               9.3.2016

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 93/186

         P7_TA(2013)0382
   EU policy towards Belarus
   European Parliament recommendation of 12 September 2013 to the Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service on EU Policy towards Belarus (2013/2036(INI))
   (2016/C 093/30)

      The European Parliament,

               —

               having regard to its resolution of 26 October 2012 on the situation in Belarus after the parliamentary elections of 23 September 2012 (1),

               —

               having regard to its resolution of 29 March 2012 on the situation in Belarus (2),

               —

               having regard to its resolution of 12 May 2011 on Belarus (3),

               —

               having regard to its resolution of 20 January 2011 on the situation in Belarus (4),

               —

               having regard to its resolution of 12 September 2012 on the Annual Report from the Council to the European Parliament on the Common Foreign and Security Policy (5),

               —

               having regard to its resolution of 14 December 2011 on the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy (6),

               —

               having regard to the Resolution of the Conference of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum of 1 June 2013,

               —

               having regard to its resolution of 7 April 2011 on the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy — Eastern Dimension (7),

               —

               having regard to the Prague Declaration of the Eastern Partnership 2009 summit,

               —

               having regard to the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council of 15 October 2012 and to the Council Regulation (EU) No 1014/2012 of 6 November 2012 on restrictive measures in respect of Belarus (8),

               —

               having regard to Rule 97 of its Rules of Procedure,

               —

               having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A7-0261/2013),

               A.

               whereas since 1994 no free and fair elections in Belarus have been conducted under electoral legislation in line with international standards;

               B.

               whereas the principle of separation of powers was virtually abolished by the constitutional reform of 1996, and the political opposition has not been represented since in political institutions and has not been able to participate in the formulation and implementation of the political course of the country;

               C.

               whereas over the same period human rights and fundamental freedoms have been systematically and massively violated with regard, in particular, to freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly;

               D.

               whereas in 1997 the European Council suspended the ratification of the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement and froze the Interim Trade Agreement, therefore EU-Belarus relations remain regulated by the 1989 Trade and Co-operation Agreement;

               E.

               whereas in 2008-2010, EU-Belarus relations had gained some momentum when Belarus showed willingness to develop constructive relations with the EU, and a certain movement towards improved conditions for activities of civil society, opposition and free press was observed; however, the brutal crackdown following the 2010 presidential elections and tightening of repressive policy, such as the arrest of presidential candidates followed by mass arrests, politically motivated criminal cases against representatives of the opposition, and a wave of repression against human rights defenders and independent media, led to a significant deterioration of these relations;

               F.

               whereas Belarusian authorities, rejecting calls for compliance with internationally accepted democratic standards by the EU, lead the policy of self-isolation, imposing it on the Belarusian people;

               G.

               whereas the European Parliament does not recognise the legitimacy of the Belarusian parliament; in the past decade, only one official delegation of the European Parliament visited Belarus in 2010;

               H.

               whereas 70 % of the Belarusian population desire change in the country; however, part of it perceives that substantial changes would initially lead to a deterioration in standards of living (9);

               I.

               whereas democratic transformation could probably be more likely if reformist parts of the elites currently ruling would engage in reforms; however, major catalysts should come from civil society organisations and private business;

               J.

               whereas the establishment of a consistent political dialogue with Belarusian authorities under the above-mentioned condition should result in involving civil society and opposition in the multi-stakeholder dialogue and implementation of the reforms;

               K.

               whereas the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius could become yet another important opportunity for the conditional and gradual improvement of EU-Belarus relations, as long as all political prisoners are released and politically rehabilitated;

               L.

               whereas, as a consequence, EU restrictive measures have been reviewed and extended (currently imposed on 242 persons and 30 entities), while the Belarusian authorities continue to ban some politicians, officials, including representatives of international organisations, journalists and civil society representatives from entering the country;

               M.

               whereas further efforts towards a unified strategy and action plan could be helpful in achieving the political opposition’s goals; whereas concrete measures such as joint lists for the local elections in 2014, the drafting of a common political programme, or presentation of a single candidate for the presidential election in 2015 are positive developments in that regard;

               N.

               whereas the European Dialogue on Modernisation with Belarusian society launched in 2012 has had a positive impact on starting a constructive debate in Belarusian society on necessary reforms in the country and on awareness about the EU; however, further development of the concept, purpose, strategy, adequate funding and management structure of this Dialogue, as well as its better coordination with the Eastern Partnership initiatives, are necessary;

               O.

               whereas the National Platform of the Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership is an important and reliable partner and a unique communication channel to the Belarusian people for the EU;

               P.

               whereas there are still political prisoners in Belarus (10), including Ales Bialatski, human rights defender and Sakharov Prize nominee, who endured severe psychological and physical torture including death threats, unjustified transfers, unsatisfactory health care provision and deprivation of the right to meet family members; the release and political rehabilitation of all political prisoners, as well as the progress of Belarus in fulfilling its international commitments and respecting fundamental human rights, the rule of law and democratic freedoms, remain the principal conditions for the normalisation of EU-Belarus relations;

               Q.

               whereas the decrease in the absolute number of politically motivated arrests (down from 868 in 2011 to 235 in 2012, as reported by the Viasna Human Rights Centre) could be attributed to the atmosphere of repressions and intimidation;

               R.

               whereas recent restrictive legislative amendments have led to the further repression of civil society, including human rights defenders, independent media and defence lawyers; whereas the general situation with respect to human rights and fundamental freedoms is deplorable and remains a great concern, as highlighted in the 2013 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus; whereas the immunity shown by the Belarusian authorities to appeals made by the international community contributes to the further worsening of relations with the EU and contributes to the progressive self-isolation of Belarus;

               S.

               whereas in 2012 the Belarusian authorities introduced legislative changes that grant the KGB wide-ranging powers to use coercive measures freely; whereas under the new law, the security services may enter apartments and arrest and detain both Belarusian citizens and diplomats and representatives of international institutions protected by immunity without restriction; whereas this law also contains a provision freeing KGB agents of all legal responsibility for injuries suffered at their hands; whereas the Belarusian special forces have been given wide-ranging powers to break up demonstrations;

               T.

               whereas in late 2011 changes were introduced to the Law on Mass Actions, according to which holding mass protests could result in criminal liability for public disorder; whereas the organisers of mass protests are obliged to provide the authorities with information on the sources of their funding;

               U.

               whereas in 2011, the receipt of foreign grants became a criminal act, and the definition of treason was broadened, thereby making it possible for the authorities to use criminal law to crack down on organisations and individuals receiving funding from abroad or taking part in international events;

               V.

               whereas in 2012, the Ministry of Justice of Belarus denied registration to 19 NGOs and two political parties while members of unregistered organisations are continuously intimidated, harassed and persecuted in Belarus;

               W.

               whereas Belarus is the only European country applying capital punishment; execution dates are unknown to the families of the convicted and the public, the body is not given for burial to the relatives, and the place of burial is not communicated;

               X.

               whereas in 2012 two persons were executed despite the judicial process not having met the criteria of a fair trial; whereas in 2012 no death penalty sentence was announced after a long period, but new sentences were, however, declared in 2013;

               Y.

               whereas the situation in Belarus can be characterised by a lack of trust in the judiciary, due to its insufficient independence and politically motivated decisions;

               Z.

               whereas Belarus is the only country among the Eastern Partnership countries where an official human rights institution has not yet been established;

               AA.

               whereas censorship is a serious political issue in Belarus;

               AB.

               whereas, according to the 2013 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters without Borders, Belarus moved up to the 157th position from the 168th out of 179 countries, however it still remains in the lowest position among the Eastern Partnership countries (Azerbaijan (156), Ukraine (126), Georgia (100), Armenia (74), Moldova (55));

               AC.

               whereas access to independent TV and radio channels, as well as print media, is currently poor with state media dominating access to information;

               AD.

               whereas the situation of media freedom in Belarus is unacceptable, in particular due to the harassment of journalists banned from leaving the country, restrictive laws on broadcasting and internet freedom, and selective justice towards independent journalists, as demonstrated by three criminal cases that were initiated during summer 2012;

               AE.

               whereas in 2012 at least 15 activists and journalists were banned from leaving Belarus on the basis of false assertions;

               AF.

               whereas more than half of Belarusian citizens have internet access; electronic media present new possibilities of wider access for independent media, although there are some opposition websites which have been blocked in governmental and educational institutions;

               AG.

               whereas Belarus ranks 50th according to the newest UN Human Development Index 2012, compared to Russia (55) and the Eastern Partnership countries (Georgia (72), Ukraine (78), Azerbaijan (82), Armenia (87), Moldova (113));

               AH.

               whereas one of the main reasons for a certain social stability in the country has been the social benefits system, whereby people profit and in return, choose to be politically inactive; 65 % of Belarusians receive state support in various forms, such as pensions, scholarships, unemployment benefits, etc;

               AI.

               whereas a low unemployment rate can be artificially achieved through subsidies for state-owned companies which generate about 70 % of GDP and employ 50 % of the workforce;

               AJ.

               whereas the Belarusian Government attempts to attract foreign investment — it has a skilled workforce, a privatisation programme, six Free Economic Zones and a high technologies park — however, systematic state intervention is evident in the private sector;

               AK.

               whereas until now the Belarusian authorities have expressed their geopolitical interest in further economic integration with Russia, creating the Eurasian customs and economic union; at the same time the vast majority of all direct foreign investment in Belarus in recent years is of Russian origin; according to experts, around 700 000 Belarusians have emigrated to work to Russia, mostly to Moscow and St. Petersburg in recent decades;

               AL.

               whereas signals both from the EU and Belarus on the recommencement of Belarus WTO accession negotiations are observed, especially in the context of Russia’s accession to the WTO;

               AM.

               whereas the recent polls conducted in the framework of the EU Neighbourhood Barometer project suggest that over 50 % of the Belarusian population believe that the EU should increase its role in the areas of economic development, trade and regional cooperation with Belarus;

               AN.

               whereas the programme of modernisation recently declared by Belarus authorities is, according to experts, mostly directed at upgrading the basic industrial infrastructure while more substantial economic reforms and a transparent business environment are needed in the country, along with reduced government control in all business sectors;

               AO.

               whereas, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 by Transparency International, Belarus ranks 123 out of 176 countries and territories in comparison with Ukraine (144), Azerbaijan (139), Russia (133), Armenia (105), Moldova (94), and Georgia (51);

               AP.

               whereas Belarus recently acceded to the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption mechanism Greco and became a member of Greta, the mechanism to combat human trafficking;

               AQ.

               whereas Belarus is covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy but, in view of the political situation, no action plan is yet in place;

               AR.

               whereas assistance for Belarus is currently granted under the Country Strategy Paper 2007-2013;

               AS.

               whereas EUR 33,4 million euro were allocated in the 2007-2013 financial perspective for the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) cross-border cooperation projects between Belarus and its neighbouring countries, while around 60 municipalities currently participate in 50 joint cross-border cooperation projects between Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus;

               AT.

               whereas currently only 20 Belarusian experts participate in various ENPI projects in comparison to 120 in 2008;

               AU.

               whereas the Belarusian authorities actively take part in expert meetings in the framework of the multilateral track of the Eastern Partnership, in particular in cross-border cooperation projects;

               AV.

               whereas 58 cities and municipalities in Poland, 47 in Lithuania and 30 in Latvia maintain fruitful cooperation with their partner cities and municipalities in Belarus, while the ‘Nemunas-Neman-Niemen’ Euroregion which unites Lithuania, Poland and Kaliningrad with Belarus in common project implementation could be seen as a good practice example;

               AW.

               whereas Belarusians have been obtaining the greatest number of Schengen visas per capita in the world in recent years; however, they have to spend much more money, and in many cases also time and effort in order to obtain a visa, compared with citizens of other Eastern Partnership countries or Russia;

               1.

               Addresses the following recommendations to the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP), the EEAS, the Council, the Commission and the Member States: that they should:

                           (a)

                           urge the Belarusian authorities to respect human rights and work towards a democratic transition in order to end the country’s self-imposed isolation from the rest of Europe;

                           (b)

                           reiterate that an absolute prerequisite for any progress in bilateral relations, which could lead to the gradual lifting of EU restrictive measures and unlock EU-Belarus relations, is the unconditional and immediate release and rehabilitation of the political and civic rights of all remaining political prisoners;

                     On political dialogue

                           (c)

                           take advantage of Lithuania’s Presidency and the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius as a further important opportunity to improve relations with Belarus, as soon as all political prisoners have been released, in order to restart the political dialogue on, inter alia, democratic reforms, free and fair elections, respect for the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and engagement with opposition and civil society, provided that the Belarusian authorities demonstrate respect for these fundamental values;

                           (d)

                           take note of the release from prison of Dzmitry Dashkevich and Aliaksandr Franskevich, in August and September 2013 respectively, but deplore the fact that these former political prisoners only regained their freedom once they had served their full prison sentences;

                           (e)

                           make best use of the temporary and conditional suspension of the incumbent foreign minister from the EU visa ban list with a view to broadening the main and essential diplomatic communication channel with Belarus, in particular with a view to facilitating his participation in the Eastern Partnership summit; first and foremost for a meaningful dialogue on the release of political prisoners; nevertheless, to stay firm on the visa ban and asset freeze targeting those directly involved in violating democratic election standards and human rights;

                           (f)

                           carry out an in-depth evaluation of the current EU restrictive measures against Belarusian officials and entities with the view, if needed, to improve their effectiveness and adapt their scope, nature and validity reacting to developments in the country and in its relations with the EU;

                           (g)

                           prepare a strategic ‘roadmap’, inspired by the Joint Interim Plan and based on the ‘more for more’ principle, including priority areas for reforms in Belarus for the improvement of relations and effective cooperation within the framework of the ENP, provided that concrete steps towards democratic reforms are taken;

                           (h)

                           as soon as the elections are recognised by international organisations as free and fair, consult the European Parliament on the inclusion of new proposals concerning inter-parliamentary relations, both bilaterally and within the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, while maintaining EU support to Belarusian democratic forces and civil society;

                           (i)

                           ensure, in line with Article 24 TEU, the support of the Member States for the EU’s position on Belarus and the compliance of their bilateral relations with the EU’s actions; emphasise that a firm commitment by all EU Member States as well as other democratic countries to act in a united manner may foster the successful promotion of universal democratic values and reforms in Belarus;

                           (j)

                           encourage dialogue with the officials who were not personally involved in repression, in order to enhance EU-Belarus cooperation; contribute to their interaction with Belarusian civil society, with a view, ultimately, to facilitate reforms;

                           (k)

                           encourage wider civil society, including trade unions and business representatives, as well as the political opposition, to increase their involvement in the Dialogue on Modernisation; on the basis of the recommendations drawn up by the National Platform of the Civil Society Forum, organise open public consultations on its concept, purpose, strategy and management structure; further support the Dialogue through necessary financial assistance and expertise, and reinforce the communication campaign on its content and expected outcome;

                           (l)

                           ensure that any participation by the authorities in the Dialogue on Modernisation, alongside and on an equal basis with democratic opposition and civil society, is conducted in full respect of democratic principles, with the view of developing a competitive economy and fostering democratic reforms, as well as a pluralistic society and the rule of law;

                           (m)

                           assert that civil society remains a crucial actor in political dialogue with the EU in encouraging democratic change in Belarus and, therefore, support the idea of creating a civil society conference in Vilnius in anticipation of the third Eastern Partnership summit;

                           (n)

                           make full use of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) with a view to supporting key actors working on democracy and human rights issues in Belarus, focusing on those who have had difficulty accessing traditional EU support;

                           (o)

                           urge Russia and Eastern Partnership countries to call upon Belarus to release immediately and unconditionally, and politically rehabilitate all political prisoners and to restrain from any further politically motivated harassment;

                           (p)

                           ensure that EU and Member State representatives visiting Belarus maintain regular contact with representatives of civil society and of the opposition, in order to guarantee balanced participation by all parties in the processes concerning EU-Belarus relations;

                           (q)

                           envisage all available policy options with the view of encouraging Belarus to:

                                       —

                                       implement fully Electoral Code reforms on the basis of Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) recommendations so as to establish a pluralistic political system based on free and fair elections, where policy ideas would emerge from genuine political competition among political parties as a constitutive element of democracy;

                                       —

                                       allow the re-opening of the closed OSCE office in Minsk;

                                       —

                                       lift any obstacles and restrictions to the exercise of freedoms of association, expression, movement, peaceful assembly and thought for the democratic opposition, civil society organisations and NGOs, including the removal of any obstacles to registration, and the fully-fledged functioning and reception of technical assistance for international development; reform the provisions of its Criminal Code on participation in unregistered organisations;

                                       —

                                       introduce the necessary institutional changes to ensure independence of the judiciary, in line with the recommendations by the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, as well as an independence of lawyers by amending and effectively applying the Law on the Legal Profession;

                                       —

                                       not implement the execution of those sentenced to death in 2013, and introduce a moratorium on followed by the abolition of the death penalty;

                                       —

                                       implement the decisions on the individual cases of the UN Human Rights Committee and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the recommendations made by the UN Committee against Torture in 2011 with the view of stopping inhuman and degrading treatment;

                                       —

                                       fully cooperate with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus to address the serious concerns expressed in his report of April 2013 and, as a first step, grant him entry into the country;

                                       —

                                       fully modernise the penitentiary system and step up cooperation with the Council of Europe, first of all by signing the European Convention on the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, granting the Committee for the Prevention of Torture regular access to places of detention, in particular those of political prisoners and human rights defenders; allow access for representatives of other relevant international and national organisations, diplomats, civil society groups, as well as members of families of political prisoners to Belarusian prisons;

                                       —

                                       establish an independent and fully functional national human rights institution that could take the form of an ombudsman;

                                       —

                                       guarantee equal opportunities and equal rights for, and the inclusion and non-discrimination of, all national minorities, ensure the normalisation of the Union of Poles’ situation in Belarus; end the marginalisation of the Roma minority, make progress in respecting religious rights and freedoms, as well as in the non-discrimination of LGBT citizens;

                           (r)

                           with regard to the effective freedom of and access to media, take the following actions: urge Belarus to lift accreditation restrictions for journalists and restrictions on the use of satellite television, intensify EU financial and technical assistance to all types of independent media (within and outside the country) in order to ensure their sustainable functioning and potential wider access to them; provide assistance aimed at completing the application of the European aid programmes, developing joint projects and consortia with international press agencies and foreign media;

                     On economic and energy cooperation

                           (s)

                           seek a constructive EU-Belarus technical dialogue on macroeconomic developments and financial issues to achieve a credible commitment by Belarus on macroeconomic and structural reforms including the privatisation of state-owned enterprises, price, trade and banking system liberalisation, the development of an appropriate social safety net, and the fight against corruption;

                           (t)

                           further emphasise that the above reforms, provided that the key political prerequisites are fulfilled, are vital to the economic development of Belarus, would facilitate European investment and international loans, could send a positive signal for removing existing obstacles to WTO negotiations and would, therefore, enable further integration into the world economy;

                           (u)

                           offer technical assistance to create a favourable business environment with the view of establishing a level playing field, security of investment and equal opportunities for all companies, and especially SMEs;

                           (v)

                           engage further with Belarus on employment issues, including human capital and skills development matching labour market demand;

                           (w)

                           encourage Belarus to implement International Labour Organisation (ILO) recommendations, in particular concerning the freedom of association, registration and activities of independent trade unions; urge Belarus to amend its legislation with the view of guaranteeing that workers can freely and without any restrictions quit their jobs both in the public and private sector;

                           (x)

                           call on Belarus to enforce the highest international safety standards and a truly independent environmental impact assessment for the construction and operation of all power plants, optimising expertise and financing from all available international instruments in full compliance with existing international legislation such as the Espoo Convention and the Aarhus Convention and following the commitment of 23 June 2011 to undertake comprehensive risk and safety assessments (stress tests), taking into account the specifications agreed by the European Commission and the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group;

                           (y)

                           assist in developing the diversification of energy resources and supply routes in Belarus and share EU best practices in carrying out international and regional ‘green economy’ projects, with support for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources;

                           (z)

                           promote further regional cooperation with Belarus including through Eastern Partnership sectoral initiatives, in particular in terms of trade, energy, environment and transportation; encourage the best practice of bilateral economic forums whilst also aiming for more capacity-building of non-state actors, as well as the promotion of good governance and public administration reform;

                           (aa)

                           continue to provide technical and health assistance to the population affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster;

                           (ab)

                           encourage Belarus to explore and develop unconventional energy sources;

                     On border management

                           (ac)

                           strengthen EU-Belarus cooperation on border management and the fight against cross-border crime and in particular assist Belarus in developing its transit system, modernising customs and border control procedures and fully implementing the EU Integrated Border Management concept;

                           (ad)

                           ensure unrestricted entry and travel across Belarus for EU diplomats and politicians;

                           (ae)

                           provide, in mutual interest, further training for the Belarus border management agency in line with the Schengen acquis;

                           (af)

                           consider providing appropriate technical assistance to be used for introducing up-to-date border control systems and modern infrastructure on the EU side;

                           (ag)

                           provide the relevant Belarusian services with adequate training on EU best practices in the introduction of biometric passports;

                           (ah)

                           launch an EU-Belarus Mobility Partnership and encourage Belarus to take an active role in the Eastern Partnership Panel on Migration and Asylum;

                           (ai)

                           encourage collaboration between Belarus and the United nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United nations Children’s Education Fund (Unicef) in order to support programmes meant to combat human trafficking;

                     On civil society and people-to-people contacts

                           (aj)

                           increase the share of projects with greater benefit to and visibility for the population at large, which would foster citizens’ understanding of EU values, standards and policies and stress the advantages of its model and expertise; to promote, in this respect, the opportunity offered by the Civil Society Forum, in particular in view of its upcoming meeting in Chisinau in October this year;

                           (ak)

                           systematically and uncompromisingly oppose any disinformation and misleading information by the Belarusian authorities on EU policies and projects by releasing and spreading all necessary information (data, figures, legislation);

                           (al)

                           intensify technical and financial support, also through the new European Endowment for Democracy, to civil society organisations, independent NGOs, human rights defenders and trade unions based in Belarus, or those in the Member States that have a key impact in Belarus; more actively engage civil society in the implementation, monitoring and assessment of EU funded projects; also significantly upgrade the communication and dissemination of EU information in order to develop citizens’ understanding of the EU’s approach to fundamental rights and freedoms and the need for social and economic progress;

                           (am)

                           support organisations working to promote democracy and human rights, not only those based in Belarus, but also those based abroad, given that the Belarusian authorities consistently deny such organisations the possibility of registration; revise as a matter of urgency the latest new rules on applying for EU funding under the EIDHR/NSLA instrument, which in practice exclude well-known and respected Belarusian NGOs from the application process;

                           (an)

                           request that the Belarusian authorities implement Decision A/HRC/WGAD/2012/39 of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on the case of human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, which found in particular that the detention of Mr Bialiatski, President of the Viasna Human Rights Centre and International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Vice-President, was arbitrary, ‘being in contravention of Article 20, paragraph 1, of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights’ (ICCPR);

                           (ao)

                           urge Belarus to extend a standing invitation to all UN Special Procedures and invite the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders to visit the country;

                           (ap)

                           oblige the Belarusian authorities to remove criminal liability for the receipt of foreign grants and to allow organisations to keep funds in foreign bank accounts;

                           (aq)

                           consider unilaterally facilitating the issuing of visas and reducing their cost from EUR 60 to an affordable level for Belarusian citizens, and making full use of the existing flexibilities offered by the Visa Code, including the waiver or reduction of fees for short-stay visas, in particular for young people, to facilitate and intensify people-to-people interaction and help prevent further isolation of Belarusian citizens; also consider unilaterally reducing or waiving the visa fees for long-stay visas with the long time goal of a visa free regime;

                           (ar)

                           call on the Belarusian authorities to start negotiations with the EU on visa facilitation and readmission agreements with the long-term view of a visa-free regime to promote person-to-person contact and take urgent measures on implementing local border traffic agreements with Poland and Lithuania;

                           (as)

                           encourage the cooperation between cities and municipalities in the EU and Belarus using the good practice examples of some EU countries, especially Poland, Lithuania and Latvia;

                           (at)

                           seek to provide more education and research opportunities in the EU for Belarusians in the fields of higher, informal and adult education; initiate and support an internship programme for young Belarusian professionals in EU institutions and other international organisations; further support the European Humanities University, develop and support education and vocational programmes within Belarus; secure adequate and lasting funding for the Erasmus Mundus programme for Belarusian students;

                           (au)

                           actively seek opportunities to engage with Belarus in a dialogue on implementing profound reforms of its higher education system in order to develop, in particular, academic freedom, institutional autonomy and student participation with the aim of eventually joining the European Higher Education Area (the Bologna Process).

                           (av)

                           calls on the International Ice Hockey Federation to seriously reconsider its decision to allow Belarus to host the 2014 Ice Hockey World Championship;

               2.

               Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP), the EEAS, the Council, the Commission and the Member States.

      (1)  Texts adopted, P7_TA(2012)0410.

      (2)  Texts adopted, P7_TA(2012)0112.

      (3)  OJ C 377 E, 7.12.2012, p. 162.

      (4)  OJ C 136 E, 11.5.2012, p. 57.

      (5)  Texts adopted, P7_TA(2012)0334.

      (6)  OJ C 168 E, 14.6.2013, p. 26.

      (7)  OJ C 296 E, 2.10.2012, p. 105.

      (8)  OJ L 307, 7.11.2012, p. 1.

      (9)  Data from Independent Institute of Socio-economic Studies, April 2013.

      (10)  The list of political prisoners also includes Mikalai Statkevich, Pavel Seviarynets, Eduard Lobau, Mikalay Antukhovich, Mikalay Dziadok and Ihar Alienevich.


title: P6_TA(2007)0482#EU-Serbia relations#European Parliament recommendation to the Council of 25 October 2007 on relations between the European Union and Serbia (2007/2126(INI))

text:
C 263 E/626                                      Official Journal of the European Union                         EN         16.10.2008
Thursday 25 October 2007
            2.    Takes the view that, in the draft Special Measure for Iraq for 2007, the Commission exceeds the
            implementing powers laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 by selecting as one of the areas of
            intervention a ‘Feasibility Study for the Akkas Gas Field’, the overall objective of which is ‘to study the
            conditions for exploration of the Akkas Gas Field in western Iraq in view of linking its output to the Syrian
            gas pipeline network’, and further ‘to integrate this project if possible in the workings of the Euro-Arab
            Mashreq Gas Market Project’; points out that ‘the study will take into consideration the future interest of
            the Mashreq neighbours and of the EU in integrating the output of the wells into the Euro-Mashreq gas
            market’, and that ‘this integration will open a large potential market for the Akkas fields' production and
            allow a first integration of the Iraq natural gas with the regional and European market’, and therefore
            considers that this objective is not in compliance with Article 2(1) and (4) of Regulation (EC)
            No 1905/2006, in that the primary objective of the proposed Special Measures is not the eradication of
            poverty and in that the stated objectives do not fulfil the criteria for ODA established by the OECD/DAC;
            3.    Calls on the Commission to withdraw or amend its draft decision establishing Special Measure for
            Iraq, and to submit to the DCI management committee a new draft decision fully complying with the
            provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006;
            4.    Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, the representatives of
            the Member States in the DCI management committee, and to the parliaments and governments of the
            Member States.
            P6_TA(2007)0482
            EU-Serbia relations
            European Parliament recommendation to the Council of 25 October 2007 on relations between the
                                            European Union and Serbia (2007/2126(INI))
            The European Parliament,
            — having regard to the proposal for a recommendation to the Council by Jelko Kacin on behalf of the
                 ALDE Group on relations between the European Union and Serbia (B6-0202/2007),
            — having regard to its resolution of 29 September 2005 on the defence of multi-ethnicity in Vojvodina (1),
            — having regard to the report of 2 March 2005 on the fact-finding mission by its ad hoc delegation to
                 Vojvodina and Belgrade,
            — having regard to the establishment of the Republic of Serbia as the successor to the State Union of
                 Serbia and Montenegro following a referendum in Montenegro on 21 May 2006 in which indepen-
                 dence was favoured,
            — having regard to the new Serbian constitution adopted by popular referendum on 28-29 October
                 2006,
            — having regard to the Commission's 2006 Progress Report on Serbia of 8 November 2006
                 (SEC(2006)1389),
            (1) OJ C 227 E, 21.9.2006, p. 620.
 ---pagebreak--- 16.10.2008      EN                           Official Journal of the European Union                                     C 263 E/627
                                                                                Thursday 25 October 2007
           — having regard to Serbia's accession to NATO's Partnership for Peace on 14 December 2006,
           — having regard to the outcome of the Serbian parliamentary elections on 21 January 2007,
           — having regard to the judgment of 26 February 2007 by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the
              case of Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro,
           — having regard to the Council of Europe's Venice Commission Opinion No 405/2006 on the Constitu-
              tion of Serbia, of 19 March 2007,
           — having regard to the formation of a new government in Belgrade on 15 May 2007,
           — having regard to the five key objectives of the new Serbian government, presented on 15 May 2007,
           — having regard to the resumption of the negotiations on an EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association
              Agreement (SAA) on 13 June 2007,
           — having regard to the conclusions on the Western Balkans of the General Affairs Council of 12 February
              and 18 June 2007,
           — having regard to the report of 18 June 2007 presented by the Chief Prosecutor of the International
              Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to the United Nations Security Council concerning
              Serbia's cooperation with the ICTY,
           — having regard to the exchange of views with the ICTY Chief Prosecutor at the meeting of Parliament's
              Committee on Foreign Affairs of 26 June 2007,
           — having regard to the agreement between the EU and Serbia for the proper enforcement of property
              rights with a view to achieving both political and economic stability,
           — having regard to Rule 114(3) and Rule 90 of its Rules of Procedure,
           — having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A6-0325/2007),
           A. whereas the future of Serbia lies in the European Union,
           B. whereas Serbia is an important factor for stability and prosperity in the region, with the prospect of EU
              membership providing a major incentive to reform,
           C. whereas Serbia is a signatory of the Central European Free Trade Association (CEFTA) and has recently
              completed the technical negotiations relating to the SAA; whereas Serbia's accession to the WTO may
              be concluded before 2008,
           D. whereas seventy per cent of those Serbs who voted are in favour of EU membership and two thirds of
              citizens voted for parties belonging to the democratic camp,
           E. whereas Serbia has a new government which is pro-European and pro-reform,
           F. whereas Serbia's successful resumption of the SAA negotiations could serve as a further example of the
              positive changes in the Western Balkans, influenced, inter alia, by the EU,
 ---pagebreak--- C 263 E/628                                       Official Journal of the European Union                              EN        16.10.2008
Thursday 25 October 2007
            G. whereas genuine efforts have been and should continue to be made to overcome the divisions and
                 attitudes of the past to promote a European future for the citizens of Serbia,
            H. whereas in 2006 the Serbian economy showed strong growth (around 5,8 %) and a growing volume of
                 foreign direct investment; whereas, however, concerns remain regarding the current account deficit,
                 which continues to grow, and the high unemployment rate (around 20,9 % in 2006),
            I.   whereas corruption remains a serious problem in Serbia, and whereas on Transparency International's
                 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index, Serbia had an average score of 3,0 (on a scale ranging from 0
                 ‘highly corrupt’ to 10 ‘highly clean’),
            J.   whereas two of the six fugitive war crimes indictees wanted by the ICTY have recently been arrested
                 and transferred to The Hague and four remain at large, including Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić,
            K. whereas the Serbian public is not sufficiently informed about the extent of the crimes committed in the
                 recent wars, most notably in Srebrenica,
            L.   whereas the wars in Yugoslavia have profoundly altered the social fabric of Serbia and have prompted,
                 inter alia, the emigration of large numbers of the political and intellectual elite and the influx of refugees
                 and internally displaced persons (IDPs), together with the return of the veterans traumatised by the
                 violence of the 1990s,
            M. whereas the disintegration of Yugoslavia had devastating consequences in terms of loss of life and
                 human suffering, thereby making inter-ethnic reconciliation a factor of paramount importance in secur-
                 ing stability in the region,
            1.     Believes that Serbia deserves special commendation for the peaceful resolution of a series of difficult
            challenges over the past year, including the dissolution of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, fair
            and free parliamentary elections and the formation of a new government with a pro-European engagement;
            2.     Welcomes the completion of technical negotiations on an SAA between the Serbian Government and
            the EU after a 13-month break; encourages both parties to make all the necessary arrangements in order to
            avoid technical delays prior to signature of the SAA, so that the signature can take place before the end of
            2007; regards the signature of the SAA as an important step in the road towards EU accession;
            3.     Welcomes the Serbian Government's desire to cooperate with the ICTY, which opens the way to
            further cooperation with the EU;
            4.     Takes note of the briefing presented by the Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY, Carla Del Ponte, to the
            General Affairs and External Relations Council of the EU, meeting in Luxembourg on 15 October 2007;
            calls on Serbia to resolve the still open issues concerning full cooperation with the ICTY in connection with
            the forthcoming visit of Ms Del Ponte to Belgrade; calls on the Commission, once those issues have been
            resolved, to initial the SAA without further delay;
            5.     Congratulates Serbia on its recent progress in cooperating with the ICTY, which has made it possible
            for the SAA negotiations to be resumed and for the ICTY's Chief Prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, to give a
            positive assessment regarding Serbia's cooperation with the Tribunal; welcomes the arrest and transfer to
            The Hague of Zdravko Tolimir and Vlastimir Đorđević, the assurance of Prime Minister Koštunica to Carla
            Del Ponte that ‘more arrests are likely’ (including ex-Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladić), and the creation of
            new structures aimed at centralising all activities to apprehend fugitives, including improved transparency of
            the National Security Council; welcomes the cooperation between the authorities of Serbia, Bosnia-Herze-
            govina and Montenegro in facilitating the recent transfers to The Hague;
 ---pagebreak--- 16.10.2008        EN                            Official Journal of the European Union                                      C 263 E/629
                                                                                Thursday 25 October 2007
           6.     Reminds Serbia that signature of the SAA is conditional upon full cooperation with the ICTY, and that
           this should lead to the arrest and transfer of all remaining indictees, whilst noting that the recent arrests
           prove that the Serbian authorities are able to find and apprehend indicted war criminals; stresses that full
           cooperation with the ICTY is not only an international obligation but also a key step towards achieving
           lasting reconciliation in the region; to this end, calls on the Serbian parliament to fulfil its commitments
           arising from the abovementioned ICJ judgment and to adopt a declaration denouncing the genocide in
           Srebrenica;
           7.     Believes, given the timetable for closure of the ICTY, which currently envisages the conclusion of trials
           by 2008, that it would be necessary to consider extending the mandate of the ICTY were indicted war
           criminals to be arrested after that date;
           8.     Notes that the compromise agreement reached at the Brussels European Council of 21 and 22 June
           2007 paves the way for a renewed legal basis for the European Union by 2009, creating the necessary
           institutional setting for future enlargements and enabling the EU and Serbia dynamically to conduct the
           accession process on the basis of Serbia's development and merits;
           9.     Takes the view that resolving the issue of the status of Kosovo will both consolidate stability in the
           Western Balkans and facilitate the integration of the region into the European Union;
           10.     Is pleased to note that Serbia has made significant economic progress since 2000, with an average
           annual growth rate of 5 %; notes, however, that according to the IMF's assessment, this has not translated
           into a reduction in poverty or in the high unemployment rate (which is over 20 %); believes that tackling
           these problems represents a core challenge for the new government; therefore calls on the Serbian govern-
           ment to make a firmer commitment to employment creation and poverty alleviation and to adopt concrete
           measures aimed at a more balanced economic development in all districts of the country, with particular
           attention being paid to underdeveloped south-eastern and eastern parts of the country;
           11.     Believes that the further development of administrative structures and procedures can increase trust
           in the rule of law, strengthen the market economy and encourage economic growth in Serbia; calls on the
           Serbian authorities to improve the economic climate for foreign investment and transparency in
           trade relationships;
           12.     Is pleased to record that Serbia has a new constitution which includes positive provisions regarding
           human rights; notes, however, that the legal framework for the protection of minorities needs to be
           improved further; is concerned about problematic provisions relating, inter alia, to the procedure for
           appointing, promoting and dismissing judges and prosecutors and the lack of adequate public consultation
           or parliamentary debate during the drafting process; calls on the Serbian authorities to consider enhancing
           the scope of territorial decentralisation, in particular vis-à-vis Vojvodina;
           13.     Emphasises the importance of ensuring that EU assistance is delivered in a manner which takes into
           account the current territorial and administrative structure of Serbia and the ethnic composition and tradi-
           tional economic and cultural relations within the territories concerned, with the full involvement of local
           and regional authorities; calls on the Commission, the Council and its own competent committees to closely
           monitor the organising of NUTS 2 level regions in Serbia;
           14.     Commends Serbia for the greater transparency achieved in the operation of the government and
           parliament and for its good administrative capacity; congratulates Serbia on the adoption of the Law on
           the Budget for 2007 and on the election of an Ombudsman and a Commissioner for Public Information, a
           Governor of the National Bank of Serbia and the members of the Council of the State Audit Institution;
           regrets that the nomination of judges for the Constitutional Court is still pending;
 ---pagebreak--- C 263 E/630                                       Official Journal of the European Union                           EN       16.10.2008
Thursday 25 October 2007
            15.     Strongly believes that a key human rights issue is to find durable solutions for refugees and IDPs,
            especially since Serbia is still hosting a very high number of refugees, mostly from Croatia and partly from
            Bosnia-Herzegovina, and IDPs from Kosovo; deeply regrets that the end-of-2006 deadline for resolving all
            outstanding issues foreseen by the Sarajevo Declaration on the return of refugees and property reparations,
            signed on 31 January 2005 by Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia-Montenegro, has not been met and
            that little progress has been made since;
            16.     Therefore calls on the Serbian Government to pursue its efforts to implement the Sarajevo Declara-
            tion, including by adopting a clear legal framework covering, inter alia, the right to return to the place of
            origin and the right to property compensation; urges the EU, its Member States and the international
            community to remain committed to upholding the rights of refugees, and to provide continuing support
            to the countries in question, including by earmarking sufficient financial resources to that end; emphasises
            that the integration or resettlement of IDPs and refugees should not significantly alter the original ethnic
            balance of an area or region; in this respect, draws attention to the Council of Europe's Framework Con-
            vention of 1 February 1995 on the Protection of Minorities;
            17.     Recognises the progress made in the fight against organised crime and corruption, which has recently
            led to many high-profile arrests, whilst noting that corruption, particularly in the police and the judiciary,
            remains a serious problem and that official investigations into corruption often appear to be politically
            motivated; points out that corruption is a major obstacle to attracting greater foreign investment, and calls
            on the Serbian government to implement a comprehensive anti-corruption strategy; considers it necessary
            to pursue the fight against organised crime;
            18.     Welcomes the completion of the transfer of competencies for state border protection from the army
            to the police as a major step towards meeting EU standards; urges the Council and the Commission to
            further encourage the Serbian government to carry out substantial reform of the police, the security services
            and the army, including measures to provide for greater civilian oversight of the military; considers that the
            reform of the police should take into account the need for minority-language-speaking police forces in
            regions inhabited by large minority populations;
            19.     Believes that promotion of the rule of law and the strict implementation of legal provisions must
            form one of the government's top priorities; welcomes the judicial reform measures taken to date but
            stresses the need for this process to be pursued, particularly in relation to the speed of trials, witness
            protection, the prevention of corruption and the independence of judges; regrets that the Constitutional
            Court is not functioning, and points out that this is not conducive to the development of democracy and
            democratic legislation in Serbia;
            20.     Welcomes the conclusion of the trial for the murder of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić and supports a
            recent initiative by the special prosecution to uncover the political motives behind the assassination;
            21.     Welcomes the work of the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor but regrets that domestic war crimes trials
            are undermined by a lack of transparency and political will to trace back the chain of command responsi-
            bility beyond the immediate perpetrators to those who issued the orders; believes that the sentences
            imposed by the Serbian war crimes court on four members of the paramilitary group, the Scorpions, for
            the execution of six Muslims from Srebrenica did not reflect the heinous nature of the crime; notes that the
            Serbian President indicated his public regret at the short duration of the sentences imposed;
            22.     Believes that the citizens of Serbia are entitled to be told the truth about the recent policies of war
            and genocide committed in their name, and to have knowledge of the perpetrators of war crimes; believes
            that Serbia must honestly confront its recent past in order to progress and that coming to terms with the
            past is an integral part of the road to reconciliation with Serbia's neighbours; calls on the government to re-
            open the Truth and Reconciliation Commission established in 2001, not least in order to promote a posi-
            tive climate in those parts of the country which have been most affected by inter-ethnic conflict; urges the
            Commission to promote initiatives facilitating people-to-people contacts in the region and to allocate a
            greater proportion of funds to this end;
 ---pagebreak--- 16.10.2008        EN                             Official Journal of the European Union                                         C 263 E/631
                                                                                Thursday 25 October 2007
           23.      Welcomes the Serbian President's apology to Croatian citizens for war crimes committed in Serbia's
           name during the recent war; regards that apology as an expression of great political maturity and demo-
           cratic leadership and as concrete evidence of the current government's determination to pursue a policy of
           friendship and cooperation with its neighbouring countries;
           24.      Believes that reconciliation and justice are indispensable for the stability and development of all the
           countries in the region as well as for their integration into the European Union; urges Serbia's neighbouring
           countries to follow this model and to condemn any manifestation of ethnic intolerance and racism which
           takes place in their territories;
           25.      Believes that the EU and its Member States should initiate and support programmes aimed at the
           provision of psycho-social counselling, focused primarily but not exclusively on women and children trau-
           matised by their experiences before and during the war;
           26.      Welcomes the recent cooperation between Belgrade and Priština in searching for missing persons
           from the Kosovo conflict, in particular the recent joint efforts in the district of Raška; calls on the Serbian
           Government to issue a public report on Mačkatica;
           27.      Calls on the Council and the Commission to allocate to the International Commission for Missing
           Persons (ICMP) sufficient financial resources to enable that organisation to complete its work of identifying
           all missing persons in the territory of the former Yugoslavia by 2010; believes that the work of the ICMP
           contributes significantly to the process of truth, justice and reconciliation in the region;
           28.      Notes that, according to a survey conducted by the Strategic Marketing Agency for the Students
           Union of Serbia in 2004, 70 % of Serbian university students have never travelled abroad; welcomes the
           initiatives to provide Serbian students with opportunities to study in EU countries; calls on the Member
           States to seek new ways of promoting interaction with Serbian people;
           29.      Notes that Serbia actively contributes to regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations
           through membership of numerous regional initiatives such as the Stability Pact/Regional Cooperation Coun-
           cil and CEFTA; calls on Serbia to continue to play a responsible role in the region; emphasises that it is in
           Serbia's best interests to develop and maintain good relations with its regional partners, to enhance effective
           trans-border cooperation, fully utilising the potential of the national minorities in the border areas, and to
           participate actively in bilateral, regional and European infrastructural projects; reiterates that the future of all
           countries in the region lies in the EU;
           30.      Encourages the       Serbian    Government       to   promote   good     neighbourly      relations   with
           Bosnia-Herzegovina;
           31.      Urges the Serbian Government to continue the dialogue with its south-east European neighbours on
           border issues, given that territorial demarcations between Serbia and Croatia and between Serbia and
           Bosnia-Herzegovina have yet to be established;
           32.      Commends Serbia on improved inter-ethnic relations, in particular in Vojvodina where there has
           been a reduction in, although not a total cessation of, inter-ethnic incidents; calls on the Serbian authorities
           to take additional measures to promote the development of national minorities in multi-ethnic Vojvodina, to
           promote peaceful coexistence amongst them and to ensure that the police, the judiciary and other state
           bodies act on an ethnically neutral basis and, in order to build the necessary trust amongst the population
           towards those institutions, to ensure that the ethnic composition is adequately reflected in the staff of those
           authorities; further calls on the Serbian authorities to manage carefully any potential influx of refugees in
           order not to disrupt the ethnic, cultural, religious, economic and political balance of the region, with a view
           to ensuring their successful integration into a multicultural environment; emphasises the utmost importance
           of programmes aimed at tolerance-building between the communities, particularly in Vojvodina; is of the
           view that EU funding is also necessary for these programmes;
 ---pagebreak--- C 263 E/632                                       Official Journal of the European Union                           EN        16.10.2008
Thursday 25 October 2007
            33.      Is pleased to note that ethnic Albanian parties from the Preševo Valley participated in the recent
            elections for the first time in a decade and that minorities are represented in both the legislative and execu-
            tive branches of power; believes that Sandžak remains a region of particular concern and calls on the
            government to work with local political actors with a view to devising policies to curb further radicalisation
            and divisions within the community;
            34.      Welcomes the earmarking of funds in the 2007 budget for projects directly linked to the Decade of
            Roma Inclusion; is concerned, however, by the overall lack of a systemic policy approach towards improving
            the lives and living conditions of the Roma, including IDPs and returnees, and by persisting discrimination
            against the Roma community;
            35.      Calls on the Serbian Government to implement in full the National Plans of Action for the imple-
            mentation of the Decade of Roma Inclusion, both financially and institutionally, in order to devise practical
            and sustainable solutions for the Roma community; reminds Serbia that the adoption of comprehensive
            anti-discrimination legislation and the sustainable repatriation of Roma people still living in camps are listed
            amongst the priorities of the European Partnership with Serbia;
            36.      Takes notes of the establishment of an Agency for Human and Minority Rights, directly under the
            Prime Minister, replacing the former State Union Ministry for Human and Minority Rights; calls on the
            Prime Minister to pursue a coherent and active minority policy and to ensure that human and minority
            rights are a priority on the Government's agenda; welcomes the fact that the new Serbian Constitution gives
            a constitutional basis to the National Councils of ethnic minorities and calls for the adoption of new
            legislation to provide better regulation for the status, work, and election of these Councils; looks forward
            to such legislation providing an improved legal framework for the protection of minority rights and the
            integration of all national minorities into state structures;
            37.      Welcomes the adoption of a comprehensive national strategy to combat human trafficking, but urges
            the Serbian Government to be more stringent in prosecuting cases and ensuring that traffickers receive and
            serve prison sentences consistent with the nature of the offence;
            38.      Believes that the transformation of Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) into a public service represents a
            step forward, but draws attention to the lack of public debate surrounding modifications to the Law on
            Broadcasting and shortcomings in the procedure for appointing RTS board members; draws attention also
            to the need to draw up fully democratic rules governing the allocation of radio and television broadcasting
            concessions and providing in particular for the possibility of appealing against decisions of the concession-
            ary authority; deeply regrets that there has been no progress in the resolution of cases involving murders of
            journalists and deplores the recent attempted assassination of a prominent investigative reporter of war
            crimes and organised crime; demands that the relevant authorities find the perpetrators and thoroughly
            investigate the crime;
            39.      Notes the existence of a well-developed NGO sector and welcomes efforts by the authorities to
            consult with the civil sector, in particular the special memorandum of cooperation signed by the Serbian
            Office for European Integration and NGOs and the Council for Relations with Civil Society, established by
            the President of Serbia, and the Foreign Policy Council, established by the Serbian Foreign Minister, as well
            as the inclusion of NGO representatives in the state Council for European Integration, chaired by the Prime
            Minister; calls on the Serbian parliament to adopt legislation to improve the legal situation for civil society
            organisations;
            40.      Condemns the public denigration of civic society actors who criticise the government or draw atten-
            tion to sensitive issues such as war crimes; deplores a recent spate of politically motivated assaults and
            warns of the increasing prevalence of hate speech in the media and politics targeted at human rights
            activists, journalists and politicians;
            41.      Welcomes the signing of the visa facilitation and readmission agreements on 18 September 2007
            and urges the Council to ensure that they enter into force by the end of 2007; welcomes the adoption of
            the Law on Travel Documents and notes that laws on asylum, state borders and foreigners are currently in
 ---pagebreak--- 16.10.2008        EN                            Official Journal of the European Union                                       C 263 E/633
                                                                                Thursday 25 October 2007
           the course of adoption; calls on the Council, with the support of the Commission, to establish a concrete
           roadmap for visa-free movement and to adopt support measures designed to increase travel opportunities
           for a greater proportion of citizens, particularly young people; emphasises the importance of mobility for
           the political and economic development of Serbia, since mobility grants people the opportunity to gain
           first-hand experience of the EU and facilitates Serbia's European integration process; calls for greater parti-
           cipation in life-long learning and cultural exchange projects; invites the Council to consider establishing a
           common system for managing visa applications in such a way as to lighten the burden on the busiest
           consulates and to ensure that applications are processed within reasonable deadlines;
           42.     Takes the view that the reform of the education system is not only an imperative but also the only
           way for Serbia to develop a new system of values for younger generations within the present democratisa-
           tion process;
           43.     Calls on the Council, the Commission and all Member States to make concerted efforts to increase
           EU visibility in Serbia, and urges the Commission to avoid further delay in recruiting staff to its delegation
           office, including experts to manage IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance) funds;
           44.     Calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and its Subcommittee on Human Rights to continue to
           follow the situation in Vojvodina closely, following up the conclusions drawn in the abovementioned report
           of the fact-finding mission by its ad hoc delegation in Vojvodina;
           45.     Calls on the Serbian authorities to adopt, as a matter of urgency, restitution laws in line with those of
           other countries, which provide for real-cost compensation when appropriate, instead of government bonds;
           46.     Calls on the new Member States to play an active role in Serbia's move towards the EU, allowing
           Serbia to benefit from their experience of reforms;
           47.     Calls on the Serbian authorities to continue approximating EU environmental legislation and stan-
           dards and to implement and enforce adopted legislation;
           48.     Welcomes Serbian membership of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technologi-
           cal Development; calls on the Council to increase twinning and technical assistance programmes, in particu-
           lar those targeted at young people;
           49.     Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the Council and, for information, to the
           Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Serbia.
           P6_TA(2007)0483
           EU-Africa relations
           European Parliament resolution of 25 October 2007 on the state of play of EU-Africa relations
                                                            (2007/2002(INI))
           The European Parliament,
           — having regard to the Declaration and the Plan of Action drawn up at the Africa-Europe Summit held in
                 Cairo on 3 and 4 April 2000 under the aegis of the Organisation of African Unity and the EU,
           — having regard to the 2004-2007 Strategic Plan of the Commission of the African Union (AUC),
                 adopted on 7 July 2004 at the third Summit of African Heads of State and Government in Addis
                 Ababa, Ethiopia,


Avis juridique important

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31974H0256

74/256/EEC: Commission Recommendation of 17 April 1974 to the German Government concerning the preliminary drafts of measures implementing Council Regulations (EEC) No 516/72 and (EEC) No 517/72 and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1172/72 (Only the German text is authentic)

Official Journal L 141 , 24/05/1974 P. 0003 - 0003

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION  of 17 April 1974  to the German Government concerning the preliminary drafts of measures implementing Council Regulations (EEC) No 516/72 and (EEC) No 517/72 and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1172/72  (Only the German text is authentic)  (74/256/EEC) By a letter of 17 September 1973, the Permanent Representative of Germany communicated to the Commission preliminary drafts of a Regulation and of general administrative provisions for the implementation of:    - Council Regulation (EEC) No 516/72 (1) of 28 February 1972;       - Council Regulation (EEC) No 517/72 (2) of 28 February 1972;       - Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1172/72 (3) of 26 May 1972.         This communication was by way of consultation of the Commission pursuant to Article 24 of Regulation (EEC) No 516/72 and Article 22 of Regulation (EEC) No 517/72.  As regards Regulation (EEC) No 1172/72, the communication is to be treated as a notification to the Commission, under Article 6 of that Regulation, of the implementing provisions which the German Government proposes to adopt.  Firstly, the Commission notes with regret that the German Government has not observed the time limit set by Article 24 of Regulation (EEC) No 516/72 and by Article 22 of Regulation (EEC) No 517/72 for the adoption of implementing measures for these Regulations. As regards the contents of the preliminary draft regulation and general administrative provisions, the Commission makes the following recommendation:    1. Article 12 of the preliminary draft Regulation specifies the offences against the Community Regulations concerned and by reference to Article 61 (4) of the Law on passenger transport makes them subject to the penalties thereby provided. It omits, however, to include among the offences subject to such penalties failure to provide the notice required under Article 10 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 517/72. The second paragraph of Article 22 of this Regulation expressly obliges Member States to provide for penalties for such failure.  The German Government is therefore recommended to make good this omission.       2. The Commission notes that the other provisions that have been submitted by the German Government satisfy the obligations of Member States under the Community Regulations considered.  Done at Brussels, 17 April 1974.  For the Commission  The President François-Xavier ORTOLI  (1)OJ No L 67, 20.3.1972, p. 13. (2)OJ No L 67, 20.3.1972, p. 19. (3)OJ No L 134, 12.6.1973, p. 1.