EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America

Transcription

1 EUROPEAN PARLIAMT Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America DCAM_PV(2013)1127 MINUTES of the meeting of 27 November 2013, from 9.30 a.m.to a.m. Brussels The meeting opened at 9.40 a.m. on Wednesday 27 November 2013, with Carlos Iturgaiz (Vice-Chair) in the chair. 1. Adoption of draft agenda (PE v01-00) The Chair presented the draft agenda and submitted it for approval. The draft agenda was adopted as shown in these minutes. 2. Approval of minutes of the meeting of 24 September 2013 (PE v01-00) The minutes of the delegation meeting of 24 September 2013 were approved without any changes. 3. Chair s announcements The Chair informed the Delegation of the visit of the DCAM working group to Nicaragua and El Salvador from 28 October to 1 November and announced that the Delegation would discuss this at its next meeting. Next, he stated that the week before, a Parliament delegation, consisting of five MEPs and headed by Ms Pilar Ayuso, travelled to Honduras to observe the general elections held on 24 November. He announced that the Delegation would also discuss this at its next meeting. 4. Exchange of views on the judicial system in Guatemala, the fight against impunity PV\ doc PE v01-00 United in diversity

2 and the human rights situation: After a brief presentation, the Chair gave the floor to the following guest speakers: Mr Michael Moerth, lawyer and member of the International Commission of Jurists; Mr Luis Lara, Secretary-General of the National Trade Union of Health Workers of Guatemala; Ms Rosa Pavanelli, Secretary-General of Public Services International; H.E.Mr Jorge Skinner-Klee, Ambassador of Guatemala to the European Union. Mr Moerth emphasised that Guatemala s judicial system needed to be based on three key elements in order to guarantee the rule of law: i) independence (of individual judges and judicial institutions as a whole), ii) legal certainty, and iii) application of existing international and national laws and rules. He pointed out the current weaknesses of the legal system, taking the example of the historic trial and conviction of the former dictator Efraín Ríos Montt (and General Rodríguez-Sánchez), which was quashed by the Constitutional Court on procedural grounds (as called for by the Coordination Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial and Financial Associations (CACIF)) and was now in legal limbo. He also pointed out that 2014 would a crucial year for Guatemala s judicial system, as several judicial cycles were to end next year and most judges and the Attorney General would have to be endorsed or replaced. Next, Mr Luis Lara, Secretary-General of the National Trade Union of Health Workers of Guatemala, explained in his presentation that union leaders and members (especially women) were suffering harassment and death threats, as well as being attacked and murdered. He had received threats himself, his 12-year-old son had been murdered and his daughter abducted and raped. Ms Rosa Pavanelli, Secretary-General of Public Services International, who headed an international mission to Guatemala in August 2013, said that Guatemala had earned the shameful moniker of the most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists, with the most attacks on union leaders and members. She claimed that not one conviction had been made in any of the cases of the 58 union leaders murdered in recent years. In order to step up the pressure on the Guatemalan Government, she advocated integration of the International Labour Organisation s (ILO) roadmap (to which the Government was committed) as a condition for free trade, and the submission of regular reports on labour rights violations in monitoring the implementation of the EU-Central America Association Agreement. She called on the EU to support the establishment of an ILO commission of inquiry in Guatemala in While acknowledging the flaws and failings in the judicial system and in the protection of labour and union rights in Guatemala, Mr Jorge Skinner-Klee, Ambassador of Guatemala to the European Union, stressed that criticisms had to be put into context and that the situation had improved significantly since the end of the civil war. He also pointed out that the Government was keen to continue improving the situation. He also pointed out that the violence was not politically-inspired, but was rooted in intolerance in Guatemalan society, and he thus advocated reconciliation between the different sectors of society, PE v /8 PV\ doc

3 Lastly, Mr Andreu Bassols, Deputy Head of Division in the European External Action Service, expressed regret over the delay in the Ríos Montt case and pointed out how important it was to create an independent judiciary, based on democratic principles, and to guarantee free and independent media, as well as an inclusive economy. He mentioned that the trade part of the Association Agreement would apply as of 1 December 2013 also for Guatemala, and that the agreement would be an effective tool for dialogue and cooperation. 5. Exchange of views on the situation of the Central American regional integration process with Mr Hugo Martinez, Secretary-General of the Central American Regional Integration System (SICA) The Chair gave a warm welcome to Mr Hugo Martínez. After a brief presentation by Ms Elena Barletta de Nottebohm, Ambassador of Panama to the EU, on behalf of the pro tempore Presidency of SICA, Mr Hugo Martínez took the floor to set out his priorities as the recently appointed Secretary-General of SICA, namely: i) to streamline and simplify the current institutional structure of the integration system, to better coordinate the work of the different bodies, ii) to improve dialogue with and participation of civil society, iii) to ensure that cooperation funds are channelled more transparently, efficiently and effectively, and to create a single budget (single source of funding) for SICA for cooperation programmes, and lastly iv) to strengthen relations with other regional integration blocs (he urged the EU Member States to ratify the Association Agreement quickly, so that the pillars of political dialogue and cooperation could also enter into force). 6. Exchange of views with Alejandro Solano Ortiz, Chargé d affaires at the Embassy of Costa Rica to the EU, on the electoral process in Costa Rica After a brief presentation, the Chair gave the floor to Mr Alejandro Solano Ortiz, Chargé d affaires at the Embassy of Costa Rica to the EU, who gave a presentation on the electoral process in his country, ahead of the forthcoming general elections (to be held on 2 February 2014). 7. Any other business There was no other business. 8. Date and place of next meeting The Chair announced that the next delegation meeting would be held on Thursday 23 January 2014 in Brussels. The meeting closed at 11:15 a.m. PV\ doc 3/8 PE v01-00

4 ПРИСЪСТВЕН ЛИСТ/LISTA DE ASISTCIA/PREZČNÍ LISTINA/DELTAGERLISTE/ ANWESHEITSLISTE/KOHALOLIJATE NIMEKIRI/ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΠΑΡΟΝΤΩΝ/RECORD OF ATTDANCE/ LISTE DE PRÉSCE/ELCO DI PRESZA/APMEKLĒJUMU REĢISTRS/DALYVIŲ SĄRAŠAS/JELLÉTI ÍV/ REĠISTRU TA' ATTDZA/PRESTIELIJST/LISTA OBECNOŚCI/LISTA DE PRESÇAS/LISTĂ DE PREZŢĂ/ PREZČNÁ LISTINA/SEZNAM NAVZOČIH/LÄSNÄOLOLISTA/DELTAGARLISTA Бюро/Mesa/Předsednictvo/Formandskabet/Vorstand/Juhatus/Προεδρείο/Bureau/Ufficio di presidenza/prezidijs/biuras/elnökség/ Prezydium/Birou/Predsedníctvo/Predsedstvo/Puheenjohtajisto/Presidiet (*) Carlos José Iturgaiz Angulo Членове/Diputados/Poslanci/Medlemmer/Mitglieder/Parlamendiliikmed/Μέλη/Members/Députés/Deputati/Deputāti/Nariai/Képviselõk/ Membri/Leden/Posłowie/Deputados/Deputaţi/Jäsenet/Ledamöter Edvard Kožušník, Astrid Lulling Заместници/Suplentes/Náhradníci/Stedfortrædere/Stellvertreter/Asendusliikmed/Αναπληρωτές/Substitutes/Suppléants/Supplenti/ Aizstājēji/Pavaduojantys nariai/póttagok/sostituti/plaatsvervangers/zastępcy/membros suplentes/supleanţi/náhradníci/namestniki/ Varajäsenet/Suppleanter Rosa Estaràs Ferragut 187 (2) 193 (3) 49 (6) (Точка от дневния ред/punto del orden del día/bod pořadu jednání (OJ)/Punkt på dagsordenen/tagesordnungspunkt/päevakorra punkt/ημερήσια Διάταξη Σημείο/Agenda item/point OJ/Punto all'ordine del giorno/darba kārtības punkts/darbotvarkės punktas/ Napirendi pont/punt fuq l-aġenda/agendapunt/punkt porządku dziennego/ponto OD/Punct de pe ordinea de zi/bod programu schôdze/ Točka UL/Esityslistan kohta/föredragningslista punkt) Hugo Martinez (Secretary General SICA) Michael Moerth (Member of the International Commission Jurists), Luis Lara (Secretary General, National Trade Union of Health Workers), Rosa Pavanelli (Secretary General, Public Services International), Jorge Skinner Klee (Ambassador of Guatemala) Item 4. Item 5 PE v /8 PV\ doc

5 Alejandro Solano Ortiz (Chargé d'affaires, Emb. of Costa Rica) Item 6 PV\ doc 5/8 PE v01-00

6 Наблюдатели/Observadores/Pozorovatelé/Observatører/Beobachter/Vaatlejad/Παρατηρητές/Observers/Observateurs/Osservatori/ Novērotāji/Stebėtojai/Megfigyelők/Osservaturi/Waarnemers/Obserwatorzy/Observadores/Observatori/Pozorovatelia/Opazovalci/ Tarkkailijat/Observatörer Ms Jimena Reyes (Fidh), Ms Kerstin Reemstsma (PBI), Ms Kersty McCourt (PBI), Ms Irina Lunina (PBI), Mr Ruben Omar Orozco Burgos (SICA), Ms Sandra Vermuyten (Public Service International), Ms Dora Regina (National Trade Union of Health Workers, Guatemala) По покана на председателя/por invitación del presidente/na pozvání předsedy/efter indbydelse fra formanden/auf Einladung des Vorsitzenden/Esimehe kutsel/με πρόσκληση του Προέδρου/At the invitation of the Chair(wo)man/Sur l'invitation du président/ Su invito del presidente/pēc priekšsēdētāja uzaicinājuma/pirmininkui pakvietus/az elnök meghívására/fuq stedina tal-president/ Op uitnodiging van de voorzitter/na zaproszenie Przewodniczącego/A convite do Presidente/La invitaţia preşedintelui/na pozvanie predsedu/na povabilo predsednika/puheenjohtajan kutsusta/på ordförandens inbjudan Съвет/Consejo/Rada/Rådet/Rat/Nõukogu/Συμβούλιο/Council/Conseil/Consiglio/Padome/Taryba/Tanács/Kunsill/Raad/Conselho/ Consiliu/Svet/Neuvosto/Rådet (*) Комисия/Comisión/Komise/Kommissionen/Kommission/Euroopa Komisjon/Επιτροπή/Commission/Commissione/Komisija/Bizottság/ Kummissjoni/Commissie/Komisja/Comissão/Comisie/Komisia/Komissio/Kommissionen (*) Европейска служба за външна дейност/evropská služba pro vnější činnost/eu-udenrigstjenesten/europäischer Auswärtiger Dienst/Euroopa välisteenistus/ευρωπαϊκή Υπηρεσία Εξωτερικής Δράσης/European External Action Service/Servicio Europeo de Acción Exterior/Service européen pour l'action extérieure/servizio europeo per l azione esterna/eiropas Ārējās darbības dienests/europos išorės veiksmų tarnyba/európai Külügyi Szolgálat/Servizz Ewropew għall-azzjoni Esterna/Europese dienst voor extern optreden/europejska Służba Działań Zewnętrznych/Serviço Europeu para a Acção Externa/Serviciul european pentru acţiune externă/európska služba pre vonkajšiu činnosť/evropska služba za zunanje delovanje/euroopan ulkosuhdehallinto/europeiska avdelningen för yttre åtgärd (*) Mr Schulting, Mr Andreu Bassols (Dep.Head of Division) Други институции/otras instituciones/ostatní orgány a instituce/andre institutioner/andere Organe/Muud institutsioonid/ Άλλα θεσμικά όργανα/other institutions/autres institutions/altre istituzioni/citas iestādes/kitos institucijos/más intézmények/ Istituzzjonijiet oħra/andere instellingen/inne instytucje/outras Instituições/Alte instituţii/iné inštitúcie/druge institucije/muut toimielimet/andra institutioner/organ PE v /8 PV\ doc

7 Други участници/otros participantes/ostatní účastníci/endvidere deltog/andere Teilnehmer/Muud osalejad/επίσης Παρόντες/Other participants/autres participants/altri partecipanti/citi klātesošie/kiti dalyviai/más résztvevők/parteċipanti oħra/andere aanwezigen/ Inni uczestnicy/outros participantes/alţi participanţi/iní účastníci/drugi udeleženci/muut osallistujat/övriga deltagare Alejandro Solano (Amb. Costa Rica), H. E. Mr Edgar Varela (Amb. El Salvador), H.E. Mr Jorge Skinner-Klee (Amb. Guatemala), Ricardo Viteri Fraser (Amb. Guatemala), Moisés Mérida (Amb. Guatemala), Elena Barietta de Nottebohm (Amb. Panama), Mauricio Suárez (Amb. El Salvador), María Bennaton (Amb. Honduras), Alfonso Young (Amb. Panamá), Oriol Marrero (Amb. Cuba), Orlando Rossi (Parlatino), Ricardo Lagos (Parlacen) Секретариат на политическите групи/secretaría de los Grupos políticos/sekretariát politických skupin/gruppernes sekretariat/ Sekretariat der Fraktionen/Fraktsioonide sekretariaat/γραμματεία των Πολιτικών Ομάδων/Secretariats of political groups/secrétariat des groupes politiques/segreteria gruppi politici/politisko grupu sekretariāts/frakcijų sekretoriai/képviselőcsoportok titkársága/segretarjat gruppi politiċi/fractiesecretariaten/sekretariat Grup Politycznych/Secr. dos grupos políticos/secretariate grupuri politice/sekretariát politických skupín/sekretariat političnih skupin/poliittisten ryhmien sihteeristöt/gruppernas sekretariat PPE S&D Piero Rizza Silvia González del Pino ALDE ECR Verts/ALE GUE/NGL EFD NI Sergio Servellón Кабинет на председателя/gabinete del Presidente/Kancelář předsedy/formandens Kabinet/Kabinett des Präsidenten/Presidendi kantselei/γραφείο Προέδρου/President's Office/Cabinet du Président/Gabinetto del Presidente/Priekšsēdētāja kabinets/pirmininko kabinetas/elnöki hivatal/kabinett tal-president/kabinet van de Voorzitter/Gabinet Przewodniczącego/Gabinete do Presidente/ Cabinet Preşedinte/Kancelária predsedu/urad predsednika/puhemiehen kabinetti/talmannens kansli Кабинет на генералния секретар/gabinete del Secretario General/Kancelář generálního tajemníka/generalsekretærens Kabinet/ Kabinett des Generalsekretärs/Peasekretäri büroo/γραφείο Γενικού Γραμματέα/Secretary-General's Office/Cabinet du Secrétaire général/gabinetto del Segretario generale/ģenerālsekretāra kabinets/generalinio sekretoriaus kabinetas/főtitkári hivatal/kabinett tas- Segretarju Ġenerali/Kabinet van de secretaris-generaal/gabinet Sekretarza Generalnego/Gabinete do Secretário-Geral/Cabinet Secretar General/Kancelária generálneho tajomníka/urad generalnega sekretarja/pääsihteerin kabinetti/generalsekreterarens kansli PV\ doc 7/8 PE v01-00

8 Генерална дирекция/dirección General/Generální ředitelství/generaldirektorat/generaldirektion/peadirektoraat/γενική Διεύθυνση/ Directorate-General/Direction générale/direzione generale/ģenerāldirektorāts/generalinis direktoratas/főigazgatóság/direttorat Ġenerali/Directoraten-generaal/Dyrekcja Generalna/Direcção-Geral/Direcţii Generale/Generálne riaditeľstvo/generalni direktorat/ Pääosasto/Generaldirektorat DG PRES DG IPOL DG EXPO DG COMM DG PERS DG INLO DG TRAD DG INTE DG FINS DG ITEC Jesper Tvevad Правна служба/servicio Jurídico/Právní služba/juridisk Tjeneste/Juristischer Dienst/Õigusteenistus/Νομική Υπηρεσία/Legal Service/ Service juridique/servizio giuridico/juridiskais dienests/teisės tarnyba/jogi szolgálat/servizz legali/juridische Dienst/Wydział prawny/ Serviço Jurídico/Serviciu Juridic/Právny servis/pravna služba/oikeudellinen yksikkö/rättstjänsten Секретариат на комисията/secretaría de la comisión/sekretariát výboru/udvalgssekretariatet/ausschusssekretariat/komisjoni sekretariaat/γραμματεία επιτροπής/committee secretariat/secrétariat de la commission/segreteria della commissione/komitejas sekretariāts/komiteto sekretoriatas/a bizottság titkársága/segretarjat tal-kumitat/commissiesecretariaat/sekretariat komisji/ Secretariado da comissão/secretariat comisie/sekretariat odbora/valiokunnan sihteeristö/utskottssekretariatet Javier Fernández Fernández, József Blaszauer, Radka Hejtmankova Сътрудник/Asistente/Asistent/Assistent/Assistenz/Βοηθός/Assistant/Assistente/Palīgs/Padėjėjas/Asszisztens/Asystent/Pomočnik/ Avustaja/Assistenter Rosa-Maria Licop Cabo * (P) = Председател/Presidente/Předseda/Formand/Vorsitzender/Esimees/Πρόεδρος/Chair(wo)man/Président/Priekšsēdētājs/Pirmininkas/ Elnök/President/Voorzitter/Przewodniczący/Preşedinte/Predseda/Predsednik/Puheenjohtaja/Ordförande (VP) = Заместник-председател/Vicepresidente/Místopředseda/Næstformand/Stellvertretender Vorsitzender/Aseesimees/Αντιπρόεδρος/ Vice-Chair(wo)man/Vice-Président/Priekšsēdētāja vietnieks/pirmininko pavaduotojas/alelnök/viċi President/Ondervoorzitter/ Wiceprzewodniczący/Vice-Presidente/Vicepreşedinte/Podpredseda/Podpredsednik/Varapuheenjohtaja/Vice ordförande (M) = Член/Miembro/Člen/Medlem./Mitglied/Parlamendiliige/Μέλος/Member/Membre/Membro/Deputāts/Narys/Képviselő/ Membru/Lid/Członek/Membro/Membru/Člen/Poslanec/Jäsen/Ledamot (F) = Длъжностно лице/funcionario/úředník/tjenestemand/beamter/ametnik/υπάλληλος/official/fonctionnaire/funzionario/ Ierēdnis/Pareigūnas/Tisztviselő/Uffiċjal/Ambtenaar/Urzędnik/Funcionário/Funcţionar/Úradník/Uradnik/Virkamies/Tjänsteman PE v /8 PV\ doc