MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
20 October 2003
pursuant to Rule 37(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Pasqualina Napoletano and Hannes Swoboda
on behalf of the PSE Group
on the initiative in favour of a universal moratorium on the death penalty in the context of the UN
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B5-0441/2003
B5‑0441/2003
European Parliament resolution on the initiative in favour of a universal moratorium on the death penalty in the context of the UN
The European Parliament,
– having regarding to its previous resolutions on a universal moratorium on the death penalty,
- having regard to resolutions on the moratorium on capital punishment adopted by various UN bodies including the Commission on Human Rights,
- having regard to the EU's statements in support of a universal moratorium on capital punishment,
– having regard to Rule 37(2) of the Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the European Union decided, in the guidelines on the death penalty adopted by the European Council in Luxembourg on 6 June 1998, to work within international bodies towards a universal moratorium on the death penalty and its abolition in due course,
B. whereas on 2 July last the Italian Presidency of the Council told the EP that the adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations currently meeting in New York of a resolution establishing a moratorium on capital punishment was one of its political priorities as regards foreign policy,
C. emphasising that on 29 September this year the President of the European Commission stated that he agreed with the European Parliament and urged that the campaign in favour of a worldwide moratorium on capital punishment, which has been under way for decades, should at last come to a successful conclusion at the General Assembly,
D. whereas since 1994, when a resolution calling for the establishment of the moratorium, submitted for the first time to the General Assembly, was rejected by only 8 votes, 33 countries in the world have abolished the death penalty de jure or de facto,
E. expressing regret that the Council Presidency has still not finalised an initiative for submitting the text of a resolution calling for the establishment of a universal moratorium to the UN General Assembly and stressing that the deadline for the submission of such a text is 7 November this year,
F. pointing out that thousands of people are executed all over the world each year and that the adoption of a universal moratorium is thus a tangible political objective of extraordinary importance, which the EU is urged not to overlook,
1. Reiterates its request to the Council Presidency to take swift action to ensure that a resolution calling for a universal moratorium on capital punishment is submitted to the UN General Assembly currently in session in New York;
2. Urges the EU institutions and the Member States to make every endeavour in the political and diplomatic spheres to ensure the most appropriate support for the resolution within the UN General Assembly;
3. Asks the Council Presidency and the Commission to inform the European Parliament of the results achieved in the UN General Assembly at the first plenary sitting after the conclusion of the deliberations in New York;
4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council Presidency, the Commission, the parliaments of the Member States, the UN Secretary-General and all the member countries of the General Assembly.