ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
B4-1180, 1204, 1205, 1208, 1210 and 1212/96

Resolution on the reform of the common organization of the market in olive oil

The European Parliament,

A. whereas the Commission intends to submit shortly a proposal for a Regulation on the reform of the common organization of the market in olive oil, even though there has as yet been no prior discussion paper, such as was deemed to be necessary for the reform of other sectors,

B. whereas Regulation (EEC) No 2261/84 provided that the Commission should submit, before 1 January 1995, a report on the working of the system of aids to olive oil production, and whereas Parliament has not yet received this document,

C. whereas the Commission is examining the reform of the olive oil sector; whereas, according to unofficial documents, this reform will set up a system granting a subsidy for each tree and will entail the abolition of measures such as the intervention price and production aid; whereas these changes have provoked an unfavourable reaction in the trade within the producer countries,

D. having regard to the new GATT commitments with regard to trade with third countries and the preferential agreements with other oil-producing third countries,

The European Parliament,

1. Urges the Commission to comply with the provisions of Regulation (EEC) No 2261/84 and to submit a report to the Council on the working of the aid system, as it was required to do by January 1995, so that an assessment can be made before reform is undertaken;

2. Calls on the Commission, before submitting a proposal for a Regulation to reform the COM in olive oil, to draw up a discussion paper analysing thoroughly the current working of the COM in olive oil and proposing solutions to any problems it identifies;

3. Calls in this connection for the proposals to seek to guarantee farmers' incomes, preserve olive growing as an essential feature of the countryside and of the conservation of the Mediterranean environment, promote the whole production chain in the context of local and/or regional rural and employment strategies and be based on a policy of achieving quality;

4. Calls on the Commission, in connection with the EU's preferential oil imports from other Mediterranean countries, to prevent social and environmental dumping practices from allowing the entry into the Union of quantities of oil which would disrupt the market, causing serious harm to EU olive growers, who are already faced with grave difficulties;

5. Calls on the Commission to forward to it the above discussion paper, so that it can draw up its own conclusions, and to initiate a debate with other relevant institutions and members of the trade;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments of the Member States.
B4-1349, 1397, 1426 and 1442/96

Resolution on freedom of the media in Croatia

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Croatia and the former Yugoslavia, especially that of 24 October 1996 on the situation in Croatia ((Minutes of that Sitting, Part II, Item 11(h).)),

- having regard to the conclusions of the conference on 'The role of the media in the peace process in former Yugoslavia¨, co-organized by the European Parliament on 29 November 1996,

A. deeply concerned about the events regarding Radio 101, one of the longest- established radio stations in Croatia, which was first denied the frequency concession by the Telecommunications Council in Croatia but which later, under the pressure of mass demonstrations, was allowed temporarily to continue broadcasting,

B. whereas Radio 101 has always allowed the full spectrum of political and cultural ideas to be expressed within a genuinely pluralistic framework,

C. reminding the Croatian Government that membership of the Council of Europe is directly linked to clear commitments in the field of media plurality and that the existence of independent media is fundamental to the functioning of a truly democratic society,

1. Expresses its solidarity with the employees of Radio 101 and calls on the Telecommunications Council to renew Radio 101's permit to broadcast before it runs out on 15 January 1997;

2. Calls on the Croatian authorities to implement internationally accepted guidelines for the allocation of frequencies to private stations, to guarantee, in every other way, the development of a pluralistic media sector and, especially, to take steps to diversify the production of radio and TV broadcasts;

3. Urges the Council and the Commission to help strengthen the independent media in Croatia and to contribute to the development of a fully democratic system in the country by means of programmes based on the Phare democracy programme;

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Croatian Government and Parliament.
B4-0235/97

Resolution on the detention of two French nationals in Afghanistan

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Afghanistan and, in particular, its resolution of 24 October 1996 ((OJ C 347, 18.11.1996, p. 156.)),

A. shocked at the arrest of two French nationals, Frédéric Michel and José Daniel Llorente, on the staff of 'Action contre la faim' (ACF) who are accused of violating the Sharia by attending a lunch bringing together some sixty Afghan women to mark the departure of three female ACF staff members,

1. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the two French nationals held by the Talibans;

2. Believes it to be absolutely essential for a firm and unequivocal position to be adopted unanimously by the European Union in support of upholding and safeguarding human rights in Afghanistan;

3. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, Afghanistan's representative to the United Nations and the Talibans.
B4-0495, 0499, 0502, 0562, 0566 and 0568/97

Resolution on the set-aside rate for the 1998-99 marketing year

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1765/92 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops ((OJ L 181, 1.7.1992, p. 12.)),

A. whereas the compulsory set-aside rate was fixed at 5% for the 1997-98 marketing year,

B. whereas EU producers require a reasonable amount of advance notice to be able to take their production decisions in full knowledge of the facts,

C. whereas the Union must ensure that it maintains its export capacity; whereas an inadequate level of production is making it impossible to meet demand in a satisfactory manner, the end result being the introduction of a tax on exports,

D. whereas, since the 1992 CAP reform, the Commission has fixed the set-aside rate on a yearly basis, according to the state of stocks and of the internal and external cereals markets,

E. whereas, if a compulsory set-aside rate is to be fixed at a level different from that stipulated in the basic Regulation, it must be notified early enough to allow the Community's farmers to commence sowing in full knowledge of the facts; whereas, given the sowing periods in certain Member States, notably in the South of the Community, the Commission should submit an appropriate proposal as quickly as possible, and in any case before 30 June each year,

1. Calls on the Commission to present its proposal on the set-aside rate without delay, to ensure that a decision can be taken by 30 June 1997;

2. Recommends to the Commission that it propose a set-aside rate for the 1998-99 marketing year which will enable the European Union both to meet its own domestic needs and respond to world demand;

3. Calls on the Commission to submit a report on the state of implementation of the various forms of set-aside adopted at the time of the 1992 reform and on the changes made since then, with a view to assessing the overall effectiveness of such measures;

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.
B4-0035 and 0084/98

Resolution on the results of the elections in Kenya

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Kenya and in particular that of 18 September 1997 ((OJ C 304, 6.10.1997, p. 139.)),

- having regard to the statement by the Presidency of the European Union of 6 January 1998,

A. whereas presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Kenya on 29 and 30 December 1997,

B. whereas various irregularities came to light during the election campaign and during the election itself,

C. whereas, however, these elections have been endorsed by the national observers who were responsible for monitoring the way in which they were held,

D. noting, moreover, that the opposition proved unable to overcome its differences and unite behind a single candidate,

E. whereas President Daniel Arap Moi has been re-elected and his party, the Kenya African National Union, has retained an absolute majority in the Kenyan Parliament by two seats,

F. whereas, despite the inadequacies encountered during the electoral process, these elections constitute a new stage in a process of democratization which must be consolidated; whereas constitutional reforms are an essential step to promoting national reconciliation,

G. whereas the IMF aid blockade on Kenya remains in force on account of the government's failure to meet conditions on economic governance, budgetary transparency and the fight against corruption,

1. Welcomes the attachment of the Kenyan people to democratic values as demonstrated by their massive participation, often in very difficult conditions, in the national elections;

2. Notes the results of the Kenyan elections on 29 and 30 December 1997, while regretting the irregularities which blemished the smooth running of the electoral process;

3. Urges President Arap Moi to continue the dialogue with the opposition parties and to respect fully the powers that the constitution confers on the elected Parliament;

4. Calls on the Kenyan Government, in particular, to ensure that all political forces in Kenya are involved in the process of revising the constitution, in a genuine spirit of national reconciliation;

5. Urges the Kenyan Government to adopt and implement without delay effective measures against corruption;

6. Calls on the Commission to keep up its pressure, under the Lomé Convention, on the Kenyan Government to achieve respect for human rights and implement effective measures against corruption;

7. Calls on the Commission to support special programmes by NGOs which contribute to the development of the democratic process in Kenya, for example by tackling illiteracy and promoting independent institutions of civil society;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly and the Kenyan Government.
B4-0029/98

Resolution on negotiations between the EU and Switzerland - overland transport

The European Parliament,

A. whereas the question of overland freight transport has been the subject of long-running discussion and negotiation between the EU and Switzerland,

B. whereas the parameters of the current negotiations would appear to focus on the key issues of the maximum level for road tax levied in Switzerland on heavy goods vehicles from the EU crossing the territory, preventing the diversion of traffic to Austria and France, access for 40-tonne lorries to economic centres in Switzerland and related transit agreements,

C. whereas the outcome of these negotiations must be a lasting one which seeks to enable the internal market to function more efficiently and effectively whilst ensuring that the environment in Switzerland and the Alpine region more generally is protected,

The European Parliament,

1. Supports the efforts of the Commission, particularly over the past year, to negotiate an agreement;

2. Congratulates the recent Dutch and Luxembourg Presidencies on their efforts to help conclude a satisfactory agreement;

3. Welcomes signs of increasing flexibility on the part of the Swiss Government;

4. Urges both negotiating partners to redouble their efforts to reach an agreement on the outstanding issues that will satisfy the need for sustainable mobility in Europe, as early as possible in 1998;

5. Calls on the Commission to ensure that no Member State is put at a disadvantage in relation to Switzerland as regards transit;

6. Recognizes both the importance of modal shift in freight transport in the Alps to rail and combined transport and the need to ensure that road hauliers are not unnecessarily penalized;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States and the Swiss Government.
B4-0024 and 0026/98

Resolution on UEFA and the Coca-Cola Cup

The European Parliament,

A. whereas the European Union must recognize the specific nature of sport and the autonomy of the sports movement,

B. whereas in its resolution of 13 June 1997 on the role of the European Union in the field of sport ((OJ C 200, 30.6.1997, p. 252.)) Parliament insisted that 'solutions must be found ... which, in practice, do not dissuade ... medium-sized and small professional ... clubs, from making significant efforts to ... fulfil their educational and social role¨,

C. whereas there is currently a conflict between UEFA and the Premier League on the number of clubs allowed to participate in the first division championship,

D. whereas the English Football League, which represents all the professional clubs, is in legal terms completely independent of the Premier League which is composed of only the professional clubs in the first division ('Premiership¨),

E. whereas the Coca-Cola Cup is organised by the Football League and not by the Premier League,

F. whereas the Football League Cup winners used to qualify for the UEFA Cup (C3 Cup),

G. whereas the UEFA decision to change the rules by not permitting the Football League Cup winners to qualify for the UEFA Cup is arbitrary, could be considered as related to the abovementioned conflict and could have considerable negative economic and social consequences for a great many English professional clubs, especially from the lower divisions,

H. whereas this decision could also be considered as discriminatory, since winners of similar league cups organised in other European countries will continue to play in the UEFA Cup,

I. whereas this decision is an infringement of Article 86 of the EC Treaty concerning abuse of a dominant position,

J. whereas the economic activity generated by professional sport cannot be exempt from the provisions of Community law, and whereas this action will almost certainly have enormous financial consequences,

The European Parliament,

1. Urges the Commission to deal with this problem as a matter of priority;

2. Asks UEFA to reverse its decision in the light of the considerations above;

3. Requests UEFA thereby to ensure that all the football leagues in the Member States are treated equally;

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, to the governments and parliaments of the Member States, UEFA and the English Football and Premier Leagues.
A4-0144/98

Resolution on Court of Auditors' Special Report No 4/97 concerning the audit of certain aspects of German reunification measures involving EAGGF compensation payments and export refunds, together with the Commission's replies (C4-0348/97)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Court of Auditors' Special Report No 4/97 (C4-0348/97) ((OJ C 144, 13.5.1997, p. 1.)),

- having regard to Articles 188c(4) and 206(1) of the EC Treaty,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A4-0144/98),

1. Regrets that Court of Auditors' Special Report No 4/97 was concluded with considerable delay in relation to the period covered by the audit;

2. Notes that the reduction of milk production, the eradication of enzootic bovine leucosis and the reduction in beef production in the territory of the former German Democratic Republic after reunification were achieved without substantial supplementary expenditure to the Community budget;

3. Appreciates the Community's contribution to the integration of the new Länder in the structures of the common agricultural policy; notes in this respect the exceptional circumstances in which the integration occurred such as the absence of a transitional period and the retrospective implementation of some measures (reduction of milk production);

4. Regrets the Commission's significant delays in carrying out on-the-spot financial checks in the context of the EBL eradication programme; requests that the Commission organise systematic controls on all eradication programmes co-financed by Community appropriations;

5. Insists that all sums unduly paid be fully recovered and the procedure concerned be completed as soon as possible;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the Court of Auditors.
B4-0557/98

Resolution on death sentences in Myanmar (Burma)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Burma,

A. concerned that six prisoners whom Amnesty International considers to have been incarcerated on political grounds were sentenced to death in Burma last week,

B. concerned that these are the first known political prisoners to have received the death penalty in several years and that, according to reports, 20 more prisoners have died in custody,

C. whereas Burmese troops also regularly extra-judicially execute members of ethnic minorities in counter-insurgency activities,

1. Calls on the Burmese Government to abolish the death penalty, not to apply the death penalty for the abovementioned cases and to release all political prisoners unless criminal charges can be substantiated under democratic and fair legal procedures;

2. Calls on the Council and the governments of the Member States to put pressure on business and industry in order to dissuade them from making any financial investments in Burma;

3. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the Government of Myanmar.
B4-0654 and 0675/98

Resolution on the situation in Guinea-Bissau

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the declaration of 8 June 1998 by the Presidency of the Union,

- having regard to the meeting of Portuguese-speaking African countries held in Lisbon on 17 June 1998,

A. having regard to the revolt that has brought loyalist soldiers into conflict with rebel troops since 7 June 1998,

B. having regard to the military intervention by Senegal and Guinea in an effort to quell the rebellion led by General Mane, former chief of staff of the armed forces, who was sacked following the discovery of arms trafficking to the Casamance rebels,

C. whereas severe losses have been sustained by both forces loyal to the government and the rebels,

D. whereas the clashes between the rebels and government troops have also claimed the lives of more than 100 civilians and have forced some of the population to flee, putting their lives in danger,

E. whereas the African heads of state meeting in Ougadougou for the OAU summit have given their support to President Nino Vieira,

F. aware of the devastating effects that the continuation of this crisis could have on the stability of West Africa and concerned to prevent an escalation of fighting in the region,

1. Condemns the attempted coup by certain elements of the armed forces against the democratic institutions and President Vieira and calls for constitutional order to be restored;

2. Calls on the warring parties to put an immediate end to hostilities and to declare and respect a ceasefire;

3. Regrets that the fighting has already claimed the lives of hundreds of victims among both the civilian population and the combatants;

4. Calls on the OAU to offer to mediate without delay in order to resolve the conflict peacefully;

5. Calls on the Council of the European Union to promote any initiative aimed at a peaceful and rapid solution to the crisis, particularly within the framework of the United Nations and the OAU;

6. Welcomes the humanitarian aid that the European Union has just released to help the population; calls on it to provide assistance to the neighbouring countries that will have to cope with the influx of refugees from Guinea-Bissau;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the ACP-EU Council, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly, the UN and OAU secretaries-general and the Government of Guinea-Bissau.
B4-0952, 0953, 0954, 0955, 0956, 0957 and 0958/98

Resolution on Malta

The European Parliament,

A. having regard to Malta¨s request to accede to the EU of 16 July 1990 and to the conclusion of the Corfu European Council in June 1994 that accession negotiations should be opened with Malta and Cyprus, and the conclusion of the Council of the European Union of 10 April 1995 that these negotiations should start six months after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference which was to lead to the Treaty of Amsterdam,

B. having regard to its previous resolutions on this subject, in particular that of 12 July 1995 on Malta¨s application for membership of the EU (( OJ C 249, 25.9.1995, p. 76.)), in favour of opening accession negotiations with Malta,

C. whereas Malta forms an integral part of the European national and cultural community and is willing to participate henceforth in the future as an active member of the European Union,

D. whereas Malta, after freezing its application for membership for two years, has stated its renewed willingness to become a member of the EU,

E. pointing out the importance of the island's geo-strategic location between the European and African continents,

F. noting with satisfaction that expansion of the European Union to include Malta will strengthen the Mediterranean dimension of the European Union,

G. pointing out the constructive role of Malta in the Barcelona process,

H. having regard to the statements made by the government and the opposition of Malta that the citizens should decide in a referendum upon Maltese membership of the European Union,

I. pointing out nevertheless that the Commission opinion on Malta's 1990 request for accession identified certain problems requiring a prior solution (especially in the economic and fiscal fields) and that, following the freezing of Malta's request from 1996, some of these problems may still require further action,

The European Parliament,

1. Notes with satisfaction that Malta has renewed its earlier request, and asks the Council and the Commission to support its accession as soon as possible in full respect of the provisions and procedures of the Treaty;

2. Ask the Council to include Malta as soon as possible as a member of the European Conference;

3. Emphasises that its position on this renewed request must be adopted on the basis of the Commission's updated opinion;

4. Asks the Commission to continue with the screening process of Malta and to update without delay its opinion on Malta¨s accession request to take account of developments since 1996;

5. Requests that Malta be given pre-accession aid on the same basis as other applicants;

6. Asks the government of Malta to inform its citizens continuously and extensively about every step taken in the process of accession;

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