The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the own-initiative report by Andrey KOVATCHEV (EPP, BG) on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council concerning the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The report noted that 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.
It also noted that 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.
Members addressed the following recommendations to the Council:
Peace and security: on borders, Members called for the full respect of the sovereignty, internationally recognised borders and the territorial integrity of Eastern European and South Caucasus countries, including Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. They urged the international community to implement fully the policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.
They called for lasting sustainable political and peaceful solutions to current conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya. Moreover, the major security threats in the Sahel, Sahara and Lake Chad, the Great Lakes, and Horn of Africa regions should be continued to be addressed 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. Peace measures are called for to solve humanitarian and security crises threatening the African continent, in particular in Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Mali and Nigeria.
In general, they called for continued efforts to strengthen the practical application of the principle of accountability to protect and assist the United Nations to continue its role of supporting countries in their efforts to implement this principle. They also called for the use of all available instruments to enhance compliance by state and non-state actors' actions with international humanitarian law (IHL).
Member States should also significantly increase their support for the UN peacekeeping and peace-building operations.
It is also important to clarify the allegations of sexual abuse by United Nations-related personnel in peacekeeping operations.
Fight against terrorism: while reiterating its unequivocal condemnation of terrorism and its full support for actions aimed at defeating and eradicating terrorist organisations, in particular ISIL/Daesh, Members called on the EU to make counter-terrorism a key element of its prevention agenda. They called for efforts to be stepped up to clamp down on recruitment and fight terrorist propaganda conducted not only through social media platforms but also through networks of radicalised hate preachers. They also called for counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation policies in line with the UN Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism.
The EU should work with the UN General Assembly to combat the financing of terrorism.
Non-proliferation and disarmament: Members insisted 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. They promoted the full implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and encouraged all UN Member States to sign and ratify the ATT. Members called for the establishment of a legal framework on drones and armed robots in line with the existing international humanitarian law.
Migration: in general, Members advocated strengthening support for the work of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in implementing its international mandate to protect refugees, women and children. Measures to protect the rights of LGBTI people are also called for. They also called for greater efforts to prevent irregular migration and to fight smuggling and trafficking in human beings. In this context, they called for reinforced cooperation with third countries to track, seize and recover the proceeds of criminal activities in this sector.
Human rights, democracy and the rule of law: Members reiterated that all human rights agreed under UN conventions are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated and that respect for these rights must be enforced. They called for continued efforts to advocate freedom of religion or belief; to call for greater efforts to protect the rights of religious and other minorities. They also called for the eradication of all violence and discrimination against women and girls and promoting the support of further actions against violation of LGBTI rights. The role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the international criminal justice system should be strengthened in order to promote accountability and to end impunity. Members called for a strong engagement in promoting an end to the death penalty worldwide.
Climate change: Members called on the Union to remain at the forefront of the fight against climate change and cooperate further with the UN in this area. They also called 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.
EU and reform of the UN system: Members should actively support a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council on the basis of a broad consensus and promote the revitalisation of the work of the UN General Assembly, and improve coordination and coherence of the action of all UN institutions.
Lastly, they urged UN Security Council members to refrain from using their right of veto in cases where crimes against humanity are being committed.