MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

6.4.2005

to wind up the debate on statements by the European Council and Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Lena Ek and Wolf Klinz
on behalf of the ALDE Group
on the meeting of the European Council (Brussels, 22-23 March 2005)

B6‑0228/2005

European Parliament resolution on the meeting of the European Council (Brussels, 22-23 March 2005)

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 22 and 23 March 2005,

– having regard to the report by the high-level group chaired by Mr Wim Kok (November 2004): 'Facing the challenge. The Lisbon strategy for growth and employment',

– having regard to the European Commission communication 'Working together for growth and jobs. A new start for the Lisbon Strategy' (COM(2005) 24),

– having regard to its resolution of 9 March 2005 on the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy (B6-186/2005),

– having regard to Articles 99 and 104 of the EC Treaty and the Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure, annexed to the Treaty,

– having regard to the resolution of the European Council on the Stability and Growth Pact, adopted in Amsterdam on 17 June 1997,

– having regard to Council Regulations 1467/97 and 1466/97,

– having regard to the European Council text 'Improving the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact' adopted at the extraordinary ECOFIN meeting of 20 March 2005,

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

STABILITY AND GROWTH PACT

1. Welcomes the fact that, after months of controversial and uncertain signals, a decision has been taken on 20 March 2005;

2. Supports the emphasis on the preventive aspects of the Pact in which Member States are called upon to build reserves in good times which they can avail of whenever the economic climate is less congenial;

3. Supports the emphasis that has been put on both the 60% and 3% criteria, which are important for a sustainable financial policy;

4. Welcomes the fact that the individual economic situations of Member States will be taken into account;

5. Welcomes, furthermore, the fact that all Member States will calculate their budgets on the same set of assumptions;

6. Regrets, nevertheless, that the promise to citizens to keep the currency stable through solid financial politics appears to have been broken; underlines the necessity to ensure fiscal consolidation;

7. Is concerned about the room for flexibility and interpretation, which enables all Member States to justify new debts;

8. Is concerned that the role of the Commission in cases of infringement has been weakened; strongly recommends that the Commission be entitled to monitor adherence to the Pact on the basis of its rights and functions foreseen in the Constitutional Treaty;

9. Regrets that the Pact has basically lost its second pillar role of – alongside the European Central Bank – ensuring the stability of the common currency;

10. Is afraid that markets will judge the decision as a move away from stability politics; calls on national parliaments to guarantee the necessary budgetary discipline to reassure the financial markets;

11. Urges the Commission to clarify the vague aspects of the Brussels decision in the process of revising Council Regulations Nos 1467/97 and 1466/97; demands, in particular, a clear and restricted list for those measures that are covered by 'financial contributions to fostering international solidarity and to achieving policy goals, notably the unification of Europe', that can be regarded as 'relevant factors' authorising an excessive deficit as a result of Annex II to the Conclusions, in order to avoid too much flexibility in interpretation;

LISBON STRATEGY

12. Welcomes the efforts made by the Commission to clarify and simplify the Lisbon Strategy and, in particular, the new approach based on a three-year cycle;

13. Supports the idea that Member States should make a larger and more practical contribution to growth and employment, and endorses the idea of 'national reform programmes';

14. Regrets, however, that the recommendation of the high-level group that the Commission should report on a yearly basis which Member States perform best on the Lisbon goals and which Member States lack behind was not endorsed by the European Council;  

15. Reiterates its view that the Lisbon Strategy should be a means to reinforce the European social model through greater social cohesion, raise the rate and quality of employment, improve adaptability of workers, invest in human capital and modernise social protection;

16. Welcomes the fact that the overall objective of 3% investment of the GDP of the EU is maintained in the field of Research and Development, with an adequate split between private and public investment;

17. Supports the need for a solid industrial fabric throughout Europe's territory and the necessary pursuit of an active industrial policy;

18. Notes that the vital role of SMEs in innovation, growth and employment is explicitly recognised;

19. Shares the view that environmental policy is an important contribution to sustainable growth and employment and that the EU must take up a number of challenges concerning natural resources and environment, such as climate changes, environmental technologies;

20. Welcomes the European Council's commitment to a fully operational internal market on services compatible with the European social model in order to enhance competitiveness, job creation and growth; agrees that all efforts should be undertaken within the legislative process to secure a broad consensus for a directive on services that meets all these objectives, and will therefore endeavour to adopt a balanced amended text for its first reading next July;

THE EU AND THE WORLD

Lebanon

21.

Condemns firmly the attack which killed the former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as well as other innocent civilians; expresses the hope that, in compliance with the Declaration made on 15 February by the President of the United Nations Security Council, the reasons, circumstances and consequences of this attack will be fully elucidated; requests the Lebanese authorities to continue to cooperate fully with the UN fact-finding missions in

this regard;

22. Expresses the hope that this murder and the resignation of the government will not affect the electoral process in Lebanon and underlines the importance of holding democratic and transparent parliamentary elections in this country; suggests that, if the Lebanese Government extended an invitation, it would be up to the European Parliament to decide whether to participate in a mission to observe the parliamentary elections in Lebanon, jointly with other institutions of the European Union;

23.

Recalls the importance of the implementation of UN Security Council

Resolution 1559, which reaffirms the attachment of the international community to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Lebanon and calls for the complete withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon; take notes of the announcement of the first redeployment of these troops, but requests that this withdrawal be completed as soon as possible;

China

24. Calls on the Council and the Member States to maintain the EU embargo on trade inarmswith the People's Republic of China and not to weaken the existing national restrictions on such arms sales; considers that this embargo should be maintained until such time as the EU has adopted a legally binding Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, the People's Republic of China has taken concrete steps towards improving the human rights situation in that country, inter alia by ratifying the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and by fully respecting the rights of minorities, and the Chinese Government demonstrates that any new anti-secession law is not aggressive towards the people of Taiwan;

Africa

25.

Calls for the Heads of State and Government of the Great Lakes region to respect the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo and for the elections to be held within a reasonable period of time so that the people of the DRC can freely and democratically choose their leaders, and

urges the international community to do its utmost to support the ongoing democratic process;

26. Urges all parties to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Nairobi on 9 January 2005 and its set of Protocols without further delay, and calls on the EU Member States and the international community to ensure that those who are held responsible for crimes against humanity in Sudan are brought before the International Criminal Court;

27. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.