ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
B4-0321 and 0359/98

Resolution on Congo

The European Parliament,

A. whereas since 1993 Congo has experienced a series of violent events and confrontations culminating in the creation and reinforcement of several militia groups, often ethnically based, in the pay of various political figures, which have continuously abused their power vis-à-vis the civilian population,

B. alarmed by the fact that since Mr Sassou-N'guesso took power by armed force there has been a hiatus in the democratic process and the country seems to have been plunged into a single-party regime deprived of any form of legality,

C. whereas on 19 October 1997 the constitution was abrogated and the Parliament, local institutions, Supreme Court and Constitutional Council were dissolved,

D. concerned at the numerous violations of human rights committed in the country in the absence of the rule of law, particularly the extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests and universal looting,

E. having regard to the organization in Brazzaville in January of a 'Forum for Peace and National Reconciliation in Congo' from which the 'Espace Républicain pour la Défense de la Démocratie et de l'Unité Nationale' (Republican Platform for the Defence of Democracy and National Unity - EDDUN), a group comprising 90% of national and local elected representatives, was excluded,

F. concerned about the permanent presence in the country of Angolan Government troops and mercenaries who had supported Mr Sassou-N'guesso's armed campaign,

G. deploring the Council's lack of initiative regarding the Congo crisis,

H. worried about the risk of destabilization of a region already sorely tried by the conflict in the former Zaire,

The European Parliament,

1. Condemns the violations of human rights in Congo and calls on the Congolese authorities to respect the fundamental and individual freedoms;

2. Considers that free democratic elections held under international supervision are the only way of guaranteeing the legitimacy of power in Congo and allowing the country to recover its stability;

3. Calls on the United Nations and the OAU to relaunch their efforts at mediation aimed at encouraging dialogue which will make it possible to restore democracy;

4. Calls for the withdrawal of foreign armed troops and mercenaries;

5. Asks the Council to speak with a single voice and bring pressure to bear on the Congolese authorities to follow a course of genuine national reconciliation with all the political and social groups in the country;

6. Asks the Commission to step up emergency aid for the Congolese population in order to assist the most deprived strata of the population and improve their living conditions, and hopes that the cooperation provided by the Union can be resumed rapidly once the political conditions laid down for the Congolese authorities in terms of the relaunching of the democratic process and national reconciliation have been met;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the United Nations, the OAU, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly and the governments of Congo and Angola.

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A4-0199/98

Resolution incorporating Parliament's recommendation to the Commission for a proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the feeding in of electricity from renewable sources of energy in the European Union

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Article 138b, second paragraph, of the EC Treaty,

- having regard to Rule 50 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy and the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (A4-0199/98),

A. whereas there is no Community legislation on the feeding in of electricity from renewable sources of energy,

B. whereas no such proposal is under preparation within the meaning of Rule 50(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

1. Calls on the Commission to submit to it a legislative proposal on the basis of Article 100a of the EC Treaty which

a) conforms with the policy pursued in the Member States on the supply to the network of electricity from renewable sources, and takes account of the diversity of approaches selected;

b) is based on the rules of the internal market, including in this case the current rules on state aid;

c) conforms with the commitments entered into by the EU that it will reduce its total CO2 emissions to 8% less than their 1990 level by 2012 and will therefore be dependent on a greater use of renewable energy;

2. Considers that any financial impact of this proposal on the Community should be covered by appropriations from the energy chapter (B4) in the general budget of the European Communities;

3. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.
B4-1096, 1106, 1147, 1158 and 1160/98

Resolution on the Philippines

The European Parliament,

A. reaffirming its resolution of 17 July 1997on the Philippines supporting peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) within the framework of their Joint Declaration in The Hague ((OJ C 286, 22.9.1997, p. 245.)),

B. congratulating the aforesaid parties on their success in forging the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, approved by the Philippine Government on 7 August 1998 and by the NDFP on 10 April 1998,

C. further congratulating the aforesaid parties on their success in forging the Joint Agreement in Support of Socioeconomic Projects of Private Development Organisations and Institutes and the Additional Rules Implementing the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees Pertinent to the Security of Personnel and Consultations in the Furtherance of the Peace Negotiations,

D. welcoming all the expressions and acts of good intention of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the NDFP within their respective spheres of responsibility and in accordance with international law and their common determination to implement all their bilateral agreements and accelerate the progress of the peace negotiations,

E. encouraging and supporting all the common and separate efforts of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the NDFP to apply the International Bill of Rights and International Humanitarian Law and pave the way for a just and lasting peace,

The European Parliament,

1. Urges the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the NDFP to realise their mutual commitment to accelerating the progress of their peace negotiations in Europe, forging the comprehensive agreements on social and economic reforms and political and constitutional reforms and achieving a just and lasting peace;

2. Continues to support all the bilateral agreements and confidence building measures that they have reached and undertaken in order to create a favourable atmosphere for peace negotiations and to lay the foundations for a just and lasting peace;

3. Recognises and appreciates all the acts of good intention of the Parties and their common and separate efforts to adhere to and apply the principles and instruments of respect for human rights and international humanitarian law and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law;

4. Requests the Commission and Council to provide and facilitate support and assistance to the Parties in carrying out their formal peace negotiations, in the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and in undertaking development, relief and rehabilitation programmes;

5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
B4-0025, 0039 and 0040/99

Resolution on European postal services

The European Parliament,

- having regard to European Parliament and Council Directive 97/67/EC on common rules for the development of the internal market of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service ((OJ L 15, 21.1.1998, p. 14.)),

A. mindful of the economic and social importance of postal services in the European Union,

B. whereas it is necessary to implement and safeguard a high-quality Community universal service in postal services in accordance with the key objectives of Directive 97/67/EC and Council resolution of 7 February 1994,

C. whereas Article 7 of Directive 97/67/EC requires the Commission to table new proposals on the further gradual and controlled liberalisation of the postal market before the end of 1998,

D. recalling Parliament¨s often stated position concerning the need for a high-quality universal service and the implementation of gradual and controlled liberalisation of postal services, as last expressed by question E-3024/98 of 21 September 1998 to the Commission,

E. whereas in its reply to question E-3024/98 of 6 November 1998, the Commission stated that it would be in a position to send the new proposal on the further gradual and controlled liberalisation of the postal services market to Parliament towards the end of 1998,

F. whereas to date this proposal has not yet been received,

G. whereas Directive 97/67/EC remains to be implemented into national law in a great number of Member States and whereas the market and the economics of the universal service in postal services cannot yet be correctly observed and assessed,

H. whereas the Commission has not forwarded for Parliament¨s attention various feasibility studies on the impact of the liberalisation of certain postal services,

1. Considers that, in the absence of the new proposal on the further gradual and controlled liberalisation of the postal services market, the legislative deadlines set out under Articles 7 and 27 of Directive 97/67/EC no longer apply;

2. Stresses that evaluations undertaken by Parliament on the liberalisation of postal services will not be based solely on the Commission¨s feasibility studies, but also upon consultations by Parliament with the universal service providers in Member States once these are known;

3. Requests the Commission to forward for Parliament¨s attention the above studies as well as any other information deemed necessary;

4. Underlines that any further evaluations must take into account the long-term economic and financial balance of universal service providers as well as the employment consequences within European postal operators;

5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the governments and parliaments of Member States.
B4-0188/99

Resolution on the death sentence handed down on Greg Summers in Texas, USA

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the death penalty,

A. noting that Greg Summers was convicted on 21 August 1991 and sentenced to death on a charge of conspiracy in the murder of his mother, father and uncle,

B. emphasising that Greg Summers was convicted on the basis of an out-of-court accusation by the self-confessed and convicted murderer of his family and that several further doubts may be raised about the propriety of his trial,

C. noting that Greg Summers has always maintained his innocence, that his lawyers tabled an appeal against his conviction at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on 30 September 1997 and that no response has yet been given to this appeal,

D. noting that two German citizens, the brothers Karl Hinze and Walter Burnhary LaGrand, were sentenced to death on the charges of bank robbery and murder in the State of Arizona in 1984 and are facing imminent execution on 24 February and 3 March 1999,

E. whereas the courts have admitted that the two German citizens have been denied their right under the Vienna Convention on consular relations to receive legal assistance through the embassy of their country,

F. whereas the demonstrably extremely poor quality of the defence of the LaGrand brothers cannot be seen in isolation from this fact and whereas they have been condemned to death for a crime for which in Germany they would, as minors, have been sentenced at most to several years in a remand home for juveniles,

G. whereas, according to Amnesty International, over 70 foreign citizens from 26 countries are currently awaiting execution in the USA, and whereas most of them were not informed at the time of their arrest of their rights under the Vienna Convention on consular relations,

H. emphasising once again that the death penalty, especially in those cases where serious doubts exist about the guilt of the accused, must be considered as a violation of human dignity,

1. Calls on the United States Administration, and especially the judicial authorities of the State of Texas, to consider favourably the appeal for a review of the trial of Greg Summers;

2. Calls on the United States Administration, and especially on the authorities of the States of Texas and Arizona, to commute the death sentence against Greg Summers, Karl Hinze LaGrand and Walter Burnhary LaGrand, and all other pending death sentences;

3. Calls on the United States Administration, and especially on the authorities of the States of Texas and Arizona, to abolish the death penalty forthwith and to join in a world-wide moratorium on the death penalty;

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the United States Administration and to the authorities of the States of Texas and Arizona.

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B4-0192, 0203 and 0206/99

Resolution on the earthquake in Colombia

The European Parliament,

A. shocked by reports of the effects of the earthquake in Colombia on 25 January 1999, which is reported to be the worst earthquake in Colombia this century and to have caused more than one thousand deaths with many others injured, most of whom are people in the poorest communities in the region,

B. concerned at the difficulties apparently experienced by the Colombian army, despite the dispatch of thousands of troops, in preventing the outbreak of widespread looting in the city of Armenia, where aid workers have come under fire from looters and public disorder is hampering relief efforts,

C. perturbed at the possibility that corruption may prevent international aid from reaching its intended recipients in full,

D. noting with satisfaction the Commission's prompt release of EUR 1.5 million, including EUR 500 000 of unspent funds from last year, and its constructive cooperation with the Red Cross, Oxfam and other NGOs involved in the area,

The European Parliament,

1. Extends its condolences to the victims, to the families of the dead and to the entire Colombian people;

2. Calls upon the Commission and the governments of the Member States, in cooperation with the relevant NGOs, to do their utmost in order to deal with this crisis and to implement a special development programme designed to meet medium- and long-term needs in the earthquake area;

3. Supports President Pastrana's public commitment to combat corruption and appeals to him to take all the necessary steps to ensure that relief aid reaches those for whom it is intended;

4. Appeals further to President Pastrana and the Colombian Government to take firm steps to restore public order in the areas affected by the disaster, while fully respecting human rights;

5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Colombian Government.
B4-0253, 0262, 0282, 0312, 0313, 0314, 0315 and 0316/99

Resolution on the US imposition of sanctions against EU companies as a consequence of the banana dispute

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its resolution of 11 February 1999 on the banana regime dispute with the US ((Minutes of that sitting, Part II, Item 19.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 18 November 1998 on the Transatlantic Economic Partnership between the European Union and the United States ((Minutes of that Sitting, Part II, Item 15.)),

A. whereas the United States has carried out its threat of unilateral trade sanctions, which have been a reality since 3 March 1999, hitting a long list of European products at an estimated cost to the European Union of EUR 450 million,

B. concerned that the US measures threaten the multilateral open trading system and endanger the functioning of the WTO,

C. noting that the US has not followed the only legally acceptable solution by waiting for the decision of the WTO panel on 12 April 1999,

1. Condemns strongly the US administration¨s decision to unilaterally withhold liquidation on EU imports, imposing a payment of guarantee for 100% duties on affected products; considers this unilateral measure to be a breach of the rules of the WTO;

2. Calls on the United States to abandon all unilateral action and fully respect the rules of the WTO;

3. Asks the Commission and the Council to take appropriate counter-measures within the legal framework of the WTO;

4. Supports the Commission's demand to set up a WTO panel to examine whether Section 301 of US trade law, on which the US Administration based its decision, is in compliance with WTO provisions, and urges it not to withdraw its demand in response to any unproved promises by the US;

5. Recalls its abovementioned resolutions and requests the Commission and the Council to keep all options open;

6. Takes the view that the 'millennium round negotiations¨ of the WTO, due to start at the end of the year, must ensure that the basic principles of sustainable development become enshrined in the WTO;

7. Firmly supports the Commission in its strategy in the banana dispute with the US, based on strict adherence to the rules and procedures of the WTO; urges the Commission to continue to defend the right of the EU to fulfil its development commitments to its ACP partners and its outermost regions;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Congress and the Administration of the United States and the Director-General of the WTO.
A4-0113/99

Resolution on the report from the Commission on the implementation of Regulation (EEC) No 3118/93 laying down the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate national road haulage services within a Member State (CABOTAGE) (COM(98)0047 - C4-0687/98)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission report (COM(98)0047 - C4-0687/98),

- having regard to the report from the Commission on the implementation in 1991-1992 of Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 on the harmonization of certain social legislation relating to road transport (17th report by the Commission on the implementation of the social legislation relating to road transport), COM(95)0713 - C4-0065/96),

- having regard to the EC Treaty provisions on Transport (Title IV) and on competition and harmonization of legislation (Title V),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A4-0113/99),

A. whereas cabotage is a way in which the internal market in the road haulage sector can be completed,

B. whereas in this market cabotage has been authorized only gradually since 1990, in order to allow the market to adapt itself to the new situation,

1. Welcomes the facts and figures in the Commission report;

2. Encourages the Commission to draw up a report on cabotage every two years and insists that the member states provide the Commission and Eurostat, in time, with the necessary statistical data;

3. Asks the governments of the EEA-countries to participate fully in this exercise since the cabotage regime applies also to them;

4. Welcomes the cabotage regime as a realization of a free market within the EU and the EEA but insists that all the players in the market should be treated on an equal footing which means that checks and fines have to be harmonised as far as possible and that there should be no discrimination on the basis of nationality;

5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the governments of the Member States and the EEA-countries.
Thursday 6 May 19991.10.1999 EN C 279/279 Official Journal of the European Communities
− having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,
− having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy
and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0376/97),
− having regard to the second report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and
Industrial Policy and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0266/99),
1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;
2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC
Treaty;
3. Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to the
Commission proposal;
4. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.
15. Interinstitutional agreement on the Fraud Prevention Office (procedure
without debate)
A4-0263/99
Resolution on the draft interinstitutional agreement concerning internal investigations by the Fraud
Prevention Office (COM(99)0140 − C4-0184/99)
The European Parliament ,
− having regard to the Treaties, and in particular Article 199 of the EC Treaty,− having regard to the work of the group of high-level representatives of the European Parliament, the
Council and the Commission on the urgent establishment of a new anti-fraud agency (
1),
− having regard to the draft interinstitutional agreement concerning internal investigations by the Fraud
Prevention Office, drawn up on the basis of a Commission proposal (COM(99)0140 − C4-0184/99),
− having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A4-0263/99),
1. Approves the draft interinstitutional agreement concerning internal investigations by the Fraud
Prevention Office (2);
2. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the parliaments
and governments of the Member States.
(1) See paragraph 9, first indent, of its resolution of 14 January 1999 on improving the financial management of the Commission,
OJ C 104, 14.4.1999, p. 106.
(2) Interinstitutional Agreement signed on 25 May 1999 (OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 15).