16.6.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 214/85 Wednesday 18 January 2023
14.
Underlines that the illegal, unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine has had a tremendous impact on global food security, given that Ukraine is the fifth largest grain exporter in the world;
15.
Expresses deep concern regarding the safety of nuclear installations in Ukraine, which are in constant danger of military shelling; calls for the EU, its Member States and the international community to establish safety zones around these nuclear installations;
Enhancing EU policies, instruments and diplomacy to protect and advance human rights and democracy in the world NDICI — Global Europe and the human rights and democracy thematic programme
16.
Calls for the EU to reflect on how to promote and best apply a human rights–based approach in all EU instruments and strategies in order to strengthen the EU’s human rights foreign policy and to adapt to and shape the evolving geopolitical situation; underlines that NDICI — Global Europe, including its thematic programme on human rights and democracy, is one of the main tools at the EU’s disposal to improve the human rights situation around the world and help foster resilient, inclusive and democratic societies, while counteracting the influence of authoritarian regimes; stresses that the engagement of local civil society actors is vital to protect human rights and democracy in their countries and reiterates its call to fully engage them in all of the EU’s relevant external activities; welcomes in this regard the invaluable assistance currently being provided to civil society organisations and activists worldwide under the thematic human rights and democracy programme of NDICI — Global Europe and under the European Endowment for Democracy; highlights the importance that NDICI — Global Europe attaches to the promotion of human rights and democracy with strategic international and local partners, inter alia, through EU election observation missions; underlines Parliament’s role in the instrument’s programming process and calls on the Commission and the EEAS to improve the sharing of all relevant information in a timely manner in order to enable Parliament to fulfil its role as enshrined in the treaties, in particular during high-level geopolitical dialogues with the Commission; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to engage in a dialogue with Parliament to ensure improvement in this regard;
17.
Highlights the importance of long-term planning and continuing support for projects and initiatives under NDICI — Global Europe, particularly when it concerns regions affected by conflicts, war and natural disasters; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to integrate democracy support as a cross-cutting priority into all thematic and geographic NDICI — Global Europe programmes;
18.
Reiterates its call for greater transparency regarding human rights-related provisions in financing agreements under the NDICI — Global Europe and for clarification on the mechanism and criteria for the suspension of such agreements in the event of a breach of human rights, democratic principles or the rule of law, as well as in grave cases of corruption; calls on the Commission to refrain from using budget support to third countries’ governments as an operational modality for cooperation with countries witnessing widespread violations of human rights and repression of human rights defenders;
EU Special Representative for Human Rights
19.
Fully supports the work of the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights in defending and advancing human rights in the world through engagement with third countries and cooperation with like-minded partners, and his important role in enhancing the effectiveness of the EU’s human rights policies through efforts to increase their coherence; underlines the need for close cooperation between the EUSR for Human Rights and other EUSRs on countries and regions in order to further improve this consistency, and calls for greater visibility for the role of the EUSR for Human Rights; stresses the importance of the EUSR for Human Rights continuing to cooperate with international organisations, including the UN and its Special Rapporteurs appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, and with representatives of or envoys from other countries responsible for human rights; calls for the EUSR to publically engage more on individual human rights defenders and to closely cooperate with EU and country-based civil society organisations and human rights defenders; underlines the importance of EUSRs on country and regional situations engaging with national authorities on the protection of human rights and individual cases; encourages the EUSR for Human Rights to pursue diplomatic efforts to enhance the EU’s support for international humanitarian law and international justice;