EU-Egypt priorities
31.8.2017
Question for written answer E-005415-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Rina Ronja Kari (GUE/NGL)
In June 2017, the EU-Egypt Association Council presented the common priorities[1], that will form the basis for the EU-Egypt partnership over the next three years. From the document it appears that economic modernisation, climate, human rights and migration must be prioritised in the next three years. For that reason, can the Commission please ask the following questions:
- 1.The UN and the Human Rights Watch have repeatedly criticised Egypt for making use of the death penalty and, in particular, that Egypt has sentenced several civilians to the death penalty on extremely dubious grounds. As an extension of the human rights cooperation principle, the Commission is asked if abolition of the death penalty in Egypt will be among the priorities during the next three years?
- 2.Migration constitutes a major part of the priorities, but how is the Commission working concretely to improve the situation for migrants in Egypt?
- 3.The Council Paper EU-Egypt Partnership Priorities 2017-2020 states that: ‘It will also seek to support and strengthen Egyptian capacity to protect migrants’ rights and to provide protection to those who qualify for it, in line with international standards’. Is it the Commission’s position that all migrants, regardless of their official status, are entitled to protection wherever they are?
- [1] http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/07/25-eu-egypt-adopt-partnership-priorities/