The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) and Gender Equality (FEMM) Committee give the green light to an interim report aimed at encouraging the EU Council to ratify the Istanbul Convention (see EUROPE 13073/26). Carried by Łukasz Kohut (S&D, Polish) and Arba Kokalari (EPP, Swedish), the amended text received 68 votes in favour, 13 against and 3 abstentions.
The report condemns the backlash and disinformation surrounding the Convention and attempts by some Member States, such as Poland, to revoke measures relating to its implementation. In addition to its appeal to the EU Council, it calls on the six EU countries that have not ratified it (Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic) to do so.
In addition, the text puts forward proposals to ensure the implementation of the Convention, such as the development of measures to prevent gender-based violence or the provision of financial support to associations working in this field.
The co-rapporteurs have already highlighted in the past the expectations placed on the Swedish Presidency of the Council, which has put this issue high on its agenda for gender equality (see EUROPE 13107/12, 13093/8).
There were 292 amendments and 16 compromise amendments to the text. It will be debated and voted on at the European Parliament plenary session in February in Strasbourg. (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)