title: Council Recommendation of 13 July 2018 on the 2018 National Reform Programme of Malta and delivering a Council opinion on the 2018 Stability Programme of Malta

text:
               10.9.2018

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 320/76

      COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION
      of 13 July 2018
      on the 2018 National Reform Programme of Malta and delivering a Council opinion on the 2018 Stability Programme of Malta
      (2018/C 320/17)
      THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
      Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 121(2) and 148(4) thereof,
      Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 of 7 July 1997 on the strengthening of the surveillance of budgetary positions and the surveillance and coordination of economic policies (1), and in particular Article 5(2) thereof,
      Having regard to the recommendation of the European Commission,
      Having regard to the resolutions of the European Parliament,
      Having regard to the conclusions of the European Council,
      Having regard to the opinion of the Employment Committee,
      Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Financial Committee,
      Having regard to the opinion of the Social Protection Committee,
      Having regard to the opinion of the Economic Policy Committee,
      Whereas:

                  (1)

                  On 22 November 2017, the Commission adopted the Annual Growth Survey, marking the start of the 2018 European Semester of economic policy coordination. It took due account of the European Pillar of Social Rights, proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on 17 November 2017. The priorities of the Annual Growth Survey were endorsed by the European Council on 22 March 2018. On 22 November 2017, on the basis of Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011, the Commission also adopted the Alert Mechanism Report, in which it did not identify Malta as one of the Member States for which an in-depth review would be carried out. On the same date, the Commission also adopted a recommendation for a Council recommendation on the economic policy of the euro area, which was endorsed by the European Council on 22 March 2018. On 14 May 2018, the Council adopted the Recommendation on the economic policy of the euro area (2) (‘Recommendation for the euro area’).

                  (2)

                  As a Member State whose currency is the euro and in view of the close interlinkages between the economies in the economic and monetary union, Malta should ensure the full and timely implementation of the Recommendation on the economic policy for the euro area, as reflected in the recommendations below, in particular recommendation (1). The 2018 country report for Malta was published on 7 March 2018. It assessed Malta's progress in addressing the country-specific recommendations adopted by the Council on 11 July 2017 (3), the follow-up given to the country-specific recommendations adopted in previous years and Malta's progress towards its national Europe 2020 targets.

                  (3)

                  On 13 April 2018, Malta submitted its 2018 National Reform Programme and its 2018 Stability Programme. In order to take account of their interlinkages, the two programmes have been assessed at the same time.

                  (4)

                  Relevant country-specific recommendations have been addressed in the programming of the European Structural and Investment Funds (‘ESI Funds’) for the 2014-2020 period. As provided for in Article 23 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4), where it is necessary to support the implementation of relevant Council recommendations, the Commission may request a Member State to review and propose amendments to its Partnership Agreement and relevant programmes. The Commission has provided further details on how it would make use of that provision in guidelines on the application of the measures linking the effectiveness of the ESI Funds to sound economic governance.

                  (5)

                  Malta is currently in the preventive arm of the Stability and Growth Pact. In its 2018 Stability Programme, the Government plans to maintain a surplus in headline terms over 2018-2021. The medium-term budgetary objective — a balanced budgetary position in terms of GDP — continues to be met with a positive margin throughout the programme period. According to the Stability Programme, the general government debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to remain below the 60 %-of-GDP Treaty reference value and to gradually decline from 50,8 % of GDP in 2017 to around 36 % in 2021. The macroeconomic scenario underpinning those budgetary projections is plausible for 2018-2019 and favourable for 2020-2021. Based on the Commission 2018 spring forecast, the structural balance is forecast to register a surplus of 0,6 % of GDP in 2018 and 1,1 % of GDP in 2019, above the medium-term budgetary objective. Overall, the Council is of the opinion that Malta is projected to comply with the provisions of the Stability and Growth Pact in 2018 and 2019. At the same time, expenditure developments should be monitored carefully in the short and the medium term, especially in light of possible future risks to the robustness of revenues.

                  (6)

                  As indicated in the 2018 euro area recommendation, the fight against aggressive tax planning strategies is essential to impede distortions of competition between firms, provide fair treatment of taxpayers and safeguard public finances. Spillover effects of taxpayers' aggressive planning strategies between Member States call for a coordinated action of national policies to complement Union legislation. The absence of withholding taxes on outbound (i.e. from Union residents to third-country residents) dividends, interest and royalty payments made by Malta-based companies may lead to those payments avoiding tax altogether, if they are also not subject to tax in the recipient country. While Malta's new Notional Interest Deduction regime will help to reduce the debt equity bias, insufficient anti-abuse rules, combined with a relatively high rate and a stock-based regime, may provide opportunities for tax avoidance. The existence of some provisions in bilateral tax treaties between Malta and other Member States, coupled with Malta's tax system, where a company that is resident but not domiciled in Malta is taxed on source and remittance basis, may be used by companies to engage in tax avoidance practices. The Commission takes note of Malta's commitment to fight against taxpayers aggressive tax planning. Based on recent exchanges, the Commission will continue its constructive dialogue to fight against taxpayers aggressive planning strategies.

                  (7)

                  The long-term sustainability of public finances in Malta remains a challenge. This is entirely driven by the budgetary impact of ageing-related costs, such as healthcare, long-term care and pensions. The pension system faces the dual challenge of achieving sustainability while ensuring adequate retirement incomes. The long-term sustainability prospects for pension expenditure have improved, mainly thanks to a more positive assessment of Malta's long-term growth potential. However, the measures introduced in the 2016 budget had only a limited impact on long-term sustainability of the pension system, which therefore remains a significant challenge. In addition, despite the introduction of measures to improve pension adequacy, the gender coverage gap in pensions remains high. The performance of the health system has improved and waiting times are being reduced. However, challenges remain in the redistribution of resources and activities from hospital to primary care. The institutional setting of primary healthcare provision puts pressure on both hospital and emergency care. Hospital and primary care are not well coordinated and emergency care remains inefficiently used. Access to innovative medicines remains a challenge, also in budgetary terms. Initiatives were undertaken to cater for growing demand in the long-term care system, such as incentivising community-based and home care.

                  (8)

                  Some progress has been made in improving cross-border cooperation. However, the Malta Financial Services Authority still appears understaffed and concerns remain on its capacity to supervise a large cross-border financial system, in particular its non-bank segment. In addition, while the services sector (in particular, the online gaming industry) has significantly contributed to the country's sustained economic growth, this may create challenges to the financial system's integrity, calling for a strong anti-money laundering framework. Malta has recently transposed the 4th Anti Money Laundering Directive; the effectiveness of its implementation remains to be assessed. In addition, following the transposition of the Directive into national law, Maltese authorities have recently presented an integrated strategy to fight money laundering and terrorist financing. Among other actions, a National Coordinating Committee on Combating Money Laundering and Funding of Terrorism, composed of representatives from government and other relevant national authorities has been set up. However, challenges remain on ensuring proper implementation and effective enforcement of the recently adopted regulatory framework.

                  (9)

                  In the context of strong economic growth and reforms supporting female employment and up-skilling of the workforce, Malta's labour market outcomes have further improved. However, high gender employment gaps and the low labour market participation of women above the age of thirty and people with disabilities continue to be a challenge. The design of paternity leave and parental leave remains relatively weak but is important for gender-balanced caring responsibilities and greater support for women to work. Labour shortages are growing and skills mismatches persist. A substantial share of the Maltese labour force still has low qualifications, while the reliance on foreign labour to address the labour and skills shortages is increasing. The policy initiatives being implemented in the areas of labour market, skills and social inclusion are expected to continue further, but need to be informed by outcome-based monitoring and evaluation.

                  (10)

                  At 18,6 % in 2017, the early school leaving rate remains the highest in the Union and with little improvement compared to the previous year. Malta also has the highest early school leaving rate for people with disabilities, which is at 50 %, double the Union average. Moreover, learning outcomes are strongly influenced by socioeconomic background, type of school and disability status. The gap in science performance between students from the bottom versus the top performing schools is among the highest in the Union and 1,5 times the average of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The share of low achievers in maths, science and reading is the fourth highest in the Union. A comprehensive approach to improve educational quality and reduce inequalities in educational outcomes between social groups and different school types is needed.

                  (11)

                  Robust economic growth has increased pressure on infrastructure and natural resources. In particular, the road transport sector faces major infrastructure and long-term sustainability challenges. Insufficient transport infrastructure and rising congestion costs are a barrier to investment. The increase in the number of vehicles and in traffic leads to rising greenhouse gas emissions and negatively affects air quality. They may also negatively impact tourism, which represents an important pillar of Malta's economy. Therefore, the need to tackle the infrastructure gap goes hand in hand with the need for clean transport solutions. In 2016, the Government adopted a National Transport Strategy with a 2050 horizon and an Operational Transport Master Plan to 2025. It also announced a EUR 700 million project to upgrade the road network. Together, these measures are expected to reduce the economic costs of congestions by less than 20 %. Increasing economic activity may exacerbate existing infrastructure bottlenecks, putting even more pressure on environmental resources. In addition, the plan fails to set a clear target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from transport and does not propose an effective monitoring system for implementation of the measures reported (besides a five-year review cycle). It is thus important to set targets and implement measures to substantially reduce congestion and greenhouse emissions from transport by 2025, allowing for periodic monitoring of progress.

                  (12)

                  The challenges created by the country's size and island status make the need to move towards a more circular economy particularly compelling. Smart investment can help to reduce pressure on the island's vulnerable natural resources. For instance, if not addressed, difficulties with disposal of construction and demolition waste might reduce the quality of environment and the country's attractiveness as a tourist destination. While Malta has remained in the bottom group for eco-innovation performance (26th in the Union in 2016 from 18th in 2013, according to the Eco-innovation index), it has the potential to mobilise investment to generate or adopt innovative solutions to improve resource and energy efficiency in construction, as well as the management of waste and waste water. In particular, improvements are needed in the management of waste alongside investment in recycling facilities for construction and demolition waste and the implementation of controls to prevent illegal landfill or dumping at sea of construction and demolition waste.

                  (13)

                  The justice system continues to face challenges with regard to its efficiency and a strengthened legal and institutional framework to fight corruption is necessary to ensure a high quality business environment. Governance shortcomings in the anti-corruption framework may adversely affect the business climate and weigh negatively on investment. The effectiveness of Malta's efforts to fight corruption needs to be further improved, especially with regard to the investigation and prosecution of corruption. Improving the governance framework is crucial to preserving Malta's reputation and attractiveness as an international investment destination

                  (14)

                  In the context of the 2018 European Semester, the Commission has carried out a comprehensive analysis of Malta's economic policy and published it in the 2018 country report. It has also assessed the 2018 Stability Programme, the 2018 National Reform Programme and the follow-up given to the recommendations addressed to Malta in previous years. It has taken into account not only their relevance for sustainable fiscal and socioeconomic policy in Malta, but also the extent to which they comply with Union rules and guidance, given the need to strengthen the Union's overall economic governance by providing Union-level input into future national decisions.

                  (15)

                  In the light of this assessment, the Council has examined the 2018 Stability Programme and is of the opinion (5) that Malta is expected to comply with the Stability and Growth Pact,

            HEREBY RECOMMENDS that Malta take action in 2018 and 2019 to:

                  1.

                  Strengthen the overall governance framework by enhancing the national supervision of internationally oriented financial businesses licensed in Malta, by ensuring the effective enforcement of the Anti-Money Laundering framework and by continuing to step up the fight against corruption.

                  2.

                  Ensure the sustainability of the healthcare and the pension systems, including by increasing the statutory retirement age and by restricting early retirement.

         Done at Brussels, 13 July 2018.

               For the Council

               The President

            H. LÖGER

         (1)  OJ L 209, 2.8.1997, p. 1.

         (2)  OJ C 179, 25.5.2018, p. 1.

         (3)  OJ C 261, 9.8.2017, p. 1.

         (4)  Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 320).

         (5)  Under Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1466/97.


               19.9.2018

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 334/178

      P8_TA(2017)0304
      Recommendation to the Council on the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly
      European Parliament recommendation of 5 July 2017 to the Council concerning the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (2017/2041(INI))
      (2018/C 334/20)

         The European Parliament,

                  —

                  having regard to the Charter of the United Nations,

                  —

                  having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to the UN human rights conventions and the optional protocols thereto,

                  —

                  having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Articles 21, 34 and 36 thereof,

                  —

                  having regard to the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly,

                  —

                  having regard to UN Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2009), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2010), 1960 (2011), 2106 (2013), 2122 (2013) and 2242 (2015) on women, peace and security,

                  —

                  having regard to its resolution of 16 March 2017 on the EU priorities for the UN Human Rights Council session in 2017 (1),

                  —

                  having regard to the EU Annual Report on human rights and democracy in the world in 2015 and the European Union’s policy on the matter,

                  —

                  having regard to its resolution of 28 April 2016 on attacks on hospitals and schools as violations of international humanitarian law (2),

                  —

                  having regard to its recommendation to the Council of 7 July 2016 on the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly (3),

                  —

                  having regard to the Council conclusions of 18 July 2016 on the EU priorities for the 71st UN General Assembly,

                  —

                  having regard to the revised EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child,

                  —

                  having regard to the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on the participation of the European Union in the work of the United Nations, which grants the EU the right to intervene in the UN General Assembly, to present proposals and amendments orally which will be put to a vote at the request of a Member State, and to exercise the right to reply,

                  —

                  having regard to the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants of 19 September 2016,

                  —

                  having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution A/71/L.48 of 21 December 2016, setting up an ‘International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011’,

                  —

                  having regard to its resolution of 4 February 2016 on the systematic mass murder of religious minorities by the so-called ‘ISIS/Daesh’ (4),

                  —

                  having regard to its resolution of 27 October 2016 on the situation in Northern Iraq/Mosul (5),

                  —

                  having regard to Rule 113 of its Rules of Procedure,

                  —

                  having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A8-0216/2017),

                  A.

                  whereas the EU’s commitment to effective multilateralism and good global governance, with the UN at its core, is an integral part of the EU’s external policy and is rooted in the conviction that a multilateral system founded on universal rules and values is best suited to addressing global crises, challenges and threats;

                  B.

                  whereas the international order based on cooperation, dialogue, free and fair trade, and human rights is being called into question by several nationalist and protectionist movements around the world;

                  C.

                  whereas the EU should play a proactive part in building a United Nations that can contribute effectively to global solutions, peace and security, human rights, development, democracy and a rule-of-law-based international order; whereas EU Member States need to make every effort to further coordinate and fuse their actions in the organs and bodies of the United Nations system in accordance with the mandate contained in Article 34(1) TEU;

                  D.

                  whereas the EU and its Member States remain collectively the single largest financial contributor to the UN system, providing almost 50 % of all contributions to the UN, with the EU Member States contributing around 40 % of the UN’s regular budget; whereas EU contributions to the UN should be more visible;

                  E.

                  whereas the EU works for environmental sustainability, notably in the fight against climate change by promoting international measures and actions to preserve and improve the quality of the environment and the sustainable management of natural resources;

                  F.

                  whereas the EU is one of the most dedicated defenders and promoters of human rights, fundamental freedoms, cultural values and diversity, democracy and the rule of law;

                  G.

                  whereas the EU’s security environment is increasingly unstable and volatile owing to a large number of longstanding or newly emerging challenges, including violent conflicts, terrorism, organised crime, propaganda and cyber warfare, unprecedented waves of refugees and migratory pressure and impacts on climate change, which are impossible to address at national level and require regional and global responses and active and constructive co-operation;

                  H.

                  whereas the EU and the UN should play a major role in implementing the 2030 Development Agenda with a view to eradicating poverty and generating collective prosperity, addressing inequalities, creating a safer and more just world, and combating climate change and protecting the natural environment; whereas the UN General Assembly has decided to step up the organisation’s efforts to implement the new development agenda;

                  1.

                  Addresses the following recommendations to the Council:

            Peace and security

                  (a)

                  to continue to call for the full respect of the sovereignty, internationally recognised borders and the territorial integrity of Eastern European and South Caucasus countries, namely Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, in light of the violations of international law in these areas; to support and reinvigorate diplomatic efforts for a peaceful and sustainable settlement of these ongoing and protracted conflicts as well as the conflict in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh and for the respect of human rights and territorial integrity, non-use of force, and equal rights and self-determination of the peoples on the ground; to urge the international community to implement fully the policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea; to actively increase pressure on Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, in order to resolve the conflict in Ukraine in line with the Minsk agreements as well as the occupation of Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; to find a geopolitical balance that rejects all aspirations for exclusive spheres of influence;

                  (b)

                  to maintain full support for the efforts undertaken by the UN to facilitate a comprehensive settlement to end the division of Cyprus, and underlines that a settlement of the Cyprus problem will have a positive impact on the entire region and on both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots; urges the Council to use all its resources to fully support the successful conclusion of the reunification process and to support the role of the UN;

                  (c)

                  to back the UN-led efforts to secure a solution to the name issue for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia by means of an agreement between Skopje and Athens;

                  (d)

                  to urge all UN Member States to make all necessary financial and human resources available to assist local populations in armed conflicts and the refugees, and to urge all UN Member States to fulfil the financial commitments made to the UN;

                  (e)

                  to uphold the nuclear agreement between Iran and the UN Security Council members plus Germany as an important success of international and notably EU diplomacy, and to continue to put pressure on the United States to deliver on the practical implementation;

                  (f)

                  to use all instruments at its disposal to enhance compliance by state and non-state actors’ actions with international humanitarian law (IHL); to support efforts led by the International Committee of the Red Cross to establish an effective mechanism for strengthening compliance with IHL;

                  (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;

                  (h)

                  to support the Intra-Syrian Talks that are guided by UN Security Council resolution 2254 (2015); to stress that the sides should aim at a framework agreement containing a political package so that a negotiated transitional political process can be implemented in accordance with the clear sequencing and target timelines set out in resolution 2254 (2015); to underline that to achieve this goal, a clear agenda has emerged consisting of four baskets; to express its concern that the continuous fighting in Syria is undermining the ceasefire regime that came into effect on 30 December 2016, with significant negative consequences for the safety of Syrian civilians, humanitarian access and the momentum of the political process; to support the call of the Special Envoy of the UNSG for Syria on the guarantor-States of the ceasefire in Syria to undertake urgent efforts to uphold the ceasefire regime;

                  (i)

                  to act upon the ruling of the European Court of Justice on the Western Sahara;

                  (j)

                  to make certain the UN General Assembly provides, in cooperation with the EU and the US, all instruments to ensure that a two-state solution, on the basis of the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as capital of both states, and a secure State of Israel with secure and recognised borders, and an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, is sustainable and effective;

                  (k)

                  to call for a stronger support and for empowerment of Iraqi institutions and for the need to work towards a more inclusive society and the reintegration of all the ethnic and religious minorities that have been displaced, including in Northern Iraq and following the end of the military operation in and around Mosul where a peaceful and inclusive post-conflict solution must be found; to reiterate the critical importance of sustained protection of civilians and respect for IHL in executing military strategies in Iraq;

                  (l)

                  to keep addressing the major security threats in the Sahel, Sahara and Lake Chad, the Great Lakes, and Horn of Africa regions with a view to eradicating the terrorist threat posed by ISIL/Daesh and al-Qaeda affiliates and by Boko Haram or any other affiliated terrorist groups;

                  (m)

                  to work with the international community as a whole to solve humanitarian and security crises threatening the African continent, in particular in Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Mali, Nigeria, Burundi and the Great Lakes Area in general; to encourage UN Member States to step up support for increasing the role and own capacities of the African Union in mediation and crisis management, while striving for complementarities with the efforts of the UN Peace-Building Support Office; to ensure the swift adaptation of MONUSCO in line with its new mandate and, in particular, the implementation of the Agreement of 31 December 2016;

                  (n)

                  to call on the international community to join efforts to manage the current political crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo and to prevent state collapse in the country;

                  (o)

                  to emphasise the importance of investing more in conflict prevention, taking account of factors such as political or religious radicalisation, election-related violence, population displacements or climate change;

                  (p)

                  to draw the attention of the UN members, and in particular the members of the UN Security Council, to the increase in tensions between some countries in the Western Balkans; to urge their leaders to show restraint in their regional policies and for the EU and the UN to remain fully involved in seeking lasting solutions to bilateral differences, including by acting as mediators where necessary; to condemn Russian actions in the Western Balkans which threaten to destabilise the fragile reform process in countries in the region and undermine their EU and NATO ambitions;

                  (q)

                  to further encourage the UN’s efforts to bring about peace in Afghanistan and to overcome the fragile security environment in the country;

                  (r)

                  to strongly condemn the actions of the North Korean leadership that threaten peace and security in the Korean peninsula and beyond; to encourage China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to exert further pressure on the North Korean regime to de-escalate its aggressive actions which threaten regional and international security; to draw up and implement a strong response, supported by a broad and sufficiently robust international consensus, in order to deter the North Korean regime from further developing hostile nuclear capabilities and carrying out extra-territorial assassinations, attacks and kidnappings;

                  (s)

                  to urge the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council to discuss the tensions in the South China Sea with the intention of bringing all parties concerned together to finalise the negotiation of a code of conduct;

                  (t)

                  to welcome the adoption by the UN Security Council of resolution 2307 (2016) and to congratulate the government and people of Colombia on their quest for peace;

                  (u)

                  to significantly increase Member State support for UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations that include a human rights component and clear exit strategies, in particular by contributing personnel and equipment, and to enhance the EU’s role as a facilitator in this respect; to ensure better visibility for this support and contribution; to further develop procedures for the use of the EU common security and defence policy in support of UN operations while paying sufficient attention to the several dimensions of complex crisis management, such as human rights, sustainable development, and the root causes of mass migration; to support the UN Security Council reform of its use of veto power in cases where there is evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity;

                  (v)

                  to support the UNSG in his efforts to increase UN involvement in peace negotiations;

                  (w)

                  to support the full implementation of the UN Security Council’s resolutions on women, peace and security; to call for the promotion of women’s equal and full participation as active agents; to promote an active involvement of women in conflict prevention and solution and in combating violent extremism; to recall that sexual violence such as rape is used as a tactic of war and constitutes a war crime; to ensure safe medical assistance for cases of war rape; to call for strengthening of the protection of women and girls in conflict situations especially as regards sexual violence, to support and strengthen international efforts through the UN to end the use of children in armed conflict and to ensure gender analysis as well as gender and human rights mainstreaming in all UN activities; to call for the development of indicators to measure progress on the participation of women in peace and security building;

                  (x)

                  to address as a matter of urgency all aspects of the 15 May 2015 UN Evaluation Report on Enforcement and Remedial Assistance Efforts for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by the United Nations and Related Personnel in Peacekeeping Operations without delay, and to establish functioning and transparent oversight and accountability mechanisms regarding alleged abuses; to call for the investigation, prosecution and sentencing without delay of any military and civilian personnel who committed acts of sexual violence;

                  (y)

                  to further strengthen the role of R2P as an important principle in UN Member States’ work on conflict resolution, human rights and development; to continue to support the efforts to further operationalise R2P and to support the UN in continuing to play a critical role in assisting countries in the implementation of R2P in order to uphold human rights, the rule of law and IHL; to promote a broad definition of the human security concept and the R2P principle;

                  (z)

                  to encourage all UN Member States to sign and ratify the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction;

                  (aa)

                  to engage in a public and comprehensive debate with all UN General Assembly members on the importance of respecting constitutional limits in presidential mandates worldwide;

            Fight against terrorism

                  (ab)

                  to reiterate its unequivocal condemnation of terrorism and its full support for actions aimed at defeating and eradicating terrorist organisations, in particular ISIL/Daesh, which pose a clear threat to regional and international security; insists that all measures taken in the fight against terrorism should be fully in line with international humanitarian and human rights law;

                  (ac)

                  to support the UN in making counter-terrorism a key element of its prevention agenda in line with the EU’s engagement in preventive measures to combat terrorism and counter violent extremism; to strengthen joint EU-UN efforts in combating the root causes of extreme violence and terrorism in countering hybrid threats and developing research and capacity-building in cyber defence; to promote education as a tool for preventing violent extremism and to rely on the existing peacebuilding initiatives set up by local actors to devise, implement, and develop approaches to counter radicalisation and terrorist recruitment, while promoting international action to bring those responsible for violence to justice; to support an enhanced EU contribution to UN capacity-building initiatives concerning the fight against foreign fighters and violent extremism;

                  (ad)

                  to step up efforts to clamp down on recruitment and fight terrorist propaganda conducted not only through social media platforms but also through networks of radicalised hate preachers; to support actions strengthening the resilience of communities targeted by extremist propaganda and vulnerable to radicalisation, including by addressing the economic, social, cultural, and political causes which lead to it; to support counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation policies in line with the UN Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism; to recall that the promotion and protection for human rights and respect for the rule of law are key elements in counter-terrorism policies;

                  (ae)

                  to work with the UN General Assembly to combat the financing of terrorism and to build mechanisms to designate terrorist individuals and organisations and strengthen asset-freezing mechanisms worldwide, while upholding international standards on due process and the rule of law;

                  (af)

                  to strengthen the efficacy of international police, legal and judicial cooperation in the fight against terrorism and transnational crime; welcomes in this regard UN Security Council resolution 2322 (2016), and stresses the need to speed up the processes of international judicial cooperation, to strengthen the existing mechanisms of international police cooperation and to update the network of contacts between central and judicial authorities;

            Non-proliferation and disarmament

                  (ag)

                  to support UN efforts to prevent non-state actors and terrorist groups from developing, manufacturing, acquiring or transferring weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems; to insist on full compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention and to actively take steps towards global disarmament;

                  (ah)

                  to promote the full implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and encourage all UN Member States to sign and ratify the ATT;

                  (ai)

                  to work towards more effective action against the diversion of, and illicit trade in, weapons and ammunitions, including small arms and light weapons, in particular by developing a weapons tracking system; to request the UN Members to actively take steps towards global disarmament;

                  (aj)

                  to pay special attention to the technological progress in the field of weaponisation of robotics and in particular, on the armed robots and drones and their conformity with international law; to establish a legal framework on drones and armed robots in line with the existing international humanitarian law to prevent this technology from being misused in illegal activities by state and non-state actors;

            Migration

                  (ak)

                  to call for a strengthening of the global response to migration, by building on the successful UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting to Address Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants of 19 September 2016 and addressing the challenges and security concerns stemming from aspects of illegal migration, such as people smuggling and human trafficking, and for efforts to be made to create legal avenues for migration; emphasizes the need for an effective and urgent commitment to address the root causes of humanitarian crisis and unprecedented migration and refugee flows;

                  (al)

                  to promote greater support for the work of UNHCR in implementing its international mandate to protect refugees including vulnerable groups such as women, children, and people with disabilities; to stress the substantial funding gap between UNHCR’s budgetary needs and funds received and to demand greater global solidarity; to call for greater UN regular budget funding of the UNHCR core functions in order to safeguard its functioning; to call for political engagement, funding and concrete acts of solidarity in support of the New York Declaration for refugees and migrants;

                  (am)

                  to advocate and protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people; to call for the repeal of legislation in UN Member States which criminalises people on the grounds of sexuality or gender identity, and to promote international action to combat homophobic and transphobic hate crimes;

                  (an)

                  to promote and respect the principles of opinion and expression, as mentioned in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to emphasise the importance of a free press in a healthy society and the role of every citizen therein;

                  (ao)

                  to call for a strengthening of the child protection systems and to support concrete measures in the best interests of the child refugees and migrants, based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child;

                  (ap)

                  to demand that greater efforts be made to prevent irregular migration and to fight people smuggling and human trafficking, in particular by combating criminal networks through timely and effective exchange of relevant intelligence; to improve methods to identify and protect victims and to reinforce cooperation with third countries with a view to tracking, seizing and recovering the proceeds of criminal activities in this sector; to insist at UN level on the importance of the ratification and full implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the Protocols thereto against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air and to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children;

            Human rights, democracy and the rule of law

                  (aq)

                  to urge all states, including the EU Member States, to swiftly ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights establishing complaint and inquiry mechanisms;

                  (ar)

                  to call on all states, in particular the EU Member States, to participate actively in the negotiations at the UNHCR in Geneva for an international binding Treaty on transnational corporations and human rights;

                  (as)

                  to reiterate clearly and firmly that all human rights agreed under UN conventions are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated and that respect for these rights must be enforced; to call for greater protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in every dimension of their expression, including in the context of new technologies; to continue to encourage all UN Member States to sign, ratify and implement the different human rights conventions and to comply with their reporting obligations under these instruments; to call for the defence of the freedoms of opinion and expression; to emphasise the importance of a free media;

                  (at)

                  to call for all UN Member States to implement the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; to promote, strengthen and mainstream activities supporting equality between women and men; to call for further empowerment of women and girls, strengthening leadership and participation of women at all levels of decision making, including special attention being given to the inclusion of minority women; to call for the eradication of all violence and discrimination against women and girls, by also taking into account discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression; to promote children’s rights, ensuring in particular their access to education and the rehabilitation and reintegration of children enlisted in armed groups and eliminating child labour, torture, the issue of child witchcraft, trafficking, child marriage and sexual exploitation; to actively promote the support of further actions against violation of LGBTI rights; to support close monitoring of the situation of LGBTI persons and LGBTI human rights defenders in countries with anti-LGBTI laws;

                  (au)

                  to continue to advocate freedom of religion or belief; to call for greater efforts to protect the rights of religious and other minorities; to call for greater protection of religious and ethnic minorities against persecution and violence; to call for the repeal of laws criminalising blasphemy or apostasy, which serve as a pretext for the persecution of religious minorities and non-believers; to support the work of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; to actively work for UN recognition of the genocide of religious, ethnic and other minorities committed by ISIL/Daesh, and for referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC) of cases of suspected crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide; to support the work of the UN against torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment, mass executions, and executions including for drug-related offences;

                  (av)

                  to reiterate its unequivocal condemnation of any act of violence, harassment, intimidation or persecution against human rights defenders, whistle-blowers, journalists or bloggers; to advocate the appointment of a Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the safety of journalists;

                  (aw)

                  to recall the obligation of the UN General Assembly, when electing members to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), to take into account the respect of candidates for the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy; to call for the establishment of clear human rights performance-based criteria for membership of the UNHRC;

                  (ax)

                  to strengthen the role of the ICC and the international criminal justice system in order to promote accountability and to end impunity; to call on all UN Member States to join the ICC by ratifying the Rome Statute and to encourage the ratification of the Kampala amendments; to provide the ICC with strong diplomatic, political and financial support;

                  (ay)

                  to recall the EU’s position on zero tolerance for the death penalty; to maintain strong engagement in promoting an end to the death penalty worldwide; to call for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty and to further work towards its universal abolition; to launch an initiative to promote an international framework combating tools of torture and capital punishment drawing on the experience of Council Regulation (EC) No 1236/2005 on this issue;

                  (az)

                  to push for stronger engagement in promoting the rule of law, a cross-cutting question that links the three pillars of the UN: peace and security, human rights and development; to cooperate with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to urge the Venezuelan authorities to release all political prisoners and to respect the separation of powers;

                  (ba)

                  to support UN efforts to put in place an international framework on sport and human rights, which facilitates the prevention, monitoring and provision of remedies to human rights abuses connected to mega sporting events;

                  (bb)

                  to further support the work of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on improving accountability and access to remedy for victims of business-related human rights abuse in order to contribute to a fair and more effective system of domestic law remedies, in particular in cases of gross human rights abuses in the business sector; to call on all governments to fulfil their duties in securing respect for human rights, access to justice for victims who face both practical and legal challenges to access remedies at national and international levels, with regard to human rights violations linked to business;

            Development

                  (bc)

                  to underline the leading role of the EU in the process that led to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030) and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the UN General Assembly in September 2015; to take concrete steps to ensure the efficient implementation of Agenda 2030 and the 17 SDGs as important instruments for prevention and sustainable development; to work towards improving the lives of future generations and to encourage and support countries to take ownership and establish national frameworks for the achievement of the 17 SDGs; to encourage UN Member States to meet their commitments on development aid spending and to call for the adoption of a solid framework of indicators and the use of statistical data to monitor progress and ensure accountability for evaluating the situation in developing countries, monitor progress and ensure accountability; emphasises that, above and beyond GDP, it is also necessary to focus on other indicators in order to assess the true situation in developing countries more precisely and take effective action to combat poverty and support sustainable development specially in the cases of the middle income countries; to call for cross-EU initiatives in promotion and protection of women’s rights; to call for the full implementation of Beijing Platform for Action and the ICPD Programme of Action and the Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development;

                  (bd)

                  to continue its efforts to achieve policy coherence for development across all EU policies, which is crucial for achieving the SDGs, and to also push at UN level for greater policy coherence in accordance with Goal 17.14; to support the UN push for stepping up efforts to deliver integrated and coordinated policy support for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and consequently promote a UN Development system that works in a more integrated fashion, with strengthened inter-agency work and joint implementation of projects, in particular strengthening the security-development nexus; to call on the UN to systematically integrate capacity-building and good governance into long-term development strategies in order to eradicate poverty and hunger, prevent conflict and build resilience effectively to promote ecologically, economically and socially sustainable development, to fight against social inequalities and to provide humanitarian assistance to populations; to stress that access to a safe, reliable and affordable water supply and adequate sanitation services improves living standards, expands local economies and promotes the creation of more dignified jobs;

                  (be)

                  to insist that the High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development should become the main decision-making body competent for ensuring a coherent, efficient and inclusive follow-up and review of the implementation of the SDGs; to recognise the significant role civil society organisations and local actors play in successfully implementing Agenda 2030 and achieving the SDGs; to recognise the instrumental role and impact of the SDGs on international peace and security;

            Climate change

                  (bf)

                  to ensure that the EU remains at the forefront of the fight against climate change and cooperates further with the UN in this area; to call on all UN Member States to uphold the Paris Agreement and to ensure swift implementation of the decisions taken at the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference;

                  (bg)

                  to work closely with small island states and other countries facing the most serious consequences of climate change to ensure that their voice and their needs are taken into consideration in the different UN fora;

            EU and reform of the UN system

                  (bh)

                  to call on EU Member States to coordinate their actions more closely in the organs and bodies of the United Nations’ system and to engage further to enhance the observer status of the EU in certain UN sub-organisations; to strengthen the communication and to ensure that Member States’ positions at EU level are ever more coordinated; to strive for alignment of positions with candidate countries, partner countries and other likeminded states;

                  (bi)

                  to work towards the reinforcement of international fiscal cooperation, supporting the creation of an international tax body within the UN system; to counter tax evasion and money laundering through the worldwide automatic exchange of information on tax issues and the creation of a common global black list of tax havens;

                  (bj)

                  to actively support a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council on the basis of a broad consensus in order to better reflect the new world reality and to more effectively meet present and future security challenges; to support the long-term goal of the EU having a seat on a reformed UN Security Council; to urge UN Security Council members to refrain from using their right of veto in cases where crimes against humanity are being committed; to promote the revitalisation of the work of the UN General Assembly, and improved coordination and coherence of the action of all UN institutions, which should enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, legitimacy, transparency, accountability, capacity and representativeness of the system in order to respond more quickly to global challenges;

                  (bk)

                  to strongly support the newly elected UNSG’s reform agenda; to encourage the impetus for a reform of the UN peace and security architecture, the functioning and architecture of the Secretariat through simplification, decentralization and flexibility and streamlining the financial organisation; to establish an effective system of protection for UN whistle-blowers;

                  (bl)

                  to actively support the efforts by the UNSG to appoint more women in senior management posts at the UN HQ level;

                  (bm)

                  to foster a debate on the topic of the role of parliaments and regional assemblies in the UN system and on the topic of establishing a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly with a view to increasing the democratic profile and internal democratic process of the organisation and to allow world civil society to be directly associated in the decision-making process;

                  2.

                  Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the Council, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, the European External Action Service, the Commission and, for information, the United Nations General Assembly and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

         (1)  Texts adopted, P8_TA(2017)0089.

         (2)  Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0201.

         (3)  Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0317.

         (4)  Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0051.

         (5)  Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0422.