023 and 2,3 % in 2024; whereas 2,3 % is still slightly above the ECB target rate;

| E. | whereas according to Eurostat the unemployment rate in July 2022 was 6 % in the EU and 6,6 % in the euro area, varying unevenly across the EU and within Member States and with unemployment rates among young people remaining much higher (14 % in the EU and 14,2 % in the euro area); whereas the high youth unemployment rate remains a serious issue to be tackled in the EU; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas according to Eurostat the unemployment rate in July 2022 was 6 % in the EU and 6,6 % in the euro area, varying unevenly across the EU and within Member States and with unemployment rates among young people remaining much higher (14 % in the EU and 14,2 % in the euro area); whereas the high youth unemployment rate remains a serious issue to be tackled in the EU;

| F. | whereas acting within its mandate, the ECB has committed to contributing to the objectives of the Paris Agreement; whereas climate change can hamper the effectiveness of monetary policy, affect growth and increase price and macroeconomic instability; |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas acting within its mandate, the ECB has committed to contributing to the objectives of the Paris Agreement; whereas climate change can hamper the effectiveness of monetary policy, affect growth and increase price and macroeconomic instability;

| G. | whereas the functioning of the monetary policy transmission mechanism is a precondition for the ECB to be able to deliver on its price stability mandate; |
| --- | --- |

G.

whereas the functioning of the monetary policy transmission mechanism is a precondition for the ECB to be able to deliver on its price stability mandate;

| H. | whereas the euro’s external value in comparison to the US dollar has significantly deteriorated over the past couple of months; whereas energy and energy derivatives are traded in US dollars and the euro exchange rate’s depreciation against the dollar further contributes to inflation; |
| --- | --- |

H.

whereas the euro’s external value in comparison to the US dollar has significantly deteriorated over the past couple of months; whereas energy and energy derivatives are traded in US dollars and the euro exchange rate’s depreciation against the dollar further contributes to inflation;

| I. | whereas according to the June-July 2022 Eurobarometer survey, public support for the European economic and monetary union with one single currency, the euro, is at its highest level ever, at 80 % in the euro area and 72 % in the EU as a whole; |
| --- | --- |

I.

whereas according to the June-July 2022 Eurobarometer survey, public support for the European economic and monetary union with one single currency, the euro, is at its highest level ever, at 80 % in the euro area and 72 % in the EU as a whole;

| J. | whereas the ECB is accountable to the European Parliament as the institution representing EU citizens; |
| --- | --- |

J.

whereas the ECB is accountable to the European Parliament as the institution representing EU citizens;

General overview

| 1. | Is deeply concerned by the unprovoked Russian war of aggression on Ukraine and by its serious, unpredictable and long-lasting repercussions for the European economy and society, especially for the most exposed and vulnerable groups such as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and lower income households; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Highlights that unprecedented crises demand unprecedented, innovative and bold decisions on monetary policy; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Understands the uncertainty and complex environment that drive monetary policy; expresses its deep concern about the historic high levels of inflation; welcomes the determination of the ECB to be ready to take action when needed to safeguard financial stability; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Recalls that the ECB’s primary mandate is to ensure price stability; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Recognises that the ECB could bring down prices by strongly reducing aggregate demand via its monetary policy tools, while acknowledging that this would increase the risk of a negative impact on growth and employment; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Notes that current inflation is mainly supply-driven, in particular by energy and food prices, which are now impacting core inflation; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Notes further that traditional monetary policy tools have limited influence in addressing inflation that is mainly supply-driven; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Highlights that the statutory independence of the ECB, as laid down in the Treaties, is a prerequisite for it to fulfil its mandate; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Welcomes the Republic of Croatia’s accession to the euro area as the 20th member country as of January 2023; |
| --- | --- |

9.

| 10. | Notes that fiscal and monetary policies have reinforced each other during the pandemic, with all EU institutions and Member States working together within their mandates, thereby preventing a repetition of the experience during the 2008 financial crisis and recalls the lessons learnt from its causes and the response to it; stresses that maintaining price stability today requires even closer coordination of fiscal and monetary policies, as addressing supply-side shocks requires greater supply-chain resilience and energy reforms, including a shift towards more renewables and a predictable investment framework; agrees with President Lagarde’s warning that ‘it is essential that fiscal support used to shield ... households from the impact of higher prices is temporary and targeted. This limits the risk of fuelling inflationary pressures, thereby also facilitating the task of monetary policy to ensure price stability, and contributing to preserving debt sustainability’ (3); |
| --- | --- |

10.

| 11. | Welcomes President Lagarde’s statement that the current geopolitical crisis requires us to progress on EU fiscal integration; welcomes the ECB’s long-standing support for the swift completion of the banking union and stresses the risks caused by serious delays; notes the ECB’s support for the establishment of a fully-fledged European deposit insurance scheme; acknowledges that risk-sharing and risk-reduction are interlinked and that institutional protection schemes play a key role in protecting and stabilising member institutions; welcomes the progress made so far in reducing non-performing loans; |
| --- | --- |

11.

| 12. | Calls on the ECB to continue monitoring developments and publishing information on the international role of the euro on a regular basis; underlines that strengthening the role of the euro requires the deepening and completion of the European economic and monetary union in order to reduce the actual and perceived vulnerability of the euro area to macroeconomic shocks; notes that making the euro more attractive as a reserve currency will further enhance its international use and increase the EU’s ability to frame its policy stance independently, which is a key element in safeguarding European economic sovereignty; |
| --- | --- |

12.

Monetary policy

| 13. | Is alarmed that euro area inflation has reached record levels with average inflation for 2022 at 8,4 %; stresses that headline inflation rose to a record high of 10,6 % in October 2022 and fell to 9,2 % by December 2022; stresses that energy is by far the most significant driver of inflation (40,8 %), followed by food prices (11,8 %); notes that the ECB forecasts a headline inflation rate of 6,3 % in 2023, 3,4 % in 2024 and 2,3 % in 2025, with risks on the upside due mainly to disruptions in the supply of energy and food; notes that inflation is currently much higher than the ECB’s target rate of 2 %; notes that core inflation is currently at 5,2 %; recalls that the ECB’s primary mandate is to ensure price stability; |
| --- | --- |

13.

| 14. | Recalls that the ECB strategy review reconfirmed the medium-term orientation of inflation targeting, setting a symmetric 2 % inflation target over the medium term; calls on the ECB to faithfully target inflation over this medium-term horizon, including during the current time of crisis; invites the ECB to define the concept of ‘medium term’; |
| --- | --- |

14.

| 15. | Takes note of recent ECB monetary policy decisions to raise rates by 50 basis points in July, 75 basis points in September, 75 basis points in November, 50 basis points in December 2022 and 50 basis points in February 2023; notes that the current interest rate stands at 3,0 %; takes note of President Lagarde’s statement that the ECB intends ‘to raise interest rates further over the next several meetings until inflation has come down to its target level’; notes that nominal interest rates remain below the neutral rate; |
| --- | --- |

15.

| 16. | Notes that the ECB has tools at its disposal with a view to reducing aggregate demand in order to reduce inflation to its target level over the medium term; is concerned about the implications of such policy decisions for growth and employment, to be addressed by the proportionality assessment; invites the ECB to reflect on a more balanced and gradual adjustment of policy, given the high level of uncertainty; calls for more justification of any future policy rate decisions; |
| --- | --- |

16.

| 17. | Recalls that the Russian aggression in Ukraine and dependence on imported fossil fuels are responsible for much of the recent substantial increase in prices, with headline inflation reflecting the sharp rise in oil and gas prices; notes that current inflation is mainly supply-driven; further notes that traditional monetary policy tools have limited influence in tackling inflation that is mainly driven by energy and food prices; notes the ECB’s repeated acknowledgement that raising interest rates will not bring down energy prices or affect inflation in the short term; |
| --- | --- |

17.

| 18. | Is gravely concerned about the risk of fragmentation given the divergences in inflation levels among euro-area countries, from 25,2 % in Estonia to 6,6 % in France in August 2022; believes this imperils the singleness of the ECB’s monetary policy and its transmission; |
| --- | --- |

18.

| 19. | Is concerned that ‘profits have recently been a key contributor to total domestic inflation, above their historical contribution’, as noted by Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel (4); calls on the ECB to regularly publish data on the contribution of profits to inflation; notes that monetary policy is not the right response to this contributor to inflation, namely excessive market power, which is better addressed by other policies; |
| --- | --- |

19.

| 20. | Calls on the ECB to develop a credible communication strategy backed up by swift and tangible action to signal to European citizens that inflation will come down over the medium term; is deeply concerned that consumers’ inflation expectations over the next 12 months and the median expectation for inflation over the next three years are considerably above the target level, at 5,0 % and 2,9 % respectively (5); notes with concern that this hints at inflation expectations becoming de-anchored; notes that influencing inflation expectations is given as one of the main reasons for the rate hikes by the ECB; calls on the ECB to further look into the role of inflation expectations and how they are influenced by the ECB’s announcements and action; |
| --- | --- |

20.

| 21. | Notes the lack of academic consensus on the role of inflation expectations in inflation outcomes; |
| --- | --- |

21.

| 22. | Is particularly concerned that the recent decline in the euro/US dollar exchange rate has become a major contributor to energy price inflation; observes that the euro’s recent decline against the US dollar is therefore a contributor to energy price inflation given that energy derivatives are traded in US dollars; |
| --- | --- |

22.

| 23. | Notes that the IMF, in its 2022 World Economic Outlook, concluded that the risks of a wage spiral are limited; notes that resilient labour markets and a certain level of catch-up to compensate for loss of purchasing power are likely to contribute to strong wage growth; calls on the ECB to monitor this risk very closely; |
| --- | --- |

23.

| 24. | Is concerned about the ECB’s continued reliance on private credit rating agencies for sovereign bond ratings in its collateral framework; reiterates its call on the ECB to put an end to this reliance; |
| --- | --- |

24.

| 25. | Stresses that an even transmission of monetary policy is vital to the achievement of the ECB’s price stability mandate; underlines that excessive divergence in sovereign yields makes credit conditions inconsistent with the uniform transmission of monetary policy; notes the ECB’s decision on 15 June 2022 to apply flexibility in reinvesting redemptions that are due under the pandemic emergency purchase programme; notes the launch of the Transmission Protection Instrument to support the effective transmission of monetary policy across the euro area; |
| --- | --- |

25.

| 26. | Notes that the combination of cheap targeted longer-term refinancing operations (TLTROs) and higher interest rates created the risk of allowing European banks to earn billions in extra profit; welcomes the ECB’s decision at its October meeting, preventing this arbitrage; |
| --- | --- |

26.

| 27. | Worries about a lack of monetary policy coordination among major central banks around the world; worries further that a simultaneous rate hikes cycle around the world will lead to an unprecedented tightening of monetary policy conditions; calls on the ECB to initiate international dialogue with other central banks; |
| --- | --- |

27.

Secondary objectives

| 28. | Recalls that during the monetary dialogue of November 2021, the ECB President said that ‘as part of the secondary objectives, we obviously have the economic development, we have the respect for the environment and the fight against climate change, and so on and so forth. Clearly, those have to be taken into account, particularly if those secondary objectives are stated very clearly by the other institutions, and in particular by the European Parliament’; suggests taking advantage of this resolution to provide input to the ECB on the secondary objectives (6); |
| --- | --- |

28.

| 29. | Recalls that, without prejudice to the objective of price stability, the TFEU requires the ECB to support the general economic policies of the Union as laid down in Article 3 TEU; points out that there is a clear hierarchy between the ECB’s objectives; |
| --- | --- |

29.

| 30. | Notes that ECB monetary policies aimed at delivering its primary mandate are subject to a proportionality assessment; notes that the proportionality assessment takes into account the impact of monetary policy measures on the broader economy and economic policies, addressed in this section; stresses that, where it faces a choice between different sets of policies that are equally conducive to price stability, the ECB will choose those that best support the general economic policies of the EU (7); |
| --- | --- |

30.

| 31. | Calls on the ECB to devote a specific chapter in its annual report to explaining how it has interpreted and acted upon its secondary objectives and to presenting the effects of its monetary policy on the EU’s general economic policies; |
| --- | --- |

31.

| 32. | Considers high levels of socially, environmentally and economically sustainable growth and a highly competitive social market economy aiming at full employment to be key economic goals; recalls the importance of the European Pillar of Social Rights; stresses that these objectives are best achieved when the free market operates in a stable macroeconomic environment based on predictable price levels; |
| --- | --- |

32.

| 33. | Underlines the pivotal role of SMEs for the EU’s economy and economic and social convergence, employment and the implementation of the twin transitions (digital and climate); |
| --- | --- |

33.

| 34. | Suggests that as part of its proportionality assessment, the ECB should take into consideration that the costs of its monetary policy operations should not be disproportionately borne by lower income strata and the most vulnerable groups and assess the impact of its monetary policy operations on these groups, while bearing in mind that wealth and income inequality negatively affect the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission (8); |
| --- | --- |

34.

| 35. | Calls on the ECB, as an independent institution, to keep refraining from politically motivated decisions in the pursuit of its mandate; |
| --- | --- |

35.

Action against climate change

| 36. | Notes that price stability and a stable macroeconomic environment are needed to encourage green investment and would help, among other things, to create the right conditions for the implementation of the Paris Agreement; invites the ECB to assess to what extent climate change affects its ability to maintain price stability; |
| --- | --- |

36.

| 37. | Recalls that the ECB, as an EU institution, is bound by the EU’s commitments under the Paris Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

37.

| 38. | Notes the Governing Council’s decision to take further steps to include climate change considerations in the Eurosystem’s monetary policy framework; |
| --- | --- |

38.

| 39. | Notes that the concept of market neutrality is related to the principle of ‘an open market economy with free competition’; invites the ECB, while respecting its independence, to address market failures and ensure the efficient allocation of resources over a long-term horizon, while remaining as apolitical as possible, respecting the market neutrality principle; notes that the ECB has already deviated from market neutrality in several instances; highlights that such decisions must not be made at the expense of achieving the ECB’s primary objective; |
| --- | --- |

39.

| 40. | Notes the ECB’s announcement to decarbonise its corporate bond holdings by ‘tilting’ its portfolio; stresses that the ECB’s asset-purchasing programmes constitute unconventional monetary policy which should be pursued only during unprecedented economic circumstances; stresses furthermore that these holdings are a by-product of the past fight against low inflation and that making investments is not an objective of monetary policy; |
| --- | --- |

40.

| 41. | Notes, furthermore, the announcement on the greening of the ECB’s collateral framework, which will help reduce financial risk on the ECB’s balance sheet; |
| --- | --- |

41.

| 42. | Welcomes the ECB’s announcement to further enhance the Eurosystem’s risk assessment tools and capabilities in order to better include climate- and environment-related risks, such as through their in-house credit assessment systems; welcomes in particular the ECB’s engagement with rating agencies to increase transparency on how they incorporate climate risks into their ratings and their ambition regarding disclosure requirements on climate risks; |
| --- | --- |

42.

| 43. | Welcomes the ECB’s action plan and its detailed road map of climate-change-related actions to further incorporate climate-change considerations into its policy framework and models; |
| --- | --- |

43.

| 44. | Welcomes the ECB climate risk stress test developed to assess the resilience of banks and corporations in the face of climate transition risk; observes that the results published on 8 July 2022 show that most banks do not have robust climate risk stress-testing frameworks and lack the relevant data; calls on the ECB to provide workable guidance and reduce red tape; notes that bank supervision should be risk-based and not guided by secondary considerations; calls on banks to step up their efforts to measure and manage climate risk; |
| --- | --- |

44.

| 45. | Highlights the ECB’s achievement in lowering its own carbon emissions by 10,7 % between 2020 and 2021; |
| --- | --- |

45.

Transparency, accountability, gender equality and other aspects

| 46. | Stresses the need to further enhance the ECB’s accountability and transparency arrangements; notes that while the ECB has enlarged its toolbox and objectives beyond price stability, its accountability practices have only partially evolved; looks forward to the formalisation, in writing, of the current accountability practices between the ECB and the European Parliament; reiterates its call for the ECB to strengthen its accountability vis-a-vis the European Parliament; |
| --- | --- |

46.

| 47. | Welcomes the substantial and detailed feedback provided by the ECB to Parliament’s resolution on the 2020 ECB Annual Report; calls on the ECB to continue this commitment to accountability and to keep publishing its written feedback on Parliament’s resolutions on the ECB annual reports each year; |
| --- | --- |

47.

| 48. | Calls on the ECB to better report on positions taken by the ECB in the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, including in writing; |
| --- | --- |

48.

| 49. | Welcomes the ECB’s new communications policy, which includes more accessible ways to explain and present ECB policy decisions to citizens and stakeholders; |
| --- | --- |

49.

| 50. | Welcomes the attention the ECB pays to the risks of cyber-attacks; encourages the ECB to maintain this attention, especially in the light of the geopolitical context; |
| --- | --- |

50.

| 51. | Calls on the ECB to step up its monitoring of the development of crypto-currencies and the related risks in terms of cybersecurity, money laundering, terrorism financing and other criminal activities related with the anonymity provided by crypto-assets; notes in this context the entry into force of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation; |
| --- | --- |

51.

| 52. | Regrets that only two members of the ECB’s Executive Board and Governing Council are women; reiterates that the nominations to the Executive Board should be gender-balanced, with shortlists submitted to Parliament; strongly regrets that instead of providing shortlists of candidates, Member States have recently nominated a number of candidates equal to the number of vacant positions; recalls that Parliament has previously committed not to consider shortlists that do not respect the gender-balance principle, in accordance with its resolution on gender balance in EU economic and monetary affairs nominations; calls on the euro area’s Member States to do their part and fully incorporate the principle of gender equality in their appointment processes in order to ensure equal opportunity for all genders for the position of governor of national central banks; |
| --- | --- |

52.

| 53. | Regrets that the gender imbalance also persists across the organisational structure of the ECB, notably in the share of women in senior management positions; notes that the latest available statistics on this date from 2019, and indicate that the share of women in all ECB management positions had risen to 30,3 % and in its senior management positions to 30,8 %; welcomes the ECB’s new strategy to improve gender balance, including the objective of increasing the share of women to between 40 % and 51 % by 2026; calls on the ECB to report on progress in this area as part of its annual report; |
| --- | --- |

53.

| 54. | Supports the ECB’s aim to increase female representation by encouraging women to advance in this field; welcomes, therefore, initiatives such as the ECB Women in Economics Scholarship; |
| --- | --- |

54.

| 55. | Takes note of ECB staff rules on potential conflicts of interest and encourages the ambitious application thereof; takes note, further, of the ongoing review of its ethics framework; highlights the decision of the European Ombudsman of 26 October 2022 issuing recommendations in this regard, in particular on ‘revolving doors’ at the ECB, after the recent case of a senior economist’s move to an American investment bank (9); calls on the ECB to extend the cooling-off period for senior salary tiers also to employees in lower salary bands; |
| --- | --- |

55.

| 56. | Calls on the ECB to develop a strategy on how to deal with lobbyists and increase the transparency of staff-level contacts beyond the Governing Council; |
| --- | --- |

56.

| 57. | Welcomes the fact that the number of counterfeit euro banknotes decreased in 2021 to its lowest level since 2003 (12 parts per million); calls on the ECB to step up the fight against counterfeiting and its cooperation with Europol, Interpol and the Commission in pursuit of this goal; invites the ECB, without prejudice to the Member States’ prerogatives, to create a system to better monitor large transactions with a view to combating money laundering, tax evasion and the financing of terrorism and organised crime; |
| --- | --- |

57.

| 58. | Welcomes the ECB’s progress on the digital euro project and welcomes the dialogue with Parliament in this regard; looks forward to the end of the 24-month investigation phase of the digital euro project and to the Governing Council reaching a decision on the start of the process of launching the digital euro, once the legal base for this is provided by the co-legislators on the basis of the upcoming proposal by the Commission; |
| --- | --- |

58.

| 59. | Highlights the expected benefits such as efficiency gains and increased financial inclusion; agrees with the ECB that a digital euro would have to satisfy a range of minimal requirements including robustness, safety, efficiency and protection of privacy; stresses that a digital euro could complement but must not replace cash as a means of payment; |
| --- | --- |

59.

| 60. | Calls on the ECB to duly consider the risks for the banking sector and overall lending to the real economy when designing the digital euro; |
| --- | --- |

60.

| 61. | Strongly regrets the ECB’s decision to involve Amazon in testing prototype interfaces for a digital euro; stresses that this company is a potential competitor in this field and should therefore not be placed in such a position, especially since it does not receive any monetary compensation for this assignment; stresses furthermore that outsourcing the digital euro infrastructure to a US tech company weakens the EU’s strategic autonomy; |
| --- | --- |

61.

| 62. | Calls for the further enhancement of the ECB’s internal whistleblowing framework, bringing it in line with the EU Whistleblower Directive (10); |
| --- | --- |

62.

| 63. | Suggests the establishment of an independent evaluation office modelled on that of the IMF, which could perform evaluations of ECB policies and conduct impact assessments of different policy options, without infringing on the ECB’s independence; |
| --- | --- |

63.

o

o o

| 64. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission. |
| --- | --- |

64.

---

(1)  OJ C 23, 21.1.2021, p. 105.

(2)  OJ C 479, 16.12.2022, p. 75.

(3)  Introductory remarks to the monetary dialogue of 26 September 2022: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2022/html/ecb.sp220926_ 1~0bd6fcc86c.en.html

(4)  Isabel Schnabel’s speech on the globalisation of inflation: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2022/html/ecb.sp220511_ 1~e9ba02e127.en.html

(5)  https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/pr/date/2023/html/ecb.pr230112~6cfbeda491.en.html

(6)  Page 15 of the transcript of the November 2021 monetary dialogue: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2021/html/ecb.sp211115_annex_ 1~d1ef2075bb.en.pdf

(7)  https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2022/html/ecb.sp220324~ 61c5afb6b9.en.html

(8)  https://www.bis.org/publ/othp50.htm

(9)  https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/decision/en/162341

(10)  Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law (OJ L 305, 26.11.2019, p. 17).

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/48 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/48

---

P9_TA(2023)0058

Developing an EU Cycling Strategy

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on developing an EU cycling strategy (2022/2909(RSP))

(2023/C 283/11)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission ‘Fit for 55’ package of 14 July 2021 on delivering the European Green Deal, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission ‘Fit for 55’ package of 14 July 2021 on delivering the European Green Deal,

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 18 May 2022 entitled ‘EU “Save Energy”’ (COM(2022)0240), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 18 May 2022 entitled ‘EU “Save Energy”’ (COM(2022)0240),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 14 December 2021 entitled ‘The New EU Urban Mobility Framework’ (COM(2021)0811), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 14 December 2021 entitled ‘The New EU Urban Mobility Framework’ (COM(2021)0811),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 9 December 2020 entitled ‘Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy — putting European transport on track for the future’ (COM(2020)0789), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 9 December 2020 entitled ‘Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy — putting European transport on track for the future’ (COM(2020)0789),

| — | having regard to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/73 of 17 January 2019 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty and definitively collecting the provisional duty imposed on imports of electric bicycles originating in the People’s Republic of China (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/73 of 17 January 2019 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty and definitively collecting the provisional duty imposed on imports of electric bicycles originating in the People’s Republic of China (1),

| — | having regard to the European Committee of the Regions opinion of 12 October 2016 entitled ‘An EU Roadmap for Cycling’ (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the European Committee of the Regions opinion of 12 October 2016 entitled ‘An EU Roadmap for Cycling’ (2),

| — | having regard to the European Court of Auditors (ECA) special report No 6/2020 entitled ‘Sustainable Urban Mobility in the EU: No substantial improvement is possible without Member States’ commitment’, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the European Court of Auditors (ECA) special report No 6/2020 entitled ‘Sustainable Urban Mobility in the EU: No substantial improvement is possible without Member States’ commitment’,

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 10 March 2020 entitled ‘A New Industrial Strategy for Europe’ (COM(2020)0102), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 10 March 2020 entitled ‘A New Industrial Strategy for Europe’ (COM(2020)0102),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 20 January 2021 on the revision of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) guidelines (3), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 20 January 2021 on the revision of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) guidelines (3),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 6 October 2021 on the EU Road Safety Policy Framework 2021-2030 — Recommendations on next steps towards ‘Vision Zero’ (4), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 6 October 2021 on the EU Road Safety Policy Framework 2021-2030 — Recommendations on next steps towards ‘Vision Zero’ (4),

| — | having regard to the speech delivered on 30 June 2022 by Executive Vice-President of the Commission Frans Timmermans at the Bicycle Summit in Copenhagen, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the speech delivered on 30 June 2022 by Executive Vice-President of the Commission Frans Timmermans at the Bicycle Summit in Copenhagen,

| — | having regard to the principle of subsidiarity and, in particular, to Article 5(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the principle of subsidiarity and, in particular, to Article 5(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to the Member States’ ‘Declaration on Cycling as a climate friendly Transport Mode’, endorsed during the Luxembourg EU Presidency in October 2015, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Member States’ ‘Declaration on Cycling as a climate friendly Transport Mode’, endorsed during the Luxembourg EU Presidency in October 2015,

| — | having regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular to Goal 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, in which cycling is viewed as making cities and human settlements more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular to Goal 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, in which cycling is viewed as making cities and human settlements more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable,

| — | having regard to the statement by the Commission of 7 July 2022 in reply to the question to the Commission on developing an EU cycling strategy (O-000025/2022 — B9-0017/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the statement by the Commission of 7 July 2022 in reply to the question to the Commission on developing an EU cycling strategy (O-000025/2022 — B9-0017/2022),

| — | having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on Transport and Tourism, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

| A. | whereas transport is a significant source of air pollution, and whereas sustainable transport modes, such as cycling, are essential for achieving the EU’s climate and pollution reduction objectives and for delivering on its ambitions in the EU ‘Save Energy’ and REPowerEU initiatives; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas transport is a significant source of air pollution, and whereas sustainable transport modes, such as cycling, are essential for achieving the EU’s climate and pollution reduction objectives and for delivering on its ambitions in the EU ‘Save Energy’ and REPowerEU initiatives;

| B. | whereas cycling brings many benefits, such as better health, reduced road congestion and noise pollution, improved air quality, economic growth and environmental and social benefits; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas cycling brings many benefits, such as better health, reduced road congestion and noise pollution, improved air quality, economic growth and environmental and social benefits;

| C. | whereas cycling is a relatively inexpensive means of transport, which most citizens can afford, and promotes a sustainable economy; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas cycling is a relatively inexpensive means of transport, which most citizens can afford, and promotes a sustainable economy;

| D. | whereas more safe cycling infrastructure is needed to unlock the potential for cycling, which is a valuable alternative for travel over short distances; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas more safe cycling infrastructure is needed to unlock the potential for cycling, which is a valuable alternative for travel over short distances;

| E. | whereas the EU cycling ecosystem already represents over 1 000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and 1 million jobs and can scale up to 2 million jobs by 2030; whereas e-bikes represent an opportunity for the growth of the cycling industry, providing potential to create green jobs and absorb reskilled workers from other sectors; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas the EU cycling ecosystem already represents over 1 000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and 1 million jobs and can scale up to 2 million jobs by 2030; whereas e-bikes represent an opportunity for the growth of the cycling industry, providing potential to create green jobs and absorb reskilled workers from other sectors;

| F. | whereas the lack of secured parking and measures to prevent theft, as well as the lack of dedicated cycle paths, are considered to be the two prevailing obstacles to attracting new users and achieving the full potential of cycling in cities; |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas the lack of secured parking and measures to prevent theft, as well as the lack of dedicated cycle paths, are considered to be the two prevailing obstacles to attracting new users and achieving the full potential of cycling in cities;

| 1. | Considers that cycling should be recognised as a fully-fledged mode of transport; asks the Commission to develop a dedicated European cycling strategy with the aim of doubling the number of kilometres cycled in Europe by 2030; calls on the Commission to ensure the harmonised collection of data on cycling, including industrial data; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Notes that cycling has increased as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising price of fossil fuels since Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine; encourages regional and local authorities to consider maintaining the cycling infrastructure put in place as a response to the pandemic via their regular urban planning processes, and to take tangible actions to properly integrate cycling into their urban mobility frameworks, while acknowledging its potential to contribute to better connectivity between suburban areas and city centres, in particular through cycle highways; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Encourages, with a view to fostering multimodality, the creation of synergies between cycling and other modes of transport, such as making more places available for bikes inside trains and providing more secured parking areas for bikes at stations and mobility hubs; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Considers that European policies and support should take enabling cycling into due account when building or upgrading the TEN-T infrastructure, including adding cycle paths parallel to railway tracks and inland waterways, where feasible; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Encourages Member States and local authorities to significantly increase investments in the construction of separated cycling infrastructure, to integrate affordable e-bike and bike-sharing schemes into their mobility plans’ networks and reflect cycling as a vital last-mile solution in urban nodes; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Highlights that urban infrastructure planning should be developed in accordance with EU road safety legislation, including safety standards for cycling; calls on the Commission to speed up its work regarding the guidance on quality requirements for high-quality and safe cycling infrastructure provided for under the RISM Directive (5); underlines the need to improve intelligent transport system technologies so that they become better at recognising cyclists on the road; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Calls on the Commission to recognise the cycling industry, including battery manufacturing for e-bikes and the circular economy, and in particular SMEs, as legitimate partners in the mobility ecosystem of the EU industrial strategy, and in industrial infrastructure programmes and funding schemes; calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage projects on cycling and related sectors such as mobility, tourism, health and sports, among others; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the production of ‘Made in Europe’ bicycles and components, thereby stimulating the competitiveness of EU industry, by bridging the investment gap, maintaining a global level playing field and stimulating supply chain reshoring and security, and by encouraging high-quality jobs, creating cycling clusters and enhancing industry-related vocational training; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the accessibility of cycling to persons with reduced mobility, as well as making cycling affordable for vulnerable groups; notes that the European Social Climate Fund and the structural and investment funds can help those who are most affected by ‘transport poverty’ by supporting the purchase of bikes or access to bike-sharing services; |
| --- | --- |

9.

| 10. | Calls on the Commission, the Member States and regional and local authorities to conduct educational campaigns and training, including information campaigns, to increase awareness for road safety, supporting the safe use of bikes and e-bikes; calls further on the Commission to propose guidelines on safe cycling (helmets, age restrictions, carrying children, etc.), and requests that particular attention be paid to encouraging cycling among women and older people, notably through improving safety; |
| --- | --- |

10.

| 11. | Notes, in this context, that proper enforcement and monitoring are essential for users’ safety and security, and calls for the focus to be placed on the enforcement of existing rules in order to ensure the respectful coexistence of different transport modes; |
| --- | --- |

11.

| 12. | Underlines the potential of e-bikes to increase cycling; notes that in order to maintain the swift deployment of and access to e-bikes, those with assistance capable of attaining speeds of up to 25 km/h need to be given proper legal classification in both EU and national legislation; |
| --- | --- |

12.

| 13. | Points out that due consideration should be given to safe and secure bike parking spaces and charging capacity for e-bikes in housing planning; |
| --- | --- |

13.

| 14. | Encourages companies, public organisations and institutions to promote cycling through specific incentives, including programmes for employees and the installation of sufficient bike parking spaces with e-bike chargers, and providing adequate sanitary facilities; |
| --- | --- |

14.

| 15. | Stresses that cycling tourism and cycling in rural areas need to be supported by accelerating the development of the EuroVelo network and its 17 routes, in particular by ensuring stronger support as well as exploiting synergies with the TEN-T network; |
| --- | --- |

15.

| 16. | Encourages the Member States to reduce the VAT rates for the supply, rental and repair of bikes and e-bikes; |
| --- | --- |

16.

| 17. | Calls on the Commission to designate 2024 as the European Year of Cycling; |
| --- | --- |

17.

| 18. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and to the Member States and their parliaments. |
| --- | --- |

18.

---

(1)  OJ L 16, 18.1.2019, p. 108.

(2)  OJ C 88, 21.3.2017, p. 49.

(3)  OJ C 456, 10.11.2021, p. 47.

(4)  OJ C 132, 24.3.2022, p. 45.

(5)  Directive (EU) 2019/1936 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 amending Directive 2008/96/EC on road infrastructure safety management (OJ L 305, 26.11.2019, p. 1).

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/51 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/51

---

P9_TA(2023)0059

Availability of fertilisers in the EU

European Parliament resolution of 16 February 2023 on the Commission communication on ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers (2022/2982(RSP))

(2023/C 283/12)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 9 November 2022 entitled ‘Ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers’ (COM(2022)0590), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 9 November 2022 entitled ‘Ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers’ (COM(2022)0590),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 24 March 2022 on the need for an urgent EU action plan to ensure food security inside and outside the EU in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 24 March 2022 on the need for an urgent EU action plan to ensure food security inside and outside the EU in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (1),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2021 on a farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2021 on a farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system (2),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan (3), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan (3),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication on a Temporary Crisis Framework for State Aid measures to support the economy following the aggression against Ukraine by Russia (4), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication on a Temporary Crisis Framework for State Aid measures to support the economy following the aggression against Ukraine by Russia (4),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 23 March 2022 on safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems (COM(2022)0133), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 23 March 2022 on safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems (COM(2022)0133),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 20 July 2022 entitled ‘Save gas for a safe winter’ (COM(2022)0360), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 20 July 2022 entitled ‘Save gas for a safe winter’ (COM(2022)0360),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system’ (COM(2020)0381), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system’ (COM(2020)0381),

| — | having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013 (5), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013 (5),

| — | having regard to Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices (6), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices (6),

| — | having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 laying down rules on the making available on the market of EU fertilising products and amending Regulations (EC) No 1069/2009 and (EC) No 1107/2009 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 (7), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 laying down rules on the making available on the market of EU fertilising products and amending Regulations (EC) No 1069/2009 and (EC) No 1107/2009 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 (7),

| — | having regard to Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (8) (the Nitrates Directive), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (8) (the Nitrates Directive),

| — | having regard to the Commission staff working document of 4 January 2023 entitled ‘Drivers of food security’ (SWD(2023)0004), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission staff working document of 4 January 2023 entitled ‘Drivers of food security’ (SWD(2023)0004),

| — | having regard to the publication of the Joint Research Centre entitled ‘Technical proposals for the safe use of processed manure above the threshold established for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones by the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC)’ (9), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the publication of the Joint Research Centre entitled ‘Technical proposals for the safe use of processed manure above the threshold established for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones by the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC)’ (9),

| — | having regard to the question to the Commission on the Commission communication on ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers (O-000001/2023 — B9-0010/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the question to the Commission on the Commission communication on ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers (O-000001/2023 — B9-0010/2023),

| — | having regard to Rules 136(5) and 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rules 136(5) and 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development,

| A. | whereas fertilisers and nutrient management are essential to ensuring sufficient and quality food production, and play a critical role in relation to global food security; whereas today’s fertiliser shortages may affect tomorrow’s crops; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas fertilisers and nutrient management are essential to ensuring sufficient and quality food production, and play a critical role in relation to global food security; whereas today’s fertiliser shortages may affect tomorrow’s crops;

| B. | whereas the production and cost of mineral fertilisers largely depend on the availability and affordability of natural gas, while accounting for up to 2,1 % of global greenhouse gas emissions (10); whereas producing fertiliser components such as nitrogen and ammonia requires vast quantities of natural gas; whereas gas accounts for around 80 % of fertilisers’ production costs; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas the production and cost of mineral fertilisers largely depend on the availability and affordability of natural gas, while accounting for up to 2,1 % of global greenhouse gas emissions (10); whereas producing fertiliser components such as nitrogen and ammonia requires vast quantities of natural gas; whereas gas accounts for around 80 % of fertilisers’ production costs;

| C. | whereas the planetary boundaries for the biogeochemical flows of the nitrogen cycle (3,3 times) and the phosphorus cycle (2 times) have been surpassed in the EU (11); |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas the planetary boundaries for the biogeochemical flows of the nitrogen cycle (3,3 times) and the phosphorus cycle (2 times) have been surpassed in the EU (11);

| D. | whereas, as a result of the Russian Federation’s illegal invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, a global mineral fertiliser and energy crisis is threatening global food security and driving up food prices, which can potentially have a profound impact on the most vulnerable populations around the world, who are heavily dependent on access to affordable and nutritious food; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas, as a result of the Russian Federation’s illegal invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, a global mineral fertiliser and energy crisis is threatening global food security and driving up food prices, which can potentially have a profound impact on the most vulnerable populations around the world, who are heavily dependent on access to affordable and nutritious food;

| E. | whereas, historically, a large proportion of the natural gas used to produce fertilisers in the EU has come from the Russian Federation; whereas the Russian Federation is the world’s principal supplier of fertilisers and their core components; whereas Russia has abused its dominance in gas supplies and fertilisers as a political weapon; whereas the continued high level of mineral fertiliser use risks fuelling the Russian war efforts and supporting other autocratic regimes; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas, historically, a large proportion of the natural gas used to produce fertilisers in the EU has come from the Russian Federation; whereas the Russian Federation is the world’s principal supplier of fertilisers and their core components; whereas Russia has abused its dominance in gas supplies and fertilisers as a political weapon; whereas the continued high level of mineral fertiliser use risks fuelling the Russian war efforts and supporting other autocratic regimes;

| F. | whereas inflation is having a major impact on the European agricultural sector, particularly as it is putting a serious strain on the current budget of the common agricultural policy (CAP); |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas inflation is having a major impact on the European agricultural sector, particularly as it is putting a serious strain on the current budget of the common agricultural policy (CAP);

| G. | whereas a high number of European mineral fertiliser manufacturers have downsized their operations or stopped production altogether, largely as a result of the rise in the costs of natural gas, but also owing to taxation and competition from less bureaucratic countries, leading to shortages, fertiliser price increases and lower yields arising from the inability of farmers to have access to the fertilisers they need in order to meet their production requirements and, ultimately, impacting food availability and affordability; |
| --- | --- |

G.

whereas a high number of European mineral fertiliser manufacturers have downsized their operations or stopped production altogether, largely as a result of the rise in the costs of natural gas, but also owing to taxation and competition from less bureaucratic countries, leading to shortages, fertiliser price increases and lower yields arising from the inability of farmers to have access to the fertilisers they need in order to meet their production requirements and, ultimately, impacting food availability and affordability;

| H. | whereas the world’s largest fertiliser manufacturers have been making record profits (12); |
| --- | --- |

H.

whereas the world’s largest fertiliser manufacturers have been making record profits (12);

| I. | whereas farmers are now faced with the question of how much they can risk in their sowing and production decisions, or are even faced with the decision to stop their agricultural activity altogether, as the prices of fertilisers have been very volatile and have over the last two years risen to levels never seen before in Europe, thereby impacting the level of farmers’ income and even farm management; whereas the availability of raw materials for the production of fertilisers is not guaranteed, which might cause shortages for farms during the growing season; |
| --- | --- |

I.

whereas farmers are now faced with the question of how much they can risk in their sowing and production decisions, or are even faced with the decision to stop their agricultural activity altogether, as the prices of fertilisers have been very volatile and have over the last two years risen to levels never seen before in Europe, thereby impacting the level of farmers’ income and even farm management; whereas the availability of raw materials for the production of fertilisers is not guaranteed, which might cause shortages for farms during the growing season;

| J. | whereas the increase in agricultural input costs has been a major factor in the high food commodity prices over the past two years; whereas the currently expected future prices of cereal crops for the 2023 harvest may not reflect current input costs and, as a result, returns may be below the cost of production; whereas in some Member States, particularly those in proximity to the war in Ukraine, the selling price has already not covered the production costs; whereas as a result of investing in fertilisers while prices remain high, farmers are facing risk owing to the possibility of fertiliser prices falling significantly in the short term; |
| --- | --- |

J.

whereas the increase in agricultural input costs has been a major factor in the high food commodity prices over the past two years; whereas the currently expected future prices of cereal crops for the 2023 harvest may not reflect current input costs and, as a result, returns may be below the cost of production; whereas in some Member States, particularly those in proximity to the war in Ukraine, the selling price has already not covered the production costs; whereas as a result of investing in fertilisers while prices remain high, farmers are facing risk owing to the possibility of fertiliser prices falling significantly in the short term;

| K. | whereas owing to increased liquidity requirements and the volatility of the fertiliser market, many small merchants are not in a position to risk entering the market, which is reducing competitiveness; whereas the Commission should take measures to mitigate this risk in order to enable greater competition; |
| --- | --- |

K.

whereas owing to increased liquidity requirements and the volatility of the fertiliser market, many small merchants are not in a position to risk entering the market, which is reducing competitiveness; whereas the Commission should take measures to mitigate this risk in order to enable greater competition;

| L. | whereas the farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system has set the target of reducing nutrient losses by at least 50 %, while ensuring that there is no deterioration in soil fertility; whereas Parliament, in its resolution of 20 October 2021 on the strategy, welcomed this target, also insisting on the need to ensure that there is no deterioration in soil fertility; whereas achieving this target will reduce the use of fertilisers by at least 20 % by 2030; |
| --- | --- |

L.

whereas the farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system has set the target of reducing nutrient losses by at least 50 %, while ensuring that there is no deterioration in soil fertility; whereas Parliament, in its resolution of 20 October 2021 on the strategy, welcomed this target, also insisting on the need to ensure that there is no deterioration in soil fertility; whereas achieving this target will reduce the use of fertilisers by at least 20 % by 2030;

| M. | whereas the current crisis in the availability of mineral fertilisers underlines the fundamental role played by livestock in the balance of European agriculture in maintaining crop production by replacing and complementing mineral fertilisers; whereas there continue to be many sources of organic nutrients that are currently not utilised to the fullest, such as livestock manure, digestate, frass and sewage sludge; whereas the processing of organic nutrients to organic fertilising products can play an important role in achieving the goals of the farm to fork strategy and the Union’s climate objectives; |
| --- | --- |

M.

whereas the current crisis in the availability of mineral fertilisers underlines the fundamental role played by livestock in the balance of European agriculture in maintaining crop production by replacing and complementing mineral fertilisers; whereas there continue to be many sources of organic nutrients that are currently not utilised to the fullest, such as livestock manure, digestate, frass and sewage sludge; whereas the processing of organic nutrients to organic fertilising products can play an important role in achieving the goals of the farm to fork strategy and the Union’s climate objectives;

| N. | whereas according to the Combined Drought Indicator (CDI), including the first 10 days of August 2022, 47 % of Europe has been in warning conditions of severe drought and 17 % in alert conditions; whereas the regions affected by drought in spring 2022 have been the ones with the most worsening conditions (13); |
| --- | --- |

N.

whereas according to the Combined Drought Indicator (CDI), including the first 10 days of August 2022, 47 % of Europe has been in warning conditions of severe drought and 17 % in alert conditions; whereas the regions affected by drought in spring 2022 have been the ones with the most worsening conditions (13);

| O. | whereas the implementation of recovered nitrogen from manure (RENURE) as part of manure management systems enables a progression towards a more circular economy and increased resource efficiency in the EU food system; |
| --- | --- |

O.

whereas the implementation of recovered nitrogen from manure (RENURE) as part of manure management systems enables a progression towards a more circular economy and increased resource efficiency in the EU food system;

| P. | whereas the Commission’s own Joint Research Centre has developed criteria for the safe use of processed manure above the threshold established for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones by the Nitrates Directive; |
| --- | --- |

P.

whereas the Commission’s own Joint Research Centre has developed criteria for the safe use of processed manure above the threshold established for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones by the Nitrates Directive;

| 1. | Emphasises the reported price increase for nitrogen fertilisers by 149 % in September 2022 and welcomes the Commission communication on fertilisers and its ambition of ensuring the availability and affordability of fertilisers, with reasonable prices, for ensuring the resilience of the EU agricultural sector; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Underlines that the availability of all types of fertilisers and fertiliser production is essential for the supply of food to EU citizens and for global food security, as well as for ensuring soil fertility and avoiding soil depletion; notes that fertiliser production is also essential for the production of AdBlue for the transport sector and of CO2 for the food industry; is concerned about the unprecedented increase in nitrogen fertiliser prices, for which high natural gas prices and disrupted access to gas supplies have also been a contributing factor, and stresses that this can have a significant impact on the costs of agricultural production and the competitiveness of the EU agricultural sector; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Stresses that the limited availability of fertiliser in 2022 has led to the depletion of residual fertiliser reserves in soils, which could have a significant impact on European food production in 2023; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Considers that the measures set out by the Commission in its communication are a good start, in particular by way of an immediate response to the fertiliser crisis, but are still far from sufficient to address the distortions in fertiliser markets and to ensure long-term strategic autonomy with regard to fertilisers; calls on the Commission to develop a long-term EU fertiliser strategy and to present a long-term EU sustainable soil nutrient strategy by June 2023; calls for holistic action to be taken promptly to avoid new dependencies on imported fertilisers or energy and energy carrier imports, and to ensure global food security by promoting sustainable food production that respects the environment and is adapted to climate change, while taking into account the regional, European and global economic and social context; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Stresses that there is a need for long-term solutions at EU level, in particular to avoid any economic distortion between the Member States’ agricultural sectors; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Recalls that even short-term fertiliser unavailability or lack of affordability may jeopardise timely crop cultivation with a negative impact on farmers’ income; recalls further that this may contribute to food insecurity; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Stresses the effect the increase of input costs is having on EU agriculture and highlights that farmers from other regions such as Russia and South America have access to significantly lower fertiliser cost thus undermining the competitiveness of EU farmers; |
| --- | --- |

7.

Short-term action

| 8. | Calls on the Member States and the Commission to consider making use of the agricultural reserve for the 2023 financial year to provide immediate assistance to farmers in the face of the exponentially rising fertiliser costs and the consequent increase in production costs; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Stresses, however, that the use of the crisis reserve is not a sufficient financial response to address the challenges and that a more robust response is needed to tackle the current crisis; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure support for farmers until the market stabilises and alternatives to mineral fertilisers become available; notes that consecutive reductions in the CAP budget, alongside inflationary pressures, have further lowered the viability of EU farmers; |
| --- | --- |

9.

| 10. | Calls on the Member States to prioritise, in this context, continued and uninterrupted access to natural gas and electricity at affordable prices for fertiliser and related AdBlue and CO2 production in their national emergency plans, with a view to ensuring long-term food security, competitiveness on the global market and a functioning transport sector; |
| --- | --- |

10.

| 11. | Fears that the support for farmers and fertiliser producers through the Temporary Crisis Framework for State Aid may pose a risk of renationalisation, fragmentation and competition between different markets and among individual farmers; stresses that common measures must be favoured and underlines the need for a level playing field and the fair distribution of supply across the Union; |
| --- | --- |

11.

| 12. | Recalls, in this context, that the mid-term review of the multiannual financial framework could make it possible to strengthen the CAP budget and to take into account the severe impact inflation has had on input costs and farm incomes; encourages the EU to seek alternative sources of funding outside the CAP, to develop the relevant measures to ensure the affordability and availability of fertilisers in the EU, and to alleviate the economic impact of the fertiliser deficit; |
| --- | --- |

12.

| 13. | Reminds the Member States of the possibility to develop, in the framework of their CAP strategic plans, specific eco-schemes to promote organic fertilisation or the greater development of optimum soil pH levels, which would require less fertiliser use and result in the maximum utilisation of limited supplies, or sectoral interventions in the ‘other sectors’ chapter, which may include, among other things, measures to stimulate the development of alternatives to mineral fertilisation, to support joint and cooperative approaches to shortage scenarios, and to apply innovation and technology to reduce fertiliser use; |
| --- | --- |

13.

| 14. | Recognises and gives differential support to the role played by agri-food cooperatives, owing to their logistical, organisational and economic capacity to promote local fertiliser manufacturing projects, both from livestock and alternatives to fossil fuel-based fertilisers; |
| --- | --- |

14.

| 15. | Calls on the Commission to support Member States in identifying solutions for the efficient use of CAP strategic plans to help address the situation of fertilisers; encourages the Member States to revise, where necessary, their CAP national strategic plans to close gaps in order to optimise and reduce fertiliser use and nutrient losses, incentivise the replacement and complementation of mineral fertiliser by nutrients from organic sources and accelerate suitable fertilisation measures, in order to secure soil fertility and optimal yields, while preventing carbon leakage in regions with inferior production standards; emphasises that these revisions should be made in a timely manner, provided that the quantity and quality of production is not reduced, and should not be counted as an amendment to their CAP national strategic plans, which is only allowed once a year; highlights the clear benefits that crop rotation with legumes can offer as a fertilisation measure in this context, given its capacity for nitrate fixation, thereby reducing the need for fertilising inputs; calls on the Commission to ensure that all Member States avail their farmers of the option to use catch crops in the context of Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions in the CAP; |
| --- | --- |

15.

| 16. | Encourages the Member States to fully exploit the potential of the recently adopted Regulation (EU) 2019/1009, which revised the rules on the making available on the market of EU fertilising products and enables the opening of the EU single market to organic and bio-waste-based fertilisers by granting them access to CE marking; |
| --- | --- |

16.

| 17. | Calls on the Commission to update the definition of livestock manure in Union legislation by making a clear distinction between processed and non-processed manure in order to properly regulate them in view of their different compositions and risks in terms of pollution; |
| --- | --- |

17.

| 18. | Calls on the Commission to collect scientific evidence on the effects of fermented manure and other processed organic nutrients in terms of climate benefits and the risk of pollution to water; calls on the Commission to exploit the benefits for the environment of using fermented manure and other processed organic nutrients, if scientifically proven, by promoting their use and possibly adapting legislation; |
| --- | --- |

18.

| 19. | Regrets the fact that the communication does not serve to facilitate the use of organic alternatives to chemical fertilisers, such as RENURE, digestate from bio-waste obtained by the anaerobic digestion of livestock effluents, and any other effective and verified instrument, which can be used both in agriculture and in the livestock sector, and calls for Annex III to the Nitrates Directive to be amended to this end, while continuing to uphold the principles of efficiency and safety; calls, in the meantime, in the light of the current crisis, for a temporary derogation, as RENURE products and digestate have the potential to substitute chemical fertilisers without resulting in additional emissions, nitrogen losses or manure production; calls on the Commission to propose, without further delay, and at the latest in its upcoming integrated nutrient management action plan (INMAP), legislative measures to implement the legal and safe application of the criteria as developed by the Joint Research Centre to enable the safe use of RENURE above the thresholds established for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones by the Nitrates Directive; |
| --- | --- |

19.

| 20. | Notes that the use of frass as a fertiliser can play an important role in meeting soil nutrient requirements; calls on the Commission, in that regard, to incentivise the use of frass by removing unnecessary legislative and administrative burdens as soon as possible; |
| --- | --- |

20.

| 21. | Stresses that any delay in the recognition of the re-use of nutrients from processed manure under the same conditions as chemical fertilisers would prolong the lack of a level playing field between fertilising products with equal characteristics; |
| --- | --- |

21.

| 22. | Calls on the Commission and the Council to extend the temporary suspension of import duties to all mineral fertilisers, except for those of Russian or Belarussian origin, in order to increase the availability of fertilisers for farmers and thus have a stabilising effect on prices, and to make the European market more dynamic by improving logistics and reducing the administrative burden; underlines that the EU should not replace one dependency with another, this time with imported fertilisers, nor should it jeopardise the shift towards a low-carbon European fertiliser industry, which would result in a significant increase in CO2 emissions globally, impeding the Paris climate goals; |
| --- | --- |

22.

| 23. | Calls for the creation of a support mechanism for traders to manage the risk of buying fertiliser in bulk; notes the need to ensure that traders can enter the market with reduced risk through a forward buying system that protects them from accruing unsustainable levels of debt; |
| --- | --- |

23.

| 24. | Regrets the fact that the Commission did not put forward an impact assessment of the consequences of reducing nutrient losses by at least 50 % by 2030 and calls for immediate action to remedy this; |
| --- | --- |

24.

| 25. | Calls on the Commission to assess the possibility of drawing up rules for establishing a joint purchase mechanism for fertilisers at EU level; |
| --- | --- |

25.

| 26. | Calls on the Commission and the Council to improve the functioning of the European market for fertilisers by reducing its logistical bottlenecks and to ensure balance, particularly as regards imports, reducing the administrative burden on fertiliser imports and trade, and facilitating off-season purchases and storage by distributors and farmers; |
| --- | --- |

26.

| 27. | Recognises the increased liquidity needs of merchants and the necessity to make financing available through the European Central Bank to facilitate borrowing and the forward buying of fertilisers; |
| --- | --- |

27.

| 28. | Calls on the Commission to build strategic alliances with reliable partners to facilitate the sourcing of fertilisers in the medium term; |
| --- | --- |

28.

| 29. | Stresses that market manipulation is affecting fertiliser supplies and has the potential to affect the forward contracting of grain and feed, thereby leading to further food price inflation for consumers; |
| --- | --- |

29.

Medium- and long-term action

| 30. | Takes note of the fact that feedstock for mineral fertilisers, natural gas, phosphorus and potassium largely originates outside the EU, often from autocratic regimes, and self-sufficiency with regard to mineral fertilisers is not realistic in the short or even the medium term; calls, therefore, for a greater focus on medium- and long-term measures, including investments and new business models, that reduce or eliminate potentially harmful import dependencies and, in particular, avoid creating new such dependencies, increase the EU’s strategic autonomy in fertilisers, particularly by decarbonising and introducing renewable energy sources used for the production of green fertilisers, by granting better access to organic fertilisers and nutrients from recycled waste streams, and increasing the circularity of farming, thus strengthening the resilience of the EU agricultural sector; |
| --- | --- |

30.

| 31. | States that the EU’s new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has the important objective of preventing carbon leakage, which should be combined with other EU objectives such as ensuring food security; |
| --- | --- |

31.

| 32. | Calls for immediate action, including ensuring proper regulations and financing, to enable the existing EU fertiliser industry to effectively and urgently decarbonise production processes, with the objective of putting an end to reliance on natural gas, while supplying renewable, fossil-free and low-carbon fertilisers to EU farmers; |
| --- | --- |

32.

| 33. | Notes that Russian gas, used in the production of fertilisers, contributes to the financing of the war in Ukraine; calls, therefore, for sufficient resources to be allocated as soon as possible to end dependence on this gas; |
| --- | --- |

33.

| 34. | Stresses the need to accelerate the process of decarbonising and increasing the sustainability and resilience of the nitrogen fertiliser industry by using fossil-free, low-carbon and renewable energies and recycled nutrients to produce fertilisers, in particular nitrogen from the composting of manure, in order to reduce the dependence on natural gas; in this regard, calls on the Commission to make new proposals to boost the deployment of small- and medium-scale biogas plants to produce fertilisers and energy all over Europe and with a strategic regional focus, in order to support farmers to create a sustainable EU value chain which will lessen the EU’s dependency on third countries; notes that the increase in the number of anaerobic digestion plants in agriculture, the main strategic purpose of which is the production of biomethane and digestate, should not take place solely at the expense of CAP funding; |
| --- | --- |

34.

| 35. | Calls on the Commission to propose medium- and long-term policy measures to enable the use of RENURE products, by classifying them as a substitute for chemical fertilisers based on scientific criteria, as an opportunity for farmers to reduce their dependence on chemical fertilisers and increase on-farm circularity through the valorisation of residues such as manure; |
| --- | --- |

35.

| 36. | Notes the potential of Europe’s offshore wind to generate electricity for hydrogen and ammonia production; calls on the Commission to investigate the feasibility of an integrated model to produce ammonia both as a sustainable fuel for maritime transport and as a sustainable fertiliser source; |
| --- | --- |

36.

| 37. | Calls on the Commission to present an impact assessment, comprehensively analysing the supply of nutrients to EU farming from mineral, organo-mineral and organic fertilisers, with a focus on ensuring the long-term objective of self-sufficiency in nutrient supply; |
| --- | --- |

37.

| 38. | Stresses the need to develop future-proofed liquefied natural gas terminals to facilitate the handling of both hydrogen and ammonia; |
| --- | --- |

38.

| 39. | Stresses the need to improve fertilisation and nutrient use efficiency by farmers by incentivising sustainability and optimisation, in particular through access to tailored technical advice, digitalisation, innovation, precision farming and nutrient management tools allowing for enhanced farming practices, as well as by prioritising and supporting agro-ecological practices; insists that a financial effort is needed to achieve this; |
| --- | --- |

39.

| 40. | Recognises the advances achieved in replacing artificial fertilisers through the developed, modern agro-ecological methods used in everyday farming on innovative holdings; calls for the dissemination of these practices through advisory services, farmer-to-farmer exchanges and schools; |
| --- | --- |

40.

| 41. | Calls for a stronger focus on the circular economy and agro-ecology and thus a stronger research focus, in the framework of EU research programmes, on the development of innovations, including by accelerating the use of RENURE and by supporting the rediscovery, spread and sharing, especially through farming schools and advisory services, of agro-ecological knowledge, methods and innovations, in order to develop new fertilisers or other alternatives and foster precision farming; |
| --- | --- |

41.

| 42. | Calls on the Commission to collect and share information and experiences from Member States on practices such as optimising the use of fertilisers, nutrient recycling and the use of alternative nutrients, while also taking into account the obstacles facing these alternatives when scaling up their use, and to detail how these difficulties can be overcome; encourages the implementation and upscaling of the Farm Sustainability Tool (FaST) at Member State level to provide EU farmers with personalised and accurate advice on nutrient management, including fertiliser requirements; supports, in this regard, the deployment of digital decision support tools, particularly in collective and cooperative settings, to overcome the limitations of small farm size; |
| --- | --- |

42.

| 43. | Notes the significant opportunity to reduce the Union’s collective dependency on chemical fertilisers through the more effective use of organic manure produced by livestock, nitrogen fixing crops such as clover and nutrient management techniques; calls on the Commission to financially support the use and development of these measures; |
| --- | --- |

43.

| 44. | Recognises that organic manure produced by livestock is a critical component in the transition to more sustainable food systems and plays a key role in many organic farming systems; |
| --- | --- |

44.

| 45. | Urges the Commission to diversify the sources of fertilisers and identify new, and sustainably expand existing, mineral deposits in the EU in order to reduce dependency on foreign markets and stimulate greater self-sufficiency; highlights that the EU must develop the supply of organic fertilisers and agro-ecological techniques in the long term to reduce dependency on nitrogen fertilisers; |
| --- | --- |

45.

| 46. | Calls for the swift adoption of legislation on new plant-breeding techniques, including in particular new genomic techniques, which will increase crop yields without increasing the need for fertilisers; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support research into and the development of new plant-breeding techniques, including new genomic techniques; |
| --- | --- |

46.

| 47. | Calls on the Commission to carry out a review of all disused fertiliser production capabilities in the EU and to determine where further production capacity may be possible; |
| --- | --- |

47.

| 48. | Supports the manufacture of green fertilisers using local resources and renewable energy, such as green ammonia; |
| --- | --- |

48.

| 49. | Advocates, without jeopardising the goal of food security, the use of leguminous crops to maintain and improve soil quality and calls for increased cultivation of leguminous crops at EU level in order to increase biodiversity and nitrogen fixation; calls on the Commission to present a European protein strategy in due course, with a strong focus on leguminous crops for enhanced farming practices; |
| --- | --- |

49.

| 50. | Emphasises the need to support soil and trace element testing at farm level; stresses that such knowledge enables farmers to plan more efficient fertilisation, cultivation and soil management actions, as well as providing the basis for a sustainable crop rotation programme; calls on the Commission to set up a ‘test your soil for free’ initiative, as announced in the EU’s soil strategy for 2030, and for technical and financial support in the form of an eco-scheme or second-pillar measure; |
| --- | --- |

50.

| 51. | Highlights the importance of crop rotation for soil fertility; |
| --- | --- |

51.

| 52. | Stresses the need to provide further financial support to farmers in employing the use of lime, clover and multi-species swards to help address our collective dependence on fertilisers and meet the targets of the farm to fork strategy; |
| --- | --- |

52.

| 53. | Encourages the increased use of biostimulants to optimise fertilisation by improving nutrient absorption and efficiency, to strengthen the tolerance of plant crops to abiotic stress caused by climate change impacts such as drought and extreme temperatures, and to improve their performance; calls on the Commission, in this regard, to invest in the expertise and number of experts at the disposal of the European Food Safety Authority and to improve the speed at which new biostimulants can be assessed and approved; |
| --- | --- |

53.

| 54. | Acknowledges that organic farming is less exposed to price increases, yet pending the transition to the use of sustainable types of fertilisers, the fertiliser industry in the EU must have access to the necessary imports, including gas, to produce fertilisers within the EU itself and to ensure that the prospects for EU harvests are not jeopardised; calls on the Commission to speed up the measures set out in its communication to address the risks and vulnerabilities identified through the European Food Security Crisis Preparedness and Response Mechanism; |
| --- | --- |

54.

| 55. | Encourages, in addition, the use of compost and other soil amendments to improve soil health and fertilisation, while contributing to the fight against drought, taking into account the water storage properties of these products; |
| --- | --- |

55.

| 56. | Notes that nitrous oxide represents a significant portion of EU agricultural emissions and therefore calls for the use and prioritisation of fertilisers without nitrous oxide emissions; |
| --- | --- |

56.

| 57. | Welcomes the Commission’s announcement of an INMAP; advocates recognition of the importance of a balanced crop nutrition for healthy soils and food production and an unbiased search for alternative nutrient-rich side streams and energy sources, promoting the use of all safe bio-waste and animal by-products; stresses that the INMAP should focus on improving nutrient use efficiency, encourage the development of green fertilisers and optimise the use of mineral and organic-based fertilisers via precision farming, nutrient management planning and improved storage and transport, while not imposing unnecessary additional burdens on farmers, fully respecting the regulatory limits and taking precautions against anti-microbial resistance; |
| --- | --- |

57.

| 58. | Notes that human waste currently represents one of major unclosed loops in the nutrient cycle, as the nutrients from sewage are mostly not returned to agricultural soils; calls on the Commission to further incentivise techniques that help retrieve nutrients from sewage sludge, including by introducing end-of-waste criteria for materials that can be recovered from sewage treatment plants, and by developing criteria for their safe application to agricultural soils; |
| --- | --- |

58.

| 59. | Calls for the presence of livestock on most territories to become a long-term objective of agricultural policies; believes that a more uniform availability of organic fertilisers should be part of the EU’s strategy for its agriculture; |
| --- | --- |

59.

| 60. | Calls for an analysis of the possibility of an extension of regional flexibility in the framework of the Nitrates Directive, bearing in mind the objective of reducing pollution; calls on the Commission to consider adopting rules on a balanced nitrogen budget per holding and exemptions from the limit of 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year for organic fertiliser and equivalent products, taking into account different conditions in specific Member States and regions with favourable climatic conditions, as well as having regard to the efficient use of fertilisers, the optimisation of fertilisation, the use of bio-waste and secondary nutrient sources, and the use of biostimulants; |
| --- | --- |

60.

| 61. | Expresses concern at the lack of transparency in the fertiliser market and favours further action to improve transparency and public information, both at EU and global level, in this market and regarding the raw materials used for the production of fertilisers; calls on the Commission to closely monitor the excess profits of global fertiliser manufacturers and, if necessary, to investigate cartel agreements and dominant market positions, to examine the possibilities for taxes on windfall profits and to make proposals in this regard in order to combat unfair competition; calls on the Commission to set up a market observatory dedicated to the monitoring of international and domestic supply and stocks of fertiliser, and to reduce the impact of speculation on the market; |
| --- | --- |

61.

| 62. | Takes note of the fact that the median energy and fertiliser shares of total input costs across EU Member States and years are 8 % and 6 % respectively, but there is a considerable variation in the cost shares across countries and years (14); considers it, therefore, both timely and appropriate to speed up the process of external convergence to empower farmers in the Member States where this process has not yet been completed to cope with the present challenges; |
| --- | --- |

62.

| 63. | Calls on the Commission to prepare a global strategy aimed at reducing the dominant role of the Russian Federation in global fertilisers and food markets, in particular in the immediate EU neighbourhood, emphasising the need for the world to become independent from Russian exports, creating opportunities for renewable, fossil-free and low-carbon fertilisers and food in the EU neighbourhood and the world; |
| --- | --- |

63.

| 64. | Urges the Commission to take into account the impact studies carried out by the Joint Research Centre that warn of the negative effects on production and food security that restricting the use of fertilisers could have in the short term, without having viable commercial alternatives for farmers; |
| --- | --- |

64.

o

o o

| 65. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council. |
| --- | --- |

65.

---

(1)  OJ C 361, 20.9.2022, p. 2.

(2)  OJ C 184, 5.5.2022, p. 2.

(3)  OJ C 465, 17.11.2021, p. 11.

(4)  OJ C 426, 9.11.2022, p. 1.

(5)  OJ L 435, 6.12.2021, p. 1.

(6)  OJ L 261 I, 7.10.2022, p. 1.

(7)  OJ L 170, 25.6.2019, p. 1.

(8)  OJ L 375, 31.12.1991, p. 1.

(9)  Huygens, D., Orveillon, G., Lugato, E., Tavazzi, S., Comero, S., Jones, A., Gawlik, B. and Saveyn, H., Technical proposals for the safe use of processed manure above the threshold established for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones by the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC), Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2020.

(10)  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-18773-w

(11)  https://commission.europa.eu/publications/analysis-main-drivers-food-security_en, p. 26.

(12)  https://grain.org/system/articles/pdfs/000/006/903/original/The%20Fertiliser%20Trap%20English%20-%20Embargoed%208th%20November%202022.pdf?1667838216

(13)  https://edo.jrc.ec.europa.eu/documents/news/GDO-EDODroughtNews202208_Europe.pdf

(14)  https://commission.europa.eu/publications/analysis-main-drivers-food-security_en

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III Preparatory acts

European Parliament

Tuesday 14 February 2023

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/60 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/60

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P9_TA(2023)0030

Amending the decision of 10 March 2022 on setting up a special committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation (INGE 2), and adjusting its title and responsibilities

European Parliament decision of 14 February 2023 amending the decision of 10 March 2022 on setting up a special committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation (INGE 2), and adjusting its title and responsibilities (2023/2566(RSO))

(2023/C 283/13)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the proposal from the Conference of Presidents, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the proposal from the Conference of Presidents,

| — | having regard to the extension of the term of office of the special committee by three months as announced in plenary on 18 and 19 January 2023, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the extension of the term of office of the special committee by three months as announced in plenary on 18 and 19 January 2023,

| — | having regard to the Commission communication on the European democracy action plan (COM(2020)0790), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication on the European democracy action plan (COM(2020)0790),

| — | having regard to the Digital Services Act package, including the proposal for a regulation on a Single Market For Digital Services (Digital Services Act) and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (COM(2020)0825), and the proposal for a regulation on contestable and fair markets in the digital sector (Digital Markets Act) (COM(2020)0842), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Digital Services Act package, including the proposal for a regulation on a Single Market For Digital Services (Digital Services Act) and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (COM(2020)0825), and the proposal for a regulation on contestable and fair markets in the digital sector (Digital Markets Act) (COM(2020)0842),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2021 on Europe’s Media in the Digital Decade: an Action Plan to Support Recovery and Transformation (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2021 on Europe’s Media in the Digital Decade: an Action Plan to Support Recovery and Transformation (1),

| — | having regard to the 2018 Code of Practice on Disinformation and the 2021 Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation (COM(2021)0262), and to the Recommendations for the New Code of Practice on Disinformation issued by the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services in October 2021, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the 2018 Code of Practice on Disinformation and the 2021 Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation (COM(2021)0262), and to the Recommendations for the New Code of Practice on Disinformation issued by the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services in October 2021,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal of 16 December 2020 for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the resilience of critical entities (COM(2020)0829), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal of 16 December 2020 for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the resilience of critical entities (COM(2020)0829),

| — | having regard to the March 2021 EU toolbox of risk mitigating measures on the cybersecurity of 5G networks, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the March 2021 EU toolbox of risk mitigating measures on the cybersecurity of 5G networks,

| — | having regard to the European Court of Auditors’ Special Report 09/2021 on ‘Disinformation affecting the EU: tackled but not tamed’, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the European Court of Auditors’ Special Report 09/2021 on ‘Disinformation affecting the EU: tackled but not tamed’,

| — | having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign and Security Policy of 10 June 2020 entitled ‘Tackling COVID-19 disinformation — Getting the facts right’ (JOIN(2020)0008), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign and Security Policy of 10 June 2020 entitled ‘Tackling COVID-19 disinformation — Getting the facts right’ (JOIN(2020)0008),

| — | having regard to the report of the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, including Disinformation (A9-0022/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, including Disinformation (A9-0022/2022),

| — | having regard to the its resolution of 15 December 2022 on suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the its resolution of 15 December 2022 on suspicions of corruption from Qatar and the broader need for transparency and accountability in the European institutions (2),

| — | having regard to its decision of 27 April 2021 on the conclusion of an interinstitutional agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (3), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its decision of 27 April 2021 on the conclusion of an interinstitutional agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (3),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body (4), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 on strengthening transparency and integrity in the EU institutions by setting up an independent EU ethics body (4),

| — | having regard to Rule 207 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 207 of its Rules of Procedure,

| A. | whereas foreign interference constitutes a serious violation of the universal values and principles on which the EU is founded, such as human dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law; whereas evidence shows that malicious and authoritarian foreign state and non-state actors are using information manipulation and other tactics to interfere in democratic processes in the EU; whereas such attacks mislead and deceive citizens and affect their voting behaviour, amplify divisive debates, divide, polarise, and exploit the vulnerabilities of, societies, promote hate speech, worsen the situation of vulnerable groups which are more likely to become victims of disinformation, distort the integrity of democratic elections and referendums, sow distrust in national governments, public authorities and the liberal democratic order and have the goal of destabilising European democracy; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas foreign interference constitutes a serious violation of the universal values and principles on which the EU is founded, such as human dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law; whereas evidence shows that malicious and authoritarian foreign state and non-state actors are using information manipulation and other tactics to interfere in democratic processes in the EU; whereas such attacks mislead and deceive citizens and affect their voting behaviour, amplify divisive debates, divide, polarise, and exploit the vulnerabilities of, societies, promote hate speech, worsen the situation of vulnerable groups which are more likely to become victims of disinformation, distort the integrity of democratic elections and referendums, sow distrust in national governments, public authorities and the liberal democratic order and have the goal of destabilising European democracy;

| B. | whereas a campaign of disinformation of an unparalleled malice and magnitude with the purpose of deceiving both domestic citizens and the international community of States as a whole has been carried out by Russia since the eve of and during its war of aggression against Ukraine started on 24 February 2022; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas a campaign of disinformation of an unparalleled malice and magnitude with the purpose of deceiving both domestic citizens and the international community of States as a whole has been carried out by Russia since the eve of and during its war of aggression against Ukraine started on 24 February 2022;

| C. | whereas attempts by state actors from third countries and non-state actors to interfere in the functioning of democracy in the EU and its Member States, and put pressure on the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union by means of malicious interference, are part of a wider disruptive trend experienced by democracies worldwide; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas attempts by state actors from third countries and non-state actors to interfere in the functioning of democracy in the EU and its Member States, and put pressure on the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union by means of malicious interference, are part of a wider disruptive trend experienced by democracies worldwide;

| D. | whereas malicious actors continue to seek to interfere in electoral processes and take advantage of the openness and pluralism of our societies, and to attack democratic processes and the resilience of the EU and its Member States; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas malicious actors continue to seek to interfere in electoral processes and take advantage of the openness and pluralism of our societies, and to attack democratic processes and the resilience of the EU and its Member States;

| E. | whereas the EU and its Member States do not currently have a specific regime of sanctions related to foreign interference and disinformation campaigns orchestrated by foreign state actors, meaning that such actors are in a position to safely assume that their destabilisation campaigns against the EU will meet with no consequences; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas the EU and its Member States do not currently have a specific regime of sanctions related to foreign interference and disinformation campaigns orchestrated by foreign state actors, meaning that such actors are in a position to safely assume that their destabilisation campaigns against the EU will meet with no consequences;

| F. | whereas there is a lack of a common definition and understanding of this phenomenon and many gaps and loopholes remain in current legislation and policies at EU and national level intended to detect, prevent and counter foreign interference; |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas there is a lack of a common definition and understanding of this phenomenon and many gaps and loopholes remain in current legislation and policies at EU and national level intended to detect, prevent and counter foreign interference;

| G. | whereas foreign interference, disinformation, and numerous attacks on and threats against democracy are expected to continue in ever-greater numbers and more sophisticated ways in the run-up to local, regional, national elections and the European Parliament elections in 2024; |
| --- | --- |

G.

whereas foreign interference, disinformation, and numerous attacks on and threats against democracy are expected to continue in ever-greater numbers and more sophisticated ways in the run-up to local, regional, national elections and the European Parliament elections in 2024;

| H. | whereas Parliament’s previous recommendations to counter malign foreign interference operations in the democratic processes of the EU have contributed to an overall EU understanding and to a greater awareness of the issue; |
| --- | --- |

H.

whereas Parliament’s previous recommendations to counter malign foreign interference operations in the democratic processes of the EU have contributed to an overall EU understanding and to a greater awareness of the issue;

| I. | whereas the hearings and work of the INGE Special Committee have contributed to public recognition and the contextualisation of these issues, and have successfully framed the European debate on foreign interference in democratic processes and disinformation; |
| --- | --- |

I.

whereas the hearings and work of the INGE Special Committee have contributed to public recognition and the contextualisation of these issues, and have successfully framed the European debate on foreign interference in democratic processes and disinformation;

| J. | whereas there is a need to further monitor these recommendations; |
| --- | --- |

J.

whereas there is a need to further monitor these recommendations;

| K. | whereas there is a need for global, multilateral cooperation and support among like-minded partners, including between parliamentarians, in dealing with foreign malicious interference and disinformation; whereas democracies have developed advanced skills and counter-strategies in dealing with those threats; |
| --- | --- |

K.

whereas there is a need for global, multilateral cooperation and support among like-minded partners, including between parliamentarians, in dealing with foreign malicious interference and disinformation; whereas democracies have developed advanced skills and counter-strategies in dealing with those threats;

| L. | whereas as a consequence of the recent cases of foreign interference and the ongoing investigations of corruption in the European Parliament, Parliament has called for potential loopholes to be identified in its rules on transparency, integrity and anti-corruption in order to better protect the institution; |
| --- | --- |

L.

whereas as a consequence of the recent cases of foreign interference and the ongoing investigations of corruption in the European Parliament, Parliament has called for potential loopholes to be identified in its rules on transparency, integrity and anti-corruption in order to better protect the institution;

| 1. | Decides that the special committee shall henceforth be named ‘special committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation, and the strengthening of integrity, transparency and accountability in the European Parliament’ and that it shall have the following responsibilities:






  (a) | to scrutinise, in cooperation and consultation with standing committees where their powers and responsibilities under Annex VI of the Rules of Procedure are concerned, existing and planned legislation and policies to detect possible loopholes, gaps and overlaps that could be exploited for malicious interference in democratic processes, including as regards the following matters:






  (i) | policies contributing to EU democratic processes, resilience through situational awareness, media and information literacy, media pluralism, independent journalism and education; |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

1.

(a)

to scrutinise, in cooperation and consultation with standing committees where their powers and responsibilities under Annex VI of the Rules of Procedure are concerned, existing and planned legislation and policies to detect possible loopholes, gaps and overlaps that could be exploited for malicious interference in democratic processes, including as regards the following matters:

(i)

policies contributing to EU democratic processes, resilience through situational awareness, media and information literacy, media pluralism, independent journalism and education;

| (ii) | interference using online platforms, in particular by evaluating, in-depth, the responsibility and effects the very large online platforms have on democracy and democratic processes in the EU; |
| --- | --- |

(ii)

interference using online platforms, in particular by evaluating, in-depth, the responsibility and effects the very large online platforms have on democracy and democratic processes in the EU;

| (iii) | critical infrastructure and strategic sectors; |
| --- | --- |

(iii)

critical infrastructure and strategic sectors;

| (iv) | interference during electoral processes; |
| --- | --- |

(iv)

interference during electoral processes;

| (v) | covert funding of political activities by foreign actors and donors; |
| --- | --- |

(v)

covert funding of political activities by foreign actors and donors;

| (vi) | cybersecurity and resilience in respect of cyberattacks, where related to democratic processes; |
| --- | --- |

(vi)

cybersecurity and resilience in respect of cyberattacks, where related to democratic processes;

| (vii) | the role of non-state actors; |
| --- | --- |

(vii)

the role of non-state actors;

| (viii) | the impact of interference on the rights of minorities and other discriminated groups; |
| --- | --- |

(viii)

the impact of interference on the rights of minorities and other discriminated groups;

| (ix) | interference through global actors via elite capture, national diasporas, universities and cultural events; |
| --- | --- |

(ix)

interference through global actors via elite capture, national diasporas, universities and cultural events;

| (x) | deterrence, attribution and collective countermeasures, including sanctions; |
| --- | --- |

(x)

deterrence, attribution and collective countermeasures, including sanctions;

| (xi) | neighbourhood and global cooperation, and multilateralism; |
| --- | --- |

(xi)

neighbourhood and global cooperation, and multilateralism;

| (xii) | interference by EU-based actors in EU and third countries; |
| --- | --- |

(xii)

interference by EU-based actors in EU and third countries;

| (b) | to develop, in close cooperation with the standing committees following the working practices of the INGE 1 special committee, suggestions on how to remedy these gaps in order to foster the EU’s legal resilience and on how to improve the EU’s institutional framework; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

to develop, in close cooperation with the standing committees following the working practices of the INGE 1 special committee, suggestions on how to remedy these gaps in order to foster the EU’s legal resilience and on how to improve the EU’s institutional framework;

| (c) | to work closely with other EU institutions, Member States’ authorities, international organisations, civil society, as well as state and non-state partners in third countries in order to reinforce EU action against hybrid threats and disinformation while all public activities of the INGE 2 special committee will respect the priorities set out in this decision; |
| --- | --- |

(c)

to work closely with other EU institutions, Member States’ authorities, international organisations, civil society, as well as state and non-state partners in third countries in order to reinforce EU action against hybrid threats and disinformation while all public activities of the INGE 2 special committee will respect the priorities set out in this decision;

| (d) | to follow up in detail and in a rigorous manner on the implementation of the report of the INGE 1 special committee with an evaluation of steps taken by the EU institutions; |
| --- | --- |

(d)

to follow up in detail and in a rigorous manner on the implementation of the report of the INGE 1 special committee with an evaluation of steps taken by the EU institutions;

| (e) | to contribute to overall institutional resilience against foreign interference, hybrid threats and disinformation in the run-up to European elections in 2024; |
| --- | --- |

(e)

to contribute to overall institutional resilience against foreign interference, hybrid threats and disinformation in the run-up to European elections in 2024;

| (f) | to identify the shortcomings in the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption, consider other medium- to longer-term measures and issue recommendations for reforms, building on the European Parliament’s resolutions and the best practices of other parliaments and institutions, working in close cooperation with the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Affairs; |
| --- | --- |

(f)

to identify the shortcomings in the European Parliament’s rules on transparency, integrity, accountability and anti-corruption, consider other medium- to longer-term measures and issue recommendations for reforms, building on the European Parliament’s resolutions and the best practices of other parliaments and institutions, working in close cooperation with the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Affairs;

| 2. | Decides that, whenever the special committee work includes the hearing of evidence of a confidential nature, testimonies involving personal data, or exchanges of views or hearings with authorities and bodies on confidential information, including scientific studies or parts thereof granted confidentiality status under Article 63 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5), the meetings shall be held in camera; decides further that witnesses and experts shall have the right to make a statement or provide testimony in camera; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Decides that the list of people invited to public meetings, the list of those who attend them and the minutes of such meetings shall be made public; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Decides that confidential documents that have been received by the special committee shall be assessed in accordance with the procedure set out in Rule 221 of its Rules of Procedure, decides further that such information shall be used exclusively for the purposes of drawing up the final report of the special committee; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Decides that the special committee shall have 33 members; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Instructs the special committee to present its final report focusing on the matters set out in Paragraph 1(f) for adoption in plenary by the July 2023 plenary part-session at the latest. |
| --- | --- |

6.

---

(1)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0428.

(2)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0448.

(3)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0130.

(4)  Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0396.

(5)  Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC (OJ L 309, 24.11.2009, p. 1).

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/64 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/64

---

P9_TA(2023)0031

Setting up a subcommittee on public health

European Parliament decision of 14 February 2023 on setting up a subcommittee on public health (2023/2565(RSO))

(2023/C 283/14)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the proposal from the Conference of Presidents, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the proposal from the Conference of Presidents,

| — | having regard to its decision of 15 January 2014 on the powers and responsibilities of the standing committees (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its decision of 15 January 2014 on the powers and responsibilities of the standing committees (1),

| — | having regard to Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to Rules 206 and 212 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rules 206 and 212 of its Rules of Procedure,

| 1. | Decides to set up a subcommittee to the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Decides that the subcommittee shall be responsible for public health matters, and particularly the programmes and specific actions in the field of public health, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, health aspects of bioterrorism, the European Medicines Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Decides that, in Part VIII, point 2, of Annex VI to its Rules of Procedure, the following sentence is added:
  ‘In this context, the committee is assisted by a subcommittee on public health.’; |
| --- | --- |

3.

‘In this context, the committee is assisted by a subcommittee on public health.’;

| 4. | The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety remains responsible for the examination of legislative proposals, and votes shall take place therein; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Decides that the subcommittee shall have 30 members; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Decides, with reference to the decisions of the Conference of Presidents of 30 June 2019 and 9 January 2020 relating to the composition of subcommittee bureaux, that the committee bureaux may consist of up to four vice-chairs; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and the Commission, for information. |
| --- | --- |

7.

---

(1)  OJ C 482, 23.12.2016, p. 160.

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/65 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/65

---

P9_TA(2023)0032

Union rights in enforcing and implementing the UK Withdrawal Agreement and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the exercise of the Union's rights in the implementation and enforcement of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (COM(2022)0089 — C9-0059/2022 — 2022/0068(COD))

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

(2023/C 283/15)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2022)0089), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2022)0089),

| — | having regard to Article 294(2) and Articles 43, 91, 100, 173, 182, 188, 189 and 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0059/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(2) and Articles 43, 91, 100, 173, 182, 188, 189 and 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0059/2022),

| — | having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the responsible committees under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 20 December 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the responsible committees under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 20 December 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Committee on Transport and Tourism and the Committee on Fisheries, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Committee on Transport and Tourism and the Committee on Fisheries,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A9-0248/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A9-0248/2022),

| 1. | Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments. |
| --- | --- |

3.

---

P9_TC1-COD(2022)0068

Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the exercise of the Union's rights in the implementation and enforcement of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) 2023/657.)

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/66 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/66

---

P9_TA(2023)0033

Union Secure Connectivity Programme 2023-2027

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027 (COM(2022)0057 — C9-0045/2022 — 2022/0039(COD))

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

(2023/C 283/16)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2022)0057), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2022)0057),

| — | having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 189(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0045/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 189(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0045/2022),

| — | having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the responsible committee under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 23 November 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the responsible committee under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 23 November 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Budgets, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Budgets,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A9-0249/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A9-0249/2022),

| 1. | Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Approves the joint statement by Parliament and the Council annexed to this resolution, which will be published in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Union; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Approves the joint statement by Parliament, the Council and the Commission annexed to this resolution, which will be published in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Union; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments. |
| --- | --- |

5.

---

P9_TC1-COD(2022)0039

Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) 2023/588.)

---

ANNEX TO THE LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Joint political statement on the financing of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027

The European Parliament and the Council agree, without prejudice to the prerogatives of the budgetary authority in the framework of the annual budgetary procedure, that the financing of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027 will indicatively be covered in the years 2023-2027 as follows:

| — | EUR 200 million from the unallocated margins from Heading 1 and Heading 5; |
| --- | --- |

—

EUR 200 million from the unallocated margins from Heading 1 and Heading 5;

| — | EUR 1,450 million from contributions from Heading 1, Heading 5 and Heading 6. |
| --- | --- |

—

EUR 1,450 million from contributions from Heading 1, Heading 5 and Heading 6.

Joint political statement on the re-use of decommitted funds in Horizon Europe

In the Joint Declaration on the re-use of decommitted funds in relation to the research programme (1) the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission agreed to make available again to the benefit of the research programme commitment appropriations, corresponding to the amount up to EUR 0,5 billion (in 2018 prices) in the period 2021-2027 of decommitments, which results from total or partial non-implementation of projects belonging to the ‘Horizon Europe’ Framework Programme or its predecessor ‘Horizon 2020’ (2), as provided for in Article 15(3) of the Financial Regulation.

In the statement (3) on Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing Horizon Europe — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1290/2013 and (EU) No 1291/2013, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission agreed on an indicative distribution of that amount that will be up to EUR 300 000 000 in constant 2018 prices for the cluster ‘Digital, Industry and Space’ in particular for quantum research.

Without prejudice to the powers of the budgetary authority in the framework of the annual budgetary procedure and to the Commission’s powers to implement the budget, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission agree that, within the cluster on ‘Digital, Industry and Space’ of Horizon Europe, an indicative amount of EUR 200 million in constant 2018 prices will be allocated to secure connectivity research activities.

---

(1)  OJ C 444 I, 22.12.2020, p. 3.

(2)  Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) and repealing Decision No 1982/2006/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 104).

(3)  OJ C 185, 12.5.2021, p. 1.

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| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/68 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/68

---

P9_TA(2023)0034

EU/Guyana Voluntary Partnership Agreement: forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the EU

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09272/2022 — C9-0432/2022 — 2022/0142(NLE))

(Consent)

(2023/C 283/17)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the draft Council decision (09272/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the draft Council decision (09272/2022),

| — | having regard to the draft Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09271/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the draft Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09271/2022),

| — | having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 207(3), first subparagraph and Article 207(4), first subparagraph, and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v) and Article 218(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0432/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 207(3), first subparagraph and Article 207(4), first subparagraph, and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v) and Article 218(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0432/2022),

| — | having regard to its non-legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 (1) on the draft decision, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its non-legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 (1) on the draft decision,

| — | having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4), and Rule 114(7) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4), and Rule 114(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development,

| — | having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on International Trade (A9-0008/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on International Trade (A9-0008/2023),

| 1. | Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. |
| --- | --- |

2.

---

(1)  Texts adopted of that date, P9_TA(2023)0035.

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/69 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/69

---

P9_TA(2023)0035

EU/Guyana Voluntary Partnership Agreement: forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the EU (Resolution)

European Parliament non-legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09272/2022 — C9-0432/2022 — 2022/0142M(NLE))

(2023/C 283/18)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council decision of 10 May 2022 on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (COM(2022)0200), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council decision of 10 May 2022 on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (COM(2022)0200),

| — | having regard to the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09272/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09272/2022),

| — | having regard to the draft Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09271/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the draft Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products to the European Union (09271/2022),

| — | having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with the first subparagraphs of Articles 207(3) and 207(4), in conjunction with Article 218(6), first subparagraph, point (a)(v), and Article 218(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0432/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with the first subparagraphs of Articles 207(3) and 207(4), in conjunction with Article 218(6), first subparagraph, point (a)(v), and Article 218(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0432/2022),

| — | having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 of 20 December 2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community (1) (FLEGT Regulation), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 of 20 December 2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community (1) (FLEGT Regulation),

| — | having regard to Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market (2) (EU Timber Regulation), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market (2) (EU Timber Regulation),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640) and to Parliament’s resolution of 15 January 2020 thereon (3), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640) and to Parliament’s resolution of 15 January 2020 thereon (3),

| — | having regard to the Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris on 12 December 2015 (the Paris Agreement), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris on 12 December 2015 (the Paris Agreement),

| — | having regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals,

| — | having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2020 on the EU’s role in protecting and restoring the world’s forests (4), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2020 on the EU’s role in protecting and restoring the world’s forests (4),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 22 October 2020 with recommendations to the Commission on an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation (5), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 22 October 2020 with recommendations to the Commission on an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation (5),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 21 May 2003 entitled ‘Forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT): proposal for an EU action plan’ (COM(2003)0251) and the 2018-2022 work plan for its implementation, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 21 May 2003 entitled ‘Forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT): proposal for an EU action plan’ (COM(2003)0251) and the 2018-2022 work plan for its implementation,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2021 on the making available on the Union market as well as export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 (COM(2021)0706) (deforestation regulation), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2021 on the making available on the Union market as well as export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 (COM(2021)0706) (deforestation regulation),

| — | having regard to its position of 14 February 2023 (6) on the draft Council decision, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its position of 14 February 2023 (6) on the draft Council decision,

| — | having regard to Rule 105(2) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 105(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on International Trade (A9-0018/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on International Trade (A9-0018/2023),

| A. | whereas in November 2018, the EU and Guyana concluded negotiations on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT); whereas on 10 March 2022, Guyana and the EU agreed on an updated joint implementation framework — a detailed roadmap for implementing the VPA, which aims to improve forest governance and provide oversight for the trade in legal timber; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas in November 2018, the EU and Guyana concluded negotiations on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT); whereas on 10 March 2022, Guyana and the EU agreed on an updated joint implementation framework — a detailed roadmap for implementing the VPA, which aims to improve forest governance and provide oversight for the trade in legal timber;

| B. | whereas approximately 84 % of Guyana’s land is covered by forests; whereas this equates to around 18 million acres; whereas Guyana has the second highest forest carbon stock per capita in the world and is estimated to have 21,8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide stored in its forests; whereas around 13 % of Guyana’s forests are formally designated as Amerindian village lands; whereas the Guianan moist forest ecoregion covers most of Guyana; |
| --- | --- |

B.

whereas approximately 84 % of Guyana’s land is covered by forests; whereas this equates to around 18 million acres; whereas Guyana has the second highest forest carbon stock per capita in the world and is estimated to have 21,8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide stored in its forests; whereas around 13 % of Guyana’s forests are formally designated as Amerindian village lands; whereas the Guianan moist forest ecoregion covers most of Guyana;

| C. | whereas since 1996, conservation efforts have been made and the annual deforestation rate in Guyana has been very low, averaging around 0,06 %; |
| --- | --- |

C.

whereas since 1996, conservation efforts have been made and the annual deforestation rate in Guyana has been very low, averaging around 0,06 %;

| D. | whereas Guyana has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world; whereas Guyana’s forests are estimated to be home to around 8 000 plant species and over 1 000 species of terrestrial vertebrates; whereas approximately 5 % of all plant species are considered endemic to Guyana; |
| --- | --- |

D.

whereas Guyana has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world; whereas Guyana’s forests are estimated to be home to around 8 000 plant species and over 1 000 species of terrestrial vertebrates; whereas approximately 5 % of all plant species are considered endemic to Guyana;

| E. | whereas illegal mining and illegal logging remain a concern in Guyana, as both practices damage the country’s forests; whereas most of the deforestation in Guyana is attributed to fires (50 %) and mining (41 %), be it legal or illegal; whereas although deforestation caused by conversion for agriculture only accounts for around 5 %, it is nevertheless a concern; |
| --- | --- |

E.

whereas illegal mining and illegal logging remain a concern in Guyana, as both practices damage the country’s forests; whereas most of the deforestation in Guyana is attributed to fires (50 %) and mining (41 %), be it legal or illegal; whereas although deforestation caused by conversion for agriculture only accounts for around 5 %, it is nevertheless a concern;

| F. | whereas the main economic activities in Guyana are agriculture, bauxite and gold mining, timber, mineral mining and fishing; whereas Guyana’s forest industry is estimated to contribute to less than 2 % of its GDP, a figure expected to decrease further with the petroleum sector having been rapidly increasing since 2015, when large oil reserves were discovered in Guyana’s territorial waters; |
| --- | --- |

F.

whereas the main economic activities in Guyana are agriculture, bauxite and gold mining, timber, mineral mining and fishing; whereas Guyana’s forest industry is estimated to contribute to less than 2 % of its GDP, a figure expected to decrease further with the petroleum sector having been rapidly increasing since 2015, when large oil reserves were discovered in Guyana’s territorial waters;

| G. | whereas the forest sector significantly contributes to the economic growth of Guyana, employing about 20 000 people, mainly in rural areas; whereas Guyana’s forests contribute to 2 % of the GDP and to 6 % of total job creation; whereas the VPA would increase the potential of the forestry sector by creating new jobs and contributing to the country’s sustainable economic growth; |
| --- | --- |

G.

whereas the forest sector significantly contributes to the economic growth of Guyana, employing about 20 000 people, mainly in rural areas; whereas Guyana’s forests contribute to 2 % of the GDP and to 6 % of total job creation; whereas the VPA would increase the potential of the forestry sector by creating new jobs and contributing to the country’s sustainable economic growth;

| H. | whereas the volume of timber traded between Guyana and the EU is modest, with just 8 % of timber exports from Guyana going to Europe in 2018 and only around half of those going to the EU; whereas Guyana’s biggest overall trading partner is the US, with Singapore as the second; whereas its largest export market for timber is the Asia-Pacific region; whereas the VPA would open up more opportunities for Guyana to export to the EU and new markets, which would increase its development opportunities; |
| --- | --- |

H.

whereas the volume of timber traded between Guyana and the EU is modest, with just 8 % of timber exports from Guyana going to Europe in 2018 and only around half of those going to the EU; whereas Guyana’s biggest overall trading partner is the US, with Singapore as the second; whereas its largest export market for timber is the Asia-Pacific region; whereas the VPA would open up more opportunities for Guyana to export to the EU and new markets, which would increase its development opportunities;

| I. | whereas Guyana ratified the Paris Agreement in May 2016 and had made a number of commitments relating to sustainable forestry in its revised nationally determined contribution, such as the conservation of an additional 2 million hectares of forests; |
| --- | --- |

I.

whereas Guyana ratified the Paris Agreement in May 2016 and had made a number of commitments relating to sustainable forestry in its revised nationally determined contribution, such as the conservation of an additional 2 million hectares of forests;

| J. | whereas Guyana needs to overcome challenges in order to improve the well-being of its citizens, such as fighting poverty, inequality and discrimination, particularly against LGBTI people and indigenous peoples, as well as combating corruption and racial and ethnic polarisation and violence, which remain persistent concerns; |
| --- | --- |

J.

whereas Guyana needs to overcome challenges in order to improve the well-being of its citizens, such as fighting poverty, inequality and discrimination, particularly against LGBTI people and indigenous peoples, as well as combating corruption and racial and ethnic polarisation and violence, which remain persistent concerns;

| K. | whereas Guyana has expressed a commitment to make funding available to support the implementation of the VPA; whereas the EU, Norway and the UK have also committed to providing additional funding for this purpose; |
| --- | --- |

K.

whereas Guyana has expressed a commitment to make funding available to support the implementation of the VPA; whereas the EU, Norway and the UK have also committed to providing additional funding for this purpose;

| L. | whereas the objective of the VPA is to ensure that all shipments of timber and timber products from Guyana destined for the EU market will comply with the Guyana Timber Legality Assurance System (GTLAS) and thereby qualify for an FLEGT licence; whereas domestic timber and timber destined for all export markets will also need to comply with the GTLAS; |
| --- | --- |

L.

whereas the objective of the VPA is to ensure that all shipments of timber and timber products from Guyana destined for the EU market will comply with the Guyana Timber Legality Assurance System (GTLAS) and thereby qualify for an FLEGT licence; whereas domestic timber and timber destined for all export markets will also need to comply with the GTLAS;

| M. | whereas the VPA covers the five obligatory timber products under the FLEGT Regulation — logs, sawn timber, railway sleepers, plywood and veneer — as well as processed timber, pickets and poles, and joinery and carpentry; |
| --- | --- |

M.

whereas the VPA covers the five obligatory timber products under the FLEGT Regulation — logs, sawn timber, railway sleepers, plywood and veneer — as well as processed timber, pickets and poles, and joinery and carpentry;

| N. | whereas according to the Commission proposal for the deforestation regulation, FLEGT-licensed timber imported to the EU will automatically live up to the legality requirement; |
| --- | --- |

N.

whereas according to the Commission proposal for the deforestation regulation, FLEGT-licensed timber imported to the EU will automatically live up to the legality requirement;

| O. | whereas the VPA provides for a Joint Monitoring and Review Committee, which will be responsible for its implementation and monitoring; |
| --- | --- |

O.

whereas the VPA provides for a Joint Monitoring and Review Committee, which will be responsible for its implementation and monitoring;

| P. | whereas the purpose and expected benefits of FLEGT VPAs go beyond the facilitation of trade in legal timber, as they are also designed to bring about systemic changes in forest governance, law enforcement, transparency and the inclusion of various stakeholders in the political decision-making process, in particular civil society organisations, workers’ organisations and indigenous communities, as well as support for economic integration and respect for the international Sustainable Development Goals; |
| --- | --- |

P.

whereas the purpose and expected benefits of FLEGT VPAs go beyond the facilitation of trade in legal timber, as they are also designed to bring about systemic changes in forest governance, law enforcement, transparency and the inclusion of various stakeholders in the political decision-making process, in particular civil society organisations, workers’ organisations and indigenous communities, as well as support for economic integration and respect for the international Sustainable Development Goals;

| Q. | whereas countries all over the world that either have or aim to have regulated import markets for legal timber benefit from cooperating; whereas common international standards would be most effective to combat deforestation and promote long-term legal security for business and consumers; |
| --- | --- |

Q.

whereas countries all over the world that either have or aim to have regulated import markets for legal timber benefit from cooperating; whereas common international standards would be most effective to combat deforestation and promote long-term legal security for business and consumers;

| 1. | Strongly supports the conclusion of the negotiations on the VPA on FLEGT between the EU and Guyana; acknowledges that the VPA has great significance for the country, as well as potential for boosting EU-Guyana trade relations; believes that the successful negotiation of this VPA demonstrates the importance of the Union’s delegations to third countries and will ensure that only legally logged timber will be imported into the EU from Guyana, promote sustainable forest management practices and sustainable trade in legally produced timber, improve forest governance, law enforcement (including labour and occupational, health and safety obligations), human rights, transparency, accountability and institutional resilience in Guyana, protect biodiversity and help in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, while contributing to improving trade relations between Guyana and the EU; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Recognises that the full implementation and enforcement of the VPA will be a long process that will require the adoption of a wide range of legislation, as well as adequate administrative capacity and expertise, to ensure its implementation and enforcement; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Welcomes the high level of stakeholder participation throughout the negotiation process; stresses that the implementation and monitoring stages require genuine consultations and multi-stakeholder involvement, including the meaningful participation of civil society, business representatives, workers’ organisations and local and indigenous communities in decision-making to guarantee respect of land tenure rights and the ‘free, prior and informed consent’ principle; recalls the need to enhance transparency and ensure the effective public disclosure of information and the timely sharing of documents with local and indigenous peoples; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Calls on the Commission and the EU Delegation in Guyana to provide sufficient capacity-building and logistical and technical support in the framework of present and future development cooperation instruments in order to enable Guyana to fulfil the commitments under the VPA; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Welcomes the recent adoption of the joint implementation framework and calls on the Government of Guyana to follow a concrete, time-bound and measurable approach; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Stresses the importance of developing partnerships and cooperation mechanisms to jointly address all aspects of forest governance, including as regards sharing information; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Welcomes Guyana’s efforts so far in making advances towards greater transparency and looks forward to further positive cooperation in the fight against illegal logging; stresses that poor governance and corruption in the forestry sector accelerate illegal logging and forest degradation; acknowledges Guyana’s commitment to and political will as regards sound forest management; stresses that the success of the FLEGT VPA also depends on tackling fraud and corruption throughout the timber supply chain; urges the Government of Guyana to improve data collection to better implement the traceability system and to continue working to stop widespread corruption and to address other factors fuelling illegal logging and forest degradation, with particular regard to customs and other authorities who will play a pivotal role in implementing and enforcing the VPA; stresses the need to end impunity in the forest sector by protecting environmental human right defenders and whistleblowers and by ensuring effective remedies for human rights violations; welcomes, in this context, Guyana’s ratification of the Escazú Agreement and stresses the need to guarantee full recognition of the land tenure rights of local communities and indigenous peoples, notably Amerindian communities, including in the context of mining; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Welcomes the fact that the process of negotiating the VPA has allowed sectors to identify shared goals and priorities to work towards sustainable forest management and trade cooperation, as well as offering an important opportunity for communities to allow for participative management of their forests at the local, community and regional levels, and even at national or federal level; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Highlights that the VPA creates a great opportunity to boost job creation in the forestry sector; stresses that forest management practices and the trade in legally produced timber should be socially and economically sustainable to guarantee that people either directly or indirectly involved can benefit from trade; |
| --- | --- |

9.

| 10. | Calls for gender analysis to be mainstreamed into all activities and projects linked to the implementation of the VPA; calls for quantitative and qualitative gender-disaggregated analysis of land tenure, ownership of assets and financial inclusion in sectors impacted by trade; calls on the Commission to support these endeavours with technical and human resources; |
| --- | --- |

10.

| 11. | Asks the Commission to report to Parliament regularly on the implementation of the agreement, including on the work of the Joint Monitoring and Review Committee, with a view to enabling an informed decision once the delegated act authorising the acceptance of FLEGT licences has been proposed; stresses therefore that new VPAs with additional partners should be promoted; calls on the Commission to conduct an exhaustive assessment on the impact of the VPA and the future deforestation regulation on workers and small producers in the forest sector and other related sectors who will be affected by the increased logging controls and checks; |
| --- | --- |

11.

| 12. | Stresses the need to address the regional dimension of illegal logging and the transport, processing and trade of illegal timber throughout the supply chain; calls for this to be included in the VPA evaluation process; |
| --- | --- |

12.

| 13. | Believes that the EU plays an important role in improving both the supply and the demand side of timber in order to reject illegally produced timber and assist exporting countries in their efforts to combat illegal logging and corruption, which results in the destruction of their forests, climate change and human rights violations; recognises that VPAs will continue to be an important legal framework for both the EU and its partner countries under the new proposal for a deforestation regulation; underlines that this has been made possible by the good cooperation and engagement of the partner countries concerned; supports the Commission in finding additional potential partners for future FLEGT VPAs; |
| --- | --- |

13.

| 14. | Recalls that sustainable and inclusive forest management and governance is essential to achieve the objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement, notably through nationally determined contributions; recalls the importance of mining as a major driver of tropical deforestation, resulting in substantial soil erosion and contamination, increased forest fragmentation and mercury pollution of rivers and streams; notes that Guyana is expanding its oil, gas and mining industries; calls on the Government of Guyana to take further steps to curb illegal mining; notes with concern the lack of consistency between regulation of the forest sector and of the mining sector; welcomes further agreements aiming to complement the FLEGT VPA on environmental matters; |
| --- | --- |

14.

| 15. | Stresses that the success of the entire FLEGT initiative depends on, among other things, protecting environmental human right defenders and whistleblowers, improving the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to conduct their activities legally and guaranteeing effective protection for the land and full recognition of the customary rights of local communities and indigenous people, particularly Amerindian communities, including the right to give or withhold their consent to any timber concession on their land as a matter of social justice; stresses that the EU should build upon the traditional knowledge of indigenous people and other local communities regarding sustainable forest management; recalls in this regard the importance of preventing any additional administrative burdens from being imposed on SMEs and of providing legal assistance to SMEs to ensure their compliance with new international agreements, instruments and documents regarding the environment; |
| --- | --- |

15.

| 16. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. |
| --- | --- |

16.

---

(1)  OJ L 347, 30.12.2005, p. 1.

(2)  OJ L 295, 12.11.2010, p. 23.

(3)  OJ C 270, 7.7.2021, p. 2.

(4)  OJ C 385, 22.9.2021, p. 10.

(5)  OJ C 404, 6.10.2021, p. 175.

(6)  Texts adopted of that date, P9_TA(2023)0034.

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/74 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/74

---

P9_TA(2023)0036

REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2021/241 as regards REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, Directive 2003/87/EC and Decision (EU) 2015/1814 (COM(2022)0231 — C9-0183/2022 — 2022/0164(COD))

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

(2023/C 283/19)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2022)0231), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2022)0231),

| — | having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 175 third paragraph, Article 177 first paragraph, Article 192 (1), Article 194 (2) and Article 322 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0183/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 175 third paragraph, Article 177 first paragraph, Article 192 (1), Article 194 (2) and Article 322 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0183/2022),

| — | having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 21 September 2022 (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 21 September 2022 (1),

| — | after consulting the Committee of the Regions, |
| --- | --- |

—

after consulting the Committee of the Regions,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the Court of Auditors of 26 July 2022 (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the Court of Auditors of 26 July 2022 (2),

| — | having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the committees responsible under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 20 December 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the committees responsible under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 20 December 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the joint deliberations of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs under Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the joint deliberations of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs under Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the opinions of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Committee on Regional Development, Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinions of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Committee on Regional Development, Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A9-0260/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A9-0260/2022),

| 1. | Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out (3); |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments. |
| --- | --- |

3.

---

(1)  OJ C 486, 21.12.2022, p. 185.

(2)  OJ C 333, 1.9.2022, p. 5.

(3)  This position replaces the amendments adopted on 10 November 2022 (Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0384).

---

P9_TC1-COD(2022)0164

Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2021/241 as regards REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans and amending Regulations (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) 2021/1060 and (EU) 2021/1755, and Directive 2003/87/EC

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) 2023/435.)

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/76 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/76

---

P9_TA(2023)0037

Electoral rights of mobile Union citizens in European Parliament elections

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast) (COM(2021)0732 — C9-0021/2022 — 2021/0372(CNS))

(Special legislative procedure — consultation — recast)

(2023/C 283/20)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2021)0732), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2021)0732),

| — | having regard to Article 22(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C9-0021/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 22(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C9-0021/2022),

| — | having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 28 November 2001 on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 28 November 2001 on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts (1),

| — | having regard to the letter of 8 November 2022 from the Committee on Legal Affairs to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs in accordance with Rule 110(3) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the letter of 8 November 2022 from the Committee on Legal Affairs to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs in accordance with Rule 110(3) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to Rules 110 and 82 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rules 110 and 82 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A9-0297/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A9-0297/2022),

| A. | whereas, according to the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the Commission proposal does not include any substantive amendments other than those identified as such in the proposal and whereas, as regards the codification of the unchanged provisions of the earlier acts together with those amendments, the proposal contains a straightforward codification of the existing texts, without any change in their substance; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas, according to the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the Commission proposal does not include any substantive amendments other than those identified as such in the proposal and whereas, as regards the codification of the unchanged provisions of the earlier acts together with those amendments, the proposal contains a straightforward codification of the existing texts, without any change in their substance;

| 1. | Approves the Commission proposal as adapted to the recommendations of the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission and as amended below; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, in accordance with Article 293(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal substantially; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments. |
| --- | --- |

5.

Amendment 1

Proposal for a directive

Recital 2

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (2) | Article 20(2), point (b) and Article 22(2) of the
  of the
  Treaty on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU) confers on Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence under the same conditions as nationals of the host Member State. The right, which is also affirmed in Article 39 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Charter) gives specific expression to the principle of equality and non-discrimination on grounds of nationality set out in Article 21. It is also a corollary of the right to move and reside freely enshrined in Article 20(2) point (a) and Article 21 TFEU and Article 45 of the Charter. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(2)

Article 20(2), point (b) and Article 22(2) of the
  of the
  Treaty on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU) confers on Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence under the same conditions as nationals of the host Member State. The right, which is also affirmed in Article 39 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Charter) gives specific expression to the principle of equality and non-discrimination on grounds of nationality set out in Article 21. It is also a corollary of the right to move and reside freely enshrined in Article 20(2) point (a) and Article 21 TFEU and Article 45 of the Charter.

| (2) | The 1992 Treaty on European Union (the ‘Maastricht Treaty’) marked a new stage in the process of creating an ever-closer union among the peoples of Europe by introducing the legal concept of EU citizenship with the aim to strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of the nationals of its Member States by adding to existing EU entitlements a number of new political and electoral rights.
  Article 20(2), point (b) and Article 22(2) of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU) confers on Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence under the same conditions as nationals of the host Member State. The right, which is also affirmed in Article 39 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Charter) gives specific expression to the principle of equality and non-discrimination on grounds of nationality set out in Article 21. It is also a corollary of the right to move and reside freely enshrined in Article 20(2) point (a) and Article 21 TFEU and Article 45 of the Charter.
  The right to vote and to stand as a candidate also allows citizens to effectively participate in the democratic life of the Union and to have a stake in the European Union as a political entity. It is imperative that all Union citizens, including mobile Union citizens, citizens with disabilities and citizens in a situation of homelessness, can fully exercise their political rights in the context of the elections to the European Parliament, both as candidates and as voters. There is a danger that European mobility could prevent mobile Union citizens from exercising fundamental political rights established by the European treaties, namely participation in elections to the European Parliament. The right of mobile citizens to vote and stand as candidates should apply in all electoral lists and constituencies, including in the Union-wide constituency in the event of its establishment. |
| --- | --- |

(2)

The 1992 Treaty on European Union (the ‘Maastricht Treaty’) marked a new stage in the process of creating an ever-closer union among the peoples of Europe by introducing the legal concept of EU citizenship with the aim to strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of the nationals of its Member States by adding to existing EU entitlements a number of new political and electoral rights.
  Article 20(2), point (b) and Article 22(2) of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU) confers on Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence under the same conditions as nationals of the host Member State. The right, which is also affirmed in Article 39 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Charter) gives specific expression to the principle of equality and non-discrimination on grounds of nationality set out in Article 21. It is also a corollary of the right to move and reside freely enshrined in Article 20(2) point (a) and Article 21 TFEU and Article 45 of the Charter.
  The right to vote and to stand as a candidate also allows citizens to effectively participate in the democratic life of the Union and to have a stake in the European Union as a political entity. It is imperative that all Union citizens, including mobile Union citizens, citizens with disabilities and citizens in a situation of homelessness, can fully exercise their political rights in the context of the elections to the European Parliament, both as candidates and as voters. There is a danger that European mobility could prevent mobile Union citizens from exercising fundamental political rights established by the European treaties, namely participation in elections to the European Parliament. The right of mobile citizens to vote and stand as candidates should apply in all electoral lists and constituencies, including in the Union-wide constituency in the event of its establishment.

Amendment 2

Proposal for a directive

Recital 2 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (2a) | According to the European Parliament legislative resolution of 3 May 2022 on the proposal for a Council Regulation on the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, repealing Council Decision (76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom) and the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage annexed to that Decision
  ,
  the aim of this Directive should be to make the elections to the European Parliament more accessible, more competitive, and more European. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(2a)

According to the European Parliament legislative resolution of 3 May 2022 on the proposal for a Council Regulation on the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, repealing Council Decision (76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom) and the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage annexed to that Decision
  ,
  the aim of this Directive should be to make the elections to the European Parliament more accessible, more competitive, and more European.

Amendment 3

Proposal for a directive

Recital 4

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (4) | In its
  the
  EU Citizenship Report 2020 (24), the Commission stressed the need to update, clarify and strengthen the rules on the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in order to ensure that they support the broad and inclusive participation of
  mobile EU
  citizens. Taking also into account the experience gained in the application of Council Directive 93/109/EC to successive elections and the changes introduced by the amendments to the Treaties, several of the provisions of that Directive should be updated. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(4)

In its
  the
  EU Citizenship Report 2020 (24), the Commission stressed the need to update, clarify and strengthen the rules on the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in order to ensure that they support the broad and inclusive participation of
  mobile EU
  citizens. Taking also into account the experience gained in the application of Council Directive 93/109/EC to successive elections and the changes introduced by the amendments to the Treaties, several of the provisions of that Directive should be updated.

| (4) | In its EU Citizenship Report 2020 (24), the Commission stressed the need to update, clarify and strengthen the rules on the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in order to ensure that they support the broad and inclusive participation of 
  Union
  citizens
  residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  . Taking also into account the experience gained in the application of Council Directive 93/109/EC to successive elections and the changes introduced by the amendments to the Treaties, several of the provisions of that Directive should be updated. |
| --- | --- |

(4)

In its EU Citizenship Report 2020 (24), the Commission stressed the need to update, clarify and strengthen the rules on the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in order to ensure that they support the broad and inclusive participation of 
  Union
  citizens
  residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  . Taking also into account the experience gained in the application of Council Directive 93/109/EC to successive elections and the changes introduced by the amendments to the Treaties, several of the provisions of that Directive should be updated.

Amendment 4

Proposal for a directive

Recital 5

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (5) | Article 20 (2) TFEU is without prejudice to Article 223(1) TFEU, which provides for the establishment of a uniform procedure in all Member States in accordance with principles common to all Member States
  for those elections
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(5)

Article 20 (2) TFEU is without prejudice to Article 223(1) TFEU, which provides for the establishment of a uniform procedure in all Member States in accordance with principles common to all Member States
  for those elections
  .

| (5) | Article 20 (2) TFEU is without prejudice to Article 223(1) TFEU, which provides for the establishment of a uniform procedure
  for elections to the European Parliament
  in all Member States in accordance with principles common to all Member States. |
| --- | --- |

(5)

Article 20 (2) TFEU is without prejudice to Article 223(1) TFEU, which provides for the establishment of a uniform procedure
  for elections to the European Parliament
  in all Member States in accordance with principles common to all Member States.

Amendment 5

Proposal for a directive

Recital 6

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (6) | In order to ensure that Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals (‘non-national Union citizens’) are able to exercise their right to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament under the same conditions as nationals of their host Member State, the conditions governing registration and participation in such elections should be clarified in order to ensure equal treatment between national and non-national Union citizens. In particular, Union citizens seeking to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence should be treated equally as regards any periods of residence that are to be fulfilled as a condition for the exercise of the right, as well the proofs for demonstrating compliance with such a condition. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(6)

In order to ensure that Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals (‘non-national Union citizens’) are able to exercise their right to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament under the same conditions as nationals of their host Member State, the conditions governing registration and participation in such elections should be clarified in order to ensure equal treatment between national and non-national Union citizens. In particular, Union citizens seeking to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence should be treated equally as regards any periods of residence that are to be fulfilled as a condition for the exercise of the right, as well the proofs for demonstrating compliance with such a condition.

| (6) | In order to ensure that Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals (‘non-national Union citizens’) are able to exercise their right to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament under the same conditions as nationals of their host Member State, the conditions governing registration and participation in such elections should be clarified in order to ensure equal treatment between national and non-national Union citizens. In particular, Union citizens seeking to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence should be treated equally
  to nationals of that Member State
  as regards any periods of residence that are to be fulfilled as a condition for the exercise of the right, as well the proofs for demonstrating compliance with such a condition. |
| --- | --- |

(6)

In order to ensure that Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals (‘non-national Union citizens’) are able to exercise their right to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament under the same conditions as nationals of their host Member State, the conditions governing registration and participation in such elections should be clarified in order to ensure equal treatment between national and non-national Union citizens. In particular, Union citizens seeking to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence should be treated equally
  to nationals of that Member State
  as regards any periods of residence that are to be fulfilled as a condition for the exercise of the right, as well the proofs for demonstrating compliance with such a condition.

Amendment 6

Proposal for a directive

Recital 6 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (6a) | Non-national Union citizens should receive information about the possibility of voting or standing as a candidate upon registration as residents of a Member State of which they are not nationals. Information pertaining to the registration as a voter or as a candidate should also be provided periodically, ahead of European elections, in a timely manner, to all voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates in accordance with the conditions governing the right to vote and stand as a candidate provided for in this Directive. Moreover, non-national Union citizens should be duly informed, upon registration as voters and sufficiently in advance of the elections, about their specific rights under the European electoral system. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(6a)

Non-national Union citizens should receive information about the possibility of voting or standing as a candidate upon registration as residents of a Member State of which they are not nationals. Information pertaining to the registration as a voter or as a candidate should also be provided periodically, ahead of European elections, in a timely manner, to all voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates in accordance with the conditions governing the right to vote and stand as a candidate provided for in this Directive. Moreover, non-national Union citizens should be duly informed, upon registration as voters and sufficiently in advance of the elections, about their specific rights under the European electoral system.

Amendment 7

Proposal for a directive

Recital 7

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (7) | The freedom of Union citizens to choose the Member State in which to take part in elections to the European Parliament
  must
  be respected, while the appropriate measures to ensure that no one may vote more than once or stand as a candidate in more than one country. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(7)

The freedom of Union citizens to choose the Member State in which to take part in elections to the European Parliament
  must
  be respected, while the appropriate measures to ensure that no one may vote more than once or stand as a candidate in more than one country.

| (7) | Given that most Member States allow non-national Union citizens to retain under national law their right to vote for a home country list, the possibility to choose between two or more countries to vote in requires clear information provision for non-national Union citizens and coordination among Member States to reduce the risk of multiple voting.
  The freedom of Union citizens to choose the Member State in which to take part in elections to the European Parliament
  should
  be respected, while the appropriate measures to ensure that no one may vote more than once or stand as a candidate in more than one country.
  When receiving information about the possibility of voting or standing as a candidate in their Member State of residence, non-national Union citizens should be duly informed of the possibility to vote or stand as candidate either in their home country or in their country of residence, in line with their choice and the respective applicable national provisions. Non-national Union citizens should make the final choice of the Member State in which they would like to vote. |
| --- | --- |

(7)

Given that most Member States allow non-national Union citizens to retain under national law their right to vote for a home country list, the possibility to choose between two or more countries to vote in requires clear information provision for non-national Union citizens and coordination among Member States to reduce the risk of multiple voting.
  The freedom of Union citizens to choose the Member State in which to take part in elections to the European Parliament
  should
  be respected, while the appropriate measures to ensure that no one may vote more than once or stand as a candidate in more than one country.
  When receiving information about the possibility of voting or standing as a candidate in their Member State of residence, non-national Union citizens should be duly informed of the possibility to vote or stand as candidate either in their home country or in their country of residence, in line with their choice and the respective applicable national provisions. Non-national Union citizens should make the final choice of the Member State in which they would like to vote.

Amendment 8

Proposal for a directive

Recital 8

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (8) | In line with International and European standards, including, the requirements of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, Member States should not only recognize and respect the right of Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate but also
  ensure easy
  access to their electoral rights by removing
  as many
  obstacles to participation in elections
  as possible
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(8)

In line with International and European standards, including, the requirements of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, Member States should not only recognize and respect the right of Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate but also
  ensure easy
  access to their electoral rights by removing
  as many
  obstacles to participation in elections
  as possible
  .

| (8) | In line with International and European standards, including, the requirements of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, Member States should not only recognize and respect the right of Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate but also
  make
  access to their electoral rights
  as democratic, proportionate and as easy as possible
  by removing
  all
  obstacles to participation in elections. |
| --- | --- |

(8)

In line with International and European standards, including, the requirements of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, Member States should not only recognize and respect the right of Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate but also
  make
  access to their electoral rights
  as democratic, proportionate and as easy as possible
  by removing
  all
  obstacles to participation in elections.

Amendment 9

Proposal for a directive

Recital 9

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (9) | In order to facilitate the exercise by Union citizens of their right to vote and to stand as a candidate in their country of residence,
  such
  citizens should be entered on the electoral roll in sufficient time in advance of polling day. The formalities applicable to their registration should be as simple as possible. It should be sufficient for the Union citizens concerned to produce a valid identity card and a formal declaration that includes elements evidencing their entitlement to participate in the elections. Once registered, non-national Union citizens should remain on the electoral roll under the same conditions as Union citizens who are nationals of the Member State concerned, for as long as they satisfy the conditions for exercising the right to vote. Additionally, Union citizens should provide the competent authorities with contact information, enabling those authorities to keep them informed on a regular basis. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(9)

In order to facilitate the exercise by Union citizens of their right to vote and to stand as a candidate in their country of residence,
  such
  citizens should be entered on the electoral roll in sufficient time in advance of polling day. The formalities applicable to their registration should be as simple as possible. It should be sufficient for the Union citizens concerned to produce a valid identity card and a formal declaration that includes elements evidencing their entitlement to participate in the elections. Once registered, non-national Union citizens should remain on the electoral roll under the same conditions as Union citizens who are nationals of the Member State concerned, for as long as they satisfy the conditions for exercising the right to vote. Additionally, Union citizens should provide the competent authorities with contact information, enabling those authorities to keep them informed on a regular basis.

| (9) | In order to facilitate the exercise by Union citizens of their right to vote and to stand as a candidate in their country of residence,
  immediate registration as a voter should be possible upon their registration as residents subject to their consent. Those citizens must receive prior information regarding this immediate registration, notably on the fact that double voting is prohibited and immediate registration could imply deregistration from the electoral roll for the European elections of their place of origin. Where immediate registration as voters has not occurred upon their registration as residents,
  citizens should be entered on the electoral roll in sufficient time in advance of polling day. The formalities applicable to their registration should be as simple as possible. It should be sufficient for the Union citizens concerned to produce a valid identity card and
  , in duly justified cases,
  a formal
  and user-friendly
  declaration that includes elements evidencing their entitlement to participate in the elections. Once registered, non-national Union citizens should remain on the electoral roll under the same conditions as Union citizens who are nationals of the Member State concerned, for as long as they satisfy the conditions for exercising the right to vote. Additionally, Union citizens should provide the competent authorities with contact information, enabling those authorities to keep them informed on a regular basis. |
| --- | --- |

(9)

In order to facilitate the exercise by Union citizens of their right to vote and to stand as a candidate in their country of residence,
  immediate registration as a voter should be possible upon their registration as residents subject to their consent. Those citizens must receive prior information regarding this immediate registration, notably on the fact that double voting is prohibited and immediate registration could imply deregistration from the electoral roll for the European elections of their place of origin. Where immediate registration as voters has not occurred upon their registration as residents,
  citizens should be entered on the electoral roll in sufficient time in advance of polling day. The formalities applicable to their registration should be as simple as possible. It should be sufficient for the Union citizens concerned to produce a valid identity card and
  , in duly justified cases,
  a formal
  and user-friendly
  declaration that includes elements evidencing their entitlement to participate in the elections. Once registered, non-national Union citizens should remain on the electoral roll under the same conditions as Union citizens who are nationals of the Member State concerned, for as long as they satisfy the conditions for exercising the right to vote. Additionally, Union citizens should provide the competent authorities with contact information, enabling those authorities to keep them informed on a regular basis.

Amendment 10

Proposal for a directive

Recital 11

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (11) | In order to ensure equal treatment of non-national Union citizens seeking to exercise the right to stand as candidates for election in their Member State of residence, such citizens should be required to produce the same supporting documents as those required from candidates who are nationals of the Member State concerned. However, in order to establish that such citizens are beneficiaries of the right laid down in Article 20(2)(b) and Article 22(2) TFEU, Member States should be able to require the production of a formal declaration that includes elements necessary to evidence their entitlement to stand in the elections in question. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(11)

In order to ensure equal treatment of non-national Union citizens seeking to exercise the right to stand as candidates for election in their Member State of residence, such citizens should be required to produce the same supporting documents as those required from candidates who are nationals of the Member State concerned. However, in order to establish that such citizens are beneficiaries of the right laid down in Article 20(2)(b) and Article 22(2) TFEU, Member States should be able to require the production of a formal declaration that includes elements necessary to evidence their entitlement to stand in the elections in question.

| (11) | In order to ensure equal treatment of non-national Union citizens seeking to exercise the right to stand as candidates for election in their Member State of residence, such citizens should be required to produce the same supporting documents as those required from candidates who are nationals of the Member State concerned. However, in order to establish that such citizens are beneficiaries of the right laid down in Article 20(2)(b) and Article 22(2) TFEU,
  in duly justified cases,
  Member States should be able to require the production of a formal declaration that includes elements necessary to evidence their entitlement to stand in the elections in question. |
| --- | --- |

(11)

In order to ensure equal treatment of non-national Union citizens seeking to exercise the right to stand as candidates for election in their Member State of residence, such citizens should be required to produce the same supporting documents as those required from candidates who are nationals of the Member State concerned. However, in order to establish that such citizens are beneficiaries of the right laid down in Article 20(2)(b) and Article 22(2) TFEU,
  in duly justified cases,
  Member States should be able to require the production of a formal declaration that includes elements necessary to evidence their entitlement to stand in the elections in question.

Amendment 11

Proposal for a directive

Recital 11 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (11a) | To enable Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to be eligible in practice for elections to the European Parliament, national political parties should be encouraged not to make membership conditional on having the nationality of that Member State. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(11a)

To enable Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to be eligible in practice for elections to the European Parliament, national political parties should be encouraged not to make membership conditional on having the nationality of that Member State.

Amendment 12

Proposal for a directive

Recital 12

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (12) | In order to facilitate the accurate identification of voters and candidates registered both in their home Member State and in their Member State of residence, the list of data to be required from Union citizens,
  when submitting
  an application to enter the electoral rolls or to stand as candidates in the Member State of residence, should include the personal identification number or the serial number of a valid identity or travel document. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(12)

In order to facilitate the accurate identification of voters and candidates registered both in their home Member State and in their Member State of residence, the list of data to be required from Union citizens,
  when submitting
  an application to enter the electoral rolls or to stand as candidates in the Member State of residence, should include the personal identification number or the serial number of a valid identity or travel document.

| (12) | In order to facilitate the accurate identification of voters and candidates registered both in their home Member State and in their Member State of residence, the list of data to be required from Union citizens,
  at the time of immediate registration or after the submission of
  an application to enter the electoral rolls or to stand as candidates in the Member State of residence, should include the personal identification number or the serial number of a valid identity or travel document. |
| --- | --- |

(12)

In order to facilitate the accurate identification of voters and candidates registered both in their home Member State and in their Member State of residence, the list of data to be required from Union citizens,
  at the time of immediate registration or after the submission of
  an application to enter the electoral rolls or to stand as candidates in the Member State of residence, should include the personal identification number or the serial number of a valid identity or travel document.

Amendment 13

Proposal for a directive

Recital 13

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (13) | Union citizens who have been deprived of their right to vote and to stand as candidates, on the basis of an individual civil law or criminal law decision taken by the competent authority, should be precluded from exercising that right in the Member State of residence in elections to the European Parliament. When receiving an application for registration as a voter, Member States may require from the citizen concerned a formal declaration confirming that they have not been deprived of their right to vote. When
  standing
  as candidates in their country of residence, Union citizens
  should be required to
  produce a statement confirming that they have not been deprived of the right to stand in the elections to the European Parliament. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(13)

Union citizens who have been deprived of their right to vote and to stand as candidates, on the basis of an individual civil law or criminal law decision taken by the competent authority, should be precluded from exercising that right in the Member State of residence in elections to the European Parliament. When receiving an application for registration as a voter, Member States may require from the citizen concerned a formal declaration confirming that they have not been deprived of their right to vote. When
  standing
  as candidates in their country of residence, Union citizens
  should be required to
  produce a statement confirming that they have not been deprived of the right to stand in the elections to the European Parliament.

| (13) | Union citizens who have been deprived of their right to vote and to stand as candidates, on the basis of an individual civil law or criminal law decision taken by the competent authority, should be precluded from exercising that right in the Member State of residence in elections to the European Parliament.
  Upon immediate registration or
  when receiving an application for registration as a voter, Member States may
  , in duly justified cases,
  require from the citizen concerned a formal declaration confirming that they have not been deprived of their right to vote. When
  they stand
  as candidates in their country of residence,
  it should be possible for the country of residence to require that
  Union citizens produce a statement confirming that they have not been deprived of the right to stand in the elections to the European Parliament. |
| --- | --- |

(13)

Union citizens who have been deprived of their right to vote and to stand as candidates, on the basis of an individual civil law or criminal law decision taken by the competent authority, should be precluded from exercising that right in the Member State of residence in elections to the European Parliament.
  Upon immediate registration or
  when receiving an application for registration as a voter, Member States may
  , in duly justified cases,
  require from the citizen concerned a formal declaration confirming that they have not been deprived of their right to vote. When
  they stand
  as candidates in their country of residence,
  it should be possible for the country of residence to require that
  Union citizens produce a statement confirming that they have not been deprived of the right to stand in the elections to the European Parliament.

Amendment 14

Proposal for a directive

Recital 16

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (16) | In order to prevent multiple voting or instances where the same person would stand as a candidate more than once at the same elections, Member States should exchange information gathered from the formal declarations produced by Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates. As Member States rely on different data to identify citizens, a common set of data should be envisaged in order to accurately identify Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates and stop them from voting or standing as a candidate more than once. The personal data exchanged should be limited to the minimum necessary to achieve these purposes. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(16)

In order to prevent multiple voting or instances where the same person would stand as a candidate more than once at the same elections, Member States should exchange information gathered from the formal declarations produced by Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates. As Member States rely on different data to identify citizens, a common set of data should be envisaged in order to accurately identify Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates and stop them from voting or standing as a candidate more than once. The personal data exchanged should be limited to the minimum necessary to achieve these purposes.

| (16) | In order to prevent multiple voting or instances where the same person would stand as a candidate more than once at the same elections, Member States
  need to coordinate their administrative systems in a coherent manner. For this reason, Member States
  should
  be required to
  exchange information gathered from the formal declarations produced by
  non-national
  Union voters and
  non-national
  Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates
  in a Member State of residence
  . As Member States rely on different data to identify citizens, a common set of data should be envisaged in order to accurately identify Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates and stop them from voting or standing as a candidate more than once. The personal data exchanged should be limited to the minimum necessary to achieve these purposes. |
| --- | --- |

(16)

In order to prevent multiple voting or instances where the same person would stand as a candidate more than once at the same elections, Member States
  need to coordinate their administrative systems in a coherent manner. For this reason, Member States
  should
  be required to
  exchange information gathered from the formal declarations produced by
  non-national
  Union voters and
  non-national
  Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates
  in a Member State of residence
  . As Member States rely on different data to identify citizens, a common set of data should be envisaged in order to accurately identify Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates and stop them from voting or standing as a candidate more than once. The personal data exchanged should be limited to the minimum necessary to achieve these purposes.

Amendment 15

Proposal for a directive

Recital 17

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (17) | The information exchange between Member States to prevent multiple voting or instances where the same person would stand as a candidate more than once at the same election should not prevent their nationals from voting or standing as candidates in other types of elections. To facilitate communication between national authorities, Member States should be required to designate one contact point for that information exchange. A secure tool was developed
  in the past
  by the Commission to be used by the Member States under their responsibility to exchange the necessary data. That secure tool should be incorporated in this Directive, to further support exchanges between Member States’ competent authorities. Member States will act as separate controllers for their processing of personal data in this regard. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(17)

The information exchange between Member States to prevent multiple voting or instances where the same person would stand as a candidate more than once at the same election should not prevent their nationals from voting or standing as candidates in other types of elections. To facilitate communication between national authorities, Member States should be required to designate one contact point for that information exchange. A secure tool was developed
  in the past
  by the Commission to be used by the Member States under their responsibility to exchange the necessary data. That secure tool should be incorporated in this Directive, to further support exchanges between Member States’ competent authorities. Member States will act as separate controllers for their processing of personal data in this regard.

| (17) | The information exchange between Member States to prevent multiple voting or instances where the same person would stand as a candidate more than once at the same election should not prevent their nationals from voting or standing as candidates in other types of elections. To facilitate communication between national authorities, Member States should be required to designate one contact point for that information exchange. A secure tool was developed by the Commission to be used by the Member States under their responsibility to exchange the necessary data. That secure tool should be incorporated in this Directive, to further support exchanges between Member States’ competent authorities. Member States will act as separate controllers for their processing of personal data in this regard. |
| --- | --- |

(17)

The information exchange between Member States to prevent multiple voting or instances where the same person would stand as a candidate more than once at the same election should not prevent their nationals from voting or standing as candidates in other types of elections. To facilitate communication between national authorities, Member States should be required to designate one contact point for that information exchange. A secure tool was developed by the Commission to be used by the Member States under their responsibility to exchange the necessary data. That secure tool should be incorporated in this Directive, to further support exchanges between Member States’ competent authorities. Member States will act as separate controllers for their processing of personal data in this regard.

Amendment 16

Proposal for a directive

Recital 20

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (20) | The lack of adequate information, in the context of electoral procedures, affects citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights as part of their rights as Union citizens. It also affects the capacity of competent authorities to exercise their rights and to deliver on their obligations. Member States should be required to designate authorities with special responsibilities for providing appropriate information to Union citizens on their rights under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(2) TFEU and the national rules and procedures regarding participation in and the organization of elections to the European Parliament. In order to ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in clear and comprehensible terms. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(20)

The lack of adequate information, in the context of electoral procedures, affects citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights as part of their rights as Union citizens. It also affects the capacity of competent authorities to exercise their rights and to deliver on their obligations. Member States should be required to designate authorities with special responsibilities for providing appropriate information to Union citizens on their rights under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(2) TFEU and the national rules and procedures regarding participation in and the organization of elections to the European Parliament. In order to ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in clear and comprehensible terms.

| (20) | The lack of adequate information, in the context of electoral procedures, affects citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights as part of their rights as Union citizens. It also affects the capacity of competent authorities to exercise their rights and to deliver on their obligations. Member States should be required to designate authorities with special responsibilities for providing appropriate information to Union citizens on their rights under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(2) TFEU and the national rules and procedures regarding participation in and the organization of elections to the European Parliament. In order to
  encourage non-national Union citizens to actively seek such information, Member States should also ensure that it is made widely available through a wide range of channels, including through targeted cooperation projects between civil society organisations, the designated national authorities and, in the event of its establishment, the European electoral authority. In order to
  ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in clear and comprehensible terms
  and in a timely manner, taking into account the dates on which electoral rolls are to be closed and on which the lists of candidates are to be announced in accordance with the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage
  . |
| --- | --- |

(20)

The lack of adequate information, in the context of electoral procedures, affects citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights as part of their rights as Union citizens. It also affects the capacity of competent authorities to exercise their rights and to deliver on their obligations. Member States should be required to designate authorities with special responsibilities for providing appropriate information to Union citizens on their rights under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(2) TFEU and the national rules and procedures regarding participation in and the organization of elections to the European Parliament. In order to
  encourage non-national Union citizens to actively seek such information, Member States should also ensure that it is made widely available through a wide range of channels, including through targeted cooperation projects between civil society organisations, the designated national authorities and, in the event of its establishment, the European electoral authority. In order to
  ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in clear and comprehensible terms
  and in a timely manner, taking into account the dates on which electoral rolls are to be closed and on which the lists of candidates are to be announced in accordance with the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage
  .

Amendment 17

Proposal for a directive

Recital 20 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (20a) | In order to foster the democratic participation of non-national Union citizens, Member States should provide appropriate, clear and inclusive information to Union citizens on the right to vote and on the possible administrative steps to exercise that right, as well as on the electoral cultures and voting systems. Such information should be provided when the residence of non-national Union citizens is registered, either immediately or upon request, later on, and sufficiently in advance of European elections. Special attention should also be paid to the needs of vulnerable citizens, such as people with disabilities and elderly people. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(20a)

In order to foster the democratic participation of non-national Union citizens, Member States should provide appropriate, clear and inclusive information to Union citizens on the right to vote and on the possible administrative steps to exercise that right, as well as on the electoral cultures and voting systems. Such information should be provided when the residence of non-national Union citizens is registered, either immediately or upon request, later on, and sufficiently in advance of European elections. Special attention should also be paid to the needs of vulnerable citizens, such as people with disabilities and elderly people.

Amendment 18

Proposal for a directive

Recital 21

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (21) | In order to improve the accessibility of electoral information, such information should be made available in at least one other official language of the Union than that or those of the host Member State, broadly understood by the largest possible number of Union citizens residing on its territory. Member States may use different official languages of the Union in specific parts of their territory or their regions depending on the language understood by the largest group of Union citizens residing therein. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(21)

In order to improve the accessibility of electoral information, such information should be made available in at least one other official language of the Union than that or those of the host Member State, broadly understood by the largest possible number of Union citizens residing on its territory. Member States may use different official languages of the Union in specific parts of their territory or their regions depending on the language understood by the largest group of Union citizens residing therein.

| (21) | In order to improve the accessibility of electoral information, such
  essential
  information
  on electoral rights
  should be made available
  in a clear and inclusive manner, and well ahead of the elections,
  in at least one other official language of the Union than that or those of the host Member State, broadly understood by the largest possible number of Union citizens residing on its territory
  . Member States should be encouraged to provide information also in the native language of the non-national Union citizen
  . Member States may use different official languages of the Union in specific parts of their territory or their regions depending on the language understood by the largest group of Union citizens residing therein. |
| --- | --- |

(21)

In order to improve the accessibility of electoral information, such
  essential
  information
  on electoral rights
  should be made available
  in a clear and inclusive manner, and well ahead of the elections,
  in at least one other official language of the Union than that or those of the host Member State, broadly understood by the largest possible number of Union citizens residing on its territory
  . Member States should be encouraged to provide information also in the native language of the non-national Union citizen
  . Member States may use different official languages of the Union in specific parts of their territory or their regions depending on the language understood by the largest group of Union citizens residing therein.

Amendment 19

Proposal for a directive

Recital 22

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (22) | Any derogation from the general rules of this Directive has to be warranted, pursuant to Article 22 (2) TFEU, by problems specific to a Member State and has to be in line with the requirements of Article 52 of the Charter, including that any limitations to the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate at elections to the European Parliament is to be provided for by law and be subject to the principles of proportionality and necessity . In addition, any derogation has to be subject to review as provided by Article 47 of the Charter . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(22)

Any derogation from the general rules of this Directive has to be warranted, pursuant to Article 22 (2) TFEU, by problems specific to a Member State and has to be in line with the requirements of Article 52 of the Charter, including that any limitations to the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate at elections to the European Parliament is to be provided for by law and be subject to the principles of proportionality and necessity . In addition, any derogation has to be subject to review as provided by Article 47 of the Charter .

deleted

Amendment 20

Proposal for a directive

Recital 23

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (23) | Such specific problems may arise in a Member State in which the proportion of Union citizens of voting age, who reside in it but are not nationals of it, is very significantly above average. Derogations regarding the right to vote should be warranted where such citizens form more than 20 % of the total electorate on the criterion of period of residence; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(23)

Such specific problems may arise in a Member State in which the proportion of Union citizens of voting age, who reside in it but are not nationals of it, is very significantly above average. Derogations regarding the right to vote should be warranted where such citizens form more than 20 % of the total electorate on the criterion of period of residence;

deleted

Amendment 21

Proposal for a directive

Recital 24

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (24) | Member States in which the proportion of non-national citizens of the Union of voting age exceeds 20 % of the total number of Union citizens of voting age who reside there should have the possibility to lay down, in compliance with Article 22(2) TFEU, specific provisions concerning the composition of lists of candidates. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(24)

Member States in which the proportion of non-national citizens of the Union of voting age exceeds 20 % of the total number of Union citizens of voting age who reside there should have the possibility to lay down, in compliance with Article 22(2) TFEU, specific provisions concerning the composition of lists of candidates.

deleted

Amendment 22

Proposal for a directive

Recital 26

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (26) | Data regarding the exercise of rights and the application of this Directive
  can be useful
  in the identification of measures necessary to ensure the effective exercise of Union citizens’ electoral rights. In order to improve the collection of data for elections to the European Parliament, it is necessary to introduce regular monitoring and reporting of implementation by Member States. In parallel, the Commission should assess the application of this Directive, and submit a report including such an assessment to the European Parliament and to the Council, after each election to the European Parliament. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(26)

Data regarding the exercise of rights and the application of this Directive
  can be useful
  in the identification of measures necessary to ensure the effective exercise of Union citizens’ electoral rights. In order to improve the collection of data for elections to the European Parliament, it is necessary to introduce regular monitoring and reporting of implementation by Member States. In parallel, the Commission should assess the application of this Directive, and submit a report including such an assessment to the European Parliament and to the Council, after each election to the European Parliament.

| (26) | Data regarding the exercise of rights and the application of this Directive
  is critical
  in the
  evaluation of the relevant Union policy and
  identification of measures necessary to ensure the effective exercise of Union citizens’ electoral rights. In order to
  increase and
  improve the collection
  and reporting
  of data for elections to the European Parliament
  by Member States
  , it is necessary to introduce regular monitoring and reporting of implementation by Member States
  on the basis of common indicators
  . In parallel, the Commission should assess the application of this Directive, and submit a report including such an assessment to the European Parliament and to the Council, after each election to the European Parliament. |
| --- | --- |

(26)

Data regarding the exercise of rights and the application of this Directive
  is critical
  in the
  evaluation of the relevant Union policy and
  identification of measures necessary to ensure the effective exercise of Union citizens’ electoral rights. In order to
  increase and
  improve the collection
  and reporting
  of data for elections to the European Parliament
  by Member States
  , it is necessary to introduce regular monitoring and reporting of implementation by Member States
  on the basis of common indicators
  . In parallel, the Commission should assess the application of this Directive, and submit a report including such an assessment to the European Parliament and to the Council, after each election to the European Parliament.

Amendment 23

Proposal for a directive

Recital 27

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (27) | It is necessary that the Commission conduct its own evaluation of the application of this Directive
  within a reasonable timeframe
  after
  at least two elections
  to the European Parliament. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(27)

It is necessary that the Commission conduct its own evaluation of the application of this Directive
  within a reasonable timeframe
  after
  at least two elections
  to the European Parliament.

| (27) | It is necessary that the Commission conduct its own evaluation of the application of this Directive
  no later than 18 months
  after
  each election
  to the European Parliament
  , followed, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive
  . |
| --- | --- |

(27)

It is necessary that the Commission conduct its own evaluation of the application of this Directive
  no later than 18 months
  after
  each election
  to the European Parliament
  , followed, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive
  .

Amendment 24

Proposal for a directive

Recital 28

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (28) | In order to ensure that the templates of the formal declarations to be submitted by non-national Union citizens seeking to vote or stand in elections to the European Parliament continue to contain relevant data in the context of the exercise of electoral rights by Union citizens, the power to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission to amend those templates. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making of 13 April 2016. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(28)

In order to ensure that the templates of the formal declarations to be submitted by non-national Union citizens seeking to vote or stand in elections to the European Parliament continue to contain relevant data in the context of the exercise of electoral rights by Union citizens, the power to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission to amend those templates. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making of 13 April 2016. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.

| (28) | In order to ensure that the templates of the formal declarations to be submitted by non-national Union citizens seeking to vote or stand in elections to the European Parliament continue to contain relevant data in the context of the exercise of electoral rights by Union citizens, the power to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission to amend those templates
  . In order to increase and improve the collection and reporting of data by Member States for elections to the European Parliament, the power to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission to supplement this Directive by establishing a template and the form of the data to be collected for the purposes of Article 17(1)
  . It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making of 13 April 2016. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. |
| --- | --- |

(28)

In order to ensure that the templates of the formal declarations to be submitted by non-national Union citizens seeking to vote or stand in elections to the European Parliament continue to contain relevant data in the context of the exercise of electoral rights by Union citizens, the power to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission to amend those templates
  . In order to increase and improve the collection and reporting of data by Member States for elections to the European Parliament, the power to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission to supplement this Directive by establishing a template and the form of the data to be collected for the purposes of Article 17(1)
  . It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making of 13 April 2016. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.

Amendment 25

Proposal for a directive

Recital 29

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (29) | The Member States, by ratifying, and the Union, by concluding (27), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities have committed themselves to ensure compliance with that Convention. In order to support inclusive and equal electoral participation for persons with disabilities, arrangements for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to exercise the right to vote and to stand as a candidate there in elections to the European Parliament should have due regard to the needs of citizens with a disability and older citizens. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(29)

The Member States, by ratifying, and the Union, by concluding (27), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities have committed themselves to ensure compliance with that Convention. In order to support inclusive and equal electoral participation for persons with disabilities, arrangements for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to exercise the right to vote and to stand as a candidate there in elections to the European Parliament should have due regard to the needs of citizens with a disability and older citizens.

| (29) | The Member States, by ratifying, and the Union, by concluding (27), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities have committed themselves to ensure compliance with that Convention
  , in particular Article 29 thereof
  . In order to support inclusive and equal electoral participation for persons with disabilities, arrangements for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to exercise the right to vote and to stand as a candidate there in elections to the European Parliament should have due regard to the needs of citizens with a disability and older citizens.
  In particular, Member States should implement appropriate arrangements tailored to their national voting procedures to facilitate voting by citizens with disabilities, such as the possibility to choose polling stations, closed polling stations in key locations, and the use of assistive technologies, formats and techniques like Braille, large print, audio-based information, tactile stencils, easy to read information and sign language communication. Furthermore, Member States should consider introducing complementary tools to facilitate voting, such as advance physical voting and proxy voting, as well as electronic and online voting. |
| --- | --- |

(29)

The Member States, by ratifying, and the Union, by concluding (27), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities have committed themselves to ensure compliance with that Convention
  , in particular Article 29 thereof
  . In order to support inclusive and equal electoral participation for persons with disabilities, arrangements for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to exercise the right to vote and to stand as a candidate there in elections to the European Parliament should have due regard to the needs of citizens with a disability and older citizens.
  In particular, Member States should implement appropriate arrangements tailored to their national voting procedures to facilitate voting by citizens with disabilities, such as the possibility to choose polling stations, closed polling stations in key locations, and the use of assistive technologies, formats and techniques like Braille, large print, audio-based information, tactile stencils, easy to read information and sign language communication. Furthermore, Member States should consider introducing complementary tools to facilitate voting, such as advance physical voting and proxy voting, as well as electronic and online voting.

Amendment 26

Proposal for a directive

Recital 29 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (29a) | Member States should, ahead of the elections to the European Parliament, foster awareness and information campaigns while improving accessibility requirements for people with disabilities, elderly and vulnerable people. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(29a)

Member States should, ahead of the elections to the European Parliament, foster awareness and information campaigns while improving accessibility requirements for people with disabilities, elderly and vulnerable people.

Amendment 27

Proposal for a directive

Recital 29 b (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (29b) | Member States should guarantee that prisoners who are granted the right to vote in accordance with national laws, including when they are in a Member State of which they are not nationals, are able to exercise their voting rights. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(29b)

Member States should guarantee that prisoners who are granted the right to vote in accordance with national laws, including when they are in a Member State of which they are not nationals, are able to exercise their voting rights.

Amendment 28

Proposal for a directive

Article 3 — paragraph 1 — point a

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | the person who, on the reference date is a Union citizen within the meaning of Article 20 (1) TFEU; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(a)

the person who, on the reference date is a Union citizen within the meaning of Article 20 (1) TFEU;

| (a) | the person who, on the reference date, is a Union citizen within the meaning of Article 20 (1) TFEU
  and regardless of that person’s legal capacity
  ; |
| --- | --- |

(a)

the person who, on the reference date, is a Union citizen within the meaning of Article 20 (1) TFEU
  and regardless of that person’s legal capacity
  ;

Amendment 29

Proposal for a directive

Article 4 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Union voters shall exercise their right to vote either in the Member State of residence or in their home Member State. No person may vote more than once at the same election. | 1.   Union voters shall
  have the right to choose to
  exercise their right to vote either in the Member State of residence or in their home Member State. No person may vote more than once at the same election. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

1.   Union voters shall exercise their right to vote either in the Member State of residence or in their home Member State. No person may vote more than once at the same election.

1.   Union voters shall
  have the right to choose to
  exercise their right to vote either in the Member State of residence or in their home Member State. No person may vote more than once at the same election.

Amendment 30

Amendment 30

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 6 — paragraph 1

Article 6 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals and who, through an individual judicial decision or an administrative decision provided that the latter can be subject to judicial remedies, have been deprived of their right to stand as a candidate under either the law of the Member State of residence or the law of the home Member State, shall be precluded from exercising that right in the Member State of residence in elections to the European Parliament. | 1.   Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals and who, through an individual judicial decision or an administrative decision provided that the latter can be subject to judicial remedies, have been deprived of their right to stand as a candidate under either the law of the Member State of residence or the law of the home Member State, shall be precluded from exercising that right in the Member State of residence in elections to the European Parliament.
  However, decisions on deprivation of legal capacity due to disability taken by the home Member State shall not make Union citizens ineligible to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence if the law of that Member State upholds that right for all persons with disabilities without restrictions. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals and who, through an individual judicial decision or an administrative decision provided that the latter can be subject to judicial remedies, have been deprived of their right to stand as a candidate under either the law of the Member State of residence or the law of the home Member State, shall be precluded from exercising that right in the Member State of residence in elections to the European Parliament.

1.   Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals and who, through an individual judicial decision or an administrative decision provided that the latter can be subject to judicial remedies, have been deprived of their right to stand as a candidate under either the law of the Member State of residence or the law of the home Member State, shall be precluded from exercising that right in the Member State of residence in elections to the European Parliament.
  However, decisions on deprivation of legal capacity due to disability taken by the home Member State shall not make Union citizens ineligible to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State of residence if the law of that Member State upholds that right for all persons with disabilities without restrictions.

Amendment 31

Amendment 31

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 6 — paragraph 5

Article 6 — paragraph 5

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 5.   Member States shall designate a contact point to receive and transmit the information necessary for the application of paragraph 3. They shall communicate to the Commission the name and contact details of the contact point and any updated information
  or
  changes concerning it. The Commission shall keep a list of contact points and make it available to the Member States. | 5.   Member States shall designate a contact point to receive and transmit the information necessary for the application of paragraph 3. They shall communicate to the Commission the name and contact details of the contact point and any updated information
  in the case of
  changes concerning it. The Commission shall keep a list of contact points and make it available to the Member States. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

5.   Member States shall designate a contact point to receive and transmit the information necessary for the application of paragraph 3. They shall communicate to the Commission the name and contact details of the contact point and any updated information
  or
  changes concerning it. The Commission shall keep a list of contact points and make it available to the Member States.

5.   Member States shall designate a contact point to receive and transmit the information necessary for the application of paragraph 3. They shall communicate to the Commission the name and contact details of the contact point and any updated information
  in the case of
  changes concerning it. The Commission shall keep a list of contact points and make it available to the Member States.

Amendment 32

Amendment 32

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 8 — paragraph 2 a (new)

Article 8 — paragraph 2 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 2a.
     
  Immediate registration of non-national Union citizens as voters shall be possible. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2a.
     
  Immediate registration of non-national Union citizens as voters shall be possible.

Amendment 33

Amendment 33

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 8 — paragraph 2 b (new)

Article 8 — paragraph 2 b (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 2b.
     
  When registering as residents, non-national Union citizens shall have the possibility to express their wish to be registered as voters in their Member State of residence and shall be informed about the possibility to stand as a candidate and submit an application in this regard. |
| | Should non-national Union citizens choose not to express their wish to be registered as voters in their Member State of residence at the moment of their registration as residents, they shall retain the right to do so afterwards. When providing information about the possibility of voting or standing as a candidate, Member States shall duly inform non-national Union citizens that they may vote or stand as candidates either in their home Member State or in their Member State of residence, dependent on their own choice. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2b.
     
  When registering as residents, non-national Union citizens shall have the possibility to express their wish to be registered as voters in their Member State of residence and shall be informed about the possibility to stand as a candidate and submit an application in this regard.

Should non-national Union citizens choose not to express their wish to be registered as voters in their Member State of residence at the moment of their registration as residents, they shall retain the right to do so afterwards. When providing information about the possibility of voting or standing as a candidate, Member States shall duly inform non-national Union citizens that they may vote or stand as candidates either in their home Member State or in their Member State of residence, dependent on their own choice.

Should non-national Union citizens choose not to express their wish to be registered as voters in their Member State of residence at the moment of their registration as residents, they shall retain the right to do so afterwards. When providing information about the possibility of voting or standing as a candidate, Member States shall duly inform non-national Union citizens that they may vote or stand as candidates either in their home Member State or in their Member State of residence, dependent on their own choice.

Amendment 34

Amendment 34

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 9 — paragraph 1

Article 9 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable a Union voter who has expressed the wish to be registered as a voter to be entered on the electoral roll
  sufficiently in advance of
  polling day. | 1.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable a Union voter who has expressed the wish to be registered as a voter to be entered on the electoral roll
  no later than 14 weeks before
  polling day.
  Member States shall enable registration as soon as the voter concerned is registered as a resident. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable a Union voter who has expressed the wish to be registered as a voter to be entered on the electoral roll
  sufficiently in advance of
  polling day.

1.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable a Union voter who has expressed the wish to be registered as a voter to be entered on the electoral roll
  no later than 14 weeks before
  polling day.
  Member States shall enable registration as soon as the voter concerned is registered as a resident.

Amendment 35

Amendment 35

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 9 — paragraph 3 — point c a (new)

Article 9 — paragraph 3 — point c a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (ca) | if they so wish, indicate the language in which they would like to receive the information referred to in Article 12(2); |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

(ca)

(ca)

if they so wish, indicate the language in which they would like to receive the information referred to in Article 12(2);

if they so wish, indicate the language in which they would like to receive the information referred to in Article 12(2);

Amendment 36

Amendment 36

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 9 — paragraph 4

Article 9 — paragraph 4

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 4.   Union voters who have been entered on the electoral roll shall remain thereon, under the same conditions as voters who are nationals, until they request to be removed or until they are removed because they no longer satisfy the requirements for exercising the right to vote. Where provisions are in place to notify nationals of such a removal from the electoral roll, these provisions shall apply to Union voters
  in the same way
  . | 4.   Union voters who have been entered on the electoral roll shall remain thereon, under the same conditions as voters who are nationals, until
  such time as
  they request to be removed or until they are removed because they no longer satisfy the requirements for exercising the right to vote. Where provisions are in place to notify nationals of such a removal from the electoral roll, these provisions shall apply to Union voters
  as well. Notifications shall be provided in an official language of the Union understandable to the Union voters in question
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

4.   Union voters who have been entered on the electoral roll shall remain thereon, under the same conditions as voters who are nationals, until they request to be removed or until they are removed because they no longer satisfy the requirements for exercising the right to vote. Where provisions are in place to notify nationals of such a removal from the electoral roll, these provisions shall apply to Union voters
  in the same way
  .

4.   Union voters who have been entered on the electoral roll shall remain thereon, under the same conditions as voters who are nationals, until
  such time as
  they request to be removed or until they are removed because they no longer satisfy the requirements for exercising the right to vote. Where provisions are in place to notify nationals of such a removal from the electoral roll, these provisions shall apply to Union voters
  as well. Notifications shall be provided in an official language of the Union understandable to the Union voters in question
  .

Amendment 37

Amendment 37

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 10 — paragraph 2 a (new)

Article 10 — paragraph 2 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 2a.
     
  National authorities shall ensure that the democratic, proportionate and transparent standards which apply to national Union citizens when submitting a list of candidates also apply to non-national Union citizen candidates. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2a.
     
  National authorities shall ensure that the democratic, proportionate and transparent standards which apply to national Union citizens when submitting a list of candidates also apply to non-national Union citizen candidates.

Amendment 38

Amendment 38

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 11 — paragraph 1

Article 11 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   The Member State of residence shall inform the persons concerned in
  good time and
  in clear and plain language of the decision taken
  on
  their application for entry on the electoral roll or of the decision concerning the admissibility of their application to stand as a candidate. | 1.   The Member State of residence shall inform the persons concerned, in
  a timely manner,
  in clear and plain language,
  and in an official language of the Union understandable to them,
  of the decision taken
  concerning their immediate registration or
  their application for entry on the electoral roll or of the decision concerning the admissibility of their application to stand as a candidate
  , including the possibilities to appeal those decisions
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   The Member State of residence shall inform the persons concerned in
  good time and
  in clear and plain language of the decision taken
  on
  their application for entry on the electoral roll or of the decision concerning the admissibility of their application to stand as a candidate.

1.   The Member State of residence shall inform the persons concerned, in
  a timely manner,
  in clear and plain language,
  and in an official language of the Union understandable to them,
  of the decision taken
  concerning their immediate registration or
  their application for entry on the electoral roll or of the decision concerning the admissibility of their application to stand as a candidate
  , including the possibilities to appeal those decisions
  .

Amendment 39

Amendment 39

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 11 — paragraph 3

Article 11 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.   In case of errors in the electoral rolls or in the lists of candidates to the European Parliament, the
  person
  concerned shall be entitled to legal remedies on similar terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals. | 3.   In
  the
  case of errors in the electoral rolls or in the lists of candidates to the European Parliament, the
  persons
  concerned shall be
  informed thereof in a timely manner and shall be
  entitled to legal remedies on similar terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3.   In case of errors in the electoral rolls or in the lists of candidates to the European Parliament, the
  person
  concerned shall be entitled to legal remedies on similar terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals.

3.   In
  the
  case of errors in the electoral rolls or in the lists of candidates to the European Parliament, the
  persons
  concerned shall be
  informed thereof in a timely manner and shall be
  entitled to legal remedies on similar terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals.

Amendment 40

Amendment 40

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 11 — paragraph 4

Article 11 — paragraph 4

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 4.   Member States shall inform
  clearly and in a timely manner, the person
  concerned of the decision referred to in paragraph 1 and of the legal remedies referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3. | 4.   Member States shall inform
  the persons
  concerned of the decision referred to in paragraph 1 and of the legal remedies referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3
  clearly in a timely manner, and in an official language of the Union understandable to them
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

4.   Member States shall inform
  clearly and in a timely manner, the person
  concerned of the decision referred to in paragraph 1 and of the legal remedies referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3.

4.   Member States shall inform
  the persons
  concerned of the decision referred to in paragraph 1 and of the legal remedies referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3
  clearly in a timely manner, and in an official language of the Union understandable to them
  .

Amendment 41

Amendment 41

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 1

Article 12 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Member States shall designate a national authority with responsibility for taking the necessary measures to ensure that non-national Union citizens are informed in a timely manner of the conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament. | 1.   Member States shall designate a national authority with responsibility for taking the necessary measures to ensure that non-national Union citizens are informed in a timely manner of the conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament
  as soon as they register as residents of a Member State of which they are not nationals, as well as periodically, ahead of European elections taking into account the deadlines established for the announcement of the lists of candidates
  .
  That information shall indicate that citizens have the choice to register in their Member State of residence or remain registered in their home Member State, according to their preferences. |
| | The designated authority shall provide those concerned with a copy of the standardised templates for the formal declarations set out in Annexes I and II that non-national Union citizens are required to submit in order to register as voters or candidates. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Member States shall designate a national authority with responsibility for taking the necessary measures to ensure that non-national Union citizens are informed in a timely manner of the conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament.

1.   Member States shall designate a national authority with responsibility for taking the necessary measures to ensure that non-national Union citizens are informed in a timely manner of the conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament
  as soon as they register as residents of a Member State of which they are not nationals, as well as periodically, ahead of European elections taking into account the deadlines established for the announcement of the lists of candidates
  .
  That information shall indicate that citizens have the choice to register in their Member State of residence or remain registered in their home Member State, according to their preferences.

The designated authority shall provide those concerned with a copy of the standardised templates for the formal declarations set out in Annexes I and II that non-national Union citizens are required to submit in order to register as voters or candidates.

The designated authority shall provide those concerned with a copy of the standardised templates for the formal declarations set out in Annexes I and II that non-national Union citizens are required to submit in order to register as voters or candidates.

Amendment 42

Amendment 42

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — point d a (new)

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — point d a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (da) | the specific measures taken to facilitate the exercise of the right to vote by vulnerable and marginalised groups of voters, such as persons with disabilities. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

(da)

(da)

the specific measures taken to facilitate the exercise of the right to vote by vulnerable and marginalised groups of voters, such as persons with disabilities.

the specific measures taken to facilitate the exercise of the right to vote by vulnerable and marginalised groups of voters, such as persons with disabilities.

Amendment 43

Amendment 43

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 2 a (new)

Article 12 — paragraph 2 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 2a.
     
  Member States shall make efforts to actively involve civil society organisations in raising public awareness concerning the information referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, as well as in encouraging non-national Union citizens to actively seek such information as often as they need it. Member States should ensure that sufficient financial resources are set aside for this purpose. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2a.
     
  Member States shall make efforts to actively involve civil society organisations in raising public awareness concerning the information referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, as well as in encouraging non-national Union citizens to actively seek such information as often as they need it. Member States should ensure that sufficient financial resources are set aside for this purpose.

Amendment 44

Amendment 44

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 1

Article 12 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.   The information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament and the information referred to in paragraph 2 shall be provided in clear and plain language. | 3.   The information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament and the information referred to in paragraph 2 shall be provided in clear and plain language
  in accordance with the quality requirements set out in Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (1a). |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3.   The information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament and the information referred to in paragraph 2 shall be provided in clear and plain language.

3.   The information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament and the information referred to in paragraph 2 shall be provided in clear and plain language
  in accordance with the quality requirements set out in Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (1a).

Amendment 45

Amendment 45

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 2

Article 12 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 2

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| The information referred to in the first subparagraph shall
  , in addition to being communicated in one or more of the official languages of the host Member State, also be accompanied by a translation in at least one other
  official language of the Union
  that is broadly understood by the largest possible number of
  Union
  citizens residing on its territory, in accordance with the quality requirements of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (30) . | The information referred to in the first subparagraph shall
  be provided in an
  official language of the Union
  that is understandable to the
  Union
  voter or candidate in question
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

The information referred to in the first subparagraph shall
  , in addition to being communicated in one or more of the official languages of the host Member State, also be accompanied by a translation in at least one other
  official language of the Union
  that is broadly understood by the largest possible number of
  Union
  citizens residing on its territory, in accordance with the quality requirements of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (30) .

, in addition to being communicated in one or more of the official languages of the host Member State, also be accompanied by a translation in at least one other

that is broadly understood by the largest possible number of

citizens residing on its territory, in accordance with the quality requirements of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council

30

The information referred to in the first subparagraph shall
  be provided in an
  official language of the Union
  that is understandable to the
  Union
  voter or candidate in question
  .

be provided in an

that is understandable to the

voter or candidate in question

Amendment 46

Amendment 46

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 4

Article 12 — paragraph 4

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 4.   Member States shall ensure that information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament and information referred to in paragraph 2
  is
  made accessible to persons with disabilities
  and
  older persons by using appropriate means, modes and formats of communication. | 4.   Member States shall ensure that information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament and information referred to in paragraph 2
  are
  made accessible to
  vulnerable and marginalised groups, such as
  persons with disabilities, older persons
  , homeless people and persons in prison who enjoy their voting rights, by applying the accessibility requirements laid down in Annex I of Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (1a)

  and
  by using appropriate means, modes and formats of communication
  , such as Braille, large print, audio-based information, tactile stencils, easy to read information and sign language
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

4.   Member States shall ensure that information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament and information referred to in paragraph 2
  is
  made accessible to persons with disabilities
  and
  older persons by using appropriate means, modes and formats of communication.

4.   Member States shall ensure that information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in elections to the European Parliament and information referred to in paragraph 2
  are
  made accessible to
  vulnerable and marginalised groups, such as
  persons with disabilities, older persons
  , homeless people and persons in prison who enjoy their voting rights, by applying the accessibility requirements laid down in Annex I of Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (1a)

  and
  by using appropriate means, modes and formats of communication
  , such as Braille, large print, audio-based information, tactile stencils, easy to read information and sign language
  .

Amendment 47

Amendment 47

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 4 a (new)

Article 12 — paragraph 4 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 4a.
     
  Persons entitled to vote and stand as candidates pursuant to Article 3 and who have established their residence in a Member State, shall automatically receive information about their rights under this Directive. That information shall also be provided to them periodically and sufficiently ahead of the elections to the European Parliament. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

4a.
     
  Persons entitled to vote and stand as candidates pursuant to Article 3 and who have established their residence in a Member State, shall automatically receive information about their rights under this Directive. That information shall also be provided to them periodically and sufficiently ahead of the elections to the European Parliament.

Amendment 48

Amendment 48

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 13 — paragraph 1

Article 13 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Member States shall exchange the information required for the implementation of Article 4 , sufficiently in advance of polling day . To that end, the Member State of residence shall begin supplying the home Member State, no later than
  six
  weeks before the first day of the electoral period referred to in Article 10(1) of the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage the set of information provided in Annex III , . The home Member State shall, in accordance with its national legislation, take appropriate measures to ensure that its nationals do not vote more than once or stand as candidates in more than one Member State. | 1.   Member States shall exchange the information required for the implementation of Article 4, sufficiently in advance of polling day. To that end, the Member State of residence shall begin supplying the home Member State, no later than
  16
  weeks before the first day of the electoral period referred to in Article 10(1) of the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage the set of information provided in Annex III. The home Member State shall, in accordance with its national legislation, take appropriate measures to ensure that its nationals do not vote more than once or stand as candidates in more than one Member State. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Member States shall exchange the information required for the implementation of Article 4 , sufficiently in advance of polling day . To that end, the Member State of residence shall begin supplying the home Member State, no later than
  six
  weeks before the first day of the electoral period referred to in Article 10(1) of the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage the set of information provided in Annex III , . The home Member State shall, in accordance with its national legislation, take appropriate measures to ensure that its nationals do not vote more than once or stand as candidates in more than one Member State.

1.   Member States shall exchange the information required for the implementation of Article 4, sufficiently in advance of polling day. To that end, the Member State of residence shall begin supplying the home Member State, no later than
  16
  weeks before the first day of the electoral period referred to in Article 10(1) of the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage the set of information provided in Annex III. The home Member State shall, in accordance with its national legislation, take appropriate measures to ensure that its nationals do not vote more than once or stand as candidates in more than one Member State.

Amendment 49

Amendment 49

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 14 — paragraph 1

Article 14 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Member States
  that provide for the possibilities of advance
  voting, postal voting, and electronic and
  internet
  voting, in elections to the European Parliament shall ensure the availability of those voting methods to Union voters under
  similar
  conditions as the ones applicable to their own nationals. | Member States
  shall consider the introduction of complementary
  voting
  tools such as
  postal voting
  , advance physical voting
  ,
  proxy voting, mobile polling stations for voters who are unable to go to the polling stations on election day
  and electronic and
  online
  voting, in elections to the European Parliament
  . Member States
  shall ensure the availability of those voting methods to Union voters under
  the same
  conditions as the ones applicable to their own nationals. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Member States
  that provide for the possibilities of advance
  voting, postal voting, and electronic and
  internet
  voting, in elections to the European Parliament shall ensure the availability of those voting methods to Union voters under
  similar
  conditions as the ones applicable to their own nationals.

that provide for the possibilities of advance

internet

similar

Member States
  shall consider the introduction of complementary
  voting
  tools such as
  postal voting
  , advance physical voting
  ,
  proxy voting, mobile polling stations for voters who are unable to go to the polling stations on election day
  and electronic and
  online
  voting, in elections to the European Parliament
  . Member States
  shall ensure the availability of those voting methods to Union voters under
  the same
  conditions as the ones applicable to their own nationals.

shall consider the introduction of complementary

tools such as

, advance physical voting

proxy voting, mobile polling stations for voters who are unable to go to the polling stations on election day

online

. Member States

the same

Amendment 50

Amendment 50

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 15 — paragraph 1

Article 15 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Member States shall designate an authority with responsibility for collecting and providing relevant statistical data
  to the public and the Commission
  , on the participation of Union citizens who are not nationals in elections to the European Parliament. | Member States shall designate an authority with responsibility for collecting and providing
  to the public and the Commission
  relevant statistical data
  based on common indicators
  on the participation of Union citizens who are not nationals in elections to the European Parliament. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Member States shall designate an authority with responsibility for collecting and providing relevant statistical data
  to the public and the Commission
  , on the participation of Union citizens who are not nationals in elections to the European Parliament.

to the public and the Commission

Member States shall designate an authority with responsibility for collecting and providing
  to the public and the Commission
  relevant statistical data
  based on common indicators
  on the participation of Union citizens who are not nationals in elections to the European Parliament.

to the public and the Commission

based on common indicators

Amendment 51

Amendment 51

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 16

Article 16

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Article 16 | deleted |
| Derogations | |
| 1.
     
  If, in a given Member State, the proportion of Union citizens of voting age who reside in it but are not nationals of it exceeds 20 % of the total number of national and non-national Union citizens residing there who are of voting age, that Member State may, by way of derogation from Articles 3, 9 and 10: | |
| (a) | restrict the right to vote to Union voters who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not exceed five years; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Article 16

Article 16

deleted

deleted

Derogations

Derogations

1.
     
  If, in a given Member State, the proportion of Union citizens of voting age who reside in it but are not nationals of it exceeds 20 % of the total number of national and non-national Union citizens residing there who are of voting age, that Member State may, by way of derogation from Articles 3, 9 and 10:

(a)

(a)

restrict the right to vote to Union voters who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not exceed five years;

restrict the right to vote to Union voters who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not exceed five years;

| (b) | restrict the right to stand as a candidate to Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not exceed 10 years. |
| --- | --- |

(b)

(b)

restrict the right to stand as a candidate to Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not exceed 10 years.

restrict the right to stand as a candidate to Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not exceed 10 years.

These provisions are without prejudice to appropriate measures which that Member State may take with regard to the composition of lists of candidates and which are intended in particular to encourage the integration of non-national Union citizens .

These provisions are without prejudice to appropriate measures which that Member State may take with regard to the composition of lists of candidates and which are intended in particular to encourage the integration of non-national Union citizens .

However, Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates who, owing to the fact that they have taken up residence outside their home Member State or by reason of the duration of such residence, do not have the right to vote or to stand as candidates in that home State shall not be subject to the conditions as to length of residence set out above.

However, Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates who, owing to the fact that they have taken up residence outside their home Member State or by reason of the duration of such residence, do not have the right to vote or to stand as candidates in that home State shall not be subject to the conditions as to length of residence set out above.

2.
     
  Where the laws of a Member State prescribe that the nationals of another Member State who reside there have the right to vote for the national parliament of that State and, for that purpose, may be entered on the electoral roll of that State under exactly the same conditions as national voters, the first Member State may, by way of derogation from this Directive, refrain from applying Articles 6 to 13 in respect of such nationals.

3.
     
  18 months prior to each election to the European Parliament, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and to the Council a report in which it shall check whether the grant to the Member States concerned of a derogation pursuant to Article 22 (2) TFEU is still warranted and shall propose that any necessary adjustments be made.

Member States which invoke derogations under paragraph 1 shall furnish the Commission with all the necessary background information.

Member States which invoke derogations under paragraph 1 shall furnish the Commission with all the necessary background information.

Amendment 52

Amendment 52

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 16 a (new)

Article 16 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | Article 16 a




  The exercise of the right of non-national Union citizens to vote and stand as candidates in the elections to the European Parliament shall apply to all electoral lists and constituencies established by the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, including in the event of the establishment of a Union-wide constituency, in order to ensure that the principle of non-discrimination is upheld. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Article 16 a

The exercise of the right of non-national Union citizens to vote and stand as candidates in the elections to the European Parliament shall apply to all electoral lists and constituencies established by the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, including in the event of the establishment of a Union-wide constituency, in order to ensure that the principle of non-discrimination is upheld.

Amendment 53

Amendment 53

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 17 — title

Article 17 — title

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Reporting | Data collection and
  reporting |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Reporting

Data collection and
  reporting

Data collection and

Amendment 54

Amendment 54

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 17 — paragraph 1

Article 17 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Within six months after each election to the European Parliament Member States shall send information to the Commission on the application of this Directive in their territory. In addition to general observations, the report shall contain statistical data on the participation in elections to the European Parliament of Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates and a 
  summary
  of the measures taken to support it. | 1.   Within six months after each election to the European Parliament Member States shall send information to the Commission on the application of this Directive in their territory. In addition to general observations, the report shall contain statistical data on the participation in elections to the European Parliament of Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates and a 
  detailed overview
  of the measures taken to support it
  , based on common indicators
  .
  Member States shall also provide detailed information on the effectiveness of exchanges among them to prevent double voting. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Within six months after each election to the European Parliament Member States shall send information to the Commission on the application of this Directive in their territory. In addition to general observations, the report shall contain statistical data on the participation in elections to the European Parliament of Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates and a 
  summary
  of the measures taken to support it.

1.   Within six months after each election to the European Parliament Member States shall send information to the Commission on the application of this Directive in their territory. In addition to general observations, the report shall contain statistical data on the participation in elections to the European Parliament of Union voters and Union citizens entitled to stand as candidates and a 
  detailed overview
  of the measures taken to support it
  , based on common indicators
  .
  Member States shall also provide detailed information on the effectiveness of exchanges among them to prevent double voting.

Amendment 55

Amendment 55

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 17 — paragraph 2 a (new)

Article 17 — paragraph 2 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 2a.
     
  The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 20 establishing a template and the form of the data to be collected for the purposes of paragraph 1 of this Article. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2a.
     
  The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 20 establishing a template and the form of the data to be collected for the purposes of paragraph 1 of this Article.

Amendment 56

Amendment 56

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 18 — paragraph 1

Article 18 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Within
  two years
  after
  the 2029 elections
  to the European Parliament, the Commission shall assess
  its
  application and produce an evaluation report on the progress towards achievement of the objectives contained herein. The evaluation shall also include a review on the functioning of Article 13. | Within
  18 months
  after
  each election
  to the European Parliament, the Commission shall assess
  the
  application
  of this Directive
  and produce an evaluation report on the progress towards achievement of the objectives contained herein. The evaluation shall also include a review on the functioning of Article 13.
  The evaluation shall be followed, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Within
  two years
  after
  the 2029 elections
  to the European Parliament, the Commission shall assess
  its
  application and produce an evaluation report on the progress towards achievement of the objectives contained herein. The evaluation shall also include a review on the functioning of Article 13.

two years

the 2029 elections

its

Within
  18 months
  after
  each election
  to the European Parliament, the Commission shall assess
  the
  application
  of this Directive
  and produce an evaluation report on the progress towards achievement of the objectives contained herein. The evaluation shall also include a review on the functioning of Article 13.
  The evaluation shall be followed, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive.

18 months

each election

the

of this Directive

The evaluation shall be followed, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive.

Amendment 57

Amendment 57

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 20 — paragraph 3

Article 20 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.   The delegation of power referred to in Articles 9, 10 and 13 may be revoked at any time by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. | 3.   The delegation of power referred to in Articles 9, 10 and 13
  and Article 17(2a)
  may be revoked at any time by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3.   The delegation of power referred to in Articles 9, 10 and 13 may be revoked at any time by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.

3.   The delegation of power referred to in Articles 9, 10 and 13
  and Article 17(2a)
  may be revoked at any time by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.

Amendment 58

Amendment 58

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 20 — paragraph 6

Article 20 — paragraph 6

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 6.   A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles 9, 10 and 13 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the Council has informed the Commission that it will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the Council. | 6.   A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles 9, 10 and 13
  and Article 17(2a)
  shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the Council has informed the Commission that it will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the Council. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

6.   A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles 9, 10 and 13 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the Council has informed the Commission that it will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the Council.

6.   A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles 9, 10 and 13
  and Article 17(2a)
  shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the Council has informed the Commission that it will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the Council.

Amendment 59

Amendment 59

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Annex I — row 4 a (new)

Annex I — row 4 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | Language preferences in which you want to receive information related to the elections. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Language preferences in which you want to receive information related to the elections.

Language preferences in which you want to receive information related to the elections.

Amendment 60

Amendment 60

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Annex II — paragraph 4

Annex II — paragraph 4

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| I have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in my home Member State. | I have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in my home Member State (1a)

  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

I have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in my home Member State.

I have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in my home Member State (1a)

  .

1a

.

---

(1)  OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 1.

1

(24)  https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/eu-citizenship-report-2020-empowering-citizens-and-protecting-their-rights_en

24

(24)  https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/eu-citizenship-report-2020-empowering-citizens-and-protecting-their-rights_en

24

(27)  Council Decision 2010/48/EC of 26 November 2009 concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (OJ L 23, 27.1.2010, p. 35).

27

(27)  Council Decision 2010/48/EC of 26 November 2009 concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (OJ L 23, 27.1.2010, p. 35).

27

(1a)  
  Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 establishing a single digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and problem-solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 1).

1a

Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 establishing a single digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and problem-solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 1).

(30)  
  Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 establishing a single digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and problem-solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 1).

30

Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 establishing a single digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and problem-solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 1).

(1a)  
  Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 70).

1a

Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 70).

(1a)  
  Only if also required from nationals of the Member State of residence

1a

Only if also required from nationals of the Member State of residence

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/100 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/100

---

P9_TA(2023)0038

Electoral rights of mobile Union citizens in municipal elections

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in municipal elections by Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast) (COM(2021)0733 — C9-0022/2022 — 2021/0373(CNS))

(Special legislative procedure — consultation — recast)

(2023/C 283/21)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2021)0733), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2021)0733),

| — | having regard to Article 22(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C9-0022/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 22(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C9-0022/2022),

| — | having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 28 November 2001 on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 28 November 2001 on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts (1),

| — | having regard to the letter of 8 November 2022 from the Committee on Legal Affairs to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs in accordance with Rule 110(3) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the letter of 8 November 2022 from the Committee on Legal Affairs to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs in accordance with Rule 110(3) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to Rules 110 and 82 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rules 110 and 82 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A9-0005/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A9-0005/2023),

| A. | whereas, according to the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the Commission proposal does not include any substantive amendments other than those identified as such in the proposal and whereas, as regards the codification of the unchanged provisions of the earlier acts together with those amendments, the proposal contains a straightforward codification of the existing texts, without any change in their substance; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas, according to the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the Commission proposal does not include any substantive amendments other than those identified as such in the proposal and whereas, as regards the codification of the unchanged provisions of the earlier acts together with those amendments, the proposal contains a straightforward codification of the existing texts, without any change in their substance;

| 1. | Approves the Commission proposal as adapted to the recommendations of the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission and as amended below; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, in accordance with Article 293(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal substantially; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments. |
| --- | --- |

5.

Amendment 1

Proposal for a directive

Recital 1 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (1a) | The 1992 Treaty on European Union (the ‘Maastricht Treaty’) marked a new stage in the process of creating an ever-closer union among the peoples of Europe. One of its tasks was to organise, in a manner demonstrating consistency and solidarity, relations between the peoples of the Member States. Its fundamental objectives included strengthening the protection of the rights and interests of the nationals of its Member States through the introduction of a citizenship of the Union. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(1a)

The 1992 Treaty on European Union (the ‘Maastricht Treaty’) marked a new stage in the process of creating an ever-closer union among the peoples of Europe. One of its tasks was to organise, in a manner demonstrating consistency and solidarity, relations between the peoples of the Member States. Its fundamental objectives included strengthening the protection of the rights and interests of the nationals of its Member States through the introduction of a citizenship of the Union.

Amendment 2

Proposal for a directive

Recital 3

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (3) | The detailed arrangements governing the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections are set out in Council Directive 94/80/EC. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(3)

The detailed arrangements governing the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections are set out in Council Directive 94/80/EC.

| (3) | The detailed arrangements governing the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections
  by Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  are set out in Council Directive 94/80/EC. |
| --- | --- |

(3)

The detailed arrangements governing the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections
  by Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  are set out in Council Directive 94/80/EC.

Amendment 3

Proposal for a directive

Recital 4

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (4) | In the EU Citizenship Report 2020 (22), the Commission stressed the need to update, clarify and strengthen the rules on the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in order to ensure that they support the broad and inclusive participation of
  mobile
  Union citizens. Taking also into account the experience gained in its application to successive elections, and in order to take account of changes introduced by the amendments to the Treaties, several of the provisions of that Directive should be updated. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(4)

In the EU Citizenship Report 2020 (22), the Commission stressed the need to update, clarify and strengthen the rules on the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in order to ensure that they support the broad and inclusive participation of
  mobile
  Union citizens. Taking also into account the experience gained in its application to successive elections, and in order to take account of changes introduced by the amendments to the Treaties, several of the provisions of that Directive should be updated.

| (4) | In the EU Citizenship Report 2020 (22), the Commission stressed the need to update, clarify and strengthen the rules on the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in order to ensure that they support the broad and inclusive participation of Union citizens
  residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  . Taking also into account the experience gained in its application to successive
  municipal
  elections, and in order to take account of changes introduced by the amendments to the Treaties, several of the provisions of that Directive should be updated. |
| --- | --- |

(4)

In the EU Citizenship Report 2020 (22), the Commission stressed the need to update, clarify and strengthen the rules on the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in order to ensure that they support the broad and inclusive participation of Union citizens
  residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  . Taking also into account the experience gained in its application to successive
  municipal
  elections, and in order to take account of changes introduced by the amendments to the Treaties, several of the provisions of that Directive should be updated.

Amendment 4

Proposal for a directive

Recital 5

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (5) | The electoral procedure related to municipal elections falls within the competences of the Member States that organise them reflecting their specific traditions and in accordance with international and European standards. In line with International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, Member States should not only recognise and respect the right of Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate but also ensure
  easy
  access to their electoral rights by removing
  as many
  obstacles to their participation in elections
  as possible
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(5)

The electoral procedure related to municipal elections falls within the competences of the Member States that organise them reflecting their specific traditions and in accordance with international and European standards. In line with International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, Member States should not only recognise and respect the right of Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate but also ensure
  easy
  access to their electoral rights by removing
  as many
  obstacles to their participation in elections
  as possible
  .

| (5) | The electoral procedure related to municipal elections falls within the competences of the Member States that organise them reflecting their
  constitutional and
  specific traditions and in accordance with international and European standards. In line with
  the
  International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
  , the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  as well as the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, Member States should not only recognise and respect the right of Union citizens
  residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  to vote and to stand as a candidate
  in municipal elections
  but also ensure
  full and effective
  access to their electoral rights by removing
  all
  obstacles to their participation in
  municipal
  elections
  , as well as by providing full access to relevant information
  . |
| --- | --- |

(5)

The electoral procedure related to municipal elections falls within the competences of the Member States that organise them reflecting their
  constitutional and
  specific traditions and in accordance with international and European standards. In line with
  the
  International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
  , the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  as well as the law of the European Convention on Human Rights, Member States should not only recognise and respect the right of Union citizens
  residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  to vote and to stand as a candidate
  in municipal elections
  but also ensure
  full and effective
  access to their electoral rights by removing
  all
  obstacles to their participation in
  municipal
  elections
  , as well as by providing full access to relevant information
  .

Amendment 5

Proposal for a directive

Recital 6

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (6) | In order to ensure that Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals (‘non-national Union citizens’) are able to exercise their right to vote and to stand as candidates in municipal elections under the same conditions as nationals of their host Member State, the conditions governing registration and participation in such elections should be clarified in order to ensure equal treatment between national and non-national Union citizens. In particular, Union citizens seeking to vote and to stand as candidates in municipal elections in their Member State of residence should be treated equally as regards any periods of residence that are to be fulfilled as a condition for the exercise of the right, as well as the proofs for demonstrating compliance with such a condition. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(6)

In order to ensure that Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals (‘non-national Union citizens’) are able to exercise their right to vote and to stand as candidates in municipal elections under the same conditions as nationals of their host Member State, the conditions governing registration and participation in such elections should be clarified in order to ensure equal treatment between national and non-national Union citizens. In particular, Union citizens seeking to vote and to stand as candidates in municipal elections in their Member State of residence should be treated equally as regards any periods of residence that are to be fulfilled as a condition for the exercise of the right, as well as the proofs for demonstrating compliance with such a condition.

| (6) | In order to ensure that Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals (‘non-national Union citizens’) are able to exercise their right to vote and to stand as candidates in municipal elections under the same conditions as nationals of their host Member State, the conditions governing registration and participation in such elections should be clarified in order to ensure equal treatment between national and non-national Union citizens. In particular, Union citizens seeking to vote and to stand as candidates in municipal elections in their Member State of residence should be treated equally
  to nationals of that Member State
  as regards any periods of residence that are to be fulfilled as a condition for the exercise of the right, as well as the proofs for demonstrating compliance with such a condition. |
| --- | --- |

(6)

In order to ensure that Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals (‘non-national Union citizens’) are able to exercise their right to vote and to stand as candidates in municipal elections under the same conditions as nationals of their host Member State, the conditions governing registration and participation in such elections should be clarified in order to ensure equal treatment between national and non-national Union citizens. In particular, Union citizens seeking to vote and to stand as candidates in municipal elections in their Member State of residence should be treated equally
  to nationals of that Member State
  as regards any periods of residence that are to be fulfilled as a condition for the exercise of the right, as well as the proofs for demonstrating compliance with such a condition.

Amendment 6

Proposal for a directive

Recital 7

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (7) | In addition, non-national Union citizens should not be required to fulfil any special conditions in order to exercise the right to vote or stand in municipal elections unless, exceptionally, a different treatment of nationals and non-nationals is justified by circumstances specific to the latter distinguishing them from the former. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(7)

In addition, non-national Union citizens should not be required to fulfil any special conditions in order to exercise the right to vote or stand in municipal elections unless, exceptionally, a different treatment of nationals and non-nationals is justified by circumstances specific to the latter distinguishing them from the former.

| (7) | In addition, non-national Union citizens should not be required to fulfil any special conditions in order to exercise the right to vote or stand in municipal elections unless, exceptionally, a different treatment of nationals and non-nationals is justified by
  exceptional
  circumstances specific to the latter distinguishing them from the former.
  Any such difference in treatment needs, in any event, to be justified. |
| --- | --- |

(7)

In addition, non-national Union citizens should not be required to fulfil any special conditions in order to exercise the right to vote or stand in municipal elections unless, exceptionally, a different treatment of nationals and non-nationals is justified by
  exceptional
  circumstances specific to the latter distinguishing them from the former.
  Any such difference in treatment needs, in any event, to be justified.

Amendment 7

Proposal for a directive

Recital 8

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (8) | In order to facilitate the exercise by Union citizens of their right to vote and to stand as a candidate in their
  country
  of residence,
  such
  citizens should be entered on the electoral roll in sufficient time in advance of polling day. The formalities applicable to their registration should be as simple as possible. It should be sufficient for the Union citizens concerned to produce a valid identity card and a formal declaration that include elements evidencing their entitlement to participate in the elections. Once registered, non-national Union citizens should remain on the electoral roll under the same conditions as Union citizens who are nationals of the Member State concerned, for as long as they satisfy the conditions for exercising the right to vote. Additionally, Union citizens should provide the competent authorities with contact information, enabling those authorities to keep them informed on a regular basis. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(8)

In order to facilitate the exercise by Union citizens of their right to vote and to stand as a candidate in their
  country
  of residence,
  such
  citizens should be entered on the electoral roll in sufficient time in advance of polling day. The formalities applicable to their registration should be as simple as possible. It should be sufficient for the Union citizens concerned to produce a valid identity card and a formal declaration that include elements evidencing their entitlement to participate in the elections. Once registered, non-national Union citizens should remain on the electoral roll under the same conditions as Union citizens who are nationals of the Member State concerned, for as long as they satisfy the conditions for exercising the right to vote. Additionally, Union citizens should provide the competent authorities with contact information, enabling those authorities to keep them informed on a regular basis.

| (8) | In order to facilitate the exercise by
  non-national
  Union citizens of their right to vote and to stand as a candidate in their
  Member State
  of residence,
  Member States should endeavour to make immediate registration as a voter available, after Union citizens have expressed a wish to vote in their Member State of residence. Where immediate registration was not used,
  citizens should be entered on the electoral roll in sufficient time in advance of polling day. The formalities applicable to their registration should be as simple
  , as easily accessible and as similar
  as possible
  across Member States
  . It should be sufficient for the Union citizens concerned to produce a valid identity card and
  in duly justified cases
  a formal declaration that include elements evidencing their entitlement to participate in the
  municipal
  elections. Once registered, non-national Union citizens should remain on the electoral roll under the same conditions as Union citizens who are nationals of the Member State concerned, for as long as they satisfy the conditions for exercising the right to vote. Additionally, Union citizens should provide the competent authorities with contact information, enabling those authorities to keep them informed on a regular basis.
  Member States should establish distinct electoral rolls for municipal and European elections. |
| --- | --- |

(8)

In order to facilitate the exercise by
  non-national
  Union citizens of their right to vote and to stand as a candidate in their
  Member State
  of residence,
  Member States should endeavour to make immediate registration as a voter available, after Union citizens have expressed a wish to vote in their Member State of residence. Where immediate registration was not used,
  citizens should be entered on the electoral roll in sufficient time in advance of polling day. The formalities applicable to their registration should be as simple
  , as easily accessible and as similar
  as possible
  across Member States
  . It should be sufficient for the Union citizens concerned to produce a valid identity card and
  in duly justified cases
  a formal declaration that include elements evidencing their entitlement to participate in the
  municipal
  elections. Once registered, non-national Union citizens should remain on the electoral roll under the same conditions as Union citizens who are nationals of the Member State concerned, for as long as they satisfy the conditions for exercising the right to vote. Additionally, Union citizens should provide the competent authorities with contact information, enabling those authorities to keep them informed on a regular basis.
  Member States should establish distinct electoral rolls for municipal and European elections.

Amendment 8

Proposal for a directive

Recital 8 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (8a) | Member States should ensure that the requirements for registering as a candidate and for submitting a list of candidates respect democratic, proportionate and transparent standards and are applicable to both national and non-national Union citizens. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(8a)

Member States should ensure that the requirements for registering as a candidate and for submitting a list of candidates respect democratic, proportionate and transparent standards and are applicable to both national and non-national Union citizens.

Amendment 9

Proposal for a directive

Recital 8 b (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (8b) | To enable Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to be eligible in practice to stand as candidates in municipal elections, national political parties should not make membership conditional on having the nationality of the Member State of election. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(8b)

To enable Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to be eligible in practice to stand as candidates in municipal elections, national political parties should not make membership conditional on having the nationality of the Member State of election.

Amendment 10

Proposal for a directive

Recital 10

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (10) | Disqualification from the right to stand as a candidate may be ordered by an individual decision of the authorities either of the Member State of residence or of the home Member State. In view of the political significance of the holding of elected municipal office, Member States should be entitled to obtain information from the home Member State related to the deprivation of the right to stand as a candidate in the candidate’s home Member State. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(10)

Disqualification from the right to stand as a candidate may be ordered by an individual decision of the authorities either of the Member State of residence or of the home Member State. In view of the political significance of the holding of elected municipal office, Member States should be entitled to obtain information from the home Member State related to the deprivation of the right to stand as a candidate in the candidate’s home Member State.

| (10) | Disqualification from the right to stand as a candidate may be ordered by an individual decision of the authorities either of the Member State of residence or of the home Member State. In view of the political significance of the holding of elected municipal office, Member States should be entitled to
  directly
  obtain information from the home Member State related to the deprivation of the right to stand as a candidate in the candidate’s home Member State.
  Decisions depriving Union citizens of legal capacity due to disability taken by their home Member State should not render them ineligible to stand as candidates in their Member State of residence provided that the law of the Member State of residence upholds that right for all persons with such disabilities without restrictions. |
| --- | --- |

(10)

Disqualification from the right to stand as a candidate may be ordered by an individual decision of the authorities either of the Member State of residence or of the home Member State. In view of the political significance of the holding of elected municipal office, Member States should be entitled to
  directly
  obtain information from the home Member State related to the deprivation of the right to stand as a candidate in the candidate’s home Member State.
  Decisions depriving Union citizens of legal capacity due to disability taken by their home Member State should not render them ineligible to stand as candidates in their Member State of residence provided that the law of the Member State of residence upholds that right for all persons with such disabilities without restrictions.

Amendment 11

Proposal for a directive

Recital 11

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (11) | Since the duties of the leadership of basic local government units may involve taking part in the exercise of official authority and in the safeguarding of the general interest, Member States should be able to reserve those offices for their nationals in full respect of the principle of proportionality . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(11)

Since the duties of the leadership of basic local government units may involve taking part in the exercise of official authority and in the safeguarding of the general interest, Member States should be able to reserve those offices for their nationals in full respect of the principle of proportionality .

deleted

Amendment 12

Proposal for a directive

Recital 12

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (12) | It should likewise be possible for participation by elected municipal officers in the election of a parliamentary assembly to be reserved for own nationals. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(12)

It should likewise be possible for participation by elected municipal officers in the election of a parliamentary assembly to be reserved for own nationals.

deleted

Amendment 13

Proposal for a directive

Recital 14

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (14) | The right conferred on non-national Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in the Member State of residence is not a substitute for the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in the Member State of which the Union citizen is a national. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the freedom of Union citizens to choose whether or not to take part in municipal elections in the Member State in which they reside is respected and that those citizens are able to express their wish to exercise their right to vote in their Member State of residence .
  Provision may therefore be made by Member States where voting is not compulsory to automatically register those citizens on the electoral roll . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(14)

The right conferred on non-national Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in the Member State of residence is not a substitute for the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in the Member State of which the Union citizen is a national. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the freedom of Union citizens to choose whether or not to take part in municipal elections in the Member State in which they reside is respected and that those citizens are able to express their wish to exercise their right to vote in their Member State of residence .
  Provision may therefore be made by Member States where voting is not compulsory to automatically register those citizens on the electoral roll .

| (14) | The right conferred on non-national Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in the Member State of residence is not a substitute for the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in the Member State of which the Union citizen is a national. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the freedom of Union citizens to choose whether or not to take part in municipal elections in the Member State in which they reside is respected and that those citizens are able to express their wish to exercise their right to vote in their Member State of residence. |
| --- | --- |

(14)

The right conferred on non-national Union citizens to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in the Member State of residence is not a substitute for the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in the Member State of which the Union citizen is a national. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the freedom of Union citizens to choose whether or not to take part in municipal elections in the Member State in which they reside is respected and that those citizens are able to express their wish to exercise their right to vote in their Member State of residence.

Amendment 14

Proposal for a directive

Recital 15

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (15) | The accessibility of information on electoral rights and procedures is a key component in ensuring the effective exercise of the right enshrined in Article 20(2), point (b) and Article 22(1) TFEU. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(15)

The accessibility of information on electoral rights and procedures is a key component in ensuring the effective exercise of the right enshrined in Article 20(2), point (b) and Article 22(1) TFEU.

| (15) | The accessibility of information on electoral rights and procedures is a key component in ensuring the effective exercise of the right enshrined in Article 20(2), point (b) and Article 22(1) TFEU.
  Non-national Union citizens should have access to information about their electoral rights and about electoral procedures upon their arrival in the Member State, periodically and sufficiently in advance of the municipal elections. They should also be informed about the fact that there are distinct electoral rolls for the municipal elections and the elections for the European Parliament. |
| --- | --- |

(15)

The accessibility of information on electoral rights and procedures is a key component in ensuring the effective exercise of the right enshrined in Article 20(2), point (b) and Article 22(1) TFEU.
  Non-national Union citizens should have access to information about their electoral rights and about electoral procedures upon their arrival in the Member State, periodically and sufficiently in advance of the municipal elections. They should also be informed about the fact that there are distinct electoral rolls for the municipal elections and the elections for the European Parliament.

Amendment 15

Proposal for a directive

Recital 16

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (16) | The lack of adequate information, in the context of electoral procedures, affects citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights as part of their rights as Union citizens. It also affects the capacity of competent authorities to exercise their rights and to deliver on their obligations. Member States should be required to designate authorities with special responsibilities for providing appropriate information to Union citizens on their rights under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(1) TFEU and the national rules and procedures regarding participation in and the organization of municipal elections. In order to ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in clear and comprehensible terms. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(16)

The lack of adequate information, in the context of electoral procedures, affects citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights as part of their rights as Union citizens. It also affects the capacity of competent authorities to exercise their rights and to deliver on their obligations. Member States should be required to designate authorities with special responsibilities for providing appropriate information to Union citizens on their rights under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(1) TFEU and the national rules and procedures regarding participation in and the organization of municipal elections. In order to ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in clear and comprehensible terms.

| (16) | The lack of adequate information, in the context of electoral procedures, affects citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights as part of their rights as Union citizens. It also affects the capacity of competent authorities to exercise their rights and to deliver on their obligations. Member States should be required to designate authorities with special responsibilities for providing appropriate information to Union citizens on their rights under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(1) TFEU and the national rules and procedures regarding participation in and the organization of municipal elections
  , and information on the electoral and political system, including the powers of basic local government units. Such authorities should coordinate information campaigns together with local authorities and, whenever possible civil society organisations, and they should use a wide range of information channels
  . In order to ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in
  due time, on a regular basis and in
  clear and comprehensible terms
  , ideally without exceeding a level of complexity superior to level B1 (intermediate) of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
  . |
| --- | --- |

(16)

The lack of adequate information, in the context of electoral procedures, affects citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights as part of their rights as Union citizens. It also affects the capacity of competent authorities to exercise their rights and to deliver on their obligations. Member States should be required to designate authorities with special responsibilities for providing appropriate information to Union citizens on their rights under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(1) TFEU and the national rules and procedures regarding participation in and the organization of municipal elections
  , and information on the electoral and political system, including the powers of basic local government units. Such authorities should coordinate information campaigns together with local authorities and, whenever possible civil society organisations, and they should use a wide range of information channels
  . In order to ensure the effectiveness of communications, information should be provided in
  due time, on a regular basis and in
  clear and comprehensible terms
  , ideally without exceeding a level of complexity superior to level B1 (intermediate) of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
  .

Amendment 16

Proposal for a directive

Recital 17

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (17) | In order to improve the accessibility of electoral information, such information should be made available in
  at least one other
  official language of the Union
  than that or those of the host Member State, broadly understood by the largest possible number of Union citizens residing on its territory.
  Member States
  may use different
  official languages
  of the Union in specific parts of their territory or their regions depending on the language understood by the largest group of Union citizens residing therein
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(17)

In order to improve the accessibility of electoral information, such information should be made available in
  at least one other
  official language of the Union
  than that or those of the host Member State, broadly understood by the largest possible number of Union citizens residing on its territory.
  Member States
  may use different
  official languages
  of the Union in specific parts of their territory or their regions depending on the language understood by the largest group of Union citizens residing therein
  .

| (17) | In order to improve the accessibility of electoral information, such information should be made available in
  all
  official
  languages of the Union and where offered by the authorities, in the preferred
  language of the Union
  voter, which they should be able to indicate at the time of registration. Where necessary, the Commission should provide support to
  Member States
  for the translation of information on the registration and electoral procedures into the
  official languages of the
  Union
  . |
| --- | --- |

(17)

In order to improve the accessibility of electoral information, such information should be made available in
  all
  official
  languages of the Union and where offered by the authorities, in the preferred
  language of the Union
  voter, which they should be able to indicate at the time of registration. Where necessary, the Commission should provide support to
  Member States
  for the translation of information on the registration and electoral procedures into the
  official languages of the
  Union
  .

Amendment 17

Proposal for a directive

Recital 18

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (18) | Any derogation from the general rules of this Directive has to be warranted, pursuant to Article 22 (1) TFEU, by problems specific to a Member State and has to be in line with the requirements of Article 52 of the Charter, including the requirement that any limitations to the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections shall be provided by law and shall be subject to the principles of proportionality and necessity . Additionally, any derogation has, by its very nature, to be subject to review as provided by Article 47 of the Charter . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(18)

Any derogation from the general rules of this Directive has to be warranted, pursuant to Article 22 (1) TFEU, by problems specific to a Member State and has to be in line with the requirements of Article 52 of the Charter, including the requirement that any limitations to the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections shall be provided by law and shall be subject to the principles of proportionality and necessity . Additionally, any derogation has, by its very nature, to be subject to review as provided by Article 47 of the Charter .

| (18) | Any derogation from the general rules of this Directive has to be warranted, pursuant to Article 22 (1) TFEU, by problems specific to a Member State and has to be in line with the requirements of Article 52 of the Charter, including the requirement that any limitations to the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections
  by Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  shall be provided by law and shall be subject to the principles of proportionality and necessity. Additionally, any derogation has, by its very nature, to be subject to review as provided by Article 47 of the Charter.
  In view of the limited use made by the Member States of the possibilities laid down in Directive 94/80/EC to derogate from its general rules, those possibilities for derogations should no longer be offered. |
| --- | --- |

(18)

Any derogation from the general rules of this Directive has to be warranted, pursuant to Article 22 (1) TFEU, by problems specific to a Member State and has to be in line with the requirements of Article 52 of the Charter, including the requirement that any limitations to the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections
  by Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals
  shall be provided by law and shall be subject to the principles of proportionality and necessity. Additionally, any derogation has, by its very nature, to be subject to review as provided by Article 47 of the Charter.
  In view of the limited use made by the Member States of the possibilities laid down in Directive 94/80/EC to derogate from its general rules, those possibilities for derogations should no longer be offered.

Amendment 18

Proposal for a directive

Recital 19

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (19) | Such specific problems may arise in a Member State in which the proportion of Union citizens of voting age, who reside in it but are not nationals of it, is very significantly above average. Where such citizens form more than 20 % of the total electorate, derogations are warranted . Such derogations are to be based on the criterion of period of residence. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(19)

Such specific problems may arise in a Member State in which the proportion of Union citizens of voting age, who reside in it but are not nationals of it, is very significantly above average. Where such citizens form more than 20 % of the total electorate, derogations are warranted . Such derogations are to be based on the criterion of period of residence.

deleted

Amendment 19

Proposal for a directive

Recital 20

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (20) | Member States in which the proportion of non-national Union citizens of voting age exceeds 20 % of the total number of Union citizens of voting age who reside there should be able to lay down, in compliance with Article 22(1) TFEU, specific provisions concerning the composition of lists of candidates. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(20)

Member States in which the proportion of non-national Union citizens of voting age exceeds 20 % of the total number of Union citizens of voting age who reside there should be able to lay down, in compliance with Article 22(1) TFEU, specific provisions concerning the composition of lists of candidates.

deleted

Amendment 20

Proposal for a directive

Recital 21

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (21) | Account has to be taken of the fact that in certain Member States residents who are nationals of other Member States have the right to vote in elections to the national parliament and consequently the formalities provided for in this Directive can be eased. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(21)

Account has to be taken of the fact that in certain Member States residents who are nationals of other Member States have the right to vote in elections to the national parliament and consequently the formalities provided for in this Directive can be eased.

deleted

Amendment 21

Proposal for a directive

Recital 22

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (22) | The Kingdom of Belgium is characterized by specific features and balances linked to the fact that Articles 1 to 4 of its Constitution provide for three official languages and a territorial division into regions and communities, as a result of which full application of this Directive in certain communes might have effects such as to necessitate providing for the possibility of a derogation from the provisions of this Directive in order to take account of those specific features and balances; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(22)

The Kingdom of Belgium is characterized by specific features and balances linked to the fact that Articles 1 to 4 of its Constitution provide for three official languages and a territorial division into regions and communities, as a result of which full application of this Directive in certain communes might have effects such as to necessitate providing for the possibility of a derogation from the provisions of this Directive in order to take account of those specific features and balances;

deleted

Amendment 22

Proposal for a directive

Recital 23

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (23) | Data regarding the exercise of rights and the application of this Directive
  can be useful
  in the identification of measures necessary to ensure the effective exercise of Union citizens’ electoral rights. In order to improve the collection of data for municipal elections, it is necessary to introduce regular monitoring and reporting of implementation by Member States, which should include, besides statistical data, information on the measures taken to support participation in elections of non-national Union citizens. The Commission should assess the application of the Directive, including any changes in the electorate that have taken place since its entry into force and submit a report in this connection to the European Parliament and to the Council. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(23)

Data regarding the exercise of rights and the application of this Directive
  can be useful
  in the identification of measures necessary to ensure the effective exercise of Union citizens’ electoral rights. In order to improve the collection of data for municipal elections, it is necessary to introduce regular monitoring and reporting of implementation by Member States, which should include, besides statistical data, information on the measures taken to support participation in elections of non-national Union citizens. The Commission should assess the application of the Directive, including any changes in the electorate that have taken place since its entry into force and submit a report in this connection to the European Parliament and to the Council.

| (23) | Data regarding the exercise of rights and the application of this Directive
  is important
  in the
  evaluation of the relevant Union policy and
  identification of measures necessary to ensure the effective exercise of Union citizens’ electoral rights. In order to improve the collection
  and reporting
  of data
  by Member States
  for municipal elections, it is necessary to introduce regular monitoring and reporting of implementation by Member States, which should include, besides statistical data, information on the measures taken to support participation in elections of non-national Union citizens
  , including for people with disabilities. Such data should be collected in a transparent and secure way across all Member States and on the basis of the same indicators. To that effect, the Commission should set up common indicators for the provision by the Member States of the statistical data concerned
  . The Commission should assess the application of the Directive, including any changes in the electorate that have taken place since its entry into force and submit a report in this connection to the European Parliament and to the Council. |
| --- | --- |

(23)

Data regarding the exercise of rights and the application of this Directive
  is important
  in the
  evaluation of the relevant Union policy and
  identification of measures necessary to ensure the effective exercise of Union citizens’ electoral rights. In order to improve the collection
  and reporting
  of data
  by Member States
  for municipal elections, it is necessary to introduce regular monitoring and reporting of implementation by Member States, which should include, besides statistical data, information on the measures taken to support participation in elections of non-national Union citizens
  , including for people with disabilities. Such data should be collected in a transparent and secure way across all Member States and on the basis of the same indicators. To that effect, the Commission should set up common indicators for the provision by the Member States of the statistical data concerned
  . The Commission should assess the application of the Directive, including any changes in the electorate that have taken place since its entry into force and submit a report in this connection to the European Parliament and to the Council.

Amendment 23

Proposal for a directive

Recital 24

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (24) | It is necessary that the Commission conduct its own evaluation of the application of this Directive within a reasonable timeframe from its entry into force, in close connection to the evaluation of the application of the Council Directive 93/109/EC (23) of 6 December 1993 laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(24)

It is necessary that the Commission conduct its own evaluation of the application of this Directive within a reasonable timeframe from its entry into force, in close connection to the evaluation of the application of the Council Directive 93/109/EC (23) of 6 December 1993 laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals.

| (24) | It is necessary that the Commission conduct its own evaluation of the application of this Directive within a reasonable timeframe from its entry into force, in close connection to the evaluation of the application of the Council Directive 93/109/EC (23) of 6 December 1993 laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals.
  The evaluation should be followed, where appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive. |
| --- | --- |

(24)

It is necessary that the Commission conduct its own evaluation of the application of this Directive within a reasonable timeframe from its entry into force, in close connection to the evaluation of the application of the Council Directive 93/109/EC (23) of 6 December 1993 laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals.
  The evaluation should be followed, where appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive.

Amendment 24

Proposal for a directive

Recital 26

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (26) | The Member States, by ratifying, and the Union, by concluding (25), have committed themselves to ensure compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities including on Article 29 on Participation in political and public life. In order to
  support
  inclusive and equal electoral participation for persons with disabilities, arrangements for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to exercise the right to vote and to stand as a candidate there in municipal elections should have due regard to the needs of citizens with a disability and older citizens. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(26)

The Member States, by ratifying, and the Union, by concluding (25), have committed themselves to ensure compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities including on Article 29 on Participation in political and public life. In order to
  support
  inclusive and equal electoral participation for persons with disabilities, arrangements for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to exercise the right to vote and to stand as a candidate there in municipal elections should have due regard to the needs of citizens with a disability and older citizens.

| (26) | The Member States, by ratifying, and the Union, by concluding (25), have committed themselves to ensure compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities including on Article 29 on Participation in political and public life. In order to
  ensure
  inclusive and equal electoral participation for persons with disabilities
  , particularly taking into account the substantial impact local decisions can have on matters of accessibility and the life of persons with disabilities and older citizens
  , arrangements for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to exercise the right to vote and to stand as a candidate there in municipal elections should have due regard to the
  specific
  needs of citizens with a disability and older citizens.
  In particular, Member States should consider implementing appropriate arrangements tailored to their national voting procedures to facilitate voting by citizens with disabilities, such as the possibility to choose polling stations and the use of assistive technologies, formats and techniques like Braille, large print, audio-based information, tactile stencils, easy to read information and sign language communication. Furthermore, Member States should allow for persons with disabilities to receive, at their request, assistance in voting by a person of their choice. Member States should strive to provide the possibility of postal voting and may provide for other complementary tools to facilitate voting, such as advance physical voting, proxy voting and electronic and online voting. |
| --- | --- |

(26)

The Member States, by ratifying, and the Union, by concluding (25), have committed themselves to ensure compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities including on Article 29 on Participation in political and public life. In order to
  ensure
  inclusive and equal electoral participation for persons with disabilities
  , particularly taking into account the substantial impact local decisions can have on matters of accessibility and the life of persons with disabilities and older citizens
  , arrangements for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals to exercise the right to vote and to stand as a candidate there in municipal elections should have due regard to the
  specific
  needs of citizens with a disability and older citizens.
  In particular, Member States should consider implementing appropriate arrangements tailored to their national voting procedures to facilitate voting by citizens with disabilities, such as the possibility to choose polling stations and the use of assistive technologies, formats and techniques like Braille, large print, audio-based information, tactile stencils, easy to read information and sign language communication. Furthermore, Member States should allow for persons with disabilities to receive, at their request, assistance in voting by a person of their choice. Member States should strive to provide the possibility of postal voting and may provide for other complementary tools to facilitate voting, such as advance physical voting, proxy voting and electronic and online voting.

Amendment 25

Proposal for a directive

Article 2 — paragraph 1 — point d a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (da) | ‘Union voter’ means any Union citizen who has the right to vote in municipal elections in this person’s Member State of residence in accordance with this Directive; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(da)

‘Union voter’ means any Union citizen who has the right to vote in municipal elections in this person’s Member State of residence in accordance with this Directive;

Amendment 26

Proposal for a directive

Article 2 — paragraph 1 — point d b (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (db) | ‘Union candidate’ means any Union citizen who has the right to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in this person’s Member State of residence in accordance with this Directive; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(db)

‘Union candidate’ means any Union citizen who has the right to stand as a candidate in municipal elections in this person’s Member State of residence in accordance with this Directive;

Amendment 27

Proposal for a directive

Article 4 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   If, in order to vote or to stand as candidates, nationals of the Member State of residence must have spent a certain minimum period as a resident in the territory of that State, voters and
  persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to Article 3
  shall be deemed to have fulfilled that condition where they have resided for an equivalent period in other Member States. | 1.   If, in order to vote or to stand as candidates, nationals of the Member State of residence must have spent a certain minimum period as a resident in the territory of that State,
  Union
  voters and
  Union
  candidates shall be deemed to have fulfilled that condition where they have resided for an equivalent period in other Member States. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

1.   If, in order to vote or to stand as candidates, nationals of the Member State of residence must have spent a certain minimum period as a resident in the territory of that State, voters and
  persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to Article 3
  shall be deemed to have fulfilled that condition where they have resided for an equivalent period in other Member States.

1.   If, in order to vote or to stand as candidates, nationals of the Member State of residence must have spent a certain minimum period as a resident in the territory of that State,
  Union
  voters and
  Union
  candidates shall be deemed to have fulfilled that condition where they have resided for an equivalent period in other Member States.

Amendment 28

Amendment 28

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 4 — paragraph 2

Article 4 — paragraph 2

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 2.   If, under the laws of the Member State of residence, its own nationals may vote or stand as candidates only in the basic local government unit in which they have their principal residence, voters and
  persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to Article 3
  shall also be subject to that condition. | 2.   If, under the laws of the Member State of residence, its own nationals may vote or stand as candidates only in the basic local government unit in which they have their principal residence,
  Union
  voters and
  Union
  candidates shall also be subject to that condition. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2.   If, under the laws of the Member State of residence, its own nationals may vote or stand as candidates only in the basic local government unit in which they have their principal residence, voters and
  persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to Article 3
  shall also be subject to that condition.

2.   If, under the laws of the Member State of residence, its own nationals may vote or stand as candidates only in the basic local government unit in which they have their principal residence,
  Union
  voters and
  Union
  candidates shall also be subject to that condition.

Amendment 29

Amendment 29

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 5 — paragraph 1

Article 5 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Member States of residence may provide that Union citizens who, through an individual decision under civil law or a criminal law decision, have been deprived of their right to stand as a candidate under the law of their home Member State shall be precluded from exercising that right in municipal elections. | 1.   Member States of residence may provide that Union citizens who, through an individual decision under civil law or a criminal law decision, have been deprived of their right to stand as a candidate under the law of their home Member State, shall be precluded from exercising that right in municipal elections.
  However, decisions depriving Union citizens of legal capacity due to disability taken by their home Member State shall not render them ineligible to stand as candidates in municipal elections in their Member State of residence provided that the law of the Member State of residence upholds that right for all persons with such disabilities without restrictions. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Member States of residence may provide that Union citizens who, through an individual decision under civil law or a criminal law decision, have been deprived of their right to stand as a candidate under the law of their home Member State shall be precluded from exercising that right in municipal elections.

1.   Member States of residence may provide that Union citizens who, through an individual decision under civil law or a criminal law decision, have been deprived of their right to stand as a candidate under the law of their home Member State, shall be precluded from exercising that right in municipal elections.
  However, decisions depriving Union citizens of legal capacity due to disability taken by their home Member State shall not render them ineligible to stand as candidates in municipal elections in their Member State of residence provided that the law of the Member State of residence upholds that right for all persons with such disabilities without restrictions.

Amendment 30

Amendment 30

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 5 — paragraph 3

Article 5 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.
     
  Member States may provide that only their own nationals may hold the office of elected head, deputy or member of the governing college of the executive of a basic local government unit if elected to hold office for the duration of their mandate. | deleted |
| The Member States may also lay down that the temporary or interim performance of the functions of a head, deputy or member of the governing college of the executive of a basic local government unit may be restricted to own nationals. | |
| Having regard to the Treaty and to general legal principles, Member States may take appropriate, necessary and proportional measures to ensure that the offices referred to in the first subparagraph can only be held and the interim functions referred to in the second subparagraph can be performed only by their own nationals. | |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3.
     
  Member States may provide that only their own nationals may hold the office of elected head, deputy or member of the governing college of the executive of a basic local government unit if elected to hold office for the duration of their mandate.

deleted

deleted

The Member States may also lay down that the temporary or interim performance of the functions of a head, deputy or member of the governing college of the executive of a basic local government unit may be restricted to own nationals.

The Member States may also lay down that the temporary or interim performance of the functions of a head, deputy or member of the governing college of the executive of a basic local government unit may be restricted to own nationals.

Having regard to the Treaty and to general legal principles, Member States may take appropriate, necessary and proportional measures to ensure that the offices referred to in the first subparagraph can only be held and the interim functions referred to in the second subparagraph can be performed only by their own nationals.

Having regard to the Treaty and to general legal principles, Member States may take appropriate, necessary and proportional measures to ensure that the offices referred to in the first subparagraph can only be held and the interim functions referred to in the second subparagraph can be performed only by their own nationals.

Amendment 31

Amendment 31

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 5 — paragraph 4

Article 5 — paragraph 4

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 4.
     
  Member States may also provide that Union citizens elected as members of a representative council shall take part in neither the designation of delegates who can vote in a parliamentary assembly nor the election of the members of that assembly. | deleted |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

4.
     
  Member States may also provide that Union citizens elected as members of a representative council shall take part in neither the designation of delegates who can vote in a parliamentary assembly nor the election of the members of that assembly.

deleted

deleted

Amendment 32

Amendment 32

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 6 — paragraph 1

Article 6 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   
  Persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to Article 3
  shall be subject to the same conditions concerning incompatibility as apply, under the laws of the Member State of residence, to nationals of that State. | 1.   
  Union
  candidates shall be subject to the same conditions concerning incompatibility as apply, under the laws of the Member State of residence, to nationals of that State. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   
  Persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to Article 3
  shall be subject to the same conditions concerning incompatibility as apply, under the laws of the Member State of residence, to nationals of that State.

1.   
  Union
  candidates shall be subject to the same conditions concerning incompatibility as apply, under the laws of the Member State of residence, to nationals of that State.

Amendment 33

Amendment 33

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 7 — paragraph 1

Article 7 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Voters fulfilling the conditions of Article 3 shall exercise their right to vote in municipal elections in the Member State of residence if they have expressed the wish to do so. | 1.   
  Union
  voters fulfilling the conditions of Article 3 shall exercise their right to vote in municipal elections in the Member State of residence if they have expressed the wish to do so. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Voters fulfilling the conditions of Article 3 shall exercise their right to vote in municipal elections in the Member State of residence if they have expressed the wish to do so.

1.   
  Union
  voters fulfilling the conditions of Article 3 shall exercise their right to vote in municipal elections in the Member State of residence if they have expressed the wish to do so.

Amendment 34

Amendment 34

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 7 — paragraph 2

Article 7 — paragraph 2

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 2.   If voting is compulsory in the Member State of residence, voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  who have been entered on the electoral roll there shall also be obliged to vote. | 2.   If voting is compulsory in the Member State of residence,
  Union
  voters who have been entered on the electoral roll there shall also be obliged to vote. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2.   If voting is compulsory in the Member State of residence, voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  who have been entered on the electoral roll there shall also be obliged to vote.

2.   If voting is compulsory in the Member State of residence,
  Union
  voters who have been entered on the electoral roll there shall also be obliged to vote.

Amendment 35

Amendment 35

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 7 — paragraph 3

Article 7 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.   Member States
  where voting is not compulsory may provide for the automatic
  registration of voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  on the electoral roll. | 3.   Member States
  shall endeavour to introduce immediate
  registration of
  non-national Union citizens as Union
  voters on the electoral roll
  upon receiving the consent of the Union citizens concerned at the time of registering as a resident in the Member State of residence
  .
  Union voters who have opted out of immediate registration shall be invited to register well in advance of the election period. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3.   Member States
  where voting is not compulsory may provide for the automatic
  registration of voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  on the electoral roll.

3.   Member States
  shall endeavour to introduce immediate
  registration of
  non-national Union citizens as Union
  voters on the electoral roll
  upon receiving the consent of the Union citizens concerned at the time of registering as a resident in the Member State of residence
  .
  Union voters who have opted out of immediate registration shall be invited to register well in advance of the election period.

Amendment 36

Amendment 36

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 8 — paragraph 1

Article 8 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable a voter
  pursuant to Article 3
  to be entered on the electoral roll sufficiently in advance of polling day. | 1.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable a 
  Union
  voter to be entered on the electoral roll sufficiently in advance of polling day. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable a voter
  pursuant to Article 3
  to be entered on the electoral roll sufficiently in advance of polling day.

1.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to enable a 
  Union
  voter to be entered on the electoral roll sufficiently in advance of polling day.

Amendment 37

Amendment 37

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 8 — paragraph 2 — subparagraph 1

Article 8 — paragraph 2 — subparagraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| In order to have their name entered on the electoral roll, voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  shall produce the same documents as voters who are nationals . | In order to have their name entered on the electoral roll,
  Union
  voters shall produce the same
  or equivalent
  documents as voters who are nationals.
  They shall also produce a formal declaration in accordance with the template set out in Annex II. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

In order to have their name entered on the electoral roll, voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  shall produce the same documents as voters who are nationals .

pursuant to Article 3

In order to have their name entered on the electoral roll,
  Union
  voters shall produce the same
  or equivalent
  documents as voters who are nationals.
  They shall also produce a formal declaration in accordance with the template set out in Annex II.

Union

or equivalent

They shall also produce a formal declaration in accordance with the template set out in Annex II.

Amendment 38

Amendment 38

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 8 — paragraph 2 — subparagraph 2

Article 8 — paragraph 2 — subparagraph 2

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| The Member State of residence may also require
  a
  voter
  pursuant to Article 3 to produce a valid identity document, along with a formal declaration drawn up in accordance with the template set out in Annex II. | The Member State of residence may also require
  Union
  voter
  s to: |
| | (a) | produce a valid identity document; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

The Member State of residence may also require
  a
  voter
  pursuant to Article 3 to produce a valid identity document, along with a formal declaration drawn up in accordance with the template set out in Annex II.

a

pursuant to Article 3 to produce a valid identity document, along with a formal declaration drawn up in accordance with the template set out in Annex II.

The Member State of residence may also require
  Union
  voter
  s to:

Union

s to:

(a)

(a)

produce a valid identity document;

produce a valid identity document;

| (b) | indicate the date from which they have been resident in that Member State or in another Member State; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

(b)

indicate the date from which they have been resident in that Member State or in another Member State;

indicate the date from which they have been resident in that Member State or in another Member State;

| (c) | if they so wish, indicate one or more language preferences in which they would like to receive the information referred to in Article 12(2), selected among the official languages of the Union, or, where offered by the competent authority, other languages. |
| --- | --- |

(c)

(c)

if they so wish, indicate one or more language preferences in which they would like to receive the information referred to in Article 12(2), selected among the official languages of the Union, or, where offered by the competent authority, other languages.

if they so wish, indicate one or more language preferences in which they would like to receive the information referred to in Article 12(2), selected among the official languages of the Union, or, where offered by the competent authority, other languages.

Amendment 39

Amendment 39

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 8 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 1

Article 8 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.   Voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  who have been entered on an electoral roll in the Member State of residence shall remain thereon, under the same conditions as voters who are nationals, until such a time as they are removed because they no longer satisfy the requirements for exercising the right to vote. Where Member States provide for the notification of nationals of their removal from the electoral roll, those provisions shall apply equally to voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  . | 3.   
  Union
  voters who have been entered on an electoral roll in the Member State of residence shall remain thereon, under the same conditions as voters who are nationals, until such a time as they are removed because they no longer satisfy the requirements for exercising the right to vote. Where Member States provide for the notification of nationals of their removal from the electoral roll, those provisions shall apply equally to
  Union voters. This notification shall be provided to Union
  voters
  in question in a Union language of this person’s preference indicated in the formal declaration, if the Union voter has provided such preference
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3.   Voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  who have been entered on an electoral roll in the Member State of residence shall remain thereon, under the same conditions as voters who are nationals, until such a time as they are removed because they no longer satisfy the requirements for exercising the right to vote. Where Member States provide for the notification of nationals of their removal from the electoral roll, those provisions shall apply equally to voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  .

3.   
  Union
  voters who have been entered on an electoral roll in the Member State of residence shall remain thereon, under the same conditions as voters who are nationals, until such a time as they are removed because they no longer satisfy the requirements for exercising the right to vote. Where Member States provide for the notification of nationals of their removal from the electoral roll, those provisions shall apply equally to
  Union voters. This notification shall be provided to Union
  voters
  in question in a Union language of this person’s preference indicated in the formal declaration, if the Union voter has provided such preference
  .

Amendment 40

Amendment 40

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 8 — paragraph 5

Article 8 — paragraph 5

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 5.   Without prejudice to the rules of any Member State concerning the right to vote or to stand as a candidate of nationals who reside outside its territory, the fact that voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  have been entered on the electoral roll of their Member State of residence shall not result in their removal from the electoral roll of the home Member State. | 5.   Without prejudice to the rules of any Member State concerning the right to vote or to stand as a candidate of nationals who reside outside its territory, the fact that
  Union
  voters have been entered on the electoral roll of their Member State of residence shall not result in their removal from the electoral roll of the home Member State. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

5.   Without prejudice to the rules of any Member State concerning the right to vote or to stand as a candidate of nationals who reside outside its territory, the fact that voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  have been entered on the electoral roll of their Member State of residence shall not result in their removal from the electoral roll of the home Member State.

5.   Without prejudice to the rules of any Member State concerning the right to vote or to stand as a candidate of nationals who reside outside its territory, the fact that
  Union
  voters have been entered on the electoral roll of their Member State of residence shall not result in their removal from the electoral roll of the home Member State.

Amendment 41

Amendment 41

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 9 — paragraph 1

Article 9 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   When submitting an application to stand as candidates
  , persons entitled to stand as candidates pursuant to Article 3
  shall produce the same supporting documents as
  a candidate who is a national
  . The Member State of residence may require the persons concerned to produce a formal declaration drawn up in accordance with the template set out in Annex III . | 1.   When submitting an application to stand as candidates
  , non-national Union citizens
  shall produce the same
  or equivalent
  supporting documents as
  candidates who are nationals
  . The Member State of residence may require the persons concerned to produce a formal declaration drawn up in accordance with the template set out in Annex III. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   When submitting an application to stand as candidates
  , persons entitled to stand as candidates pursuant to Article 3
  shall produce the same supporting documents as
  a candidate who is a national
  . The Member State of residence may require the persons concerned to produce a formal declaration drawn up in accordance with the template set out in Annex III .

1.   When submitting an application to stand as candidates
  , non-national Union citizens
  shall produce the same
  or equivalent
  supporting documents as
  candidates who are nationals
  . The Member State of residence may require the persons concerned to produce a formal declaration drawn up in accordance with the template set out in Annex III.

Amendment 42

Amendment 42

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 9 — paragraph 2 — introductory part

Article 9 — paragraph 2 — introductory part

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 2.   The Member State of residence may also require
  persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to of Article 3
  to: | 2.   The Member State of residence may also require
  Union
  candidates to: |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2.   The Member State of residence may also require
  persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to of Article 3
  to:

2.   The Member State of residence may also require
  Union
  candidates to:

Amendment 43

Amendment 43

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 9 — paragraph 2 — point a

Article 9 — paragraph 2 — point a

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | state in the formal declaration which they produce in accordance with paragraph 1 when submitting their application to stand as candidates that they have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in their home Member State; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

(a)

state in the formal declaration which they produce in accordance with paragraph 1 when submitting their application to stand as candidates that they have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in their home Member State;

| (a) | state in the formal declaration which they produce in accordance with paragraph 1 when submitting their application to stand as candidates that they have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in their home Member State
  . In case of legitimate doubt regarding the content of the formal declaration, the Member State of residence may directly request to the home Member State of the non-national Union citizen, before or after the election, a certification that the person has not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in that Member State
  ; |
| --- | --- |

(a)

state in the formal declaration which they produce in accordance with paragraph 1 when submitting their application to stand as candidates that they have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in their home Member State
  . In case of legitimate doubt regarding the content of the formal declaration, the Member State of residence may directly request to the home Member State of the non-national Union citizen, before or after the election, a certification that the person has not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in that Member State
  ;

. In case of legitimate doubt regarding the content of the formal declaration, the Member State of residence may directly request to the home Member State of the non-national Union citizen, before or after the election, a certification that the person has not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in that Member State

Amendment 44

Amendment 44

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 9 — paragraph 2 — point b

Article 9 — paragraph 2 — point b

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | in case of doubt regarding the content of the declaration pursuant to point (a), to produce before or after the election an attestation from the competent administrative authorities in their home Member State certifying that they have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in that State or that no such disqualification is known to those authorities; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

(b)

(b)

in case of doubt regarding the content of the declaration pursuant to point (a), to produce before or after the election an attestation from the competent administrative authorities in their home Member State certifying that they have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in that State or that no such disqualification is known to those authorities;

in case of doubt regarding the content of the declaration pursuant to point (a), to produce before or after the election an attestation from the competent administrative authorities in their home Member State certifying that they have not been deprived of the right to stand as a candidate in that State or that no such disqualification is known to those authorities;

deleted

deleted

Amendment 45

Amendment 45

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 9 — paragraph 2 — point e a (new)

Article 9 — paragraph 2 — point e a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (ea) | if they so wish, indicate one or more languages in which they would like to receive the information referred to in Article 12(2), selected from the official languages of the Union, or, where offered by the competent authority, other languages. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

(ea)

(ea)

if they so wish, indicate one or more languages in which they would like to receive the information referred to in Article 12(2), selected from the official languages of the Union, or, where offered by the competent authority, other languages.

if they so wish, indicate one or more languages in which they would like to receive the information referred to in Article 12(2), selected from the official languages of the Union, or, where offered by the competent authority, other languages.

Amendment 46

Amendment 46

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 10 — paragraph 1

Article 10 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Member States
  that
  provide for the possibility
  for nationals
  to vote by means of
  advance
  voting, postal voting,
  and
  electronic and internet voting in municipal elections shall ensure that such means of voting are also available under the same conditions to voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  . | Member States
  shall endeavour to
  provide for the possibility to vote by means of
  postal
  voting
  in municipal elections. Where Member States allow their nationals to vote by means of
  postal voting,
  advance voting, proxy voting or
  electronic and internet voting in municipal elections
  , they
  shall ensure that such means of voting are also available under the same conditions to
  Union
  voters. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Member States
  that
  provide for the possibility
  for nationals
  to vote by means of
  advance
  voting, postal voting,
  and
  electronic and internet voting in municipal elections shall ensure that such means of voting are also available under the same conditions to voters
  pursuant to Article 3
  .

that

for nationals

advance

and

pursuant to Article 3

Member States
  shall endeavour to
  provide for the possibility to vote by means of
  postal
  voting
  in municipal elections. Where Member States allow their nationals to vote by means of
  postal voting,
  advance voting, proxy voting or
  electronic and internet voting in municipal elections
  , they
  shall ensure that such means of voting are also available under the same conditions to
  Union
  voters.

shall endeavour to

postal

in municipal elections. Where Member States allow their nationals to vote by means of

advance voting, proxy voting or

, they

Union

Amendment 47

Amendment 47

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 11 — paragraph 1

Article 11 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   The Member State of residence shall inform the concerned persons
  in good time and in clear and plain language
  of the decision taken on their application for entry on the electoral roll or of the decision concerning the admissibility of their application to stand as a candidate. | 1.   The Member State of residence shall inform the concerned persons of the decision taken on
  their immediate registration as a voter or
  their application for entry on the electoral roll or of the decision concerning the admissibility of their application to stand as a candidate. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   The Member State of residence shall inform the concerned persons
  in good time and in clear and plain language
  of the decision taken on their application for entry on the electoral roll or of the decision concerning the admissibility of their application to stand as a candidate.

1.   The Member State of residence shall inform the concerned persons of the decision taken on
  their immediate registration as a voter or
  their application for entry on the electoral roll or of the decision concerning the admissibility of their application to stand as a candidate.

Amendment 48

Amendment 48

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 11 — paragraph 2

Article 11 — paragraph 2

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 2.   Should Union citizens not be entered on the electoral roll or have their application form entry refused or have their application to stand as a candidate rejected, the person concerned shall be entitled to legal remedies on
  similar
  terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals. | 2.   Should Union citizens not be entered on the electoral roll or have their
  immediate registration or
  application form entry refused or have their application to stand as a candidate rejected, the person concerned shall be entitled to
  effective
  legal remedies on
  the same
  terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2.   Should Union citizens not be entered on the electoral roll or have their application form entry refused or have their application to stand as a candidate rejected, the person concerned shall be entitled to legal remedies on
  similar
  terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals.

2.   Should Union citizens not be entered on the electoral roll or have their
  immediate registration or
  application form entry refused or have their application to stand as a candidate rejected, the person concerned shall be entitled to
  effective
  legal remedies on
  the same
  terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals.

Amendment 49

Amendment 49

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 11 — paragraph 3

Article 11 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.   In case of errors in the electoral roll or in the list of candidates for municipal elections, the person concerned shall be entitled to legal remedies on similar terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals. | 3.   In case of errors in the electoral roll or in the list of candidates for municipal elections, the person concerned shall be entitled to
  effective
  legal remedies on similar terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3.   In case of errors in the electoral roll or in the list of candidates for municipal elections, the person concerned shall be entitled to legal remedies on similar terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals.

3.   In case of errors in the electoral roll or in the list of candidates for municipal elections, the person concerned shall be entitled to
  effective
  legal remedies on similar terms as the laws of the Member State of residence prescribe for voters and persons entitled to stand as candidates who are its nationals.

Amendment 50

Amendment 50

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 11 — paragraph 3 a (new)

Article 11 — paragraph 3 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 3a.
     
  Member States shall inform, in a clear and plain language and in a timely manner, the person concerned of the decision referred to in paragraph 1 and of the legal remedies referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3, in a language of the person’s preference indicated in the formal declaration, if the Union voter has indicated such a language preference. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3a.
     
  Member States shall inform, in a clear and plain language and in a timely manner, the person concerned of the decision referred to in paragraph 1 and of the legal remedies referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3, in a language of the person’s preference indicated in the formal declaration, if the Union voter has indicated such a language preference.

Amendment 51

Amendment 51

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 1

Article 12 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Member States shall designate a 
  national
  authority with responsibility for taking the necessary measures to ensure that non-national Union citizens are informed in a timely manner of the conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections. | 1.   Member States shall designate a 
  competent
  authority with responsibility for taking the necessary measures to ensure that non-national Union citizens are informed in a timely manner of the conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections.
  The information shall be provided by the relevant authorities in a coordinated way and, whenever possible, in cooperation with civil society organisations, upon registration as a resident and in a timely manner ahead of elections. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Member States shall designate a 
  national
  authority with responsibility for taking the necessary measures to ensure that non-national Union citizens are informed in a timely manner of the conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections.

1.   Member States shall designate a 
  competent
  authority with responsibility for taking the necessary measures to ensure that non-national Union citizens are informed in a timely manner of the conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections.
  The information shall be provided by the relevant authorities in a coordinated way and, whenever possible, in cooperation with civil society organisations, upon registration as a resident and in a timely manner ahead of elections.

Amendment 52

Amendment 52

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — introductory part

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — introductory part

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 2.   The Member States shall ensure that the designated authority pursuant to paragraph 1, shall directly and individually communicate to voters and
  persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to Article 3,
  the following information: | 2.   The Member States shall ensure that the designated authority pursuant to paragraph 1, shall directly and individually communicate to
  Union
  voters and
  Union
  candidates the following information: |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2.   The Member States shall ensure that the designated authority pursuant to paragraph 1, shall directly and individually communicate to voters and
  persons entitled to stand as
  candidates
  pursuant to Article 3,
  the following information:

2.   The Member States shall ensure that the designated authority pursuant to paragraph 1, shall directly and individually communicate to
  Union
  voters and
  Union
  candidates the following information:

Amendment 53

Amendment 53

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — point b

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — point b

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | once available, the date of the election and how and where to vote, |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

(b)

once available, the date of the election and how and where to vote,

| (b) | once available, the date of the election and how and where to vote,
  including specific means of voting referred to in Article 10, where applicable; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

once available, the date of the election and how and where to vote,
  including specific means of voting referred to in Article 10, where applicable;

including specific means of voting referred to in Article 10, where applicable;

Amendment 54

Amendment 54

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — point b a (new)

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — point b a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (ba) | the specific measures to facilitate the exercise of the right to vote for particular groups of voters, such as persons with disabilities, |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

(ba)

(ba)

the specific measures to facilitate the exercise of the right to vote for particular groups of voters, such as persons with disabilities,

the specific measures to facilitate the exercise of the right to vote for particular groups of voters, such as persons with disabilities,

Amendment 55

Amendment 55

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — point b b (new)

Article 12 — paragraph 2 — point b b (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | (bb) | information on the electoral and political system, including the powers of basic local government units, |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

(bb)

(bb)

information on the electoral and political system, including the powers of basic local government units,

information on the electoral and political system, including the powers of basic local government units,

Amendment 56

Amendment 56

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 1

Article 12 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| The information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections
  and
  the information referred to in paragraph 2 shall be
  provided in clear and plain
  language. | The information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections
  referred to in paragraph 1 and any other information communicated pursuant to this Directive shall be provided in clear and plain language. The information referred to in paragraph 1 shall be provided in all official languages of the Union, while
  the information referred to in paragraph 2 shall be
  communicated to the person concerned in a
  language
  of this person’s preference, indicated in the formal declaration, if the Union voter has provided such preference
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

The information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections
  and
  the information referred to in paragraph 2 shall be
  provided in clear and plain
  language.

and

provided in clear and plain

The information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections
  referred to in paragraph 1 and any other information communicated pursuant to this Directive shall be provided in clear and plain language. The information referred to in paragraph 1 shall be provided in all official languages of the Union, while
  the information referred to in paragraph 2 shall be
  communicated to the person concerned in a
  language
  of this person’s preference, indicated in the formal declaration, if the Union voter has provided such preference
  .

referred to in paragraph 1 and any other information communicated pursuant to this Directive shall be provided in clear and plain language. The information referred to in paragraph 1 shall be provided in all official languages of the Union, while

communicated to the person concerned in a

of this person’s preference, indicated in the formal declaration, if the Union voter has provided such preference

Amendment 57

Amendment 57

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 2

Article 12 — paragraph 3 — subparagraph 2

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| The information referred to in the first subparagraph shall, in addition to being communicated in one or more of the official languages of the host Member State also be accompanied by a translation in at least one other official language of the Union that is broadly understood by the largest possible number of European Union citizens residing on its territory, in accordance with the quality requirements in Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (28)

  . | deleted |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

The information referred to in the first subparagraph shall, in addition to being communicated in one or more of the official languages of the host Member State also be accompanied by a translation in at least one other official language of the Union that is broadly understood by the largest possible number of European Union citizens residing on its territory, in accordance with the quality requirements in Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (28)

  .

The information referred to in the first subparagraph shall, in addition to being communicated in one or more of the official languages of the host Member State also be accompanied by a translation in at least one other official language of the Union that is broadly understood by the largest possible number of European Union citizens residing on its territory, in accordance with the quality requirements in Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council

28

.

deleted

deleted

Amendment 58

Amendment 58

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 3 a (new)

Article 12 — paragraph 3 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 3a.
     
  The Commission shall ensure that the information relating to the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections by Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals, under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(1) TFEU, and the information referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, is made available to those citizens in a clear and accessible manner, in all official languages of the Union, where necessary, including via Europe Direct and Your Europe. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3a.
     
  The Commission shall ensure that the information relating to the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections by Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals, under Article 20(2), point (b), and Article 22(1) TFEU, and the information referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, is made available to those citizens in a clear and accessible manner, in all official languages of the Union, where necessary, including via Europe Direct and Your Europe.

Amendment 59

Amendment 59

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 12 — paragraph 4

Article 12 — paragraph 4

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 4.   Member States shall ensure that information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections and information referred to in paragraph 2 is made accessible to persons with disabilities
  and
  older persons by using
  appropriate
  means, modes and formats of communication. | 4.   Member States shall ensure that information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections and information referred to in paragraph 2 is made accessible to persons with disabilities, older persons
  , people in remote areas, minority groups and those who face difficulties in voting generally by applying accessibility requirements as laid down in Annex I to Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (1a) and by using means, modes and formats of communication
  that are appropriate to them, such as sign language, Braille or easy-to-read format
  .
  Member States may ensure that persons with disabilities receive, at their request, assistance in voting by a person of their choice. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

4.   Member States shall ensure that information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections and information referred to in paragraph 2 is made accessible to persons with disabilities
  and
  older persons by using
  appropriate
  means, modes and formats of communication.

4.   Member States shall ensure that information on conditions and detailed rules for registration as a voter or candidate in municipal elections and information referred to in paragraph 2 is made accessible to persons with disabilities, older persons
  , people in remote areas, minority groups and those who face difficulties in voting generally by applying accessibility requirements as laid down in Annex I to Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council

   (1a) and by using means, modes and formats of communication
  that are appropriate to them, such as sign language, Braille or easy-to-read format
  .
  Member States may ensure that persons with disabilities receive, at their request, assistance in voting by a person of their choice.

Amendment 60

Amendment 60

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 13

Article 13

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Article 13 | deleted |
| Derogations | |
| 1.
     
  Where, in a given Member State, the proportion of Union citizens of voting age who reside in it but are not nationals of it exceeds 20 % of the total number of national and non-national Union citizens residing there who are of voting age, that Member State may, by way of derogation from this Directive: | |
| (a) | restrict the right to vote to voters pursuant to Article 3 who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not be longer than the term for which the representative council of the municipality is elected; |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Article 13

Article 13

deleted

deleted

Derogations

Derogations

1.
     
  Where, in a given Member State, the proportion of Union citizens of voting age who reside in it but are not nationals of it exceeds 20 % of the total number of national and non-national Union citizens residing there who are of voting age, that Member State may, by way of derogation from this Directive:

(a)

(a)

restrict the right to vote to voters pursuant to Article 3 who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not be longer than the term for which the representative council of the municipality is elected;

restrict the right to vote to voters pursuant to Article 3 who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not be longer than the term for which the representative council of the municipality is elected;

| (b) | restrict the right to stand as a candidate to persons entitled to stand as candidates pursuant to Article 3 who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not be longer than twice the term for which the representative council of the municipality is elected; and |
| --- | --- |

(b)

(b)

restrict the right to stand as a candidate to persons entitled to stand as candidates pursuant to Article 3 who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not be longer than twice the term for which the representative council of the municipality is elected; and

restrict the right to stand as a candidate to persons entitled to stand as candidates pursuant to Article 3 who have resided in that Member State for a minimum period, which may not be longer than twice the term for which the representative council of the municipality is elected; and

| (c) | take appropriate measures with regard to the composition of lists of candidates to encourage in particular the integration of Union citizens, who are nationals of another Member State. |
| --- | --- |

(c)

(c)

take appropriate measures with regard to the composition of lists of candidates to encourage in particular the integration of Union citizens, who are nationals of another Member State.

take appropriate measures with regard to the composition of lists of candidates to encourage in particular the integration of Union citizens, who are nationals of another Member State.

2.
     
  The Kingdom of Belgium may, by way of derogation from the provisions of this Directive, apply the provisions of paragraph 1 point (a) to a limited number of local government units, the list of which it shall communicate at least one year before the local government unit elections for which it intends to invoke the derogation.

3.
     
  Where the laws of a Member State prescribe that the nationals of another Member State who reside there have the right to vote for the national parliament of that State and, for that purpose, may be entered on the electoral roll of that State under exactly the same conditions as national voters, the first Member State may, by way of derogation from this Directive, refrain from applying Articles 6 to 11 in respect of such persons.

4.
     
  Every six years after the entry into force of this Directive, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and to the Council a report in which it shall check whether the grant to the Member States concerned of a derogation pursuant to Article 22 (1) TFEU is still warranted and shall propose that any necessary adjustments be made. Member States which invoke derogations under paragraphs 1 and 2 shall furnish the Commission with all the necessary background information.

Amendment 61

Amendment 61

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 14 — title

Article 14 — title

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Reporting | Data collection and
  reporting |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Reporting

Data collection and
  reporting

Data collection and

Amendment 62

Amendment 62

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 14 — paragraph 1

Article 14 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 1.   Within three years of the entry into force of this Directive and every four years thereafter, the Member States shall report to the Commission on the application of this Directive in their territory, including on the application of Article 5(3) and (4). The report shall contain statistical data on the participation in municipal elections of voters and candidates
  pursuant to Article 3
  and a summary of measures taken
  in that regard
  . | 1.   Within three years of the entry into force of this Directive and every four years thereafter, the Member States shall report to the
  public and to the
  Commission on the application of this Directive in their territory, including on the application of Article 5(3) and (4).
  In addition to general observations,
  the report shall contain statistical data on the participation in municipal elections of
  Union
  voters and
  Union
  candidates and a summary of measures taken
  to facilitate and encourage their participation. Those data shall be collected in a transparent, uniform, and secure way, based on common indicators
  . |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1.   Within three years of the entry into force of this Directive and every four years thereafter, the Member States shall report to the Commission on the application of this Directive in their territory, including on the application of Article 5(3) and (4). The report shall contain statistical data on the participation in municipal elections of voters and candidates
  pursuant to Article 3
  and a summary of measures taken
  in that regard
  .

1.   Within three years of the entry into force of this Directive and every four years thereafter, the Member States shall report to the
  public and to the
  Commission on the application of this Directive in their territory, including on the application of Article 5(3) and (4).
  In addition to general observations,
  the report shall contain statistical data on the participation in municipal elections of
  Union
  voters and
  Union
  candidates and a summary of measures taken
  to facilitate and encourage their participation. Those data shall be collected in a transparent, uniform, and secure way, based on common indicators
  .

Amendment 63

Amendment 63

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 14 — paragraph 1 a (new)

Article 14 — paragraph 1 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 1a.
     
  The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 16 concerning the setting up of the common indicators for the collection of statistical data referred to in paragraph 1. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

1a.
     
  The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 16 concerning the setting up of the common indicators for the collection of statistical data referred to in paragraph 1.

Amendment 64

Amendment 64

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 15 — paragraph 1

Article 15 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Within two years after the 2029 elections to the European Parliament, the Commission shall assess the application of this Directive and produce an evaluation report on the progress towards achievement of the objectives contained herein. | Within two years after the 2029 elections to the European Parliament, the Commission shall assess the application of this Directive and produce an evaluation report on the progress towards achievement of the objectives contained herein.
  The evaluation shall be accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Within two years after the 2029 elections to the European Parliament, the Commission shall assess the application of this Directive and produce an evaluation report on the progress towards achievement of the objectives contained herein.

Within two years after the 2029 elections to the European Parliament, the Commission shall assess the application of this Directive and produce an evaluation report on the progress towards achievement of the objectives contained herein.
  The evaluation shall be accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive.

The evaluation shall be accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Directive.

Amendment 65

Amendment 65

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 16 — paragraph 2

Article 16 — paragraph 2

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 2.   The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Articles
  2, 8 and 9
  shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from the entry into force of this Directive. | 2.   The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article
  2(2), Article 8(4), Article 9(3) and Article 14(1a)
  shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from ... [date of entry into force of this Directive]. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

2.   The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Articles
  2, 8 and 9
  shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from the entry into force of this Directive.

2.   The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article
  2(2), Article 8(4), Article 9(3) and Article 14(1a)
  shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from ... [date of entry into force of this Directive].

Amendment 66

Amendment 66

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 16 — paragraph 3

Article 16 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.   The delegation of power referred to in Articles
  2, 8 and 9
  may be revoked at any time by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. | 3.   The delegation of power referred to in Article
  2(2), Article 8(4), Article 9(3) and Article 14(1a)
  may be revoked at any time by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

3.   The delegation of power referred to in Articles
  2, 8 and 9
  may be revoked at any time by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.

3.   The delegation of power referred to in Article
  2(2), Article 8(4), Article 9(3) and Article 14(1a)
  may be revoked at any time by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.

Amendment 67

Amendment 67

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 16 — paragraph 6

Article 16 — paragraph 6

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 6.   A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles
  2, 8 and 9
  shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council. | 6.   A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article
  2(2), Article 8(4), Article 9(3) and Article 14(1a)
  shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

6.   A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles
  2, 8 and 9
  shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.

6.   A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article
  2(2), Article 8(4), Article 9(3) and Article 14(1a)
  shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.

Amendment 68

Amendment 68

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Article 19 — paragraph 2

Article 19 — paragraph 2

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Articles 1 to 7, 8(1)
  , 11(2) and 13
  shall apply from 31 December 2023. | Articles 1 to 7, Article 8(1)
  and Article 11(2)
  shall apply from 31 December 2023. |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

Articles 1 to 7, 8(1)
  , 11(2) and 13
  shall apply from 31 December 2023.

, 11(2) and 13

Articles 1 to 7, Article 8(1)
  and Article 11(2)
  shall apply from 31 December 2023.

and Article 11(2)

Amendment 69

Amendment 69

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Annex II — title

Annex II — title

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | ANNEX II — Formal declaration submitted by Union voters |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

ANNEX II — Formal declaration submitted by Union voters

ANNEX II — Formal declaration submitted by Union voters

Amendment 70

Amendment 70

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Annex II — paragraph 1 a (new)

Annex II — paragraph 1 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | I declare that I accept future communication related to voting in the municipal elections in one or more of the following languages: |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

I declare that I accept future communication related to voting in the municipal elections in one or more of the following languages:

I declare that I accept future communication related to voting in the municipal elections in one or more of the following languages:

Amendment 71

Amendment 71

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Annex II — table 1 a (new)

Annex II — table 1 a (new)

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

| I have been a resident in ... (Name of residence Member State) for ... (Period)

   (1a) |
| --- |
| Place/date: | |
| Signature: | |

I have been a resident in ... (Name of residence Member State) for ... (Period)

   (1a)

I have been a resident in ... (Name of residence Member State) for ... (Period)

1a

Place/date:

Place/date:

Signature:

Signature:

Amendment 72

Amendment 72

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Annex III — title

Annex III — title

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | ANNEX III — Formal declaration submitted by Union candidates |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

ANNEX III — Formal declaration submitted by Union candidates

ANNEX III — Formal declaration submitted by Union candidates

Amendment 73

Amendment 73

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Annex III — paragraph 1 a (new)

Annex III — paragraph 1 a (new)

| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | I declare that I accept future communication related to standing as a candidate in the municipal elections in one or more of the following languages: |

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

I declare that I accept future communication related to standing as a candidate in the municipal elections in one or more of the following languages:

I declare that I accept future communication related to standing as a candidate in the municipal elections in one or more of the following languages:

Amendment 74

Amendment 74

Proposal for a directive

Proposal for a directive

Annex III — table 1 a (new)

Annex III — table 1 a (new)

Text proposed by the Commission

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

Amendment

| I have been a resident in ... (Name of residence Member State) for ... (Period)

   (1a) |
| --- |
| Place/date: | |
| Signature: | |

I have been a resident in ... (Name of residence Member State) for ... (Period)

   (1a)

I have been a resident in ... (Name of residence Member State) for ... (Period)

1a

Place/date:

Place/date:

Signature:

Signature:

---

(1)  OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 1.

1

(22)  EU Citizenship Report 2020 Empowering citizens and protecting their rights, COM/2020/730 final.

22

(22)  EU Citizenship Report 2020 Empowering citizens and protecting their rights, COM/2020/730 final.

22

(23)  Council Directive 93/109/EC of 6 December 1993 laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast).

23

(23)  Council Directive 93/109/EC of 6 December 1993 laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast).

23

(25)  Council Decision 2010/48/EC of 26 November 2009 concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (OJ L 23, 27.1.2010, p. 35).

25

(25)  Council Decision 2010/48/EC of 26 November 2009 concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (OJ L 23, 27.1.2010, p. 35).

25

(28)  
  Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 establishing a single digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and problem-solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 1–38)

28

Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 establishing a single digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and problem-solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 1–38)

(1a)  
  Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and service (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 70).

1a

Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and service (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 70).

(1a)  Only if required by national legislation.

1a

(1a)  Only if required by national legislation.

1a

---

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11.8.2023

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C 283/127

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P9_TA(2023)0039

CO2 emission standards for cars and vans

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/631 as regards strengthening the CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles in line with the Union’s increased climate ambition (COM(2021)0556 — C9-0322/2021 — 2021/0197(COD))

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

(2023/C 283/22)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2021)0556), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2021)0556),

| — | having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0322/2021), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0322/2021),

| — | having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to the reasoned opinion submitted, within the framework of Protocol No 2 on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, by the Seanad Éireann, asserting that the draft legislative act does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the reasoned opinion submitted, within the framework of Protocol No 2 on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, by the Seanad Éireann, asserting that the draft legislative act does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 19 January 2022 (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 19 January 2022 (1),

| — | having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 27 January 2022 (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 27 January 2022 (2),

| — | having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the committee responsible under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 16 November 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the committee responsible under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 16 November 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Transport and Tourism, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A9-0150/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A9-0150/2022),

| 1. | Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out (3); |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments. |
| --- | --- |

3.

---

(1)  OJ C 194, 12.5.2022, p. 81.

(2)  OJ C 270, 13.7.2022, p. 38.

(3)  This position replaces the amendments adopted on 8 June 2022 (Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0234).

---

P9_TC1-COD(2021)0197

Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 14 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/631 as regards strengthening the CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles in line with the Union’s increased climate ambition

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) 2023/851.)

---

Wednesday 15 February 2023

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/128

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P9_TA(2023)0040

Amendments to the European Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs) Regulation

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/760 as regards the scope of eligible assets and investments, the portfolio composition and diversification requirements, the borrowing of cash and other fund rules and as regards requirements pertaining to the authorisation, investment policies and operating conditions of European long-term investment funds (COM(2021)0722 — C9-0435/2021 — 2021/0377(COD))

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

(2023/C 283/23)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2021)0722), |
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—

having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2021)0722),

| — | having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0435/2021), |
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—

having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0435/2021),

| — | having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
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—

having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 23 March 2022 (1), |
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—

having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 23 March 2022 (1),

| — | having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the committee responsible under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 7 December 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
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—

having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the committee responsible under Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 7 December 2022 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure, |
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—

having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A9-0196/2022), |
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—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A9-0196/2022),

| 1. | Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out; |
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1.

| 2. | Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal; |
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2.

| 3. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments. |
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3.

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(1)  OJ C 290, 29.7.2022, p. 64.

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P9_TC1-COD(2021)0377

Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 15 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/760 as regards the requirements pertaining to the investment policies and operating conditions of European long-term investment funds and the scope of eligible investment assets, the portfolio composition and diversification requirements and the borrowing of cash and other fund rules

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) 2023/606.)

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| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/129 |
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11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/129

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P9_TA(2023)0041

EU/North Macedonia Agreement: operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia (12895/2022 — C9-0369/2022 — 2022/0301(NLE))

(Consent)

(2023/C 283/24)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the draft Council decision (12895/2022), |
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—

having regard to the draft Council decision (12895/2022),

| — | having regard to the draft Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia (12896/2022), |
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—

having regard to the draft Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia (12896/2022),

| — | having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 77(2)(b) and (d), Article 79(2)(c) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0369/2022), |
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—

having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 77(2)(b) and (d), Article 79(2)(c) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0369/2022),

| — | having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4) and Rule 114(7) of its Rules of Procedure, |
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—

having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4) and Rule 114(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A9-0027/2023), |
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—

having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A9-0027/2023),

| 1. | Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement; |
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1.

| 2. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Republic of North Macedonia. |
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2.

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| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/130 |
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11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/130

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P9_TA(2023)0042

Authorising Poland to ratify the amendment to the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft Council decision authorising Poland to ratify, in the interest of the European Union, the amendment to the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea (10918/2022 — C9-0293/2022 — 2022/0177(NLE))

(Consent)

(2023/C 283/25)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the draft Council decision (10918/2022), |
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—

having regard to the draft Council decision (10918/2022),

| — | having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 43(2) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0293/2022), |
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—

having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 43(2) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0293/2022),

| — | having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4), and Rule 114(7) of its Rules of Procedure, |
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—

having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4), and Rule 114(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Fisheries (A9-0007/2023), |
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—

having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Fisheries (A9-0007/2023),

| 1. | Gives its consent to the authorisation of Poland to ratify the amendment to the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea; |
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1.

| 2. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States. |
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2.

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| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/131 |
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11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/131

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P9_TA(2023)0043

Protocol to the EC/Korea Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS): accession of Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of the Protocol to the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia and Romania to the European Union (06739/2019 — C9-0366/2022 — 2018/0429(NLE))

(Consent)

(2023/C 283/26)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the draft Council decision (06739/2019), |
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—

having regard to the draft Council decision (06739/2019),

| — | having regard to the draft Protocol to the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia and Romania to the European Union (06756/2019), |
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—

having regard to the draft Protocol to the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia and Romania to the European Union (06756/2019),

| — | having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 172 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0366/2022), |
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—

having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 172 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9-0366/2022),

| — | having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4), Rule 114(7) and Rule 52(1) of its Rules of Procedure, |
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—

having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4), Rule 114(7) and Rule 52(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A9-0006/2023), |
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—

having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A9-0006/2023),

| 1. | Gives its consent to the conclusion of the Protocol to the Cooperation Agreement; |
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1.

| 2. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Republic of Korea. |
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2.

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| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/132 |
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11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/132

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P9_TA(2023)0044

Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe: Chips Joint Undertaking

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, as regards the Chips Joint Undertaking (COM(2022)0047 — C9-0113/2022 — 2022/0033(NLE))

(Consultation)

(2023/C 283/27)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2022)0047), |
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—

having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2022)0047),

| — | having regard to Articles 187 and the first subparagraph of Article 188 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C9-0113/2022), |
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—

having regard to Articles 187 and the first subparagraph of Article 188 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C9-0113/2022),

| — | having regard to Rule 82 of its Rules of Procedure, |
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—

having regard to Rule 82 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A9-0012/2023), |
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—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A9-0012/2023),

| 1. | Approves the Commission proposal as amended; |
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1.

| 2. | Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, in accordance with Article 293(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; |
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2.

| 3. | Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament; |
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3.

| 4. | Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to substantially amend the Commission proposal; |
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4.

| 5. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission. |
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5.

Amendment 1

2022/0033 (NLE)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, as regards the Chips Joint Undertaking

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 187 and Article 188, first paragraph thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (2),

Whereas:

| (-1) | Reinforcing Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem is one of the key components to achieving economic resilience and security, strategic autonomy, enhanced digital sovereignty and reduced dependencies; and will play an important role in the green and digital transitions. |
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(-1)

Reinforcing Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem is one of the key components to achieving economic resilience and security, strategic autonomy, enhanced digital sovereignty and reduced dependencies; and will play an important role in the green and digital transitions.

| (1) | Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 (3) establishes the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, including the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking
  (the ‘Chips Joint Undertaking’)
  . |
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(1)

Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 (3) establishes the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, including the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking
  (the ‘Chips Joint Undertaking’)
  .

| (2) | The
  Chips Joint
  Undertaking addresses clearly defined topics that enable European industries at large to
  research,
  design
  , innovate
  , manufacture and use the most innovative technologies in electronic components and systems. |
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(2)

The
  Chips Joint
  Undertaking addresses clearly defined topics that enable European industries at large to
  research,
  design
  , innovate
  , manufacture and use the most innovative technologies in electronic components and systems.

| (3) | Regulation (EU) [...] (4) establishes a framework for increasing the Union’s resilience
  , adaptability, efficiency, security and stability of supply
  in the field of semiconductor technologies
  . It aims to stimulate public and private
  investment
  and economic prosperity;
  strengthening the capabilities of the European semiconductor supply chain, and increasing cooperation among the Member States, the Commission
  and industry stakeholders
  . To create the conditions necessary to strengthen the Union’s industrial,
  research, development and
  innovation
  (‘R&D&I’)
  capacity, the Chips for Europe Initiative (the ‘Initiative’) is established. In order to ensure a consistent implementation of the Initiative, the European Semiconductor Board should provide advice to the Public Authorities Board. |
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(3)

Regulation (EU) [...] (4) establishes a framework for increasing the Union’s resilience
  , adaptability, efficiency, security and stability of supply
  in the field of semiconductor technologies
  . It aims to stimulate public and private
  investment
  and economic prosperity;
  strengthening the capabilities of the European semiconductor supply chain, and increasing cooperation among the Member States, the Commission
  and industry stakeholders
  . To create the conditions necessary to strengthen the Union’s industrial,
  research, development and
  innovation
  (‘R&D&I’)
  capacity, the Chips for Europe Initiative (the ‘Initiative’) is established. In order to ensure a consistent implementation of the Initiative, the European Semiconductor Board should provide advice to the Public Authorities Board.

| (3a) | The Chips Joint Undertaking should seek to ensure clear and identifiable benefits across the semiconductor ecosystem. It should seek to contribute to and reflect the Union’s core values, including privacy by design, trust, security, safety, sustainability, and growing skills and quality employment at all levels of the value chain. [Regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)] and the Chips Joint Undertaking should aim to develop close synergies with Union programmes and funding instruments, in particular those supporting the deployment of innovative solutions for the Union’s challenges. The Chips Joint Undertaking should integrate all relevant stakeholders, SMEs and the social partners. |
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(3a)

The Chips Joint Undertaking should seek to ensure clear and identifiable benefits across the semiconductor ecosystem. It should seek to contribute to and reflect the Union’s core values, including privacy by design, trust, security, safety, sustainability, and growing skills and quality employment at all levels of the value chain. [Regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)] and the Chips Joint Undertaking should aim to develop close synergies with Union programmes and funding instruments, in particular those supporting the deployment of innovative solutions for the Union’s challenges. The Chips Joint Undertaking should integrate all relevant stakeholders, SMEs and the social partners.

| (3b) | The activities of the Chips Joint Undertaking should work effectively alongside the broader objectives of the Chips Fund, in order to support the development of a dynamic and resilient semiconductor ecosystem. The Chips Joint Undertaking should provide opportunities for the increased availability of funds to support the growth of start-ups and SMEs as well as investment across the entire value chain and Union, contributing to achieving the twin digital and green transitions. Support and guidance should be provided, in particular to start-ups and SMEs on how to access public and private investment, including venture capital, with the aim of speeding up not only access, but also the application and approval process. |
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(3b)

The activities of the Chips Joint Undertaking should work effectively alongside the broader objectives of the Chips Fund, in order to support the development of a dynamic and resilient semiconductor ecosystem. The Chips Joint Undertaking should provide opportunities for the increased availability of funds to support the growth of start-ups and SMEs as well as investment across the entire value chain and Union, contributing to achieving the twin digital and green transitions. Support and guidance should be provided, in particular to start-ups and SMEs on how to access public and private investment, including venture capital, with the aim of speeding up not only access, but also the application and approval process.

| (3c) | The activities of the Chips Fund should support the development of a dynamic and resilient semiconductor ecosystem. The Chips Fund should provide opportunities for increased availability of funds to support the growth of start-ups and SMEs and investment across the entire value chain. The Union should seek to improve the leveraging effect of the Union’s spending and achieve a higher multiplier effect in terms of attracting private-sector financing. In that regard, clear guidance and access points should be provided in order to assist start-ups and SMEs in accessing public and private funds. Moreover, a strategy for dealing with exceptional funding crises, such as significant increases in inflation, should be envisaged. |
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(3c)

The activities of the Chips Fund should support the development of a dynamic and resilient semiconductor ecosystem. The Chips Fund should provide opportunities for increased availability of funds to support the growth of start-ups and SMEs and investment across the entire value chain. The Union should seek to improve the leveraging effect of the Union’s spending and achieve a higher multiplier effect in terms of attracting private-sector financing. In that regard, clear guidance and access points should be provided in order to assist start-ups and SMEs in accessing public and private funds. Moreover, a strategy for dealing with exceptional funding crises, such as significant increases in inflation, should be envisaged.

| (3d) | Given the importance of collaboration with third parties in the area of R&D&I, the European Semiconductor Board and the Commission should establish clear and readily available guidelines on access modes, software and hardware for their participation in projects that fall within the scope of this Regulation. Within the structures of the European Semiconductor Board, international fora, and other Union agreements and strategies with third countries, guidance should be provided to overcome existing obstacles to international cooperation in the field of R&D&I. |
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(3d)

Given the importance of collaboration with third parties in the area of R&D&I, the European Semiconductor Board and the Commission should establish clear and readily available guidelines on access modes, software and hardware for their participation in projects that fall within the scope of this Regulation. Within the structures of the European Semiconductor Board, international fora, and other Union agreements and strategies with third countries, guidance should be provided to overcome existing obstacles to international cooperation in the field of R&D&I.

| (3e) | The Commission should provide clear and readily available guidelines on the terms and conditions for the development of and third-party access to pilot lines, as well as on the compatibility and accessibility of the Union’s virtual design platforms, design libraries, and competence centres. |
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(3e)

The Commission should provide clear and readily available guidelines on the terms and conditions for the development of and third-party access to pilot lines, as well as on the compatibility and accessibility of the Union’s virtual design platforms, design libraries, and competence centres.

| (3f) | The success of the Initiative is to be built on a collective effort by Member States, together with the Union, to support both the significant capital costs and the wide availability of virtual design, testing and piloting resources and diffusion of knowledge, skills and competences. The new concepts and ambitions of the ... [Regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)] and the Initiative should be supported with significant new financial provisions for R&D&I and for the design, experimentation, and testing of advanced and evolving existing technologies and products within the Union’s semiconductor ecosystem. |
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(3f)

The success of the Initiative is to be built on a collective effort by Member States, together with the Union, to support both the significant capital costs and the wide availability of virtual design, testing and piloting resources and diffusion of knowledge, skills and competences. The new concepts and ambitions of the ... [Regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)] and the Initiative should be supported with significant new financial provisions for R&D&I and for the design, experimentation, and testing of advanced and evolving existing technologies and products within the Union’s semiconductor ecosystem.

| (3g) | The Initiative is a new strategic initiative of the Union, and requires fresh budgetary resources. Its funding shall be considered during the mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework, with a view to ensuring the stability, coherence, ambition and long-term financing of the Initiative. The continuation of activities already envisaged under Horizon Europe must be ensured. The total financial resources allocated to Horizon Europe should not be reduced or re-purposed to fund activities outside R&D&I. Any reduction of the financial resources of the programme, aiming to reinforce the financial envelope of the Digital Europe programme to contribute to the Initiative should be compensated for by additional funding sources. |
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(3g)

The Initiative is a new strategic initiative of the Union, and requires fresh budgetary resources. Its funding shall be considered during the mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework, with a view to ensuring the stability, coherence, ambition and long-term financing of the Initiative. The continuation of activities already envisaged under Horizon Europe must be ensured. The total financial resources allocated to Horizon Europe should not be reduced or re-purposed to fund activities outside R&D&I. Any reduction of the financial resources of the programme, aiming to reinforce the financial envelope of the Digital Europe programme to contribute to the Initiative should be compensated for by additional funding sources.

| (3h) | The impact of public spending on the Initiative and the Union’s R&D&I sector should be assessed and reviewed before the next MFF. Public institutions have a responsibility to use public funds efficiently and effectively in all areas and to ensure sound financial management, value for money, return on public investment, and the avoidance of waste and error. The Chips Joint Undertaking should ensure that public investment has a positive impact on the Union’s semiconductor ecosystem and its citizens. In that regard, the establishment of the work programmes and their implementation for the Chips Joint Undertaking should respect the principle of ‘as open as possible, as closed as necessary’. |
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(3h)

The impact of public spending on the Initiative and the Union’s R&D&I sector should be assessed and reviewed before the next MFF. Public institutions have a responsibility to use public funds efficiently and effectively in all areas and to ensure sound financial management, value for money, return on public investment, and the avoidance of waste and error. The Chips Joint Undertaking should ensure that public investment has a positive impact on the Union’s semiconductor ecosystem and its citizens. In that regard, the establishment of the work programmes and their implementation for the Chips Joint Undertaking should respect the principle of ‘as open as possible, as closed as necessary’.

| (3i) | Financial support deriving from the Initiative should be used to address market failures, suboptimal investment situations as a consequence of the high capital intensity, high-risk, and complex landscape of the semiconductor ecosystem in a proportionate manner. Actions taken by the Chips Joint Undertaking should not duplicate or crowd out private financing or distort competition in the internal market, and should have a clear added-value for the Union. |
| --- | --- |

(3i)

Financial support deriving from the Initiative should be used to address market failures, suboptimal investment situations as a consequence of the high capital intensity, high-risk, and complex landscape of the semiconductor ecosystem in a proportionate manner. Actions taken by the Chips Joint Undertaking should not duplicate or crowd out private financing or distort competition in the internal market, and should have a clear added-value for the Union.

| (4) | The activities supported under the Initiative should be funded from Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5) establishing the Horizon Europe Programme and from Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6) establishing the Digital Europe Programme.
  The increase of the Union’s financial contribution to the Chips Joint Undertaking should not give rise to cuts to Union programmes or existing projects and should be drawn up in accordance with the ... [Regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)], predominantly from the unallocated margins under the MFF ceilings or mobilised through the non-thematic MFF special instruments. |
| --- | --- |

(4)

The activities supported under the Initiative should be funded from Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5) establishing the Horizon Europe Programme and from Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6) establishing the Digital Europe Programme.
  The increase of the Union’s financial contribution to the Chips Joint Undertaking should not give rise to cuts to Union programmes or existing projects and should be drawn up in accordance with the ... [Regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)], predominantly from the unallocated margins under the MFF ceilings or mobilised through the non-thematic MFF special instruments.

| (5) | The Initiative aims to reinforce the competitiveness and resilience of the semiconductor technological and industrial base, whilst strengthening
  and diversifying the R&D&I
  capacity of its semiconductor ecosystem, reducing dependence on a limited number of third country companies and geographies, and strengthening its capacity to design and produce advanced
  , sustainable, and innovative
  components. These aims should be supported by bridging the gap between the Union’s advanced
  R&D&I
  capabilities and their industrial exploitation
  , and by investing in those efforts
  . It should promote capacity building to enable
  R&D&I,
  design,
  manufacturing,
  production
  , packaging
  and systems integration in next-generation semiconductor technologies
  such as photonics and quantum technologies
  ,
  as well as the development of existing semiconductor technologies. It should
  enhance collaboration among key players across the Union, strengthening Europe’s semiconductor supply and value chains, serving key industrial sectors, and creating new markets. |
| --- | --- |

(5)

The Initiative aims to reinforce the competitiveness and resilience of the semiconductor technological and industrial base, whilst strengthening
  and diversifying the R&D&I
  capacity of its semiconductor ecosystem, reducing dependence on a limited number of third country companies and geographies, and strengthening its capacity to design and produce advanced
  , sustainable, and innovative
  components. These aims should be supported by bridging the gap between the Union’s advanced
  R&D&I
  capabilities and their industrial exploitation
  , and by investing in those efforts
  . It should promote capacity building to enable
  R&D&I,
  design,
  manufacturing,
  production
  , packaging
  and systems integration in next-generation semiconductor technologies
  such as photonics and quantum technologies
  ,
  as well as the development of existing semiconductor technologies. It should
  enhance collaboration among key players across the Union, strengthening Europe’s semiconductor supply and value chains, serving key industrial sectors, and creating new markets.

| (5a) | In order to achieve the greatest possible positive impact of Union funding and the most effective contribution to the Union’s policy objectives, the Chips Joint Undertaking and the Chips Fund should seek to maximise the potential of private and/or public sector partners. Such partners should include industry, R&D&I and technology organisations, bodies with a public service mission at local, regional, national or international level, and civil society organisations, such as foundations that support and/or carry out R&D&I, provided that desired impacts can be achieved more effectively in partnership than by the Union alone. |
| --- | --- |

(5a)

In order to achieve the greatest possible positive impact of Union funding and the most effective contribution to the Union’s policy objectives, the Chips Joint Undertaking and the Chips Fund should seek to maximise the potential of private and/or public sector partners. Such partners should include industry, R&D&I and technology organisations, bodies with a public service mission at local, regional, national or international level, and civil society organisations, such as foundations that support and/or carry out R&D&I, provided that desired impacts can be achieved more effectively in partnership than by the Union alone.

| (5b) | The Chips Joint Undertaking and the Chips Fund should together set up private and/or public sector partners, for example through memoranda of understanding, with a view to achieving specific impacts more effectively. Such partnerships could include industry, R&D&I and technology organisations, bodies with a public service mission at local, regional, national or international level, and civil society organisations, such as foundations that support or carry out R&D&I. |
| --- | --- |

(5b)

The Chips Joint Undertaking and the Chips Fund should together set up private and/or public sector partners, for example through memoranda of understanding, with a view to achieving specific impacts more effectively. Such partnerships could include industry, R&D&I and technology organisations, bodies with a public service mission at local, regional, national or international level, and civil society organisations, such as foundations that support or carry out R&D&I.

| (5c) | In order to achieve effective open strategic autonomy, beneficiaries of financial support deriving from the initiative should take measures to prevent unwanted technology and knowledge transfers developed within the framework of the Initiative, making use of the range of instruments available at the Union and national level. Member States and the Commission should be notified and able to act when the risk of transfers from Union entities to outside the Union arises as a result of foreign take-overs or other measures taken by entities outside the Union to force technology or knowledge transfers. |
| --- | --- |

(5c)

In order to achieve effective open strategic autonomy, beneficiaries of financial support deriving from the initiative should take measures to prevent unwanted technology and knowledge transfers developed within the framework of the Initiative, making use of the range of instruments available at the Union and national level. Member States and the Commission should be notified and able to act when the risk of transfers from Union entities to outside the Union arises as a result of foreign take-overs or other measures taken by entities outside the Union to force technology or knowledge transfers.

| (5d) | Investing in talent and skills should be considered a key priority of the Initiative. The availability of talent is critical to attracting semiconductor investment. The Union should promote human potential and skills through STEM education, with a specific focus on women, who are under-represented in those sectors. To maximise the effect of the Chips Joint Undertaking, it should seek to find synergies with other programmes and funding opportunities in the area of skills and education. The Chips Joint Undertaking should, where relevant and appropriate and under the existing Horizon Europe rules, seek to strengthen its international cooperation, which is crucial to ensuring access to knowledge, expertise, and markets worldwide. |
| --- | --- |

(5d)

Investing in talent and skills should be considered a key priority of the Initiative. The availability of talent is critical to attracting semiconductor investment. The Union should promote human potential and skills through STEM education, with a specific focus on women, who are under-represented in those sectors. To maximise the effect of the Chips Joint Undertaking, it should seek to find synergies with other programmes and funding opportunities in the area of skills and education. The Chips Joint Undertaking should, where relevant and appropriate and under the existing Horizon Europe rules, seek to strengthen its international cooperation, which is crucial to ensuring access to knowledge, expertise, and markets worldwide.

| (6) | The Initiative should be provided with the adequate and necessary funding to be able to achieve its ambitious objectives.
  The Initiative should be implemented through actions that should build upon the strong knowledge base acquired by the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking. The Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking should be tasked with providing financial support, through any instrument or procedure provided for in Horizon Europe or the Digital Europe Programme, to actions funded under the Initiative. Furthermore, the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking should be renamed to Chips Joint Undertaking. Throughout the lifetime of the Chips Joint Undertaking, at least EUR
  2,5
  billion should be dedicated to pilot lines, design infrastructures, competence centres, and other capacity building activities. |
| --- | --- |

(6)

The Initiative should be provided with the adequate and necessary funding to be able to achieve its ambitious objectives.
  The Initiative should be implemented through actions that should build upon the strong knowledge base acquired by the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking. The Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking should be tasked with providing financial support, through any instrument or procedure provided for in Horizon Europe or the Digital Europe Programme, to actions funded under the Initiative. Furthermore, the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking should be renamed to Chips Joint Undertaking. Throughout the lifetime of the Chips Joint Undertaking, at least EUR
  2,5
  billion should be dedicated to pilot lines, design infrastructures, competence centres, and other capacity building activities.

| (7) | The activities funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking should be covered in one single work programme, which should be adopted by the Governing Board. Before each work programme is prepared, the Public Authorities Board, taking into account the advice of the European Semiconductor Board and input from other relevant
  industry
  stakeholders,
  experts, the social partners, the Private Members Board, and
  including as appropriate, roadmaps produced by the Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor Technologies (7), should define the part of the work programme related to capacity building activities and
  R&D&I
  activities, including their corresponding expenditure estimates. For this purpose, the Public Authorities Board should include only the Commission and public authorities from Member States. Subsequently, on the basis of this definition, the Executive Director should prepare the work programme including capacity building and
  R&D&I
  activities and their corresponding expenditure estimates. |
| --- | --- |

(7)

The activities funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking should be covered in one single work programme, which should be adopted by the Governing Board. Before each work programme is prepared, the Public Authorities Board, taking into account the advice of the European Semiconductor Board and input from other relevant
  industry
  stakeholders,
  experts, the social partners, the Private Members Board, and
  including as appropriate, roadmaps produced by the Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor Technologies (7), should define the part of the work programme related to capacity building activities and
  R&D&I
  activities, including their corresponding expenditure estimates. For this purpose, the Public Authorities Board should include only the Commission and public authorities from Member States. Subsequently, on the basis of this definition, the Executive Director should prepare the work programme including capacity building and
  R&D&I
  activities and their corresponding expenditure estimates.

| (8) | All members of the Governing Board should be involved in the preparation of the work programme, and should participate in the relevant discussions and receive the necessary information.
  When the Governing Board adopts the work programme, the voting rights for the part of the work programme related to capacity building should be limited to the Commission and Member States only. The voting rights for the part of the work programme related to R&I activities should be equally shared between the Commission, the Participating States, and the private members. In the event that a decision on one of the two parts of the work programme cannot be reached, the work programme should be adopted including only the part on which a positive decision has been reached. |
| --- | --- |

(8)

All members of the Governing Board should be involved in the preparation of the work programme, and should participate in the relevant discussions and receive the necessary information.
  When the Governing Board adopts the work programme, the voting rights for the part of the work programme related to capacity building should be limited to the Commission and Member States only. The voting rights for the part of the work programme related to R&I activities should be equally shared between the Commission, the Participating States, and the private members. In the event that a decision on one of the two parts of the work programme cannot be reached, the work programme should be adopted including only the part on which a positive decision has been reached.

| (9) | The Public Authorities Board should be responsible for the selection of the projects related to capacity building activities. For this purpose, the Public Authorities Board should include only the Commission and public authorities from Member States.
  The members of the Public Authorities Board should have the necessary competence and expertise in order to make recommendations that take into account the objectives of the Chips Joint Undertaking. The Public Authorities Board should aim to increase gender balance within its structures and its projects and should seek to ensure geographical balance of the projects selected. |
| --- | --- |

(9)

The Public Authorities Board should be responsible for the selection of the projects related to capacity building activities. For this purpose, the Public Authorities Board should include only the Commission and public authorities from Member States.
  The members of the Public Authorities Board should have the necessary competence and expertise in order to make recommendations that take into account the objectives of the Chips Joint Undertaking. The Public Authorities Board should aim to increase gender balance within its structures and its projects and should seek to ensure geographical balance of the projects selected.

| (10) | The Public Authorities Board should be responsible for the selection of the projects related to R&I activities. |
| --- | --- |

(10)

The Public Authorities Board should be responsible for the selection of the projects related to R&I activities.

| (11) | With a view to accelerating implementation of the actions of the Initiative and enhance cooperation between legal entities, particularly Research and Technology Organisations, certain proposals for actions should be eligible for funding only if the action is carried out by legal entities cooperating within a consortium of at least three legal entities from three different Members States
  , which represent geographical balance across the Union
  . That consortium could be structured either as the European Chips Infrastructure Consortium as proposed in the ‘Chips Act’, or based on other available legal tools under Union law. Given that the activities supported under the Initiative and implemented by the Chips Joint Undertaking are financed from Horizon Europe programme and the Digital Europe programme, the Union financial contribution to the Chips Joint Undertaking indicated in Article 128 of Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 should be increased accordingly. The administrative costs of the Chips Joint Undertaking should also be increased in accordance with the increase of operational tasks. The private members should not contribute to the additional administrative costs. |
| --- | --- |

(11)

With a view to accelerating implementation of the actions of the Initiative and enhance cooperation between legal entities, particularly Research and Technology Organisations, certain proposals for actions should be eligible for funding only if the action is carried out by legal entities cooperating within a consortium of at least three legal entities from three different Members States
  , which represent geographical balance across the Union
  . That consortium could be structured either as the European Chips Infrastructure Consortium as proposed in the ‘Chips Act’, or based on other available legal tools under Union law. Given that the activities supported under the Initiative and implemented by the Chips Joint Undertaking are financed from Horizon Europe programme and the Digital Europe programme, the Union financial contribution to the Chips Joint Undertaking indicated in Article 128 of Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 should be increased accordingly. The administrative costs of the Chips Joint Undertaking should also be increased in accordance with the increase of operational tasks. The private members should not contribute to the additional administrative costs.

| (12) | Provision of financial support to activities from the Digital Europe Programme should comply with Regulation (EU) 2021/694. |
| --- | --- |

(12)

Provision of financial support to activities from the Digital Europe Programme should comply with Regulation (EU) 2021/694.

| (13) | The Chips Joint Undertaking should facilitate cooperation between the Union and
  relevant
  international
  like-minded
  actors
  in order to strengthen the Union’s open strategic autonomy and to protect intellectual property rights. It should define
  a cooperation strategy
  that builds on complementarities and interdependencies along the semiconductor supply chain
  , including identifying and promoting areas for cooperation in
  R&D&I,
  skills development, and implementing actions where there is a mutual benefit, mainly based on reciprocity
  , in accordance with Horizon Europe and international obligations
  . |
| --- | --- |

(13)

The Chips Joint Undertaking should facilitate cooperation between the Union and
  relevant
  international
  like-minded
  actors
  in order to strengthen the Union’s open strategic autonomy and to protect intellectual property rights. It should define
  a cooperation strategy
  that builds on complementarities and interdependencies along the semiconductor supply chain
  , including identifying and promoting areas for cooperation in
  R&D&I,
  skills development, and implementing actions where there is a mutual benefit, mainly based on reciprocity
  , in accordance with Horizon Europe and international obligations
  .

| (14) | Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 should therefore be amended accordingly, |
| --- | --- |

(14)

Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 is amended as follows:

| (1) | Article 2 is amended as follows:






  (a) | Points 2, 3 and 4 are replaced by the following:






  ‘2. | “founding member” means any legal entity established in a Member State, a country associated to Horizon Europe or, where applicable, to the Digital Europe Programme, or an international organisation that is identified as a member of a joint undertaking in this Regulation or in one of its Annexes; |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

(1)

Article 2 is amended as follows:

(a)

Points 2, 3 and 4 are replaced by the following:

‘2.

| 3. | “associated member” means any legal entity established in a Member State, a country associated to Horizon Europe or, where applicable, to the Digital Europe Programme, or an international organisation that accedes to a joint undertaking by signing a letter of commitment in accordance with Article 6(3) and subject to an approval in accordance with Article 7; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | “participating state” means any Member State or country associated to Horizon Europe or, where applicable, to the Digital Europe Programme upon notification of its participation in the activities of the relevant joint undertaking by means of a letter of commitment;’; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| (2) | Article 3 is amended as follows:






  (a) | In paragraph 1, point (g) is replaced by the following:






  ‘(g) | the Chips Joint Undertaking;’; |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

(2)

Article 3 is amended as follows:

(a)

In paragraph 1, point (g) is replaced by the following:

‘(g)

the Chips Joint Undertaking;’;

| (b) | paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

  ‘3.   In order to take into account the duration of Horizon Europe and, where applicable, the Digital Europe Programme, calls for proposals under the joint undertakings shall be launched at the latest by 31 December 2027. In duly justified cases, calls for proposals may be launched by 31 December 2028, at the latest.’; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

‘3.   In order to take into account the duration of Horizon Europe and, where applicable, the Digital Europe Programme, calls for proposals under the joint undertakings shall be launched at the latest by 31 December 2027. In duly justified cases, calls for proposals may be launched by 31 December 2028, at the latest.’;

| (3) | In Article 4 (1), the following subparagraph is added:
  ‘The Chips Joint Undertaking shall also contribute to
  the implementation of
  the objectives of the Chips for Europe Initiative and the Digital Europe Programme.’; |
| --- | --- |

(3)

In Article 4 (1), the following subparagraph is added:

‘The Chips Joint Undertaking shall also contribute to
  the implementation of
  the objectives of the Chips for Europe Initiative and the Digital Europe Programme.’;

the implementation of

| (4) | In Article 10, paragraphs 2 and 3 are replaced by the following:

  ‘2.   The amount of the Union contribution specified in Part Two may be increased with contributions from third countries associated to Horizon Europe in line with Article 16(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 and, where applicable, to the Digital Europe Programme in accordance with point (d) of Article 10(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/694, provided that the total amount by which the Union contribution is increased is at least matched by the contribution of members other than the Union, or their constituent or affiliated entities.


  3.   The Union contribution shall be paid from the appropriations in the general budget of the Union allocated to the Specific Programme implementing Horizon Europe and, where applicable, to the Digital Europe Programme, in accordance with Article 62(1), point (c)(iv), and Article 154 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 in the case of bodies referred to in Article 71 of that Regulation.’; |
| --- | --- |

(4)

In Article 10, paragraphs 2 and 3 are replaced by the following:

‘2.   The amount of the Union contribution specified in Part Two may be increased with contributions from third countries associated to Horizon Europe in line with Article 16(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 and, where applicable, to the Digital Europe Programme in accordance with point (d) of Article 10(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/694, provided that the total amount by which the Union contribution is increased is at least matched by the contribution of members other than the Union, or their constituent or affiliated entities.

3.   The Union contribution shall be paid from the appropriations in the general budget of the Union allocated to the Specific Programme implementing Horizon Europe and, where applicable, to the Digital Europe Programme, in accordance with Article 62(1), point (c)(iv), and Article 154 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 in the case of bodies referred to in Article 71 of that Regulation.’;

| (5) | Article 12(1) is amended as follows:






  (a) | The second subparagraph of paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

  ‘1.   In addition to criteria set out in Article 22 of the Horizon Europe Regulation or, in the case of the Chips Joint Undertaking, in Article 18 of the Digital Europe Programme, the work programme
  shall
  include, as an annex, eligibility criteria regarding national legal entities
  including a contribution to achieving the twin digital and green transitions
  .’; |
| --- | --- | --- |

(5)

Article 12(1) is amended as follows:

(a)

The second subparagraph of paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

‘1.   In addition to criteria set out in Article 22 of the Horizon Europe Regulation or, in the case of the Chips Joint Undertaking, in Article 18 of the Digital Europe Programme, the work programme
  shall
  include, as an annex, eligibility criteria regarding national legal entities
  including a contribution to achieving the twin digital and green transitions
  .’;

| (b) | The third subparagraph of paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:
  ‘Each participating state shall entrust the
  Chips Joint Undertaking
  with the evaluation of the proposals according to the contributing Union programme.’; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

The third subparagraph of paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

‘Each participating state shall entrust the
  Chips Joint Undertaking
  with the evaluation of the proposals according to the contributing Union programme.’;

Chips Joint Undertaking

| (6) | In Article 29, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:






  (a) | Paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

  ‘2.   Budgetary commitments of the joint undertakings referred to in Article 3(1), points (b), (d), (g) and (h), may be divided into annual instalments. Until 31 December 2024, the cumulative amount of those budgetary commitments in instalments shall not exceed 50 % of the maximum Union contribution set out in Article 10. From January 2025, at least 20 % of the cumulative budget of the residual years shall not be covered by annual instalments.’; |
| --- | --- | --- |

(6)

In Article 29, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

(a)

Paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

‘2.   Budgetary commitments of the joint undertakings referred to in Article 3(1), points (b), (d), (g) and (h), may be divided into annual instalments. Until 31 December 2024, the cumulative amount of those budgetary commitments in instalments shall not exceed 50 % of the maximum Union contribution set out in Article 10. From January 2025, at least 20 % of the cumulative budget of the residual years shall not be covered by annual instalments.’;

| (7) | Article 126 is amended as follows:






  (a) | In paragraph 1 point (b) is replaced by the following:






  ‘(b) | Establish Union scientific excellence and innovation leadership in emerging components and systems technologies, including in activities related to lower TRLs; and promote the active involvement of SMEs, which shall represent at least one third of the total number of participants in indirect actions and at least 20 % of public funding dedicated to research
  , development
  and innovation
  (“R&D&I”)
  actions should go to them.’; |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

(7)

Article 126 is amended as follows:

(a)

In paragraph 1 point (b) is replaced by the following:

‘(b)

Establish Union scientific excellence and innovation leadership in emerging components and systems technologies, including in activities related to lower TRLs; and promote the active involvement of SMEs, which shall represent at least one third of the total number of participants in indirect actions and at least 20 % of public funding dedicated to research
  , development
  and innovation
  (“R&D&I”)
  actions should go to them.’;

, development

(“R&D&I”)

| (b) | In paragraph 1 the following point (d) is added:






  ‘(d) | increase ▌ capacity throughout the Union in cutting-edge and next-generation semiconductor technologies to reinforce the Union’s advanced design,
  manufacturing, equipment, materials development,
  systems integration and semiconductor production
  and packaging
  capabilities
  . It shall seek to prevent
  and limit where possible
  any negative environmental impact and apply the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle.’; |
| --- | --- | --- |

(b)

In paragraph 1 the following point (d) is added:

‘(d)

increase ▌ capacity throughout the Union in cutting-edge and next-generation semiconductor technologies to reinforce the Union’s advanced design,
  manufacturing, equipment, materials development,
  systems integration and semiconductor production
  and packaging
  capabilities
  . It shall seek to prevent
  and limit where possible
  any negative environmental impact and apply the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle.’;

manufacturing, equipment, materials development,

and packaging

. It shall seek to prevent

any negative environmental impact and apply the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle.’;

| (c) | In paragraph 2 point (f) is replaced by the following:






  ‘(f) | establish coherence between the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda of the Chips Joint Undertaking inputs from other relevant stakeholders, including as appropriate, roadmaps produced by the Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor technologies and Union policies so that
  the objectives of the Initiative in particular are implemented and achieved
  .’ |
| --- | --- | --- |

(c)

In paragraph 2 point (f) is replaced by the following:

‘(f)

establish coherence between the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda of the Chips Joint Undertaking inputs from other relevant stakeholders, including as appropriate, roadmaps produced by the Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor technologies and Union policies so that
  the objectives of the Initiative in particular are implemented and achieved
  .’

the objectives of the Initiative in particular are implemented and achieved

| (d) | In paragraph 2 the following points ▌are added:






  ‘(g) | build up ▌ design capacities for integrated semiconductor
  , quantum
  technologies
  and other cutting-edge technologies such as photonics; |
| --- | --- | --- |

(d)

In paragraph 2 the following points ▌are added:

‘(g)

build up ▌ design capacities for integrated semiconductor
  , quantum
  technologies
  and other cutting-edge technologies such as photonics;

, quantum

and other cutting-edge technologies such as photonics;

| (h) | enhance existing and develop new pilot lines; |
| --- | --- |

(h)

enhance existing and develop new pilot lines;

| (i) | build advanced technology and engineering capacities for accelerating the development of quantum chips; |
| --- | --- |

(i)

build advanced technology and engineering capacities for accelerating the development of quantum chips;

| (j) | establish a network of competence centres across Europe; |
| --- | --- |

(j)

establish a network of competence centres across Europe;

| (ja) | support the green transition by ensuring that environmental considerations are taken into account in the development and implementation of R&D&I, such as increased energy and water efficiency; |
| --- | --- |

(ja)

(ja)

support the green transition by ensuring that environmental considerations are taken into account in the development and implementation of R&D&I, such as increased energy and water efficiency;

support the green transition by ensuring that environmental considerations are taken into account in the development and implementation of R&D&I, such as increased energy and water efficiency;

| (jb) | promote STEM education, in particular women’s participation in R&D&I; |
| --- | --- |

(jb)

(jb)

promote STEM education, in particular women’s participation in R&D&I;

promote STEM education, in particular women’s participation in R&D&I;

| (jc) | foster open science and public visibility, and ensure that the R&D&I activities are aimed at providing a positive impact upon society.’; |
| --- | --- |

(jc)

(jc)

foster open science and public visibility, and ensure that the R&D&I activities are aimed at providing a positive impact upon society.’;

foster open science and public visibility, and ensure that the R&D&I activities are aimed at providing a positive impact upon society.’;

| (8) | Article 128 is replaced by the following:

  ‘Article 128

  1.   The Union financial contribution to the
  Chips
  Joint Undertaking including EEA appropriations shall be
  at least
  EUR 4 175 000 000, including up to EUR 50 174 000 for administrative costs distributed as follows:






  (a) | up to EUR 2 650 000 000 from Horizon Europe; |
| --- | --- | --- |

(8)

Article 128 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 128

1.   The Union financial contribution to the
  Chips
  Joint Undertaking including EEA appropriations shall be
  at least
  EUR 4 175 000 000, including up to EUR 50 174 000 for administrative costs distributed as follows:

(a)

up to EUR 2 650 000 000 from Horizon Europe;

| (b) | up to EUR 1 525 000 000 from the Digital Europe Programme; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

up to EUR 1 525 000 000 from the Digital Europe Programme;

2.   The Union financial contribution referred to in paragraph 1 shall be paid from the appropriations in the general budget of the Union allocated to each relevant programme.

3.   Additional Union funds complementing the contribution referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article may be allocated to the
  Chips
  Joint Undertaking from third countries associated to Horizon Europe or the Digital Europe Programme in accordance with their respective association agreements. Those additional Union funds shall not affect the Participating States’ contribution referred to in Article 129(1).

4.   The Union financial contribution referred to in paragraph 1 point (a) of this Article shall be used for the
  Chips
  Joint Undertaking to provide financial support to indirect actions as defined in Article 2, point (43), of Regulation (EU) 2021/695, corresponding to the
  R&D&I
  activities of the
  Chips
  Joint Undertaking.

5.   The Union financial contribution referred to in paragraph 1 point (b) shall be used for capability building for pilot lines and design infrastructures across the whole Union.’;

| (9) | In Article 129 paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

  ‘3.   By way of derogation from Article 28(4), the private members shall make or arrange for their constituent and affiliated entities to make a financial contribution of
  up to
  EUR 26 331 000 for administrative costs of the Chips Joint Undertaking. The share of the total contribution on an annual basis for administrative costs of the Chips Joint Undertaking by the private members shall be 35 %.
  If the scope or membership of the Chips Joint Undertaking significantly changes, the private members shall be consulted in regard to any changes in the financial contribution .
  ’; |
| --- | --- |

(9)

In Article 129 paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

‘3.   By way of derogation from Article 28(4), the private members shall make or arrange for their constituent and affiliated entities to make a financial contribution of
  up to
  EUR 26 331 000 for administrative costs of the Chips Joint Undertaking. The share of the total contribution on an annual basis for administrative costs of the Chips Joint Undertaking by the private members shall be 35 %.
  If the scope or membership of the Chips Joint Undertaking significantly changes, the private members shall be consulted in regard to any changes in the financial contribution .
  ’;

| (10) | In Article 133, the following paragraph 3a is added:

  ‘3a.   The Governing Board shall solely include the Commission and public authorities from Member States when voting ▌ . The Commission shall hold 50 % of the voting rights. Paragraphs 2 and 3 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the voting rights of the Member States.’; |
| --- | --- |

(10)

In Article 133, the following paragraph 3a is added:

‘3a.   The Governing Board shall solely include the Commission and public authorities from Member States when voting ▌ . The Commission shall hold 50 % of the voting rights. Paragraphs 2 and 3 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the voting rights of the Member States.’;

| (11) | The following Article 133a is inserted

  ‘Article 133a
  Rules applicable to the activities funded under the Digital Europe Programme

  1.   Regulation (EU) 2021/694 shall apply to the activities funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking under the Digital Europe Programme.


  2.   The work programme and the calls for proposals of the Chips Joint Undertaking shall be published on the website of the Digital Europe Programme.


  3.   In the case of the Chips Joint Undertaking, ex post audits of expenditure on activities funded by the Digital Europe Programme budget shall be carried out by the
  Chips
  Joint Undertaking in accordance with Article 27 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694.’; |
| --- | --- |

(11)

The following Article 133a is inserted

‘Article 133a

Rules applicable to the activities funded under the Digital Europe Programme

1.   Regulation (EU) 2021/694 shall apply to the activities funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking under the Digital Europe Programme.

2.   The work programme and the calls for proposals of the Chips Joint Undertaking shall be published on the website of the Digital Europe Programme.

3.   In the case of the Chips Joint Undertaking, ex post audits of expenditure on activities funded by the Digital Europe Programme budget shall be carried out by the
  Chips
  Joint Undertaking in accordance with Article 27 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694.’;

| (12) | Article 134 is replaced by the following:

  ‘Article 134
  Limitations and conditions to participation in specific actions

  1.   For actions funded under the Horizon Europe, by way of derogation from Article 17(2), point (l), where the Commission so requests, following approval of the Public Authorities Board, participation in specific actions shall be limited in accordance with Article 22(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695.


  2.   For actions funded under the Digital Europe Programme, where the Commission so requests, following approval of the Public Authorities Board, participation in specific actions shall be limited in accordance with Articles 12(6) and 18 of the Regulation (EU) 2021/694.


  3.   For actions funded under more than one contributing Union programme, the work programme shall set joint conditions, including for the limitation of participation under paragraphs 1-2 of this Article, in accordance with the rules of the contributing Union programmes.


  4.   Certain actions may be carried out by legal entities cooperating within a consortium structured in a form of European Chips Infrastructure Consortium. The actions for which such consortium may be necessary, as well as specific eligibility requirements for implementing specific actions and tasks, and, where appropriate, operational requirements for setting up, operating, and winding up shall be defined in the work programme.




  4a.
     
  In order to maximise the positive impact of Union funding and projects, and to protect against unwanted technology and knowledge transfers, Article 27a(2a) of ... [Regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)] shall apply.
  ’; |
| --- | --- |

(12)

Article 134 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 134

Limitations and conditions to participation in specific actions

1.   For actions funded under the Horizon Europe, by way of derogation from Article 17(2), point (l), where the Commission so requests, following approval of the Public Authorities Board, participation in specific actions shall be limited in accordance with Article 22(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695.

2.   For actions funded under the Digital Europe Programme, where the Commission so requests, following approval of the Public Authorities Board, participation in specific actions shall be limited in accordance with Articles 12(6) and 18 of the Regulation (EU) 2021/694.

3.   For actions funded under more than one contributing Union programme, the work programme shall set joint conditions, including for the limitation of participation under paragraphs 1-2 of this Article, in accordance with the rules of the contributing Union programmes.

4.   Certain actions may be carried out by legal entities cooperating within a consortium structured in a form of European Chips Infrastructure Consortium. The actions for which such consortium may be necessary, as well as specific eligibility requirements for implementing specific actions and tasks, and, where appropriate, operational requirements for setting up, operating, and winding up shall be defined in the work programme.

4a.
     
  In order to maximise the positive impact of Union funding and projects, and to protect against unwanted technology and knowledge transfers, Article 27a(2a) of ... [Regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)] shall apply.
  ’;

| (13) | The following Article 134a is inserted

  ‘Article 134a
  Additional tasks of the Executive Director
  In addition to the tasks listed in Article 19, the Executive Director of the Chips Joint Undertaking shall prepare and, after having taken into account the definition of the Public Authorities Board referred to in Article 137(f), as well as the
  relevant input from
  stakeholders
  and experts
  including as appropriate, roadmaps produced by the Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor technologies, submit for adoption to the Governing Board the work programme for the
  Chips Joint Undertaking
  , to implement the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda.’; |
| --- | --- |

(13)

The following Article 134a is inserted

‘Article 134a

Additional tasks of the Executive Director

In addition to the tasks listed in Article 19, the Executive Director of the Chips Joint Undertaking shall prepare and, after having taken into account the definition of the Public Authorities Board referred to in Article 137(f), as well as the
  relevant input from
  stakeholders
  and experts
  including as appropriate, roadmaps produced by the Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor technologies, submit for adoption to the Governing Board the work programme for the
  Chips Joint Undertaking
  , to implement the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda.’;

| (14) | Article 136 is amended as follows:






  (a) | Paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

  ‘2.   For the purpose of paragraphs (1) and (2) Article 134 and points (f) and (g) of Article 137, the Public Authorities Board shall include only the Commission and public authorities from Member States. Paragraph 1 shall apply mutatis mutandis.’; |
| --- | --- | --- |

(14)

Article 136 is amended as follows:

(a)

Paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

‘2.   For the purpose of paragraphs (1) and (2) Article 134 and points (f) and (g) of Article 137, the Public Authorities Board shall include only the Commission and public authorities from Member States. Paragraph 1 shall apply mutatis mutandis.’;

| (15) | Article 137 is amended as follows:






  (a) | The following points (f) and (g) are added:






  ‘(f) | before each work programme is prepared, define the part of the work programme related to capacity building activities and
  R&D&I
  activities, including the corresponding expenditure estimates, taking into account the advice of the
  Private Members Board and the
  European Semiconductor Board and
  relevant
  input from other
  industry
  stakeholders
  , experts and the social partners
  , including as appropriate, roadmaps produced by the Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor Technologies; |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

(15)

Article 137 is amended as follows:

(a)

The following points (f) and (g) are added:

‘(f)

before each work programme is prepared, define the part of the work programme related to capacity building activities and
  R&D&I
  activities, including the corresponding expenditure estimates, taking into account the advice of the
  Private Members Board and the
  European Semiconductor Board and
  relevant
  input from other
  industry
  stakeholders
  , experts and the social partners
  , including as appropriate, roadmaps produced by the Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor Technologies;

R&D&I

Private Members Board and the

relevant

industry

, experts and the social partners

| (g) | select proposals corresponding to capacity building activities in accordance with Articles 12(1) and 17(2), point (u);’ |
| --- | --- |

(g)

select proposals corresponding to capacity building activities in accordance with Articles 12(1) and 17(2), point (u);’

| (b) | Point (d) is replaced by the following:






  ‘(d) | select proposals corresponding to
  R&D&I
  activities in accordance with Articles 12(1) and 17(2), point (u);’ |
| --- | --- | --- |

(b)

Point (d) is replaced by the following:

‘(d)

select proposals corresponding to
  R&D&I
  activities in accordance with Articles 12(1) and 17(2), point (u);’

R&D&I

| (16) | Article 141 is replaced by the following:

  ‘Article 141
  Funding rates and rules for participation

  1.   For indirect actions funded under Horizon Europe, in accordance with Article 17(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 and by way of derogation from Article 34 of that Regulation and for activities funded under the Digital Europe Programme, the Chips Joint Undertaking may apply different funding rates for the Union funding within an action depending on the type of participant, in particular SMEs and non-profit legal entities, and the type of action. The funding rates shall be indicated in the work programme.


  2.   Where it is duly justified in the description of relevant topics in the work programme, a single legal entity established in a Member State or associated country or consortia not meeting the condition laid down in Article 22(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 or in Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694 shall be eligible to participate in actions funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking.’ |
| --- | --- |

(16)

Article 141 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 141

Funding rates and rules for participation

1.   For indirect actions funded under Horizon Europe, in accordance with Article 17(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 and by way of derogation from Article 34 of that Regulation and for activities funded under the Digital Europe Programme, the Chips Joint Undertaking may apply different funding rates for the Union funding within an action depending on the type of participant, in particular SMEs and non-profit legal entities, and the type of action. The funding rates shall be indicated in the work programme.

2.   Where it is duly justified in the description of relevant topics in the work programme, a single legal entity established in a Member State or associated country or consortia not meeting the condition laid down in Article 22(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 or in Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694 shall be eligible to participate in actions funded by the Chips Joint Undertaking.’

| (17) | The references to ‘Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking’ shall be understood as referring to ‘Chips Joint Undertaking’. |
| --- | --- |

(17)

The references to ‘Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking’ shall be understood as referring to ‘Chips Joint Undertaking’.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels,

For the Council

The President

---

(1)  OJ C , , p. .

1

(2)  OJ C , , p. .

2

(3)  Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014 (OJ L 427, 30.11.2021, p. 17).

3

(4)  OJ L ..., p...

4

(5)  Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing Horizon Europe — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1290/2013 and (EU) No 1291/2013 (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 1).

5

(6)  Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the Digital Europe Programme and repealing Decision (EU) 2015/2240 (OJ L 166, 11.5.2021, p. 1).

6

(7)  The Alliance is referred to in the Communication from the Commission of 5 May 2021 on ‘Updating the 2020 New Industrial Strategy: Building a stronger Single Market for Europe’s recovery’.

7

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/142 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/142

---

P9_TA(2023)0045

Consultation on European Ombudsman Implementing Provisions

European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 February 2023 on the draft implementing provisions for the Statute of the European Ombudsman (N9-0065/2022 — C9-0338/2022 — 2022/0903(NLE))

(Consultation)

(2023/C 283/28)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the draft implementing provisions for the Statute of the European Ombudsman (N9-0065/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the draft implementing provisions for the Statute of the European Ombudsman (N9-0065/2022),

| — | having regard to Article 18 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2021/1163 of the European Parliament of 24 June 2021 laying down the regulations and general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman’s duties (Statute of the European Ombudsman) and repealing Decision 94/262/ECSC, EC, Euratom (1), pursuant to which the European Ombudsman consulted Parliament (C9-0338/2022), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 18 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2021/1163 of the European Parliament of 24 June 2021 laying down the regulations and general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman’s duties (Statute of the European Ombudsman) and repealing Decision 94/262/ECSC, EC, Euratom (1), pursuant to which the European Ombudsman consulted Parliament (C9-0338/2022),

| — | having regard to Rule 82 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 82 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A9-0010/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A9-0010/2023),

| 1. | Approves the draft implementing provisions as amended; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Calls on the Ombudsman to notify Parliament if she intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Asks the Ombudsman to consult Parliament again if she intends to substantially amend her draft; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the European Ombudsman, the Council and the Commission. |
| --- | --- |

4.

Amendment 1

Draft implementing provisions

Article 2 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 2.3.
     
  The Ombudsman shall treat a petition falling within the Ombudsman's duties as defined in Article 1(3) of the Statute, which is transferred by the European Parliament with the consent of the petitioner, as a complaint. | deleted |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

2.3.
     
  The Ombudsman shall treat a petition falling within the Ombudsman's duties as defined in Article 1(3) of the Statute, which is transferred by the European Parliament with the consent of the petitioner, as a complaint.

deleted

deleted

Amendment 2

Amendment 2

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 3 — paragraph 1

Article 3 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.1.   The Ombudsman shall handle complaints in any official and working language of the institutions of the Union. The Ombudsman shall communicate with the complainant in
  that
  language, unless the complainant accepts to receive communications in another official and working language of the Union. | 3.1.   The Ombudsman shall handle complaints in any official and working language of the institutions of the Union. The Ombudsman shall communicate with the complainant in
  the
  language
  of the complaint
  , unless the complainant accepts to receive communications in another official and working language of the Union. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

3.1.   The Ombudsman shall handle complaints in any official and working language of the institutions of the Union. The Ombudsman shall communicate with the complainant in
  that
  language, unless the complainant accepts to receive communications in another official and working language of the Union.

3.1.   The Ombudsman shall handle complaints in any official and working language of the institutions of the Union. The Ombudsman shall communicate with the complainant in
  the
  language
  of the complaint
  , unless the complainant accepts to receive communications in another official and working language of the Union.

Amendment 3

Amendment 3

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 3 — paragraph 6

Article 3 — paragraph 6

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.6.   If the Ombudsman considers it appropriate to do so, the Ombudsman may take steps to ensure that a complaint is dealt with as a matter of priority, taking into account strategic
  objectives
  or the particular nature of a complaint, including in areas such as whistleblowing and harassment. | 3.6.   
  In accordance with Article 2 of the Statute,
  if the Ombudsman considers it appropriate to do so, the Ombudsman may take steps to ensure that a complaint is dealt with as a matter of priority, taking into account
  the
  strategic
  work topics defined by the Ombudsman in the annual report
  or the particular nature of a complaint, including in areas such as whistleblowing and harassment.. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

3.6.   If the Ombudsman considers it appropriate to do so, the Ombudsman may take steps to ensure that a complaint is dealt with as a matter of priority, taking into account strategic
  objectives
  or the particular nature of a complaint, including in areas such as whistleblowing and harassment.

3.6.   
  In accordance with Article 2 of the Statute,
  if the Ombudsman considers it appropriate to do so, the Ombudsman may take steps to ensure that a complaint is dealt with as a matter of priority, taking into account
  the
  strategic
  work topics defined by the Ombudsman in the annual report
  or the particular nature of a complaint, including in areas such as whistleblowing and harassment..

Amendment 4

Amendment 4

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 3 — paragraph 7

Article 3 — paragraph 7

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 3.7.   The Ombudsman shall deal with abusive communications and with complaints that amount to an abuse of process in accordance with guidelines adopted for
  this
  purpose. | 3.7.   The Ombudsman shall deal with abusive communications and with complaints that amount to an abuse of process in accordance with guidelines adopted for
  that
  purpose.
  Those guidelines shall be published on the website of the Ombudsman. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

3.7.   The Ombudsman shall deal with abusive communications and with complaints that amount to an abuse of process in accordance with guidelines adopted for
  this
  purpose.

3.7.   The Ombudsman shall deal with abusive communications and with complaints that amount to an abuse of process in accordance with guidelines adopted for
  that
  purpose.
  Those guidelines shall be published on the website of the Ombudsman.

Amendment 5

Amendment 5

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 4 — paragraph 3

Article 4 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 4.3.   At the Ombudsman request, institutions shall provide the Ombudsman with information
  or
  documents for the purposes of an inquiry. The Ombudsman inquiry team may
  inspect documents
  , either at the premises of the institution concerned or by electronic means. EU classified
  documents
  shall be provided at the premises of the institution concerned, unless otherwise agreed with the Ombudsman. | 4.3.   At the Ombudsman request
  and subject to the conditions laid down in Article 5 of the Statute
  , institutions shall provide the Ombudsman with information
  , including in the form of
  documents, for the purposes of an inquiry. The Ombudsman inquiry team may
  examine the information
  , either at the premises of the institution concerned or by electronic means. EU classified
  information
  shall be provided at the premises of the institution concerned, unless otherwise agreed with the Ombudsman. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

4.3.   At the Ombudsman request, institutions shall provide the Ombudsman with information
  or
  documents for the purposes of an inquiry. The Ombudsman inquiry team may
  inspect documents
  , either at the premises of the institution concerned or by electronic means. EU classified
  documents
  shall be provided at the premises of the institution concerned, unless otherwise agreed with the Ombudsman.

4.3.   At the Ombudsman request
  and subject to the conditions laid down in Article 5 of the Statute
  , institutions shall provide the Ombudsman with information
  , including in the form of
  documents, for the purposes of an inquiry. The Ombudsman inquiry team may
  examine the information
  , either at the premises of the institution concerned or by electronic means. EU classified
  information
  shall be provided at the premises of the institution concerned, unless otherwise agreed with the Ombudsman.

Amendment 6

Amendment 6

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 4 — paragraph 4

Article 4 — paragraph 4

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 4.4.   The institution's replies on the matters referred to in paragraphs 4.2 and 4.3 shall be made within the timeframe specified by the Ombudsman, which shall normally not exceed three months. The precise timeframe for providing a reply shall be reasonable, taking into account the complexity and urgency of the inquiry. If the Ombudsman considers that the inquiry is of public
  importance
  , the timeframe for responding shall be as short as is reasonably possible. If the institution concerned is not in a position to provide a reply within the set timeframe, it shall make a reasoned request for an extension. | 4.4.   The institution's replies on the matters referred to in paragraphs 4.2 and 4.3 shall be made within the timeframe specified by the Ombudsman, which shall normally not exceed three months. The precise timeframe for providing a reply shall be reasonable, taking into account the complexity and urgency of the inquiry. If the Ombudsman considers that the inquiry is of public
  interest
  , the timeframe for responding shall be as short as is reasonably possible. If the institution concerned is not in a position to provide a reply within the set timeframe, it shall make a reasoned request for an extension. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

4.4.   The institution's replies on the matters referred to in paragraphs 4.2 and 4.3 shall be made within the timeframe specified by the Ombudsman, which shall normally not exceed three months. The precise timeframe for providing a reply shall be reasonable, taking into account the complexity and urgency of the inquiry. If the Ombudsman considers that the inquiry is of public
  importance
  , the timeframe for responding shall be as short as is reasonably possible. If the institution concerned is not in a position to provide a reply within the set timeframe, it shall make a reasoned request for an extension.

4.4.   The institution's replies on the matters referred to in paragraphs 4.2 and 4.3 shall be made within the timeframe specified by the Ombudsman, which shall normally not exceed three months. The precise timeframe for providing a reply shall be reasonable, taking into account the complexity and urgency of the inquiry. If the Ombudsman considers that the inquiry is of public
  interest
  , the timeframe for responding shall be as short as is reasonably possible. If the institution concerned is not in a position to provide a reply within the set timeframe, it shall make a reasoned request for an extension.

Amendment 7

Amendment 7

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 4 — paragraph 10

Article 4 — paragraph 10

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 4.10.   The Ombudsman shall retain possession of documents or information
  obtained from an institution or a Member State during an inquiry, and identified by that institution or Member State as confidential,
  only for so long as the inquiry is ongoing and the period of time for dealing with any request for review has not expired. Such documents or information
  will
  be destroyed after the inquiry is closed and the period of time for dealing with any request for review has expired. The Ombudsman may request an institution or Member State to retain such documents or information for a period of at least five years following a notification to them that the Ombudsman no longer retains the documents or information. | 4.10.   The Ombudsman shall retain possession of documents or information
  referred to in Article 5(8) of the Statute
  only for so long as the inquiry is ongoing and the period of time for dealing with any request for review
  made pursuant to Article 9.3 of this Decision
  has not expired. Such documents or information
  shall
  be destroyed after the inquiry is closed and the period of time for dealing with any request for review has expired. The Ombudsman may request an institution or Member State to retain such documents or information for a period of at least five years following a notification to them that the Ombudsman no longer retains the documents or information. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

4.10.   The Ombudsman shall retain possession of documents or information
  obtained from an institution or a Member State during an inquiry, and identified by that institution or Member State as confidential,
  only for so long as the inquiry is ongoing and the period of time for dealing with any request for review has not expired. Such documents or information
  will
  be destroyed after the inquiry is closed and the period of time for dealing with any request for review has expired. The Ombudsman may request an institution or Member State to retain such documents or information for a period of at least five years following a notification to them that the Ombudsman no longer retains the documents or information.

4.10.   The Ombudsman shall retain possession of documents or information
  referred to in Article 5(8) of the Statute
  only for so long as the inquiry is ongoing and the period of time for dealing with any request for review
  made pursuant to Article 9.3 of this Decision
  has not expired. Such documents or information
  shall
  be destroyed after the inquiry is closed and the period of time for dealing with any request for review has expired. The Ombudsman may request an institution or Member State to retain such documents or information for a period of at least five years following a notification to them that the Ombudsman no longer retains the documents or information.

Amendment 8

Amendment 8

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 5 — paragraph 1

Article 5 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 5.1.   If the Ombudsman considers that a complaint can be resolved, the Ombudsman shall seek a solution with the institution concerned and the complainant. | 5.1.   If the Ombudsman considers that a complaint can be resolved, the Ombudsman shall seek a solution with the institution concerned
  to eliminate the instance of maladministration and thereby resolve the complaint. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

5.1.   If the Ombudsman considers that a complaint can be resolved, the Ombudsman shall seek a solution with the institution concerned and the complainant.

5.1.   If the Ombudsman considers that a complaint can be resolved, the Ombudsman shall seek a solution with the institution concerned
  to eliminate the instance of maladministration and thereby resolve the complaint.

Amendment 9

Amendment 9

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 6 — paragraph 2

Article 6 — paragraph 2

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 6.2.   Where the Ombudsman finds no maladministration, a solution has been found or no further inquiries are justified, the inquiry shall be closed with a decision setting out findings. In the decision closing the inquiry, the Ombudsman may
  make suggestions for improvement
  regarding issues identified in the course of the inquiry. The Ombudsman shall send the decision to the complainant and to the institution concerned. | 6.2.   Where the Ombudsman finds no maladministration, a solution has been found or no further inquiries are justified, the inquiry shall be closed with a decision setting out findings. In the decision closing the inquiry, the Ombudsman may
  suggest improvements
  regarding issues identified in the course of the inquiry. The Ombudsman shall send the decision to the complainant and to the institution concerned. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

6.2.   Where the Ombudsman finds no maladministration, a solution has been found or no further inquiries are justified, the inquiry shall be closed with a decision setting out findings. In the decision closing the inquiry, the Ombudsman may
  make suggestions for improvement
  regarding issues identified in the course of the inquiry. The Ombudsman shall send the decision to the complainant and to the institution concerned.

6.2.   Where the Ombudsman finds no maladministration, a solution has been found or no further inquiries are justified, the inquiry shall be closed with a decision setting out findings. In the decision closing the inquiry, the Ombudsman may
  suggest improvements
  regarding issues identified in the course of the inquiry. The Ombudsman shall send the decision to the complainant and to the institution concerned.

Amendment 10

Amendment 10

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 7 — paragraph 2

Article 7 — paragraph 2

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 7.2.   The Ombudsman may submit a Special Report to the European Parliament on any inquiry in which the Ombudsman finds maladministration and which the Ombudsman considers to be of public
  importance
  . | 7.2.   The Ombudsman may submit a Special Report to the European Parliament on any inquiry in which the Ombudsman finds maladministration and which the Ombudsman considers to be of
  particular
  public
  interest
  . |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

7.2.   The Ombudsman may submit a Special Report to the European Parliament on any inquiry in which the Ombudsman finds maladministration and which the Ombudsman considers to be of public
  importance
  .

7.2.   The Ombudsman may submit a Special Report to the European Parliament on any inquiry in which the Ombudsman finds maladministration and which the Ombudsman considers to be of
  particular
  public
  interest
  .

Amendment 11

Amendment 11

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 8 — title

Article 8 — title

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| Own-initiative inquiries | Own-initiative inquiries
  and follow-up inquiries |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

Own-initiative inquiries

Own-initiative inquiries
  and follow-up inquiries

and follow-up inquiries

Amendment 12

Amendment 12

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 8 — paragraph 1

Article 8 — paragraph 1

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 8.1.   In accordance with the Ombudsman's duties as defined in Article 1(3) of the Statute, the Ombudsman shall conduct own-initiative inquiries for which the Ombudsman finds grounds. | 8.1.   In accordance with the Ombudsman's duties as defined in Article 1(3)
  and in Article 3(3)
  of the Statute, the Ombudsman shall conduct own-initiative inquiries for which the Ombudsman finds grounds. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

8.1.   In accordance with the Ombudsman's duties as defined in Article 1(3) of the Statute, the Ombudsman shall conduct own-initiative inquiries for which the Ombudsman finds grounds.

8.1.   In accordance with the Ombudsman's duties as defined in Article 1(3)
  and in Article 3(3)
  of the Statute, the Ombudsman shall conduct own-initiative inquiries for which the Ombudsman finds grounds.

Amendment 13

Amendment 13

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 8 — paragraph 2

Article 8 — paragraph 2

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 8.2.   
  The procedures applicable to inquiries opened following a complaint shall apply, to the extent that they are relevant, to own initiative inquiries. | 8.2.   
  The Ombudsman may also contact the institutions in writing, in order to raise awareness, share observations or gather information on administrative practices. Within the limits of the Ombudsman’s duties as defined in Article 1(3) of the Statute and in accordance with Article 3(3) thereof, the Ombudsman may decide to conduct own-initiative inquiries also following such contacts with the institutions. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

8.2.   
  The procedures applicable to inquiries opened following a complaint shall apply, to the extent that they are relevant, to own initiative inquiries.

8.2.   
  The Ombudsman may also contact the institutions in writing, in order to raise awareness, share observations or gather information on administrative practices. Within the limits of the Ombudsman’s duties as defined in Article 1(3) of the Statute and in accordance with Article 3(3) thereof, the Ombudsman may decide to conduct own-initiative inquiries also following such contacts with the institutions.

Amendment 14

Amendment 14

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 8 — paragraph 3

Article 8 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 8.3.   
  The Ombudsman may, outside the scope of inquiries, contact the institutions in writing, in order to raise awareness, share observations or gather information on administrative practices. Within the limits of the duties defined in Article 1(3) of the Statute, the Ombudsman may decide to conduct own-initiative inquiries also following such contacts with the institutions, in accordance with paragraphs 8.1 and 8.2. | 8.3.   
  The procedures applicable to inquiries opened following a complaint shall apply to own-initiative inquiries under paragraph 8.1 and 8.2 to the extent that they are relevant to those inquiries. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

8.3.   
  The Ombudsman may, outside the scope of inquiries, contact the institutions in writing, in order to raise awareness, share observations or gather information on administrative practices. Within the limits of the duties defined in Article 1(3) of the Statute, the Ombudsman may decide to conduct own-initiative inquiries also following such contacts with the institutions, in accordance with paragraphs 8.1 and 8.2.

8.3.   
  The procedures applicable to inquiries opened following a complaint shall apply to own-initiative inquiries under paragraph 8.1 and 8.2 to the extent that they are relevant to those inquiries.

Amendment 15

Amendment 15

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 9 — paragraph 3

Article 9 — paragraph 3

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 9.3.   The complainant shall be entitled to request a review of a decision taken pursuant to Articles 3.3 and 3.4 of this Decision, and of any finding in a decision closing an inquiry with the exception of a finding of maladministration. The detailed rules on how the Ombudsman deals with requests for review shall be set out in a decision of the Ombudsman. | 9.3.   The complainant shall be entitled to request a review of a decision taken pursuant to Articles 3.3 and 3.4 of this Decision, and of any finding in a decision closing an inquiry with the exception of a finding of maladministration. The detailed rules on how the Ombudsman deals with requests for review shall be set out in a decision of the Ombudsman
  and published on the website of the Ombudsman
  . |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

9.3.   The complainant shall be entitled to request a review of a decision taken pursuant to Articles 3.3 and 3.4 of this Decision, and of any finding in a decision closing an inquiry with the exception of a finding of maladministration. The detailed rules on how the Ombudsman deals with requests for review shall be set out in a decision of the Ombudsman.

9.3.   The complainant shall be entitled to request a review of a decision taken pursuant to Articles 3.3 and 3.4 of this Decision, and of any finding in a decision closing an inquiry with the exception of a finding of maladministration. The detailed rules on how the Ombudsman deals with requests for review shall be set out in a decision of the Ombudsman
  and published on the website of the Ombudsman
  .

Amendment 16

Amendment 16

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 9 — paragraph 4

Article 9 — paragraph 4

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 9.4.   When making a request for review pursuant to
  Article
  9.3 of this Decision, the complainant shall be entitled to request access to the Ombudsman’s file on the complaint,
  in accordance with the rules set out in the Statute, with the exception of documents declared confidential by an institution, a Member State or the Ombudsman, or any other confidential information in the file.
  Disclosure of information in the file to the complainant shall
  be subject to
  the conditions laid down in Article 5(8) of the Statute. | 9.4.   When making a request for review pursuant to
  paragraph
  9.3 of this Decision, the complainant shall be entitled to request access to the Ombudsman’s file on the complaint. Disclosure of information in the file to the complainant shall
  comply with the rules laid down in the Statute and in particular,
  the conditions laid down in Article 5(8) of the Statute. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

9.4.   When making a request for review pursuant to
  Article
  9.3 of this Decision, the complainant shall be entitled to request access to the Ombudsman’s file on the complaint,
  in accordance with the rules set out in the Statute, with the exception of documents declared confidential by an institution, a Member State or the Ombudsman, or any other confidential information in the file.
  Disclosure of information in the file to the complainant shall
  be subject to
  the conditions laid down in Article 5(8) of the Statute.

9.4.   When making a request for review pursuant to
  paragraph
  9.3 of this Decision, the complainant shall be entitled to request access to the Ombudsman’s file on the complaint. Disclosure of information in the file to the complainant shall
  comply with the rules laid down in the Statute and in particular,
  the conditions laid down in Article 5(8) of the Statute.

Amendment 17

Amendment 17

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 9 — paragraph 5

Article 9 — paragraph 5

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| 9.5.   To protect the legitimate interests of the complainant or of a third party, the Ombudsman may classify as confidential information in a complaint or in other documents, and inform the institution accordingly. In exceptional circumstances, such as in complaints that concern whistleblowing, the Ombudsman may decide not to communicate the identity of the complainant to the institution concerned. | 9.5.   To protect the legitimate interests of the complainant or of a third party, the Ombudsman may classify as confidential information in a complaint or in other documents, and inform the institution accordingly. In exceptional circumstances, such as in complaints that concern whistleblowing, the Ombudsman may decide not to communicate the identity of the complainant to the institution concerned
  or to other external actors. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

9.5.   To protect the legitimate interests of the complainant or of a third party, the Ombudsman may classify as confidential information in a complaint or in other documents, and inform the institution accordingly. In exceptional circumstances, such as in complaints that concern whistleblowing, the Ombudsman may decide not to communicate the identity of the complainant to the institution concerned.

9.5.   To protect the legitimate interests of the complainant or of a third party, the Ombudsman may classify as confidential information in a complaint or in other documents, and inform the institution accordingly. In exceptional circumstances, such as in complaints that concern whistleblowing, the Ombudsman may decide not to communicate the identity of the complainant to the institution concerned
  or to other external actors.

Amendment 18

Amendment 18

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 9 — paragraph 7 (new)

Article 9 — paragraph 7 (new)

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| | 9.7.
     
  In cases where the Ombudsman is asked to verify whether the measures adopted by the competent authority of the Union institution, body, office or agency concerned ensure the protection of alleged victims of harassment and restore a healthy and safe working environment, respecting the dignity of the persons concerned while an administrative inquiry is ongoing, the Ombudsman may consult external experts in the field for their assistance in the verification and for possible recommendations. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

9.7.
     
  In cases where the Ombudsman is asked to verify whether the measures adopted by the competent authority of the Union institution, body, office or agency concerned ensure the protection of alleged victims of harassment and restore a healthy and safe working environment, respecting the dignity of the persons concerned while an administrative inquiry is ongoing, the Ombudsman may consult external experts in the field for their assistance in the verification and for possible recommendations.

Amendment 19

Amendment 19

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 10

Article 10

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| The Ombudsman shall ensure that institutions are kept informed of the Ombudsman’s inquiries and their outcomes and
  , where appropriate,
  are given the possibility to submit comments and evidence as provided for in this Decision and in the Statute. | The Ombudsman shall ensure that institutions are kept informed of the Ombudsman’s inquiries and their outcomes and are given the possibility to submit comments and evidence as provided for in this Decision and in the Statute. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

The Ombudsman shall ensure that institutions are kept informed of the Ombudsman’s inquiries and their outcomes and
  , where appropriate,
  are given the possibility to submit comments and evidence as provided for in this Decision and in the Statute.

, where appropriate,

The Ombudsman shall ensure that institutions are kept informed of the Ombudsman’s inquiries and their outcomes and are given the possibility to submit comments and evidence as provided for in this Decision and in the Statute.

Amendment 20

Amendment 20

Draft implementing provisions

Draft implementing provisions

Article 13

Article 13

| Text proposed by the European Ombudsman | Amendment |
| --- | --- |
| The Ombudsman may make public non-confidential information about the progress of an inquiry. In particular, in inquiries of public
  importance
  , the Ombudsman may make public exchanges with the institutions or Member States, subject to the conditions laid down in Article 5(8) of the Statute. | Without prejudice to Article 6 and Article 9(1) of the Statute,
  the Ombudsman may make public non-confidential information about the progress of an inquiry. In particular, in inquiries of public
  interest
  , the Ombudsman may make public exchanges with the institutions or Member States, subject to the conditions laid down in Article 5(8) of the Statute. |

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Text proposed by the European Ombudsman

Amendment

Amendment

The Ombudsman may make public non-confidential information about the progress of an inquiry. In particular, in inquiries of public
  importance
  , the Ombudsman may make public exchanges with the institutions or Member States, subject to the conditions laid down in Article 5(8) of the Statute.

importance

Without prejudice to Article 6 and Article 9(1) of the Statute,
  the Ombudsman may make public non-confidential information about the progress of an inquiry. In particular, in inquiries of public
  interest
  , the Ombudsman may make public exchanges with the institutions or Member States, subject to the conditions laid down in Article 5(8) of the Statute.

Without prejudice to Article 6 and Article 9(1) of the Statute,

interest

---

(1)  OJ L 253, 16.7.2021, p. 1.

1

---

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/149 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/149

---

P9_TA(2023)0047

Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence: EU accession

European Parliament resolution of 15 February 2023 on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, by the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (COM(2016)0109 — 2016/0062R(NLE))

(2023/C 283/29)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, by the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (COM(2016)0109), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, by the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (COM(2016)0109),

| — | having regard to Council Decision (EU) 2017/865 of 11 May 2017 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence with regard to matters related to judicial cooperation in criminal matters (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Council Decision (EU) 2017/865 of 11 May 2017 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence with regard to matters related to judicial cooperation in criminal matters (1),

| — | having regard to Council Decision (EU) 2017/866 of 11 May 2017 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence with regard to asylum and non-refoulement (2), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Council Decision (EU) 2017/866 of 11 May 2017 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence with regard to asylum and non-refoulement (2),

| — | having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), which entered into force on 1 August 2014 (3) and was signed by the European Union on 12 June 2017, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), which entered into force on 1 August 2014 (3) and was signed by the European Union on 12 June 2017,

| — | having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Articles 2 and 3 thereof, and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular, Articles 8, 10, 19, 83, 153 and 157 thereof, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Articles 2 and 3 thereof, and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular, Articles 8, 10, 19, 83, 153 and 157 thereof,

| — | having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’), which entered into force together with the Treaty of Lisbon in December 2009, and in particular to Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 21, 23 and 31 of the Charter, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’), which entered into force together with the Treaty of Lisbon in December 2009, and in particular to Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 21, 23 and 31 of the Charter,

| — | having regard to Council Directive 2004/113/EC of 13 December 2004 implementing the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services (4), which defines and condemns harassment and sexual harassment, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Council Directive 2004/113/EC of 13 December 2004 implementing the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services (4), which defines and condemns harassment and sexual harassment,

| — | having regard to Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation (5), which defines direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and sexual harassment, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation (5), which defines direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and sexual harassment,

| — | having regard to Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA (6) (the Victims’ Rights Directive), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA (6) (the Victims’ Rights Directive),

| — | having regard to the 2014 report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on violence against women (7), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the 2014 report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on violence against women (7),

| — | having regard to the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and in particular, its judgments on domestic violence and violence against women, in particular Opuz v Turkey (8), Y and Others v Bulgaria (9), Landi v Italy (10), M.C. v Bulgaria (11), Yazgül Yılmaz v Turkey (12), V.C. v Slovakia (13), P. and S. v Poland (14) and J.L. v Italy (15), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and in particular, its judgments on domestic violence and violence against women, in particular Opuz v Turkey (8), Y and Others v Bulgaria (9), Landi v Italy (10), M.C. v Bulgaria (11), Yazgül Yılmaz v Turkey (12), V.C. v Slovakia (13), P. and S. v Poland (14) and J.L. v Italy (15),

| — | having regard to the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, signed in Rome on 4 November 1950, and in particular to Articles 2, 3, 8 and 14 of, and Protocol No 12 to, the Convention, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, signed in Rome on 4 November 1950, and in particular to Articles 2, 3, 8 and 14 of, and Protocol No 12 to, the Convention,

| — | having regard to the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) baseline evaluation reports and, in particular, the reports on Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden, including the lists of proposals and suggestions made by GREVIO and recommendations by the Committee of the Parties, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) baseline evaluation reports and, in particular, the reports on Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden, including the lists of proposals and suggestions made by GREVIO and recommendations by the Committee of the Parties,

| — | having regard to the GREVIO General Recommendation No 1 on the digital dimension of violence against women, adopted on 20 October 2021, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the GREVIO General Recommendation No 1 on the digital dimension of violence against women, adopted on 20 October 2021,

| — | having regard to GREVIO’s Mid-term Horizontal Review of GREVIO baseline evaluation reports (16) of February 2022, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to GREVIO’s Mid-term Horizontal Review of GREVIO baseline evaluation reports (16) of February 2022,

| — | having regard to the Explanatory Report to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence of 11 May 2011, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Explanatory Report to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence of 11 May 2011,

| — | having regard to the Council of Europe report entitled ‘Overview of studies on the costs of violence against women and domestic violence’, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Council of Europe report entitled ‘Overview of studies on the costs of violence against women and domestic violence’,

| — | having regard to the issue paper of the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights of 4 December 2017 entitled ‘Women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights in Europe’, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the issue paper of the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights of 4 December 2017 entitled ‘Women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights in Europe’,

| — | having regard to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights,

| — | having regard to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women on 15 September 1995, and to the subsequent outcome documents adopted at the United Nations Beijing + 5 (2000), Beijing + 10 (2005), Beijing + 15 (2010), Beijing + 20 (2015) special sessions and the political declaration on Beijing + 25 (2020) of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women on 15 September 1995, and to the subsequent outcome documents adopted at the United Nations Beijing + 5 (2000), Beijing + 10 (2005), Beijing + 15 (2010), Beijing + 20 (2015) special sessions and the political declaration on Beijing + 25 (2020) of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW),

| — | having regard to the provisions of the UN legal instruments in the sphere of human rights, in particular those concerning women’s rights, such as the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its Optional Protocol, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the principle of non-refoulement, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the provisions of the UN legal instruments in the sphere of human rights, in particular those concerning women’s rights, such as the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its Optional Protocol, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the principle of non-refoulement, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,

| — | having regard to the CEDAW Committee General Recommendations 12, 19, 33 and 35 on violence against women, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the CEDAW Committee General Recommendations 12, 19, 33 and 35 on violence against women,

| — | having regard to the 2018 Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its causes and consequences on online violence against women and girls from a human perspective, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the 2018 Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its causes and consequences on online violence against women and girls from a human perspective,

| — | having regard to the International Labour Organization (ILO) Violence and Harassment Convention (No 190) of 2019, which entered into force on 25 June 2021, and to its Violence and Harassment Recommendation (No 206), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the International Labour Organization (ILO) Violence and Harassment Convention (No 190) of 2019, which entered into force on 25 June 2021, and to its Violence and Harassment Recommendation (No 206),

| — | having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to which the EU is a State Party, including the 2015 Concluding Observations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) to the EU, which calls on the EU to accede to the Istanbul Convention as a way to protect women and girls with disabilities from violence, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to which the EU is a State Party, including the 2015 Concluding Observations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) to the EU, which calls on the EU to accede to the Istanbul Convention as a way to protect women and girls with disabilities from violence,

| — | having regard to Sustainable Development Goal 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Sustainable Development Goal 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls,

| — | having regard to the 1993 United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the 1993 United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women,

| — | having regard to the United Nations General Assembly 2020 Resolution entitled ‘Intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls’, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the United Nations General Assembly 2020 Resolution entitled ‘Intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls’,

| — | having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025’ (COM(2020)0152), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025’ (COM(2020)0152),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 24 June 2020 entitled ‘EU Strategy on victims’ rights (2020-2025) (COM(2020)0258), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 24 June 2020 entitled ‘EU Strategy on victims’ rights (2020-2025) (COM(2020)0258),

| — | having regard to the Commission communication of 12 November 2020 entitled ‘Union of Equality: LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025’ (COM(2020)0698), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 12 November 2020 entitled ‘Union of Equality: LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025’ (COM(2020)0698),

| — | having regard to the Commission’s proposal of 8 March 2022 for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on combating violence against women and domestic violence (COM(2022)0105), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission’s proposal of 8 March 2022 for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on combating violence against women and domestic violence (COM(2022)0105),

| — | having regard to the 2021 report of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) entitled ‘The costs of gender-based violence in the European Union’, as well as to the EIGE Gender Equality Index Reports published since 2013, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the 2021 report of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) entitled ‘The costs of gender-based violence in the European Union’, as well as to the EIGE Gender Equality Index Reports published since 2013,

| — | having regard to the commitments made at the Generation Equality Forum of July 2021, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the commitments made at the Generation Equality Forum of July 2021,

| — | having regard to its resolution of 26 November 2009 on the elimination of violence against women (17), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 26 November 2009 on the elimination of violence against women (17),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 5 April 2011 on priorities and outline of a new EU policy framework to fight violence against women (18), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 5 April 2011 on priorities and outline of a new EU policy framework to fight violence against women (18),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 25 February 2014 with recommendations to the Commission on combating violence against women (19), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 25 February 2014 with recommendations to the Commission on combating violence against women (19),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 26 October 2017 on combating sexual harassment and abuse in the EU (20), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 26 October 2017 on combating sexual harassment and abuse in the EU (20),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 12 September 2017 on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, by the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (21), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 12 September 2017 on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, by the European Union, of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (21),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 13 February 2019 on experiencing a backlash in women’s rights and gender equality in the EU (22), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 13 February 2019 on experiencing a backlash in women’s rights and gender equality in the EU (22),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 4 April 2019 seeking an opinion from the Court of Justice on the compatibility with the Treaties of the proposals for the accession by the European Union to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence and on the procedure for that accession (23), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 4 April 2019 seeking an opinion from the Court of Justice on the compatibility with the Treaties of the proposals for the accession by the European Union to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence and on the procedure for that accession (23),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 28 November 2019 on the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention and other measures to combat gender-based violence (24), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 28 November 2019 on the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention and other measures to combat gender-based violence (24),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on the EU Strategy for Gender Equality (25), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on the EU Strategy for Gender Equality (25),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 11 February 2021 on challenges ahead for women’s rights in Europe: more than 25 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (26), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 11 February 2021 on challenges ahead for women’s rights in Europe: more than 25 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (26),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on identifying gender-based violence as a new area of crime listed in Article 83(1) TFEU (27), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on identifying gender-based violence as a new area of crime listed in Article 83(1) TFEU (27),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 6 October 2021 on the impact of intimate partner violence and custody rights on women and children (28), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 6 October 2021 on the impact of intimate partner violence and custody rights on women and children (28),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 14 December 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on combating gender-based violence: cyberviolence (29), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 14 December 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on combating gender-based violence: cyberviolence (29),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2021 on equality between women and men in the European Union in 2018-2020 (30), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2021 on equality between women and men in the European Union in 2018-2020 (30),

| — | having regard to its resolution of 24 November 2016 on the EU accession to the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women (31), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to its resolution of 24 November 2016 on the EU accession to the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women (31),

| — | having regard to Opinion 1/19 of the Court of Justice of the European Union (Grand Chamber) of 6 October 2021 on the Istanbul Convention (32), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Opinion 1/19 of the Court of Justice of the European Union (Grand Chamber) of 6 October 2021 on the Istanbul Convention (32),

| — | having regard to Rule 105(5) of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rule 105(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the joint deliberations of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality under Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the joint deliberations of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality under Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the interim report of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (A9-0021/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the interim report of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (A9-0021/2023),

| A. | whereas gender equality is a core value of the EU, enshrined in Article 2 TEU and stressed in Article 23 of the Charter, and must be mainstreamed in all EU policies, activities, and programmes; whereas the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) has noted that the European Union will take around 60 years to reach gender equality at the current pace; whereas the eradication of gender-based violence and especially violence against women and girls is a prerequisite to achieving real gender equality; |
| --- | --- |

A.

whereas gender equality is a core value of the EU, enshrined in Article 2 TEU and stressed in Article 23 of the Charter, and must be mainstreamed in all EU policies, activities, and programmes; whereas the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) has noted that the European Union will take around 60 years to reach gender equality at the current pace; whereas the eradication of gender-based violence and especially violence against women and girls is a prerequisite to achieving real gender equality;

| B. | whereas gender-based violence is violence directed against a person because of that person’s gender or violence that affects persons of a particular gender disproportionally; whereas ‘violence against women’ is understood as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women and means all acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological, structural or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life, as per the definition of the Istanbul Convention; whereas liberty and equality give women the means to fulfil their true potential; |
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B.

whereas gender-based violence is violence directed against a person because of that person’s gender or violence that affects persons of a particular gender disproportionally; whereas ‘violence against women’ is understood as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women and means all acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological, structural or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life, as per the definition of the Istanbul Convention; whereas liberty and equality give women the means to fulfil their true potential;

| C. | whereas Article 3 of the Istanbul Convention defines ‘gender-based violence’ as ‘violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately’, and ‘gender’ as ‘the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for women and men’; |
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C.

whereas Article 3 of the Istanbul Convention defines ‘gender-based violence’ as ‘violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately’, and ‘gender’ as ‘the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for women and men’;

| D. | whereas one in three women in the EU, totalling around 62 million women, have experienced physical and/or sexual violence and whereas more than half of women (55 %) in the EU have experienced sexual harassment at least once since the age of 15 (33); whereas a new survey by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is being conducted to update this data; whereas the latest estimated cost of gender-based violence and intimate partner violence in the European Union has increased by around one third, and the estimated cost of gender-based violence is EUR 366 billion per year (34); whereas there are still many types and aspects of gender-based violence where data remains insufficient; whereas in its 2022 Gender Equality Index (35) EIGE found that the data still falls short of reflecting the extent of gender-based violence in the EU; |
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D.

whereas one in three women in the EU, totalling around 62 million women, have experienced physical and/or sexual violence and whereas more than half of women (55 %) in the EU have experienced sexual harassment at least once since the age of 15 (33); whereas a new survey by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is being conducted to update this data; whereas the latest estimated cost of gender-based violence and intimate partner violence in the European Union has increased by around one third, and the estimated cost of gender-based violence is EUR 366 billion per year (34); whereas there are still many types and aspects of gender-based violence where data remains insufficient; whereas in its 2022 Gender Equality Index (35) EIGE found that the data still falls short of reflecting the extent of gender-based violence in the EU;

| E. | whereas gender-based violence, particularly that committed against women and girls, is both a cause and a consequence of the structural inequalities which are rooted in gender stereotypes and power asymmetries including those in the private, social, public and economic sphere; whereas gender-based violence, both online and offline is the most severe manifestation of gender inequality and discrimination, and has a severe direct and indirect impact on victims and their children with possible long-term physical, sexual, emotional and psychological consequences, constituting as such a public health issue, as well as causing economic and financial harm; whereas gender-based violence is a violation of women’s human rights, and is a serious obstacle to the participation of women in social, public and political life and in the labour market and prevents women from fully enjoying their rights and fundamental freedoms; |
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E.

whereas gender-based violence, particularly that committed against women and girls, is both a cause and a consequence of the structural inequalities which are rooted in gender stereotypes and power asymmetries including those in the private, social, public and economic sphere; whereas gender-based violence, both online and offline is the most severe manifestation of gender inequality and discrimination, and has a severe direct and indirect impact on victims and their children with possible long-term physical, sexual, emotional and psychological consequences, constituting as such a public health issue, as well as causing economic and financial harm; whereas gender-based violence is a violation of women’s human rights, and is a serious obstacle to the participation of women in social, public and political life and in the labour market and prevents women from fully enjoying their rights and fundamental freedoms;

| F. | whereas gender-based violence can affect many fundamental rights enshrined in international and European human rights instruments, including the Charter, such as the right to human dignity (Article 1), the right to life (Article 2), the right to the integrity of the person (Article 3), the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment (Article 4), the right to liberty and security (Article 6), the right to freedom from discrimination, including on the grounds of sex (Article 21), and the right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial; |
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F.

whereas gender-based violence can affect many fundamental rights enshrined in international and European human rights instruments, including the Charter, such as the right to human dignity (Article 1), the right to life (Article 2), the right to the integrity of the person (Article 3), the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment (Article 4), the right to liberty and security (Article 6), the right to freedom from discrimination, including on the grounds of sex (Article 21), and the right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial;

| G. | whereas gender-based violence, particularly that committed against women and girls is a structural and widespread problem throughout Europe and the world, which involves victims and perpetrators irrespective of their age, education, income, social status, cultural backgrounds and while anybody can be an indirect victim of gender-based violence, women and girls are disproportionately affected by all forms of such violence; |
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G.

whereas gender-based violence, particularly that committed against women and girls is a structural and widespread problem throughout Europe and the world, which involves victims and perpetrators irrespective of their age, education, income, social status, cultural backgrounds and while anybody can be an indirect victim of gender-based violence, women and girls are disproportionately affected by all forms of such violence;

| H. | whereas women and girls in particular, in all their diversity, are targeted by gender-based violence and experience varying and intersecting forms of discrimination, which have an compounding negative impact; whereas some groups of women and girls, such as migrant women, women refugees and asylum seekers, women and girls with disabilities, and Roma women, are at risk of multiple discrimination and are therefore even more vulnerable to violence; whereas the diversity of women and the risks of intersecting forms of discrimination should be taken into consideration; whereas LGBTIQ+ persons may be victims of gender-based violence because of their sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics; and whereas the Istanbul Convention stipulates that all its provisions, in particular measures to protect the rights of victims, must be secured without discrimination on any grounds such as sex, gender, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, state of health, disability, marital status, migrant or refugee status, or other status; |
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H.

whereas women and girls in particular, in all their diversity, are targeted by gender-based violence and experience varying and intersecting forms of discrimination, which have an compounding negative impact; whereas some groups of women and girls, such as migrant women, women refugees and asylum seekers, women and girls with disabilities, and Roma women, are at risk of multiple discrimination and are therefore even more vulnerable to violence; whereas the diversity of women and the risks of intersecting forms of discrimination should be taken into consideration; whereas LGBTIQ+ persons may be victims of gender-based violence because of their sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics; and whereas the Istanbul Convention stipulates that all its provisions, in particular measures to protect the rights of victims, must be secured without discrimination on any grounds such as sex, gender, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, state of health, disability, marital status, migrant or refugee status, or other status;

| I. | whereas these intersecting and multiple forms of discrimination should be taken into account when giving access to justice and related services; whereas women should be granted specialist support services in the implementation of protection measures; |
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I.

whereas these intersecting and multiple forms of discrimination should be taken into account when giving access to justice and related services; whereas women should be granted specialist support services in the implementation of protection measures;

| J. | whereas ‘rape culture’, which consists of a series of beliefs that encourage male sexual aggression and supports gender-based violence, is still a widespread problem throughout Europe and the world, manifesting itself in the normalising or trivialising of sexual violence, rape and sexual harassment, and is rooted in gender stereotypes, sexism, misogyny and the unequal distribution of power between genders; |
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J.

whereas ‘rape culture’, which consists of a series of beliefs that encourage male sexual aggression and supports gender-based violence, is still a widespread problem throughout Europe and the world, manifesting itself in the normalising or trivialising of sexual violence, rape and sexual harassment, and is rooted in gender stereotypes, sexism, misogyny and the unequal distribution of power between genders;

| K. | whereas the level of gender equality is often indicative of, and serves as a first warning of, the deteriorating situation of fundamental rights and values, including democracy and the rule of law, in a given society; whereas the present decade is witnessing a visible and increasingly organised attack on, and oppressive backlash against, gender equality, women’s and girls’ rights and the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons, which is manifesting itself particularly in a number of Member States as well as elsewhere in the world, and which has led to a visible increase in online and offline violence against women and LGBTIQ+ persons; |
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K.

whereas the level of gender equality is often indicative of, and serves as a first warning of, the deteriorating situation of fundamental rights and values, including democracy and the rule of law, in a given society; whereas the present decade is witnessing a visible and increasingly organised attack on, and oppressive backlash against, gender equality, women’s and girls’ rights and the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons, which is manifesting itself particularly in a number of Member States as well as elsewhere in the world, and which has led to a visible increase in online and offline violence against women and LGBTIQ+ persons;

| L. | whereas the EU must take all necessary measures to promote and protect the right of all women and girls to live free from violence; whereas the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased domestic violence and violence against women; whereas more than 45 % of women worldwide have reported that they or a woman they know has experienced some form of violence and 65 % of women have reported experiencing it in their lifetime; whereas European countries saw either a sharp or a constant increase in reported cases of femicides; whereas access to essential services such as emergency accommodation and telephone assistance has decreased, confirming the even more urgent need to adopt concrete measures to combat such violence after the lessons learned from the pandemic; |
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L.

whereas the EU must take all necessary measures to promote and protect the right of all women and girls to live free from violence; whereas the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased domestic violence and violence against women; whereas more than 45 % of women worldwide have reported that they or a woman they know has experienced some form of violence and 65 % of women have reported experiencing it in their lifetime; whereas European countries saw either a sharp or a constant increase in reported cases of femicides; whereas access to essential services such as emergency accommodation and telephone assistance has decreased, confirming the even more urgent need to adopt concrete measures to combat such violence after the lessons learned from the pandemic;

| M. | whereas gender-based violence, committed in particular against women and girls, may take many forms such as physical assault, sexual violence, including rape, female genital mutilation, femicide, trafficking of women and girls for the purposes of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, ‘honour crimes’ and forced marriages, marital captivity, forced sterilisation, forced abortion, as well as the denial of safe and legal abortion, obstetric and gynaecological violence, institutional violence, vicarious violence, economic violence that occurs within the family and/or domestic unit, stalking, bullying and harassment, hate speech, both online and offline, and various forms of cyberviolence; whereas gender-based violence against LGBTIQ+ women includes additional forms of sexual violence, such as ‘corrective’ rape and sexual harassment, female and intersex genital mutilations, forced sterilisation of trans and intersex people and conversion therapy; |
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M.

whereas gender-based violence, committed in particular against women and girls, may take many forms such as physical assault, sexual violence, including rape, female genital mutilation, femicide, trafficking of women and girls for the purposes of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, ‘honour crimes’ and forced marriages, marital captivity, forced sterilisation, forced abortion, as well as the denial of safe and legal abortion, obstetric and gynaecological violence, institutional violence, vicarious violence, economic violence that occurs within the family and/or domestic unit, stalking, bullying and harassment, hate speech, both online and offline, and various forms of cyberviolence; whereas gender-based violence against LGBTIQ+ women includes additional forms of sexual violence, such as ‘corrective’ rape and sexual harassment, female and intersex genital mutilations, forced sterilisation of trans and intersex people and conversion therapy;

| N. | whereas differences in Member States’ laws and policies have led to a divergence in the extent to which women are protected against gender-based violence such that women do not have equal protection against gender-based violence across the EU; whereas in some Member States the denial of safe and legal abortion has led to the death of a number of women in recent years (36); whereas the ECtHR has ruled on several occasions that restricting access to abortion, where provided for in national law, and lack of implementation of legally permitted access, violates human rights, and hence it constitutes a form of gender-based violence in that context; whereas in some Member States women’s rights organisations are being harassed and persecuted for assisting victims of inhumane abortion laws (37); |
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N.

whereas differences in Member States’ laws and policies have led to a divergence in the extent to which women are protected against gender-based violence such that women do not have equal protection against gender-based violence across the EU; whereas in some Member States the denial of safe and legal abortion has led to the death of a number of women in recent years (36); whereas the ECtHR has ruled on several occasions that restricting access to abortion, where provided for in national law, and lack of implementation of legally permitted access, violates human rights, and hence it constitutes a form of gender-based violence in that context; whereas in some Member States women’s rights organisations are being harassed and persecuted for assisting victims of inhumane abortion laws (37);

| O. | whereas gender-based violence continues to be an underreported crime in the European Union; whereas 67 % of women interviewed in the 2014 FRA survey stated that they did not report serious incidents of partner violence to the police or any other organisation (38); |
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O.

whereas gender-based violence continues to be an underreported crime in the European Union; whereas 67 % of women interviewed in the 2014 FRA survey stated that they did not report serious incidents of partner violence to the police or any other organisation (38);

| P. | whereas stereotyping and gender bias in the justice system together with the lack of gender-sensitive, effective and speedy prosecution, legal frameworks, judicial systems, and measures to provide protection, support and reparations impair women’s access to justice and foster a lack of trust in law enforcement, a lack of information on how to take action and report such occurrences and a lack of adequate social and medical services are frequent reasons for not reporting gender-based violence; |
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P.

whereas stereotyping and gender bias in the justice system together with the lack of gender-sensitive, effective and speedy prosecution, legal frameworks, judicial systems, and measures to provide protection, support and reparations impair women’s access to justice and foster a lack of trust in law enforcement, a lack of information on how to take action and report such occurrences and a lack of adequate social and medical services are frequent reasons for not reporting gender-based violence;

| Q. | whereas specific groups subject to gender-based violence, such as racialized women, women with disabilities, migrant women and LGBTIQ+ persons, face additional barriers to access to justice; |
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Q.

whereas specific groups subject to gender-based violence, such as racialized women, women with disabilities, migrant women and LGBTIQ+ persons, face additional barriers to access to justice;

| R. | whereas, in many cases, the victim may be subjected to degrading comments, repeated exposure to the perpetrator, victim blaming and repeated interrogation by law enforcement officials or police, which exacerbates their fear of reporting the violence they have suffered, and increases the risk of re-victimisation or secondary forms of victimisation; |
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R.

whereas, in many cases, the victim may be subjected to degrading comments, repeated exposure to the perpetrator, victim blaming and repeated interrogation by law enforcement officials or police, which exacerbates their fear of reporting the violence they have suffered, and increases the risk of re-victimisation or secondary forms of victimisation;

| S. | whereas the 1993 United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and the Beijing UN Platform for Action defined violence against women as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life; whereas the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) defines gender-based violence as violence which is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately; whereas CEDAW underlines that gender-based violence is a form of discrimination that seriously inhibits women’s ability to exercise their rights and freedoms on the basis of equality with men and thus constitutes a violation of their human rights; |
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S.

whereas the 1993 United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and the Beijing UN Platform for Action defined violence against women as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life; whereas the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) defines gender-based violence as violence which is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately; whereas CEDAW underlines that gender-based violence is a form of discrimination that seriously inhibits women’s ability to exercise their rights and freedoms on the basis of equality with men and thus constitutes a violation of their human rights;

| T. | whereas ending gender-based violence has been included by the Commission as a key priority in the Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025 with a set of concrete proposals to ensure effective prevention of gender-based violence and domestic violence, among them the conclusion of the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention and ensuring its swift ratification and implementation by EU Member States; |
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T.

whereas ending gender-based violence has been included by the Commission as a key priority in the Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025 with a set of concrete proposals to ensure effective prevention of gender-based violence and domestic violence, among them the conclusion of the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention and ensuring its swift ratification and implementation by EU Member States;

| U. | whereas only a mix of policies combining legislative and non-legislative measures, and measures to facilitate victims’ access to housing and employment, including providing shelter for victims, as well as financial autonomy and equal participation of women in all areas of society, can significantly reduce violence against women and girls as well as other forms of violence such as that towards LGBTIQ+ persons and its consequences; |
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U.

whereas only a mix of policies combining legislative and non-legislative measures, and measures to facilitate victims’ access to housing and employment, including providing shelter for victims, as well as financial autonomy and equal participation of women in all areas of society, can significantly reduce violence against women and girls as well as other forms of violence such as that towards LGBTIQ+ persons and its consequences;

| V. | whereas civil society, and in particular women’s organisations and those working on gender equality make a very important contribution to preventing and combating all forms of violence and their work should be recognised, encouraged, supported and adequately funded, including through the possibility to apply for and receive State and EU funding, so that they can carry out their work in the best way possible; |
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V.

whereas civil society, and in particular women’s organisations and those working on gender equality make a very important contribution to preventing and combating all forms of violence and their work should be recognised, encouraged, supported and adequately funded, including through the possibility to apply for and receive State and EU funding, so that they can carry out their work in the best way possible;

| W. | whereas the Istanbul Convention is the most effective, powerful and comprehensive tool to date to prevent and combat a wide range of forms of violence against women and domestic violence at European level and beyond; whereas the Convention offers guidance to States Party and their respective national authorities to give an adequate multidisciplinary response to violence against women and domestic violence through the four pillars: prevention, protection of survivors and reparation, prosecution of perpetrators and integrated policies; whereas countries that have ratified the Convention have intensified prevention efforts and improved investigations and prosecutions as well as protection services for women and girls who are victims of violence (39); whereas the immediate accession of all Member States to the Istanbul Convention would contribute to the development of an integrated policy, thereby ensuring equal protection through a binding instrument overcoming the differing policies and legislations across Member States, and to the promotion of international cooperation in the fight against all forms of violence against women and domestic violence, which is particularly important during times of war and humanitarian and displacement crises, as is highlighted by the situation of women and girls fleeing Ukraine; |
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W.

whereas the Istanbul Convention is the most effective, powerful and comprehensive tool to date to prevent and combat a wide range of forms of violence against women and domestic violence at European level and beyond; whereas the Convention offers guidance to States Party and their respective national authorities to give an adequate multidisciplinary response to violence against women and domestic violence through the four pillars: prevention, protection of survivors and reparation, prosecution of perpetrators and integrated policies; whereas countries that have ratified the Convention have intensified prevention efforts and improved investigations and prosecutions as well as protection services for women and girls who are victims of violence (39); whereas the immediate accession of all Member States to the Istanbul Convention would contribute to the development of an integrated policy, thereby ensuring equal protection through a binding instrument overcoming the differing policies and legislations across Member States, and to the promotion of international cooperation in the fight against all forms of violence against women and domestic violence, which is particularly important during times of war and humanitarian and displacement crises, as is highlighted by the situation of women and girls fleeing Ukraine;

| X. | whereas the Istanbul Convention is a mixed agreement that allows for accession by the EU in parallel to accession by its Member States; whereas this has been confirmed by the opinion of the Court of Justice of the European Union (40) (CJEU); |
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X.

whereas the Istanbul Convention is a mixed agreement that allows for accession by the EU in parallel to accession by its Member States; whereas this has been confirmed by the opinion of the Court of Justice of the European Union (40) (CJEU);

| Y. | whereas the accession of all Member States to the Istanbul Convention would support a coordinated approach in fighting violence against women, together with existing or future related measures at EU level, such as the proposal for an EU directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, and the Victims’ Rights Directive; |
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Y.

whereas the accession of all Member States to the Istanbul Convention would support a coordinated approach in fighting violence against women, together with existing or future related measures at EU level, such as the proposal for an EU directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, and the Victims’ Rights Directive;

| Z. | whereas violence against women, including domestic violence, is often considered a private matter and is thus too easily tolerated; whereas in fact it constitutes a cross-border, systemic violation of fundamental rights and a serious crime that must be prevented and prosecuted, therefore Member States should collaborate closely to fight it together; whereas all women and girls in the European Union should benefit from the same level of protection against gender-based violence irrespective of the Member State in which they find themselves; whereas all Member States have signed the Istanbul Convention, but only 21 have ratified it; whereas six Member States — Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia — still have not ratified the Convention; whereas the EU’s accession to the Convention does not exempt Member States from national ratification; whereas the EU must take all necessary measures, in cooperation with its Member States to protect and promote the right of all women and girls to live free from gender-based violence; whereas the Polish Government has announced its intention to withdraw from the Convention in 2020 and whereas the matter still lies with the Polish Constitutional Court; |
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Z.

whereas violence against women, including domestic violence, is often considered a private matter and is thus too easily tolerated; whereas in fact it constitutes a cross-border, systemic violation of fundamental rights and a serious crime that must be prevented and prosecuted, therefore Member States should collaborate closely to fight it together; whereas all women and girls in the European Union should benefit from the same level of protection against gender-based violence irrespective of the Member State in which they find themselves; whereas all Member States have signed the Istanbul Convention, but only 21 have ratified it; whereas six Member States — Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia — still have not ratified the Convention; whereas the EU’s accession to the Convention does not exempt Member States from national ratification; whereas the EU must take all necessary measures, in cooperation with its Member States to protect and promote the right of all women and girls to live free from gender-based violence; whereas the Polish Government has announced its intention to withdraw from the Convention in 2020 and whereas the matter still lies with the Polish Constitutional Court;

| AA. | whereas impunity for the perpetrators of crimes against women still persists and must be eradicated by ensuring their prosecution and appropriate conviction, which is needed to break the vicious circle of silence for the victims of violence, and that women and girls who are survivors of violence receive the support, redress and recognition they need from law enforcement and the judicial system especially in the case of those living in rural areas where protection services for victims are non-existent or very limited; whereas it is important to guarantee adequate access to specialised services, including healthcare or safe accommodation services, regardless of the stage of prosecution proceedings; whereas it is fundamental to provide appropriate rights- and gender-sensitive training, procedures and guidelines for all practitioners and law enforcement officers, including judges, public prosecutors, judicial staff, forensic experts, service providers, workplace managers and other professionals dealing with victims of all acts of gender-based violence to avoid discrimination and re-victimisation; |
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AA.

whereas impunity for the perpetrators of crimes against women still persists and must be eradicated by ensuring their prosecution and appropriate conviction, which is needed to break the vicious circle of silence for the victims of violence, and that women and girls who are survivors of violence receive the support, redress and recognition they need from law enforcement and the judicial system especially in the case of those living in rural areas where protection services for victims are non-existent or very limited; whereas it is important to guarantee adequate access to specialised services, including healthcare or safe accommodation services, regardless of the stage of prosecution proceedings; whereas it is fundamental to provide appropriate rights- and gender-sensitive training, procedures and guidelines for all practitioners and law enforcement officers, including judges, public prosecutors, judicial staff, forensic experts, service providers, workplace managers and other professionals dealing with victims of all acts of gender-based violence to avoid discrimination and re-victimisation;

| AB. | whereas gender-based violence, particularly that committed against women and girls, has been recognised by the international community and should be addressed comprehensively, and despite all the efforts which have been made by international organisations, civil society, and state authorities to eradicate gender-based violence, it remains pervasive and manifests itself in new forms such as cyberviolence, cyber harassment, cyberstalking and non-consensual sharing of intimate material through social media; whereas cyberviolence against women and intimate partner cyberviolence have become increasingly common in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic; whereas, in the European Union, 4 % to 7 % of women have experienced cyber harassment, while between 1 % and 3 % have experienced cyberstalking (41); whereas globally the World Wide Web Foundation survey (42) conducted in 2020 among respondents from 180 countries revealed that 52 % of young women and girls have experienced online abuse such as the sharing of intimate images, videos or messages without their consent, mean and humiliating messages, abusive and threatening language, sexual harassment and false content, and 64 % of respondents stated that they know someone who has experienced harassment, abuse or violence; |
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AB.

whereas gender-based violence, particularly that committed against women and girls, has been recognised by the international community and should be addressed comprehensively, and despite all the efforts which have been made by international organisations, civil society, and state authorities to eradicate gender-based violence, it remains pervasive and manifests itself in new forms such as cyberviolence, cyber harassment, cyberstalking and non-consensual sharing of intimate material through social media; whereas cyberviolence against women and intimate partner cyberviolence have become increasingly common in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic; whereas, in the European Union, 4 % to 7 % of women have experienced cyber harassment, while between 1 % and 3 % have experienced cyberstalking (41); whereas globally the World Wide Web Foundation survey (42) conducted in 2020 among respondents from 180 countries revealed that 52 % of young women and girls have experienced online abuse such as the sharing of intimate images, videos or messages without their consent, mean and humiliating messages, abusive and threatening language, sexual harassment and false content, and 64 % of respondents stated that they know someone who has experienced harassment, abuse or violence;

| AC. | whereas efforts to eradicate gender-based violence, particularly that committed against women and girls, are often contested or weakened in the name of tradition, culture, religion or fundamentalist, populist ideologies or far right movements, and false narratives and disinformation are spread, for example, presenting claims about the Istanbul Convention that it aims to ‘erase the traditional family’ and ‘promote gender ideology and homosexuality’; whereas these groups use disinformation and populist rhetoric to pressure politicians and spread false fears among citizens; |
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AC.

whereas efforts to eradicate gender-based violence, particularly that committed against women and girls, are often contested or weakened in the name of tradition, culture, religion or fundamentalist, populist ideologies or far right movements, and false narratives and disinformation are spread, for example, presenting claims about the Istanbul Convention that it aims to ‘erase the traditional family’ and ‘promote gender ideology and homosexuality’; whereas these groups use disinformation and populist rhetoric to pressure politicians and spread false fears among citizens;

| AD. | whereas exposure to physical, sexual, psychological or socio-economic violence and abuse has a severe impact on victims, their families, relatives and society as a whole; whereas national custody laws should take the best interest of children into account when determining whether perpetrators should be granted custody or visitation rights (43); |
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AD.

whereas exposure to physical, sexual, psychological or socio-economic violence and abuse has a severe impact on victims, their families, relatives and society as a whole; whereas national custody laws should take the best interest of children into account when determining whether perpetrators should be granted custody or visitation rights (43);

| AE. | whereas Türkiye, the first country to sign and ratify the Convention, decided to withdraw from it six years later and has not been a State Party to the Convention since 1 July 2021; whereas the European institutions have condemned this step backwards, which constitutes a dangerous precedent for other States Party; whereas in June 2022 Ukraine became the 36th State to ratify the Convention, while defending its territory from Russia’s unjustified, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression; whereas rape and sexual violence against women and girls are being used as weapons of war in the conflict; whereas the Convention entered into force on 1 November 2022 and its prompt implementation should support the Ukrainian authorities’ efforts to deal with atrocities committed by Russian soldiers against women and children, and tackle gender-based violence; whereas Ukraine’s ratification while at war should serve as an example for all Member States which refuse to ratify it or do not consider it a priority; |
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AE.

whereas Türkiye, the first country to sign and ratify the Convention, decided to withdraw from it six years later and has not been a State Party to the Convention since 1 July 2021; whereas the European institutions have condemned this step backwards, which constitutes a dangerous precedent for other States Party; whereas in June 2022 Ukraine became the 36th State to ratify the Convention, while defending its territory from Russia’s unjustified, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression; whereas rape and sexual violence against women and girls are being used as weapons of war in the conflict; whereas the Convention entered into force on 1 November 2022 and its prompt implementation should support the Ukrainian authorities’ efforts to deal with atrocities committed by Russian soldiers against women and children, and tackle gender-based violence; whereas Ukraine’s ratification while at war should serve as an example for all Member States which refuse to ratify it or do not consider it a priority;

| 1. | Welcomes the fact that on 4 March 2016 the Commission proposed the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention, the most comprehensive legally binding instrument on preventing and combating violence against women and gender-based violence, including domestic violence, at international level; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Welcomes the EU’s signature of the Istanbul Convention on 13 June 2017; regrets that six years later the EU has still not ratified the Convention due to the refusal of a few Member States in the Council of the EU; notes, however, that the legal uncertainty caused by limiting the scope of the EU’s future accession to certain provisions of the Convention, namely provisions on judicial cooperation on criminal matters, asylum and non-refoulement, as well as the concerns about the internal procedure in view of the ratification of the Convention were answered by the CJEU in its opinion of 6 October 2021; urges the Council to act according to this decision and not to delay the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention any longer; reiterates that the Istanbul Convention should be understood as the minimum standard required to eradicate gender-based violence and that the Union should also pursue additional legislative and non-legislative measures in this regard; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Reaffirms its commitment to pursuing a comprehensive approach to call for the eradication at EU level of all gender-based violence committed against women and girls in all their diversity and against LGBTIQ+ persons on the grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics and to ensure the follow-up of its recommendations, which have been proposed in a number of resolutions; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Strongly condemns all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls and against LGBTIQ+ persons; strongly affirms that the denial of sexual and reproductive health services and rights including the right to safe and legal abortion, is a form of violence against women and girls; reiterates that women and girls must have full control over their bodies and sexualities; highlights that the ECtHR has ruled on several occasions that restrictive abortion laws and a lack of implementation violate the human rights of women; notes with deep concern and condemns the fact that, in some Member States, such as Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, women’s sexual and reproductive rights, especially the right to safe and legal abortion, are under constant threat; points out that access to abortion in Italy is slowly being eroded, that on 22 October 2020, the illegitimate Constitutional Tribunal of Poland introduced a de facto abortion ban, that abortion is banned in Malta, and that medical abortion during early pregnancy is not legal in Slovakia and is not available in Hungary; welcomes the initiatives of some Member States, such as France, to enshrine the right to abortion in their constitutions in order to protect this fundamental right; reiterates its call to include the right to safe and legal abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; calls on all Member States to guarantee universal access for all to a full range of sexual and reproductive health services, including comprehensive age-appropriate sexual education, family planning, modern contraceptive methods, and the right to safe and legal abortion; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Recalls its resolution of 12 September 2017 for the conclusion of the Istanbul Convention by the European Union, and deplores the fact that women and girls are often exposed to domestic violence, sexual harassment, psychological and physical violence, stalking, sexual violence, rape, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, forced abortion, forced sterilisation, trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation and other forms of violence; stresses that the Istanbul Convention lays down that culture, custom, religion, tradition or so-called ‘honour’ cannot justify any acts of violence against women; calls on the Commission and Member States to refer to the Istanbul Convention’s definition on violence against women in their relevant legislation accordingly; |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | Recalls that the Istanbul Convention applies both in times of peace and in situations of armed conflict; recalls that the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court of 17 July 1998 criminalises several forms of sexual violence as crimes against humanity and war crimes; |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Recalls that according to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the consent of a State to be bound by a treaty may be expressed by signature, and that parties to an international agreement may not invoke the provisions of their national law to justify the non-execution of a treaty; |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | Points out that also women with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities have encountered obstacles in reporting violence and gaining access to the justice system, including, as reported by GREVIO, the inaccessibility of police premises, a lack of training on stereotypes among law enforcement officials, as well as the lack of information in accessible formats about the assistance to victims of violence and the services available; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | Calls on the Commission to ensure the full integration of the Convention into the EU legislative and policy framework; calls on all Member States to ensure full implementation of measures stemming from the Convention in their national laws and policies; strongly condemns the attempts in some Member States to revoke measures already taken to implement the Istanbul Convention and combat violence against women and domestic violence; calls, furthermore, on the Member States to ensure proper implementation and the allocation of adequate financial and human resources to preventing and combating gender-based violence, as well as empowering women and girls, and protecting victims and enabling them to be compensated, especially in the case of those living in areas where protection services for victims are non-existent or very limited; |
| --- | --- |

9.

| 10. | Calls on the Commission and Member States to appropriately address, through legislative and non-legislative initiatives amongst others, custody and visitation rights of children, civil consequences of forced marriages, stalking, as well as denial of reproductive rights and access to reproductive healthcare and to protect the victims, who can experience serious trauma leading sometimes even to suicide; |
| --- | --- |

10.

| 11. | Calls on the Member States to implement preventive measures, including increased primary prevention of gender-based violence, which has to start with gender-sensitive education programming directed at both girls and boys from an early age and continue through focused lifelong education, as well as a victim-centred approach to support services and protection measures for survivors such as financial assistance, psychological support, helplines, shelters and access to social housing, and ‘safe leave’, as well as measures helping victims to continue living in their homes safely, such as restraining orders for perpetrators and specialist support for children; |
| --- | --- |

11.

| 12. | Stresses the importance of promoting cooperation on gender-based violence between Member States through the exchange of best practices; calls on the Commission and the Member States to organise and carry out information campaigns regarding the Istanbul Convention and its provisions, to support partnerships between authorities and civil society organisations and run joint programmes to facilitate the implementation of its provisions; |
| --- | --- |

12.

| 13. | Asks the Commission and the Member States to ensure appropriate gender-sensitive training, procedures and guidelines, as well as specialist support and protection measures, with a victim-centred approach for all professionals involved, including law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and public prosecutors, to ensure early detection of victims, avoid deficient risk assessments, as well as to prevent discrimination, traumatisation or re-victimisation during judicial, medical and police proceedings; calls in particular for EU-wide minimum standards for law enforcement in this area; points out the key role of the Istanbul Convention in enhancing Member States’ capacities in this field; calls for the improvements necessary to encourage the reporting of such crimes; |
| --- | --- |

13.

| 14. | Recalls that the Istanbul Convention remains the international standard and a key tool in eradicating violence against women and other forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence; points out that criminal justice can only be one part of a comprehensive and integrated response to violence against women and other forms of gender-based violence, encompassing prevention, protection and prosecution; stresses the advantages of the Istanbul Convention’s structure, which follows a holistic, comprehensive and coordinated methodology for addressing the issues of violence against women and gender-based violence, including domestic violence, in all its physical, sexual, psychological and economic forms, based on a four pillar approach including all aspects from prevention, to protection, prosecution and coordinated policies; notes that Member States have a responsibility to combat impunity in the cases of violence against women and other forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, and to preserve the dissuasive function of penalties and prosecutions; |
| --- | --- |

14.

| 15. | Highlights the Istanbul Convention’s victim-centred approach, addressing violence against women and domestic violence from a wide range of perspectives, by providing for measures such as prevention of violence and treatment programmes teaching perpetrators of domestic violence to adopt non-violent behaviour in interpersonal relationships in order to prevent further acts of violence, the fight against discrimination, through victim protection and support, the protection of children, the protection of women asylum seekers and refugees, as well as through criminal law measures to combat impunity, by the introduction of risk assessment procedures and risk estimation and better data collection, as well as through awareness-raising campaigns and programmes, including in cooperation with national human rights and equality bodies, civil society and non-governmental organisations; |
| --- | --- |

15.

| 16. | Notes that the Istanbul Convention benefits from 10 years of functioning and practice through its unique monitoring and implementation system through GREVIO; stresses the importance of this process of interactive exchange between GREVIO and the participating members; recognises the immense amount of work done by GREVIO in monitoring the implementation of the Convention and calls on all parties to follow their country-specific recommendations; urges the Member States to take GREVIO’s recommendations into account and to enhance their legislation by bringing it into line with the Istanbul Convention’s provisions; |
| --- | --- |

16.

| 17. | Calls on Member States to take into account the conclusions and good practices set out in GREVIO’s mid-term review of its baseline evaluation reports (44) and use them to give new momentum to the Convention’s proper implementation and enforcement to improve Member States’ national frameworks for the prevention and combating of gender-based violence, including their national laws; |
| --- | --- |

17.

| 18. | Recalls that, in order to ensure effective implementation of the Istanbul Convention, a two-pillar monitoring mechanism was established consisting of GREVIO, which conducts a country-by-country report, and the Committee of the Parties; |
| --- | --- |

18.

| 19. | Acknowledges the importance of the Istanbul Convention during the COVID-19 pandemic to help Member States tackle the alarming increase in gender-based violence, considered to be a ‘shadow pandemic’; praises the efforts of some Member States to establish additional prevention measures as well as protection and support services during the pandemic; calls, however, in this regard for the setting up of a specific EU protocol on violence against women in times of crisis and emergency, to complement the measures enshrined in the Istanbul Convention and enhance the readiness of the European Union to address gender-based violence in these specific situations; |
| --- | --- |

19.

| 20. | Takes note of the CJEU opinion of 6 October 2021, following up on Parliament’s request, which allows the Council to proceed with the ratification of the Istanbul Convention by the European Union without a prior common agreement; considers that the European Union could and should now ratify the Convention; |
| --- | --- |

20.

| 21. | Emphasises that the EU’s accession will provide a coherent European legal framework for the EU’s internal and external policies to prevent and combat violence against women and girls, domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence, to protect and support victims and to provide effective reparations, as well as bring about better monitoring, interpretation and implementation of EU laws, programmes and funds relevant to the Convention, together with better collection of comparable disaggregated data at EU level; also considers that by acceding to the Convention, the EU will lead by example and will become a more effective promoter of women’s rights worldwide; |
| --- | --- |

21.

| 22. | Points out that the EU’s accession will also allow more comprehensive collection of data on gender-based violence at EU level; notes that GREVIO has emphasised the scale of gender-based violence and in particular the importance of evidence-based policymaking and it highlights the need to establish a system to collect data regularly, and undertake surveys on all forms of violence against women and girls; welcomes Eurostat’s current efforts to coordinate a survey on gender-based violence in the EU planned for 2023 to update the latest European Union’s data on gender-based violence from 2014 and, in this regard, asks all Member State parties to the Convention to cooperate and take part in it; |
| --- | --- |

22.

| 23. | Regrets and strongly condemns the political instrumentalisation of the Convention by some Member States; calls for a constructive dialogue and effective cooperation in the short, medium and long term with various institutions, authorities and civil society actors, as well as with the Council and Member States in cooperation with the Council of Europe to address Member States’ reservations, objections and concerns and clarify misleading and false interpretations of the Istanbul Convention within many Member States, such as the alleged promotion of ‘destructive gender ideologies’, in order to make progress in this area and make the ratification of the Istanbul Convention by all Member States and the EU institutions a reality; urges Member States to speed up negotiations on the ratification and implementation of the Istanbul Convention and to strongly condemn all attempts to reverse measures already taken in implementing the Istanbul Convention and in combating violence against women; |
| --- | --- |

23.

| 24. | Calls on the Commission and the Council to ensure that Parliament will be fully involved in the Convention’s monitoring process after EU accession to the Istanbul Convention; notes the importance of proceeding with a swift agreement on a code of conduct concerning cooperation between the EU and its Member States for the implementation of the Convention, which should also involve civil society organisations, particularly women’s rights organisations; |
| --- | --- |

24.

| 25. | Recalls that the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention does not exempt Member States from national ratification of the Convention; points out that while all Member States have already signed the Istanbul Convention, six have not yet ratified it, namely Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia; condemns the backlash against gender equality, women’s rights and the Istanbul Convention in some Member States, for example in Poland, where the Prime Minister requested an examination of the constitutionality of the Convention before the Constitutional Tribunal; strongly condemns the attempt to denounce the Istanbul Convention by submitting a formal request to work on the withdrawal of the Convention by the Minister of Justice in Poland; notes that in Slovakia, the National Council refused to ratify the Convention in 2020 and asked the Slovak President to retract the country’s signature, but notes that the President decided to not proceed with the retraction; calls on national authorities to fight against disinformation and launch awareness campaigns to dispel all doubts about the Convention and its benefits for society as a whole; underlines that the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention does not exempt Member States from national ratification and thus urges the remaining six Member States that have not already done so, to ratify the Convention without delay; strongly condemns any attempt by Member States to withdraw from the ratification itself; |
| --- | --- |

25.

| 26. | Strongly condemns all initiatives seeking to replace the Istanbul Convention with any alternatives such as the so-called family treaty in Poland, which are based on values that diverge fundamentally from human rights and gender equality rights and would not serve as an effective instrument in combating domestic and intimate partner violence; |
| --- | --- |

26.

| 27. | Condemns the growing opposition to the Istanbul Convention in some Member States and the attempts to disparage the Convention and its positive impact on the eradication of gender-based violence; strongly condemns all disinformation campaigns about the Istanbul Convention aiming to evoke fears in society about its allegedly ‘destructive impact on the family’; stresses that such disinformation campaigns are often coordinated, funded and organised by ultra-conservative groups and far right movements, among others, as well as by anti-gender movements from outside of the EU; reiterates, in this regard, its strong condemnation of the smear campaigns against the Convention as a rejection of the internationally agreed zero-tolerance norm for violence against women and other forms of gender-based violence; highlights that Member States should further increase their efforts to counter false narratives regarding the Convention; |
| --- | --- |

27.

| 28. | Underlines that there are no legal obstacles to the Council’s proceeding to ratify the Convention, as a qualified majority is sufficient for its adoption; reiterates its call on the Council to urgently conclude the EU ratification of the Istanbul Convention on the basis of a broad accession without any limitations, and to advocate its ratification by all Member States; calls on Member States to confirm their political will to combat violence against women and girls and therefore, to take this decision and not allow a few Member States to influence the gender equality agenda in the Council; recalls, furthermore, the commitment of the President of the Commission to defend the ratification in her address to the plenary of the European Parliament on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 25-26 March 2021 and on the outcome of the EU-Türkiye meeting of 6 April 2021; |
| --- | --- |

28.

| 29. | Welcomes the Commission’s proposal for a directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, and highlights the need to ensure, as a minimum, the standards of the Istanbul Convention; points out that it will be the first EU act specifically addressing gender-based violence, thus helping to harmonise Member States’ differing approaches towards violence against women and domestic violence and to lay down common minimum standards for its prevention, for the protection of victims and survivors of gender-based violence and for ensuring their access to justice; stresses that this legislative act is complementary to the Convention rather than substituting for it, as it only covers some of its parts, and the Convention remains an essential tool for the EU strategy to address gender-based violence; |
| --- | --- |

29.

| 30. | Denounces the fact that more and more women and girls are victims of gender-based violence on the internet and on social media; notes that the implementation of the Convention should be followed by specific legislative measures on gender-based cyberviolence, recognising and preventing this specific form of gender-based violence, criminalising the acts of gender-based violence perpetrated in the online space; welcomes in this regard, the inclusion of some forms of gender-based cyberviolence as criminal offences within the Commission’s proposal for a directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, namely non-consensual sharing of intimate or manipulated material, cyberstalking, cyber-harassment, and cyber-incitement to violence or hatred; |
| --- | --- |

30.

| 31. | Calls on the Commission to draw up a holistic EU strategy on combating violence against women and gender-based violence that includes a comprehensive plan to prevent and combat all forms of gender inequalities, integrating all EU efforts to eradicate violence against women; |
| --- | --- |

31.

| 32. | Notes that the inclusion of gender-based violence as a particularly serious crime with a cross-border dimension (‘euro-crime’) — which is one of the priorities of the Commission President’s political guidelines — would have been a more appropriate and effective legal basis for the European Commission’s proposed directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence; reiterates its call on the Council to activate the passerelle clause by adopting a unanimous decision identifying gender-based violence as one of the areas of crime listed in Article 83(1) TFEU; |
| --- | --- |

32.

| 33. | Considering the extent and gravity of gender-based violence and sexual harassment in the workplace, calls on the Member States to ratify and implement the ILO Violence and Harassment Convention (No 190); |
| --- | --- |

33.

| 34. | Recognises the pivotal role of and incredible amount of work performed by civil society organisations, in particular women’s and other human rights organisations, including those working on protecting the rights of women belonging to minorities and other vulnerable groups, in preventing and combating violence against women and girls and other forms of gender-based violence, and their efforts to provide assistance to the victims of gender-based violence; calls on the Member States and the Commission to support these activities by providing sufficient reliable, and sustainable human and long-term financial resources, including through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme in order to support civil society actors providing support to victims of gender-based violence, working to eradicate gender-based violence, and to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, as well as the specific services helping victims, particularly regarding access to justice and specialised shelters as referred to in the Istanbul Convention explanatory report and the GREVIO mid-term horizontal review; |
| --- | --- |

34.

| 35. | Calls on Member States to continue and strengthen the protection of children who are victims of or witness episodes of domestic and intimate partner violence; in particular condemns the use, assertion and acceptance of non-scientific theories and concepts in custody cases to minimise domestic violence in civil proceedings, and deny child custody to the mother and grant it to the father accused of gender-based violence; |
| --- | --- |

35.

| 36. | Urges the Council to ensure the EU’s swift ratification of the Istanbul Convention without further delay; further urges the Council to also ensure a broad EU accession of all Member States to the Convention without any limitations; |
| --- | --- |

36.

| 37. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Member States and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. |
| --- | --- |

37.

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(1)  OJ L 131, 20.5.2017, p. 11.

(2)  OJ L 131, 20.5.2017, p. 13.

(3)  https://rm.coe.int/168008482e

(4)  OJ L 373, 21.12.2004, p. 37.

(5)  OJ L 204, 26.7.2006, p. 23.

(6)  OJ L 315, 14.11.2012, p. 57.

(7)  FRA, ‘Violence against women: an EU-wide survey. Main results report’, 3 March 2014.

(8)  https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-92945

(9)  https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-216360

(10)  https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-216854

(11)  https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-61521

(12)  https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-103214

(13)  https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-93532

(14)  https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=002-7226

(15)  https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=002-13282

(16)  Council of Europe, Mid-term Horizontal Review of GREVIO baseline evaluation report, February 2022.

(17)  OJ C 285 E, 21.10.2010, p. 53.

(18)  OJ C 296 E, 2.10.2012, p. 26.

(19)  OJ C 285, 29.8.2017, p. 2.

(20)  OJ C 346, 27.9.2018, p. 19.

(21)  OJ C 337, 20.9.2018, p. 16.

(22)  OJ C 449, 23.12.2020, p. 102.

(23)  OJ C 116, 31.3.2021, p. 7.

(24)  OJ C 232, 16.6.2021, p. 48.

(25)  OJ C 456, 10.11.2021, p. 208.

(26)  OJ C 465, 17.11.2021, p. 160.

(27)  OJ C 117, 11.3.2022, p. 8.

(28)  OJ C 132, 24.3.2022, p. 27.

(29)  OJ C 251, 30.6.2022, p. 2.

(30)  OJ C 251, 30.6.2022, p. 23.

(31)  OJ C 224, 27.6.2018, p. 96.

(32)  ECLI:EU:C:2021:198.

(33)  European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2014.

(34)  European Institute for Gender Equality, ‘The costs of gender-based violence in the European Union’, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2021.

(35)  EIGE, Gender Equality Index, 2022.

(36)  https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/22/two-years-polands-abortion-crackdowns-and-rule-law

(37)  https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/02/06/poland-womens-rights-activists-targeted

(38)  FRA, ‘Violence against Women: every day and everywhere’, 5 March 2014.

(39)  ‘Towards a Europe Free from Male Violence Against Women and Girls’, European Women’s Lobby (Reference: https://womenlobby.org/IMG/pdf/ic-2.pdf).

(40)  ECLI:EU:C:2021:832.

(41)  European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) study entitled ‘Combating gender-based violence: Cyber violence — European added value assessment’.

(42)  World Wide Web Foundation, ‘Survey — Young people’s experience of online harassment’, 2020.

(43)  GREVIO, ‘3rd General Report on GREVIO’s Activities’, June 2022.

(44)  GREVIO, ‘Mid-term Horizontal Review of GREVIO baseline evaluation reports’, February 2022.

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Thursday 16 February 2023

| 11.8.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 283/163 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

11.8.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 283/163

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P9_TA(2023)0052

Transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices

European Parliament legislative resolution of 16 February 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices (COM(2023)0010 — C9-0003/2023 — 2023/0005(COD))

(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

(2023/C 283/30)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2023)0010), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2023)0010),

| — | having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 114 and Article 168(4), point (c), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0003/2023), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 114 and Article 168(4), point (c), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C9-0003/2023),

| — | having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 24 January 2023 (1), |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 24 January 2023 (1),

| — | after consulting the Committee of the Regions, |
| --- | --- |

—

after consulting the Committee of the Regions,

| — | having regard to the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 1 February 2023 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 1 February 2023 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

| — | having regard to Rules 59 and 163 of its Rules of Procedure, |
| --- | --- |

—

having regard to Rules 59 and 163 of its Rules of Procedure,

| 1. | Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments. |
| --- | --- |

3.

---

(1)  Not yet published in the Official Journal.

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P9_TC1-COD(2023)0005

Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 16 February 2023 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/... of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) 2023/607.)

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