—

having regard to the proposal for a Council and Commission Decision (COM(2004)0370 — 14211/2004) (1),

—

having regard to the request for assent submitted by the Council pursuant to Article 300(3), second subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 300(2), first subparagraph, second sentence and Article 310 of the EC Treaty (C6-0028/2005),

—

having regard to Rules 75, 83(7) and 43(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A6-0011/2005),

1.

Gives its assent to the conclusion of the Protocol;

2.

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Republic of Croatia.

—

having regard to the proposal for a Council and Commission Decision (COM(2004)0354 — 9856/2004 — 14025/2004) (1),

—

having regard to the request for assent submitted by the Council pursuant to Article 300(3), second subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 300(2), first subparagraph, second sentence and Article 310 of the EC Treaty (C6-0003/2005),

—

having regard to Rules 75, 83(7) and 43(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A6-0011/2005),

1.

Gives its assent to the conclusion of the Protocol;

2.

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

—

having regard to the proposal for a Council decision (COM(2004)0566) (1),

—

having regard to the request for assent submitted by the Council pursuant to Article 300(3), second subparagraph, in conjunction with Articles 310 and 300(2), first subparagraph of the EC Treaty (C6-0022/2005),

—

having regard to Rules 75, 83(7) and 43(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on International Trade (A6-0007/2005),

1.

Gives its assent to the conclusion of the protocol to the agreement;

2.

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission, and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Republic of Chile.

—

having regard to the Council common position (10458/4/2004 — C6-0140/2004),

—

having regard to its position at first reading (1) on the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2004)0096) (2),

—

having regard to the Commission's amended proposal (COM(2004)0367) (2),

—

having regard to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty,

—

having regard to Rule 62 of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A6-0002/2005),

1.

Approves the common position as amended;

2.

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

(1)

The evolution of the information society and the emergence of broadband will influence the life of every citizen in the European Union by, inter alia, stimulating access to knowledge and new ways of acquiring knowledge, thus increasing the demand for new content, applications and services.

(2)

Internet penetration in the Community is still growing considerably. The opportunities offered by the Internet should be exploited in order to enable every individual and organisation in the Community to enjoy the social and economic benefits of sharing information and knowledge. The stage has now been set in Europe to exploit the potential of digital content.

(3)

The conclusions of the European Council held in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000 stressed that the shift to a digital, knowledge-based economy, prompted by new goods and services, will be a powerful engine for growth, competitiveness and jobs. On that occasion the role of the content industries in creating added value by exploiting and networking European cultural diversity was specifically recognised.

(4)

The eEurope 2005 Action Plan, developing the Lisbon strategy, calls for actions to stimulate the emergence of secure services, applications and content over broadband networks and thus to provide a favourable environment for private investment, for the creation of new jobs, to boost productivity, to modernise public services and to give everyone the opportunity to participate in the global information society.

(5)

The demand for quality digital content in Europe, with balanced access and user rights, by a broad community, be they citizens in society, students, researchers, SMEs and other business users, or people with special needs wishing to augment their knowledge, or ‘re-users’ wishing to exploit digital content resources to create services, is increasingly apparent.

(6)

Digital content stakeholders are content providers (including public and private organisations and institutions that create, collect or own digital content) and content users (including organisations and entreprises that are end-users that re-use and/or add value to digital content). Particular attention should be given to the participation of SMEs.

(7)

The eContent Programme (2001-2004) adopted by Council Decision 2001/48/EC of 22 December 2000 (3) favoured the development and use of European digital content on the Internet and the linguistic diversity of European websites in the information society. The Commission Communication of 10 October 2003 concerning the mid term evaluation the eContent Programme reaffirms the importance of acting in this field.

(8)

Technological advances offer the potential to add value to content in the form of embedded knowledge and to improve interoperability at the service level, which is fundamental to accessing and using and distributing digital content. This is particularly relevant to those areas of public interest to be addressed by this programme.

(9)

Fostering of solid business models will enhance the continuity of the projects initiated under this programme, and will thus improve the conditions for greater economic return from services based on access to, and re-use of, digital content.

(10)

A legislative framework has been defined to deal with the challenges of digital content in the information society (4)  (5)  (6).

(11)

Different practices among Member States continue to pose technical obstacles impeding wide access, use, re-use and exploitation of public sector information in the Community.

(12)

Where the digital content involves personal data, Directives 95/46/EC (7) and 2002/58/EC (8) should be respected and the technologies used should respect and, where possible, enhance privacy.

(13)

Community actions undertaken concerning the content of information should promote the Community's multilingual and multicultural specificity.

(14)

The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (9).

(15)

The Commission should ensure complementarity and synergy with related Community initiatives and programmes, in particular those related to education and culture and to the European Interoperability Framework.

(16)

This Decision lays down, for the entire duration of the programme, a financial framework constituting the prime reference, within the meaning of point 33 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure (10), for the budgetary authority during the annual budgetary procedure.

(17)

Since the objectives of the proposed action, namely aiming at making digital content in Europe more accessible, usable and exploitable, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States due to the transnational character of the issues at stake and can therefore, by reason of the European scope and effects of the actions, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives,

(a)

facilitating at Community level access to digital content,its use and exploitation;

(b)

facilitating improvement of quality and enhancing best practice related to digital content between content providers and users, and across sectors;

(c)

reinforcing cooperation between digital content stakeholders and awareness.

(a)

adoption and modifications of the work programme;

(b)

determination of the criteria and content of calls for proposals, in line with the objectives set out in Article 1;

(c)

assessment of the projects proposed under calls for proposals for Community funding of an estimated amount of Community contribution equal to, or more than, EUR 1 million;

(d)

any departure from the rules set out in Annex II.

—

having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in the Middle East and in particular that of the 23 October 2003 (1),

—

having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 425, 1373 and 1397,

—

having regard to the results of the Palestinian presidential election,

—

having regard to the statement of the European Union Election Observation Mission and the statement of the EP observers' delegation,

—

having regard to the Quartet's ‘Roadmap for Peace’ of 30 April 2003,

—

having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.

whereas the Palestinian presidential election proceeded in a satisfactory manner despite the difficult circumstances due to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories; and whereas it represents a crucial opportunity to renew the peace process and could serve as an example for other elections in the region,

B.

concerned by the impact of the occupation on the elections in terms of restrictions on freedom of movement of both candidates and voters, by the harassment and short-term arrests of some candidates when trying to reach their potential voters in East Jerusalem and by the serious restrictions imposed on Jerusalem residents exercising their right to vote,

C.

whereas the recent terrorist attacks, intended to sabotage the negotiation efforts, have occurred precisely at a time when there is real hope of relaunching the political process; concerned about the consequences of these attacks and retaliation in terms of victims on both sides as well as further restrictions imposed on Palestinians,

1.

Welcomes the success of the first presidential election since 1996 and notably the turnout of voters; pays tribute to the Palestinian people and authorities for the commitment to democracy that they demonstrated despite the occupation, especially that of Palestinian women, who helped secure the electoral operations and participated strongly in the vote;

2.

Considers that the new President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and the other candidates conducted the campaign in a responsible manner under the circumstances, respecting international standards;

3.

Urges Israel, in view of the coming Palestinian legislative elections, to fully respect the internationally recognised right of all East Jerusalem residents to vote and to facilitate the process in a such way that the obstacles observed in the presidential elections are lifted by the time of the legislative elections;

4.

Welcomes the effectiveness of the EU observation mission and calls on the Council and the Commission to prepare another mission for the legislative elections of July 2005 with the aim of supporting pluralism and balanced access to the media for all the candidates and finding ways, in cooperation with the Israeli authorities, to overcome the difficulties faced by the Palestinians living in East Jerusalem;

5.

Notes with concern the resignation of a significant number of members of the Palestinian Central Electoral Commission in protest at the political pressure exerted on election day for the extension of voting time;

6.

Invites the new Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority to recognise the window of opportunity offered by the results of the elections and to relaunch negotiations; calls on the EU to take an urgent initiative, in the framework of the Quartet, and especially vis-à-vis the USA, in accordance with their complementary roles in the peace process, in order to open a new phase of strong mutual cooperation by jointly relaunching their efforts to bring peace to the region;

7.

Calls on the Council, the High Representative for the CFSP and the Commission to fully play their role in the process, to continue assistance to the Palestinian Authority and people and to develop dialogue with Israel, in the framework of the Barcelona Process and the European Neighbourhood Policy, in accordance with the Action Plans already adopted by the Council;

8.

Strongly encourages President Abbas to act upon his willingness to end violence and welcomes the measures taken by President Abbas, as well as his willingness to reform and to reinforce control over the Palestinian security corps and to fully engage in dialogue with all concerned parties; believes that full political support by the USA and the EU, and active cooperation from the Israelis, are essential in order to achieve these goals;

9.

Calls on the Palestinian Authority to recognise the Palestinian people's commitment to democracy and to promote the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, better separation of powers between the legislative and executive arms of government, good governance, including transparent accounting, and the fight against corruption;

10.

Declares once again, at this particular time, that the solution to the Middle East conflict is only possible through the negotiation of a firm and final peace agreement as set out in the Roadmap, which is still valid, without prior conditions, based on the existence of two democratic, sovereign and viable states, living peacefully side by side within secure and recognised borders;

11.

Believes that a lasting peace can only be sustained with a genuine bottom-up approach involving the civil societies of both sides striving for dialogue; calls, in this regard, on the Quartet to make full use of the Geneva Accord as a complement to the Road Map and to facilitate the continuation of the negotiations between these civil societies within this framework;

12.

Condemns all terrorist attacks and any acts of violence from both sides; demands that the armed Palestinian groups refrain from any attacks and reminds them that any form of terror and violence not only causes loss of innocent lives but is also detrimental to the peace process and to the conditions of the civilian population; asks the Israeli Government to refrain from retaliation and put an end to extrajudicial killings;

13.

Calls on the Israeli Government, as a credible first step in the implementation of the Roadmap and the resolutions of the UN Security Council on the path to a lasting peace, to implement the withdrawal from Gaza and other parts of the Occupied Territories, by involving and negotiating with Egypt, the first neighbour to approve this project, as well as the Palestinian authorities under the verification of an international observer mission; calls on the Council to find ways to provide the necessary assistance;

14.

Reiterates its call to the Israeli Government to stop the expansion of settlements, notably in the Jerusalem area, to halt the construction of the wall, and to comply fully with the Fourth Geneva Convention, and thus end the violation of international law;

15.

Confirms the EU's support for the peace process and puts forward a proposal for an an economic development plan which should be monitored by the Union, in order to give the region a solid basis for prosperity and stability;

16.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Legislative Council, the Israeli Government and Knesset, the US Government, the Government of Russian Federation and the UN Secretary-General.

—

having regard to Articles 2, 6, 7 and 29 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 13 of the EC Treaty, which commit the Member States to upholding the highest standards of human rights and nondiscrimination, and to the European Charter of Fundamental Rights,

—

having regard to its previous resolutions on racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism of 27 October 1994 (1), 27 April 1995 (2), 26 October 1995 (3), 30 January 1997 (4) and 16 March 2000 (5), to the report of its Committee of Inquiry into Racism and Xenophobia of 1990 and its Written Declaration of 7 July 2000 on remembrance of the Holocaust (6),

—

having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1035/97 of 2 June 1997 establishing a European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (7) (EUMC) and to the EUMC's various reports on racism in the EU, including ‘Manifestations of Anti-Semitism in the EU 2002-2003’ and ‘Perceptions of Anti-Semitism in the European Union’, both published in March 2004,

—

having regard to the Berlin Declaration of the second OSCE Conference on Anti-Semitism, held in Berlin on 28/29 April 2004, and to the recent appointment by the OSCE of the Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism,

—

having regard to the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust held on 26 to 28 January 2000, which called for increased education on the Holocaust,

—

having regard to the establishment of 27 January 2005 as Holocaust Memorial Day in several EU Member States,

—

having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.

whereas 27 January 2005, the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of Nazi Germany's death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, where a combined total of up to 1,5 million Jews, Roma, Poles, Russians and prisoners of various other nationalities, and homosexuals, were murdered, is not only a major occasion for European citizens to remember and condemn the enormous horror and tragedy of the Holocaust, but also for addressing the disturbing rise in anti-Semitism, and especially anti-semitic incidents, in Europe, and for learning anew the wider lessons about the dangers of victimising people on the basis of race, ethnic origin, religion, social classification, politics or sexual orientation,

B.

whereas Europe must not forget its own history: the concentration and extermination camps built by the Nazis are among the most shameful and painful pages of the history of our continent; whereas the crimes committed at Auschwitz must live on in the memory of future generations, as a warning against genocide of this kind, rooted in contempt for other human beings, hatred, anti-Semitism, racism and totalitarianism,

C.

whereas discrimination on religious and ethnic grounds continues to be practised at various levels, notwithstanding the important measures adopted by the European Union in application of Article 13 of the EC Treaty,

D.

whereas Jews in Europe are experiencing a heightened sense of insecurity as a result of anti-Semitism disseminated on the Internet, manifested in the desecration of synagogues, cemeteries and other religious sites, attacks on Jewish schools and cultural centres, and attacks on Jewish people in Europe, causing numerous injuries,

E.

whereas the Holocaust has been seared on the consciousness of Europe, especially for its murderous hatred of Jews and Roma on the basis of their racial or religious identity, despite which anti-Semitism and racial and religious prejudice continue to pose a very serious threat to their victims and to European and international values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and therefore to overall European and global security,

F.

whereas there needs to be an ongoing dialogue with the media about the way their reporting and commentary can contribute both positively and negatively to the perception and understanding of religious, ethnic and racial issues, and to the presentation of historical truth,

1.

Pays homage to all the victims of the Nazis and is convinced that lasting peace in Europe must be based on remembrance of its history; rejects and condemns revisionist views and denial of the Holocaust as shameful and contrary to historical truth, and expresses concern over the rise of extremist and xenophobic parties and growing public acceptance of their views;

2.

Calls on the institutions of the European Union, the Member States and all European democratic political parties to:

3.

Urges the Council and the Commission, as well as the various levels of local, regional and national government in the Member States, to coordinate their measures to combat anti-Semitism and attacks on minority groups including Roma and third-country nationals in the Member States, in order to uphold the principles of tolerance and non-discrimination and to promote social, economic and political integration;

4.

Is convinced that these efforts should also include the promotion of dialogue and cooperation between the different segments of society at the local and national levels, including dialogue and cooperation between different cultural, ethnic and religious communities;

5.

Reaffirms its conviction that remembrance and education are vital components of the effort to make intolerance, discrimination and racism a thing of the past, and urges the Council, Commission and Member States to strengthen the fight against anti-Semitism and racism through promoting awareness, especially among young people, of the history and lessons of the Holocaust by:

6.

Welcomes the declared intention of the Luxembourg Presidency to restart the stalled discussions on the proposal for a Council Framework Decision on combating Racism and Xenophobia (8), and urges the Council to reach agreement on a ban on incitement to racial and religious hatred throughout the EU while preserving legitimate free speech;

7.

Invites the Commission to start a review of the application of the Racial Equality Directive 2000/43/EC (9) aimed at strengthening European Union anti-discrimination measures and to organise a major conference involving all the actors concerned, in particular political representatives, public institutions at a national, regional and local level, and NGOs and associations active in this field;

8.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and candidate countries.