P6_TA(2006)0238

EU-USA Transatlantic Partnership Agreement

European Parliament resolution on improving EU-US relations in the framework of a Transatlantic Partnership Agreement (2005/2056(INI))

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Transatlantic Declaration on EC-US Relations of 1990 and the New Transatlantic Agenda of 1995,

- having regard to the Conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 16 and 17 December 2004 and in particular to the sections entitled "An international order based on effective multilateralism" and "Working with partners",

- having regard to the statements made after the meeting of European Union Heads of State and Government and the President of the United States on 22 February 2005 in Brussels,

- having regard to the outcome of the EU-US Summit held on 20 June 2005 in Washington DC,

- having regard to its resolution of 9 June 2005 on transatlantic relations [1] as well as to its previous resolutions of 17 May 2001 [2], 13 December 2001 [3], 15 May 2002 [4] and 19 June 2003 [5], to its recommendation of 10 March 2004 to the Council on the Guantánamo detainees' right to a fair trial [6], to its resolution of 16 February 2006 on Guantánamo [7] and to its resolutions of 22 April 2004 [8] and 13 January 2005 [9],

- having regard to US Congress Draft House Resolution 77 on Transatlantic Relations presented on 9 February 2005,

- having regard to the Commission Communication of 18 May 2005 entitled "A stronger EU-US Partnership and a more open market for the 21st century" (COM(2005)0196),

- having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the Committee on Legal Affairs (A6-0173/2006),

A. whereas the Transatlantic Partnership is a cornerstone of the external action of the Union,

B. whereas the Transatlantic Partnership is founded on shared values such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as supporting sustainable economies and sustainable development; whereas such values continue to play a key role in any future consideration of the fundamentals of the Transatlantic Partnership; and whereas the USA needs to be called upon to adopt the values promoted and upheld by the EU, such as prohibition of the death penalty and defence of the International Criminal Court,

C. whereas it is necessary, regardless of a partially divergent interpretation of the currently existing global risks and threats, to advance freedom and democracy in the world and to address the challenges which they pose, such as international security, the eradication of poverty, promotion of development, the need for disarmament efforts worldwide, protection of human rights, confronting global health risks, environmental issues and energy security, combating international terrorism and organised crime, and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,

D. whereas it is in the interests of both partners to confront in unison common threats and challenges on the basis of existing international treaties and the effective work of international institutions, and in particular the UN system in accordance with the UN Charter,

E. whereas, bearing in mind the responsibility of both partners for the state of international order, it is essential that their partnership be founded on a stable, sustainable and load-bearing base for cooperation,

F. whereas, in the fight against international terrorism, it is necessary to stress the importance of fully respecting international law and treaties regarding human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to recognise the importance of discussing the appropriateness of and need for new and more tailored solutions in international law, capable of better responding to the challenge of international terrorism, and new legal means of combating the threat of terrorism, while fully respecting the aforementioned rights and freedoms,

G. whereas, as the European Security Strategy makes clear, the Transatlantic Partnership and NATO are very important for collective security,

H. whereas EU institutions, Member States, the United Nations and the general public have repeatedly called for the immediate closure of the Guantánamo Bay detention centre, urging that all prisoners should be treated in accordance with international humanitarian law and tried as quickly as possible at a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal,

I. whereas the EU and US constitute the world's largest bilateral partnership in terms of trade (some EUR 600000 million in goods and services in 2003) and investment (some EUR 1400000 million by 2003), with as many as 14 million jobs in the EU and US dependent on transatlantic commercial ties (according to the Commission),

J. whereas, in the context of the strong economic interdependence deriving from the abovementioned ties, the Lisbon Agenda should be perceived as an endeavour to make Europe a highly competitive and knowledge-based economy which in turn benefits the Transatlantic Partnership by enhancing the growth of common markets,

K. whereas the United States continues to impose, on a non-reciprocal basis, a visa requirement on citizens of ten EU Member States, including nine of the ten Member States which joined the European Union on 1 May 2004, thereby hampering transatlantic ties, perpetuating inequality among EU citizens and implying a lack of trust in the European Union's own visa arrangements,

L. whereas both partners are currently the major donors of assistance to the Middle East and the Mediterranean region, with some EUR 3000 million being provided annually in grants and loans from the EU and some USD 2200 million from the United States, whereas the peaceful development of democratic societies in the Middle East that respect human rights and guarantee political pluralism should be the central strategic aim of the foreign policy of both the European Union and the United States, and whereas this assistance should be better coordinated and focused on conflict resolution, the promotion of democracy and sustainable development,

M. whereas the Austrian Presidency has underlined the need for greater involvement of parliamentary representatives and representatives of European and American civil society in the Transatlantic Partnership,

General framework of the EU-US Partnership

1. Stresses the need to update the fundamental basis of the Transatlantic Partnership by replacing the existing New Transatlantic Agenda with a Transatlantic Partnership Agreement to take effect from 2007; is convinced that it is only by means of such an agreement that the transatlantic relationship can be anchored in a firm institutionalised structure, enabling the partners to pursue their common objectives in a more consistent and stable manner; is of the view that only such an agreement would allow comprehensive restructuring and harmonising of the diverse and uncoordinated initiatives presently under way, and that it would also encourage other international actors to assume the vital principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law;

2. In this respect, urges the partners to initiate at all levels a comprehensive evaluation of the shortcomings, failures and achievements of the New Transatlantic Agenda with regard, in particular, to the priority actions included in the Joint EU/US Action Plan, so as to build the Transatlantic Partnership on a more defined and concrete basis;

3. Underlines equally the urgent need for the forthcoming EU-US Summit in June 2006 to fix without further delay the goal of completing the Transatlantic Market by 2015, without impediment, as repeatedly proposed by Parliament, by the US Congress and by leading politicians, academics and business stakeholders;

4. Is of the opinion that the realisation of such far-reaching initiatives, especially with regard to the deepening of EU-US economic relations, is absolutely necessary; emphasises the need for transatlantic relations to have a direct impact on achieving objectives inherent in EU-US global and bilateral interests and values;

5. Considers therefore that the eight joint declarations adopted at the EU-US Summit in Washington DC on 20 June 2005, as well as other common actions which may follow, would be better integrated and more effectively pursued under the umbrella of the proposed Transatlantic Partnership Agreement;

6. Regrets for the same reason that the Commission Communication of 18 May 2005, whilst moving in the right direction, did not show the necessary conviction and determination to push further ahead and fix the final goal of enhancing the Transatlantic Partnership by concluding a Transatlantic Partnership Agreement as the appropriate institutional and political framework; calls, therefore, on the Commission to draw up another Communication, stressing the need to push ahead with the matter;

Political dimension of the proposed Transatlantic Partnership Agreement: building up a "community of action" for global and regional cooperation

7. Reiterates the view that the Transatlantic Partnership Agreement should expand the existing agenda in the political, economic and security fields, seeking a "community of action" for global and regional cooperation in all those areas where the common interests and values of both partners are at stake; welcomes in this regard the eight joint declarations resulting from the last Washington Summit, which specify the most pressing challenges for both partners; also welcomes the discussions at the First Regulatory Cooperation Forum ( 26 January 2006) and within the First Intellectual Property Working Group ( 26 January 2006), and looks forward to their follow-up in three months, but considers that more concrete action, such as the setting-up of informal dialogues between EU and US experts in the areas concerned, with a view to formulating achievable short and medium-term measures to tackle those challenges, would be desirable;

8. Recommends also the promotion of a common approach to relations with other major geopolitical actors including China, India, Japan, Latin America and Russia, the revival of negotiated arms control and disarmament agreements at multilateral and bilateral levels and a more active joint commitment to reform of the United Nations and its Security Council;

9. Urges that China, Russia and Ukraine be prioritised for actions with regard to EU-US collaboration and coordination of technical assistance and enforcement training;

10. Is of the view that the support for the United Nations system contained in the Declaration on the 60th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter will strengthen universal democratic values worldwide only if the terms of the Declaration and UN Security Council resolutions are consistently applied when addressing the multifaceted threats and challenges on the ground; in this regard, shares the view that the spread of transparent, accountable and representative government, the rule of law and respect for human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are strategic priorities and moral necessities for the partners and as such must form a distinctive characteristic of the partnership;

11. Encourages the partners to engage in further common action regarding obligations deriving from international treaties which lay the foundations of an effective multilateral framework in fundamental policy areas for both partners' global responsibilities, such as those relating to the International Criminal Court, the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, the Geneva Conventions, the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, human rights and fundamental freedoms including the elimination of the death penalty, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, combating organised crime and smuggling, extradition, torture, illegal detention and rendition, asylum, visas, emigration, data protection, etc.; urges the partners to ratify all relevant international treaties and to overcome current differences in analysis, diagnosis and policy approach towards a global system based on good governance and the rule of law;

12. Regrets that the US Administration remains so reluctant to enter into any meaningful international partnership on climate change, but notes as a modest step forward, that it is now willing, as agreed at the December 2005 Montreal Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to engage in a thorough forward-looking dialogue; welcomes initiatives by US legislators to set up mandatory domestic schemes for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the US and the growing emphasis on fighting climate change demonstrated by key actors in American society, such as state governments, mayors, civil society organisations and the business community;

13. Recommends that a common strategy be developed to ensure security of energy and raw material supplies, based firstly on a multilateral policy agreed by all major consumers and secondly on the principle of diversity in supply, production and transportation;

14. Encourages closer cooperation, within the Contact Group, on the final status of Kosovo, with respect for the resolutions of the UN Security Council and decisions of the European Union, with the aim of consolidating peace, security and stability in the broader region of the Balkans;

15. Encourages the partners to reinforce their common efforts to promote peace, prosperity and progress in the Middle East on the basis of the successive initiatives undertaken by the Quartet in accordance with the Road Map, ensuring at each stage a regular, strong joint Quartet presence and dialogue at a high level; stresses the importance of a common approach towards the newly elected Palestinian Authority, insisting on the principles of non-violence, recognition of the state of Israel and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Road Map; calls on Israel and the Palestinian Authority to avoid unilateral actions which could prejudice final status issues; urges the Palestinian Authority to do its utmost to prevent acts of terrorism and Israel to stop settlement expansion and the building-up of the barrier on Palestinian soil; is of the view that commitment by the newly elected Palestinian Authority to the above-mentioned principles outlined by the Quartet on 30 January 2006 is essential in order to achieve the final aim of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security; supports the recent decision of the Quartet to endorse a temporary international mechanism ensuring direct aid to the Palestinian people;

16. Recommends that all necessary steps be taken to strengthen Lebanon's stability by supporting that country's institutions and its democratic governance; to that end, is of the view that Lebanon's own decision- making should not be overridden by the actions of the transatlantic partners or of any other outside actor;

17. Supports the determination of the partners to work with the Iraqi authorities, the UN and relevant regional actors in order to help Iraq achieve peace, stability and democracy following the constitutional and legislative elections; expresses its profound concern at the continuing violations of human rights;

18. Underlines the need for the partners to work closely on the Iran nuclear issue and to maintain a coherent policy towards the region as a whole, focusing on the Iranian people, its government and the democratic opposition; asks the United States to participate in the negotiations with Iran; fully supports the statement by the President of the UN Security Council on 29 March 2006 and the call on Iran to take the steps required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors for suspension of all enrichment-related and for verification by the IAEA of reprocessing activities, including research and development; shares the view that these steps will contribute to a diplomatic, negotiated solution guaranteeing that Iran's nuclear programme is for exclusively peaceful purposes; fully supports the conclusions of the meeting held in Berlin on 30 March 2006 and its urgent call on Iran to address international concerns through a diplomatic solution, but recalls that negotiations have already lasted three years, cannot be never-ending and cannot simply lead to an appeasement policy; is of the view that further measures should be envisaged by the United Nations Security Council;

19. Recommends that Iran's legitimate security interests be taken into account by a comprehensive regional security system backed by the strong commitment of the transatlantic partners;

20. Calls for concerted action vis-à-vis China with regard, in particular, to the urgency of finding ways to promote democracy in that country, defuse tension in cross-straits relations, enhance the participation of Taiwan in world fora and facilitate the dialogue between the Beijing authorities and the Dalai Lama in order to make concrete progress on the question of Tibet;

21. Supports the measures proposed with a view to working together for the promotion of peace, stability, prosperity and good governance in Africa, as well as the efforts being made in the framework of different international fora, such as the G8/African Union Action Plan, the EU-African Peace Facility or the US Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative; proposes however that priority be given to achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015 by effectively increasing the partners' development assistance in Africa, in particular in the fields of education and health, and by supporting the efforts of international aid funds to eradicate poverty completely; expects African governments to deliver their side of the bargain through a commitment to democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights as well as to the fight against corruption;

22. Is of the view that the European Union and the United States should give policy priority to the substantial reduction of poverty and should reaffirm their commitment to achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and their previously expressed commitment to devote 0,7% of their GDP to development assistance by 2020 at the latest;

EU-US security and defence matters

23. Underlines the importance of NATO's role together with the European Union's foreign and security policy and the fact that NATO remains a crucial guarantor of transatlantic stability and security; reiterates that it is in the interests of the partners to strengthen both NATO and EU capabilities and that NATO in particular should develop its potential as a forum for political debate in a true partnership of equals, with a sensible balance being struck between the instruments of prevention, crisis management and military capability; recommends, to that end, the development of the existing relationship on security matters between NATO and the European Union, while respecting the independent nature of both organisations; underlines that all military intervention should in principle be mandated by the UN, in accordance with its Charter;

24. Welcomes the recent US National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, which does not contain "Buy American" provisions for the procurement of refuelling tankers for the US Air Force; recognises, however, that it remains difficult for European defence firms to penetrate the United States defence market and to acquire United States defence-related technology due to the absence of a genuine transatlantic "two-way street" in the defence industrial sector; believes, therefore, that the European Defence Agency should recommend that national defence procurement agencies in the EU make more European purchases in order to strategically reinforce the European defence industrial and technological base in certain sectors and in order to rebalance transatlantic industrial cooperation in the defence sector;

25. Urges further discussion on joint rapid reaction (including crisis management in all its forms) to sudden and unexpected political changes in countries in which the shared values and vital interests of both partners could be affected;

26. Underlines the importance of increasing the military capabilities of Europe, for the sake of international security and with a view to establishing better partnership relations between the European Union and the United States in political and military terms;

27. Welcomes the commitment by both partners, highlighting the important role played by the UN Security Council and other UN institutions in seeking an effective global response to the key threats to international peace and security posed by the proliferation of WMDs and their delivery systems; as well as the irresponsible export and proliferation of conventional weapons, including small arms and light weapons; to that end, stresses the need for the continuation of work on strengthening the non-proliferation regime and that efforts must be made to work decisively towards the universalisation of the related treaties and conventions, in particular the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines, as well as adherence to the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, implementation of the UN Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons and conclusion of the International Arms Trade Treaty; encourages the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty;

28. Recommends intensification of the work on a new instrument of international law which would adequately define the phenomenon of terrorism as well as effective and legal methods of combating it by international society that are in full accord with human rights and fundamental freedoms;

29. Encourages the European Union and the United States to continue cooperation towards a comprehensive system of international agreements on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in order to jointly reinforce the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a key element in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, regrets that a common position in this regard was not achieved at the NPT Review Conference in 2005, and proposes that the utmost be done to promote full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004); is of the view that strengthening the IAEA as well as the Global Partnership Initiative are central elements in the partners' joint strategy; endorses in this connection the proposal of the IAEA for the multilateralisation of uranium enrichment; further stresses that the nuclear-weapon states amongst the transatlantic partners should work harder to comply with Article VI of the NPT;

30. Urges the parties to redouble their efforts to ensure that the final deadline for the destruction of chemical weapons, scheduled for 2012, as provided for in the Chemical Weapons Convention, will be met, and calls in particular for a strengthening of the verification system of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and sufficient financial resources for the work of that organisation; reminds the parties of their responsibility for ensuring a successful conclusion to the Sixth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention to be held at the end of 2006 and calls upon them to advocate the adoption of a compliance-monitoring Protocol to the Convention;

31. Shares the view that fighting terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as well as the uncontrolled proliferation of conventional arms remain the greatest security challenges for both partners; stresses, therefore, the need for both partners to reinforce their collaboration in this field and to support the role that the UN must play in combating both challenges;

32. Strongly regrets, therefore, the mistrust due to suspected violation of human rights and international law involved in the so-called extraordinary renditions in Europe; in this connection, refers to the formal inquiries by the Council of Europe pursuant to Article 52 of the European Convention on Human Rights and by the European Parliament's temporary committee referred to in its resolution of 15 December 2005 [10] and established by its decision of 18 January 2006 [11]; calls on all parties involved, including the United States, to cooperate fully with the temporary committee;

33. Underlines the need for the partners to act at all times in full respect of international law, the UN Charter and the principles of democracy and to ensure that their national legislation and mechanisms in this matter comply with international human rights law and, in particular, with the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; is of the view that any joint or unilateral activity which does not fully respect international law would weaken the way in which western societies are perceived, making them vulnerable and less credible in their fight against terrorism and the quest for peace, stability and democracy;

34. Stresses the need to put an end to the current legal limbo in which the detainees held in Camp Delta, Guantánamo Bay Naval Base have been placed since their arrival there, to guarantee them immediate access to justice and to ensure that those charged with war crimes receive a fair trial in accordance with international humanitarian law and in full compliance with international human rights instruments; stresses that this issue should be on the agenda at the next EU-US Summit; reiterates its call for the immediate closure of the Guantánamo detention centre;

35. Regrets that, in the past, the US Defense Department has not authorised the visit by the Ad Hoc Working Group of the EP/NATO Parliamentary Assembly Delegation that was requested at the beginning of 2004; is of the view that this visit has in the meantime become more essential than ever and proposes to re-submit the request;

36. Invites those Member States that have not yet ratified the 2003 EU-US extradition and mutual assistance treaties to speed up the ratification process; considers that, in order to enhance judicial and police cooperation in penal matters, attention should be paid to the transposition (on the EU side) of the EUUSA mutual legal assistance and extradition agreements;

37. Believes that the visa requirements currently applying to citizens of one of the old Member States and nine of the new Member States amount to unjustified discrimination between the citizens from old and new Member States; therefore urges the US to extend the Visa Waiver Program to cover all EU citizens so that they all receive equal, open and fair treatment without delay;

38. Considers that the "Trusted Person" initiative is a voluntary initiative; notes, however, that it could raise data-protection difficulties for the EU, in particular for citizens travelling to the USA on business or for tourism; states that as far as data protection is concerned, a proper follow-up to the recent judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Communities in the Passenger Name Records case [12] and a joint strategy for countering spam, "spyware" and "malware" should be ensured while strengthening bilateral cooperation on enforcement and cooperating with all relevant parties to raise awareness among third countries about the need to tackle spam;

39. Stresses the need for increased cooperation on a Border Security Initiative so as to develop a specific enforcement initiative to help build networks among border security agencies, facilitate the sharing and concrete application of effective border enforcement techniques and the sharing of information and lessons learned and provide measurable results showing the extent to which counterfeiting has been reduced through enforcement;

40. Suggests that cooperation in combating money laundering, the financing of terrorism, tax evasion, corruption and other malpractices be developed further within the framework of the implementation of the Financial Action Task Force recommendations and other appropriate cooperation frameworks;

41. Calls on the US to lay down effective procedures enabling persons to challenge their inclusion in the list of terror suspects compiled by the US, have their names deleted from the list once it has been proven that they are innocent and ensure that those bearing the same name (or a similar name) as persons on the list are not adversely affected as a result;

42. Calls for operational cooperation in the fight against terrorism based on equivalence and reciprocity (particularly as regards the establishment of common watch-lists) and in measures to combat organised crime, drug trafficking and corruption, and for the exchange of DNA data via Europol, cyber-security and the development and application of cyber-crime policy, covering issues relating to the importance of industry/government cooperation, the protection of critical information infrastructure, use of the internet by terrorists, identity theft, the admissibility of electronic evidence and combating online child pornography;

43. Recalls, however, that any cooperation between the EU and the US should always be conducted in full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to a fair trial, and that, before anyone is extradited to the US, guarantees should be obtained from the US that he or she will not receive the death penalty; calls on the transatlantic partners to respect the principle of reciprocity in judicial and police cooperation between them;

44. Considers that the US authorities, the Member States, the Community institutions and the Council of Europe should cooperate with its Temporary Committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners;

Economic and commercial dimension of the partnership and completion of the Transatlantic Market by 2015

45. Is of the view that the transatlantic economic partnership should be enhanced within the framework of the proposed Transatlantic Partnership Agreement and should be complemented by a Transatlantic Aviation Agreement, rather than pursued in the present cumbersome and sometimes contradictory way;

46. Calls on the Austrian Presidency to increase efforts to implement the Declaration on Enhancing Transatlantic Economic Integration agreed at the 2005 EU-US Summit by establishing the high-level fora on regulatory cooperation and on innovation, as well as by launching a joint EU-US study to identify remaining barriers to transatlantic trade and investment, and to assess potential benefits of completing the Transatlantic Market; with this in mind, proposes the establishment of a roadmap outlining a specific course of action and setting target dates for its completion; in this regard, welcomes the decision taken at the first informal EU-US economic ministerial meeting in November 2005 to establish a working group in order to guarantee better protection of intellectual property rights, focusing on improved border enforcement cooperation, public-private partnership and coordinated technical assistance to third countries;

47. Refers to its resolution of 1 June 2006 on EU-US transatlantic economic relations [13];

48. Urges that the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue and the Transatlantic Environmental Dialogue be revitalised to develop "best practices" which advance consumer health, safety and environmental protection, thus facilitating a more sustainable transatlantic market;

49. Calls on the leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to reinvigorate transatlantic economic cooperation by establishing early warning systems to operate at an earlier stage in the regulatory and legislative processes, at the point of problem specification and solution identification;

50. Condemns the extraterritorial approach that typifies much of the United States' foreign policy and foreign economic/commercial policy, as exemplified by the Helms-Burton Law, the Torricelli Law and Section 301 of the US Trade Act;

Institutional framework of the partnership

51. Recalls that, although the main obstacles affecting the partnership over recent years have been differences concerning substance rather than differences of an institutional nature, no lasting achievements are feasible without institutions which are prepared to push for progress; underlines, for that reason, the importance of a stable institutional framework ensuring regular executive coordination and consultation; reiterates therefore the need to strengthen the parliamentary dimension of the Transatlantic Partnership by transforming the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD) into a transatlantic assembly scheduling legislators' summits in the run-up to EU-US summits; takes the view, moreover, that the idea of launching new, jointlyfunded programmes for exchanges between legislative staffers needs to be considered;

52. Supports, therefore, the Austrian Presidency's proposal to involve parliamentary representatives and representatives from European and American civil society more fully in the day-to-day running of the partnership; takes the view that the President of Parliament and the US Congress leadership should participate at the next Summit to show that the partnership enjoys the active support and involvement of elected representatives;

53. Welcomes the inclusion of representatives from six additional EP Committees in the TLD and supports current efforts to establish an early-warning system within Parliament; is of the view that at, the latest, the EP budget for 2007 should establish a permanent post in Washington DC, so that both Parliament and the TLD may maintain permanent contact with the US House of Representatives and Senate;

54. Welcomes the 2005 roadmap endorsed by the EU-US summit in June 2005 and in particular the creation of the High-Level Regulatory Cooperation Forum to facilitate regulatory dialogue;

55. Insists that the stakeholders and legislators should be actively involved in the dialogue mechanisms on regulatory cooperation;

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56. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the President and Congress of the United States of America.

[1] OJ C 124 E, 25.5.2006, p. 556.

[2] OJ C 34 E, 7.2.2002, p. 359.

[3] OJ C 177 E, 25.7.2002, p. 288.

[4] OJ C 180 E, 31.7.2003, p. 392.

[5] OJ C 69 E, 19.3.2004, p. 124.

[6] OJ C 102 E, 28.4.2004, p. 640.

[7] Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0070.

[8] OJ C 104 E, 30.4.2004, p. 1043.

[9] OJ C 247 E, 6.10.2005, p. 151.

[10] Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0529.

[11] Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0012.

[12] Judgment of 30 May 2006 in Joined Cases C-317/04 Parliament v Council and C-318/04 Parliament v Commission.

[13] Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0239.

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