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Document C:2017:364:FULL
Official Journal of the European Union, C 364, 27 October 2017
Official Journal of the European Union, C 364, 27 October 2017
Official Journal of the European Union, C 364, 27 October 2017
Display all documents published in this Official Journal
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ISSN 1977-091X |
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Official Journal of the European Union |
C 364 |
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English edition |
Information and Notices |
Volume 60 |
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Notice No |
Contents |
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II Information |
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INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
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European Commission |
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2017/C 364/01 |
Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.8650 — LGP/CPA) ( 1 ) |
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IV Notices |
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NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
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European Commission |
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2017/C 364/02 |
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2017/C 364/03 |
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Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations |
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2017/C 364/04 |
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(1) Text with EEA relevance. |
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EN |
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II Information
INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
European Commission
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27.10.2017 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 364/1 |
Non-opposition to a notified concentration
(Case M.8650 — LGP/CPA)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2017/C 364/01)
On 20 October 2017, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the internal market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1). The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:
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in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
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in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32017M8650. EUR-Lex is the online access to European law. |
IV Notices
NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
European Commission
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27.10.2017 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 364/2 |
Euro exchange rates (1)
26 October 2017
(2017/C 364/02)
1 euro =
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Currency |
Exchange rate |
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USD |
US dollar |
1,1753 |
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JPY |
Japanese yen |
133,75 |
|
DKK |
Danish krone |
7,4432 |
|
GBP |
Pound sterling |
0,89010 |
|
SEK |
Swedish krona |
9,7218 |
|
CHF |
Swiss franc |
1,1678 |
|
ISK |
Iceland króna |
|
|
NOK |
Norwegian krone |
9,4865 |
|
BGN |
Bulgarian lev |
1,9558 |
|
CZK |
Czech koruna |
25,589 |
|
HUF |
Hungarian forint |
310,32 |
|
PLN |
Polish zloty |
4,2350 |
|
RON |
Romanian leu |
4,5983 |
|
TRY |
Turkish lira |
4,4338 |
|
AUD |
Australian dollar |
1,5248 |
|
CAD |
Canadian dollar |
1,5041 |
|
HKD |
Hong Kong dollar |
9,1701 |
|
NZD |
New Zealand dollar |
1,7118 |
|
SGD |
Singapore dollar |
1,6010 |
|
KRW |
South Korean won |
1 320,41 |
|
ZAR |
South African rand |
16,7390 |
|
CNY |
Chinese yuan renminbi |
7,8003 |
|
HRK |
Croatian kuna |
7,5155 |
|
IDR |
Indonesian rupiah |
15 981,73 |
|
MYR |
Malaysian ringgit |
4,9762 |
|
PHP |
Philippine peso |
60,939 |
|
RUB |
Russian rouble |
67,7597 |
|
THB |
Thai baht |
38,973 |
|
BRL |
Brazilian real |
3,8030 |
|
MXN |
Mexican peso |
22,3684 |
|
INR |
Indian rupee |
76,2300 |
(1) Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.
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27.10.2017 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 364/3 |
COMMISSION DECISION
of 23 October 2017
notifying the Socialist Republic of Vietnam of the possibility of being identified as a non-cooperating third country in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
(2017/C 364/03)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 of 29 September 2008 establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, amending Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1936/2001 and (EC) No 601/2004 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1093/94 and (EC) No 1447/1999 (1), and in particular Article 32 thereof,
Whereas:
1. INTRODUCTION
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(1) |
Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 (the IUU Regulation) establishes a Union system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. |
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(2) |
Chapter VI of the IUU Regulation lays down the procedure to identify non-cooperating third countries, the démarches in respect of such countries, the establishment of a list of such countries, the removal from that list, the publicity of that list and any emergency measures. |
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(3) |
Pursuant to Article 31 of the IUU Regulation, the Commission is to identify third countries that it considers as non-cooperating countries in the fight against IUU fishing. A third country is to be identified as non-cooperating if it fails to discharge the duties incumbent upon it under international law as flag, port, coastal or market State, to take action to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing. |
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(4) |
Prior to identifying third countries as non-cooperating under Article 31 of the IUU Regulation, the Commission is to first notify third countries of the possibility of being identified as non-cooperating countries in accordance with Article 32 of that Regulation. Such notification is of a preliminary nature. The notification is to be based on the criteria laid down in Article 31 of the IUU Regulation. The Commission is also to take into account all the démarches set out in Article 32 of that Regulation with respect to the notified third countries. In particular, the Commission is to include in the notification information concerning the essential facts and considerations underlying such identification, provide those countries with the opportunity to respond and provide evidence refuting the identification or, where appropriate, a plan of action to improve and measures taken to rectify the situation. The Commission is to give to the notified third countries adequate time to answer the notification and reasonable time to remedy the situation. |
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(5) |
The identification of non-cooperating third countries under Article 31 of the IUU Regulation is to be based on the review of all information as set out under Article 31(2) of that Regulation. |
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(6) |
In accordance with Article 33 of the IUU Regulation, the Council is to establish a list of non-cooperating third countries. The measures set out, inter alia, in Article 38 of the IUU Regulation apply to those countries. |
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(7) |
Pursuant to Article 20(1) of the IUU Regulation, the acceptance of validated catch certificates from third country flag States is subject to a notification from the flag state concerned to the Commission of the arrangements for the implementation, control and enforcement of laws, regulations and conservation and management measures which must be complied with by its fishing vessels. |
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(8) |
In accordance with Article 20(4) of the IUU Regulation, the Commission is to cooperate administratively with third countries in areas pertaining to the implementation of the provisions of that Regulation relating to catch certification. |
2. PROCEDURE WITH RESPECT TO THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
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(9) |
The notification of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (hereafter ‘Vietnam’) as flag State was received by the Commission in accordance with Article 20 of the IUU Regulation on 27 October 2009. |
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(10) |
Following this notification, the Commission initiated a process of administrative cooperation with the authorities of Vietnam as provided for in Article 20(4) of the IUU Regulation. This cooperation covered issues pertaining to the national arrangements in place for the verification of catch certificates and the implementation, control and enforcement of laws, regulations and conservation and management measures which must be complied with by Vietnamese fishing vessels. It entailed exchange of oral and written comments as well as four visits to Vietnam between 17 and 21 September 2012, between 26 and 30 November 2012, between 21 and 24 June 2016, and between 15 and 19 May 2017, where the Commission sought and verified all information deemed necessary concerning the measures taken by Vietnam in order to implement its obligations in the fight against IUU fishing. |
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(11) |
Vietnam is a Cooperating Non-Member of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries (WCPFC). Vietnam has ratified the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) (2). |
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(12) |
In order to evaluate the compliance of Vietnam with its international obligations as flag, port, coastal or market State as set out in the international agreements referred to in recital (11) and established by the relevant Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), the Commission sought, collected and analysed all necessary information required for the purpose of this exercise. |
3. POSSIBILITY OF VIETNAM BEING IDENTIFIED AS A NON-COOPERATING THIRD COUNTRY
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(13) |
Pursuant to Article 31(3) of the IUU Regulation, the Commission analysed the duties of Vietnam as flag, port, coastal or market State. For the purpose of this review the Commission took into account the criteria listed in Article 31(4) to (7) of the IUU Regulation. |
3.1. Measures taken in respect of recurrence of IUU fishing activities and IUU trade flows (Article 31(4) of the IUU Regulation)
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(14) |
In accordance with Article 31(4)(a), the Commission analysed the measures taken by Vietnam with respect to any recurrent IUU fishing carried out or supported by fishing vessels flying its flag or by its nationals, or by fishing vessels operating in its maritime waters or using its ports. |
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(15) |
On the basis of information retrieved from written confirmations by the third coastal States concerned, the Commission established that, during the period of 2015 to 2017, at least eight Vietnamese-flagged vessels committed serious IUU infringements within the Economic Exclusive Zone of neighbouring countries and the archipelagic waters of Small Islands Developing States in the Central and Western Pacific area. |
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(16) |
Based on the retrieved evidence, these Vietnamese-flagged vessels are considered to have committed the following serious infringements contrary to the conservation and management measures put in place by the concerned coastal States within the fishing areas in waters under their national jurisdiction. The Vietnamese-flagged vessels have fished without a valid licence, authorisation or permit issued by the flag State and the relevant coastal State, obstructed the work of coastal State officials in the exercise of their duties in inspecting for compliance with the applicable conservation and management measures, including with respect to species that are subject to a complete harvesting ban such as sea cucumber and reef fish. While the concerned coastal States timely reported the illegal activities conducted by Vietnamese vessels to the authorities of Vietnam, the latter did not provide any support to prosecute the cases and deal with the Vietnamese nationals arrested. All of the retrieved evidence was presented to Vietnamese authorities during the visit of 15 to 19 May 2017. |
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(17) |
The environmental value of the species targeted and the special protection provided by coastal States conservation and management measures by means of harvesting prohibitions for these species are additional indications of the seriousness of the committed infringements. |
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(18) |
The lack of compliance with the legal requirements of coastal States for enforcing moratorium periods of prohibition to fish sea cucumbers is particularly harmful for the sustainability of the fisheries resources in the developing coastal States concerned, and is damaging the livelihood of local populations. |
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(19) |
The Commission considered that the behavioural pattern of these Vietnamese-flagged vessels should be taken into account for establishing the particular gravity of the facts. In this respect, the continuous non-cooperative behaviour of the Vietnamese vessels reinforced the gravity of the infringements committed. |
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(20) |
On the basis of information collected, the Commission concluded that Vietnam failed to uphold its responsibilities as a flag State to prevent its fleet from engaging in IUU activities in high seas or waters of third countries. This is in breach of Article 94(1) and (2) of UNCLOS which provides that every State shall effectively ensure its jurisdiction and control over ships flying its flag. It is also not in line with point 24 of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IPOA IUU) (3) that provides for the obligation to undertake comprehensive and effective control of fishing activities. The behaviour of Vietnamese nationals responsible for the operations of such fleet is also in breach of Article 62(4) of UNCLOS which provides that nationals of other States fishing in the economic exclusive zone shall comply with the conservation measures and with the other terms and conditions established in the laws and regulations of the coastal State. Furthermore, the manifest lack of cooperation of Vietnam with the authorities of concerned coastal States undermined their capacity in adopting effective enforcement actions. |
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(21) |
Pursuant to Article 31(4)(b) of the IUU Regulation, the Commission examined the measures taken by Vietnam in respect of access of fisheries products stemming from IUU fishing to its market. |
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(22) |
For the reasons described below and in Section 3.2, the legal framework of Vietnam concerning the fisheries management, based notably on the 2003 Fisheries Law and the Decree No 103/2013/ND-CP on administrative sanctions in the fisheries activities, does not appear to establish measures to effectively control landings in Vietnamese ports of fish and fishery products stemming from fishing vessels flagged to Vietnam and third country vessels. |
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(23) |
The Commission analysed documentation and other information relating to monitoring and control procedures applicable to both fish and fishery products stemming from fishing activities of fishing vessels flagged to Vietnam and to fish and fishery products imported in Vietnam. Following this assessment, the Commission considers that Vietnam cannot ensure that fish and fishery products entering its market and processing plants through national ports do not stem from IUU fishing. Vietnamese authorities were not able to demonstrate they have all the necessary information required to certify the legality of imports and processed products destined for the Union and its market. |
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(24) |
On 13 January 2016, a consignment of 179 tonnes of Antarctic toothfish was landed at the port of Haiphong in Vietnam from the vessel Asian Warrior. This vessel, also known as Kunlun and Taishan, has been in the IUU vessel list of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) since 2013 and subject to an Interpol Purple Notice since 13 January 2015. According to the information provided by Vietnamese authorities the catches were confiscated and released to the market. |
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(25) |
On the basis of information retrieved by the Commission on June 2017, an economic operator tried to market to the European Union a consignment of 320 tonnes of Antarctic toothfish stored in Vietnam. Based on the information available, there are indications that the products concerned were caught in subareas 88.1 and 88.2 of the area covered by the CCMALR after the closure of the fishing season for this species in these areas. |
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(26) |
Vietnamese authorities were not able to provide substantial information demonstrating that they have taken the necessary corrective measures to prevent Antarctic toothfish stemming from IUU fishing activities from entering into their territory. This does not reflect point 66 of the FAO IPOA IUU which establishes that States should take all steps necessary, consistent with international law, to prevent fish caught by vessels identified by the relevant regional fisheries management organisations to have been engaged in IUU fishing from being traded or imported into their territories. |
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(27) |
Furthermore, the last visit conducted in May 2017 revealed an absence of control by fisheries authorities on landings of fishery products intended for processing, marketing and/or exporting, from vessels flagged to third States. Vietnam would be therefore unable to ensure the traceability of fishery products and therefore appears to not take into consideration point 71 of the IPOA IUU which advises States to take steps to improve the transparency of their markets in order to ensure the traceability of fish or fishery products. |
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(28) |
In preparation for the May 2017 visit, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) analysed a sample of catch certificates and processing statements presented at Union borders for consignments originating from Vietnam. These catch certificates and processing statements were validated and endorsed by the Vietnamese fishing authorities on the basis exclusively of information provided by the operators without further verifications. |
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(29) |
The analysis of the catch certificates revealed a series of inconsistencies as regards weight, species and product description, dates of validation and use of outdated templates. Furthermore, the meetings held with competent authorities during the visit conducted in May 2017 revealed that the activities of the fishing vessels are not comprehensively checked before the validation of the catch certificates. The processing of products stemming from catch certificates with clearly identifiable errors demonstrates that Vietnam has failed to cooperate with other States and regional fisheries management organizations to adopt appropriate market related measures to prevent, deter or eliminate IUU fishing as is specified in point 68 and 72 of IPOA-IUU. |
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(30) |
As regards processing statements, the analysis mentioned under the preceding recital, corroborated by evidence gathered during the visit conducted in May 2017, revealed a lack of control of imports of fish raw material and lack of conversion factors to check whether the processed weight declared by the exporting company is consistent with the weight of the available raw material and the type of processing carried out in the processing establishment concerned. |
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(31) |
The information described in this section demonstrates that fishery products processed in or traded through Vietnam do not comply with sustainable post-harvest rules as described in Article 11 of the FAO Code of Conduct. Furthermore, Vietnam has failed to impose rules to ensure adequate cooperation with third country flag states in respect of fish and fishery products stemming from their fishing activities in accordance with measures that ensure transparency and traceability of imported fish products throughout the market foreseen in points 67 to 69 and 71 to 72 of the IPOA-IUU. |
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(32) |
In view of the considerations presented in this Section and on the basis of all factual elements gathered by the Commission as well as all the statements made by the competent authorities of Vietnam it could be established, pursuant to Article 31(3), (4)(a) and (4)(b) of the IUU Regulation, that Vietnam fails to discharge its duties under international law as a flag, port, coastal and market State in respect of IUU vessels and IUU fishing carried out or supported by fishing vessels flying its flag or by its nationals and to prevent access of fisheries products stemming from IUU fishing to its market. |
3.2. Failure to cooperate and to enforce (Article 31(5) of the IUU Regulation)
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(33) |
Under Article 31(5)(a) of the IUU Regulation, the Commission analysed its collaboration with Vietnam to see if they had effectively cooperated in responding to questions, providing feedback or investigating matters related to IUU fishing and associated activities. |
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(34) |
While Vietnamese authorities have been generally cooperative in responding and providing feedback to requests for information, the reliability and correctness of their replies were undermined by the outdated legal framework that appears not to be in line with its international law obligations, and by the deficient monitoring, control and surveillance systems described in recitals (42) and (43). |
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(35) |
The Fisheries Law of 2003 does not oblige fishing vessels either to report their catches by means of logbooks, or to submit a landing declaration. In this respect, Vietnam fails to uphold its responsibilities as coastal State to ensure optimum utilization of fishery resources in its EEZ according to scientific, environmental and economic factors as prescribed for in Articles 61 and 62 of UNCLOS. |
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(36) |
The Fisheries Law 2003 also does not address the fishing activities conducted by Vietnamese vessels and nationals in high seas and waters of third States. This loophole in the scope of the Fisheries Law regarding fishing activities beyond the Economic Exclusive Zone of Vietnam undermines the capacity of competent authorities to prevent IUU activities in these areas. |
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(37) |
The Vietnamese legal framework only provides for limited conservation and management measures in territorial waters. National legal provisions and control systems put in place to ensure compliance with conservation and management measures appear not to be sufficient. This is in breach of Article 61(2) of UNCLOS which states that coastal States shall ensure through proper conservation and management measures that the maintenance of the living resources in the exclusive economic zone is not endangered by over-exploitation. |
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(38) |
In accordance with Article 31(5)(b), the Commission analysed existing enforcement measures to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing in Vietnam. |
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(39) |
The present sanctioning system is established by Decree No 103/2013/ND-CP on administrative sanctions related to the fisheries activities. However, the definitions of IUU activities and serious infringements contained in the Fisheries law and the said Decree are not in line with international law. The level of sanctions provided in the legal framework therefore clearly fails to ensure the deterrence of the sanctioning scheme and does not reflect point 21 of the IPOA-IUU which advises that States should ensure that sanctions for IUU fishing by vessels and, to the greatest extent possible, by nationals under its jurisdiction, are of sufficient severity to deprive offenders of the benefits accruing from such fishing. |
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(40) |
Following its visit on June 2016, the Commission highlighted these issues and invited the Vietnamese authorities to cooperate with the Commission in this regard. The Vietnamese authorities finally submitted in April 2017 a draft of a new Fisheries Law which, however, would still not align Vietnam with its international obligations. |
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(41) |
In accordance with Article 31(5)(c), the Commission analysed the extent and gravity of IUU fishing conducted by vessels flying the Vietnamese flag or by fishing vessels operating in Vietnamese maritime waters or ports. |
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(42) |
The visits conducted by the Commission revealed that Vietnam does not dispose of the necessary means to ensure an appropriate control of the vessels flying its flag, including ensuring that fishing activities are not conducted in high seas and waters of third States. Whereas Vietnam does not authorise its vessels to operate in high seas and waters of third States, the evidence is that, as detailed in recitals (14) to (19), these illegal activities are still conducted by Vietnamese vessels in third States’ waters (4). |
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(43) |
According to the information provided by the Vietnamese authorities, the Vietnamese fishing fleet is composed of 109 000 vessels, out of which 33 000 operate in the Economic Exclusive Zone of Vietnam beyond the 24 nautical miles from the baseline. Vietnamese authorities acknowledged that only 10 % of the 33 000 vessels that operate beyond 24 nautical miles from baseline are equipped with Vessels Monitoring Scheme (VMS) devices and there is no legal obligation for them to activate it. The last visit to the Fisheries Monitoring Centre (FMC) in May 2017 also showed that the staff entrusted with monitoring, control and surveillance tasks was not familiar with the available tools and that basic shortcomings already identified during the previous visit in June 2016 had not been addressed. In addition, during the visit, according to the VMS tracking displayed on the screens of the FMC, two Vietnamese fishing vessels were spotted outside Vietnam waters and the FMC staff acknowledged that no action had been taken. Inadequate logbook requirements and the absence of a risk-based scheme of inspections at port and at sea further undermine the capacity of the authorities to control maritime activities. |
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(44) |
The facts described in this section indicate that although the current fisheries legal framework needs to be revised to ensure consistency between national law and international rules, Vietnam has failed to cooperate effectively with the Commission in bringing its legislation in line with the relevant international legal instruments. This results in the infringement of Article 94 of UNCLOS, which requires the flag State to assume jurisdiction under its internal law over each ship flying its flag and its master, officers and crew. Vietnam also appears to fail to implement the recommendations in point 24 of the IPOA IUU which advises flag States to ensure comprehensive and effective monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing, from the catch to the point of landing, to final destination, including through the use of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) on board fishing vessels in accordance with the relevant national, regional and international standards. |
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(45) |
In view of the considerations presented in this Section and on the basis of all factual elements gathered by the Commission as well as all the statements made by the Vietnamese authorities, it could be established, pursuant to Article 31(3) and (5) of the IUU Regulation, that Vietnam failed to discharge its duties under international law with respect to cooperation and enforcement. |
3.3. Failure to implement international rules (Article 31(6) of the IUU Regulation)
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(46) |
In accordance with Article 31(6)(a) and (b) of the IUU Regulation, the Commission analysed Vietnam’s ratification or accession to relevant international fisheries instruments and its status as a contracting party to regional fisheries management organisations or its agreement to apply the conservation and management measures adopted by them. |
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(47) |
Vietnam has ratified UNCLOS in 1994 and is Cooperating Non-Member of WCPFC. |
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(48) |
With the exception of UNCLOS, Vietnam has not ratified other international legal instruments related to fisheries management. The performance of Vietnam in implementing international instruments is not in accordance with the recommendations of point 11 of the IPOA IUU which encourages States, as a matter of priority, to ratify, accept or accede to the United Nations Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of UNCLOS relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (UNFSA) and the FAO Compliance Agreement. It also contravenes point 14 of the IPOA IUU that provides that states should fully and effectively implement the Code of Conduct and its associated international plans of action. |
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(49) |
Vietnam has not ratified the 2009 FAO Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA). This also means that, as detailed in recital (27), Vietnam does not implement any port control measures on the landings from foreign fishing vessels despite the importance of fish and fishery products that are imported into the country to supply the processing industry. |
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(50) |
The Vietnamese legal framework and enforcement measures also appears to be in breach of the basic requirements in Articles 62 and 117 to 119 of UNCLOS, concerning optimum utilization of living resources, the duty of states to adopt with respect to their nationals measures for the conservation of the living resources of the high seas, the duty of mutual cooperation in the conservation and management of living resources and the duty to conserve the living resources of the high seas. |
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(51) |
In accordance with Article 31(6)(c), the Commission analysed whether Vietnam may have been involved in any acts or omissions that may have diminished the effectiveness of applicable laws, regulations or international conservation and management measures. |
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(52) |
The Commission notes that the CCAMLR annual Commission identified Vietnam as a non-contracting party possibly involved in the harvest, landing and/or trade of toothfish but not cooperating with the Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) implemented in 2000 to track these species from the point of landing throughout the trade cycle. |
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(53) |
In view of the considerations presented in this Section and on the basis of all factual elements gathered by the Commission as well as all the statements made by Vietnam, it could be established pursuant to Article 31(3) and (6) of the IUU Regulation, that Vietnam failed to discharge the duties incumbent upon it under international law with respect to international rules, regulations and conservation and management measures. |
3.4. Specific constraints of developing countries (Article 31(7) of the IUU Regulations)
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(54) |
According to the United Nations Human Development Index (UNHDI) (5), in 2015 Vietnam was considered to be a medium human development country ranked 115 out of 188 countries. |
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(55) |
Account taken of the above UNHDI ranking and observations during the 2012 to 2017 visits, no evidence suggests that the failure of Vietnam to discharge its duties under international law is the result of low levels of development. No tangible evidence exists to correlate shortcomings in fisheries legal framework, monitoring, control and surveillance, and traceability systems, with poor capacity and infrastructure. The Commission has responded positively to the request made by Vietnam in May 2017 for support in the revision of the fisheries legal framework. |
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(56) |
In view of the situation explained in this Section and on the basis of all the factual elements gathered by the Commission as well as all the statements made by the country, it could be established, pursuant to Article 31(7) of the IUU Regulation, that the development status and overall performance of Vietnam with respect to fisheries management are not impaired by its level of development. |
4. CONCLUSION ON THE POSSIBLE IDENTIFICATION AS A NON-COOPERATING THIRD COUNTRY
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(57) |
In view of the conclusions reached with regard to the failure of Vietnam to discharge its duties under international law as flag, port, coastal or market State and to take action to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing, Vietnam should be notified, in accordance with Article 32 of the IUU Regulation, of the possibility of being identified by the Commission as a non-cooperating third country in fighting IUU fishing. |
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(58) |
The Commission should also take all the démarches set out in Article 32 of the IUU Regulation with respect to Vietnam. In the interest of sound administration, a period should be fixed within which that country may respond in writing to the notification and rectify the situation. |
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(59) |
Furthermore, the notification to Vietnam of the possibility of being identified as a country which the Commission considers to be a non-cooperating third country for the purposes of this Decision does neither preclude nor automatically entail any subsequent step taken by the Commission or the Council for the purpose of the identification and the establishment of a list of non-cooperating third countries, |
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Sole Article
Vietnam shall be notified of the possibility of being identified by the Commission as a non-cooperating third country in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Done at Brussels, 23 October 2017.
For the Commission
Karmenu VELLA
Member of the Commission
(1) OJ L 286, 29.10.2008, p. 1.
(2) https://treaties.un.org/
(3) International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2001.
(4) The illegal activities of the so-called Vietnamese ‘blue boats’ have been extensively related by media in the Pacific region:
https://www.undercurrentnews.com/2016/03/29/australia-captures-vietnamese-vessels-suspected-of-iuu/
http://nationalpost.com/news/world/tiny-island-nation-of-palau-very-publicly-burns-vietnamese-boats-caught-fishing-illegally
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/mmea-detains-vietnamese-fishermen-for-illegal-fishing#UEtd7edz4ez9lRch.97
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/12655-blue-boats-seized
http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/malaysia-detains-another-40-vietnamese-for-illegal-fishing-3616922.html
(5) Information from: http://hdr.undp.org/en/data
Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations
|
27.10.2017 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 364/10 |
Decision of the Authority for European political parties and European political foundations
of 20 July 2017
to register European Green Party
(Only the English text is authentic)
(2017/C 364/04)
THE AUTHORITY FOR EUROPEAN POLITICAL PARTIES AND EUROPEAN POLITICAL FOUNDATIONS,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (1), in particular Article 9 thereof,
Having regard to the application received from EUROPEAN GREEN PARTY,
Whereas:
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(1) |
The Authority for European political parties and European political foundations (‘Authority’) received an application for registration as a European political party under Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 from European Green Party (the ‘applicant’) on 7 June 2017 and submissions supplementing that application on 13 June 2017, 11 July 2017, 13 July 2017 and 18 July 2017, |
|
(2) |
The applicant submitted documents proving that it satisfies the conditions laid down in Article 3 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, the declaration in the form set out in the Annex to that Regulation, and the statutes of the applicant, containing the provisions required by Article 4 of that Regulation, |
|
(3) |
The application is further supported by a statement by notary Anton Van Bael pursuant to Article 15(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 certifying that the applicant has its seat in Belgium and that the applicant’s statutes are in conformity with the relevant provisions of national law, |
|
(4) |
The applicant submitted additional documents in accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2015/2401 (2), |
|
(5) |
Pursuant to Article 9 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, the Authority has examined the application and supporting documentation submitted and considers that the applicant satisfies the conditions for registration laid down in Article 3 of that Regulation and that the statutes contain the provisions required by Article 4 of that Regulation, |
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
European Green Party is hereby registered as a European political party.
It shall acquire European legal personality on the date of the publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Article 2
This Decision shall take effect on the day of its notification.
Article 3
This Decision is addressed to
|
European Green Party |
|
Rue Wiertz/Wiertzstraat 31 |
|
1050 Bruxelles/Brussel |
|
BELGIQUE/BELGIË |
Done at Brussels, 20 July 2017.
For the Authority for European political parties and European political foundations
The Director
M. ADAM
(1) OJ L 317, 4.11.2014, p. 1.
(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2015/2401 of 2 October 2015 on the content and functioning of the Register of European political parties and foundations (OJ L 333, 19.12.2015, p. 50).
ANNEX
STATUTES
of the
EUROPEAN GREEN PARTY
European Political Party (PPEU)
adopted at the EGP Council, 12.11.2011, Paris
amended at the EGP Council, 20-22 May 2016, Utrecht
amended at the EGP Council, 2-4 December 2016, Glasgow
amended at the EGP Council, 31 March 2017, Liverpool
Preamble
The European Green Party represents Green Parties from all over Europe, and we are part of the Global Green family. We stand proudly for sustainable development and respect of human rights, built on the values of environmental responsibility, equality, freedom, justice, diversity and peace. Greens face the challenges of the 21st century by seeking to shape society in an innovative way. We propose policies for social solidarity and coherence compatible with sound economic and financial governance and which guarantee sustainability within our changing societies. For us and for generations to come.
These Statutes replace and supersede the previous Statutes of the European Green Party published in the Moniteur Belge on 19/09/2013 .
Article 1
Definitions
|
1.1. |
‘Full Members’ means those members specified in Article 4.3.1. |
|
1.2. |
‘Members’ means the entire membership of the European Green Party as specified in Article 4. |
|
1.3. |
‘Allocated Votes’ means the total number of votes assigned at each Council meeting to Full Members, determined according to their size and other criteria under a formula detailed in the Rule Book, and to the Green Group in the European Parliament and the Federation of Young European Greens as specified in Article 5.3 and further detailed in the Rule Book. |
|
1.4. |
‘Rule Book’ means the detailed rules for the functioning, management and operations of the European Green Party and the composition of its bodies adopted in accordance with these Statutes. |
|
1.5. |
‘Europe’ means the territory within the outer borders set by the Council of Europe. |
|
1.6. |
‘Parties’ means political parties registered or recognised as such in their home country. |
Article 2
Name, Logo and Seat
|
2.1. |
Through the present statutes the Full Members set up a European Political Party (Parti Politique Européen, PPEU), governed by the dispositions of Title III and IIIter of the Belgian law of 27 June 1921 on non-profit associations, foundations and European political parties and foundations. |
|
2.2. |
The Full Members form the European Political Party ‘European Green Party’, also called ‘the European Greens’. The name may be abbreviated as necessary to ‘EGP’. |
|
2.3. |
The logo of the European Green Party is a green rectangle with a stylized sunflower — consisting of twelve yellow petals – slightly tilted to the right, and with the words ‘European Green Party’ in white letters (font: Jaldi) positioned on the right of it.
Alternatively, the words ‘European Greens’ can be used. For official documents, the logo with ‘European Green Party’ will be used.
|
|
2.4. |
The seat of the European Green Party is situated at rue Wiertz 31, in 1050 Brussels, Belgium. |
|
2.5. |
The Committee may move the seat anywhere in Belgium by simple majority vote. The move must be published in the Moniteur Belge in accordance with the Belgian law. |
|
2.6. |
The European Green Party, acting through the Committee, shall keep detailed financial accounts and shall report at least once a year to the Full Members on the state of the finances. The financial year of the organisation shall be from 1st January to 31st December. |
Article 3
Aims and Objectives
The European Green Party
|
3.1. |
is a European political party within the terms of EU Regulation (EC) No 1141/2014 on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding, |
|
3.2. |
takes as its principles the Charter of the European Greens (further described as the Green Charter) annexed hereto (Annex A), |
|
3.3. |
is open to political parties and other groups with a green agenda, from within and outside the European Union, which can subscribe to the Green Charter and which fulfil the membership criteria as laid down in these Statutes and further elaborated in the Rule Book, |
|
3.4. |
stimulates and organises initiatives and activities on a European level in order to accomplish a common green political agenda and, to ensure close and permanent cooperation among all its Members, contributes to forming European awareness and seeks to express the political will of the citizens of the European Union as well as to realise the full potential of green political representation at all political levels, |
|
3.5. |
works in close cooperation with the Green Group in the European Parliament (GGEP), the Green European Foundation (GEF), and the Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG), |
|
3.6. |
acts as the European partner within the structure of the Global Greens movement and subscribes to the Global Greens Charter annexed hereto (Annex C). |
|
3.7. |
applies the principle of gender-balance in all its elected and appointed bodies and external representation. |
Article 4
Membership
|
4.1. |
The European Green Party consists of Green parties and is open to green organisations and movements. |
|
4.2. |
Parties from within Europe can be accepted as Full or Candidate Members. Associate Members may be from outside these borders. |
|
4.3. |
There are four membership categories:
|
|
4.4. |
The admission of Members and any subsequent suspension or withdrawal of Membership shall be decided by the Council and requires in each case a three-quarters majority of the Allocated Votes.
|
|
4.5. |
Rights and Duties of the Members
|
Article 5
Relations with the Green Group in the European Parliament (‘GGEP’), the Federation of Young European Greens (‘FYEG’), the Green European Foundation (‘GEF’) and the Global Greens (‘GG’)
|
5.1. |
The European Green Party is exclusively represented in the European Parliament by the GGEP or its successors and the GGEP in turn represents the special category (MEP) members within the EGP. |
|
5.2. |
The European Green Party has as its youth organisation the Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG). |
|
5.3. |
Both the GGEP and the FYEG are entitled to appoint delegates to meetings of the European Green Party, including Council meetings, and to vote thereat. |
|
5.4. |
GEF is the affiliated political foundation of the EGP.
|
|
5.5. |
The European Green Party acts as the European partner within the structure of the Global Greens, which encompasses Green parties and associates at a global level. |
Article 6
Structure and Bodies of the European Green Party
|
6.1. |
The bodies of the European Green Party are:
|
|
6.3. |
Council
|
|
6.4. |
Congress
|
|
6.5. |
Committee
|
Article 7
The Finance Advisory Board (FAB)
|
7.1. |
The Council shall elect a Finance Advisory Board of 3 persons to work with the Treasurer and the Committee to supervise the financial management of the European Green Party, including its accountability and financial transparency and to give advice to the Council and the Committee of the European Green Party as well as to its Members on these matters. The Board shall also report to Council annually on whether the European Green Party has acted in accordance with the Statutes and Rule Book. |
|
7.2. |
The composition of and regulations for the Finance Advisory Board are further defined in the Rule Book. |
Article 8
The Conciliation Panel
|
8.1. |
The Council shall elect a Conciliation Panel consisting of a minimum of 5 persons to assist in settling disputes between Members, persons and/or bodies of the EGP on issues relating to the interpretation of these Statutes or the Rule Book or other operational matters. The Panel shall report to Council with recommendations and Council shall determine the appropriate course of action. All persons and bodies of the European Green Party shall be bound by the outcome of this process. |
|
8.2. |
The composition of and regulations for the Conciliation Panel are further defined in the Rule Book. |
Article 9
Accounts and Budget
|
9.1. |
Annually, the Treasurer shall prepare the annual accounts and the budget; and present these to the Committee and the Finance Advisory Board in order to finalize them. The finalized annual accounts and budget will be submitted to the Council for approval. In this respect, the Council will hear the Finance Advisory Board. The annual accounts are audited by an auditor that is mandated by the European Parliament. The audit report will be communicated to the subsequent Council. |
|
9.2. |
The bookkeeping is conducted in accordance with the international accounting standards defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002. |
Article 10
Donation Policy
|
10.1. |
The EGP will publish a list annually, specifying both donor and donation, for all donations exceeding 1 000 EUR per donor or per online donation, except during election campaigns to the European Parliament or for donations exceeding 3 500 EUR, where publication will take place immediately on the EGP website. |
|
10.2. |
European Green Party does not accept:
|
|
10.3. |
Any donation that is not permitted under Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations will, within 30 days following the date it is received by the European political party or the European political foundation:
|
Article 11
Privacy and Protection of Personal Data
|
11.1. |
The European Green Party processes personal data of supporters and participants on the basis of their consent under the Directive 1995/46/EC as well as the Belgian Privacy Act of 8 December 1992. Personal data is securely stored and not shared or disclosed to third parties without the consent of the data subject, unless this is necessary for the compliance with a legal obligation. The name and function of donors who donate over 1 000 EUR per year and of participants of the EGP Council meetings will be published. Data subjects have in particular the right to access their data and to request erasure or rectification. |
Article 12
Legal liability and representation
|
12.1. |
The Committee is legally liable for actions of the European Green Party within the limits of the laws of the country where the official seat of the European Green Party is situated in accordance with Article 2 hereof. |
|
12.2. |
Contracts on behalf of the European Green Party normally require a single signature of a Co-Chair, the Secretary-General or the Treasurer. |
|
12.3. |
The persons specified in Article 9.2 hereof may represent the European Green Party and defend its interests in court and act as its legal representatives in any jurisdiction. |
|
12.4. |
The European Green Party may appoint a special proxy holder, and is legally bound by acts of such person within the limits of their power of attorney. |
Article 13
Liquidation
|
13.1. |
Upon a proposal to the Council by the Committee or by a minimum of one third of the Full Members, the Council may decide upon the dissolution and liquidation of the European Green Party provided the proper proceedings have been complied with. The decision by the Council to liquidate the European Green Party must be made by a three-quarters majority of the Allocated Votes. |
|
13.2. |
As from the moment the decision of dissolution is taken, the European Green Party is required to mention at all times that it is ‘in dissolution’. |
|
13.3. |
Upon dissolution, the Council shall decide on (i) the appointment, the powers and the remuneration of the liquidator(s), (ii) the methods and procedures of the liquidation. All such decisions have to be duly filed at the clerk’s office of the competent Commercial Court and published in the Annexes to the Moniteur Belge in line with the applicable legislation. |
|
13.4. |
In the event that European legislation provides for a different legal status for political parties and the Council of the European Green Party decides to adopt such a status, the financial and other assets of the European Green Party shall be transferred to the new legal entity. |
|
13.5. |
In the event of the final liquidation of the European Green Party, after the settlement of contractual obligations to staff and other obligations, the remaining financial and other assets shall be transferred to the Green European Foundation. |
Article 14
Additional Provisions and changes to the Statutes
|
14.1. |
The Council shall adopt a Rule Book containing detailed rules for the functioning, management and operations of the European Green Party and the composition of its bodies in accordance with these Statutes. |
|
14.2. |
Changes to these Statutes may only be made by Council voting with a three-quarters majority of the Allocated Votes. Changes to the Rule Book may only be made by Council voting with a two-thirds majority of the Allocated Votes with the exception of the Articles 6.5 and 6.6, which require a three-quarters majority of the Allocated Votes. |
|
14.3. |
All changes to the present Statutes must be formalised in accordance with the provisions of Title III of the Belgian law of 27 June 1921 on non-profit associations, foundations and European political parties and foundations. |
|
14.4. |
Any omissions to the present Statutes are covered by the law of 27 June 1921 governing non-profit associations, foundations and European political parties and foundations. |
|
14.5. |
Matters related to the application of the present Statutes shall be determined by the courts of Brussels or by arbitration and the laws of Belgium shall apply. |
|
14.6. |
In the event of divergence or of doubt between these statutes in French and the original version in English, the English language version prevails. |
Annex A
The Charter of the European Greens
European Green Party Guiding Principles
Adopted at 2nd EGP Congress, Geneva, 13-14 October 2006
Who we are
The European Greens proudly stand for the sustainable development of humanity on planet Earth, a mode of development respectful of human rights and built upon the values of environmental responsibility, freedom, justice, diversity and non-violence.
Green political movements emerged in Europe while the continent was divided by the Cold War and amidst the energy crises of the mid-seventies. At that time, it became clear that the pattern of economic development was unsustainable and was putting the planet and its inhabitants in grave environmental, social and economic dangers. Existing political parties were incapable of dealing with this challenge.
Our origins lie in many social movement: environmentalists and anti-nuclear activists concerned with the growing damages to our planet; non-violent peace activists promoting alternative ways to resolve conflicts; feminists, struggling for real equality between women and men; freedom and human rights movements fighting against dictatorial and authoritarian regimes; third-world solidarity movements supporting the end of colonization and more economically balanced relations between the North and the South of our planet; activists campaigning against poverty and for social justice within our own societies.
From these origins, European Greens have come together to form our own political family. We stand for a free, democratic and social Europe in a peaceful, equitable and environmentally sustainable world. We defend values like justice, human and citizen's rights, solidarity, sustainability and the right of each individual to lead their own lives, free from fear.
From the beginning, Greens have advocated thinking globally and acting locally. To develop cooperation at European level, a coordination body was founded in 1984, transforming itself in 1993 into the European Federation of Green Parties. In 2004, underlining the objective of a deeper cooperation, the Federation was transformed again into the European Green Party. European Greens are part of a thriving global Green movement.
Guiding principles
The guiding principles which provide the framework to the political actions by the member parties of the European Green Party can be defined as follows:
I. Environmental Responsibility
Taking responsibility for our biosphere is a central tenet of Green values. Society depends on the ecological resources and the health and resilience of the planet, and we bear an over-riding obligation to future generations to protect this inheritance.
We advocate strongly the need to live within our ecological means. We must maintain biological diversity and combat global warming through sustainable use of renewable resources and the careful husbandry of non-renewable resources. The responsible use of bio-diversity is of critical importance for meeting the food, health and other needs of the growing world population. But beyond any notion of utility, Greens believe that each of the diverse species of life on our planet has an intrinsic value and beauty and therefore deserves to be protected.
Our European pattern of production, consumption and commerce are contributing to the continued poverty of the majority of the planet's inhabitants and causing severe environmental degradation and climatic instability. Industrialised and industrialising countries can no longer postpone action to respond to these challenges. The urgent need to change these patterns necessarily means a profound adjustment process if we are to reverse this damaging exploitation of our common home.
The political challenge facing us is the task to restructure the global agenda so that economic and trade policies serve social and environmental objectives and not just economic indices. Our answer is sustainable development, which integrates environmental, social and economic objectives for the benefit of all. Sustainable development can only be achieved through global cooperation to overcome the economic contradictions between the developing countries, the emerging economies and the industrialised world. Every citizen of the world has the same right to a fair share of the world's resources and also bears the same obligation to ensure that future generations can enjoy the same benefits.
Greens always seek to apply the precautionary principle. We will not support measures which present potential threats to human health or environmental well-being. But neither will we accept delay in implementation of new precautionary measures solely on the ground that scientific studies are not sufficiently numerous. Whatever the domain, - peace, energy, food and agriculture, life sciences, transport, technology, medicine, –decisions and action must systematically follow the least harmful option.
Specifically as regards nuclear energy, Greens stand for a nuclear-free Europe, because of the civil and military threats it poses, because of the burden it puts onto the future generations and because of the security apparatus it needs. For Greens, the priority is to develop decentralized and renewable alternative energies.
II. Freedom through Self-Determination:
Individual autonomy
We Greens believe all human beings — regardless of sex, age, sexual orientation or identity, ethnic origin or disability- have the right to make their own choices, to express themselves freely and to shape their own lives. This freedom is not exclusively about material possessions; it includes the social, cultural, intellectual and spiritual dimensions of human life.
These inalienable rights should be guaranteed by law and taught in schools as basic foundations of our societies. They should be fulfilled by empowerment of the people, by the opportunity for all women and men to make a living for themselves and their families and, where necessary, by social and material support, sufficient to lead a dignified life and to fully participate in society. Where these rights are lacking, we Greens will fight for them, proposing solidarity, education, development cooperation and protection from violence, oppression, and discrimination.
Inclusive democracy
Our belief in democracy is founded upon the mutual recognition of all individuals as equals. To encourage a maximum level of commitment, the political and decision-making processes have to be democratic, inclusive, transparent and fully accessible in a way comprehensible to ordinary citizens. The radical changes needed for sustainable development require that all take a common responsibility and a fair share of the burden. Elected representatives have the duty to consult and fully inform their constituents throughout the whole decision making process.
We must always think globally, even whilst acting locally. To ensure the highest level of citizens' involvement and benefit, the authority to decide should be vested in the lowest effective level. Conversely, whenever a problem requires action on a higher level, the consequences for the lower levels should be taken into account and differences respected. Minority interests must be given adequate attention and protection.
We are committed to strengthening democracy throughout Europe, at local, regional, national and supra-national levels. We want to strengthen the democratic responsibility and accountability of multi-lateral institutions.
III. Extending Justice:
Green policies are based on the principle of justice. This demands a fair distribution of society's goods and this, in turn, requires special attention to the needs of the weakest. Attention to the weakest is especially of importance at the global level, where Europe has a specific responsibility to stimulate economic growth in the developing countries. Because we have to address the problems of a changing world, our notion of justice goes far beyond traditional redistribution policies. Greens stand for social justice, for gender equity, for justice between generations, and for justice at the global level. Despite the practical conflicts arising between them, these dimensions of justice must not be played off against each other.
Social justice ensures that everyone has access to vital societal resources: education, work and democratic participation. Fair access must be defended in the face of existing social imbalances, and needs to be institutionally safeguarded. Education is a decisive factor in the ability to shape one's own life. Using our labour skills enables us to bear the fruits of our abilities and thus defines a key part of our identity. Democratic participation is a basic requirement for becoming involved in society and helping to shape it.
Gender equity. Justice is also gender equity. Women and men should enjoy the same power to define how society will develop. Moreover, they should be able to live their lives free from violence. We Greens want to develop the institutional framework which guarantees women equality at home, at work, in public office and in other positions of influence. We want to facilitate the harmonisation of family and professional life for both genders.
Justice between the generations. The motto ‘We have only borrowed the world from our children’ is more appropriate today than ever before. Today, our children's future is at risk. Justice between generations means an obligation for the older generation to hand down our environmental, social and cultural heritage to the younger ones in a sustainable way. It also includes an obligation for the younger generations to care for the elder population. It should be ensured that all generations can participate fully in society.
Global justice. Justice is also our yardstick on the international level. As the global economy connects people and increases our interdependence, this moral obligation also becomes a practical imperative. Worldwide sustainable development and universal human rights are at the core of our concept of global justice. These must be underpinned by an independent institutional monitoring framework for corporate social responsibility and fair trade.
Justice requires solidarity, non-discrimination and citizens' involvement. Solidarity helps create self-confident individuals — it strengthens citizens instead of patronising them. All public authorities should work in partnership with citizens to create and defend institutions that enhance solidarity. For this reason we also want to invest in networks and communities, which, with state encouragement, practice mutual support.
IV. Diversity, an Indispensable Condition
The richness of civilisations, societies, and cultures has developed through diversification. We Greens are ourselves the result of the merging of a host of social movements, and we believe diversity is a condition for success, survival even, in almost every field of activity. Diversity increases the resilience of organisations and groups whenever they are confronted with unexpected changes. It is a safeguard against intolerance, extremism and totalitarianism. And it is an indispensable source of inspiration and renewal.
Human diversity has many dimensions: gender, social, cultural, spiritual, philosophical, religious, linguistic, economic, ethnic, sexual, regional. These may be expressed by individuals or by social groups. We cherish this diversity. It should however never be used as a pretext for questioning universal rights.
Where people share the same limited space, differences may easily be perceived as threats. Even in the smallest community, the strong tend to make use of their dominant role whereas the weak often find themselves pushed to conform. Safeguarding diversity therefore requires recognition, mutual understanding and respect – and, only too often, active protection.
V. Non-Violence
Non-violence forms a key part of the philosophical background of Green theories and conditions our approach to all problems. No lasting solution to any conflict between individuals, social groups or States can be imposed by force. A basic green principle is that the means used to achieve an objective must be compatible with the objective itself. So the political search for justice and peace cannot be achieved by violent means.
Violence is not just physical. Human actions and global economic structures can deprive people of their human rights and exacerbate social injustice. Poverty is perhaps the most insidious form of violence. To eliminate poverty, we promote international bodies that aim at economic equity and put people's livelihoods and security first, as well as binding global rules for the protection of human rights.
Insofar as armed conflicts are concerned, we are convinced that the use of army or police forces as an isolated strategy cannot be successful in the long run. Greens want to see less military intervention and the implementation of the concept of a civil foreign and security policy. This requires the development of powerful tools for conflict prevention and civil conflict management.
Nevertheless Greens recognise that military means may be called upon by the international community as a last resort. Where there is a threat of mass violence against civilians, deployment of peace-keeping military forces may be justified as a deterrent. When preventative measures have failed, armed intervention may be necessary. Recourse to military means will be subject to the rule of international law and is only legitimate if the following conditions are met:
|
— |
the existence of an explicit mandate of the UN Security Council; |
|
— |
the agreement to the primary objective of intervening in order to save and protect lives through preventing violence; |
|
— |
the existence of a political strategy defining how such military intervention should end and a peaceful and stable situation be established. |
VI. To sum it up, Sustainable Development
Greens recognize that the values of environmental responsibility, freedom, justice, diversity and non-violence can be – and are to some extent – shared by other political families. What defines Greens is that we consider these values as interdependent and inseparable. As a whole, they determine all our actions directed towards the sustainable social, cultural, environmental and economic development of our societies on planet Earth. We apply them not only to our external policies but to our own political conduct as well as to the organisation of our own party.
Europeans were the pioneers of the process of industrialization which is at the heart of some of our worst global problems. As citizens of one of the wealthiest continents on Earth, we Europeans carry a major responsibility for the reversal of the destructive trends it has generated and for initiating an alternative and sustainable development model. The scope of the issues at stake is such that it is beyond the powers of any single state to achieve this aim. Therefore we need cooperation in which all of Europe — from Dublin to Tbilisi, from Helsinki to Lisbon, from Ankara to Reykjavik — will be able to participate.
The European Union is well placed to facilitate this cooperation, providing that:
|
a) |
it remains open for further enlargements; |
|
b) |
it restructures itself into a truly democratic institution, |
|
c) |
it reorients its priorities towards an environmentally and socially sustainable model of development and |
|
d) |
it assumes its global responsibilities, under the United Nations, and in cooperation with other valuable institutions such as the OSCE and the Council of Europe, for a peaceful and sustainable world. |
Annex B
Membership List
List of the Full Members of the EGP – 31 March 2017
|
Country |
Party |
Status |
|
Albania |
Partia e Gjelber |
Full Member since 2008 |
|
Andorra |
Verds D’Andorra |
Full Member since 2010 |
|
Austria |
Die Grünen |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Belgium |
Ecolo |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Belgium |
Groen |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Bulgaria |
Zelena Partija Bulgaria |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Bulgaria |
Zelenite |
Full Member since 2013 |
|
Cyprus |
Cyprus Green Party |
Full Member since 1998 |
|
Czech Republic |
Strana Zelenych |
Full Member since 1997 |
|
Denmark |
Socialistisk Folkeparti/SF |
Full Member since 2014 |
|
Estonia |
Eestimaa Rohelised |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Finland |
Vihreät — De Gröna |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
France |
Europe Ecologie — Les Verts/EELV |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Georgia |
Sakartvelo’s mtsvaneta partia |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Germany |
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Greece |
Oicologoi-Prasinoi/Ecologist Greens |
Full Member since 1994 |
|
Hungary |
Lehet Más a Politika/LMP |
Full Member since 2011 |
|
Ireland |
Comhaontas Glas |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Italy |
Federazione dei Verdi |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Latvia |
Latvijas Zala Partija/LZP |
Full Member since 2001 |
|
Luxembourg |
déi gréng |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Malta |
Alternattiva Demokratika – the Green Party |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Moldova |
Partidul Verde Ecologist |
Full Member since 2008 |
|
Netherlands |
De Groenen |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Netherlands |
GroenLinks |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Norway |
Miljøpartiet De Grønne |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Poland |
Zieloni |
Full Member since 2005 |
|
Portugal |
Partido Ecologista – Os Verdes |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Romania |
Partidul Verde |
Full Member since 1999 |
|
Slovenia |
Stranka mladih — Zeleni Evrope/SMS-Zeleni |
Full Member since 2006 |
|
Spain |
Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds/ICV |
Full Member since 2006 |
|
Spain |
EQUO |
Full Member since 2016 |
|
Sweden |
Miljöpartiet de gröna |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Switzerland |
Grüne/Les Verts/I Verdi |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
Ukraine |
Partija Zelenykh Ukrainy/PZU |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
United Kingdom |
Green Party of England and Wales |
Full Member since 1993 |
|
United Kingdom |
Scottish Green Party |
Full Member since 1994 |
List of Associate Members – 31 March 2017
|
Country |
Party |
Status |
|
Azerbaijan |
Azerbaycan Yaşıllar Partiyası |
Associate member since November 2012 |
|
Belarus |
Bielaruskaja Partyja ‘Zialonye’ |
Associate member since May 2013 |
|
Russia |
Зеленая Россия/Green Russia |
Associate member since May 2013 |
|
Russia |
GROZA |
Associate Member since December 2016 |
List of Candidate Members – 31 March 2017
|
Country |
Party |
Status |
|
Croatia |
ORaH |
Candidate member since November 2014 |
|
Macedonia |
Democratic Renewal of Macedonia (DOM) |
Candidate member since November 2015 |
|
Turkey |
Yeşiller ve Sol Gelecek Partisi |
Candidate member since November 2012 |
List of Special Members – 31 March 2017
|
AUT |
– |
Die Grünen, AUSTRIA (3) Ulrike LUNACEK (indirect) Michel REIMON (indirect) Monika VANA (indirect) |
|
BEL |
– |
Groen and ECOLO, BELGIUM (2) Philippe LAMBERTS, ECOLO (indirect) Bart STAES, Groen (indirect) |
|
DEU |
– |
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, GERMANY (11) Jan Philipp ALBRECHT (indirect) Reinhard BÜTIKOFER (indirect) Michael CRAMER (indirect) Sven GIEGOLD (indirect) Rebecca HARMS (indirect) Martin HÄUSLING (indirect) Maria HEUBUCH (indirect) Barbara LOCHBIHLER (indirect) Ska KELLER (indirect) Terry REINTKE (indirect) Helga TRÜPEL (indirect) |
|
DNK |
– |
SF – DENMARK (1) Margrete AUKEN (indirect) |
|
ESP |
– |
Iniciativa Catalunya-Verds and EQUO — SPAIN (2) Ernest URTASUN, Iniciativa Catalunya Verds (indirect) Florent MARCELLESI, EQUO (indirect) |
|
FIN |
– |
Vihreät – De Gröna — FINLAND (1) Heidi HAUTALA (indirect) |
|
FRA |
– |
Europe Ecologie — Les Verts (EELV) - FRANCE (6) José BOVÉ (indirect) Karima DELLI (indirect) Pascal DURAND (indirect) Yannick JADOT (indirect) Eva JOLY (indirect) Michèle RIVASI (indirect) |
|
GBR |
– |
The Green Party, England and Wales — UNITED KINGDOM (3) Jean LAMBERT (indirect) Molly SCOTT CATO (indirect) Keith TAYLOR (indirect) |
|
HRV |
– |
Independent – CROATIA (1) Davor ŠKRLEC (direct) |
|
HUN |
– |
Lehet Más a Politika and Párbeszéd Magyarországért – HUNGARY (2) Tamas MESZERICS, Lehet Más a Politika (indirect) Benedek JÁVOR, Párbeszéd Magyarországért (direct) |
|
ITA |
– |
Independent – ITALY (1) Marco AFFRONTE (direct) |
|
LTU |
– |
Lietuvos valstiečių ir žaliųjų sąjunga – LITHUANIA (1) Bronis ROPE (direct) |
|
LUX |
– |
Déi gréng — LUXEMBOURG (1) Claude TURMES (indirect) |
|
NLD |
– |
GroenLinks – NETHERLANDS (2) Bas EICKHOUT (indirect) Judith SARGENTINI (indirect) |
|
SVN |
– |
Party Verjamem – SLOVENIA (1) Igor ŠOLTES (direct) |
|
SWE |
– |
Miljöpartiet de gröna — SWEDEN (4) Max ANDERSSON (indirect) Bodil VALERO (indirect) Linnéa ENGSTRÖM (indirect) Jakop DALUNDE (indirect) |
Annex C
Charter of the global Greens
As adopted in Canberra 2001 and updated in Dakar 2012
The Global Greens is the international network of Green parties and political movements
Contents
| Preamble | 34 |
| Principles | 36 |
| Ecological Wisdom | 36 |
| Social Justice | 36 |
| Participatory Democracy | 36 |
| Nonviolence | 37 |
| Sustainability | 37 |
| Respect for Diversity | 38 |
| Political Action | 38 |
|
1. |
Democracy | 38 |
|
2. |
Equity | 39 |
|
3. |
Climate change and energy | 40 |
|
4. |
Biodiversity | 40 |
|
5. |
Governing economic globalisation by sustainability principles | 41 |
|
6. |
Human rights | 42 |
|
7. |
Food and water | 43 |
|
8. |
Sustainable planning | 44 |
|
9. |
Peace and security | 45 |
|
10. |
Acting globally | 45 |
Preamble
We, as citizens of the planet and members of the Global Greens,
United in our awareness that we depend on the Earth's vitality, diversity and beauty, and that it is our responsibility to pass them on, undiminished or even improved, to the next generation
Recognising that the dominant patterns of human production and consumption, based on the dogma of economic growth at any cost and the excessive and wasteful use of natural resources without considering Earth's carrying capacity, are causing extreme deterioration in the environment and a massive extinction of species
Acknowledging that injustice, racism, poverty, ignorance, corruption, crime and violence, armed conflict and the search for maximum short term profit are causing widespread human suffering
Accepting that developed countries through their pursuit of economic and political goals have contributed to the degradation of the environment and of human dignity
Understanding that many of the world's peoples and nations have been impoverished by the long centuries of colonisation and exploitation, creating an ecological debt owed by the rich nations to those that have been impoverished
Committed to closing the gap between rich and poor and building a citizenship based on equal rights for all individuals in all spheres of social, economic, political and cultural life
Recognising that without equality between men and women, no real democracy can be achieved
Concerned for the dignity of humanity and the value of cultural heritage
Recognising the rights of indigenous people and their contribution to the common heritage, as well as the right of all minorities and oppressed peoples to their culture, religion, economic and cultural life
Convinced that cooperation rather than competition is a pre-requisite for ensuring the guarantee of such human rights as nutritious food, comfortable shelter, health, education, fair labour, free speech, clean air, potable water and an unspoilt natural environment
Recognising that the environment ignores borders between countries
and
Building on the Declaration of the Global Gathering of Greens at Rio in 1992
Assert the need for fundamental changes in people's attitudes, values, and ways of producing and living
Declare that the new millennium provides a defining point to begin that transformation
Resolve to promote a comprehensive concept of sustainability which
|
— |
protects and restores the integrity of the Earth's ecosystems, with special concern for biodiversity and the natural processes that sustain life |
|
— |
acknowledges the interrelatedness of all ecological, social and economic processes |
|
— |
balances individual interests with the common good |
|
— |
harmonises freedom with responsibility |
|
— |
welcomes diversity within unity |
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— |
reconciles short term objectives with long term goals |
|
— |
ensures that future generations have the same right as the present generation to natural and cultural benefits |
Affirm our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations
Commit ourselves as Green parties and political movements from around the world to implement these interrelated principles and to create a global partnership in support of their fulfillment
Principles
The policies of the Global Greens are founded upon the principles of
Ecological Wisdom
We acknowledge that human beings are part of the natural world and we respect the specific values of all forms of life, including non-human species.
We acknowledge the wisdom of the indigenous peoples of the world, as custodians of the land and its resources.
We acknowledge that human society depends on the ecological resources of the planet, and must ensure the integrity of ecosystems and preserve biodiversity and the resilience of life supporting systems.
This requires
|
— |
that we learn to live within the ecological and resource limits of the planet |
|
— |
that we protect animal and plant life, and life itself that is sustained by the natural elements: earth, water, air and sun |
|
— |
where knowledge is limited, that we take the path of caution, in order to secure the continued abundance of the resources of the planet for present and future generations. |
Social Justice
We assert that the key to social justice is the equitable distribution of social and natural resources, both locally and globally, to meet basic human needs unconditionally, and to ensure that all citizens have full opportunities for personal and social development.
We declare that there is no social justice without environmental justice, and no environmental justice without social justice.
This requires
|
— |
a just organization of the world and a stable world economy which will close the widening gap between rich and poor, both within and between countries; balance the flow of resources from South to North; and lift the burden of debt on poor countries which prevents their development. |
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— |
the eradication of poverty, as an ethical, social, economic, and ecological imperative |
|
— |
the elimination of illiteracy |
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— |
a new vision of citizenship built on equal rights for all individuals regardless of gender, race, age, religion, class, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, disability, wealth or health |
Participatory Democracy
We strive for a democracy in which all citizens have the right to express their views, and are able to directly participate in the environmental, economic, social and political decisions which affect their lives; so that power and responsibility are concentrated in local and regional communities, and devolved only where essential to higher tiers of governance.
This requires
|
— |
individual empowerment through access to all the relevant information required for any decision, and access to education to enable all to participate |
|
— |
breaking down inequalities of wealth and power that inhibit participation |
|
— |
building grassroots institutions that enable decisions to be made directly at the appropriate level by those affected, based on systems which encourage civic vitality, voluntary action and community responsibility |
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— |
strong support for giving young people a voice through educating, encouraging and assisting youth involvement in every aspect of political life including their participation in all decision making bodies. |
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— |
that all elected representatives are committed to the principles of transparency, truthfulness, and accountability in governance. |
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— |
that all electoral systems are transparent and democratic, and that this is enforced by law |
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— |
that in all electoral systems, each adult has an equal vote |
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— |
that all electoral systems are based on proportional representation, and all elections are publicly funded with strict limits on, and full transparency of, corporate and private donations. |
|
— |
that all citizens have the right to be a member of the political party of their choice within a multi-party system |
Nonviolence
We declare our commitment to nonviolence and strive for a culture of peace and cooperation between states, inside societies and between individuals, as the basis of global security.
We believe that security should not rest mainly on military strength but on cooperation, sound economic and social development, environmental safety, and respect for human rights.
This requires
|
— |
a comprehensive concept of global security, which gives priority to social, economic, ecological, psychological and cultural aspects of conflict, instead of a concept based primarily on military balances of power |
|
— |
a global security system capable of the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts |
|
— |
removing the causes of war by understanding and respecting other cultures, eradicating racism, promoting freedom and democracy, and ending global poverty |
|
— |
pursuing general and complete disarmament including international agreements to ensure a complete and definitive ban of nuclear, biological and chemical arms, anti-personnel mines and depleted uranium weapons |
|
— |
strengthening the United Nations (UN) as the global organisation of conflict management and peacekeeping |
|
— |
pursuing a rigorous code of conduct on arms exports to countries where human rights are being violated. |
Sustainability
We recognise the limited scope for the material expansion of human society within the biosphere, and the need to maintain biodiversity through sustainable use of renewable resources and responsible use of non-renewable resources.
We believe that to achieve sustainability, and in order to provide for the needs of present and future generations within the finite resources of the earth, continuing growth in global consumption, population and material inequity must be halted and reversed.
We recognise that sustainability will not be possible as long as poverty persists.
This requires
|
— |
ensuring that the rich limit their consumption to allow the poor their fair share of the earth's resources |
|
— |
redefining the concept of wealth, to focus on quality of life rather than capacity for over-consumption |
|
— |
creating a world economy which aims to satisfy the needs of all, not the greed of a few; and enables those presently living to meet their own needs, without jeopardising the ability of future generations to meet theirs |
|
— |
eliminating the causes of population growth by ensuring economic security, and providing access to basic education and health, for all; giving both men and women greater control over their fertility |
|
— |
redefining the roles and responsibilities of trans-national corporations in order to support the principles of sustainable development |
|
— |
implementing mechanisms to tax, as well as regulating, speculative financial flows |
|
— |
ensuring that market prices of goods and services fully incorporate the environmental costs of their production and consumption |
|
— |
achieving greater resource and energy efficiency and development and use of environmentally sustainable technologies |
|
— |
encouraging local self-reliance to the greatest practical extent to create worthwhile, satisfying communities |
|
— |
recognising the key role of youth culture and encouraging an ethic of sustainability within that culture. |
Respect for Diversity
We honour cultural, linguistic, ethnic, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity within the context of individual responsibility toward all beings.
We defend the right of all persons, without discrimination, to an environment supportive of their dignity, bodily health, and spiritual well-being
We promote the building of respectful, positive and responsible relationships across lines of division in the spirit of a multi-cultural society.
This requires
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— |
recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples to the basic means of their survival, both economic and cultural, including rights to land and to self determination; and acknowledgment of their contribution to the common heritage of national and global culture |
|
— |
recognition of the rights of ethnic minorities to develop their culture, religion and language without discrimination, and to full legal, social and cultural participation in the democratic process |
|
— |
recognition of and respect for sexual minorities |
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— |
equality between women and men in all spheres of social, economic, political and cultural life |
|
— |
significant involvement of youth culture as a valuable contribution to our Green vision, and recognition that young people have distinct needs and modes of expression. |
Political Action
1. Democracy
|
1.0. |
The majority of the world's people live in countries with undemocratic regimes where corruption is rampant and human rights abuses and press censorship are commonplace. Developed democracies suffer less apparent forms of corruption through media concentration, corporate political funding, systematic exclusion of racial, ethnic, national and religious communities, and electoral systems that discriminate against alternative ideas and new and small parties. |
The Greens -
|
1.1. |
Have as a priority the encouragement and support of grassroots movements and other organisations of civil society working for democratic, transparent and accountable government, at all levels. |
|
1.2. |
Actively support giving young people a voice through educating, encouraging and assisting youth participation in every aspect of political action. |
|
1.3. |
Will strive for the democratisation of gender relations by promoting appropriate mediations to enable women and men equally to take part in the economic, political, social sphere. |
|
1.4. |
Support the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business and urge non-parties to sign and ratify without further delay |
|
1.5. |
Uphold the right of citizens to have access to official information and to free and independent media. |
|
1.6. |
Will work for universal access to electronic communications and information technology, as minimum, through radio, community-based internet and email. We will also work to make access to these technologies as cheap as possible. |
|
1.7. |
Uphold a just secular legal system that ensures the right of defence and practices proportionality between crime and punishment. |
|
1.8. |
Support the public funding of elections, and measures to ensure all donations are fully transparent and accountable and are free from undue influence, whether perceived or otherwise. |
|
1.9. |
Will challenge corporate domination of government, especially where citizens are deprived of their right to political participation. |
|
1.10. |
Support the separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial systems, and the separation of state and religion. |
|
1.11. |
Support the development and strengthening of local government. |
|
1.12. |
Support the restructuring of state institutions to democratise and make them more transparent and efficient in serving the goal of citizens' power and sustainable development. |
|
1.13. |
Support global governance based on the democratic principle of one person — one vote — one value, rather than by unelected corporate interests. |
2. Equity
|
2.0. |
The differences in living standards and opportunities in the world today are intolerable. Third world debt is at an all time high of US$3,7 trillion while Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries give just 0,31 % of GNP in aid. The richest 20 % of the world's population has 83 % of global income while the poorest 20 %, including nearly 50 % of the world's young people, share barely 1 % and 2,6 billion people live on less than US$2 a day. 60 % of the world's poor are women. 130 million children never attend school while 800 million adults can neither read nor write, two-thirds of them women Population growth has slowed but world population is projected to grow from 6,1 billion in 2000 to 8,9 billion in 2050, an increase of 47 %. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) infections remain severe problems. |
The Greens -
|
2.1. |
Will work to increase government aid to developing countries, and support aid funding being directed to the poorest of the poor, with the priorities being determined through working with local communities. |
|
2.2. |
Will work to improve the rights, status, education and political participation of women. |
|
2.3. |
Commit ourselves to the goal of making high quality primary education universal by 2015 financed through increased aid and debt relief. |
|
2.4. |
Will work towards cancellation of developing country debt especially in the poorest countries, and support the use of incentives to ensure that savings from debt relief are channelled into poverty reduction and environment conservation, and that transparent and accountable processes are in place with participation from affected communities. |
|
2.5. |
See concerted action to combat the great pandemics including HIV-Aids, TB and malaria as a priority, especially in Africa, where a twofold effort is needed to allow general access to low cost and efficient therapies, and to restore economic progress, especially through education. |
|
2.6. |
Recognise the right to compensation of those people that lose access to their natural resources through displacement by environmental destruction or human intervention such as colonisation and migration. |
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2.7. |
Will review the relationship between exclusive ownership of property and exclusive use of its resources, with a view to curbing environmental abuse and extending access for basic livelihood to all, especially indigenous communities. |
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2.8. |
Will work to ensure that all men, women and children can achieve economic security, without recourse to personally damaging activities such as pornography, prostitution or the sale of organs. |
|
2.9. |
Will commit to work for more equal allocation of welfare and for creation of equal opportunities inside all our societies, recognising that there is a growing number of poor and marginalised people in developed countries also. |
|
2.10. |
Understand that the current form of financialised neo-liberal capitalism aids the rich and is crisis prone. It contributes to growing inequality and dispossession of poor people |
|
2.11. |
Will defend and promote the human, social and environmental rights of people of colour. |
3. Climate change and energy
|
3.0. |
The climate crisis is both greatest challenge facing the global community and the greatest opportunity for humanity to rethink how we live, in a way that is socially just and within the Earth's ecological limits. The Greens are committed to limiting global temperature rise to no more than 1,5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Global emissions will need to peak well before 2020 to have a chance to stay within this temperature limit. |
The Greens -
|
3.1. |
Adopt the target of limiting CO2 levels in the atmosphere to 450 ppm in the shortest period possible. |
|
3.2. |
Will work to support a rapid transition to zero carbon economies around the world. |
|
3.3. |
Will work to establish an international emissions reporting framework for trans-national corporations, linked to global carbon taxes and global environmental loads. |
|
3.4. |
Will work hard to ensure that developing countries have access to the most efficient, sustainable and appropriate technology, with a strong focus on renewable energy, and that they agree to Climate Change Conventions to ensure that actions are comprehensive and worldwide. The equity principle must be at the core of climate change negotiations and measures. |
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3.5. |
Oppose any expansion of nuclear power and will work to phase it out rapidly. |
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3.6. |
Will support a call for a moratorium on new fossil fuel exploration and development |
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3.7. |
Will work to stop deforestation and degradation of natural forests by 2020, noting that they are the most carbon rich ecosystems on the planet, vital to indigenous people, rich in plants and animals, and irreplaceable in any human time scale. |
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3.8. |
Promote tree planting of diverse species but not monocultures, as a short-term measure for carbon sequestration, with other benefits for the environment. |
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3.9. |
Promote the levying of taxes on non-renewable energy and support the use of funds raised to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy. |
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3.10. |
Support research into the use of sustainable energy sources and the technical development of ecological power production |
|
3.11. |
Promote transfer of energy efficient technologies and green power infrastructure between and within countries and economies on a no-costs or minimal costs basis. This is one of the economic costs of the emissions to date by western countries. |
4. Biodiversity
|
4.0. |
Healthy ecosystems are essential to human life, yet we seem to have forgotten the relationship between nature and society. Extinction rates are 100 to 1000 times higher than in pre-human times. Only 20 % of the Earth's original forests remain relatively undisturbed. 80 % of fish stocks are already depleted or in danger of being overfished. Invasions by non-native plants, animals and diseases are growing rapidly. Habitat destruction and species extinction are driven by industrial and agricultural development that also exacerbates climate change, global inequity and the destruction of indigenous cultures and livelihoods. Agricultural monoculture, promoted by agribusiness and accelerated by genetic modification and patenting of nature, threatens the diversity of crop and domestic animal species, radically increasing vulnerability to disease. |
The Greens -
|
4.1. |
Will vigorously oppose environmentally destructive agricultural and industrial development and give primary effort to protecting native plants and animals in their natural habitat, and wherever possible in large tracts. |
|
4.2. |
Will work to remove subsidies for environmentally destructive activities, including logging, fossil fuel exploitation, dam construction, mining, genetic engineering and agricultural monoculture. |
|
4.3. |
Will promote ecological purchasing policies, for products such as wood, based only on the most rigorous definition of sustainability backed by credible labelling. |
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4.4. |
Support the concept of ‘debt for nature’ swaps, subject to the agreement of affected indigenous and local communities. |
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4.5. |
Will promote the repair of degraded natural environments, and the cleanup of toxic sites of former and existing military and industrial zones around the world. |
|
4.6. |
Note that reducing the transport of goods around the world, in line with a preference for local production where possible, will have the added benefit of reducing ‘bio-invasions’, as well as reducing fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. |
|
4.7. |
Commit to promote a global ecology curriculum for all levels of education. |
|
4.8. |
Will work towards establishing an international court of justice specifically for environmental destruction and the loss of biodiversity where cases can be heard against corporations, national, states and individuals. |
|
4.9. |
Will refuse to accept the patenting and merchandising of life. |
5. Governing economic globalisation by sustainability principles
|
5.0. |
Fifty-three of the 100 biggest economies in the world today are corporations. With the collusion of governments, they have created a legal system that puts unfettered economic activity above the public good, protects corporate welfare but attacks social welfare, and makes national economies subservient to a global financial casino that turns over $US3 trillion per day in speculative transactions. The Global Financial Crisis has increased volatility and insecurity in all economies, with the most significant impact on poorer individuals, groups and countries. The IMF and the World Bank have contributed to this crisis rather than been part of the solution; the prerequisites on which they are based are not fit to create a global, sustainable and just economic system. |
The Greens -
|
5.1. |
Affirm that essentials of life, such as water, must remain publicly owned and controlled; and that culture, basic access to food, social and public health, education, and a free media are not ‘commodities’ to be subjected to international market agreements. |
|
5.2. |
Support the creation of a World Environment Organisation by combining the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) into a single institution with funding and power to impose sanctions to promote global sustainable development. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) should be subject to the decisions of this body. |
|
5.3. |
Support serious reform of the World Bank and IMF so that their membership and decision-making are democratic, and their operations subservient to sustainability principles and to all international conventions on human and labour rights, and environmental protection. |
|
5.4. |
Support serious reform of the WTO to make sustainability its central goal, supported by transparent and democratic processes and the participation of representatives from affected communities. In addition there must be separation of powers to remove the disputes settlement mechanism from the exclusive competence of the WTO. A sustainability impact assessment of earlier Negotiation Rounds is required before any new steps are taken. |
|
5.5. |
Will work to prevent the implementation of new regional or hemispheric trade and investment agreements under the WTO rules but support countries' integration processes that assure people's welfare and environmental sustainability. |
|
5.6. |
Will create a world environment where financial and economic institutions and organisations will nurture and protect environmentally sustainable projects that will sustain communities at all levels (local, regional, national and international). |
|
5.7. |
Demand that international agreements on the environment, labour conditions and health should take precedence over any international rules on trade. |
|
5.8. |
Will work to implement a Tobin-Henderson or Financial Transactions Tax and other instruments to curb speculative international currency transactions and help encourage investment in the real economy, and to create funds to promote equity in global development. |
|
5.9. |
Will work to require corporations to abide by the environmental, labour and social laws of their own country and of the country in which they are operating, whichever are the more stringent |
|
5.10. |
Will work to ensure that all global organizations, especially those with significant capacity to define the rules of international trade, firmly adhere to principles of sustainable development and pursue a training program of cultural change to fully realise this goal. |
|
5.11. |
Want corporate welfare made transparent and subject to the same level of accountability as social welfare, with subsidies to environmentally and socially destructive activities phased out altogether. |
|
5.12. |
Endorse the development of civic entrepreneurship to promote a community based economy as a way of combating social exclusion caused by economic globalisation. |
6. Human rights
|
6.0. |
Denial of human rights and freedoms goes hand in hand with poverty and political powerlessness. Millions suffer discrimination, intimidation, arbitrary detention, violence and death. Three-quarters of the world's governments have used torture in the last three years. |
The Greens -
|
6.1. |
Endorse the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, and other international instruments for the protection of rights and freedoms. We believe that these rights are universal and indivisible and that national governments are responsible for upholding them. |
|
6.2. |
Condemn all dictatorships and regimes which deny human rights, regardless of their political claims |
|
6.3. |
Will work with local communities to promote awareness of human rights, and to ensure that the UN Commission for Human Rights and other treaty bodies are adequately resourced. |
|
6.4. |
Call for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be amended to include rights to a healthy natural environment and intergenerational rights to natural and cultural resources. |
|
6.5. |
Uphold the right of women to make their own decisions, including the control of their fertility by the means they deem appropriate, free from discrimination or coercion; support the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); urge non-signatories to sign and ratify without further delay; and urge existing signatories to remove all reservations. |
|
6.6. |
Support the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination, land rights, and access to traditional hunting and fishing rights for their own subsistence, using humane and ecologically sustainable techniques; and support moves for indigenous people to set up and work through their own international bodies. |
|
6.7. |
Support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the minimum standard of protection accepted by indigenous peoples, and support moves for indigenous people to set up and work through their own international bodies. |
|
6.8. |
Demand that torturers are held accountable, and will campaign for them to be brought to justice, in their own countries or elsewhere, before an international panel of judges serving under the auspices of the International Criminal Court. |
|
6.9. |
Oppose any violation of the physical integrity of the individual by torture, punishment or any other practices including traditional and religious mutilation. |
|
6.10. |
Demand that the death penalty be abolished worldwide. |
|
6.11. |
Call for governments to ensure that all asylum-seekers, whether they are victims of state violence or independent armed groups, are correctly treated in accordance with the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Rights to Asylum; have access to fair processes; are not arbitrarily detained; and are not returned to a country where they might suffer violations of their fundamental human rights, or face the risk of death, torture, or other inhuman treatment. |
|
6.12. |
Call for the prohibition of collective expulsion. |
|
6.13. |
Uphold the right of all workers to safe, fairly remunerated employment, with the freedom to unionise. |
|
6.14. |
Support the right of children to grow up free from the need to work, and the establishment of a lower age limit for working children/adolescents. |
|
6.15. |
Demand decriminalisation of homosexuality, and support the right of gay and lesbian people to their lifestyle, and the equal rights of homosexual relationships. |
|
6.16. |
Will work to improve the opportunities of disabled people to live and work equally in society, including true political participation. |
|
6.17. |
Support the right of linguistic minorities to use their own language. |
7. Food and water
|
7.0. |
Hundreds of millions of people remain undernourished, not because there is insufficient food but because of unequal access to land, water, credit and markets. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not the solution, because the immediate problem is not production but distribution. Moreover, GMOs pose unacceptable risks to the environment, independent smaller farmers, and consumers, as well as to the biodiversity that is our best insurance against agricultural disaster. Water shortages loom, both in above-ground systems and subterranean aquifers. Deforestation of catchments takes a devastating toll in landslides and floods, while desertification and degradation rapidly are expanding. One bright spot is the rapid growth of organic agriculture. |
The Greens -
|
7.1. |
Consider that access to clean water for basic needs is a fundamental right and oppose the privatisation of water resources and infrastructure. |
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7.2. |
Will work to eliminate water subsidies, other than social subsidies, and to make water use more efficient. |
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7.3. |
Will work to ensure that fresh water and underground water resources are conserved in quality and quantity and appropriately priced to ensure these resources are adequately protected from depletion |
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7.4. |
Consider that the stability of catchments and the health of river systems is paramount, and will work with the people directly affected to stop the degradation of rivers, including new large dams and irrigation projects, and deforestation of catchments. |
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7.5. |
Will work with local communities in arid and semi-arid regions, where climate is dominated by uncertainty, to reduce land degradation. |
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7.6. |
Express their concern for countries that have been hard hit by desertification and deforestation, and ask the countries that have not yet done so to ratify the UN Convention of Desertification, and make the necessary resources available to enact this Convention. |
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7.7. |
Will support and promote organic agriculture. |
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7.8. |
Call for a worldwide ban on the commercial growing of genetically modified crops. |
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7.9. |
Will work to ensure that food is safe, with stringent regulations on production, storage and sale. |
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7.10. |
Will work to ensure that scientific research is conducted ethically and applied in accordance with the precautionary principle. |
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7.11. |
Call for a phase out of all persistent and bio-accumulative man- made chemicals and to work to eliminate all releases to the environment of hazardous chemicals. |
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7.12. |
Will work to ensure that animal growth hormones are banned, and stringent regulations governing the use of antibiotics on animals are enforced. |
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7.13. |
Will work to ensure the humane treatment of all animals during breeding, transport and slaughter and will ensure animal welfare. |
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7.14. |
Will work towards ensuring the effect of erosion, floods and other environmental hazards are ameliorated and that appropriate adaptation measures are implemented. |
8. Sustainable planning
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8.0. |
Consumption in industrialised countries is excessive by any measure, and largely responsible for environmental decline. Newly industrialising countries are also increasing their consumption, which will add significantly to the ecological pressure. Changing to a green economy — which mimics ecological processes, eliminates waste by re-using and recycling materials, and emphasises activities that enhance the quality of life and relationships rather than the consumption of goods — brings a promise of new jobs, industries with less pollution, better work environments and a higher quality of life. |
The Greens -
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8.1. |
Promote measures of well-being rather than GDP to measure progress, and recognise the ecological limits to material growth and consumption. |
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8.2. |
Consider that citizens of countries affected by a development project have the right to participate in decisions about it, regardless of national boundaries. |
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8.3. |
Will work to ensure that those who profit from exploiting any common and/or natural resources should pay the full market rent for the use of these resources, and for any damage they do to any other common resources. |
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8.4. |
Recognise that the impact of continuing urban growth (sprawl) onto agricultural land and the natural environment must be limited and ultimately stopped |
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8.5. |
Recognise that the process of urbanisation due to rural poverty must be slowed and reversed through appropriate rural development programs which protect the character and ecology of the rural landscape. |
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8.6. |
Support local planning for ecologically sustainable business, housing, transport, waste management, parks, city forests, public spaces; and will establish links between Greens at local and regional level around the planet to exchange information and support. |
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8.7. |
Will work to reduce vehicle based urban pollution by opposing ever-expanding freeways; encouraging the use of energy efficient vehicles; integrating land use planning with public transport, bicycling and walking; prioritising mass transit planning and funding over private auto infrastructure; and eliminating tax policies that favour auto-centric development. |
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8.8. |
Will work to create socially responsible economic strategies, using taxes and public finance to maximise incentives for fair distribution of wealth, and eco-taxes to provide incentives to avoid waste and pollution. |
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8.9. |
Demand that corporations and communities reduce, reuse and recycle waste, aiming for a zero waste economy which replicates a natural ecosystem. |
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8.10. |
Will support all policies that allow countries to increase job creation through economic activities that add value, or through recycling of resources, the production of durable goods, organic agriculture, renewable energy and environmental protection. |
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8.11. |
Promote socially responsible investment and ecological marketing so that consumers can make positive choices based on reliable information. |
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8.12. |
Recognise the value of traditional and local knowledge and beliefs, and support its incorporation into planning and projects. |
9. Peace and security
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9.0. |
We understand peace as being more than the absence of war. To strive for peace has always been at the core of the Green agenda. The causes of conflict are changing. The impacts of climate change, competition for water, food and resources will become increasingly significant. The distinctions between war, organised crime and deliberate large-scale abuses of human rights are becoming progressively blurred. Since 2001 the war on ‘terror’ has also led to the erosion of human rights in the name of security. The arms trade is growing and globalising, nourished by a unique exemption from WTO rules against subsidies. As a global network, we have a vital role to play in strengthening the links between community organisations working for human rights and peace, and supporting and shaping the emerging concepts and institutions of global governance. |
The Greens -
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9.1. |
Support strengthening the role of the UN as a global organisation of conflict management and peacekeeping, while, noting that, where prevention fails and in situations of structural and massive violations of human rights and/or genocide, the use of force may be justified if it is the only means of preventing further human rights violations and suffering, provided that it is used under a mandate from the UN. Nonetheless, individual countries have the right not to support or to cooperate with the action. |
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9.2. |
Will campaign for greater power for countries of the South in the UN, by working to abolish the veto power in the Security Council, to remove the category of permanent membership of it, and to increase the number of states with membership. |
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9.3. |
Support the International Criminal Court. In war crimes, sexualised violence such as mass rape should be regarded as a war crime, as should environmental crimes in times of conflict. |
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9.4. |
Seek to curtail the power of the military-industrial-financial complex in order to radically reduce the trade in armaments, ensure transparency of manufacturing and remove hidden subsidies that benefit the military industries. |
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9.5. |
Will work to regulate and reduce, with the long term aim of eliminating, the international arms trade (including banning nuclear, biological and chemical arms, depleted uranium weapons and anti-personnel mines) and bring it within the ambit of the UN. |
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9.6. |
Will help strengthen existing peace programmes and forge new programmes that address all aspects of building a culture of peace. Programmes will include analysis of the roots of violence, including inter-familial violence, and the issue of mutual respect between genders; and support training in non-violent conflict resolution at all levels. |
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9.7. |
Will seek to amend the international rules of military engagement to ensure that natural resources are adequately protected in conflicts. |
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9.8. |
Will fight against any National Missile Defence Project, and work towards the demilitarisation and de-nuclearisation of space. |
10. Acting globally
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10.0. |
The Global Greens are independent organisations from diverse cultures and backgrounds who share a common purpose and recognise that, to achieve it, we must act globally as well as locally. |
The Greens -
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10.1. |
Will work cooperatively to implement the Global Greens Charter by taking action together on issues of global consequence whenever needed. |
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10.2. |
Will support the development of Green parties, political movements and youth networks around the world. |
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10.3. |
Will assist, at their request, other Green parties and movements including by
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10.4. |
Will adopt and put into practice in our own organisations the democratic principles we seek in broader society. |
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10.5. |
Will act as a model of participatory democracy in our own internal organisation at all levels. |
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10.6. |
Will encourage cooperation between the global Green parties to ensure that member parties are consulted, educated and have equal capacity to influence global positions of the Greens. |
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10.7. |
Will encourage Green parties and green political movements to show leadership in establishing policies guaranteeing transparent and decentralised structures, so that political power and opportunity is extended to all members; and in developing new political models which better meet the challenges of sustainable development and grassroots democracy. |
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10.8. |
Will avoid sources of finance that conflict with our vision and values. |
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10.9. |
Will avoid cooperation with dictatorships, sects, or criminal organisations and with their dependent organisations, particularly in matters of democracy and human rights. |
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10.10. |
Will strengthen our links with like-minded community organisations, and with civil society organisations; we are one part, with them, of the growing consciousness that respect for the environment, for social and human rights, and for democracy, has to prevail on the economic organisation of the world. |
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10.11. |
Will support each other personally and politically with friendship, optimism and good humour, and not forget to enjoy ourselves in the process! |