title: Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/89 of 28 January 2021 amending Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction

text:
               29.1.2021

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 33/1

      COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2021/89
      of 28 January 2021
      amending Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction
      THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
      Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article Article 77(2)(b) and (e) and Article 292, first and second sentence thereof,
      Whereas:

                  (1)

                  On 30 June 2020, the Council adopted a Recommendation on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (1) (‘Council Recommendation’). On 16 July 2020, the Council adopted Recommendation (EU) 2020/1052 of 16 July 2020 amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (2). On 30 July 2020, the Council adopted Recommendation (EU) 2020/1144 of 30 July 2020 amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (3). On 7 August 2020, the Council adopted Recommendation (EU) 2020/1186 of 7 August 2020 amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (4). On 22 October 2020, the Council adopted Recommendation (EU) 2020/1551 of 22 October 2020 amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (5).
                  On 17 December 2020, the Council adopted Recommendation (EU) 2020/2169 of 17 December 2020 amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (6).

                  (2)

                  The Council Recommendation provides that Member States should gradually lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU as from 1 July 2020 in a coordinated manner with regard to the residents of the third countries listed in Annex I to the Council Recommendation. Every two weeks, the list of third countries referred to in Annex I should be reviewed, and as the case may be updated, by the Council, after close consultation with the Commission and the relevant EU agencies and services following an overall assessment based on the methodology, criteria and information referred to in the Council Recommendation.

                  (3)

                  Discussions have since then taken place within the Council, in close consultation with the Commission and the relevant EU agencies and services, on the review of the list of third countries set out in Annex I to the Council Recommendation and in application of the criteria and methodology laid down in the Council Recommendation. As a result of these discussions, the list of third countries set out in Annex I should be amended. In particular, Japan should be deleted from the list.

                  (4)

                  Border control is in the interest not only of the Member State at whose external borders it is carried out but of all Member States which have abolished internal border control. Member States should therefore ensure that measures taken at the external borders are coordinated in order to ensure a well functioning Schengen area. To that end, as of 28 January 2021, Member States should continue lifting the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU in a coordinated manner with regard to the residents of the third countries listed in Annex I of the Council Recommendation as amended by this Recommendation.

                  (5)

                  In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 22 on the Position of Denmark annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the TFEU, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Recommendation and is not bound by it or subject to its application. Given that this Recommendation builds upon the Schengen acquis, Denmark shall, in accordance with Article 4 of the said Protocol, decide within a period of six months after the Council has decided on this Recommendation whether it will implement it.

                  (6)

                  This Recommendation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in which Ireland does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2002/192/EC (7); Ireland is therefore not taking part in its adoption and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

                  (7)

                  As regards Iceland and Norway, this Recommendation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the latter’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A, of Council Decision 1999/437/EC (8).

                  (8)

                  As regards Switzerland, this Recommendation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A, of Decision 1999/437/EC (9) read in conjunction with Article 3 of Council Decision 2008/146/EC (10).

                  (9)

                  As regards Liechtenstein, this Recommendation constitutes a development of provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1 point A, of Decision 1999/437/EC (11) read in conjunction with Article 3 of Decision 2011/350/EU (12),

            HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:
      Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912, as amended by Recommendation (EU) 2020/1052, by Recommendation (EU) 2020/1144, by Recommendation (EU) 2020/1186, by Recommendation (EU) 2020/1551 and by Recommendation (EU) 2020/2169 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction is amended as follows:

                  (1)

                  first paragraph of point 1 of the Council Recommendation is replaced by the following:

                                 ‘1.

                                 As from 28 January 2021, Member States should gradually lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU in a coordinated manner with regard to the residents of the third countries listed in Annex I. ’

                  (2)

                  Annex I to the Recommendation is replaced by the following:

                        ‘ANNEX I
                        Third countries and Special Administrative Regions, whose residents should not be affected by temporary external borders restriction on non-essential travel into the EU:
                        I.   STATES

                                    1.

                                    AUSTRALIA

                                    2.

                                    NEW ZEALAND

                                    3.

                                    RWANDA

                                    4.

                                    SINGAPORE

                                    5.

                                    SOUTH KOREA

                                    6.

                                    THAILAND

                                    7.

                                    CHINA(*)

                              II.   SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

                                    Hong Kong SAR(*)

                                    Macao SAR(*)

                              (*) subject to confirmation of reciprocity

                  ’

         Done at Brussels, 28 January 2021.

               For the Council

               The President

            A. P. ZACARIAS

         (1)  OJ L 208I, 1.7.2020, p. 1.

         (2)  OJ L 230, 17.7.2020, p. 26.

         (3)  OJ L 248, 31.7.2020, p. 26.

         (4)  OJ L 261, 11.8.2020, p. 83.

         (5)  OJ L 354, 26.10.2020, p. 19.

         (6)  OJ L 431, 21.12.2020, p. 75.

         (7)  Council Decision 2002/192/EC of 28 February 2002 concerning Ireland’s request to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20).

         (8)  OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 36.

         (9)  OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 52.

         (10)  Council Decision 2008/146/EC of 28 January 2008 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 1).

         (11)  OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 21.

         (12)  Council Decision 2011/350/EU of 7 March 2011 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis, relating to the abolition of checks at internal borders and movement of persons (OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 19).


               26.3.2021

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 108/126

      P8_TA(2019)0224
      EU-Uzbekistan comprehensive agreement
      European Parliament recommendation of 26 March 2019 to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the new comprehensive agreement between the EU and Uzbekistan (2018/2236(INI))
      (2021/C 108/12)

         The European Parliament,

                  —

                  having regard to Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

                  —

                  having regard to Council Decision (EU) 2018/… of 16 July 2018 authorising the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to open negotiations on and to negotiate, on behalf of the Union, the provisions that fall within the competence of the Union of a Comprehensive Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part (10336/18),

                  —

                  having regard to the decision of the representatives of the governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 16 July 2018 authorising the European Commission to open negotiations on and negotiate, on behalf of the Member States, the provisions that fall within the competences of the Member States of a Comprehensive Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part (10337/18),

                  —

                  having regard to the Council negotiating directives of 16 July 2018 (10601/18 EU Restricted), transmitted to Parliament on 6 August 2018,

                  —

                  having regard to the existing Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the EU and the Republic of Uzbekistan, in force since 1999,

                  —

                  having regard to the EU-Uzbekistan Memorandum of Understanding on energy signed in January 2011,

                  —

                  having regard to the EU Guidelines to promote and protect the enjoyment of all human rights by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons, adopted by the Council in 2013,

                  —

                  having regard to its legislative resolution of 14 December 2016 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, amending the Agreement in order to extend the provisions of the Agreement to bilateral trade in textiles, taking account of the expiry of the bilateral textiles Agreement (1),

                  —

                  having regard to its non-legislative resolution of 14 December 2016 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, amending the Agreement in order to extend the provisions of the Agreement to bilateral trade in textiles, taking account of the expiry of the bilateral textiles Agreement (2),

                  —

                  having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2014 on human rights in Uzbekistan (3),

                  —

                  having regard to its resolutions of 15 December 2011 on the state of implementation of the EU Strategy for Central Asia (4), and of 13 April 2016 on implementation and review of the EU-Central Asia Strategy (5),

                  —

                  having regard to the Joint Communication by the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 19 September 2018 entitled ‘Connecting Europe and Asia — Building blocks for an EU Strategy’ (JOIN(2018)0031),

                  —

                  having regard to the visits to Uzbekistan by its Committee on Foreign Affairs and its Subcommittee on Human Rights of September 2018 and May 2017 respectively, and to the regular visits to the country by its Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan, EU-Uzbekistan and EU-Tajikistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and for relations with Turkmenistan and Mongolia,

                  —

                  having regard to the outcomes of the 13th EU-Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ meeting, held on 10 November 2017 in Samarkand, which addressed the bilateral agenda (economy, connectivity, security and rule of law) and regional issues,

                  —

                  having regard to the Joint Communiqué of the 14th EU-Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ meeting, held on 23 November 2018 in Brussels, entitled ‘EU-Central Asia — Working together to build a future of inclusive growth, sustainable connectivity and stronger partnerships’ (6),

                  —

                  having regard to the continued EU development assistance to Uzbekistan, amounting to EUR 168 million in the period 2014-2020, financial assistance from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and other EU measures in support of peace and security and reduction of nuclear waste in the country,

                  —

                  having regard to the Declaration of the Tashkent Conference on Afghanistan of 26 and 27 March 2018, hosted by Uzbekistan and co-chaired by Afghanistan, entitled ‘Peace process, security cooperation and regional connectivity’,

                  —

                  having regard to the Strategy of Actions in Five Priority Areas for the Development of Uzbekistan (Development Strategy) for 2017-2021,

                  —

                  having regard to the steps Uzbekistan has made towards a more open society and towards more openness in relations with its neighbours since independence from the Soviet Union,

                  —

                  having regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals,

                  —

                  having regard to Rule 113 of its Rules of Procedure,

                  —

                  having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A8-0149/2019),

                  A.

                  whereas on 23 November 2018 the EU and Uzbekistan launched negotiations on a comprehensive Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), with a view to replacing the current EU-Uzbekistan PCA, aiming for enhanced and deeper cooperation in areas of mutual interest and based on the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, respect for fundamental freedoms, and good governance, in order to promote sustainable development and international security and effectively tackle global challenges such as terrorism, climate change and organised crime;

                  B.

                  whereas the EPCA will require Parliament’s consent for it to enter into force;

                  1.

                  Recommends the following to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR):

            EU-Uzbekistan relations

                  (a)

                  welcome the commitments and steps taken by Uzbekistan towards a more open society and the level of genuine engagement in the political dialogue between the EU and Uzbekistan, which led to the opening of negotiations on a comprehensive EPCA; stress the EU’s interest in strengthening its relations with Uzbekistan on the basis of common values and acknowledge Uzbekistan’s role as an important cultural and political bridge between Europe and Asia;

                  (b)

                  provide for regular, in-depth dialogue and monitor full implementation of political and democratic reforms aimed at creating an independent judiciary — including the lifting of all restrictions on the independence of lawyers –, a genuinely independent parliament resulting from a genuinely competitive election, protecting human rights, gender equality and freedom of the media, depoliticising the security services and ensuring that they commit to respecting the rule of law, and strong involvement of civil society in the reform process; welcome the new powers given to the Oliy Majlis and the new mechanisms strengthening parliamentary oversight; encourage the authorities to implement the recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR report following the 2014 parliamentary elections;

                  (c)

                  stress the importance of, and provide significant support to, sustainable reforms and their implementation, on the basis of the current and future agreements, leading to tangible results and addressing political, societal and economic issues, with a view in particular to improving governance, opening up space for a genuinely diverse and independent civil society, strengthening respect for human rights, protecting all minorities and vulnerable people, including people with disabilities, ensuring accountability for human rights violations and other crimes and removing obstacles to entrepreneurship;

                  (d)

                  recognise and support Uzbekistan’s commitment to the ongoing structural, administrative and economic reforms to improve the business climate, the judicial system and security services, labour conditions, and administrative accountability and efficiency, and stress the importance of their full and verifiable implementation; welcome the liberalisation of foreign currency operations and of the foreign exchange market; highlight that Uzbekistan’s comprehensive reform plan, the Development Strategy for 2017–2021, must be implemented and backed up by measures facilitating external trade and improving the business environment; take into account that labour migration and remittances are key mechanisms to address poverty in Uzbekistan;

                  (e)

                  urge the Uzbek Government to ensure that human rights defenders, civil society, international monitors and human rights organisations can operate freely in a legally sound and politically safe environment, notably by facilitating the registration processes and enabling legal recourse in case of denial of registration; urge the government to allow regular, unfettered and independent monitoring of conditions in prison and detention sites; encourage the government to invite the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, implement the recommendation from his last visit in 2003 and bring national laws and practices in line with international law and standards, including an independent monitoring mechanism granting unhindered access to places of detention so that the treatment of prisoners can be monitored; call on the authorities to thoroughly investigate all allegations of torture or inhuman treatment;

                  (f)

                  promote the emergence of a tolerant, inclusive, pluralist and democratic society under a credible government by supporting gradual liberalisation with full respect for the UN guiding principles on business and human rights and socio-economic progress to the benefit of the people;

                  (g)

                  welcome the release of political prisoners but urge the authorities to guarantee them full rehabilitation and access to remedy and medical treatment; call for the release of all remaining political prisoners and all other individuals imprisoned or persecuted on politically motivated charges such as human rights activists, civil society and religious activists, journalists and opposition politicians; express concern at several closed-door trials and urge the government to put an end to such practices; urge the government to swiftly amend its criminal code provisions relating to extremism that are sometimes misused to criminalise dissent; welcome the commitments made to stop using the charge of ‘violations of prison rules’ to arbitrarily extend the sentences of political prisoners; ensure that all political prisoners who are convicted of criminal and other offences are given copies of the court sentences on their cases so as to enable them to access their right to appeal and apply for rehabilitation; welcome the relaxation of some restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly and encourage furthermore the removal of restrictions on those rights, such as detention of peaceful demonstrators, thereby adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; welcome the recent visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief;

                  (h)

                  note that Uzbekistan’s ranking in Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index improved only slightly between 2016 and 2018 and remain concerned about the censorship, blocking of websites, self-censorship of journalists and bloggers, harassment, both online and offline, and politically motivated criminal charges; urge the authorities to put a stop to pressure on, and surveillance of, the media, to stop blocking independent websites and to allow international media to accredit correspondents and operate in the country; support and welcome the measures taken towards greater independence of the media and civil society organisations, for instance the lifting of some restrictions governing their activities, as well as the return of foreign and international media and NGOs, which were formerly excluded from the country; welcome the new law on registration of NGOs, which relaxes some registration procedures and some requirements to have advanced permission for holding activities or meetings; urge the authorities to fully implement this law, including by removing all barriers to the registration of international organisations, and encourage the authorities to address the remaining restrictions limiting the work of NGOs, such as burdensome registration requirements and intrusive monitoring;

                  (i)

                  welcome the progress made towards the eradication of child labour and the phasing-out of forced labour, as well as the recent visits to Uzbekistan by UN Special Rapporteurs and the reopening of the country to international NGOs in this field; point out that state-sponsored forced labour in the cotton and silk industries and other areas remains a problem; expect steps by the Government of Uzbekistan to eradicate all forms of forced labour, to tackle the root causes of the phenomenon, in particular the system of mandatory quotas, and to hold accountable local authorities that mobilise public sector workers and students under duress; stress that more efforts and further legal measures are needed to consolidate progress in this area with a view to abolishing forced labour; encourage in this respect further cooperation with the International Labour Organisation (ILO); encourage access to the country for a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery; underline the importance of efforts to develop a sustainable cotton supply chain and modern and environmentally sound cotton growing technologies and farming practices in the country; support domestic cotton farmers in improving their production efficiency, safeguarding the environment and improving labour practices with a view to abolishing forced labour;

                  (j)

                  encourage the authorities to step up action to reduce unemployment in the country, including opening up the private sector and strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises; welcome, in this regard, the extension of the Management Training Programme and encourage further training programmes for entrepreneurs; recall the potential of its young population and its relatively high level of education in this regard; encourage the promotion of entrepreneurship education programmes; recall the importance of EU programmes such as Erasmus+ in promoting intercultural dialogue between the EU and Uzbekistan and in providing opportunities for empowerment for students taking part in these programmes as positive actors of change in their society;

                  (k)

                  continue holding annual human rights dialogues organised by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and, in this context, press for individual cases of concern to be resolved, including those of political prisoners; agree on concrete areas ahead of each round of dialogues on an annual basis and assess progress on deliverables in line with EU standards, while mainstreaming human rights issues in all other meetings and policies; encourage and assess compliance with international human rights instruments, as ratified by Uzbekistan, notably within the UN, the OSCE and the ILO; express continued concern at the outstanding problems and lack of implementation of some reforms; encourage the authorities to decriminalise consensual sexual relations between persons of the same sex and foster a culture of tolerance for LGBTI people; call on the Uzbek authorities to uphold and promote women’s rights;

                  (l)

                  ensure a review of the passport system; welcome the abolition of the system of ‘exit visas’, which were previously required by Uzbek citizens travelling outside the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); welcome Uzbekistan's announcement that it will no longer require visas from citizens of EU Member States as of January 2019;

                  (m)

                  urge the authorities to improve the local healthcare system and increase state resources to facilitate improvements, since the situation has deteriorated significantly since the country gained independence;

                  (n)

                  urge the authorities to provide the necessary support and seek the contribution and support of international partners to enable Uzbekistan, and in particular the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, to further tackle the economic, social and health-related consequences of the Aral Sea environmental disaster by establishing sustainable water management and conversation policies and practices and a credible gradual clean-up plan for the region; welcome the positive developments in regional cooperation on water, in particular with Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, the establishment of the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region and the commitment shown by the authorities; continue supporting the efforts to improve irrigation infrastructure;

                  (o)

                  acknowledge Uzbekistan’s new foreign policy, which has led to improvements in cooperation with neighbours and international partners, in particular on the promotion of stability and security in the region, border and water management, border demarcation, and energy; support Uzbekistan’s positive engagement in the Afghanistan peace process;

                  (p)

                  welcome Uzbekistan’s continued commitment to upholding the Central Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone; recall the EU’s commitment to support Uzbekistan in dealing with toxic and radioactive waste; encourage Uzbekistan to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons;

                  (q)

                  take into account Uzbekistan’s important role in the upcoming review of the EU-Central Asia Strategy, applying the principle of differentiation;

                  (r)

                  recognise the legitimate security concerns of Uzbekistan, and increase cooperation in support of crisis management, conflict prevention, integrated border management and efforts to tackle violent radicalisation, terrorism, organised crime and the illicit trade in drugs, while upholding the rule of law, including the protection of human rights;

                  (s)

                  ensure effective cooperation in the fight against corruption, money laundering and tax evasion;

                  (t)

                  tie the delivery of assistance to Uzbekistan from the EU’s external financing instruments and from EIB and EBRD loans to the continuation of the reform progress;

                  (u)

                  support effective implementation of the key international conventions required for GSP+ status;

                  (v)

                  support Uzbekistan’s efforts to engage in the process of joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO), in order to better integrate the country into the world economy and improve its business climate, thereby attracting more foreign direct investment (FDI);

                  (w)

                  take into account the development of relations with other third countries in the context of the implementation of China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative; and insist on compliance with the human rights concerns linked to this initiative, including by developing guidelines in this regard;

            New comprehensive agreement

                  (x)

                  use the EPCA negotiations to support genuine and sustainable progress towards an accountable and democratic regime that guarantees and protects fundamental rights for all citizens and focuses in particular on ensuring an enabling environment for civil society, human rights defenders and the independence of lawyers; ensure that, before the end of the negotiations, Uzbekistan makes good progress towards ensuring freedom of expression and freedom of association and peaceful assembly in line with international standards, including by removing the obstacles that hinder all new groups from registering and legally starting activities in the country and from receiving foreign funding;

                  (y)

                  negotiate a modern, all-encompassing and ambitious agreement between the EU and Uzbekistan that will replace the PCA of 1999, enhancing people-to-people contact, political cooperation, trade and investment relations, and cooperation on sustainable development, environmental protection, connectivity, human rights, and governance, and contributing to the sustainable economic and social development of Uzbekistan;

                  (z)

                  renew their commitment to the advancement of democratic standards, the principles of good governance and the rule of law, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion or belief, and their defenders;

                  (aa)

                  support Uzbekistan’s renewed efforts towards multilateral and international cooperation on global and regional challenges, such as international security and countering violent extremism, organised crime, drug trafficking, water management, environmental degradation, climate change, and migration, among others;

                  (ab)

                  ensure that the comprehensive agreement facilitates and strengthens regional cooperation and peaceful conflict resolution of the existing controversies, paving the way for genuine good-neighbourly relations;

                  (ac)

                  enhance provisions related to trade and economic relations by better linking them to human rights provisions and a commitment to implementing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights, while providing mechanisms to assess and address negative human rights impacts, on the one hand, and by promoting market economy principles, including legal certainty, and independent and transparent institutions, social dialogue and implementation of ILO labour standards in order to guarantee sustainable foreign direct investment and contribute to the diversification of the economy on the other hand; improve cooperation in the fight against corruption, money laundering and tax evasion and ensure that the assets currently frozen in several EU and EEA Member States are repatriated responsibly for the benefit of all the Uzbek people;

                  (ad)

                  reinforce aspects of interparliamentary cooperation within an empowered Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, including direct accountability of representatives of the Cooperation Council and the Parliamentary Cooperation Committee;

                  (ae)

                  ensure the involvement of all relevant actors, including civil society, during both the negotiations and the implementation phase of the agreement;

                  (af)

                  include terms on the potential suspension of cooperation in the event of the breach of essential elements by either party with regard, in particular, to respect for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, including consultation of the European Parliament in such cases; set up an independent monitoring and complaint mechanism providing affected populations and their representatives with an effective tool for addressing impacts on human rights and monitoring implementation;

                  (ag)

                  ensure that the European Parliament is closely involved in monitoring the implementation of all parts of the EPCA once it enters into force, hold consultations in this context, ensuring that Parliament and civil society are properly informed about the implementation of the EPCA by the EEAS, and react appropriately;

                  (ah)

                  ensure the transmission of all negotiating documents to the European Parliament, subject to confidentiality rules, to enable proper scrutiny by Parliament of the negotiating process; fulfil the interinstitutional obligations stemming from Article 218(10) of the TFEU, and periodically debrief Parliament;

                  (ai)

                  apply the EPCA provisionally only after Parliament has given its consent;

                  (aj)

                  implement a public outreach campaign highlighting the expected positive outcomes of cooperation to the benefit of EU and Uzbek citizens, which would also enhance people-to-people relations;

                  2.

                  Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and to the President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

         (1)  OJ C 238, 6.7.2018, p. 394.

         (2)  OJ C 238, 6.7.2018, p. 51.

         (3)  OJ C 274, 27.7.2016, p. 25.

         (4)  OJ C 168 E, 14.6.2013, p. 91.

         (5)  OJ C 58, 15.2.2018, p. 119.

         (6)  https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/54354/joint-communiqué-european-union-–-central-asia-foreign-ministers-meeting-brussels-23-november_en


               26.3.2021

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 108/133

      P8_TA(2019)0241
      EU-Switzerland Institutional Framework Agreement
      European Parliament recommendation of 26 March 2019 to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning the Institutional Framework Agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation (2018/2262(INI))
      (2021/C 108/13)

         The European Parliament,

                  —

                  having regard to Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

                  —

                  having regard to the Council decision of 6 May 2014 authorising negotiations on an agreement between the EU and Switzerland on an institutional framework governing bilateral relations, and the start of negotiations on 22 May 2014,

                  —

                  having regard to the Council conclusions of 28 February 2017 on EU relations with the Swiss Confederation,

                  —

                  having regard to the Council conclusions of 14 December 2010 and 20 December 2012 on EU relations with EFTA countries,

                  —

                  having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) of 1 January 1994 (1),

                  —

                  having regard to the Swiss people’s rejection of the popular vote on participation in the EEA by 50,3 % in December 1992, the initiative ‘EU membership negotiations: let the people decide’ by 74 % in June 1997, and the initiative ‘Yes to Europe!’ by 77 % in March 2001,

                  —

                  having regard to the EU-Swiss Confederation Agreement on Emissions Trading, signed on 23 November 2017 (2),

                  —

                  having regard to the European Defence Agency (EDA) and Switzerland Framework for Cooperation, signed on 16 March 2012,

                  —

                  having regard to the agreement between Switzerland and Eurojust on judicial cooperation, which was signed on 27 November 2008 and entered into force on 22 July 2011,

                  —

                  having regard to the agreement between Switzerland and Europol on cooperation between police authorities in the prevention of and fight against serious and organised international crime and terrorism, which was signed on 24 September 2004 and entered into force on 1 March 2006, and to the enlargement of the area of application thereunder of 1 January 2008,

                  —

                  having regard to the Agreement of 21 June 1999 between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Swiss Confederation, of the other, on the free movement of persons (3), and in particular Annex I on the free movement of persons and Annex III on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications,

                  —

                  having regard to the Protocol of 27 May 2008 to the Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Swiss Confederation, of the other, on the free movement of persons regarding the participation, as contracting parties, of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania pursuant to their accession to the European Union (4),

                  —

                  having regard to the Agreement of 25 June 2009 between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the simplification of inspections and formalities in respect of the carriage of goods and on customs security measures (5),

                  —

                  having regard to the Swiss federal popular initiative of 9 February 2014, where 50,3 % of Swiss people supported proposals to reintroduce quotas on immigration with the European Union, to national preference when filling job vacancies, and to restrict immigrants’ rights to social benefits,

                  —

                  having regard to the 1972 EU-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement (6), which has been adapted and updated over the years,

                  —

                  having regard to the European Community-Swiss Confederation Agreement on Air Transport, which entered into force on 1 June 2002 (7),

                  —

                  having regard to the European Community-Swiss Confederation Agreement on the Carriage of Goods and Passengers by Rail and Road, which entered into force on 1 June 2002 (8),

                  —

                  having regard to the negotiations on agreements between the EU and the Swiss Confederation on electricity, and on food safety, product safety and public health,

                  —

                  having regard to Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/2047 of 20 December 2018 on the equivalence of the legal and supervisory framework applicable to stock exchanges in Switzerland in accordance with Directive 2014/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (9),

                  —

                  having regard to the 37th EU-Switzerland inter-parliamentary meeting, held in Brussels on 4 and 5 July 2018,

                  —

                  having regard to its resolutions on Switzerland, in particular of 9 September 2015 on EEA-Switzerland: Obstacles with regard to the full implementation of the internal market (10), and to the draft motion for a resolution of its Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection on the same topic of 24 April 2018,

                  —

                  having regard to its resolution of 15 February 2017 on the Annual Report on the Single Market Governance within the European Semester 2017 (11),

                  —

                  having regard to Rules 108(4) and 52 of its Rules of Procedure,

                  —

                  having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on International Trade and the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (A8-0147/2019),

                  A.

                  whereas Switzerland’s current relationship with the EU is based on a complex set of some 20 main sectoral bilateral agreements and around 100 other agreements; whereas Switzerland only partially participates in all four freedoms; whereas while these agreements have deepened EU-Switzerland cooperation in the past in the fields of the internal market, internal security and asylum, transport and tax matters, in the future this complex set of agreements could become outdated, making their implementation less relevant, unless an overarching framework is agreed upon;

                  B.

                  whereas according to Eurostat data, in 2017 Switzerland was the EU’s third-biggest partner in terms of export of goods and its fourth biggest in terms of import of goods;

                  C.

                  whereas the Council has stated that an overarching institutional agreement with Switzerland should aim to protect the homogeneity of the internal market and ensure legal certainty for authorities, citizens and economic operators;

                  D.

                  whereas the Swiss Federal Council wishes to conclude an institutional agreement with the EU that ensures legal certainty in the area of market access and preserves Swiss prosperity, independence and legal system (12); whereas the Swiss Federal Council has announced a stakeholder consultation on the basis of the text agreed between the negotiators on 23 November 2018;

                  E.

                  whereas a well-functioning and effective single market, based on a highly competitive social market economy, is needed to boost growth and competitiveness and create jobs to revitalise the European economy; whereas single market legislation must be properly transposed, implemented and enforced if the Member States and Switzerland are to reap the full benefits;

                  F.

                  whereas Switzerland has expressed its wish to leave binding material provisions on State aid for a future market access agreement and have access to the single market for electricity;

                  G.

                  whereas on 28 September 2018 the Federal Council approved the second Swiss contribution to a number of EU Member States of CHF 1,3 billion over ten years and is now awaiting a positive decision of the Federal Assembly;

                  H.

                  whereas Switzerland is member of the European Environment Agency;

                  I.

                  whereas Switzerland has ratified its participation in the European satellite navigation programmes Galileo and EGNOS;

                  J.

                  whereas Switzerland’s participation in the EU’s Horizon 2020 research framework programme and its predecessor Framework Programme 7 (FP7) has been valuable to all parties involved owing to the high quality of proposals;

                  K.

                  whereas Switzerland and the EU signed an additional protocol to the Taxation and Savings Income Agreement on 27 May 2015, which requires that both parties automatically exchange information (AEI) on the financial accounts of each other’s residents from September 2018; whereas the EU listed Switzerland among ‘non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes’ in Annex II to the Council conclusions of 5 December 2017 concerning countries that have committed to implementing tax good governance principles to address issues relating to transparency, fair taxation and anti-BEPS (base erosion and profit shifting) measures;

                  L.

                  whereas Switzerland cooperates in select parts of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and has participated in the civil and military peace missions of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), notably in Ukraine and Mali; whereas the EDA-Switzerland Framework for Cooperation, which was signed on 16 March 2012, enables exchange of information and provides for joint activities in research and technology and armament projects and programmes;

                  M.

                  whereas Switzerland has been part of the Schengen area since the start of its Swiss implementation in December 2008;

                  N.

                  whereas Switzerland participates in the Schengen Information System (SIS), the Visa Information System (VIS) and the Eurodac EU asylum fingerprint database, and will participate in the future Entry/Exit System (EES), which will record crossings of the EU’s external borders, and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which provides pre-travel security and irregular migration screening of visa-exempt non-EU nationals;

                  O.

                  whereas based on the Dublin association agreement, Switzerland is associated to parts of the EU asylum acquis; whereas Switzerland has contributed financially and operationally to Frontex since 2010;

                  P.

                  whereas in 2017, the Swiss population of 8,48 million included 2,13 million foreign nationals, 1,4 million of whom came from Member States of the EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA); whereas 320 000 EU citizens commute to Switzerland every day; whereas 750 000 Swiss nationals live abroad, of which 450 000 live in the EU;

                  Q.

                  whereas in 2009, Switzerland agreed to continue the 1999 bilateral EU-Switzerland Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (FMPA),which confers upon Swiss and EU citizens alike the right to freely choose their place of employment and residence within the national territories of the contracting parties;

                  R.

                  whereas foreign companies are obliged to respect Swiss minimum working conditions when posting foreign workers to Switzerland; whereas the main contractor has the legal responsibility to ensure that that subcontractors observe Swiss labour market regulations;

                  S.

                  whereas Switzerland introduced ‘flanking measures’ in 2002 with the stated aim of protecting Swiss wages, working conditions and social standards, which the EU considers to be not in compliance with the FMPA;

                  T.

                  whereas the implementation of the Citizens’ Rights Directive (2004/38/EC) and EU citizens’ rights to social welfare benefits and rights of establishment have caused concerns in Switzerland;

                  U.

                  whereas Switzerland has been a member of EFTA since 1960 and of the United Nations since 2002;

                  V.

                  whereas the ‘Swiss law, not foreign judges’ vote (known as the Self-Determination Initiative) was rejected by popular vote by 66 % and by all cantons on 25 November 2018;

                  W.

                  whereas Switzerland is committed to political neutrality and as such has played host to a number of international negotiations aiming to reach peaceful solutions to armed conflicts around the world;

                  X.

                  whereas the Commission in late 2018 extended for six months its decision to recognise trading venues in Switzerland as eligible for compliance with the trading obligation for shares set out in the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (2004/39/EC) and Regulation ((EU) No 600/2014);

                  Y.

                  whereas the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is based in Geneva;

                  Z.

                  whereas Switzerland hosts the worldwide headquarters of 25 major international organisations and conferences, most of which are based in Geneva;

                  AA.

                  whereas hundreds of international non-governmental organisations are based in Switzerland, providing advice to the UN and other non-governmental organisations;

                  AB.

                  whereas Switzerland plans to hold federal elections on 20 October 2019;

                  1.

                  Recommends the following to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:

                              (a)

                              highlights that Switzerland and the EU enjoy a close, broad and comprehensive partnership, which is mutually beneficial and based on joint cultural history and shared values, and that economic, political, social, environmental, scientific and people-to-people ties and links are exemplary, recalling the unique cultural and geographical proximity between the two;

                              (b)

                              stresses that Switzerland is highly integrated with the EU, is a similarly-minded partner and shares European regional and global challenges with the EU; welcomes the Swiss statement that it is in their interest to renew and consolidate the bilateral approach and to forge an ever-closer relationship;

                              (c)

                              notes that the EU is Switzerland’s main trading partner, accounting for 52 % of its exports and over 71 % of its imports, and that the trade in goods under the current bilateral trade agreements amounts to no less than CHF 1 billion per day (13); whereas Switzerland is the EU’s third-largest trading partner, accounting for 7 % of its trade; considers that Switzerland’s significant degree of integration with the EU internal market is a key factor for economic growth, making the EU Switzerland’s most important economic and trading partner;

                              (d)

                              highlights that the EU has shown great flexibility in the negotiations for the Institutional Framework Agreement (IFA) and that this must be recognised by all parties concerned;

                              (e)

                              urges the conclusion of the bilateral IFA as soon as possible with the aim of bringing coherence to the existing complex set of bilateral agreements including establishing a dispute settlement mechanism; welcomes the agreement by the negotiators on the final text of the agreement; calls on the Swiss Federal Council to take a decision to conclude the agreement as soon as the consultation of stakeholders has been positively concluded in this respect;

                              (f)

                              recalls that the establishment of a common institutional framework for existing and future agreements that enable Switzerland’s participation in the EU single market, in order to ensure homogeneity and legal certainty for citizens and businesses, remains a precondition for the further development of a sectoral approach; stresses that after four years of negotiations, the time has come to conclude the IFA; considers that the agreement’s conclusion will enable the EU-Swiss comprehensive partnership to develop to its full potential;

                              (g)

                              acknowledges the need for an IFA, as the EU-Switzerland relationship is based on a complex system of 120 sector-specific agreements, and additional coherence and legal certainty would benefit all parties;

                              (h)

                              calls on the parties to organise as soon as possible an interparliamentary meeting of legislators from both the EU and Switzerland in order to discuss all matters related to this agreement;

                              (i)

                              expresses its regret at the fact that the Commission only transmitted the negotiated text of the EU-Switzerland IFA to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and International Trade on 6 February 2019, despite the fact that it was finalised in November 2018;

                              (j)

                              acknowledges that the strong relations between the EU and Switzerland go beyond economic integration and the extension of the single market, contributing to stability and prosperity to the benefit of all citizens and businesses, including small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs); underlines the importance of ensuring the proper functioning of the single market in order to create a level playing field and create jobs;

                              (k)

                              considers that securing an IFA with Switzerland is of great importance, since it would guarantee legal certainty for both Switzerland and the EU, dynamic incorporation of the EU acquis, enhanced access to the internal market for Switzerland to the benefit of both sides, and the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the event of unresolved disputes relating to the application or interpretation of the IFA;

                              (l)

                              Welcomes the Commission’s decision of 20 December 2018 to recognise trading venues in Switzerland as eligible for compliance with the trading obligation for shares set out in the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (14) and Regulation (15) (MiFID II/MiFIR); stresses that this equivalence is limited to 30 June 2019, but can be extended provided that progress has been made towards the signature of an agreement establishing that common institutional framework;

                              (m)

                              stresses, alongside the Council, that the free movement of persons is a fundamental and non-negotiable pillar of EU policy and the internal market, and that the four freedoms of the internal market are indivisible; expresses regret at the disproportionate one-sided ‘flanking measures’ of Switzerland, which have been in force since 2004; invites Switzerland, which considers that the flanking measures are important, to seek a solution which is fully compatible with the relevant EU instruments; calls on Switzerland also to consider shortening the period of application of the transitional measures concerning workers from Croatia, bearing in mind benefits of the free movement of persons between the EU and Switzerland;

                              (n)

                              notes the implementation of the ‘domestic preference light’ initiative, and that the Council considers that the resultant text adopted on 16 December 2016 by the Swiss Federal Assembly can be implemented in a manner compatible with the rights of EU citizens under the FMPA if the necessary implementing ordinance clarifies outstanding open issues, such as the right to information as regards vacancies and respect for frontier workers’ rights; recalls, however, that the question of migration of citizens from third countries should not be confused with the free movement of persons as enshrined in the Treaties; underlines the need to monitor the implementation of the ordinance closely with a view to assessing its compliance with the FMPA;

                              (o)

                              underlines that Switzerland strongly benefits from democratic and competitive development throughout its European neighbours and that its financial contributions to programmes such as the Cohesion Fund are therefore in its own interest and should be continued, and welcomes the positive results of the contribution in the receiving Member States; recalls that Switzerland draws significant benefits from participating in the single market; stresses that the future Swiss contribution to EU cohesion is essential and should be stepped up considerably, in line with the example set by the EEA/Norway;

                              (p)

                              welcomes the intense internal debate on cooperation with the EU that is taking place in Switzerland; suggests, however, that Switzerland try to even better communicate to its citizens the many tangible benefits of having access to the internal market and the need for closer cooperation with the EU;

                              (q)

                              urges that once concluded, the IFA be submitted without delay to the European Parliament, the Member States, and the Swiss Parliament for approval, and to the Swiss electorate in a referendum, in accordance with the Swiss constitution;

                              (r)

                              notes that 1,4 million EU citizens live in Switzerland, whereas over 450 000 Swiss nationals live in the EU;

                              (s)

                              recalls that following the referendum of 9 February 2014, the Swiss Parliament passed an amendment to the Foreign Nationals Act in 2016 for the implementation of Article 121a of the Federal Constitution, with entry into force on 1 July 2018; stresses that it is essential that the Federal Council pay careful attention to implementing Article 121a so as to not jeopardise the right of EU citizens to free movement;

                              (t)

                              regrets any cantonal or national initiative that could have the effect of restricting access to the Swiss labour market for EU workers, in particular cross-border workers, thereby undermining the rights of EU citizens under the FMPA and cooperation between the EU and Switzerland;

                              (u)

                              strongly welcomes the political declaration of intent to modernise the Agreement on Government Procurement and the 1972 EU-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement, and supports the ambition of achieving a revised trade partnership that includes areas such as services that are beyond the scope of the IFA and only partially covered through the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (FMPA), including digital aspects, intellectual property rights, trade facilitation, mutual recognition of conformity assessments and public procurement, in addition to a chapter on trade and sustainable development; requests further cooperation in order to better protect geographical indications and expand the modern and reliable State-to-State dispute settlement mechanism included in the draft IFA to cover the future bilateral trade relationship and efficiently resolve trade irritants between the parties;

                              (v)

                              is aware that there is no comprehensive services agreement in place between the EU and Switzerland and that services are only partially covered through the FMPA, showing that there is potential for further development;

                              (w)

                              tales note of the revised law on public procurement adopted in 2017 in the canton of Ticino that is to be compliant with the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Government Procurement and the relevant EU-Switzerland sectoral agreement, which entered into force in 2002; strongly encourages contracting authorities to treat EU suppliers and service providers in a non-discriminatory way, even in cases of procurement contracts below the threshold;

                              (x)

                              urges that the current practice whereby taxi firms from EU Member States can provide services in Switzerland without restriction be allowed to continue, as it has long contributed to economic development in Swiss border regions and is mutually beneficial;

                              (y)

                              takes the view that reciprocity and fairness between the EEA and Switzerland are necessary to enable both sides to benefit from their participation in the single market;

                              (z)

                              notes that in overall terms, cooperation under the EU-Switzerland agreement on mutual recognition in relation to conformity assessment (MRA) is satisfactory; welcomes the most recent update of the MRA in 2017 and hopes that forthcoming updates can be carried out swiftly when the future institutional framework agreement has been developed to its full potential;

                              (aa)

                              welcomes the new tax legislation that will restrict preferential tax regimes and bring practices closer to international standards, and hopes for a positive outcome from the upcoming popular vote in Switzerland; underlines the need to continue improving cooperation in order to fight tax avoidance and enhance tax justice;

                              (ab)

                              calls on Switzerland to continue its work on the Digital Switzerland strategy, aiming to have it align with the EU digital single market;

                              (ac)

                              acknowledges the contribution to the close EU-Swiss partnership that the bilateral sectoral agreements on free movement of persons, pensions, environment, statistics, judicial and police cooperation, Schengen area, asylum (Dublin), the CFSP/CSDP, satellite navigation, research, civil aviation, overland transport, reciprocal market access for agreed goods and services, processed agricultural goods, legal harmonisation, mutual recognition, the fight against fraud, and taxation and savings bring; urges, however, that it is high time to elevate the partnership and take a much more comprehensive and substantial step in bilateral relations by concluding the framework agreement as soon as possible;

                              (ad)

                              welcomes the fact that, for a very long time, the promotion of peace, mediation and peaceful conflict resolution have been an important part of Swiss foreign policy; welcomes Switzerland’s strong role in peace building and its involvement in helping to find solutions to crises, dialogue-facilitation, the development of confidence-building measures and reconciliation; welcomes the Swiss role as a facilitator in implementing complex federal structures and peace-brokered, constitutional arrangements, in order to ease the coexistence of different ethnic backgrounds;

                              (ae)

                              welcomes the participation of Switzerland in and its support for EU security and defence missions, such as in EUFOR ALTHEA, EULEX Kosovo, EUTM Mali and EUBAM Libya, and in the work of the European Defence Agency; welcomes the close cooperation with Switzerland on humanitarian aid, civil protection, counter-terrorism and climate change;

                              (af)

                              acknowledges the Swiss contribution and cooperation in the context of mass migration to the Schengen area and in the implementation of the European Agenda on Migration; encourages Switzerland to become part of the Global Compact for Migration and expects this to happen following the debate in the Swiss Parliament;

                              (ag)

                              calls on Switzerland to apply the relevant EU directives in order to maintain its current level of social protection and level of wages, when it comes to cross-border offering of services;

                              (ah)

                              stresses the importance of ensuring that the IFA between the EU and Switzerland contains a tax good governance clause including specific rules on State aid in the form of tax advantages, transparency requirements regarding the automatic exchange of information on taxation and beneficial ownership, and anti-money laundering provisions;

                              (ai)

                              welcomes Switzerland’s decision to join the Europol Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT) in April 2018, as a proactive step in its fight against international cybercrime threats;

                              (aj)

                              welcomes Switzerland’s association to the entire Horizon 2020 programme and hopes for further cooperation in future research programmes;

                              (ak)

                              urges Switzerland to engage in negotiating its association to the Erasmus programmes;

                              (al)

                              welcomes progress in the construction of the transalpine rail link known as the ‘New Railway Link through the Alps’ (NRLA/ NEAT), a Swiss funded investment which is also beneficial to the EU;

                  2.

                  Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and to the Federal Assembly and Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation.

         (1)  OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3.

         (2)  OJ L 322, 7.12.2017, p. 3.

         (3)  OJ L 114, 30.4.2002, p. 6.

         (4)  OJ L 124, 20.5.2009, p. 53.

         (5)  OJ L 199, 31.7.2009, p. 24.

         (6)  OJ L 300, 31.12.1972, p. 189.

         (7)  OJ L 114, 30.4.2002, p. 73.

         (8)  OJ L 114, 30.4.2002, p. 91.

         (9)  OJ L 327, 21.12.2018, p. 77.

         (10)  OJ C 316, 22.09.2017, p. 192.

         (11)  OJ C 252, 18.7.2018, p. 164.

         (12)  https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/dea/en/documents/fs/11-FS-Institutionelle-Fragen_en.pdf

         (13)  https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/dea/en/documents/abkommen/InstA-Wichtigste-in-Kuerze_en.pdf

         (14)  OJ L 173, 12.6.2014, p. 349.

         (15)  OJ L 173, 12.6.2014, p. 84.