B4-0864, 0865, 0866, 0867 and 0868/96

Resolution on the Florence European Council

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Florence on 21 and 22 June 1996,

- having regard to the report by the President-in-Office of the Council to Parliament at its Sitting of 3 July 1996,

- having regard to its resolution of 19 June 1996 on the European Council in Florence ((Part II, Item 3(a) of that day's Minutes.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 19 June 1996 on the Florence European Council and the Intergovernmental Conference ((Part II, Item 3(b) of that day's Minutes.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 19 June 1996 on the broad economic guidelines ((Part II, Item 10 of that day's Minutes.)),

1. Welcomes the resolution of the BSE crisis, but regrets the unacceptable and ultimately futile tactics used by the UK Government; underlines that this episode illustrates once again the need for the IGC to endow the Union with decision-making procedures that do not allow the Union to be blocked in this way;

2. Congratulates the Italian Presidency of the European Council and the Commission on their mediation efforts aimed at averting a major crisis within the European Institutions and in relations between the Member States;

3. Draws attention to the extreme difficulties the crisis has caused to European breeders;

4. Expresses deep disappointment that, despite the fact that more than 18 million people are unemployed in the European Union, the Council has once again failed to meet Parliament's demands on job creation at European level, and, in particular:

4.1. Points out that implementation of the White Paper on Growth, Competiveness and Employment will depend on the political will shown by each Member State and deplores the unacceptable delays which have occurred in this respect; deplores in that connection the ambiguous language resorted to by some Member States;

4.2. Regrets the fact that the European Council has failed to adopt the broad economic guidelines; urges the Member States at least to place the emphasis on those guidelines, on the basis of an appropriate macro-economic policy-mix, as Parliament requested in its aforementioned resolution of 19 June 1996;

4.3. Regrets the Council's inability to approve additional finance for the trans-European networks and the research programme, and adequate finance for the third multi-annual programme in favour of SMEs;

4.4. Regrets the Council's failure to approve the Commission's proposal to revise the financial perspective;

5. Regrets that the Council has merely noted Mr Santer's Confidence Pact and urges the Council once again to take specific measures to implement its Essen conclusions on job creation;

6. Regrets that the European Council did not take a clearer position as regards financing the Commission's proposals for the Confidence Pact, the trans- European networks and foreign policy, and calls on the Council to initiate a trialogue on these issues so that the financial perspective can be speedily amended on the basis of the Commission proposals, taking into account the principle of economic and social cohesion;

7. Welcomes the continued technical progress toward the third phase of EMU, but notes the European Council's decision not to initiate any evaluation of convergence at this stage, with no decision being taken until 1998; recalls, however, that under Article 109j of the Treaty the Commission and the European Monetary Institute are to report on the matter, giving Parliament an opportunity to express its opinion;

8. Stresses the need to draw up in good time, before the beginning of Stage 3 of economic and monetary union, a new European monetary system including an exchange-rate mechanism in order to organize relations between participants in the euro area and non-participants;

9. Notes that, once again, procedures under the third pillar have failed to produce progress concerning freedom of movement within the Union and the outstanding problems relating to the Convention on the crossing of External Frontiers of the Union; welcomes the compromise on Europol which will enable ratification to proceed, but reiterates its view that all Member States must, ultimately, come under the same legal situation and afford the same possibilities for judicial review to their citizens;

10. Highlights with satisfaction the decisive boost which the European Council has given to the fight against terrorism by finalizing the Convention to facilitate extradition between the Member States, a key instrument in relation to this matter of common interest;

11. Notes the renewed expression of determination to combat racism and xenophobia with the utmost resolve and repeats its call for the recommendation declaring 1997 European Antiracism Year to be adopted and implemented;

12. Notes that the Florence European Council merely described as 'sufficient progress' the preparatory work within the IGC and that, therefore, the Member States should speed up the current revision process;

13. Calls urgently, to prevent the Intergovernmental Conference from stagnating, for the Irish Presidency to deliver a strong impetus to it, in particular by submitting, in the course of its term, a preliminary draft Treaty based not on the lowest common denominator but on the most advanced ideas of the majority within the IGC;

14. Recalls the particular political importance of transparency and democratic legitimation of the IGC by enhancing Parliament's participation and taking account of its views;

15. Notes the statement on foreign policy adopted by the European Council and, in particular:

15.1. Considers the blocking of the MEDA Regulation, which should help to consolidate an area of peace and stability in the Mediterranean, to be unacceptable;

15.2. Supports the OSCE's confirmation that the elections in Bosnia- Herzegovina should take place on 14 September 1996 while stressing that a range of conditions still need to be met; requests in this connection that the European Union make a greater contribution to creating the climate which will make it possible for these elections to be held, particularly as regards freedom of movement and the provision of media guaranteeing responsible information geared to conciliation throughout the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and support for those who have worked for peace;

15.3. Emphasizes strongly and in agreement with the European Council that the Dayton accords exclude those accused of war crimes by the International War Crimes Tribunal from standing in these elections and insists that those concerned be brought before the court in The Hague, this being an important condition for the success of the elections;

15.4. Calls on the Council to exert pressure on Mr Milosevic to negotiate, without preconditions, with Mr Rugova and other elected representatives on the future of Kosovo; calls on the Council to take the initiative of organizing an international conference on Kosovo;

15.5. Stresses that any strengthening of contacts with Turkey must be made subject to respect for human rights, which are indivisible, and to abandoning its aggressiveness towards a Member State of the Union;

15.6. Reiterates its support for the Middle-East peace process and its appeal to all the parties concerned, particularly the Israeli Government and the Palestinian National Authority, to respect the commitments entered into and continue the negotiations currently under way;

15.7. Stresses, echoing the European Council, that peace in the Middle East is a matter of fundamental interest to the Union and endorses the appeal for all parties in the region to avoid and prevent actions which might hold up the peace process;

15.8. Insists that in its definition of a long-term policy on China the EU must not sacrifice the basic aspects of respect for human rights and the introduction of democracy in that country;

15.9. Expresses its satisfaction that relations with Latin America and the Caribbean have made significant progress, and in particular at the signature of the framework cooperation agreement with Chile;

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