Sporočila za javnost - vsa

The Foreign Affairs committee called on the Council on Thursday to appoint a high-level envoy with an international reputation, tasked with raising the EU's human rights profile worldwide, to the new post of EU Special Representative for Human Rights created in line with the EP's repeated demands.

All actions aimed at suppressing the freedom of expression and assembly in Azerbaijan should stop immediately, says a resolution adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday. Azerbaijan's hosting of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in its capital Baku on 26 May should be an opportunity for it to show its commitment to democracy and human rights, it adds. In a separate resolution, also passed on Thursday, Parliament calls on China to stop deporting North Korean refugees back to North Korea.

MEPs criticize the recent decision of the High Court of Ukraine to postpone its ruling on the appeal by former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko against her seven-year prison sentence, in a resolution adopted on Thursday. They warn against delaying the legal proceedings, condemn the use of force against her by prison guards and remind Ukraine of its obligation to examine any complaints of cruel treatment.

Emergency financial assistance from the EU for cash-strapped neighbours must depend on respect for human rights and democracy, said Parliament on Thursday. MEPs also oppose plans to cut Parliament out of future decisions on granting this aid.

Resolucija, ki jo je Parlament sprejel v četrtek, poudarja, da mora EU bolje izkoriščati naravne vire in tako ohraniti gospodarsko rast ter okolje. Poslanci dodajajo, da bi morali biti koristni odpadki vnovič uporabljeni, namesto da se jih odlaga ali zažiga, z obdavčitvijo pa bi bilo treba kaznovati negospodarno rabo virov in krepiti konkurenčnost Unije.

Evropski parlament je v četrtek z zakonodajno pobudo pozval Komisijo, naj izboljša zakonodajo za zmanjšanje plačne vrzeli med spoloma , vključno s sankcijami za delodajalce, če bo treba. Razlika v plačilu med moškimi in ženskami v Uniji še vedno znaša povprečno 16,4 odstotka, v nekaterih članicah pa se je celo povečala.

Devising a "European Investment Plan" to create new jobs, reallocating EU structural funds to projects to create them for young people, and introducing a "European Youth Guarantee" to ensure that they are not without jobs for more than four months, are among the proposals set out by MEPs in a resolution, adopted Thursday, on measures to tackle youth unemployment.

EU Member states should set an example in fighting homophobia, says Parliament in a resolution adopted by a clear majority on Thursday. MEPs condemn homophobic laws and violence in European countries, and call on EU member states to consider giving access to cohabitation, registered partnerships or marriage to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

Parlament v resoluciji, ki je bila sprejeta v četrtek, poziva švicarsko vlado naj prekliče diskriminatorno in nezakonito odločitev o kvotah za dolgotrajna dovoljenja za bivanje državljanov Češke, Estonije, Latvije, Litve, Madžarske Poljske, Slovaške in Slovenije.

MEPs backed new international measures to further reduce illegal catches of bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, in a vote on Wednesday aimed at ensuring more sustainable development of stocks. They also called for more advice on the identification of spawning grounds and the creation of sanctuaries.