MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on a Memorandum of understanding between the EU and the League of Arab States to cooperate on counter-terrorism

4.3.2015 - (2015/2573(RSP))

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Marietje Schaake on behalf of the ALDE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0215/2015

B8‑0215/2015

European Parliament resolution on a Memorandum of understanding between the EU and the League of Arab States to cooperate on counter-terrorism

(2015/2573(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–       having regard to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, on 19 January 2015, between the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) Federica Mogherini and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Nabil Elaraby, representing the European Union and the League of Arab States respectively,

–       having regard to Article 21 of the Lisbon Treaty,

–       having regard to the EU Internal Security Strategy, as adopted by the Council on 25 February 2010,

–       having regard to its resolution of 11 February 2015 on anti-terrorism measures[1],

–       having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2015 on the situation in Egypt[2],

–       having regard to the relevant urgency resolutions related to human rights violations in countries that are members of the League of Arab States,

–       having regard to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977, and to the obligation of parties to armed conflict to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law in all circumstances,

–       having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.     whereas terrorism and violent extremism are among the major threats to security and freedoms in Europe;

B.     whereas security and freedom are integrally linked;

C.     whereas, increasingly, counter-terrorism and national security are cited to legitimise crackdowns on opposition figures, civil society and journalists;

D.     whereas there are serious and systematic violations of human rights in all member countries of the League of Arab States;

E.     whereas organisations that the EU considers to be exercising their universal human rights and fundamental freedoms are often labelled as terrorist organisations by governments of members of the League of Arab States;

F.     whereas the EU condemns the application of the death penalty and the application of cruel and inhumane punishment all over the world, including for those convicted of committing acts of terrorism;

G.     whereas the content of the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding between the League of Arab States and the EU on countering terrorism together is not public;

H.     whereas in the European External Action Service (EEAS) press statement announcing the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the need to respect human rights while fighting terrorism was not mentioned;

I.      whereas earlier investigations into the complicity of certain EU Member States in the extraordinary renditions of terrorism suspects to members of the League of Arab States have been rendered impossible on the basis of state secrecy claims;

1.      Asks for the MoU to be published so that its content can be subject to democratic and judicial oversight;

2.      Underlines the need to respect universal human rights when countering terrorism;

3.      Welcomes, in general, the cooperation and partnership between the EU and third countries to counter terrorism and to work closely with regional actors such as the African Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States, as well as with the UN and in particular its Counter-Terrorism Committee; recalls, however, that counter-terror measures may never be abused to repress legitimate dissent, or to violate people’s universal human rights; cautions against the use of cooperation with the EU by third countries to legitimise such abuse of counter-terrorism measures, as illustrated, for instance, by the forced removal of Ahmed Agiza and Muhammad Alzery from Sweden to Egypt in December 2001;

4.      Calls on the EU to build clear safeguards into its cooperation with third countries, to ensure it does not directly or indirectly support or legitimise the repression of legitimate organisations and individuals in the name of countering terrorism;

5.      Calls on the EEAS to adopt an EU external strategy for combating international terrorism, in order to address the sources of international terrorism and mainstream counter-terrorism while ensuring that international human rights standards are respected;

6.      Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.

• [1]  Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0032.
• [2]  Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0012.