Original text: International Affairs | European Pirate Party
Foreign Affairs
General Principles
Pirates build on the basic values of democratic decision-making, non-discriminatory protection of human rights around the world and the free dissemination of information, together with freedom of the Internet. Pirates support everyone’s right to participate in public and political life and to free and fair elections. Pirates reject foreign interference in another country’s elections.
The basis of Pirate foreign policy is an orientation towards alliances in the Euro-Atlantic area, with an emphasis on membership in the European Union and NATO.
Pirates want to establish and develop relationships with democratic partners everywhere in the world, and support democracy and cooperation as a source of sustainable peace in the world. Pirates prefer cooperation over pursuing our own interests.
Pirates must defend the Internet as a means of free sharing and obtaining information about the real world, but also as a tool for greater human connection.
Pirates strive for ecological sustainability in accordance with international agreements, given the current world demographic and economic development.
European Politics
Pirates support the active role of the EU to promote peace and stability in the world, as well as the deepening of the common security and defense policy. Pirates promote changes leading to the strengthening of the elements of direct democracy. Pirates want to improve the transparency and democratic control of EU institutions.
Pirates want to strengthen the role of the European Parliament, as the only directly elected EU institution, on decision-making on EU political matters. Pirates welcome the outcome of the Conference on the future of the EU and are in favor of its proper implementation. Pirates support the effort to acquire a right for the European Parliament to propose legislation, meaning acting as a true legislative body. Pirates seek to replace the current unanimous vote in the Council of the EU by introducing qualified majority voting, especially in the area of foreign and tax policies and matters related to the common budget. Vetoes posed by national states seriously undermine the ability of the EU to react swiftly and effectively to international challenges and threats.
Decisions that can be better dealt with at the national, regional or local level should not be taken at the EU level. Equal and easy access to true and non-misleading information for all citizens is a basic prerequisite for legitimate democratic decision-making.
The EU needs a functional and jointly implemented policy in a number of areas. The EU and its member states must support education, science and research more. In the EU, Pirates want to defend the free movement of people, goods, services and information and minimize bureaucracy and centralization. Pirates consider the promotion of digital freedoms to be at the heart of Pirate policy at the European level.
Pirates support the enlargement of the European Union by other states that meet the conditions and criteria for entry. The EU should foster deeper relationships with countries interested in joining through increased economic, political, and cultural cooperation.
International Affairs
Pirates seek to reduce the financing of authoritarian regime, which is happening through mutual trade, and fight against trade linked to human rights abuses and forced and child labour.
Pirates want to solve global environmental problems and disasters together at the international level. Pirates reject multilateral international treaties that enforce dysfunctional monopolies and patents at the expense of civil rights and human freedom. Pirates will advocate for the revision of international conventions, from which only negative consequences follow and which are upheld only for historical reasons.
Pirates consider multinational corporations to be part of the international security environment and Pirates will hold them accountable for the impact of their actions on the security situation in the world.
The European Union should be a political actor protecting European and international whistleblowers. They should be able to benefit from the right to political asylum in the EU.
Pirates want to pay special attention to the stabilization of conflict outbreaks and fragile states, as their instability is a source of problems for the entire international community. Conflict resolution has to be based on respect for International Law.
Migration
Pirates recognize that immigration has always been an essential part of the European community and has contributed immensely to our shared cultural heritage and development of Europe. Migration is primarily a social affair and must respect the human dignity and rights of all migrants and asylum seekers.
Pirates want to build a prosperous and dynamic Europe that is better prepared to meet future challenges and demands of the labour market. In light of Europe’s striking shortages of the labour force, an effective immigration system is inevitable to ensure the functioning of our communities and economies.
Pirates call on all member states to receive refugees and asylum seekers according to their capacities. It is crucial to implement a European refugee and asylum policy based on solidarity that does not leave individual Member states alone with the financial, logistical, and administrative effort.
Pirates are convinced that the most effective way to ensure safety of future asylum-seeker is an effective conflict prevention and fight with climate change.
Following the emphasis on international cooperation, Pirates recognize that the migrant smuggling and trafficking must be tackled through a cooperation with the countries of recruitment of migrants and other trafficked persons. We refuse the criminalization of those providing humanitarian help to people in need.
Ethical and effective immigration system
Pirates are convinced that migration must be well managed to benefit all participating parties. We demand a comprehensive immigration system that recognizes the skills and talents of each individual. Any discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, race, gender and sexuality contradicts our core values.
It is crucial to ensure fair and transparent recruitment of migrant workers and international students so that everyone is equally allowed to develop their full potential. In this regard, the cooperation with the sending states to ensure orderly migration is of the utmost importance.
We acknowledge that immigration may pose challenges. We are committed to addressing them responsibly and effectively. We insist on that immigration must be dealt with holistically and with a commitment to foster a culture of inclusion, collaboration and respect European values.
Pirates demand a common European immigration policy that:
- enables ways of legal migration to the European labour market while ensuring ethical and transparent recruitment of migrant workers and international students,
- protects rights of migrant workers and international students and enhances their participation in the daily life of receiving societies,
- ensures fair representation of interests of non-EU labour migrants under the temporary labour migration programmes,
- values language skills and other given skills of the applicants positively in the process,
- recognizes given certificates and professional qualifications in a simplified way,
- enables member states to adjust their requirements according to their situation and needs,
- is sensitive and non-discriminatory against migrants‘ religion, ethnicity, race, gender and sexuality.
Asylum
Asylum system
Pirates are committed to a comprehensive revision of European refugee and asylum policy. We demand a reform of the asylum system based on public debate across the whole Europe (followed by a referendum as a part of our effort to strengthen elements of direct democracy). We need a thorough reform of the asylum system that will reflect not only the political interests but also the values of contemporary Europeans.
Pirates firmly believe that Europe’s refugee and asylum policy must be based on respect for human rights and International law. All EU states have an obligation to support refugees and asylum seekers as they are legally binded to this responsibility by international treaties. All EU states must comply with the provisions of the Geneva Refugee Convention and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Pirates condemn the criminalization of all people and organizations assisting to those seeking protection. The criminalization of humanitarian aid is fundamentally undermining the principle of legal certainty and, thus Rule of Law in the EU.
The EU border agency Frontex must comply with International Law in the same way as Member states. Frontex‘s allegations of the breach of the rule of non-refoulment must be taken seriously.
We must work on non-discriminatory reform of the asylum system all Member states will respect.
Pirates demand a common European Asylum Policy that implements the following:
- reconsiders the first safe country of asylum principle as decisive in determining where the asylum procedure takes place and where the asylum-seeker must stay,
- promotes the possibility of family reunification first for those whose application was approved;
- employs a system of mutual processing of asylum applications, allowing each application to be made directly to the EU, while leaving a discretion to the Member States to decide whether to admit asylum-seekers onto their territory,
- emphasizes the principle of solidarity among the Members States as a leading principle to face humanitarian crisis,
- avoids dehumanizing detention of asylum seekers and fast-track procedures at land borders and airports,
- ensures that applications for asylum can be done from any location on the planet, so that refugees can be transported to the host country in humane and safe ways.
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I deleted the Defense & Cybersecurity part, as I was made aware this is a separate Chapter. You can see my proposal here though: Defense Policy & Cybersecurity
I tried to implement comments here A Vision for a Stronger and United Europe - #2 by MarketaG, I am awaiting feedback on immigration: Building a Stronger Europe: A Fair and Transparent Immigration System - #3 by MarketaG. I also reacted to other discussion about immigration: Solidarity and Fairness Overhauling European Refugee and Asylum Policy.
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A suggestion: In Germany we decided several years ago to no longer view European issues as foreign affairs to make clear that we have a clear vision for a united Europe.
Maybe we should adopt that at PPEU level as well.
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I feel like this decision shouldn’t lie within a single thematic group, altough I see your point and can get behind it. I guess this split should maybe be decided by the PPEU Bureau…? @Mab
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Mayby add a note about ISDS in International Trade Agreements, something like:
Investor-state arbitration
These treaties have been found to favor multinational corporations, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been left behind. The prime concern is Investor to State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) and unfair ‘intellectual property’ provisions. ISDS or its variants, such as the Investor Court System (ICS) are often used by multinationals to forestall regulations they disagree with, or as a business model at the expense of ordinary people. Pirates oppose ISDS in trade agreements.
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I think the question about where to put EU politics isn’t entirely black and white. If we talk about the internal workings of the EU I agree that they don’t necessarily fit under International affairs. Some of it, such as the subsidiarity principle, could probably go to the preamble, and some seem to be covered under the Civil Society chapter. At the same time, it seems obvious to me that our view on the EU enlargement policy fits best under international affairs.
At the end of the day I think that decision can be taken collectively at the meeting in Strasbourg. I think there will have to be a general discussion about structure of the text there anyway. So don’t worry too much about it at this point.
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Thank you Marketa for the work done. I am suggesting the modification and extension of the part related to the functioning and reform of the EU, linking it to the outcomes of the Conference on the future of the EU:
Pirates welcomes the outcome of the Conference on the future of the EU and are in favor of their proper implementation. Pirates want to strengthen the influence role of the European Parliament, as the only directly elected EU institution, on decision-making on EU political matters. Pirates support the effort to acquire a right for the European Parliament to propose legislation, meaning acting as a true legislative body. Pirates seek to replace the current unanimous vote in the Council of the EU by introducing qualified majority voting, especially in the area of matters of foreign and tax policies and matters related to the common budget. Vetoes posed by national states seriously undermines the ability of the EU to react swiftly and effectively to international challenges and threats.
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Thank you, I included your changes!
Collaborative document:
https://docs.piratpartiet.se/products/files/doceditor.aspx?fileid=6088&doc=bjhuQ01uakJCaDg1N0h4Rm9DSm5zMlRQTDlQdmdLZUl1L0hEdjRyTHVkcz0_IjYwODgi0
Hi, the section on migration is already updated. Please see the comments here Solidarity and Fairness Overhauling European Refugee and Asylum Policy - #4 by zbynek
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Hello, Strasbourg Meeting! This (the long text in this Discourse thread to which I reply with this message) is the current final text of our working Group. We did not manage to find enough time to thoroughly discuss the last version of Migration and Asylum part, however it has been prediscussed and what you are reading is a compromise of our positions. Please do read comments in the document Zbynek attached above this message for further explanations.
I hope your meeting goes well and our text is found sufficient!
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Hello Marketa! As you might know, me and Veronika are scheduling and finalizing the CEEP. We need to present the chapters for the PPEU- Board-Meeting June 5. Please let us know, if there is a finalized version of Chapter International Affairs, we could rely on to be presented. Thanks and best best, Mia
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Hello, I would like to recommend the following changes:
- the text on immigration is too much targeted on immigrants, not the voters and their thinking of the problem, I think the text should be more balanced,
- I disagree with the requirement for the countries to have the same conditions for people coming from different countries of origin; it does not take into account the specific situations that may arise such as with Ukraine - this is an anonymouse change in the collaborative document,
- it is unecessary to force the states to accept any number of immigrants based on giving them the right to settle anywhere in the union; this would completely take away any means of the state to have a say as far as who exactly and how many people are on its premises.
Thank you for reading this.
Jakub Michálek
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Dear all,
Please take a look at the latest version of our chapter on migration. We found common grounds for most of the text, but in the section on asylum, some points still need to be discussed.
As pointed out by Jakub Michalek above, it is a question of the sovereignty of member states over the regulation of the intake of refugees. Jakub also mentioned to me that he consulted this point with Jan Lipavsky, our minister of Foreign affairs, who is in favour of the proposed changes.
Jakub suggests deleting mainly these two sentences:
• We must work on non-discriminatory reform of the asylum system all Member States will respect.
• ensures freedom of establishment of refugees‘ lives in Europe for those whose application was approved;
The reasons for removing/rewording these points are to avoid controversy in the eyes of more conservative countries such as Czechia, their media and the likely criticism (to put it mild terms) that would follow if we are too progressive. If I understand Jakub right, it is thus a pragmatic move rather than something he would be necessarily against. At the same time, the second point would probably be valid for refugees but not so much for voters.
I am suggesting replacing the second point with this one. It can, hopefully, work for all parties:
• reconsider the first safe country of asylum principle as decisive in determining where the asylum procedure takes place and where the asylum-seeker must stay,
The suggestions on employment of mutual processing of asylum applications open up a similar set of questions as the two lines above. I edited it this way:
• employs a system of mutual processing of asylum applications, allowing each application to be made directly to the EU while leaving discretion to the Member States to decide whether to admit asylum-seekers onto their territory,
Please take a look at the whole document if it all works out for you.
I hope the meeting tomorrow will be successful!
Cheers.
PS: Please raise your voice if anything important to you is missing or if there is any shortcoming!
Hi everyone, and thanks for all your work and cooperation, we will now look at the text in Board. If there are any MAJOR problems, please raise your concerns now, as we will proceed with language checks and ratification process. Thank you!
I had a quick chat with @MarketaG, and for the chapter on International Affairs the version in this thread is indeed the finalized version. The subpart on Migration and Asylum can still do with some work, as you can see from the other comments in this thread.
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When will there be a jitsi meeting about the Migration & Asylum?
Hi Mark! Thursday would be good. Is there any chance, to have this meeting not too late/earlier on the day? Or would you rather choose weekend? Please make a suggestion. Best, Mia