50. Considersatthesametimethatthelong-awaitedamendmentofthedirectiveonEuropeanworks
councilsisnowinevitable,necessary,andamatteroftheutmosturgency;withthisinview,callsontheCommissionimmediatelytoinitiatetheconsultationbetweenmanagementandlabourprovidedforbytheTreaty,layingdownclearguidelinesastotheaimtobeachieved,especiallyasregardstheinformationandconsultation timescales and procedures, which must enable workers’ representatives to exert genuineinfluenceoverprocessesunderway;
51. SupportstheworkonaEuropeanPrivateCompany;maintainsthatanynewcompanyform(what
istermedthe‘EuropeanPrivateCompany’)designedtosimplifyregulatorystandardsandproceduresonaEurope-widebasisshouldnotconflictwiththerightsofparticipationdefinedinotherexistingcompanymodelsandthattherelevantrightslaiddowninthedirectiveontheEuropeancompanystatuteshould
accordinglybeextendedinacoherentmannertoapplytotheEuropeanPrivateCompany;
52. Welcomesthe Commission’sinitiative in launching a feasibility studyconcerning the European
PrivateCompany(EPC)whichhasbroadsupportamongtheplayersconcerned;callsontheCommission,furthermore,toreviewinthatfeasibilitystudytheminimumcapitalrequirementsfortheestablishmentofaEuropeancompany(SE)inaccordancewithCouncilRegulation(EC)No2157/2001of8October2001ontheStatuteforaEuropeancompany(SE)(
1)ortoputforwardproposalsforanewformofEuropean
companyadaptedtosmallandmedium-sizedenterprises;considersthattheminimumcapitalrequirementofEUR120000makesitdifficultforsmallandmedium-sizedenterprisestousethecorporatestructureoftheEuropeancompany(SE);
53. Considersthatforsmalllimitedcompaniestheseconddirective’ssystemisparticularlystrict;
54. SupportstheCommissioninitsintention,onthebasisofadirective,togivecompaniesthroughout
theEUthechoicebetweenaone-tierandatwo-tierboardstructure;
55. InstructsitsPresidenttoforwardthisresolutiontotheCouncilandtheCommission,andtothe
governmentsandregulatoryandsupervisoryauthoritiesoftheMemberStatesandtheaccessioncountries.
(1) OJL294,10.11.2001,p.1.
P5_TA(2004)0347
Cyprus
EuropeanParliamentresolutiononCyprus
TheEuropeanParliament ,
/dash havingregardtoitsassentof9April2003totheapplicationbytheRepublicofCyprustobecomea
MemberoftheEuropeanUnion(1),
/dash havingregardtotheTreatyontheAccessionoftheRepublicofCyprus,theCzechRepublic,the
RepublicofEstonia,theRepublicofHungary,theRepublicofLatvia,theRepublicofLithuania,theRepublicofMalta,theRepublicofPoland,theSlovakRepublicandtheRepublicofSloveniatotheEuropeanUnion,andinparticularProtocol10thereof,
/dash havingregardtoitsresolutionof11March2004onthecomprehensivemonitoringreportofthe
EuropeanCommisisononthestateofpreparednessforEUmembershipoftheCzechRepublic,Esto-nia,Cyprus,Latvia,Lithuania,Hungary,Malta,Poland,SloveniaandSlovakia(
2),
/dash havingregardtoRule37(2)ofitsRulesofProcedure,
(1) OJC64E,12.3.2004,p.365.
(2) P5_TA(2004)0180.C104E/720 EN30.4.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Wednesday21April2004
A. whereasithasconsistentlysupportedalleffortstoreunifyCyprus,
B. whereasithasspecificallysupportedtherecentsettlementprocessstartedinNewYorkandconcluded
inBürgenstock,Switzerland,undertheauspicesofUNSecretary-GeneralKofiAnnan,
C. whereasoneofthetopprioritiesandchallengesfortheEUistobeabletoprojectpeaceandstability
toneighbouring,andfuturemember,countries,
D. whereasitisunderstandablethatinanegotiationprocessbasedoncompromisestheresultingagree-
mentneverfullysatisfiesbothsidesinallitsaspects,andwhereasmeasuresandarrangementscaninanycasebechangedbymutualagreementonceconfidenceisestablishedandpeacebuilt,
1. Pointsoutthatthefinalsettlementplanhasbeennegotiatedbetweenthetwosidesontheislandof
CypruswiththeinvolvementofGreeceandTurkeyandhasbeenfinalisedundertheauthorityoftheUNSecurityCouncilbytheUNSGKofiAnnan;
2. Expressesitssupport,andwelcomestheinitiativeoftheUnitedNationsSecretary-General,whoon
31MarchhandedovertothetwopartiesthefinalversionofhisplanonthereunificationofCyprus,whichwillbeputtotwoseparatereferendaontheislandon24April,asagreedbyallpartiesinNewYorkon13February2004,sothatthereunitedislandcanjointheEuropeanUnionon1May;
3. Acknowledges/dashalthoughitwouldunreservedly welcomeaunitedCyprusasamemberofthe
EuropeanUnion/dashtherightofCypriotstodecideforthemselvesontheplaninareferendumwithoutpressure from the outside and will respect such a decision, but points out that a broad, fact-basedinformationcampaignisstillnecessary;
4. Considersthatthisfinaldocumentconstitutesahistoriccompromisewhichwouldendoneofthe
longest-runningconflictsinEuropeandcouldserveasashiningexampleforhandlingequallydifficultinternationalissues;
5. Considersthatthefinalrevisedplaninstitutionalisesafunctionalfederalsystemofgovernmentwhich
isabletoensurethatareunitedCypruscanspeakwithonevoiceandfullyplayitsroleintheframeworkoftheEuropeaninstitutions ,andcallsonallpartiestofulfiltheirobligationswithhonestyandopenness;
6. Takes note that the proposed Act of Adaptation of Protocol 10 does not contain permanent
derogationsfromthe‘acquiscommunautaire’,butonlytransitionalperiods,andcallsontheCommissiontorigorouslydischargeitsresponsibilitiesforreviewingtheapplicationoftheprovisionsoftheAct;
7. UnderstandsthatthepopulationofCyprushasnumerousquestionsregardingmanyextremelycom-
plexelementsoftheplan,butisconvincedthatanydifficultieswhichmayariseintheimplementationoftheagreementcanbesolvedwiththeassistanceoftheEUinstitutions,especiallywithrespecttopropertyrestitutionandthere-establishmentofthe1974refugees;
8. RemindsbothsidesontheislandthattheEU,throughtheinvolvementoftheCommission,has
underlineditssupportfortheprocessleadingtowardsthefinalshapeofthepeaceandreconciliationplan;
9. Takes the view that gradual demilitarisation of the island would facilitate mutual understanding
betweenthetwocommunitiesandpavethewayfortheirfullreconciliation;
10. SharestheCommission’sviewthatitisnotaquestionofmakingachoicebetweentheAnnanplan
andanotherplan,butofchoosingbetweenthisplanandnoalternativeforalongperiodoftime;
11. CallsonthecitizensofCyprustobefullyresponsible,consistentandcommittedtotheirstatusas
EUcitizens,andtoseizethishistoricopportunitytoreunifytheircountryinapeacefulway;30.4.2004EN C104E/721 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Wednesday21April2004
12. ReassuresthecitizensofCyprusthattheEuropeanParliament,theCouncilandtheCommissionare
willingtoprovidefinancialsupportfortheimplementationofthesettlementandthe‘acquiscommunaut-aire’;welcomesthepositiveresultofthehigh-levelpre-donors’conferenceon15April2004asanimport-antsignalofthesolidarityoftheEuropeanandinternationalcommunity;
13. AssuresbothsidesthattheEUinstitutionswillrigorouslyguaranteewithotherinternationalinsti-
tutionstheimplementationofthesettlementasthisisaquestiontouchingupontheirowncredibility;
14. ConfirmsitsintentionactivelytomonitortheimplementationoftheAnnanPlan,throughitscom-
petentcommittee,andtomakeitscontributiontotheguaranteeingoftheplan;
15. InstructsitsPresidenttoforwardthisresolutiontoallpartiestothenegotiationprocess,theCouncil
andCommission,thegovernmentsandparliamentsoftheRepublicofCyprus,GreeceandTurkey,andtheUNSecretary-General.
P5_TA(2004)0348
Singlepaymentarea
EuropeanParliamentresolutiononalegalframeworkforasinglepaymentarea(2003/2101(INI))
TheEuropeanParliament ,
/dash havingregardtotheCommissioncommunicationtotheEuropeanParliamentandtheCouncilcon-
cerninga‘NewLegalFrameworkforPaymentsintheInternalMarket’(COM(2003)718),
/dash havingregardtotheEuropeanCentralBank’sprogressreportof26June2003entitled‘Towardsa
SingleEuroPaymentsArea’,
/dash havingregardtotheEuropeanPaymentsCouncil’sWhitePaperentitled‘Euroland:OurSinglePayment
Area’ofMay2002(1),
/dash havingregardtothehearingofexpertsorganisedon20January2004bytheCommitteeonEcon-
omicandMonetaryAffairs,
/dash havingregardtoRule163ofitsRulesofProcedure,
/dash havingregardtothereportoftheCommitteeonEconomicandMonetaryAffairsandtheopinionof
theCommitteeonLegalAffairsandtheInternalMarket(A5-0192/2004),
A. whereasthereliableandefficientprocessingofallcross-borderpaymenttransactionsintheEuropean
Unionisessentialforcompletionoftheinternalmarketand,therefore,asingleeuropaymentsareashould,asfaraspossible,beachievedbeforethebankingindustry’s2010targetdate,
B. whereas,especiallysincetheEuropeanPaymentsCouncilwassetupin2002,theEuropeanbanking
industryhasmadesignificanteffortstopressaheadwiththenotionofasinglepaymentarea;whereas,however,puttingplansintopractice,suchas,forinstance,theimplementationofagreedstandards,isstillcausingdifficulties,
C. whereasthesituationasregardscross-borderretailpaymentsintheEuropeanUnioncontinuestobe
unsatisfactoryandcitizensmakingcross-borderpaymentscontinuetoencounterdifficultieswhichtheydonotfacewithpurelynationaltransactions,
(1) http://www.europeanpaymentscouncil.org/C104E/722 EN30.4.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Wednesday21April2004