Verbatim report of proceedings

Wednesday, 13 March 2019 - Strasbourg

11.1. Union General Export Authorisation for the export of certain dual-use items from the Union to the United Kingdom (A8-0071/2019 - Klaus Buchner) (vote)

- Prima della votazione:

  Klaus Buchner, Rapporteur. – Mr President, over a year ago we adopted a position on the Dual-Use Regulation that would restrict the export of spyware to dictatorships and ease the export of encryption software: 92% of us did this because democracy, freedom and human rights are being violently attacked all over the world. New dictatorships in Africa and the Middle East are developing, and old ones like China are getting more and more oppressive. Horrific cases involving journalists – like Jamal Khashoggi being dismembered and burned in a furnace by Saudi Arabia for defending freedom and democracy – are in the news.

These and other crimes have been made possible with European spyware in the wrong hands. We have decided, for moral and security reasons, that we, the European Union, cannot be part of this process. We strive to protect people all over the planet who wish to improve their society, who speak truth to power and who want to live in freedom and safety. We strive to protect our values.

The European Council disagrees with us and has refused to adopt a common position in order to start discussions on this. It was, especially, a last-minute change of heart by Mr Macron himself that stopped us: France, Sweden, Finland and other Member States believe that European companies should be accomplices to these crimes and make a little profit as well.

(Muted heckling)

I call on the Council to listen to all the NGOs, the Commission and the European Parliament, and to put values before profit. And now let us vote on this and other safeguards against a hard Brexit.

(Applause)