MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
27.5.2008
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Jan Marinus Wiersma, Hannes Swoboda, Véronique De Keyser and Benoît Hamon
on behalf of the PSE Group
on the EU-United States summit
B6‑0277/2008
European Parliament resolution on the EU-United States summit
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on transatlantic relations, in particular its resolution of 1 June 2006[1] on improving EU-US relations in the framework of a Transatlantic Partnership Agreement,
– having regard to its resolution of 8 May 2008[2] on the Transatlantic Economic Council,
– having regard to the Paper from the High Representative and the European Commission to the European Council ‘Climate Change and International Security’ (14 March 2008),
– having regard to the EU-US Declaration on Combating Terrorism of 26 June 2004 and the Declaration on Enhancing Cooperation in the field of Non-Proliferation and the Fight Against Terrorism of 20 June 2005,
– having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 1803 (2008), 1696 (2006), 1737/ (2006) and 1747/ (2007) on the Iranian nuclear programme,
– having regard to the outcome to the EU-US summit held on 30 April 2007 in Washington,
– having regard to the forthcoming EU-US summit of 10 June 2008 in Brdo, Slovenia,
– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas effects of climate change such as territorial conflicts over resources, rising food prices and migration are issues of great concern to the peoples and the leaders of the EU; whereas, according to the International Energy Agency, global energy demand will rise by between 50 and 60 % by 2030,
B. whereas the rise in food prices impacts most heavily on the world’s poorest countries; whereas, if not well managed, this food crisis could provoke a cascade of negative consequences, affecting social progress, trade, economic growth, human health, the environment and security; whereas, according to the OECD, current US subsidies for converting corn into ethanol have contributed to the global increase in food prices and the resulting turmoil in some developing countries, including Haiti and Burkina Faso,
C. whereas in most developing countries, most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets will not be met by the 2015 deadline and some indicators, notably within the MDGs of reducing child mortality and improving maternal health, are showing particularly poor progress globally; whereas Sub-Saharan Africa is not on track to achieve any of the MDGs; whereas the combined official development aid (ODA) of the fifteen members of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) that are EU members fell in 2007 by 5.8% in real terms, to USD 62.1 billion, representing 0.40% of their combined GNI,
D. having regard to the overwhelming consensus within the EU on reviving and strengthening the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in the period leading up to the forthcoming 2010 NPT Review Conference,
E. whereas, following the publication on 3 December 2007 of the United States’ ‘National Intelligence Estimate’ report on Iran’s nuclear intentions and capabilities, pre-emptive military action against Iran before the end of President Bush’s term has been removed as a possibility,
F. whereas Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed in Annapolis to engage in renewed negotiations with the aim of concluding an agreement before the end of 2008; whereas the efforts to bring stability to the Middle East by promoting peace, democracy and respect for human rights require strong cooperation between the EU and the US, also in the framework of the Quartet, and with the League of Arab States,
G. whereas close cooperation between the EU and the US in Kosovo is crucial to the stability and development of the Western Balkans; whereas the United States has made a commitment in principle to participating in this key ESDP/Rule of Law mission in Kosovo with approximately 80 police, 2 judges and 4-6 prosecutors,
H. whereas the fight against terrorism, which is one of the priorities of the EU and the US, cannot be waged at the expense of established basic, shared values such as respect for human rights and the rule of law,
I. whereas in a historic vote the UN General Assembly Plenary adopted on 18 December 2007 a resolution sponsored by a cross-regional alliance, including the EU, on a moratorium on the death penalty; deeply concerned at the continued existence of the death penalty in many US states,
1. Regards the forthcoming US Presidential Election as a critical moment for the future of EU-US relations; hopes in this connection that the election will usher in a strengthened US commitment to multilateralism and to peace and democracy worldwide; believes that the partnership between the EU and the US on sensitive issues such as the Middle East peace process, Iran, Iraq, Kosovo and the global challenges of poverty and climate change needs to be reinforced;
Global challenges and climate change
2. Urges the US to do its utmost to wrap up work on its domestic climate legislation by the December 2009 UN conference in Copenhagen; also invites the US to persist in its efforts to establish a carbon trading system that in the future could be linked with the EU Emissions Trading Scheme;
3. Welcomes the report by the High Representative and the European Commission on the security implications of climate change; urges the EU-US summit to address this issue as a matter of priority, building on the successful Bali conference in December 2007; calls on the EU and the US to work together to achieve an ambitious post-2012 agreement in 2009, including both mitigation and adaptation action at international level;
4. Calls for increasing emergency aid to address the immediate threat to the world’s poorest people posed by higher food prices; recognises, however, that money is not enough and therefore calls on the Council, the Commission and the US Congress and Administration to address structural problems such as under-investment in agriculture, and calls for a coordinated global approach by the EU, the US and multilateral organisations, which should include fairer trade rules and increased investment in agriculture in developing countries, focused on small-scale producers and women; calls on the donors to provide support and help fund safety-nets for the most vulnerable people; calls on the leaders of the EU and the US actively to support and participate in the UN Task Force on the Global Food Crisis, established under the leadership of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon;
Non-proliferation
5. Views as regrettable the past position of the US on the revision of the NPT and calls for a strengthening of the international system of treaties and regimes against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; calls on the EU and the US to avoid the potential vacuum in the period 2009-2010, when the major agreements on disarmament will come up for renewal; hopes that the very important agreements reached in 1999, 2000 and 2001 with Russia will be maintained;
6. Calls on the EU and the US to put their political and diplomatic weight behind the proposals by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on universalisation of the Additional Protocol to the Nuclear Safeguards Agreements and on the multilateralisation of enrichment processes; appeals to the EU and the US to renew their commitment to the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference;
7. Calls on the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) as a meaningful step towards reducing the operational relevance of nuclear weapons;
8. Takes the view that the US plan to establish an anti-missile system in Europe at this time may hamper international disarmament efforts; expresses concern over Russia’s decision to suspend the observance of its obligations under the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe; stresses that both issues affect the security of the peoples of Europe and should therefore not be the subject of purely bilateral discussions between the US and individual European countries; notes in this respect the Bucharest summit declaration issued at the last meeting of the North Atlantic Council, on 3 April 2008, calling for a comprehensive missile defence architecture that would extend coverage to all allied territory; calls on the Council and the Member States to establish a framework designed to include all EU Member States and NATO in the debate on the matter; invites the Council and NATO to evaluate estimated future nuclear threats from certain countries, as well as the danger of a new arms race in Europe, and to propose an adequate multilateral response to them, with the possibility of including the proposed US anti-missile system in the NATO framework;
Iranian nuclear programme
9. Reiterates its full support for the UNSC resolutions on Iran adopted under Article 41, Chapter VII, of the UN Charter and calls on the EU and the US to agree on a common strategy that would induce Teheran to abide by the UNSC resolutions;
10. Calls on the United States, following its diplomatic success in the negotiations with North Korea, to participate directly in negotiations with Iran along with the EU, since the United States is in a position to offer additional security guarantees; stresses the importance of cooperation with the United States, Russia, China and non-aligned countries with a view to considering complementary concepts aimed at achieving a comprehensive agreement with Iran on its nuclear facilities and their use which takes account of Iran’s security concerns;
Middle East Peace Process
11. Urges the Council to ensure that the EU, as the principal humanitarian donor in the Palestinian Territories, plays a major political role, also in the framework of the Quartet, in finding peace between Israelis and Palestinians; calls for improved cooperation between the parties within the Quartet and a renewed partnership between the EU and the US in the efforts aimed at bringing lasting peace and stability to the Middle East; welcomes and supports the Quartet’s call for continued emergency and humanitarian assistance, without obstruction, to the population in the Gaza Strip; takes the view that every effort should be made to reinforce the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon and to find a solution to the current political crisis in that country; calls for concerted EU-US action to encourage Syria to cooperate with the international community and to play a constructive role in the region;
Effective multilateralism
12. Notes the increased cooperation with the US in ‘mini-lateral’ fora related to specific crisis situations, from the G8 to the Contact Group on the Balkans, from the Middle East Quartet to the P5+1 on Iran; recalls that the European Union is built on solidarity between its members and that, therefore, Member States should consult with partners on decisions of common interest, which should ultimately deliver effective and consistent multilateral solutions for the benefit of all parties concerned; calls therefore on the High Representative to address the current challenges to effective multilateralism in his update of the European Security Strategy due to be drafted in the second half of 2008; believes that the revised strategy should aim at achieving more visibility and clout for the EU, including the obligation for the ‘mini groups’ to consult EU partners and seek a mandate from the EU;
13. Calls on the US to ratify the Treaty on the International Criminal Court;
14. Calls on the EU and the US to work together to establish an international environment conducive to improving security and human rights situation in places such as Burma, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Chad, Kenya and Somalia by maintaining focus on these issues in all relevant forums, including the UN Security Council;
Development cooperation
15. Calls on the EU and the US to make the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) the heart of international development policy; urges the Council, the Commission, the Member States and the US to scale up their assistance to developing countries in order to maintain the credibility of their commitments to increase aid; recognises the increased commitment of the US to development aid in general and to Africa in particular; urges the US President to use his last year in office to aim for ambitious outcomes for the G8 meeting in Japan and the UN MDGs summit in New York in September; calls on the EU to keep the MDGs and annual timetables for achieving 0.7% in ODA as a key point on the agenda for the European Council on 19-20 June;
16. Regards as regrettable the decision of the US Government to reduce its financial support for the UN Population Fund (UNFPA); points to the UNFPA’s instrumental role in achieving the voluntary decline of fertility rates in less developed countries; believes that access to contraceptives and reproductive services, the empowerment of girls and women, and the promotion of maternal and child health are crucial strategies for slowing population growth and maintaining resource sustainability; urges the US Government, therefore, to increase its funding for the UNFPA;
Human rights and the fight against terrorism
17. Reiterates its call on the Council of the EU and the European Commission finally to implement the recommendations addressed to them by its Temporary Committee on alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners (TDIP); hopes that the US Administration will finally address the issue of the closure of Guantánamo Bay and that EU Member States will do their best to support the resettlement of released prisoners, in order to accelerate that process; views as regrettable the US Administration’s decision to build a new detention complex in Afghanistan in a stark acknowledgement that the United States is likely to continue to hold prisoners overseas for years to come; condemns all forms of torture and ill-treatment and reiterates the need to comply with international law;
18. Reiterates the need for an overall agreement allowing participation by all Member States in the US Visa Waiver Programme on the same conditions without any form of direct or indirect discrimination;
19. Welcomes the recognition by the US of the European Community’s competence to negotiate such an agreement and notes that matters falling within EU competencies, such as security-related matters (including exchange of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data, extradition and legal mutual assistance), should be negotiated with the Council, and with Member States only insofar as they relate to their own nationals;
20. Confirms its will to cooperate closely in the common fight against terrorism and reaffirms that – in compliance with EC and EU data protection legislation and with fundamental rights and the rule of law – cooperation should particularly improve, firstly, exchange of information, in strict compliance with data protection rules, secondly, coordination between intelligence and law enforcement agencies, even at operational level and, thirdly, judicial cooperation through the existing EU-US agreement on mutual legal assistance and extradition;
21. Stresses the importance of respecting fundamental rights and the rule of law in the fight against terrorism and organised crime, and urges the Commission to inform the EP of progress made in the negotiation of a Euro-Atlantic cooperation framework, particularly in respect of protection of personal data and private life;
Afghanistan
22. Points out that previous international efforts to stabilise Afghanistan suffered from a lack of coordination; notes the statement by the High Representative for the CFSP that the EU police mission in Afghanistan, EUPOL, is now on track for full deployment as planned; stresses that EUPOL should complement the efforts of other players on the ground;
23. Regrets that thus far the international community’s aid to Afghanistan has been insufficient and in many cases wasteful or ineffective; calls on the EU and the US, given the direct links between development and security, to take urgent steps to increase, improve and better coordinate their development assistance to Afghanistan, inter alia by channelling as many funds as possible to Afghan institutions and experienced NGOs;
Iraq
24. Calls on the Council to engage in a dialogue with the US about Iraq, sharing the EU’s views about its strategic role in the country, and to continue supporting the enhanced multilateralisation of the role played by the international community in Iraq by making full use of the expanded role of the UN according to UNSC Resolution 1770;
Kosovo
25. Believes that the EU and the US must urgently deal with short-term security challenges and the longer-term challenges of Kosovo’s development with a view to achieving a common objective: a functional state, a multiethnic society with strong, functioning institutions and respect for the rule of law;
26. Welcomes the fact that for the first time the ESDP Rule of Law and Police Mission to Kosovo will include US police officers; notes that the United States Administration will second a number of State Department staff and contractors to the operation in Kosovo and will cover 25 percent of the operating costs of the International Civilian Office (ICO), with the remainder coming from contributions from the European Commission, and from other states;
Georgia
27. Calls on the EU and the US to use all diplomatic means to appeal to Russia to respect Georgian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and calls on all parties involved to pursue a peaceful resolution of the separatist conflicts in Georgia;
EU-NATO cooperation
28. Calls on the EU Member States and the United States to work together on fresh ideas for launching a redefined and stronger EU-NATO partnership, going beyond Berlin-Plus, given the need for greater cooperation in Afghanistan; takes the view that the efforts to adjust and refine the European Security Strategy should be linked to the early phase of discussions on a new NATO Strategic Concept;
Death penalty
29. Renews its condemnation of the death penalty; calls on the US Government and all US states to abolish it; regrets the recent ruling by the US Supreme Court to uphold the lethal injection, opening the way to resumed executions;
30. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the parliaments of the Member States, and the President and Congress of the United States of America.
- [1] Texts adopted, P6_TA(2006)0238.
- [2] Texts adopted, P6_TA-PROV(2008)0192.