title: Komission asetus (EY) N:o 578/2000, annettu 16 päivänä maaliskuuta 2000, tuontitullien muuttamisesta vilja-alalla

eurovoc_concepts:
CCT duties
cereals
import

text: L 69/40 FI Euroopan yhteisöjen virallinen lehti 17. 3. 2000 KOMISSION ASETUS (EY) N:o 578/2000, annettu 16 päivänä maaliskuuta 2000, tuontitullien muuttamisesta vilja-alalla EUROOPAN YHTEISÖJEN KOMISSIO, joka (2) ottaa huomioon Euroopan yhteisön perustamissopimuksen, ottaa huomioon vilja-alan yhteisestä markkinajärjestelystä 30 päivänä kesäkuuta 1992 annetun neuvoston asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1766/92 (1), sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna asetuksella (EY) N:o 1253/1999 (2), ottaa huomioon neuvoston asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1766/92 soveltamista koskevista yksityiskohtaisista säännöistä vilja-alan tuontitullien osalta 28 päivänä kesäkuuta 1996 annetun komis- sion asetuksen (EY) N:o 1249/96 (3), sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna asetuksella (EY) N:o 2519/98 (4), ja erityi- sesti sen 2 artiklan 1 kohdan, sekä katsoo seuraavaa: (1) Vilja-alan tuontitullit vahvistetaan komission asetuksessa (EY) N:o 566/2000 (5). Asetuksen (EY) N:o 1249/96 2 artiklan 1 kohdassa säädetään, että jos tuontitullien laskettu keskiarvo sovel- tamiskauden aikana poikkeaa 5 EUR/t vahvistetusta tullin määrästä, tulleja tarkistetaan vastaavasti. Mainittu poikkeaminen on tapahtunut. Tämän vuoksi on tarpeen tarkistaa asetuksessa (EY) N:o 566/2000 vahvistettuja tuontitulleja, ON ANTANUT TÄMÄN ASETUKSEN: 1 artikla Korvataan asetuksen (EY) N:o 566/2000 liitteet I ja II tämän asetuksen liitteillä I ja II. Tämä asetus tulee voimaan 17 päivänä maaliskuuta 2000. 2 artikla Tämä asetus on kaikilta osiltaan velvoittava, ja sitä sovelletaan sellaisenaan kaikissa jäsenval- tioissa. Tehty Brysselissä 16 päivänä maaliskuuta 2000. Komission puolesta Franz FISCHLER Komission jäsen (1) EYVL L 181, 1. 7. 1992, s. 21. (2) EYVL L 160, 26. 6. 1999, s. 18. (3) EYVL L 161, 29. 6. 1996, s. 125. (4) EYVL L 315, 25. 11. 1998, s. 7. (5) EYVL L 68, 16. 3. 2000, s. 59. 17. 3. 2000 FI Euroopan yhteisöjen virallinen lehti L 69/41 Asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1766/92 10 artiklan 2 kohdassa tarkoitettujen tuotteiden tuontitullit LIITE I CN-koodi Tavaran kuvaus 1001 10 00 Durumvehnä korkealaatuinen keskilaatuinen (1) 1001 90 91 Tavallinen vehnä, siemenvilja 1001 90 99 Tavallinen vehnä, korkealaatuinen, muu kuin siemenvilja (3) keskilaatuinen heikkolaatuinen 1002 00 00 Ruis 1003 00 10 Ohra, siemenvilja 1003 00 90 Ohra, muu kuin siemenvilja (3) 1005 10 90 Maissi, siemenvilja, muu kuin hybridimaissi 1005 90 00 Maissi, muu kuin siemenvilja (3) 1007 00 90 Durra, muut kuin kylvämiseen tarkoitetut hybridit Tuontitulli tuotaessa maa-, joki- tai merikuljetuksena Välimeren, Mustanmeren tai Itämeren sata- mista (EUR/t) Tuontitulli tuotaessa lentoteitse tai muista satamista (2) (EUR/t) 17,09 27,09 28,23 28,23 65,27 84,51 70,07 70,07 70,07 83,42 83,42 70,07 7,09 17,09 18,23 18,23 55,27 74,51 60,07 60,07 60,07 73,42 73,42 60,07 (1) Sellaisen durumvehnän osalta, joka ei vastaa asetuksen (EY) N:o 1249/96 liitteessä I tarkoitettua keskilaatuisen durumvehnän vähimmäislaatua, sovelletaan heikkolaatuiselle tavalliselle vehnälle vahvistettua tullia. (2) Atlantin valtameren tai Suezin kanavan kautta yhteisöön tulevien tavaroiden osalta (asetuksen (EY) N:o 1249/96 2 artiklan 4 kohta) tuoja voi päästä osalliseksi joka on: tullinalennuksesta, — 3 EUR/t, — 2 EUR/t, jos purkamissatama sijaitsee Välimerellä, tai jos purkamissatama sijaitsee Irlannissa, Yhdistyneessä kuningaskunnassa, Tanskassa, Ruotsissa, Suomessa tai Iberian niemimaan Atlantin valtameren puoleisella rannikolla. (3) Tuoja voi päästä osalliseksi kiinteämääräisestä alennuksesta, jonka määrä on 14 tai 8 EUR tonnilta, jos asetuksen (EY) N:o 1249/96 2 artiklan 5 kohdassa säädetyt edellytykset täyttyvät. L 69/42 FI Euroopan yhteisöjen virallinen lehti 17. 3. 2000 LIITE II Tullien laskentatekijät (15. 3. 2000) 1. Vahvistamispäivää edeltävien kahden viikon keskiarvot: Pörssinoteeraukset Minneapolis Kansas-City Chicago Chicago Minneapolis Minneapolis Minneapolis Tuote (valkuais-%, kun kosteus on 12 %) HRS2. 14 % HRW2. 11,5 % SRW2 YC3 HAD2 keskilaa- tuinen (*) US barley 2 Noteeraus (EUR/t) 124,26 113,22 96,94 90,86 168,72 (**) 158,72 (**) 114,80 (**) Lisä/Meksikonlahti (EUR/t) 32,37 6,38 4,37 11,53 Lisä/Suuret järvet (EUR/t) — — — — (*) Vähennys 10 EUR/t (”discount”) (asetuksen (EY) N:o 1249/96 4 artiklan ensimmäinen kappale). (**) Fob Meksikonlahti. — — — — — — 2. Maksut: Meksikonlahti—Rotterdam: 17,62 EUR/t; Suuret järvet—Rotterdam: 29,31 EUR/t. 3. Asetuksen (EY) N:o 1249/96 4 artiklan 2 kohdan kolmannessa alakohdassa tarkoitetut tukipalkkiot: 0,00 EUR/t (HRW2) 0,00 EUR/t (SRW2)


title: SCHRIFTELIJKE VRAAG E-0802/00 van Benedetto Della Vedova (TDI) aan de Commissie. Verenigbaarheid van Italiaanse wet nr. 454/97 (plus uitvoeringsbesluiten) met de EG-wetgeving inzake overheidssteun.

eurovoc_concepts:
Italy
application of EU law
combined transport
control of State aid
environmental standard
freedom to provide services
residence
road transport
safety standard
terms for aid

formats: html pdf print

text: C 374 E/160 Publicatieblad van de Europese Gemeenschappen NL 28. 12. 2000 (2000/C 374 E/189) SCHRIFTELIJKE VRAAG E-0802/00 van Benedetto Della Vedova (TDI) aan de Commissie (16 maart 2000) Betreft: Verenigbaarheid van Italiaanse wet nr. 454/97 (plus uitvoeringsbesluiten) met de EG-wetgeving inzake overheidssteun Is de Commissie, in overweging van het feit dat het Italiaanse parlement met wet 454 van 23 december 1997 houdende regels inzake steun voor de herstructurering van het wegvervoer en de ontwikkeling van de intermodaliteit de bedoeling heeft gehad het wegvervoerbedrijf te ondersteunen en te bevorderen; volgens wet 454/97 alleen in Italiº gevestigde vervoersbedrijven voor de beoogde faciliteiten in aanmerking komen, hetgeen derhalve twijfels doet rijzen omtrent de verenigbaarheid van de wet met de EG-wetgeving inzake concurrentie en overheidssteun; middels de beide door het Italiaanse Ministerie van Vervoer op 14 oktober 1998 ter uitvoering van wet 454/97 uitgevaardigde besluiten deze twijfels echter zijn weggenomen, in die zin dat ook in andere EU- landen gevestigde bedrijven met een communautaire vergunning voor de bedoelde faciliteiten in aanmer- king zouden komen, zoals overigens ook blijkt uit het gunstige advies van de Commissie inzake de verenigbaarheid van wet 454/97 met de EG-wetgeving (beschikking 1999/590/EG (1) van 4 mei 1999); op 7 juli 1999 voor de beide bovenvermelde uitvoeringsbesluiten echter twee andere besluiten in de plaats zijn gekomen die bepalen dat alleen in het Italiaanse register van wegvervoerders opgenomen bedrijven (die er dus op zijn minst een secundaire vestiging op Italiaans grondgebied op na moeten houden) voor de genoemde voordelen in aanmerking komen, waardoor naar het zich laat aanzien een van de beide voorwaarden waarop het gunstige advies van de Commissie was gebaseerd, is komen te vervallen; aan het gunstige advies overigens de nog steeds niet vervulde voorwaarde was verbonden dat zowel wet 454/97 als de uitvoeringsbesluiten in dier voege moesten worden gewijzigd dat uitsluitend steun kan worden verleend ter compensatie van de kosten voor aanpassing aan strengere technische normen op het gebied van emissies en veiligheid, d. w. z. alleen voor het verschil in kosten tussen normale voertuigen en voertuigen die aan de strengere criteria voldoen (terwijl de steun in de huidige situatie uitsluitend wordt berekend op basis van de prijs van het nieuwe voertuig), ook niet van mening dat, aangezien niet is voldaan aan de beide voorwaarden waarop haar gunstig advies was gebaseerd (uitbreiding van de toe te kennen voordelen tot alle in de EU gevestigde bedrijven en dienovereenkomstige aanpassing van wet 454/97 en de bijbehorende uitvoeringsbesluiten), het bepaalde in wet 454/97 in strijd is met de communautaire wetgeving inzake overheidssteun en, zo ja, kan zij mededelen welke stappen denkt zij te ondernemen om te voorkomen dat deze situatie onherstelbare schade toebrengt aan het wegvervoerbedrijf? (1) PB L 227 van 28. 8. 1999, blz. 12. Antwoord van Mevrouw de Palacio namens de Commissie (19 april 2000) Op 4 mei 1999 heeft de Commissie, na afloop van de procedure die zij in maart 1998 tegen Italiº had ingeleid, besloten de steunregeling van de Italiaanse staat ten behoeve van de herstructurering van het wegvervoer en de ontwikkeling van de intermodaliteit toe te staan (Beschikking nr. 1999/590/EG (1) van de Commissie van 4 mei 1999 betreffende de maatregelen voor de herstructurering van het wegvervoer en de ontwikkeling van de intermodaliteit (wet nr. 454/97 van 23 december 1997) die Italiº voornemens is ten uitvoer te leggen). De Commissie kon haar gunstig advies uitbrengen op grond van de door de Italiaanse regering voorgestelde wijzigingen van de geldende teksten, n. l. wet nr. 454 van 23 december 1997 en het ministerieel decreet van 14 oktober 1998 over premies voor innovatieve investeringen en opleiding. De beschikking bepaalt bovendien dat Italiº de Commissie moet meedelen dat de betrokken wijzigingen zijn goedgekeurd en haar regelmatig verslagen moet toezenden over de tenuitvoerlegging van de toege- stane maatregelen. Tot dusver heeft de Commissie geen informatie in deze zin ontvangen. Zij is ook niet op de hoogte gesteld van de ministeriele decreten van 7 juli 1999 die in de plaats zijn gekomen van de decreten van 14 oktober 1998. 28. 12. 2000 NL Publicatieblad van de Europese Gemeenschappen C 374 E/161 Bij gebrek aan meer gedetailleerde gegevens kan de Commissie zich niet uitspreken over de door het geachte parlementslid genoemde omstandigheden. Zij zal echter in het kader van de verdere procedure nagaan of nog altijd wordt voldaan aan alle voorwaarden voor de verenigbaarheid van de Italiaanse maatregelen met de communautaire voorschriften op het gebied van staatssteun. (1) PB L 227 van 28. 8. 1999. (2000/C 374 E/190) SCHRIFTELIJKE VRAAG P-0806/00 van Gerardo Galeote Quecedo (PPE-DE) aan de Commissie (9 maart 2000) Betreft: Rol van vertegenwoordiger van de Europese Commissie bij officiºle reizen van het Europees Parlement De ervaringen met vertegenwoordigers van de Europese Commissie bij officiºle reizen van vertegen- woordigers van het Europees Parlement zijn uiteenlopend. Kan de Commissie zeggen of er regels bestaan ten aanzien van de rol van haar vertegenwoordigers bij officiºle reizen van organen van het Europees Parlement naar derde landen, en met name met betrekking tot de organisatie van de reizen, de protocollaire aspecten, deelname aan bepaalde programmapunten, enz. ? Kan de Commissie ook uitleggen of er regels bestaan voor de deelname van haar vertegenwoordigers aan vergaderingen van parlementaire commissies en interparlementaire delegaties die in Brussel plaatsvinden, wanneer daar gesproken wordt over onderwerpen waarover zij gegevens kunnen verstrekken die voor het parlementaire werk van belang zijn? Antwoord van de heer Patten namens de Commissie (27 maart 2000) De rol van het hoofd van de delegatie van de Commissie in derde landen bij officiºle bezoeken van het Europees Parlement is in de Manual of operational procedures (handboek werkprocedures) vastgelegd. Deze rol bestaat er o. a. in de delegatie van het Parlement bij aankomst in het land te verwelkomen, haar logistieke steun te verlenen (binnen redelijke grenzen), haar over de situatie in het land en over specifieke aandachtspunten te informeren en bij bezoeken te begeleiden. Deze rol kan er ook in bestaan bij de contacten met de plaatselijke media te assisteren, indien nodig, en de passende gastvrijheid aan te bieden, waar mogelijk. In 1999 heeft de Commissie een mededeling aan de Raad en het Parlement aangenomen waarin zij stelt dat hoofden van delegaties parlementaire commissies en interparlementaire delegaties kunnen ontmoeten op dezelfde wijze als ambtenaren van de Commissie in de hoofdzetel dit doen. Hierbij kunnen zij specifieke vragen over de uitoefening van hun functies beantwoorden. Het lid van de Commissie, belast met buitenlandse betrekkingen, heeft de delegatiehoofden aangemoedigd tijdens bezoeken aan de hoofd- zetel de desbetreffende commissie of delegatie te informeren over de stand van de betrekkingen tussen de Unie en het land of de landen waarvoor zij zijn aangesteld. (2000/C 374 E/191) SCHRIFTELIJKE VRAAG P-0808/00 van Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL) aan de Commissie (9 maart 2000) Betreft: Sancties tegen Joegoslaviº De lidstaten van de Europese Unie hebben in verband met de opschorting van het luchtverkeer met de Bondsrepubliek Joegoslaviº voor een periode van zes maanden een lijst opgesteld van enkele honderden Joegoslavische staatsburgers die een algemeen inreisverbod voor de EU hebben gekregen


title: Resolución del Parlamento Europeo sobre la elaboración de una Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales de la Unión Europea (C5-0058/1999 - 1999/2064(COS))

eurovoc_concepts:
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
protection of freedoms

formats: pdf print

text: 29. 12. 2000 ES Diario Oficial de las Comunidades Europeas C 377/329 Jueves, 16 de marzo de 2000 58. Pide a la Comisión que presente las propuestas mencionadas más arriba e informe al Parlamento sobre los progresos del programa legislativo y sobre cualquier cambio o retraso que se produzca, con el fin de mejorar tanto la transparencia del procedimiento de toma de decisiones como la cooperación interins- titucional; Encarga a su Presidenta que transmita la presente resolución a la Comisión, al Consejo, a los Parla- 59. mentos de los Estados miembros, al Comité de las Regiones y al Comité Económico y Social. 4. Carta de derechos fundamentales de la Unión Europea A5-0064/2000 Resolución del Parlamento Europeo sobre la elaboración de una Carta de los Derechos Fundamen- tales de la Unión Europea (C5-0058/1999 ’ 1999/2064(COS)) El Parlamento Europeo, & Vista la decisión del Consejo Europeo sobre la elaboración de una Carta de los Derechos Fundamenta- les de la Unión Europea (C5-0058/1999), & Considerando su función de representante de los pueblos de la Unión Europea, & Considerando que la Unión debe «reforzar la protección de los derechos e intereses de los nacionales de sus Estados miembros mediante la creación de una ciudadanía de la Unión» (artículo 2 del Tra- tado UE), & Considerando que la Unión debe respetar los derechos fundamentales «tal y como resultan de las tradiciones constitucionales comunes a los Estados miembros como principios generales del Derecho comunitario» (artículo 6 del Tratado UE), & Vistos el Preámbulo de la Carta de las Naciones Unidas y la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos proclamada por la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas en su Resolución 217 A (III) de 10 de diciembre de 1948 en París, & Considerando sus numerosas iniciativas en el ámbito de los derechos fundamentales y de los ciudada- nos, en particular su Resolución de 12 de abril de 1989 sobre la Declaración de los derechos y liber- tades fundamentales (1), & Considerando sus iniciativas en favor de una Constitución de la Unión Europea, en particular su Reso- lución de 12 de diciembre de 1990 sobre los fundamentos constitucionales de la Unión Europea (2), y su Resolución de 10 de febrero de 1994 sobre la Constitución de la Unión Europea (3), & Vistas las conclusiones del Consejo Europeo de Colonia y las del Consejo de Tampere, & Vista su Resolución de 16 de septiembre de 1999 sobre la elaboración de una Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales (4), & Vista su Resolución de 27 de octubre de 1999 sobre el Consejo Europeo de Tampere (5), & Considerando la importancia sobresaliente de la próxima ampliación de la Unión y de la Conferencia Intergubernamental, & Visto el acto de constitución de la Convención competente para la elaboración de una Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales de la Unión Europea, que tuvo lugar el 17 de diciembre de 1999 en Bruselas, & Visto el apartado 1 del artículo 47 de su Reglamento, (1) DO C 120 de 16. 5. 1989, p. 51. (2) DO C 19 de 28. 1. 1991, p. 65. (3) DO C 61 de 28. 2. 1994, p. 155. (4) DO C 54 de 25. 2. 2000, p. 93. (5) Textos aprobados de esa fecha, punto 15. C 377/330 Diario Oficial de las Comunidades Europeas ES 29. 12. 2000 Jueves, 16 de marzo de 2000 & Visto el informe de la Comisión de Asuntos Constitucionales y las opiniones de la Comisión de Liber- tades y Derechos de los Ciudadanos, Justicia y Asuntos Interiores, Comisión de Asuntos Exteriores, Derechos Humanos, Seguridad Común y Política de Defensa, de la Comisión de Empleo y Asuntos Sociales de la Comisión de Asuntos Jurídicos y Mercado Interior y de la Comisión de Derechos de la Mujer e Igualdad de Oportunidades (A5-0064/2000), A. Considerando que «la Unión se basa en los principios de libertad, democracia, respeto de los derechos humanos y de las libertades fundamentales y el Estado de Derecho» (artículo 6 del Tratado UE), B. Considerando que la realización de «una unión cada vez más estrecha entre los pueblos de Europa» (artículo 1 del Tratado UE) y el mantenimiento y desarrollo de la Unión como «espacio de libertad, seguridad y justicia» (artículo 2 del Tratado UE) se fundamentan en el respeto general y pleno de la dignidad del ser humano, que es única, igual para todos e inviolable, C. Considerando que la Unión debe respetar «los derechos fundamentales tal y como se garantizan en el Convenio Europeo para la Protección de los Derechos Humanos y de las Libertades Fundamentales firmado en Roma el 4 de noviembre de 1950, y tal y como resultan de las tradiciones constitucionales comunes a los Estados miembros y de los principios generales del Derecho comunitario» (artículo 6 del Tratado UE), D. Considerando que determinados derechos específicos ya se encuentran consagrados en los Tratados, E. Considerando que los derechos, las libertades fundamentales que resultan necesariamente del recono- cimiento de la dignidad humana requieren una protección jurídica amplia y efectiva y garantías jurí- dicas eficaces, F. Considerando que la primacía del Derecho de la Unión y los amplios poderes de sus instituciones frente a los individuos hacen necesario reforzar la protección de los derechos fundamentales a escala de la Unión Europea, G. Considerando que el desarrollo de las competencias de la Unión y de la Comunidad Europea, en particular en los ámbitos sensibles de la seguridad interior, a la vista de los limitados controles parla- mentario y jurisdiccional existentes en este ámbito ponen de manifiesto la urgente necesidad de una Carta Europea de los Derechos Fundamentales, H. Considerando que es necesario velar por que el desarrollo de la Unión no se traduzca en un desequili- brio entre el objetivo de la seguridad y los principios de la libertad y del Derecho, I. J. Considerando que, en el marco tanto del Tratado de la Unión y como del Derecho comunitario, los derechos fundamentales pueden verse restringidos sin aprobación parlamentaria, aunque esto contra- diga a las tradiciones constitucionales comunes a los Estados miembros, Considerando que, aun cuando haya limitaciones autorizadas de los derechos fundamentales, no se podrá modificar en ningún caso su contenido fundamental, K. Considerando que el aspecto económico de la integración europea debe completarse en lo sucesivo con una verdadera unión política, democrática y social, L. Considerando que se deben reforzar y desarrollar los derechos sociales fundamentales a escala de la Unión Europea, M. Considerando que la política exterior y de seguridad común de la Unión, en la perspectiva de la defensa común debe ser acorde con los derechos fundamentales, N. Considerando que el desarrollo en ámbitos como el de la biotecnología o el de la tecnología de la información puede dar lugar a nuevos conflictos en materia de derechos fundamentales que conviene resolver sobre la base de un consenso europeo en el ámbito de los derechos fundamentales y que un consenso a nivel europeo sobre los derechos fundamentales significa una contribución importante a una solución global del problema, O. Considerando que existen indicios preocupantes del aumento del racismo y la xenofobia, 29. 12. 2000 ES Diario Oficial de las Comunidades Europeas C 377/331 Jueves, 16 de marzo de 2000 P. Considerando que es importante que la Unión Europea y sus Estados miembros, al tiempo que respe- tan el papel de todas lenguas nacionales, atiendan a la protección de la diversidad de lenguas y cultu- ras en Europa, en especial las regionales y las minoritarias, y que a tal efecto garanticen a los ciuda- danos de la Unión, mediante los canales de apoyo adecuados, el mantenimiento y desarrollo de las lenguas y culturas que les son propias tanto en el ámbito privado como en el público, Q. Considerando que se ha de mantener el derecho de toda persona al asilo, de conformidad con lo dispuesto en la Convención de Ginebra sobre el Estatuto de los Refugiados, R. Considerando que una Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales de la Unión Europea, al igual que las disposiciones nacionales en materia de derechos fundamentales no debe estar en contraposición alguna con el Convenio Europeo de Derechos Humanos, S. Considerando que la adhesión de la Unión al Convenio Europeo de Derechos Humanos, tras las nece- sarias modificaciones del Tratado UE, significaría un paso de gran importancia para el fortalecimiento de la protección de los derechos fundamentales en la Unión, T. Considerando que la realización de una unión cada vez más estrecha entre los pueblos de Europa está indisolublemente vinculada con la tarea del desarrollo de los derechos fundamentales, los derechos de los ciudadanos, es decir, los derechos políticos, económicos y sociales asociados a la ciudadanía de la Unión, U. Considerando que una Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales que se redujera a una proclamación no vinculante y que, además, se limitara a una enumeración de derechos vigentes defraudaría las legítimas expectativas de los ciudadanos, V. Considerando que la Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales debe concebirse como elemento fundamen- tal de un proceso necesario para dotar a la Unión Europea de una Constitución, 1. Acoge favorablemente la elaboración de una Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales de la Unión Euro- pea que contribuirá a definir un patrimonio colectivo de valores y principios, así como un sistema com- partido de derechos fundamentales, dentro del cual se reconocerán los ciudadanos y podrán extraer su inspiración las políticas de la Unión, tanto en su propio seno como frente a países terceros, y se congratula en consecuencia de los progresos realizados desde la celebración del Consejo Europeo de Tampere, en particular la creación de la Convención constituida por representantes de los Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno, del Parlamento Europeo, de los Parlamentos de los Estados miembros y de la Comisión; 2. Constata que, el establecimiento de un catálogo europeo vinculante de derechos fundamentales, con- fiere al proceso de integración europea un fundamento jurídico y ético más sólido, clarifica la base común que existe en lo que se refiere al Estado de derecho y aporta mayor transparencia y claridad para el ciuda- dano; Expresa su pleno apoyo a la elaboración de la Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales de la Unión 3. Europea; Señala que el reconocimiento y la definición jurídica de los derechos fundamentales y de los derechos 4. de los ciudadanos constituyen misiones esenciales de los Parlamentos; Invita a su delegación en la Convención encargada de la elaboración del proyecto de Carta a defender 5. activamente las recomendaciones de la presente resolución; 6. Se propone decidir en el momento oportuno, mediante votación en sesión plenaria, sobre la aproba- ción de la Carta y juzga conveniente dar a conocer con la necesaria antelación sus objetivos en relación con la Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales, tal como se expresan a continuación; 7. Manifiesta con toda claridad que subordina en un grado muy elevado su aprobación definitiva de una Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales al cumplimiento de las siguientes condiciones: a) La Carta debe adquirir pleno carácter vinculante mediante su inclusión en el Tratado de la Unión Europea, b) Toda enmienda a la Carta ha de someterse al mismo procedimiento aplicado a su elaboración, inclu- yendo el derecho formal de dictamen conforme del Parlamento Europeo, C 377/332 Diario Oficial de las Comunidades Europeas ES 29. 12. 2000 Jueves, 16 de marzo de 2000 c) Debe incluir una cláusula de reserva que exija la aprobación del Parlamento para cualquier restricción de los derechos fundamentales, cualesquiera que sean las circunstancias; d) Debe incluir una cláusula en la que se precise que ninguna de sus disposiciones podrá ser interpretada de forma restrictiva en relación con la protección garantizada por el apartado 2 del artículo 6 del Tratado Unión Europea, e) Debe incluir derechos fundamentales como el derecho de asociación sindical y el derecho de huelga, f) Debe proclamar la indivisibilidad de los derechos fundamentales, incluyendo en su ámbito de aplica- ción a todas las instituciones y órganos de la Unión Europea y todas las políticas de la misma, inclui- das las del segundo y tercer pilar, en el marco de las competencias y funciones que le han sido atri- buidas por los Tratados, g) Debe tener fuerza vinculante para los Estados miembros al aplicar o transponer las disposiciones de Derecho comunitario, h. Debe poseer un carácter innovador, ofreciendo protección jurídica a todas las personas en la Unión Europea frente a las nuevas amenazas que pesan sobre los derechos fundamentales, como por ejemplo en los ámbitos de las tecnologías de la información y de la biotecnología y confirme como parte integrante de los derechos fundamentales, particularmente los derechos de la mujer, la cláusula general de no discriminación y la protección del medio ambiente; Acuerda organizar un coloquio científico, con objeto de asesorar al Parlamento, y celebrar audiencias 8. públicas con representantes de la sociedad civil; Se propone apoyar enérgicamente toda iniciativa para un amplio debate social en los Estados miem- 9. bros en el que participen los interlocutores sociales, las ONG y otros representantes de la sociedad civil; Desea que se reconozca la contribución que las organizaciones de la sociedad civil pueden aportar 10. al proceso de elaboración de la Carta; 11. Propone que se conceda a los Estados candidatos a la adhesión el estatuto de observadores en la Convención encargada de la elaboración de la Carta y que se establezca un diálogo permanente con dichos Estados en el marco de la Conferencia Europea; Hace hincapié en que la Carta no debe sustituir o debilitar las disposiciones de los Estados miem- 12. bros en materia de derechos fundamentales ni menoscabar la eficacia de las mismas; 13. Manifiesta su apoyo al acuerdo de la Convención de que se elabore la Carta partiendo del supuesto de que ésta poseerá plena eficacia jurídica; 14. Subraya la necesidad de incluir en la Carta, junto a los derechos que ya están consagrados en el Tratado Unión Europea, las normas aplicables a la Unión de los convenios internacionales firmados por los Estados miembros en el marco de las Naciones Unidas, del Consejo de Europa, de la Organización Inter- nacional del Trabajo y de la Organización para la Seguridad y Cooperación en Europa; 15. Pide a la Conferencia Intergubernamental que: a) incluya en su orden del día la incorporación al Tratado de la Unión Europea de la Carta de los Dere- chos Fundamentales, teniendo en cuenta el papel fundamental que juega en la realización de una Unión cada vez más estrecha entre los pueblos de Europa, b) haga posible que la Unión se adhiera al Convenio Europeo de Derechos Humanos con objeto de establecer una estrecha colaboración con el Consejo de Europa para evitar por todos los medios ade- cuados posibles conflictos o solapamientos entre el Tribunal de Justicia de las Comunidades Europeas y el Tribunal Europeo de los Derechos Humanos, c) añada la mención de la Carta social europea y de los convenios esenciales de la OIT y de las Naciones Unidas a la referencia del Convenio europeo de los derechos humanos a que se refiere el artículo 6 del TUE, d) permitir a todas las personas que se encuentran bajo su protección poder recurrir ante el Tribunal de Justicia de las Comunidades Europeas ampliando los mecanismos de control jurisdiccional actualmente vigentes; 16. Encarga a su Presidenta que transmita la presente resolución a la Convención encargada de la ela- boración de la Carta de los derechos fundamentales de la Unión Europea, a la Conferencia Interguberna- mental, al Consejo, a los Parlamentos de los Estados miembros, a la Comisión, al Tribunal de Justicia de las Comunidades Europeas y al Tribunal Europeo de los Derechos Humanos


title: 2000/241/CE: Décision de la Commission du 16 mars 2000 concernant les certificats d'importation pour les produits du secteur de la viande bovine originaires du Botswana, du Kenya, de Madagascar, du Swaziland, du Zimbabwe et de Namibie [notifiée sous le numéro C(2000) 742]

eurovoc_concepts:
ACP countries
beef
boned meat
import licence
originating product

text: L 76/22 FR Journal officiel des Communautés européennes 25. 3. 2000 DÉCISION DE LA COMMISSION du 16 mars 2000 concernant les certificats d'importation pour les produits du secteur de la viande bovine originaires du Botswana, du Kenya, de Madagascar, du Swaziland, du Zimbabwe et de Namibie [notifiée sous le numéro C(2000) 742] (2000/241/CE) LA COMMISSION DES COMMUNAUTÉS EUROPÉENNES, A ARRÊTÉ LA PRÉSENTE DÉCISION: vu le traité instituant la Communauté européenne, le régime applicable aux produits agricoles et vu le règlement (CE) no 1706/98 du Conseil du 20 juillet 1998 fixant les marchandises résultant de leur transformation originaires des États d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique (ACP) et abrogeant le règlement (CEE) no 715/90 (1), et notamment son article 30, vu le règlement (CE) no 1918/98 de la Commission du 9 septembre 1998 établissant les modalités d'application dans le secteur de la viande bovine du règlement (CE) no 1706/98 du Conseil fixant le régime applicable aux produits agricoles et les marchandises résultant de leur transformation originaires des États d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique (ACP) et abrogeant le règlement (CE) no 589/96 (2), et notamment son article 4, considérant ce qui suit: (1) (2) (3) (4) L'article 1er du règlement (CE) no 1918/98 prévoit la possibilité de délivrer des certificats d'importation pour les produits du secteur de la viande bovine. Toutefois, les importations doivent se réaliser dans les limites des quantités prévues pour chacun de ces pays tiers exporta- teurs. Les demandes de certificats introduites du 1er au 10 mars 2000, exprimées en viande désossée, conformé- ment au règlement (CE) no 1918/98, ne sont pas supé- rieures pour les produits originaires du Botswana, du Kenya, de Madagascar, du Swaziland, du Zimbabwe et de Namibie aux quantités disponibles pour ces États. Il est, dès lors, possible de délivrer des certificats d'impor- tation pour les quantités demandées. Il convient de procéder à la fixation des quantités pour lesquelles des certificats peuvent être demandés à partir du 1er avril 2000, dans le cadre de la quantité totale de 52 100 tonnes. Il semble utile de rappeler que cette décision ne porte pas préjudice à l'application de la directive 72/462/CEE du Conseil du 12 décembre 1972 concernant les problèmes sanitaires et de police sanitaire lors de l'im- portation d'animaux des espèces bovine, porcine, ovine et caprine, de viandes fraîches ou de produits à base de viande en provenance de pays tiers (3), modifiée en dernier lieu par la directive 97/79/CE (4), Article premier Les États membres suivants délivrent le 21 mars 2000 les certificats d'importation concernant des produits du secteur de la viande bovine, exprimés en viande désossée, originaires de certains États d'Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique, pour les quantités et les pays d'origine indiqués ci-après: Allemagne: — 280 tonnes originaires du Botswana, — 125 tonnes originaires de Namibie. Royaume-Uni: — 300 tonnes originaires du Botswana, — 550 tonnes originaires de Namibie, — 80 tonnes originaires du Swaziland. Article 2 Des demandes de certificats peuvent être déposées, conformé- ment à l'article 3, paragraphe 2, du règlement (CE) no 1918/98, au cours des dix premiers jours du mois d'avril 2000 pour les quantités de viandes bovines désossées suivantes: — Botswana: — Kenya: — Madagascar: — Swaziland: — Zimbabwe: — Namibie: 17 236 tonnes, 142 tonnes, 7 579 tonnes, 3 198 tonnes, 7 720 tonnes, 11 724 tonnes. Article 3 Les États membres sont destinataires de la présente décision. Fait à Bruxelles, le 16 mars 2000. Par la Commission Franz FISCHLER Membre de la Commission (1) JO L 215 du 1. 8. 1998, p. 12. (2) JO L 250 du 10. 9. 1998, p. 16. (3) JO L 302 du 31. 12. 1972, p. 28. (4) JO L 24 du 30. 1. 1998, p. 31


title: PERGUNTA ESCRITA E-0778/00 apresentada por Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) à Comissão. Países menos avançados na OMC.

eurovoc_concepts:
World Trade Organisation
generalised preferences

text: C 374 E/150 Jornal Oficial das Comunidades Europeias PT 28. 12. 2000 Numa preocupa(cid:231)ªo de tornar este dossier mais transparente, gostaria que o Conselho respondesse (cid:224)s seguintes perguntas: 1. 2. Estiveram envolvidas na produ(cid:231)ªo do desfoliante «agente laranja», que foi posteriormente utilizado pelo exØrcito americano como arma qu(cid:237)mica no Vietname, empresas qu(cid:237)micas da BØlgica, conforme declarou o secretÆrio de estado belga? Estiveram envolvidas na produ(cid:231)ªo do desfoliante «agente laranja», que foi posteriormente utilizado pelo exØrcito americano como arma qu(cid:237)mica no Vietname, empresas qu(cid:237)micas de outros Estados- -membros? Resposta (25 de Maio de 2000) A questªo (cid:224) qual o Sr. Deputado alude na sua pergunta nunca foi levantada no Conselho. Recordo ao Sr. Deputado que o TUE, que estabelece a pol(cid:237)tica externa e de seguran(cid:231)a comum, foi conclu(cid:237)do e entrou em vigor muito depois dos acontecimentos referidos na sua pergunta. (2000/C 374 E/177) PERGUNTA ESCRITA P-0772/00 apresentada por Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) (cid:224) Comissªo Objecto: Pa(cid:237)ses menos desenvolvidos no (cid:226)mbito da OMC (9 de Mar(cid:231)o de 2000) Foi recentemente anunciada pela Comissªo a adop(cid:231)ªo de um conjunto de concessıes comerciais aos pa(cid:237)ses menos desenvolvidos no (cid:226)mbito da OMC. Tais concessıes consistem no acesso isento de direitos «essencialmente para todos» os produtos procedentes dos pa(cid:237)ses menos desenvolvidos. Pode a Comissªo especificar exactamente quais sªo os produtos que nªo sªo abrangidos pelas concessıes em questªo? (2000/C 374 E/178) PERGUNTA ESCRITA E-0778/00 apresentada por Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) (cid:224) Comissªo (16 de Mar(cid:231)o de 2000) Objecto: Pa(cid:237)ses menos avan(cid:231)ados na OMC A Comissªo anunciou recentemente um pacote de concessıes de carÆcter comercial aos pa(cid:237)ses menos avan(cid:231)ados na OMC. Esse pacote consiste no acesso livre de quaisquer impostos para «essencialmente todos» os produtos provenientes dos pa(cid:237)ses menos avan(cid:231)ados. Numa outra pergunta solicitei (cid:224) Comissªo que especificasse exactamente que produtos nªo estªo abrangidos por tais concessıes. Poderia a Comissªo especificar tambØm o valor do comØrcio relativo a esses produtos nªo abrangidos pelo pacote, nªo s(cid:243) para os pa(cid:237)ses menos avan(cid:231)ados em questªo, mas tambØm para a UE (por Estado-membro)? Resposta comum (cid:224)s perguntas escritas P-0772/00 e E-0778/00 dada pelo ComissÆrio Pascal Lamy em nome da Comissªo (27 de Abril de 2000) O Senhor Deputado faz referŒncia (cid:224) iniciativa comunitÆria que tem por objectivo permitir o livre acesso (cid:224) maioria essencial dos produtos provenientes dos pa(cid:237)ses menos avan(cid:231)ados (PMA) aos mercados dos pa(cid:237)ses industrializados, assim como uma maior facilidade de acesso ao mercado de determinados pa(cid:237)ses em desenvolvimento. A pergunta do Senhor Deputado Ø complementar (cid:224) pergunta oral H-206/00 do Parlamento feita pelo Senhor Deputado Howitt, durante o per(cid:237)odo de perguntas da sessªo plenÆria de Mar(cid:231)o de 2000 (1). 28. 12. 2000 PT Jornal Oficial das Comunidades Europeias C 374 E/151 O mandato dado (cid:224) Comissªo em 1997, e confirmado em 1999, visa «a maioria dos produtos» exportados pelos PMA. Actualmente, 99 % das exporta(cid:231)ıes dos PMA entram livremente no mercado comunitÆrio. O livre acesso jÆ Ø uma realidade para a totalidade das exporta(cid:231)ıes nªo agr(cid:237)colas dos PMA para a Comunidade. Ap(cid:243)s uma primeira medida tomada em Dezembro de 1998 (2) que estabelece para o conjunto dos PMA um regime equivalente ao da Conven(cid:231)ªo de LomØ, a Comissªo trabalha presentemente logo que estejam na elabora(cid:231)ªo de propostas suplementares que serªo apresentadas ao Conselho, conclu(cid:237)das. Apenas nessa altura poder-se-Æ proceder a uma avalia(cid:231)ªo quantitativa. Estas propostas incidirªo sobre concessıes unilaterais suplementares aos produtos agr(cid:237)colas exportados pelos PMA para o mercado comunitÆrio. Saliente-se que jÆ no quadro do mandato actual dos produtos agr(cid:237)colas exportados, que visa a quase totalidade ou «a maioria», os pa(cid:237)ses menos avan(cid:231)ados beneficiarªo de um acesso mais fÆcil isento de quotas e de tarifas em matØria agr(cid:237)cola. Alguns dos produtos agr(cid:237)colas que nªo sejam totalmente liberalizados na proposta que a Comissªo apresentarÆ ao Conselho, beneficiam, em todo o caso, do regime de acesso preferencial. Como informou no Parlamento o membro da Comissªo responsÆvel pelo comØrcio em Mar(cid:231)o de 2000, os restantes parceiros dos pa(cid:237)ses desenvolvidos estªo longe de oferecer um acesso comparÆvel, no momento em que a atrac(cid:231)ªo por esses mercados ultrapassa largamente o da Comunidade, principalmente porque sªo muito baixas as taxas de penetra(cid:231)ªo dos produtos provenientes dos PMA nesses mercados. (1) Debates do Parlamento Europeu (Mar(cid:231)o II de 2000). (2) Regulamento (CE) no 2820/98 do Conselho, de 21 de Dezembro de 1998, JO L 357 de 30. 12. 1998. (2000/C 374 E/179) PERGUNTA ESCRITA E-0776/00 apresentada por Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) (cid:224) Comissªo (16 de Mar(cid:231)o de 2000) Objecto: Subven(cid:231)ªo dos pre(cid:231)os praticados nas esta(cid:231)ıes de servi(cid:231)o da regiªo fronteiri(cid:231)a neerlandesa 1. TerÆ a Comissªo conhecimento de que na fronteira entre os Pa(cid:237)ses Baixos e a Alemanha se pratica uma redu(cid:231)ªo a dois n(cid:237)veis (uma diferencia(cid:231)ªo entre o limite de 0 a 10 km e o de 10 a 20 km) dos pre(cid:231)os de venda dos combust(cid:237)veis, redu(cid:231)ªo essa subvencionada pelo Estado? 2. Que pensa a Comissªo do facto de, em consequŒncia das referidas subven(cid:231)ıes, o pre(cid:231)o de venda dos combust(cid:237)veis, neste caso isolado, ser inferior ao pre(cid:231)o de compra pago por um grossista do lado alemªo da fronteira? 3. (cid:201) verdade que tais subven(cid:231)ıes foram suprimidas em 1 de Mar(cid:231)o de 2000? Resposta de Mario Monti em nome da Comissªo (10 de Maio de 2000) 1. Os aux(cid:237)lios mencionados pelo Senhor Deputado jÆ foram alvo de anÆlise por parte da Comissªo. Em 3 de Junho de 1998, a Comissªo iniciou a ac(cid:231)ªo de investiga(cid:231)ªo principal em conformidade com o no 2 do artigo 88o (antigo 93o) do Tratado CE sobre o aux(cid:237)lio estatal, que os Pa(cid:237)ses Baixos concederam (cid:224)s esta(cid:231)ıes de servi(cid:231)o neerlandesas situadas na fronteira com a Alemanha (1). Em 20 de Julho de 1999 a Comissªo tomou uma decisªo relativamente a este assunto (2). Esta decisªo estabelece que os aux(cid:237)lios a 450 esta(cid:231)ıes de servi(cid:231)o eram incompat(cid:237)veis com o mercado comum e que tŒm de ser reembolsados. As subven(cid:231)ıes a 183 pequenas esta(cid:231)ıes de servi(cid:231)o estavam abrangidas pelas regras «de minimis» e como tal nªo sªo consideradas como aux(cid:237)lios. Para informa(cid:231)ıes complementares a Comissªo chama a aten(cid:231)ªo para os textos publicados. 2. A Comissªo s(cid:243) pode constatar (como no caso acima referido) que os aux(cid:237)lios sªo incompat(cid:237)veis com o mercado comum, se estes falsearem a concorrŒncia e afectarem as trocas comerciais entre os Estados- -membros. As distor(cid:231)ıes na concorrŒncia mencionadas pelo Senhor Deputado foram assim apuradas e tidas em conta pela Comissªo


title: Résolution législative du Parlement europén sur la proposition de décision du Conseil concernant la position à adopter par la Communauté au sein du Conseil conjoint CE-Mexique au sujet de la mise en œuvre des articles 3, 4, 5, 6 et 12 de l'Accord intérimaire (5965/1/2000 – COM(2000) 9 — C5-0076/2000 — 2000/0024(CNS))

eurovoc_concepts:
Mexico
customs duties
interim agreement (EU)
preferential agreement

text: 29. 12. 2000 FR Journal officiel des Communautés européennes C 377/323 Jeudi, 16 mars 2000 1. approuve la proposition de la Commission ainsi amendée; demande à être à nouveau saisi au cas où la Commission entendrait modifier de manière substantielle 2. cette proposition ou la remplacer par un autre texte; 3. charge sa Présidente de transmettre la position du Parlement au Conseil et à la Commission. 2. Accord intérimaire UE-Mexique * A5-0066/2000 Résolution législative du Parlement européen sur la proposition de décision du Conseil concernant la position à adopter par la Communauté au sein du Conseil conjoint CE-Mexique au sujet de la mise en œuvre des articles 3, 4, 5, 6 et 12 de l’Accord intérimaire (5965/1/2000 - COM(2000) 9 - C5-0076/2000 - 2000/0024(CNS)) (Procédure de consultation) Le Parlement européen, # vu la proposition de décision du Conseil (COM(2000) 9 # 5965/1/2000), # vu les annexes I à XVI et les déclarations conjointes I à XV, COM(2000) 9, # vu l’article 47, paragraphe 2, dernière phrase, l’article 55 et l’article 133 du traité CE, # consulté par le Conseil conformément à l’article 300, paragraphe 3, premier alinéa du traité CE (C5-0076/2000), # vu l’article 67 et l’article 97, paragraphe 7, du règlement, # vu le rapport de la commission de l’industrie, du commerce extérieur, de la recherche et de l’énergie (A5-0066/2000); 1. approuve la proposition de décision du Conseil; charge sa Présidente de transmettre la position du Parlement au Conseil et à la Commission, ainsi 2. qu’aux gouvernements et aux parlements des États membres et des États-Unis du Mexique. 3. Programme législatif annuel B5-0228, 0229 et 0230/2000 Résolution du Parlement européen sur le programme législatif de la Commission pour l’année 2000 Le Parlement européen, # vu la déclaration interinstitutionnelle sur la démocratie, la transparence et la subsidiarité du 25 octobre 1993 du Parlement européen, du Conseil et de la Commission (1), A. prenant acte du programme de travail de la Commission qui constitue un instrument interinstitution- nel indispensable à une programmation et une coordination transparentes et efficaces des activités de l’Union, B. considérant que le Parlement européen dispose d’une compétence de contrôle de la mise en œuvre du programme législatif à certains intervalles, tout en restant étroitement associé à la définition des prio- rités politiques et au contrôle de l’exécution des mesures nécessaires; (1) JO C 329 du 6. 12. 1993, p. 133


title: QUESTION ÉCRITE E-0781/00 posée par Roger Helmer (PPE-DE) à la Commission. Autorité alimentaire.

eurovoc_concepts:
European social policy
foodstuff
health risk
labelling

text: C 374 E/152 Journal officiel des CommunautØs europØennes FR 28. 12. 2000 Le gouvernement nØerlandais a fait savoir (cid:224) la Commission que ce rØgime avait ØtØ supprimØ le 3. 1er fØvrier 2000. (1) (2) JO C 307 du 7. 10. 1998, p. 10. JO L 280 du 30. 10. 1999, p. 87. (2000/C 374 E/180) QUESTION (cid:201)CRITE E-0781/00 posØe par Roger Helmer (PPE-DE) (cid:224) la Commission (16 mars 2000) Objet: AutoritØ alimentaire Au cours de l(cid:146)heure des questions lors de la rØunion du 23 fØvrier 2000 de la commission de l(cid:146)environnement, le Commissaire Byrne a dØclarØ, en ce qui concerne la proposition visant (cid:224) instituer une «autoritØ alimentaire», que celle-ci ne devrait pas seulement s(cid:146)occuper de normes alimentaires mais devrait Øgalement se pencher sur les problŁmes nutritionnels et diØtØtiques. Il a ajoutØ «afin que l(cid:146)autoritØ alimentaire ne se borne pas (cid:224) des communiquØs alarmistes lancØs d(cid:146)une tour d(cid:146)ivoire». M. Byrne a affirmØ en outre que l(cid:146)autoritØ alimentaire devrait effectuer, (cid:224) titre consultatif, des recherches commandØes par des organisations extØrieures des (cid:201)tats membres. Eu Øgard (cid:224) ce qui prØcŁde, la Commission peut-elle commenter cette possibilitØ Øvidente de traiter de fa(cid:231)on positive le problŁme de l(cid:146)enrichissement des aliments? Plus particuliŁrement, la Commission convient-elle de la nØcessitØ d(cid:146)autoriser et de rØglementer l(cid:146)apposition, sur les emballages de produits alimentaires, d(cid:146)informations relatives (cid:224) la rØduction des risques de maladie, de fa(cid:231)on (cid:224) fournir aux consommateurs des renseignements sanitaires positifs concernant les aliments? RØponse donnØe par M. Byrne au nom de la Commission (3 mai 2000) Comme l(cid:146)indique le Livre blanc sur la sØcuritØ alimentaire (1), adoptØ par la Commission le 12 janvier 2000, une proposition de directive du Parlement et du Conseil relative aux aliments enrichis est prØvue pour septembre 2000. Actuellement, la Commission Øtudie en dØtail la question de l(cid:146)enrichissement des aliments afin d(cid:146)Ølaborer une telle proposition. (cid:192) ce stade, il est difficile d(cid:146)informer l(cid:146)Honorable Parlementaire quant (cid:224) l(cid:146)orientation de la proposition, car les travaux en sont encore (cid:224) une Øtape prØliminaire. En ce qui concerne l(cid:146)avis de la Commission sur des informations relatives (cid:224) la rØduction du risque de maladie, l(cid:146)Honorable Parlementaire est invitØ (cid:224) se reporter (cid:224) la rØponse donnØe par la Commission (cid:224) la question Øcrite E-232/00, posØe par Mme Thomas-Mauro (2). (1) COM(1999) 719 final. (2) JO C 303 E du 24. 10. 2000. (2000/C 374 E/181) QUESTION (cid:201)CRITE E-0786/00 posØe par Paulo Casaca (PSE) au Conseil (16 mars 2000) Objet: CoopØration judiciaire dans le domaine de la pØdophilie L(cid:146)instauration d(cid:146)une politique de coopØration dans le domaine de la justice et des affaires intØrieures par le traitØ de Maastricht a constituØ une Øtape essentielle de la construction europØenne. En effet, il est difficile de comprendre que, dans une Europe oø la libertØ de circulation et d(cid:146)Øtablissement est totale, la justice soit toujours soumise (cid:224) des frontiŁres rigides


title: European Parliament resolution on respect for human rights in the European Union (1998-1999) (11350/1999 - C5-0265/1999 - 1999/2001(INI))

eurovoc_concepts:
EU situation
activity report
anti-discriminatory measure
civil rights
cruel and degrading treatment
gender equality
human rights
protection of minorities
right of asylum

text: C 377/344 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 12. 2000 Thursday 16 March 2000 Calls on the Council and Commission urgently to develop, as an alternative to sanctions which may 92. harm the general population, ‘smart sanctions’ targeted at illegally expropriated assets of the heads of abusive governments, and to promote coordinated international efforts to restore such assets to the coun- try of origin as soon as a genuine process of democratisation has started; * * * Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments 93. and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the United Nations Organisation, the gov- ernments of the countries that are candidates for accession and the governments of the countries referred to in the resolution. 8. Human rights in the EU A5-0050/2000 European Parliament resolution on respect for human rights in the European Union (1998-1999) (11350/1999 " C5-0265/1999 " 1999/2001(INI)) The European Parliament, * having regard to the European Union Annual Report on respect for human rights in the European Union (1998-1999) (11350/1999 * C5-0265/1999), * having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent Conventions adopted in this field, * having regard to the fundamental human rights guaranteed by the Constitutions of the Member States and the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), the protocols thereto and the Conventions and Charters adopted subsequently in this field, * having regard to the Treaty of Amsterdam, in particular Articles 6, 7, 11, 29 and 49 of the EU Treaty and Articles 13, 136 and 177 of the EC Treaty, * having regard to the case law of the European Court of Human Rights in 1998-1999, particularly its main judgments on the exercise of civil and political rights, * having regard to the case law of the European Court of Justice during the same period, * having regard to its resolution of 12 April 1989 adopting the Declaration of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms and the successive resolutions adopted since then in this field (1), * having regard to its resolution of 16 September 1999 on the establishment of the Charter of Funda- mental Rights (2), * having regard to the results of the public hearing of Commissioner Vitorino on 3 September 1999, * having regard to its resolution of 27 October 1999 on the outcome of the European Council on 15/16 October 1999 in Tampere (3), * having regard to the outcome of the Human Rights Forum of 30 November and 1 December 1999, (1) OJ C 120, 16. 5. 1989, p. 51; OJ C 240, 16. 9. 1991, p. 45; OJ C 94, 13. 4. 1992, p. 277; OJ C 241, 21. 9. 1992, p. 67; OJ C 115, 26. 4. 1993, p. 178; OJ C 44, 14. 2. 1994, p. 103; OJ C 61, 28. 2. 1994, p. 40; OJ C 126, 22. 5. 1995, p. 75; OJ C 32, 5. 2. 1996, p. 88; OJ C 32, 5. 2. 1996, p. 102; OJ C 78, 18. 3. 1996, p. 31; OJ C 152, 27. 5. 1996, p. 57; OJ C 152, 27. 5. 1996, p. 62; OJ C 320, 28. 10. 1996, p. 36; OJ C 320, 28. 10. 1996, p. 268; OJ C 20, 20. 1. 1997, p. 170; OJ C 132, 28. 4. 1997, p. 31; OJ C 115, 14. 4. 1997, p. 92; OJ C 304, 6. 10. 1997, p. 55; OJ C 358, 24. 11. 1997, p. 37. (2) OJ C 54, 25. 2. 2000, p. 93. (3) Texts Adopted of that sitting, Item 15. 29. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 377/345 Thursday 16 March 2000 * having regard to the first annual activity report (1988) of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, * having regard to the annual report for 1998 of the European Ombudsman, in particular the decision following own-initiative inquiry 626/97/BB concerning combating discrimination on grounds of age in the recruitment of staff for the Community institutions, pursuant to the provisions concerning the protection of human rights (1), * having regard to the petitions received in 1998 and 1999, * having regard to the work of the Council of Europe in this field and the contributions of the relevant non-governmental organisations, * having regard to its resolutions of 16 March 2000 on combating racism, xenophobia and anti-Semit- ism in the candidate countries (2), on human rights in the world and the European Union’s human rights policy 1999 (3), on combating racism and xenophobia in the European Union (4) and on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of European Union (5), * having regard to Rule 163 of its Rules of Procedure, * having regard to the report of the Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs and the opinion of the Committee on Petitions (A5-0050/2000), I. A new legal and political context Recalls that human rights are a set of universal and interdependent rights applicable to all human 1. beings; 2. Points out that an assessment of the human rights situation in the European Union in 1998 and 1999 must be seen in the new legal context of the Treaty of Amsterdam, which entered into force on 1 May 1999; 3. Notes that the new Treaty formally establishes that the European Union is founded on respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law (Article 6 of the EU Treaty) which is a require- ment for membership of (Article 7 of the EU Treaty) and accession to (Article 49 of the EU Treaty) the Union; 4. Notes that respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law should also therefore be a guiding principle for the Union’s policies such as the implementation of an area of freedom, security and justice and the social, foreign and development policies (Article 11 of the EU Treaty and Articles 136 and 177 of the EC Treaty) as well as for the functioning of its institutions; 5. Points out also that the new Treaty explicitly acknowledges that human rights include economic and social rights, as set out in the 1961 European Social Charter, revised in 1996, and the 1989 Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers (Article 136 of the EC Treaty); 6. Notes also that the new Treaty lays down the principle of equal rights for citizens and that there should be no ‘discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation’ (Article 13 of the EC Treaty); Notes, finally, that the new Treaty recognises citizens’ right of access to Community documents and 7. to the protection of personal data (Articles 255 and 286 of the EC Treaty); 8. Reaffirms, therefore, that all these rights, which correspond to ideas expressed in national Constitu- tions as well as in the ECHR, form the very foundation of the European Union and should be included in a European Charter of Fundamental Rights; 9. Considers it essential that such fundamental rights be uniformly applied and readily understood in the European Union, particularly in the light of the future Charter of Fundamental Rights which is being drafted; (1) Report for 1998, p. 268 et seq. (2) Texts adopted of that sitting, Item 18. (3) Texts adopted of that sitting, Item 7. (4) Texts adopted of that sitting, Item 17. (5) Texts adopted of that sitting, Item 4. C 377/346 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 12. 2000 Thursday 16 March 2000 10. Approves the Council’s presentation of the first European Union annual report on human rights which constitutes a first step, but regrets the disappointing nature of the report’s content which is merely a statement of fact; 11. Sincerely hopes that the next Council report will contain a country-by-country detailed analysis of developments in the human rights situation in the EU and proposes that monitoring systems and strategies be introduced in the future to improve respect for such rights pursuant to Articles 6 and 7 of the EU Treaty; 12. Approves also the holding of the first Human Rights Forum on 30 November and 1 December 1999 and calls for the Council, Commission and Parliament to be closely involved in the next forum in 2000, with due recognition for the leading role which Parliament should play in this field; 13. Welcomes the fact that the protection of human rights in the Council of Europe has been strength- ened in institutional terms with the establishment on 1 November 1998 of a single and permanent human rights court to which any plaintiff may have direct access; 14. Hopes, however, that the new Court of Human Rights, which has experienced a significant increase in the number of applications in 1998 and 1999 and is currently faced with the task of processing more than 6 000 applications, will succeed in resolving this problem and speeding up its proceedings; 15. Welcomes the establishment of a Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, with non- judicial responsibility for promoting human rights education and awareness in the framework of the ECHR, and the appointment to this post of Mr Alvaro Gil-Robles; Deplores the fact that yet again eleven of the fifteen Member States of the European Union are 16. listed in Amnesty International’s Yearbook for 1999 on account of both serious and less serious human rights abuses; II. Human rights developments in the European Union The exercise of civil and political rights 17. Points out that the first corollary of respect for human rights is the guarantee that they can be exercised; accordingly, calls on the Member States to implement the measures needed to guarantee that every individual can exercise his or her civil and political rights and, in particular, to take effective steps to combat all forms of pressure or intimidation employed by organised bands or groups with a view to preventing the peaceful expression of opinions; Calls on Member States to abolish penal measures which are liable to restrict or prohibit the peace- 18. ful exercise of freedom of opinion, organisation and political activity; EXTENSION OF THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO STAND FOR ELECTION Expresses the wish that, in accordance with the EU’s founding democratic principles, Member States 19. will adapt their legislation without delay to extend the right to vote and to stand in municipal and Euro- pean elections to all non-Union citizens resident for more than five years on their territory; PROTECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES 20. Urges Belgium and France to sign and Greece, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal and Sweden to ratify the 1995 European Framework Convention for the protection of national minorities without delay; 21. Urges Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom to sign and Aus- tria, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and Spain to ratify the 1998 European Charter for Regional and Min- ority Languages without delay; 29. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 377/347 Reaffirms in general terms the duty of Member States and of the EU to promote the economic, 22. social and cultural development of national minorities; Thursday 16 March 2000 RESPECT FOR PRIVATE LIFE Recalls that the right to respect for private life, the home and protection of personal data must be 23. legally protected; therefore is concerned about the proliferation of databases; FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND BELIEF 24. Observes that it is not possible for people belonging to the new minorities in the Union (who, on account of immigration, now constitute a substantial population group within European societies) to prac- tise their religion in all Member States and calls on Member States to guarantee the same social and insti- tutional recognition of all these new religious communities within the Union; Calls for the protection of freedom of conscience and the right of conscientious objection to mili- 25. tary service; Calls on Greece to implement fully and rapidly its legislation recognising the right to conscientious 26. objection; Violations committed by public authorities VIOLENCE PERPETRATED BY POLICE AND PRISON PERSONNEL Reiterates its condemnation of acts of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or pun- 27. ishment inflicted on persons arrested or detained by law-enforcement officials or prison staff; Notes that both the United Nations Committee Against Torture and the Council of Europe’s Com- 28. mittee for the Prevention of Torture as well as several NGOs refer once again in their 1998-1999 reports to inhuman and degrading treatment on the part of law-enforcement officials in certain EU Member States; 29. Calls on Ireland to ratify the UN Convention against Torture and Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom to make the necessary declaration under Article 22 of the Convention recognising the United Nations Committee Against Torture as being competent to receive and examine individual complaints; TREATMENT OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS 30. Expresses concern about the all-too-common and unacceptable problems relating to the situation of asylum seekers, including the random barring of access to lawful asylum procedures and about the quasi- systematic practice of detaining of asylum seekers in some Member States, often in intolerable conditions, and the brutal treatment inflicted on them during enforced expulsion, in some cases leading to death; Calls for the strict application by Member States of the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of 31. Refugees, the 1967 Protocol thereto and the principles drawn up by the UNHCR Executive Committee; 32. Calls on Member States to recognise gender persecution; recalls that the Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees does not distinguish among victims of persecution, whether perpetrated by State bodies or by anybody else; 33. Regrets that the European Council meeting in Tampere merely decided on a common approach to asylum procedures at European level instead of opting for a single asylum procedure, and therefore awaits the Commission’s proposal for a single asylum procedure and a uniform status for all who have been granted asylum within the European Union; C 377/348 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 12. 2000 Thursday 16 March 2000 Calls on Member States, in developing a common asylum system, to move beyond minimum levels 34. of harmonisation by adopting high protection standards as the basis for future asylum instruments; Emphasises that, in the absence of harmonisation in the short term, any common approach to 35. asylum procedures in the EU should guarantee respect for the following essential principles: * all asylum seekers should have access to the asylum procedure; * they should have a right to a fair hearing and a suspensory appeal, except in cases in which this is clearly unfounded; * before expelling an asylum seeker towards ‘a safe third country’, Member States should ensure that he or she will be admitted and will not subsequently be expelled; 36. Stresses the need to create a legal basis and provide adequate budgetary resources for the European Fund for Refugees, set up at the initiative of the European Parliament, to ensure that the expense is genu- inely shared among the Member States of the European Union; calls on Member States to ensure that funds are used in a balanced manner for reception, integration and return measures, to the benefit of refugees, asylum-seekers and persons benefiting from complementary protection as well as temporary pro- tection; SHORTCOMINGS OF JUDICIAL SERVICES 37. Is alarmed at the frequent violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by Member States in the field of criminal justice, as pointed out by the European Court of Human Rights; urges, therefore, Member States, and in particular Italy, to take all the necessary measures to limit pre-trial detention as far as possible by speeding up investigations and judicial proceedings and ensuring that each citizen can count on justice being delivered as promptly and fairly as possible; calls on Member States and the Commission, in the context of judicial cooperation, to seek the adoption of a number of European minimum rules on the subject; Considers that, in the cases of detainees or persons under arrest accused of having committed 38. offences outside their own country, the right to prepare their own defence before a court, to submit evi- dence and call witnesses and to authorise translators and interpreters to facilitate their defence, are rights which must be guaranteed in Member States; 39. Calls on the Member States to take measures in the sphere of civil and criminal procedural law, the organisation of and facilities provided for judicial bodies and training and staffing levels in the various areas of the justice system which serve to reduce the time taken by legal proceedings to the reasonable level indicated by the European Court of Human Rights so that citizens’ fundamental rights are respected; Recommends that Member States guarantee the independence of judges and courts from the execu- 40. tive and ensure that appointments to the judiciary are not made on political grounds; FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM Reiterates that terrorism is a violation of human rights and underlines the importance of cooper- 41. ation between the Member States in combating it; Calls on the Council to develop the legislative measures necessary to achieve the maximum coordi- 42. nation in the fight against terrorism and an effective level of protection of the citizens; also urges the Council to approve in the shortest time possible the measures for an appropriate indemnity for the victims of crimes, and in particular the victims of terrorism, in conformity with the guidelines of the Commission communication on crime victims in the European Union * reflexions on standards and action, and with the views expressed by Parliament; 29. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 377/349 Thursday 16 March 2000 Action against social violence CHILDREN’S RIGHTS 43. Notes that, on the tenth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 20 % of children in the EU still suffer from social exclusion, according to a report by Save the Children, and that children’s rights are insufficiently embodied in the laws of the Member States and Community legislation and action programmes; 44. Calls for Member States to make the four general principles on which the Convention is based (i. e. serving the best interests of the child, the child’s development, non-discrimination and the child’s participation in the life of society) the driving force in improving Children’s Rights; Calls on the Member States to strengthen their legislation with a view to improving the protection 45. of children against sexual abuse, physical and psychological violence and any kind of discrimination; 46. Urges Member States not to imprison children who commit offences except as a last resort; Calls on Member States to give extra-territorial jurisdiction to their penal codes protecting children 47. against sexual abuse; Calls on the Intergovernmental Conference explicitly to incorporate the specific rights of children in 48. the future Charter of Fundamental Rights; 49. Considers that the right to family life implies full application of the right to family reunification; EQUAL RIGHTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN 50. Notes that, although policies on the subject have been pursued at European level for many years, there are still fundamental disparities in the employment conditions of men and women, to the detriment of the latter, particularly as regards indirect discrimination; calls on the Commission to take resolute action to produce a European strategy aimed at eliminating the inequality which still persists, which should be done in accordance with Article 141 of the EC Treaty; calls on the Commission to concentrate explicitly on the implementation of the existing directives concerning equal treatment and the approach to excep- tions to the principle of equality; 51. Calls on the Commission to monitor more precisely the national implementation of the equal-treat- ment directives and, where appropriate, to start infringement procedures based on Article 226 of the EC Treaty; Stresses, as a general rule, that equal rights for men and women should be applied in all areas in 52. accordance with the principle of mainstreaming laid down in Article 3(2) of the EC Treaty; Calls on the Member States to step up action to combat forced prostitution and trafficking in 53. human beings aimed at sexual exploitation; 54. Reminds Member States that equality between men and women rests upon the full control of one’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, free of coercion, discrimination and violence, and with the con- comitant access to information and services that this requires; EQUAL RIGHTS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE 55. Notes that disabled people in various degrees are still subject to discrimination across the European Union in many areas: employment, access to goods and services, access to buildings and general accep- tance in some people’s attitudes; C 377/350 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 12. 2000 Thursday 16 March 2000 LIFE STYLES AND TYPES OF RELATIONSHIP 56. Calls on Member States to guarantee one-parent families, unmarried couples and same-sex couples rights equal to those enjoyed by traditional couples and families, particularly as regards tax law, pecuniary rights and social rights; 57. Notes with satisfaction that, in a very large number of Member States, there is growing legal recog- nition for extramarital cohabitation, irrespective of gender; calls on the Member States * if they have not already done so * to amend their legislation recognising registered partnerships of persons of the same sex and assigning them the same rights and obligations as exist for registered partnerships between men and women; calls on those States which have not yet granted legal recognition to amend their legislation to grant legal recognition of extramarital cohabitation, irrespective of gender; considers, therefore, that rapid progress should be made with mutual recognition of the different legally recognised non-marital modes of cohabitation and legal marriages between persons of the same sex in the EU; 58. Notes, however, that European citizens continue to suffer discrimination and disadvantages in their personal and professional life as a result of their sexual orientation; calls therefore on the Member States and the EU institutions concerned to remedy such situations urgently; 59. Deplores the fact that some Member States still have a discriminatory age-of-consent provision for homosexual relations in their criminal codes as well as other forms of discrimination, in particular within the army, although various competent human rights bodies and Parliament itself have condemned these provisions; repeats its demand for such clauses to be repealed; 60. Notes with satisfaction that the United Kingdom is undertaking to change the relevant legislation, but notes with deep concern that Austria continues to apply Article 209 of its Penal Code in persecuting homosexuals; urges Austria once more to repeal this discriminatory provision, and immediately to give amnesty to and to release from prison all persons imprisoned because of this provision; BIOETHICS AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN DIGNITY Considers it essential for ethical standards to be established on the basis of respect for the dignity of 61. each human being with regard to biological and medical applications; 62. Recalls that, according to the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine and the additional protocol, every individual has a right to his genetic identity and that human cloning is and must remain prohibited; reiterates its call for a European Union ethics committee to be set up to guarantee respect for human dignity with regard to genetic engineering applications; 63. Calls on the Member States to ratify the Convention and the additional protocol as soon as possible; 64. Considers that the right to freedom from discrimination (in health care, insurance, employment or otherwise) on the grounds of an individual’s genetic inheritance or predisposition is paramount and that an individual’s genetic data should only be transmitted to a third party with the prior, informed and written consent of that individual; Protection of economic, social and cultural rights 65. Insists that social and economic rights should be explicitly included among the fundamental rights laid down by the future Charter of Fundamental Rights, including the rights of trade unions as well as the rights of individuals vis-à-vis trade unions; calls for priority to be assigned to promoting literacy, as this is an important element in combating exclusion; this should apply both to children and to adults without distinction, as the right to education is a fundamental right; Is concerned about the widespread phenomenon of violence in the workplace, ranging from harass- 66. ment and unwelcome intimate approaches to serious physical violence; 29. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 377/351 Thursday 16 March 2000 67. Notes that there are still 15,5 million unemployed persons in the EU in 1999, accounting for 9 % of the working population, and approximately 40 million people living under the poverty line, and that poverty and the resulting exclusion are unworthy of a democratic and developed society; calls for recogni- tion of the right of the poorest sections of the population to assist and form associations with one another; considers that those who take part in voluntary work through an association should not be penalised financially, as happens in certain Member States where militancy through membership of associations is subject to authorisation or is penalised; Calls, therefore, for the right to a decent standard of living (i. e. to adequate social protection * and 68. hence safeguards against serious financial poverty * housing, adequate health care and proper education) to be explicitly included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights; Urges the Member States to implement a proactive strategy against extreme poverty which affects in 69. particular unemployed persons, women, the homeless, those without shelter and illegal immigrants and is a discredit to our societies; this strategy must be based on effective access for all to all fundamental rights and should be planned, implemented and assessed in cooperation with the population groups concerned; Human rights situation in the applicant countries Recalls that the Copenhagen European Council clearly indicated that ‘membership requires that the 70. candidate country has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities’; 71. Welcomes the fact that, according to the latest report drawn up by the Commission (October 1999), the efforts made by candidate countries in the field of human rights are considered, on the whole, to be positive, that in particular the human rights situation in Slovakia, especially the position of the Hungarian minority, has improved and that the death penalty has been abolished in several more coun- tries; 72. Regrets, however, the report’s findings that: * despite some progress, respect for human rights and minority rights in Turkey is still extremely unsa- tisfactory, * in Romania, the government has not yet succeeded in providing adequate assistance to the over 100 000 orphans in childcare institutions, * in many applicant countries as many as 80 % of the Roma people, who continue to suffer social and economic discrimination, are unemployed, their children being isolated in their own educational sys- tems if they are not out in the streets; Considers that the next Commission reports on progress by the applicant countries with regard to 73. human rights ought to devote greater and more systematic attention to: * the rights of women, as there are many indications that in the absence of an adequate compensatory policy the current reforms are disproportionately placing women at a disadvantage; * the lack, in many applicant countries, of adequate legislation or policy to tackle the sexual abuse and violence to which many children are subjected; * the rights of conscientious objectors in the applicant countries; 74. Calls for the protection of human rights and respect for minorities in applicant countries not only to continue to be screened but also to be seen as a genuine priority during the negotiations currently taking place with candidate countries and, if necessary, to be made a strict precondition for the continua- tion of existing financial programmes for those countries; Notes that Turkey has acquired the status of a candidate country, but stresses that accession nego- 75. tiations cannot take place until the Copenhagen criteria concerning human rights have been fulfilled; C 377/352 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 12. 2000 Thursday 16 March 2000 76. Calls on candidate countries to ratify all the Council of Europe Conventions on human rights and calls on Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania and Romania to remove from their penal codes all laws which entail discrimination against lesbians and homosexuals; States that the European Union will reject the accession of any applicant country which, either in its 77. legislation or in its practice, fails to guarantee respect for human rights; III. Means of strengthening protection of human rights in the EU 1. A European human rights policy 78. Stresses, in view of the above remarks and the progress required to improve the human rights situation in the EU, that the EU’s very credibility in this area before the international community is depen- dent on proper respect for human rights and the rule of law within the Union and its institutions; 79. Hopes that the concrete measures mentioned in part IV of the Vienna Declaration of 10 December 1998 aimed at closer co-ordination between Member States’ human rights policies may also apply within the Union; 80. Reaffirms its commitment to drawing up a European Charter of Fundamental Rights, based on the constitutional traditions of the Member States and the fundamental rights guaranteed by the 1950 Euro- pean Convention, as well as by later Conventions and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and various other sources; 81. Considers it essential that the future Charter of Fundamental Rights be made legally binding and enforceable with a view to its effective application; believes that this Charter will fulfil its task well if it establishes a level of protection of citizens’ rights greater than that provided for by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; 82. Considers that, in view of the new legal context resulting from the Treaty of Amsterdam, the forth- coming prospect of a European Charter of Fundamental Rights and the establishment of a European area of freedom, security and justice, the EU’s approach to human rights should not be limited to reporting and applying sanctions on a case-by-case basis but should form part of a genuine European human rights policy, applicable to all European Union Member States; 83. Welcomes, in this connection, the Commission’s proposals for anti-discrimination legislation under Article 13 of the EC Treaty to combat various forms of discrimination in everyday life and at work, includ- ing its proposals to tackle discrimination on grounds of race or ethnic origin; Calls for the setting up of a European independent supervisory body responsible for monitoring 84. effectively the protection of personal data and the right to private life as envisaged in Article 286 of the EC Treaty; Considers it therefore essential that the Commission be provided with appropriate budgetary 85. resources to establish the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice in Europe within the next five years; 86. Stresses the importance of involving NGOs in the protection of human rights, which depends on proper financing and well-functioning cooperation with the Commission and, as far as the candidate coun- tries are concerned, with the Council of Europe, the UN and the OSCE; 2. Effective justiciability of human rights 87. Underlines the need to establish a clear hierarchy of legal rules and a proper definition and delimi- tation of the powers of the Court of Justice of the European Communities, the Court of Human Rights and the national courts, in order to prevent different legal standards from being applied; 29. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 377/353 Thursday 16 March 2000 88. Urges Member States to give the EU legal personality to enable it to accede to the ECHR; 89. Stresses the importance of strengthening judicial cooperation and calls on the Member States to adopt appropriate provisions to bring previous judicial cooperation agreements within the Community framework, in particular with regard to notification and recognition of judicial and extrajudicial acts, in order to guarantee that European citizens can rely on a properly functioning judicial system in the Union; Urges the Member States which do not fully participate in this to do so in order to secure the same 90. rights for their citizens; 91. Underlines the important role played by the Committee on Petitions in upholding citizens’ rights and in contributing to the implementation of Community law over a period of many years and calls on the Council to attend and participate fully in all its meetings where citizens’ petitions are considered, especially in cases of serious infringements of Community law by Member States; Considers that the role of the Council’s annual report on human rights should be made clearer and 92. that it should include a European analysis of human rights developments, including rights for national minorities, in the various Member States and a definition of strategies to enable national and European policies in this field to evolve with a view to improving their coherence; 93. Urges the Member States to ratify the Convention establishing an International Criminal Court as soon as possible and to take all the necessary measures to ensure that, in the near future, perpetrators of crimes against humanity can under no circumstances benefit from impunity within the EU; 94. Believes that the European Union should consider establishing an independent European Human Rights Agency, as was suggested at the European Council meeting in Cologne; calls, however, on the Commission to consider the feasibility of actually establishing such an agency or extending the scope of the existing European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia; 95. Suggests that such an agency would carry out a systematic monitoring of the human rights situa- tion within the Union as well as evaluating the mainstreaming of human rights into all areas of EU policy; 3. Education and information Emphasises the unique role of education in promoting a spirit of tolerance and calls on the Member 96. States and the European Union to promote projects aimed at improving the teaching of civics; 97. Welcomes the important contributions made by NGOs in the fields of tolerance and international understanding through intercultural activities, educational exchange programmes etc. ; 98. Urges the Member States to step up the training of law-enforcement officials and prison personnel in respect for human rights and conflict management and proposes that the future European Police Acad- emy, which the Tampere European Council decided to set up, be responsible for this major aspect of training; 4. The Wider Context 99. Stresses that improving the human rights situation, securing the rights of minorities, eliminating discrimination and combating violence, exclusion and poverty should be seen in the much wider context of the European objectives of economic and social cohesion and promotion of sustainable growth, as set out in Article 2 of the EC Treaty; 100. Emphasises the dangers posed to respect for human rights, the fight against racism and xenopho- bia and democracy in general by the existence of extremist parties and groupings and the ideology they propagate and calls on the EU institutions to display greater vigilance; C 377/354 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 12. 2000 Thursday 16 March 2000 101. Hopes that the next European Parliament report will be based on uncontentious and objectively verifiable criteria, such as the exact state of, and arrangements for, enforcement of rights recognised in each country’s national legislation as enforceable at law, failures to respect these rights as indicated by judgments handed down by the courts of each country, and a breakdown, Member State by Member State, of any adverse judgments given by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg; this report should be based also on the work of UN bodies supervising international human rights conventions; * * * 102. ments and parliaments of the Member States and the candidate countries. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the govern- 9. Western Sahara B5-0246, 0253, 0262, 0272 and 0278/2000 European Parliament resolution on Western Sahara The European Parliament, * having regard to its previous resolutions on Western Sahara, in particular its resolution of 14 January 1999 (1) and its recommendation to the Council of 10 March 1998 (2), * having regard to the most recent developments towards self-determination in Western Sahara, * having regard to the statement by the Presidency of 21 June 1999 on behalf of the European Union, * having regard to the United Nations Security Council resolutions 1204 of 30 October 1998, 1215 of 17 December 1998, 1282 of 14 December 1999 and 1292 of 29 February 2000, A. whereas peace, stability and the prospects for economic integration and development in the Maghreb region depend in large measure on a speedy and just settlement of the conflict in Western Sahara based on international resolutions, B. believing in this regard that the full implementation of the UN peace plan, which provides for the holding of a referendum on self-determination, remains the appropriate means of bringing peace to that area, C. welcoming the efforts made to this end by the United Nations and, more specifically by Minurso, to identify eligible voters for this referendum, in spite of the significant obstacles which remain in this regard, D. concerned at the constant postponement of the referendum on self-determination, which threatens stability, security and peace in the Maghreb region, E. F. stressing the importance of the 1997 Houston Agreements as an effective means of implementing the United Nations peace plan, underlining the need for the European Union to support the United Nations in its mission to organise a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara, G. whereas the European Union must support the United Nations and the mediating role of Mr James Baker in his function as special envoy of the Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, for Western Sahara and must continue to supply humanitarian aid to the Saharawi refugee population, (1) OJ C 104, 14. 4. 1999, p. 112. (2) OJ C 104, 6. 4. 1998, p. 29