WRITTEN QUESTION E-0848/00

by Marie-Arlette Carlotti (PSE) to the Council

(20 March 2000)

Subject: Action of the European Union against landmines

The European Union has spearheaded the campaign against anti-personnel landmines by adopting two joint actions (1995 and 1997). Parliament, too, has resolutely taken up this fight by devoting thereto several resolutions and a public hearing back in 1995.

Now that all of the Member States (excepting Finland) have signed the Ottawa Convention, and that Council and Parliament are due to take a position on the proposed regulation adopted by the Commission, the European Union must reaffirm its commitment to an actual implementation of this Convention and its universalisation.

1. How might the 1997 joint action be assessed? What is the Council's position as to this joint action being reappraised as a political signal of the Union's commitment?

2. Regarding the adaptation of national legislation, what is the state of play on the actual implementation of the Convention's provisions in the Member States? Have the reports required of the Member States been drawn up? Have they been made public?

3. How large has been the place given to anti-personnel mines in the political dialogue with the Union's partners and in particular with the countries applying for accession (of which five are not signatories to the Convention?

Reply

(10 July 2000)

1. On the eve of the Ottawa Conference in 1997, the European Union adopted a new Joint Action on Anti-Personnel Landmines (APLs), in which the Union reiterated its commitment to the goal of total elimination of APLs world-wide. The Union therefore welcomed the opening for signature in Ottawa of the Convention and the efforts made by its signatories to promote universal accession to the Convention.

On the occasion of the First Conference of the States Parties to the Ottawa Conference (3-7 May 1999), the Union called upon all States to work together to achieve the total elimination of APLs world-wide. The Associated Countries, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Cyprus (not Poland) concurred with this statement. In order to encourage full and speedy implementation of the Convention, the Union made a number of démarches that demonstrated its wide support for the aims of the Convention. In that spirit the EU Member States also undertook in the Joint Action to participate actively in any conferences organised after the signature of the Convention and to seek to encourage, in all appropriate fora, any efforts likely to help to achieve the objectives of the Joint Action.

2. The Joint Action sets out the framework for specific action by the EU and its financial contribution to demining activities. In 1993-1997, the Union contributed USD 140 million to demining activities and assistance to victims. That amount does not include individual contributions by the EU Member States. In 1998, total funding by the European Community and Member States amounted to approximately USD 95 million. This makes the EU the world's premier donor in the field.

On 28 November 1997 the Council of the European Union adopted a Decision on the implementation of Joint Action 96/588/CFSP of 1 October 1996 on APL with a view to contributing to the funding of certain programmes of the SADC (ECU 2,07 million), the ICRC Mine Awareness Programme in the former Yugoslavia and the programme for the rehabilitation of victims disabled by mines in Iraq (ECU 1,43 million). On the same day the Council adopted a decision on the implementation of Joint Action 96/588/CFSP on APL with a view to co-financing the special appeals from the ICRC (maximum contribution of ECU 8 million).

3. In its statement to the First Conference of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention, the Union noted that all States Parties have undertaken never to use APLs under any circumstances. The EU also expects all signatory States fully to abide by the objectives, aims and spirit of the Ottawa Convention. While guided first and foremost by humanitarian concerns, the EU will focus its efforts on States Parties and on signatories that fully observe in practice the principles and objectives laid down in the Convention. Recent civilian victims of mine-laying highlight the importance of abolishing this deadly weapon and the pertinence of the objectives set out in the EU Joint Action: the total elimination of APLs and assistance in solving the problems already caused by these weapons. As the objectives of the Joint Action remain valid, the Union is not considering updating it.

4. At the First meeting of the Standing Committee of Experts (SCE) on the General Status and Operation of the Ottawa Convention, which was held on 10 and 11 January 2000, a positive assessment was made of the growing universalisation of the Convention with 137 countries that have signed or acceded to the Convention and 90 ratifications. It was reported that 31 states had already submitted reports on their implementation of the Convention to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (Article 7 of the Convention) and that 34 states were late in submitting their reports. South Africa and Canada, as co-chairs of the SCE, reported to the meeting that they had approached the States in question with a view to encouraging them to take all necessary steps to demonstrate their continued strong support for the ban on APLs. Although the Convention does not require the publication of reports, the Ottawa Convention stipulates in Article 7 that the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall transmit all the reports received to the States Parties, who will then consider matters arising from the reports at the Meeting of the States Parties. The reports are also available on the website of the United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs:

http://domino.un.org/ottawa.nsf.

5. The European Union welcomes the efforts made by the signatory States to encourage universal accession to the Ottawa Convention and has raised the issue of its implementation during meetings in the context of the political dialogue on global disarmament and arms control with all the associated countries, the EFTA countries which are members of the European Economic Area, Canada and the United States, and with other countries (Australia) or regional groups (SADC).

With regard to the negotiations for the accession to the European Union, the applicant countries are expected to comply fully with the acquis, including Common Positions and Joint Actions adopted in the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.