9. Stresses the importance of not losing momentum in addressing the root causes of the crisis, establishing people’s trust in politics and the institutions; stresses, therefore, the importance of respecting the different ethnic groups in Ukraine and protecting their identity and languages; believes, furthermore, that this requires constitutional and structural reforms aiming at the creation of an effective system of checks and balances, a closer link between politics and society, the rule of law, accountability and a truly independent and ...[+++]impartial judicial system and credible elections;

(iii) Relevant European Union agencies, including the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound), the European Police College (CEPOL), the European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit (Eurojust), the European Judicial Network (EJN) and the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), should mainstream issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity in their work, and continue to provide ...[+++]the Commission and Member States with evidence-based advice on the fundamental rights of LGBTI people;

Recognises the influence of lobby groups on EU decision-making and therefore considers it essential that Members of Parliament should know the identity of the organisations represented by lobby groups; emphasises that transparent and equal access to all the EU institutions is an absolute prerequisite for the Union's legitimacy and trust among its citizens; stresses that transparency is a two-way street that is needed both in the work of the institutions themselves and among the lobbyists; stresses that equal access for lobby groups ...[+++] to the EU institutions increases the expertise available for running the Union; considers it essential that representatives of civil society have access to the EU institutions, first and foremost to Parliament;

Regarding penalties, it introduces a principle of "aggravating circumstance" by providing that "terrorist offences" and certain offences linked to terrorism must be punishable by custodial sentences heavier than those imposable under national law for such offences in the absence of a terrorist intent, it sets the minimum level of the maximum penalty at 15 years for directing a terrorist group and 8 years for participation in a terrorist group, it enumerates a series of penalties that can be imposed on bodies corporate (in particular exclusion from entitlement to public benefits or aid, temporary or permanent disqualification from the pra ...[+++]ctice of commercial activities, placing under judicial supervision, judicial winding-up order and closure of establishments), it provides for a system of "repentis" by providing for specific circumstances in which Member States may reduce prison sentences where the terrorist renounces terrorist activity or provides the administrative or judicial authorities with information.

(d) the concept of social group shall include a group which may be defined in terms of certain fundamental characteristics, such as sexual orientation, age, gender, gender identity or health status as well as groups comprised of persons who share a common background or characteristic that is so fundamental to identity or conscience that those persons should not be forced to renounce their membership.

(d) the concept of social group shall include a group which may be defined in terms of certain fundamental characteristics, such as sexual orientation, age, gender, gender identity or health status as well as groups comprised of persons who share a common background or characteristic that is so fundamental to identity or conscience that those persons should not be forced to renounce their membership.