ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
17.

Reiterates its call on the VP/HR to renew efforts towards a common EU-Syria strategy; welcomes and fully supports the recent diplomatic initiatives of VP/HR Federica Mogherini, in line with the European Council mandate, aimed at bringing the parties involved in the conflict back to the negotiating table and relaunching the political process in Geneva; notes with interest the regional talks she held with Iran and Saudi Arabia, and considers her activities to be of added value and a useful contribution to the efforts of the United Nations Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura; urges all parties involved in the conflict to resume and intensify political negotiations as soon as possible in anticipation of a new and stable truce to be established, which should include provisions ensuring transitional justice in post-conflict Syria; stresses that these peace talks should lead to a cessation of hostilities and a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition; emphasises the role that the EU can play in post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation;
13.

Calls on the Commission to assess carefully and comprehensively the qualitative and quantitative impact of recent and new reforms inter alia on the financing of the real economy in Europe and on envisaged European legislative projects such as the Capital Markets Union; calls on the Commission to make use of the findings resulting from the call for evidence and of the work stream on the first stocktaking assessment on financial services regulation which is due by the end of 2016; calls on the Commission to make sure that the new BCBS proposals or the implementation thereof do not counteract those initiatives; stresses that this assessment should not undermine the legislative achievements obtained so far and should not be seen as a call for deregulation;
6.

Is particularly alarmed by the situation of women and children in the conflict, in particular the Yazidi women and children who are victims of persecution, executions, torture, sexual exploitation and other atrocities; insist that a full range of medical services should be made available, in particular for rape victims; calls, as a matter of urgency, for the EU and its Members States to work closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and to support it to this end; calls for the immediate release of all women and children who remain captives of ISIS/Daesh;
17.

Calls on the Commission, in its report on the evaluation of National Action Plans required under Article 4 of Directive 2009/128/EC establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides, to identify gaps in the implementation of the Directive by Member States and to include robust recommendations to Member States to take immediate action in order to reduce the risk and impact of pesticide use on human health and the environment and to develop and introduce alternative approaches or techniques with the aim of reducing dependency on the use of pesticides;
5.

Points out that the implementation of the EU-Cook Islands FPA and protocol, and possible revisions and/or renewals, should take account of and be aligned with the strategy established by the Cook Islands authorities for the development of the Cook Islands fishing sector, notably by making provision for: — a contribution towards building monitoring, control and inspection capacities in relation to the fishery resources of the Cook Islands and fishing activities being carried out in that country’s waters, with a particular focus on combating IUU fishing; — action to improve the scientific knowledge available on the status of local marine ecosystems and fishery resources in the Cook Islands waters; — specific support for the development of local artisanal fishing and communities that rely on it, increasing its contribution to the local economy, helping to improve safety on board and fishermen’s incomes, and supporting the development of local fish processing and marketing infrastructure, whether to supply the domestic market or for export;
39.

Highlights the role of indigenous peoples and local communities in keeping the Arctic region viable and sustainable; calls on the Commission to focus on providing these communities with access to all relevant information on EU single market requirements, best practices and funding instruments; underlines the role of fluent transport, communication and electricity networks, as well as spatial geo-localisation and telecommunication technologies, in creating economic activity in the region; reminds the Commission of its obligations under Regulation (EU) 2015/1775 in terms of reporting and informing the public and the competent authorities of the provisions in the regulation; stresses the need to incorporate indigenous and local know-how as well as to ensure a closer involvement, acceptance and engagement of the indigenous and local communities in the decision-making processes; underlines the need of the necessary support and funding; suggests, in this context, an Arctic representation of indigenous peoples in Brussels to make their participation more visible; is of the view that the EU should support the deployment of innovative technologies in the Arctic, developing Arctic renewables sources;
F.

whereas Mikalay Statkevich, a prominent opposition figure and former presidential candidate, who was expected to lead the demonstration in Minsk, was arrested and kept in a KGB detention centre for three days, with no information as to his whereabouts; whereas Sergei Kulinich and Sergei Kuntsevich were also arrested; whereas Uladzimir Nyaklyayev, a well-known Belarusian poet and presidential candidate in 2010, was also illegally detained prior to the rally of 25 March 2017 and, as a consequence, had to be hospitalised due to weakened health conditions; whereas Pavel Seviarynets, Vitali Rymashevski, Anatol Liabedzka and Yuri Hubarevich, along with a number of civic activists, were arrested over the course of March 2017; whereas on 23 March Ales Lahvinets, deputy chairman of the Movement for Freedom, was arrested in Minsk; whereas around 60 human rights observers were preventatively detained;
21.

Considers it of the utmost importance to remind the Commission of its own commitments made in the proposal for a European Pillar of Social Rights, in particular as regards: — secure and adaptable employment, principle 5d: ‘Employment relationships that lead to precarious working conditions shall be prevented, including by prohibiting abuse of atypical contracts. Any probation period should be of reasonable duration’; — fair wages, principle 6a: ‘Workers have the right to fair wages that provide for a decent standard of living’; recalls that any initiative made by the Commission as regards road transport must not go against this principle nor endanger workers’ rights in this sector;
26.

Stresses the need for a better understanding of qualifications awarded outside the EU with a view to their validation and recognition and in order to foster the integration of migrants and refugees into European society, the EU labour market, and education and training systems in the EU; welcomes, in this context, the recommendation establishing the foundations for relationships between third-country national and regional qualification frameworks, Member State NQFs and the EQF, particularly the option of structured dialogues with EU neighbourhood countries that have an association agreement with the EU, thereby possibly serving to strengthen their NQFs with the EQF and the EU and bolster support (e.g. through development aid) to third countries for the purpose of developing NQFs;
C.

whereas Article 6 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 establishes an Authority for European political parties and European political foundations, to be set up by 1 September 2016 with the function of deciding whether the registration and de-registration of European political parties and political foundations are in compliance with the procedures and conditions laid down in the regulation;
51.

Calls on the Commission to ensure, maintain and develop long-term financing for the 5G Action Plan and the network modernisation at the appropriate level within the horizon of the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2020-2027 and particularly the next RTD&I Framework; underlines the importance of cooperation between academia, research institutions, the private sector and the public sector on research and development concerning 5G mobile communications; points to the 5G PPP as a positive example in this regard; points out that, according to the Commission, an investment of EUR 500 billion will be required over the next decade in order to reach the connectivity targets, although it also estimates that there is an investment shortfall of EUR 155 billion; takes the view, therefore, that top priority needs to be given to ensuring that there is sufficient investment triggered by competition for the deployment of digital infrastructure, as that deployment is imperative in order to enable citizens and businesses to reap the benefits of the development of 5G technology;
(g)

to push for stronger multilateral commitments to find lasting sustainable political and peaceful solutions to current conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya; and to reinvigorate diplomatic efforts to resolve frozen conflicts around the world; to continue to support UN special envoys’ work, actions and initiatives aimed at solving these conflicts; to call for continued humanitarian, financial and political assistance from the international community in order to address the humanitarian situation, and to work towards the immediate cessation of violence; to prevent any violation of IHL and International Human Rights Law, including the direct targeting of civil infrastructure and civilian population and to strongly condemn these violations in Syria; to urge all UN Member States to make all necessary financial and human resources available to assist the population in conflict areas; to support efforts deployed by the UN to find a sustainable resolution to the conflict in Syria and Iraq and to continue to back the EU’s role in the humanitarian field and the EU’s regional initiative; to urge the international community to do whatever is in their power in order to strongly condemn those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed during the Syrian conflict, either under their national judicial systems, international courts or ad hoc tribunals; to support the UN peace plan initiative in Yemen and to tackle the ongoing humanitarian crisis as a matter of urgency; to call on all parties to respect the human rights and freedoms of all Yemeni citizens, and to stress the importance of improving the security of all those working on peace and humanitarian missions in the country; to encourage a policy of rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia as essential in defusing regional tensions, and as a path towards conflict resolution in Yemen and elsewhere; to further encourage such actions in order to address the root causes of terrorism and extremism which are a threat to international security and regional stability; to call for stronger support for the UN-backed government in Libya and to play a central role in the stabilisation of Libya and preservation of its unity and territorial integrity under the framework of the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA); to reiterate the urgent need to unite all armed forces under the control of the legitimate civilian authorities as set out in the LPA; to renew support for the efforts of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) for Western Sahara to resolve these long standing conflicts; to call for the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions on the Middle East;
29.

Notes that the current EU intermediary limited liability regime is one of the issues raised by certain stakeholders in the ongoing debate on online platforms; notes that the consultation on the regulatory environment for platforms has shown relative support for the current framework contained in the e-Commerce Directive, but also the need to eliminate certain flaws in its enforcement; believes, therefore, that the liability regime should be further clarified, since it is a crucial pillar for the EU’s digital economy; believes that guidance is needed from the Commission on the implementation of the intermediary liability framework in order to allow online platforms to comply with their responsibilities and the rules on liability, enhance legal certainty, and increase user confidence; calls on the Commission to develop further steps to that effect, recalling that platforms not playing a neutral role as defined in the e-commerce Directive cannot claim liability exemption;
D.

whereas the report of the United Nations Independent Investigation on Burundi (UNIIB) points to ‘abundant evidence of serious human rights violations and abuses’ in the country, perpetrated mainly by the security forces and the authorities; whereas there has been an increase in cases of incitement to violence and hatred since April 2017, in particular at rallies of the Imbonerakure, the youth militia of the CNDD-FDD party in power; whereas opposition figures and civil society activists, notably human rights defenders and journalists, have been the primary targets of these abuses; whereas the final report of the commission of inquiry set up by the Human Rights Council is expected in September 2017;
A.

whereas on 3 December 2013 Monsanto Europe S.A. and Bayer CropScience N.V. submitted an application for the placing on the market of foods, food ingredients and feed containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified oilseed rape MON 88302 × Ms8 × Rf3 to the national competent authority of the Netherlands, in accordance with Articles 5 and 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003; whereas that application also covered the placing on the market of genetically modified oilseed rape MON 88302 × Ms8 × Rf3 in products consisting of it or containing it for uses other than food and feed as any other oilseed rape, with the exception of cultivation; whereas the application covered, for those uses, all sub-combinations of the single genetic modification events constituting oilseed rape MON 88302 × Ms8 × Rf3;
120.

Stresses that improving the status of and upskilling all teachers, trainers, mentors and educators in order to expand their skills would be a prerequisite for the delivery of the New Skills Agenda and that further efforts have to be made to attract young people to work in the education system and to motivate teachers to stay in the profession, including by improving retention policies; notes that this requires consideration for and the valorisation of teachers, attractive remuneration and working conditions, better access to further training during working time especially in digital didactics, as well as measures to protect against and prevent violence and harassment in educational institutions; calls on the Member States to encourage more gender equality in the teaching profession; underlines that enhancing innovative teaching and learning practices and facilitating mobility and exchange of best practices could be one step towards this goal;
I.

whereas the humanitarian situation in Yemen was further exacerbated by the imposition on 6 November 2017 by the Saudi-led coalition of a blockade of the country’s land, sea and air borders; whereas the sea port of Aden and the al-Wadea land crossing at the Saudi-Yemeni border have been reopened; whereas, however, the ports of Hodeida and Saleef, as well as the airport of Sana’a, taken by the Houthi rebels in March 2015, through which approximately 80 % of imports, including commercial and humanitarian goods, enter Yemen, are still subject to the blockade; whereas aid agencies have warned that, if the blockade is not lifted, Yemen will face the largest famine the world has seen for decades, with millions of victims;
19.

Notes the anxiety of petitioners concerned about their future rights following the referendum in the United Kingdom on withdrawal from the European Union which was evident in a large number of petitions concerning the United Kingdom; recalls its resolution of 5 April 2017 ( 3 ) by which Parliament underlines that the withdrawal agreement can only be concluded with its consent and its requirement for the fair treatment of EU-27 citizens living or having lived in the United Kingdom and of United Kingdom citizens living or having lived in the EU-27, and is of the opinion that their respective rights and interests must be given full priority in the negotiations; notes the unresolved concerns about voting rights and the disenfranchisement of UK citizens living elsewhere in the EU for over 15 years; recalls that the Committee on Petitions has been playing an active role in defending the rights of EU and British citizens by contributing to Parliament’s resolutions of 5 April 2017 and of 3 October 2017 ( 4 ) on the state of play of the negotiations with the United Kingdom following its notification to withdraw from the EU as well as by commissioning a study on the impact of Brexit in relation to the right to petition and on the competences, responsibilities and activities of the Committee on Petitions and by examining the petitions dealing with Brexit and the rights of citizens in its meeting on 21 June 2017; supports the Commission’s commitment to fully guarantee the rights of European citizens residing in the United Kingdom during the Brexit negotiations and following its exit from the EU, and calls on the Commission to guarantee the full acquired rights for UK citizens residing in the rest of the European Union to ensure that citizens are not used as bargaining chips or see their rights eroded as a result of the negotiations;
64.

Believes that, in the current context, the strategic partnership between the EU and NATO is fundamental to addressing the security challenges facing the Union and its neighbourhood; considers that the EU-NATO Joint Declaration and the subsequent implementation actions have the potential to move cooperation and complementarity to a higher level and to mark a new and substantive phase of the strategic partnership; welcomes the common set of 42 proposals, of which as many as 10 seek to increase resilience against hybrid threats, aimed at strengthening both cooperation and coordination between the two organisations; notes that this work will be taken forward in the spirit of full openness and transparency, in full respect of the decision-making autonomy and procedures of both organisations, and will be based on the principles of inclusiveness and reciprocity without prejudice to the specific character of the security and defence policy of any Member State; praises the cooperation being undertaken in combating cyber threats, developing strategic communications and coordinating maritime activities and joint exercises, and points to the excellent cooperation and complementarity of the EU's Operation Sophia and NATO's Operation Sea Guardian; welcomes as well the publication in June 2017 of the two organisations’ first joint implementation report and the progress made in implementing the common set of proposals, and calls for continued progress; stresses the EU’s full commitment to the transatlantic community of common values and interests;
112.

Calls on the Commission and the Member States to step up their efforts to implement and ensure a holistic approach to guarantee the ecological coherence and connectivity of networks of MPAs and their effective design, management and evaluation, as part of an effective spatial planning process, so that they can reach their full potential for protecting marine and coastal biodiversity; regrets that currently less than 3 % of the world’s oceans are designated as fully protected marine reserves; calls on the Member States to increase the number of designated MPAs, in accordance with SDG 14, with the aim of ensuring the preservation of at least 10 % of marine and coastal areas; encourages the Member States to develop coherent and connected networks of MPAs; calls on the Commission and the Council to use the results of scientific research into biodiversity with reference to the criteria for establishing MPAs in the negotiations on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction; lastly, encourages the Member States to ensure that tools are complementary and to develop marine spatial planning in order to combine MPAs more effectively with other effective conservation measures;
3.

Condemns in the strongest terms the ongoing violence in Eastern Ghouta, despite the unanimous adoption of UNSC Resolution 2401, and urgently calls on all parties, and in particular on the Assad regime, Russia and Iran, to fully and urgently implement and respect that resolution, ensuring the immediate, safe, unimpeded and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance, the evacuation of the critically ill and wounded, and the alleviation of the suffering of the Syrian people; fully supports the call for all parties to the conflict to cease hostilities without delay for at least 30 consecutive days; reiterates the call on all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, to adhere to their responsibility to protect the Syrian population and to immediately halt all attacks against civilians in Syria; calls on the guarantors of the ceasefire in the de-escalation areas to follow through with their responsibilities with a view to putting an end to the violence and crimes committed and permitting and guaranteeing unhindered access to these zones; notes the decision by the three Astana Process countries to hold a new summit in April 2018 to discuss Syria and potential steps in the region; stresses that these steps should in no way contradict or undermine the UN-sponsored talks / Geneva process; 3a
P.

whereas on several occasions the Commission has deplored the fact that, since the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, authorisation decisions have been adopted by the Commission without the support of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health and that the return of the dossier to the Commission for final decision, which is very much the exception for the procedure as a whole, has become the norm for decision-making on genetically modified food and feed authorisations; whereas that practice has also been deplored by Commission President Juncker as not being democratic (13);
14.

Reminds the authorities of the Philippines of their obligations under international law, the GSP+ scheme and the PCA, notably with regard to human rights, and of the consequences of failure to comply; stresses that, while the progress in the implementation of the GSP+ conventions is largely positive, strong concerns remain around human rights violations related to the war on drugs; recalls, in this respect, its previous resolution of 16 March 2017on the Philippines, and calls on the Commission and the External Action Service to use all available instruments, including the PCA, to persuade the Philippines to put an end to extrajudicial killings related to the anti-drug campaign and, in the absence of substantive improvements, to initiate the procedural steps which could lead to the temporary withdrawal of the GSP+ preferences; urges the EU to use all available instruments to assist the Government of the Philippines in respecting its international human rights obligations;