25.3.2010   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 76/54

A.

whereas a clear definition of the common interests of the EU is essential in order to attain the goals of the EU’s external action and in particular those of its CFSP,

B.

whereas whenever the EU has spoken with one voice it has enjoyed substantial authority, achieved tangible results and exercised considerable influence on the course of events, an influence commensurate with its economic power,

C.

whereas the CFSP, which now relies on a wide range of consolidated operational tools, is entering a new stage, marked by an increased emphasis on strategic thinking and clearly prioritised action,

D.

whereas, in order to improve the effectiveness and consistency of its action on a global stage, the EU needs, first and foremost, the foreign policy tools provided for by the Lisbon Treaty; whereas, none the less, all the practical possibilities offered by the current Treaties, coupled with a strong common political will, should be used to strengthen the institutional coherence of the EU’s external action,

E.

whereas the Council and the Commission have already taken initiatives towards promoting greater synergy and consistency between themselves; whereas Parliament should therefore undertake similar efforts to avoid internal fragmentation in the area of external relations,

1.

Reiterates that the CFSP must be underpinned and guided by the values which the EU and its Member States cherish, notably democracy, the rule of law and respect for the dignity of the human person, for human rights and for fundamental freedoms, as well as the promotion of peace and effective multilateralism;

2.

Underlines that the EU must use the CFSP to fight for the common interests of its citizens, including their right to live in peace and security in a clean environment and to have diversified access to vital resources such as energy;

3.

Strongly believes that the EU can make an impact only if it speaks with one voice, if it is equipped with appropriate instruments, if it further strengthens its cooperation with the UN, and if it is granted the robust democratic legitimacy which results from informed scrutiny by both the European Parliament and national parliaments acting at their respective levels and in accordance with their own mandates; believes in this respect that members of the committees on foreign affairs and defence of national parliaments should be invited by the European Parliament to meet it regularly in order to scrutinise, on the basis of appropriate analytical tools and methodologies, the main developments in the CFSP; takes the view that fresh efforts should be made to raise the awareness of EU citizens with regard to the CFSP;

4.

Is also of the opinion that Parliament’s structures and organisation should be reviewed in order to pool together and better exploit all expertise in matters relating to CFSP, so as to provide a more effective and coherent contribution to the development of a more strategic and democratic CFSP;

5.

Regrets the fact that the CFSP budget is seriously under-funded and recalls that, in order to be credible and respond to the expectations of EU citizens, the CFSP must be allocated resources commensurate with its objectives and specific targets;

6.

Welcomes the regular holding of CFSP consultation meetings between Parliament and the Presidency of the Council as provided for by the above-mentioned Interinstitutional Agreement; stresses, nevertheless, that these meetings should be understood as an opportunity to exchange views on the forthcoming needs, on the intended actions in the field of CFSP and on medium and long-term strategies of the EU in third countries;

7.

Would welcome more information from the Council on the activities financed by the Council’s budget or via the ATHENA mechanism, and particularly on how the appropriations concerned complement the funds for CFSP actions under the EU budget;

8.

Requests that the CFSP budget be fully transparent to the budgetary and discharge authority; reiterates its concerns about the practice of carrying over unspent appropriations under the CFSP chapter, and calls on the Commission to inform Parliament in due time about internal transfers, especially since most of the CFSP missions concerned, not least the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia or the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) in Kosovo, are of a sensitive political nature and address well publicised crises;

9.

Notes with satisfaction that, for the first time, the Council’s report systematically refers to the resolutions adopted by Parliament; regrets, however, that the Council does not engage in a substantive dialogue on the views advanced by Parliament, nor does it refer to those resolutions in operational documents such as joint actions or common positions;

10.

Is of the opinion that, rather than content itself with providing an exhaustive catalogue of the activities carried out, the Council’s annual report should provide the opportunity to establish a dialogue with Parliament aimed at developing a more strategic approach to the CFSP, based on the identification of the main challenges, and defining priorities and objectives for future action;

11.

Therefore urges the Council to reconsider the general rationale and the specific format of the report in order to ensure that it includes an in-depth assessment of the EU’s policy towards third countries or regional blocs and the EU’s response to humanitarian and security crises, as well as specific proposals for future action;

12.

Believes that the coming months will provide a unique opportunity for the EU to work out a new transatlantic agenda with the new US administration, covering strategic issues of common concern, such as a new, more inclusive and more effective global governance based on stronger multilateral organisations, the financial crisis, the establishment of a new set of Euro-Atlantic institutions and of a deep and comprehensive transatlantic market, measures to tackle climate change, energy security, the promotion of a durable peace in the Middle East, the situation in Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, the fight against terrorism and organised crime, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and the Millennium Development Goals;

13.

Believes that the CFSP should continue to focus on upholding human rights, on promoting peace and security in Europe’s neighbourhood and at global level, on support for effective multilateralism and respect for international law, on the fight against terrorism, on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and disarmament, and on climate change and energy security, since these issues constitute the greatest challenges to our planet and hence directly relate to the concerns of European citizens;

14.

In relation to the kidnapping and murder of hostages by Islamic terrorists, underlines the need for enhanced cooperation and coordination of anti-terrorist policy as between EU Member States, the US and NATO, aiming in particular at improving the effectiveness of rescue operations launched with a view to saving hostages’ lives;

15.

Calls on the Council to pursue with determination the recommendations made by Parliament for the development of a common European external energy policy, in particular by promoting EU cohesion in negotiations with energy suppliers and transit countries and defending EU common interests, by developing effective energy diplomacy and more efficient mechanisms for responding to crisis situations and, finally, by ensuring the diversification of energy supplies, sustainable energy use and the development of renewable energy sources;

16.

Welcomes the fact that the current revision of the ESS takes into account new security challenges, such as energy security, climate change and cyber-security, and aims at improving the quality of implementation of the strategy itself; notes in this context the debate initiated by the Council, the European Parliament and Member States’ national parliaments on the future of European security; emphasises that, far from pursuing a radically new architecture, those discussions, involving the EU, Russia, the USA and non-EU member states of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, should build on the achievements and values of the EU, as expressed in Article 11 of the Treaty on European Union and embodied by the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of Paris;

17.

Believes also that the war in Georgia confirms the need for further development, within the framework of the revision of the ESS, of EU preventive diplomacy, matched by adequate crisis-prevention tools, including the Instrument for Stability, contingency planning and reliable long-term funding, and the need to make full use of the EU’s capabilities and experience in managing disasters and crises;

18.

Recalls that the consolidation of the post-status Kosovo is essential for the achievement of stability in the Western Balkans; welcomes, therefore, the consensus reached in the UN Security Council on 26 November 2008, which has allowed the deployment of EULEX throughout Kosovo, and urges the Council, in cooperation with the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), to achieve a clear working relationship and a smooth handover between the two missions in the area of the rule of law; calls on EULEX to deliver quick results in the area of the fight against organised crime and the prosecution of those accused of war crimes; furthermore, expresses its support for the work of the EU Special Representative in Kosovo and encourages him to continue to implement his mandate and to promote a spirit of pragmatic cooperation between the authorities in Priština and those in Belgrade, for the benefit of the Serb communities living in Kosovo;

19.

Reasserts that the EU’s objective in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) remains to ensure a stable, peaceful and multi-ethnic country irreversibly on track to EU membership; encourages BiH’s political leaders to implement the agreement reached on 8 November 2008 in order to rapidly address the remaining objectives and conditions set by the Peace Implementation Council for the transition from the Office of the High Representative to the EU Special Representative’s office by mid-2009; expresses its concern at the possible disengagement on the part of the international community from BiH; believes in fact that the end of international involvement can only take place in full agreement with the BiH authorities and once BiH finally becomes a stable state with well-functioning institutions;

20.

Reiterates its conviction that incentives for European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries to conduct reforms need to be strengthened, and takes the view that the recent crisis in the South Caucasus has clearly demonstrated the need for a stronger EU presence in its eastern neighbourhood; therefore supports the approach pursued by the Commission in its communication of 3 December 2008 on an Eastern Partnership (COM(2008)0823), which aims at establishing a comprehensive and deep free trade area, the progressive removal of all obstacles to the free movement of persons (including, eventually, visa-free travel) and cooperation in all aspects of security, especially energy security; is of the opinion that the Eastern Partnership and the Black Sea Cooperation should reinforce each other, thus creating an area of peace, security, stability and respect for territorial integrity; takes the view that the partnership should be matched by a doubling of EU financial assistance and by a strong political dimension of which EURONEST, the proposed joint parliamentary assembly comprising Members of the European Parliament and of the parliaments of the neighbourhood, should be an integral part;

21.

Supports the Council’s decision to re-engage with the authorities of Belarus, whilst continuing the dialogue with all democratic forces in the country, provided the Belarusian authorities respond positively to this offer by making tangible progress in terms of respect for democratic values, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms; is of the opinion that, on this basis, a step-by-step cooperation based on strict conditionality should be developed, thus gradually involving Belarus in the Eastern Partnership; urges the Council and the Commission to take effective steps without any further delay in order to facilitate visa procedures for Belarusian citizens, including the lowering of costs for their entry into the Schengen Area;

22.

Commends the French Presidency of the Council for ensuring that the EU has played a key role in bringing an end to the war in Georgia; calls on the EU, and in particular on its Special Representative for the crisis in Georgia, to uphold the principle of Georgia’s territorial integrity and respect for minorities, whilst endeavouring to reach a settlement which provides for efficient mechanisms for the safe return of internally displaced persons and refugees and for effective monitoring of the region’s security;

23.

Urges the Council to insist on full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and to ensure that EU monitors are granted full access to all areas affected by the conflict, in compliance with the EUMM’s mandate; attaches great importance to being regularly and fully informed about the reports drawn up by the EUMM;

24.

Is of the opinion that the EU should closely monitor, and commit itself to contributing to the resolution of, other potential conflicts in this part of the European neighbourhood, including by establishing contacts and opening channels of communications with all relevant regional actors; emphasises in this respect that close cooperation with Turkey should be established;

25.

Believes that the EU’s partnership with Russia must be based on a coherent strategy and a clear commitment by both sides to acting in a manner which fully respects international law and their bilateral and multilateral agreements; in line with the Presidency conclusions of the European Council of 1 September and 15-16 October 2008, underlines that Russia must comply with the commitments it entered into under the agreements of 12 August and 8 September 2008; is convinced, therefore, that Russia’s agreement to allow international observers to monitor the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia and its full compliance with the terms of the 6-point plan are necessary for the normalisation of EU-Russia relations; also takes the view that no strategic partnership is possible if the values of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law are not fully shared and respected; calls on the Council to place those values at the core of the ongoing negotiations for a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Russia;

26.

Regrets the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East and the heavy toll in civilian lives caused by the armed conflict in the Gaza Strip, compounded by the lack of substantial progress in the peace process; warns of the expiry of the deadline agreed at the 2007 Annapolis Conference and is convinced of the added value that strengthened transatlantic cooperation can bring to the Annapolis process; believes that the EU should assume a strong and visible political role in the region, commensurate with the financial resources it has made available, in particular to address the dramatic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip; calls on the Council to pursue its efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, in compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1860 (2009), so as to allow the start of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people, in coordination with other regional actors; urges the Council to consider all means to promote a lasting peace in the region, including the deployment of an ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy) mission;

27.

Welcomes the Council’s intention to renew the mandate of the EU Police Mission in the Palestinian Territories, and believes that more robust support for the development of the rule of law and policing capacity is still required; furthermore, takes note of the decision by the Council to extend the mandate of the EU Border Assistance Mission in Rafah and its determination and readiness to reactivate that mission; believes that this determination should result in concrete initiatives to restore freedom of movement in the Palestinian territories;

28.

Is satisfied with the progress achieved at the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Summit in Marseilles on 3 and 4 November 2008 in further defining the institutional framework of the Union for the Mediterranean; is of the opinion that human rights, peace, security and development concerns in the Mediterranean region cannot be pursued in isolation; stresses that political and cultural dialogue, economic relations, management of migration flows, environmental policies and security – including the fight against terrorism – must all form a substantive part of the Euro-Mediterranean agenda; calls on the Council and the Commission to include a significant and appropriate role for Turkey in the Union for the Mediterranean; considers it essential for the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly to be integrated into the structure of the Union for the Mediterranean in order to provide its parliamentary dimension;

29.

Believes that the EU should strengthen its engagement with Iraq and, in cooperation with the Iraqi Government and the UN, should support the process of developing democratic institutions, the rule of law and respect for human rights as well as fostering the reconciliation process not only within Iraq but also as between Iraq and its neighbours; welcomes the extension of the EU Integrated Rule of Law Mission for Iraq (EUJUST LEX) and the progress made in preparing the first ever trade and cooperation agreement between the EU and Iraq;

30.

Calls on the EU to develop a more effective and comprehensive relationship with Iran which, besides dealing with the nuclear issue, should also cover trade and energy cooperation, regional stability and, last but not least, good governance and respect for human rights;

31.

Considers that the EU should promote a new approach to Afghanistan and should coordinate with the new US administration with a view to opening the door to negotiations between the Afghan Government and those elements that are willing to accept the constitution and relinquish violence; notes that assistance should focus more on the rule of law, good governance, the provision of basic services (with particular attention being paid to health) and economic and rural development, including through the promotion of real alternatives to opium production;

32.

Is concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan; reiterates the urgent need to overcome institutional obstacles and improve cooperation between the EU and NATO in order to facilitate the operation of the EU Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL); believes that the EU and the USA should better coordinate their respective initiatives in the area of police reform; welcomes the commitment by the Member States to increasing the number of EUPOL staff and calls for their swift deployment; is convinced that the success of the operation is of great importance for the future of the transatlantic alliance and that, with this in mind, all Member States should make a greater commitment to stability in Afghanistan;

33.

Calls on the Council to widen the agenda with Africa, to cover a broader range of policies than is currently the case, and to make it a priority for EU external action;

34.

Believes that EU support for the UN in eastern Chad remains important, as part of a region-wide solution for Darfur; notes that European Union Force Chad (EUFOR Chad) will wind down as planned and hand over its operations to a UN-led mission; calls on the Council to facilitate a smooth transition and to consider, in a coordinated fashion, how the EU can assist the currently overstretched UN Department for Peacekeeping Operations in the deployment of the UN mission;

35.

Is gravely concerned by the dire humanitarian situation in Somalia; calls on the EU to consider how it can assist the UN, in close coordination with the African Union, in expeditiously tackling this security, political and humanitarian challenge; draws attention to the growing threats from piracy off the Somali coast and welcomes, in this regard, the decision taken by the EU to launch a maritime ESDP operation;

36.

Is concerned by the stepping-up of violence and conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which could result in a major humanitarian crisis; calls on all the parties, including government troops, to cease the indiscriminate violence and violations of human rights involving the civilian population, to re-engage in the peace negotiations launched in Goma and Nairobi and to endorse the programme adopted by the DRC National Assembly; believes that the EU’s engagement in the DRC must go beyond the technical assistance provided by the EU Security Sector Reform Mission (EUSEC RD Congo) and the EU Police Mission (EUPOL RD Congo) and must result in the provision of tangible support to the UN peacekeeping mission, which has so far proved unable to stop the violence;

37.

Welcomes the significant reduction of tension in the Taiwan Straits area and the ongoing dialogue between Beijing and Taipei concerning bilateral interactions and Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations; strongly supports the Council’s declaration of 19 September 2008, which reiterates its support for Taiwan’s participation in specialised multilateral forums including the grant of observer status where Taiwan’s membership is not possible;

38.

Takes note of the fact that EU-China economic relations have experienced steady growth and that people-to-people contacts have grown in scope and scale; at the same time, remains gravely concerned by the lack of willingness on the part of the Chinese authorities to tackle numerous human rights violations and to ensure that the people enjoy basic rights and freedoms; in this context, expresses its profound disappointment over the reasons given for the decision of the Chinese authorities to postpone the 11th EU-China summit; notes that a new EU-China summit is planned for the first half of 2009 and hopes that on that occasion progress can be made in all areas of cooperation;

39.

Deplores the decision of the Chinese authorities to end the talks with the representatives of the Dalai Lama, and reminds them of undertakings given after the tragic events of March 2008 before the Olympic Games; once again calls on the Council to appoint a special envoy for Tibetan issues in order to follow the situation closely and to facilitate the resumption of dialogue between the parties;

40.

Recalls the proposal made in its resolution of 15 November 2001 on a global partnership and a common strategy for relations between the European Union and Latin America (6), subsequently repeated in its resolutions of 27 April 2006 (7) and 24 April 2008 (8), adopted with a view to the EU-LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) summits held in, respectively, Vienna and Lima, to draw up a Euro-Latin American Charter for Peace and Security which, on the basis of the UN Charter, would allow for joint political, strategic and security-related actions and initiatives; calls on the Council and the Commission to take active steps to realise this ambitious goal;

41.

Welcomes efforts leading to the conclusion of bi-regional association agreements with Latin America, the first agreements of this kind to be concluded by the EU;

42.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary General of NATO, the Chairman-in-office of the OSCE, the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.