ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
8.

Calls on the Commission and the Member States, bearing in mind that in many Member States the economic crisis has caused liquidity shortages and a lack of public funds available for public investments, and that cohesion policy resources are becoming the main source of public investment, to fully apply and use the existing flexibility under the Stability and Growth Pact; asks the Commission, moreover, to conduct a permanent dialogue with the Member States which asked for the application of the current investment clause, with a view to maximising the flexibility relating to growth and jobs investments; calls on the Commission, furthermore, to encourage involvement of the EIB in the form of increased technical and financial support in the preparation and implementation of projects for any Member State that requires it; considers that financial instruments, if implemented effectively on the basis of proper ex ante assessment and combined strategically with grants, can significantly increase the impact of financing, thus helping to overcome the negative effects of shrinking public budgets and to develop revenue-generating projects; stresses that clear, consistent and focused rules on Financial Instruments to help simplify the preparation and implementation process for fund managers and recipients, which recognise the different development levels of financial markets across the Member States, can help realise this ambition; believes that condensing all relevant regulation on Financial Instruments into a single, easily accessible and comprehensible document, and avoiding unnecessary re-revision of related guidance part-way through funding periods, unless legally required, would also assist in this process;
33.

Welcomes the work being done to provide the EU with autonomous access to governmental satellite communications (GovSatcom) and invites the Commission to continue to make progress on this file; recalls that the first step in the process was the identification of civil and military needs by the Commission and the European Defence Agency, respectively, and considers that the initiative should entail the pooling of demand and should be designed in a way that best meets the needs identified; calls on the Commission to make, on the basis of beneficiaries’ needs and requirements, a cost-benefit evaluation of different solutions: — the provision of services by commercial operators, — a system relying on current capabilities with the possibility of integrating future capabilities, or — the creation of new capacities through a dedicated system; invites in this regard the Commission to address the issue of ownership and liability; notes that, whatever the final decision, any new initiative should be in the public interest and benefit European industry (manufacturers, operators, launchers and other industry segments); considers that GovSatcom should also be considered as an opportunity to boost competitiveness and innovation by taking advantage of the development of dual technologies, in the extremely competitive and dynamic context of the SATCOM market; underlines the need to reduce the reliance on non-EU suppliers of equipment and services;
38.

Calls on the EU to evaluate systematically the impact of, among other factors, EU agricultural, trade and energy policies — such as biofuel policy — on food security in the developing world and on the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people; urges the Commission to continue to concentrate on cooperatives, micro, small and medium-scale farming and agricultural workers, and to promote sustainable and agro-ecological practices in line with the conclusions of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD), the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, and the SDGs; recalls the need to ensure that the deployment of CAP measures does not jeopardise the food production capacity and long-term food security of developing countries; stresses that substantive issues of policy coherence and impact need to be addressed in the ongoing monitoring of the EU’s Food Security Policy Framework (COM(2010)0127); emphasises that the EU must support the establishment of processing industries in the agricultural sector and the improvement of food storage techniques; recalls the importance of considering the impact of fisheries agreements on the food security of developing countries; calls on the EU and its Member States to contribute to the prevention of land grabs by supporting developing countries in their implementation at national level of the UN Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests;
15.

Believes that facilitating effective access for refugees and asylum seekers to housing, health care, education, social protection and the labour market, while guaranteeing respect for their fundamental rights and making labour markets more inclusive at local and national level, could play an important role in restoring their human dignity and self-worth, and stresses that this is also cost-efficient, as it would allow them to be self-sufficient, to gain economic independence and to contribute in a positive way to society, which is an essential step for their successful inclusion into that society, and a responsible approach towards public finances, easing the cost borne by Member States and local authorities, as it involves integrating refugees while at the same time enabling them to become active fiscal contributors, which could be considered beneficial for their individual growth, development, self-esteem, recognition in society, as well as for the society and community as a whole; points out that not all refugees arriving in the EU are able to work for reasons of health, age or other issues; recalls that the Qualifications Directive and the Reception Conditions Directive provides for the right of access to the labour market and to vocational training, both for asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection;
60.

Welcomes the Commission communication of February 2016 on an EU strategy on heating and cooling, but highlights the lack of progress and low targets set for renewable use in heating and cooling, in particular in buildings; stresses the great potential for continued progress in renewable use in heating and cooling; notes that the heating and cooling sector accounts for half the EU’s final energy consumption and therefore plays a key role in achieving the EU objectives on climate and renewable energy resources; recognises the benefits of increasing renewable energy in the heating and cooling sector; stresses the increased flexibility of thermal infrastructure and storage in facilitating the integration of variable renewable sources by storing energy in the form of heat, offering excellent returns on investment and providing opportunities for enhancing quality local employment; calls on the Commission to bridge the regulatory gaps in the post-2020 renewables legislative package; reiterates that efforts in the heating and cooling sector hold great potential for increased energy security (given that 61 % of gas imported into the European Union is used in buildings, mainly for heating purposes), for example through the development of district heating/cooling networks, which are an efficient means of integrating sustainable heat into cities on a large scale, since they can simultaneously deliver heat derived from a range of sources and are not inherently dependent on any one source;
D.

whereas the ILO Work in Fishing Convention (No 188), along with Recommendation (No 199), covers essential matters to ensure decent working and living conditions on board, including responsibilities of fishing vessel owners and skippers with regard to workers’ health and safety (Article 8); the definition of a minimum working age and protection of young workers (Article 9); mandatory medical examinations and certificates (Articles 10-12); rest periods (Articles 13 and 14); crew lists (Article 15); work agreements stating duties and labour conditions (Articles 16-20); entitlement to repatriation (Article 21); recruitment and placement (Article 22); regular payment of fishers and family transfers (Articles 23 and 24); accommodation and food standards (Articles 25-28); the definition of safety and health standards at work and the provision of medical care on board (Articles 29-33); social security protection (Articles 34-37); protection in the event of work-related sickness, injuries or death (Articles 38-39); compliance and enforcement (Articles 40-44);
15.

Regrets that some Member States have decided to opt for national RIS3 without giving local and regional authorities a chance to develop their own views, thus undermining the bottom-up entrepreneurial discovery process that RIS3 should enshrine; underlines the importance of a regional approach, as the implementation of RIS3 can only be successful if based on local and regional assets; calls on the Member States concerned to reconsider replacing the national RIS3 by regional ones in order not to miss out on growth opportunities, and calls for a better coordination between national and regional S3 strategies wherever appropriate, in order to adapt them if necessary to future needs and requirements for sustainable development, in particular in the food and energy sectors; regrets that the partnership principle enshrined in Article 5 of the CPR has not always been respected; calls on Member States to respect the partnership principle at all stages of the preparation and implementation of the Partnership Agreement and Operational Programmes;
2.

Calls on the Council to provide an unambiguous and clear set of competences and proceedings concerning the EPPO based on the proposed directive on the fight against fraud to the Union’s financial interests by means of criminal law (PIF Directive); calls on the Council to strengthen its efforts to find agreement on the PIF Directive which includes VAT in its scope, and to reopen negotiations with Parliament, in order to enable the EPPO to be established; stresses that the EPPO should have priority competence for offences defined in the PIF Directive; deeply regrets that the Council does not allow the EPPO to be competent in PIF cases where EU funding exceeds EUR 10 000 but does not represent 50 % or more of the co-financing; calls on the Council, therefore, to abandon the rule depriving the EPPO of the possibility of exercising competence for all PIF offences where the damage to the Union budget is equal to or less than damage to another victim; calls on the Council to ensure that the EPPO is immediately informed by the national authorities of all cases related in any way to the PIF Directive both before and during an investigation;
24.

Calls on the Commission and the European Investment Bank to particularly target those regions that have been most affected by deindustrialisation and to accelerate support for projects in these regions as a matter of urgency, while ensuring that viable and high-quality projects are supported; believes that the potential for increasing strategic and targeted lending by the European Investment Bank for innovation and industrial transformation projects, notably in manufacturing and related services, should be further explored; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure better access to finance for EU businesses, in particular for micro-enterprises and SMEs, thus enhancing their capacities for project building, and to provide them with better advisory services and technical support;
2.

Deeply deplores and unconditionally condemns the recent attacks on a humanitarian relief convoy and a Red Crescent warehouse near Aleppo as severe and alarming violations of international humanitarian law and as a possible war crime; pays tribute to the humanitarian workers who died in the effort to assist the people of Aleppo and throughout Syria and extends its sincerest condolences to the families and friends of the victims; calls for consequences and accountability for those guilty of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity;
38.

Believes that regional rivalries are an underlying factor in conflicts in several countries in the region; is very concerned at the rise of sectarian violence in the region and emphasises the need for sustained and comprehensive EU diplomatic engagement in order to address the underlying dynamics of the conflict with long-term support for ethno-sectarian reconciliation; notes with concern the worsening struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia for political and religious influence, and warns of its implications for conflict resolution and security in the Middle East and beyond; believes that a policy of rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and their constructive cooperation, is essential to defusing regional tensions, as a path towards finding ways of ending the armed conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, and the resulting migration flows, and in order to address the root causes of terrorism and extremism, which are a threat to the region as well as to the European Union and beyond; calls for active EU diplomacy to de-escalate tensions between Tehran and Riyadh, including confidence-building, track II diplomacy and de-escalation measures aimed at the resumption of Saudi-Iranian diplomatic relations, as a first step in the normalisation of their relations; calls on the EU to work with the US and Russia to that end and, in particular, to support the development of a new regional security infrastructure that takes into account Iran’s and Saudi Arabia’s threat perceptions and legitimate security concerns, and provides security guarantees to both Iran and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council; stresses that cooperation on maritime security in the Persian Gulf, including the signing of a charter on free navigation, could be a first confidence-building measure in developing regional trust and cooperation;
6.

Considers that practical steps need to be taken to further inform citizens, businesses, legal professionals and all other relevant parties of the availability, functioning, application and advantages of the European Order for Payment Procedure in cross-border cases; stresses, further, that assistance is needed for members of the public and in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises to improve their use, understanding and knowledge of existing legal instruments with a view to the enforcement of claims at cross-border level under the relevant EU legislation;
6.

Urges all political actors to engage in a peaceful and constructive dialogue, to prevent any deepening of the current political crisis and to refrain from further violence and provocations; welcomes the efforts made by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) to forge a wider consensus over a political transition; calls on both the authorities and the opposition to refrain from any action or statement that could further spread unrest; in the meantime, acknowledges that a transitional period is necessary, during which time the presidency can only be exercised under the authority of a transitional council in which the opposition will play a crucial role;
5.

Stresses that the task of the Commission is to ensure that custom duties on food and fisheries products from the EU are not set in a way contrary to the principles of free trade in the area of food products, including fisheries products;
32.

Emphasises that the enforcement of EU and national financial and consumer legislation needs to be strengthened and that a single market in retail financial services needs high levels of consumer protection legislation and consistent and rigorous enforcement thereof across the Member States; notes, at the same time, that the volume of legislation on retail financial services has increased in recent years with the aims of improving prudential stability, strengthening consumer protection and restoring confidence in the sector; stresses that the European Supervisory Authorities should step up their activities on consumer and retail investor issues and that the agencies responsible in a number of Member States should start to work more actively and competently in this field; calls on Member State supervisory authorities to conduct exchanges of good practice in order to ensure that retail financial services legislation is applied in a way that safeguards fair competition while enforcing consumer protection legislation;
18.

Stresses that, despite the abolition of tariff barriers in the single market, a vast number of various unnecessary non-tariff barriers (NTBs) still exist; highlights that strengthening the single market requires urgent action at both EU and national level in order to address those unnecessary NTBs in a way which is compatible with the promotion of social, consumer and environmental standards, in order to generate more competition and create growth and jobs; emphasises that protectionism and discriminatory measures by Member States should not be tolerated; recalls its request that the Commission present in 2016 a comprehensive overview of NTBs in the single market and an analysis of the means for tackling them, making a clear distinction between an NTB and regulations for implementing a legitimate public policy objective of a Member State in a proportionate manner, including an ambitious proposal to eliminate these NTBs as soon as possible in order to unleash the still untapped potential of the single market;
52.

Underlines the need for blending and public-private partnerships in order to leverage financing beyond ODA and to effectively follow development effectiveness principles, but also underlines the need for these to be based on transparent criteria, to clearly demonstrate their additionality and positive development impact, not to erode universal access to quality essential public services and for all payments to be transparent; underlines that financed projects must respect national development objectives, internationally agreed human rights and social and environmental standards in a binding manner, the needs and rights of local populations, and the principles of development effectiveness; recognises in this regard that traditional land use, for example by smallholders and pastoralists, is usually not documented but needs to be respected and protected; reiterates that enterprises involved in development partnerships should respect the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the UN Guiding Principles and OECD Guidelines throughout their operations, and promote ethical business practices; notes that development policies and programmes yield a double dividend when development effectiveness is fulfilled; calls all development actors to fully align all their actions with these principles;
22.

Remains concerned about the state of freedom of expression and media freedom in Montenegro and the lack of effective investigations by the government into attacks on journalists; urges again the competent authorities to resolve the long-pending cases of violence against, intimidation of and threats made to journalists, to take measures to protect media professionals and to create a safe environment for free and investigative journalism; expresses concerns about attacks perpetrated by police forces and about recent cases of pressure and intimidation against journalists, including smear campaigns, physical attacks and threats, as well as cases of interference with media during anti-government demonstrations, including arbitrary arrests and the seizure of equipment; expresses concerns about the continued lack of proper investigations into these attacks and about the non-resolution of these cases; notes that the number of defamation cases remains high; insists on transparent state advertising in private media, on the amendment of the Montenegrin criminal code and on the introduction of new criminal offences aimed at preventing and punishing attacks on journalists discharging their professional duties; acknowledges the legal measures taken to provide greater financial independence and sustainability for the public service broadcaster RTCG, and calls for further steps to be taken to ensure its independence, including editorial independence; stresses the need to support and strengthen existing self-regulatory mechanisms; stresses that the revised Code of Ethics for Journalists must be effectively and uniformly applied across the media community; calls, when appropriate, for observers of the EU Delegation and Member State embassies to more regularly attend trials against journalists and media professionals;
6.

Calls on the Member States to establish single national websites as provided for in Directive 2014/67/EU; calls on the Commission and the Member States to improve their guidance and counselling activities to further strengthen citizens’ freedom to move, work and study in other Member States and to raise public awareness; calls on the Commission to improve the effectiveness of tools created to offer information on job and learning opportunities across the EU, such as EURES and PLOTEUS, and to further raise public awareness about them; takes note of the new EURES Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/589), aimed at making EURES an effective employment tool through fair intra-EU labour mobility; stresses that better consular assistance and cooperation helps raise awareness of individuals’ personal status and protect the fundamental rights of mobile workers or students, and facilitates their smooth integration in the host Member State;
—

having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia, in particular its resolutions of 23 October 2012 (1), of 13 June 2013 on the rule of law in Russia (2), of 13 March 2014 on Russia: sentencing of demonstrators involved in the Bolotnaya Square events (3), its recommendation of 2 April 2014, its resolutions of 23 October 2014 on the closing-down of the NGO ‘Memorial’ (winner of the 2009 Sakharov Prize) in Russia (4), of 15 January 2015 on Russia, in particular the case of Alexei Navalny (5), of 12 March 2015 on the murder of the Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov and the state of democracy in Russia (6), and of 24 November 2016 on the case of Ildar Dadin, prisoner of conscience in Russia (7),
47.

Stresses that the opening up of safe and legal channels to asylum-seekers and potential migrants would allow them to use formal entry and exit channels, thus denying business to human traffickers and associated organised crime networks; stresses that the lack of legal avenues for migration often leads to an increase in irregular methods of mobility, which translates in turn into greater vulnerability and the risk of abuse during all stages of the migratory and refugee movement; calls, in this respect, for the urgent, specific and tangible establishment of organised, safe and legal avenues to the EU as a whole through, inter alia , more effective family reunification arrangements and resettlement programmes; reiterates also its call on the Member States to make use of any existing possibilities to provide humanitarian visas, particularly for vulnerable persons and especially unaccompanied minors, at Union embassies and consular offices in countries of origin or transit; calls for the Common European Asylum System to also allow requests for asylum, as well as the processing of asylum claims, to take place outside the EU or at the EU’s external borders; calls for EU support in setting up humanitarian corridors when dealing with severe refugee and displacement crises, with the aim of providing humanitarian aid and ensuring that the most basic needs of these refugees are covered and their human rights are respected; notes the Commission’s proposal regarding the establishment of an EU framework on resettlement, but calls for work to continue at EU level on the creation and strengthening of legal routes that would be complementary to resettlement;