ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
12.

Takes the view that it is necessary to revise the functioning of the negotiating process by introducing more flexibility than has currently been the case under the consensus rule, while recognising that the Single Undertaking approach has limited the effectiveness of multilateral trade governance; express its support for the concept of flexible multilateralism, whereby WTO members interested in pursuing a certain issue where full consensus is not yet possible should be able to advance and conclude plurilateral agreements, either through so-called WTO Annex 4 agreements, in accordance with Article II:3, Article III:1, and Article X:9 of the Marrakesh Agreement, or via ‘critical mass’ agreements that extend negotiated concessions to the WTO membership on a most-favoured-nation (MFN) basis; encourages the Commission not to use these articles as an alternative to constructive dialogue with WTO members to address barriers to trade and reform of the WTO and its functions; considers in this regard that its members should boost the WTO’s capacity-building to ensure that it is equipped with financial and human resources in accordance with expanded needs so as to maintain the same quality of work; believes that, in general, the monetary contributions of new members should increase the WTO’s budget and not lead to lower membership fees for existing members;
1.

Deplores the excessive actions of the Russian Federation in the Sea of Azov insofar as they breach international maritime law and Russia’s own international commitments; condemns the excessive stopping and inspection of commercial vessels, including both Ukrainian ships and those with flags of third-party states, including ships under flags of various EU Member States; stresses that inspections of vessels, while being allowed at random, should not be abused or carried out for political reasons with the aim of further destabilising the security, integrity and social and economic situation in Ukraine; calls on the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) to demand that the Russian Federation immediately end the intensive and discriminatory inspections of vessels and to consider, if necessary, appropriate countermeasures;
1.

Regrets the fact that the Commission has not yet presented a proposal for a comprehensive EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, and calls on the Commission to do so, in particular by proposing the adoption of the interinstitutional agreement on the EU Pact for DRF in its forthcoming non-legislative initiative to strengthen the enforcement of the rule of law in the European Union;
13.

Emphasises that women and girls with disabilities must be informed of their rights and of the citizens’ services available to them; underlines that this information must be provided in a simple and secure fashion, taking into account the different communication methods, media and formats chosen by and adapted to them; stresses that the right to information must not be confused with the conceptualisation of the need to actively seek access to rights (shifting the responsibility for right fruition to those in need), since Member States must assume responsibility for reaching all persons with disabilities and ensuring and guaranteeing them the rights laid down by law or international convention;
51.

Underlines that the strategic partnership between the EU and NATO is fundamental to addressing the security challenges facing the EU and its neighbourhood; bearing in mind that 22 out of the 28 EU Member States are also NATO members, underlines that EU-NATO cooperation should be complementary and respectful of each other’s specificities and roles; stresses that the two organisations have clearly distinct features and that they should cooperate in full respect of each other’s autonomy and decision-making procedures, based on the principles of reciprocity, without prejudice to the specific features of the security and defence policy of any Member State; is convinced that a stronger EU and NATO would reinforce each other, creating more synergies and effectiveness for the security and defence of all partners; stresses that the EU-NATO strategic partnership is equally fundamental for the EU’s evolving CSDP and for the future of the Alliance, as well as for EU-UK relations after Brexit;
2.

Notes that a backlash against gender equality, impacting LGBTI people directly, has been observed in the EU in recent years; calls on the Commission to make a commitment to tackle this backlash, to make equality and non-discrimination a priority field, and to ensure that this commitment is taken up in the work of the next Commission which will take office later in 2019;
15.

Stresses that, in order to comply with the objectives of the Paris agreement of 2015 (COP21), the resilience and decarbonisation of the transport system should be achieved through an accelerated shift to low-carbon transport, resource efficiency and clean propulsion; points out that this transition requires corresponding standards and funding to stimulate innovative waterway management, a wider uptake of clean vessels, and retrofitting where possible, and the deployment of the necessary refuelling infrastructure;
71.

Recognises that migration is an ongoing challenge for Afghanistan which presents issues for neighbouring countries and EU Member States; is concerned about the unprecedented numbers of returning migrants mainly from Pakistan and Iran, and to a lesser extent from Europe; recognises that issues relating to internally displaced persons and refugees are a result of the threat of violence from insurgent groups in Afghanistan, as well as economic and environmental factors; stresses that efforts by the EU and the international community should be focused on preventing the root causes of mass migration; welcomes the Afghan national return management strategy; is concerned, however, about the lack of standing integration policies of the Afghan authorities to manage the present returnees; is convinced that proper reintegration of returnees, especially of children, who must be guaranteed access to primary and secondary education, is crucial to ensure stability in the country and that people who have returned have not been subject to violence or coercion during return procedures;
31.

Welcomes the efforts under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General to resume negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus; reiterates its support for a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with a single international legal personality, single sovereignty and single citizenship and with political equality between the two communities, as defined by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, in accordance with international law and the EU acquis and on the basis of respect for the principles on which the Union is founded; draws attention to the Framework put forward by the UN Secretary-General and his appeal for the resumption of negotiations, building on the agreements already reached in the 2017 Crans-Montana process; calls for the EU and its Member States to play a more active role in bringing negotiations to a successful conclusion; reiterates its call on all parties concerned, in particular Turkey, to commit and contribute to a comprehensive settlement; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its troops from Cyprus, to transfer the sealed-off area of Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 550, and to refrain from actions altering the demographic balance on the island through a policy of illegal settlements; stresses the need for the implementation of the EU acquis on the whole island; acknowledges, in this regard, the continuation of the work of the bi-communal ad hoc committee on EU preparation; commits to stepping up its efforts to engage with the Turkish Cypriot community in its preparations to fully integrate into the EU following the solution of the Cyprus problem, and calls on the Commission to do the same; praises the important work of the bicommunal Committee on Missing Persons (CMP), which deals with both Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot missing persons, and commends the fact that improved access to relevant sites, including military areas, has been granted; calls on Turkey to assist the CMP by providing information from its military archives; recognises the right of the Republic of Cyprus to enter into bilateral agreements concerning its exclusive economic zone; reiterates its call on Turkey to fully respect the sovereign rights of all Member States, including those rights related to prospecting for and exploitation of natural resources, in accordance with the EU acquis and international law; urges Turkey to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes, and to refrain from any threat or action which might have negative effects on good neighbourly relations;
12.

Highlights that raising resource productivity by boosting efficiency and reducing resource waste through measures such as reuse, recycling and remanufacturing can greatly reduce both resource consumption and GHG emissions, a goal which is at the heart of the circular economy; underlines that in a circular economy the resources are retained within the economy and remain in productive use when a product has reached the end of its life, thus reducing resource consumption; believes, in the context of the waste legislation, that improved circular product design will help close the production cycles and bring about a switch in production and consumption patterns, thereby reducing the levels of toxic substances and the overall amount of waste;
15.

Recalls the importance of the EU continuing to raise the issue of human rights violations in China at every political and human rights dialogue with the Chinese authorities, in line with the EU’s commitment to project a strong, clear and unified voice in its approach to the country; further recalls that in its ongoing reform process and increasing global engagement, China has opted into the international human rights framework by signing up to a wide range of international human rights treaties; calls for the EU, therefore, to pursue dialogue with China in order to ensure that it lives up to these commitments;
H.

whereas impunity has also prevailed in cases such as the massacre in La Saline, on the outskirts of the capital Port-au-Prince, where in October 2018 70 people were arbitrarily killed and 13 women were raped; whereas the government attributed the massacre to a war between gangs; whereas the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the UN Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH), based on information gathered the National Human Rights Network (RNDDH), attribute this massacre to an attempt by the President’s wife Martine Moïse and several government representatives to bribe the people of la Saline to stop the demonstrations against President Moïse, and allege that the massacre was the consequence of their refusal to accept the bribe; whereas human rights organisations in Haiti have called for an OAS mission to investigate the massacre;
75.

Recalls that CO 2 emissions from shipping are projected to increase by 50 % to 250 % in the period to 2050; welcomes the agreement on the initial IMO strategy to reduce GHG emissions from ships as the sector’s first step in contributing to meeting the Paris Agreement’s temperature goal; urges the IMO to make swift progress on the adoption of short- and medium-term measures to help achieve the objectives of the strategy; stresses the importance and urgency of implementing short- and medium-term measures before 2023; calls for the EU, the Commission and the Member States to do their utmost in supporting the rapid designation of the Mediterranean Sea as a combined SOx and NOx emission control area as a crucial step forward to reducing shipping emissions in Europe; underlines that further measures and actions, including carbon pricing instruments, need to be explored immediately in order to address maritime emissions in line with the sector’s low emission transformation strategy; consequently expresses its belief that the EU and the Member States should closely monitor the impact and implementation of the initial IMO strategy; welcomes the proposal for an EU regulation in order to take appropriate account of the global data collection system for ship fuel oil consumption data (MRV) and the IMO global data collection system for fuel oil consumption of ships; recalls that the MRV is a first step that should ultimately enable the EU to adopt mandatory targets to reduce emissions; urges the Commission to propose, as soon as possible, additional EU actions as part of its 2050 decarbonisation strategy, such as the inclusion of the maritime sector in the ETS and the introduction of a ship efficiency standard and a ship label, and to propose a strategy for cooperating with other Parties willing to act as early as possible in order to reduce maritime emissions in line with the temperature target of the Paris Agreement;
19.

Supports the publication of final trilogue documents; underlines that the Court of Justice ruling in the De Capitani case (T-540/15) in March 2018 states that the institutions’ views reflected in the ‘four-column’ documents did not fall under a general presumption of non-disclosure; notes that the sensitive nature of the subject matter reflected in the trilogue documents was not in itself considered to constitute sufficient grounds for refusing access to the public; considers that, in order to achieve transparency in the trilogues, all three institutions should contribute; recognises that the public’s right of access to documents of the Union’s institutions is the protected and inalienable right of every EU citizen directly emanating from the democratic principle and fundamental right of freedom of expression, so that a corresponding obligation of the Union of compliance and accountability is established; stresses the need to further promote the relevant institutions of transparency, such as the Office of Ombudsman, so that the Union meets its obligation referred to above;
L.

whereas, pursuant to the Istanbul Convention, violence against women is understood as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women; whereas gender-based violence continues to be a daily reality for millions of women and girls; whereas as many as one in two women in the EU have experienced sexual harassment and one in three have been affected by physical and/or sexual violence; whereas women and girls account for more than two thirds of victims of trafficking in human beings; whereas the exposure of certain groups of women to intersectional and multiple forms of discrimination further increases their exposure to different forms of gender-based violence; whereas combatting discrimination in laws and practices, and tackling discriminatory attitudes and norms in areas such as child marriage and other customary practices strengthens women’s rights and empowerment; whereas the denial of sexual and reproductive health and rights services is a form of violence against women;
A.

whereas the European Union and its Member States have been supporting the Venezuelan population and the communities hosting refugees for years; whereas on 26 May 2020, the European Union and the Government of Spain, with the support of the UNHCR and the IOM, convened an International Donors Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants; whereas international donors pledged a total of EUR 2,544 billion, of which only EUR 595 million are direct grants, the rest being simply conditional loans; whereas during the conference, some of the borrowers expressed concerns about the bureaucratic difficulties and the complexity of regulation they faced in obtaining the loans; whereas the EUR 595 million in direct grants will hardly cover the annual consequences of such an unprecedented crisis in Venezuela’s neighbouring countries; whereas the international community needs to find innovative solutions to unlock other possible financial resources to help the Venezuelan people address their emergency needs beyond humanitarian and longer-term cooperation aid;
28.

Notes that work on the implementation of the final Basel III standards has already started; stresses that the BCBS standards should be enacted into European law in a timely fashion and with due regard for their goals, while taking proper account of the specific characteristics of the European banking system, where appropriate, and the proportionality principle; warns that, owing to the diversity of banking models across the EU, a one-size-fits-it-all solution might be ill-suited to the European market; underlines that the competitiveness and financial stability of the EU banking sector should be ensured and its ability to finance the economy, in particular SMEs, should not be harmed; is convinced that viable and well-capitalised financial institutions are necessary for the sound financing of the EU economy and a stable Banking Union; recalls its resolution of 23 November 2016 on the finalisation of Basel III and calls on the Commission to act on the recommendations therein when drafting the new legislative proposals;
17.

Recalls that the violence in eastern DRC is perpetuated by armed domestic and foreign rebel groups, which are financed by and vying for access to the mineral trade; emphasises that any business, individual or state or state-related actor contributing to the perpetration of such crimes must be brought to justice; welcomes the scheduled entry into force of the Conflict Minerals Regulation in the EU in January 2021, which is the first of many steps needed by the international community to address this deep-rooted problem; stresses the urgent need for further action on mandatory due diligence and responsible business conduct by businesses operating in conflict zones;
2.

Reiterates its full support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and reaffirms its commitment to continue to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict, including through the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, co-chairmanship of the Geneva International Discussions, the activities of the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and the policy of non-recognition and engagement; strongly condemns the illegal occupation of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia by the Russian Federation and the ongoing illegal installation of barbed wire fences and other artificial obstacles (‘borderisation’) along the Administrative Boundary Line by Russian and de facto South Ossetian security actors and stresses that these violations of international law need to be stopped; demands that the de facto authorities in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia reopen closed crossing points without delay and desist from limiting freedom of movement in those regions; calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Member States to denounce this process; emphasises that the AA covers the entire territory of Georgia, including its occupied regions, and aims to benefit its whole population; calls on the Russian Federation to fulfil its obligations under the EU-mediated ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008, notably to withdraw all its military forces from Georgia’s occupied territories and allow the EUMM unhindered access to the whole territory of Georgia; calls on the European External Action Service (EEAS), in this regard, to communicate clearly the provisions which have still not been fulfilled by the Russian Federation; asks the Commission and the EEAS to enhance their efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully by using all diplomatic instruments, including through the EUMM and the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, and to continue to support the Georgian Parliament’s ‘A Step for a Better Future’ package and foster people-to-people contact and confidence-building measures; welcomes Georgia’s efforts to promote good neighbourly relations and constructive cooperation among the South Caucasus countries;
9.

Welcomes, therefore, the efforts made by education professionals and Member States to ensure that in-person learning can resume in a COVID-19-secure environment; calls on all Member States to do what is required to guarantee in-person learning for all; recognises the challenge inherent in the reopening of educational establishments and deplores the lack of coordination or exchange of best practices at European level; calls on the Commission and the Member States to work closely together to minimise the health risks for staff and learners and to maximise the chances that in-person education can continue; believes, at the same time, that, in the event of another lockdown, education institutions must be equipped to provide quality digital learning to all learners and to address mental health and wellbeing in cooperation with parents and other relevant stakeholders;
8.

Stresses that a harmonised risk-based assessment framework designed according to clear and transparent criteria will not only be efficient from an administrative point of view, in particular for micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), because it will avoid disproportionate burdens, but also in terms of enhancing consumer safety; urges the Commission, therefore, to further harmonise the methodology and, together with the relevant stakeholders, to thoroughly assess the feasibility of risk-based assessment schemes, adapting their application for products with a high risk level, and conformity assessment mechanisms, where they do not yet exist, to ensure the safety and security by design or default of products with embedded emerging technologies; underlines the need to ensure a consistent approach to the enforcement of product safety legislation and notes that significant asymmetry may arise between the development of products with embedded emerging technologies and the ability of public authorities to assess them; emphasises, therefore, that the Member States should coordinate — with the support of the Commission — their risk management strategies for AI in the context of their national market surveillance strategies to ensure a level playing field for all economic operators;
25.

Believes that the use of results-based approaches is critical for the EU’s partner countries and is a fundamental element of their capacity to deliver the SDGs for their citizens; points, however, to the importance of taking into account the diversity of the specific situations in and challenges for partner countries, in particular LDCs and fragile countries; calls on the EU and its Member States to support and use partner countries’ own national results-measuring frameworks and their monitoring and statistical systems, and to involve, during all the stages, all relevant actors: local authorities, national parliaments, civil society including women’s associations and marginalised groups, and the private sector with a focus on SMEs; stresses that investment in the capacity-building of local CSOs is an essential prerequisite for effective aid;
F.

whereas Ahmadreza Djalali, an Iranian-Swedish medical doctor and academic and professor at VUB University in Belgium and Universita degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale in Italy who was sentenced to death on spurious espionage charges in October 2017, has reportedly been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for his execution, despite widely held findings which confirm that his trial was grossly unfair and that his conviction was based on a forced confession extracted under torture; whereas he has received threats from Iranian officials to kill him and his family in Sweden and Iran; whereas in a letter written from Evin political prison, he wrote that the reason behind his detention was that he objected to spying for Iran against European institutions; whereas Dr Djalali was informed on 24 November 2020 that his execution was imminent;