EU-Egypt partnership priorities 2017-2020

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Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Aucun

Egypt is a strategic partner of the EU, not only due to the fight against terrorism but largely because of its cultural and geographical proximity. Any partnership between the two sides should take this into account. Also crucial is the fact that bilateral relations cannot be built solely on the basis of commercial advantage, nor should they be reduced to issues of border control and security. For a genuine and serious partnership, human rights must be our common language.

The shrinking role of civil society in developing countries

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Debate: Monday

Vote: Tuesday

Restrictions on civil society have become increasingly repressive. To counterbalance this, this report puts forward a number of positive proposals which help ensure the role NGOs play in fostering democracy and the well-being of citizens worldwide. However, in order to not jeopardise the development of free and diverse civil societies and in line with a coherent policy for development, we believe it is fundamental for the EU to establish legal human rights obligations for business. In addition, we believe in free and independent civil societies and thus deplore the strong reference to religious or faith-based movements in the report. As a result, we will be abstaining from supporting this resolution.

Women’s economic empowerment in EU private and public sectors

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Debate: Monday

Vote: Tuesday

This report underlines that women´s empowerment and self-determination start when policy priorities challenge patriarchal structures. They ensure that women have control over their own bodies and access to sexual and reproductive health and rights services when genuine investments in public services and infrastructure - including child and elderly care - are in place. Policy frameworks must also be set out to increase women’s employment and equal economic independence, participation in political decision-making, reduce the gender pay and pension gaps, and fight discriminatory laws.

Ryanair cancellations and air passengers’ rights

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Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Aucun

With dozens of routes suspended and waves of cancellations announced until next spring, over 800,000 Ryanair passengers have now been affected across Europe. GUE/NGL condemns any violation of passenger rights and strongly urges the European Commission to guarantee the compensation of all affected passengers. The revision of regulation 261/2004/EC, voted in Plenary in February 2014, must be unblocked by the Council as soon as possible.

2017 UN COP23 conference

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Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Wednesday

Amongst the core issues that will be discussed at the climate conference, COP23, include the action of climate lobbies - which seek to sabotage emission reduction targets - as well as the financing of meeting and exceeding the objectives set in Paris. We will also focus on the strategy and role of vulnerable countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia - with the spotlight on indigenous peoples - and the role of women in tackling climate change. However, with food wastage producing 3300 million tonnes of CO2 (the sector is the third largest producer of greenhouse gases after the United States and China) we also want to hear from food producers and all others whose role is to mitigate climate change.

Brexit negotiations

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Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Tuesday

Notwithstanding the various rounds of negotiations, a definitive and comprehensive agreement on citizens’ rights is still far from being reached. The risk of citizens becoming bargaining chips is still very much there. Complete, unconditional and directly enforceable protection of all the rights currently enjoyed by EU and UK citizens shall represent the main objective of the European Parliament and it should insist on concluding such an agreement along these lines.

Brexit negotiations

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Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Tuesday

The resolution is clear that there has not been enough progress in the Brexit negotiations on citizens’ rights, the financial settlement or - crucially - the border in Ireland. The fact that the Parliament recognises that the north should stay “in some form” in the Customs Union and the Single Market is a clear message to the British government about the need for special status or a unique solution.

Upcoming Summit

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Debate: Wednesday

Vote: Aucun

The German election results have demonstrated just how fragile the social fabric has become even in the EU’s most economically-dominant member state. The EU is still far from overcoming its austerity crisis which threatens the Union’s very existence. Yet, European leaders’ focus is not on social cohesion but militarisation and strengthening Fortress Europe. This is the wrong path. The EU has got to be turned around: disarmament, safe passages for refugees, and a new development path that has social cohesion and workers’ rights at its core.