The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the NPT PrepCom, which will take place in Vienna from 30 April to 11 May 2007,

–  having regard to the consensus within the EU on reviving and strengthening the NPT between now and the forthcoming 2010 NPT Review Conference,

–  having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006) on the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons,

–  having regard to the implementation of the ESS (European Security Strategy) and, in particular, of the European Union Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (the EU WMD Strategy), adopted by the European Council on 12 December 2003,

–  having regard its previous resolutions on the NPT, in particular its wide-ranging resolution adopted on 10 March 2005 on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference of May 2005,

–  having regard to the 2005 EU Common Position on the NPT,

–  having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, such as ballistic missiles, is a growing threat to international peace and security,

B.  taking into account the growing international consensus on the urgent need for nuclear disarmament,

C.  deeply concerned that in 2005 North Korea announced its possession of nuclear weapons,

D.  deeply concerned by the mistrust aroused by Iranian nuclear activities over a sustained period of more than 19 years,

E.  highlighting the role of parliaments and parliamentarians in promoting nuclear non‑proliferation and disarmament and, against this background, welcoming the efforts of the global Parliamentary Network on Nuclear Disarmament (PNND),

1.  Reaffirms its position that the NPT is the cornerstone of the global nuclear non‑proliferation regime, the essential foundation for promoting cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and an important element in furthering the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general disarmament in accordance with Article VI of the Treaty;

2.  Urges the Presidency, on behalf of the EU, to present a coordinated, positive and visible contribution to the Vienna NPT PrepCom;

3.  Invites both the Council and the Commission to clarify which steps they envisage undertaking to strengthen the Non-Proliferation Treaty and to pursue effective multilateralism, as set out in the December 2003 EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Materials and Weapons of Mass Destruction;

4.  Affirms that, for multilateral efforts to be effective, they must be set within a well‑developed vision of achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world at the earliest possible date;

5.  Emphasises the need for stronger regional and multilateral security arrangements in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and North-East Asia in order to reduce the pressure towards nuclear proliferation and to achieve the abandonment of related programmes;

6.  Expresses its deep concern at the present attitude of Iran and deplores the fact that that country has not complied with the terms of UNSC Resolution 1737; considers it important to restore the international community’s confidence, and supports the initiative taken by the UN Security Council in this regard; calls on the international community to promote initiatives towards an international process of uranium enrichment under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA);

7.  Welcomes the progress of the negotiations with North Korea aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the current crisis, and calls on that country to rejoin the NPT;

8.  Recalls the provisions of Article IV of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, and calls on the EU and the Member States to explore the possibility of negotiating additional outer space agreements in order to ensure the peaceful exploration and use of space and to prevent any arms race in outer space;

9.  Welcomes and supports the concept of monitoring and enhancing consistent implementation of the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of WMD by means of a WMD Monitoring Centre, which was endorsed by the General Affairs and External Relations Council of 11-12 December 2006;

10.  Urges the Presidency to present annual progress reports in the years leading up to the 2010 Review Conference on the implementation of each of the 43 measures adopted in the 2005 EU Common Position on the NPT;

11.  Urges the Presidency to promote at the PrepCom a number of disarmament initiatives, based on the ‘Statement of Principles and Objectives’ agreed upon at the end of the 1995 NPT Review Conference and the ‘13 Practical Steps’ agreed unanimously at the Year 2000 NPT Review Conference, which must improved upon and implemented in order to make progress;

12.  Urges the Presidency, in particular:

13.  Recommends that the European Parliament send a delegation to Vienna to participate in the NPT PrepCom events; asks the Presidency to include representatives of the European Parliament in the EU delegation;

14.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the governments and parliaments of the UN Member States, and the Director General of the IAEA.