European Parliament resolution on the Compliance Protocol for the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC)
Date: 2001-06-14
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: EU control, biological weapon, biotechnology, international security, non-proliferation of arms, protocol to an agreement, weapon of mass destruction

C 53 E/400

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

28.2.2002

Thursday 14 June 2001

Calls on the Commission to take measures, together with industry, to improve the energy efficiency

21.
of buildings;

Supports the Commission(cid:146)s proposal to submit to the G(cid:246)teborg European Council a plan for energy
22.
savings and diversification of energy sources which will aim both at more efficient use of energy (cid:129)
particularly in buildings (cid:129) and at promoting the development of a new generation of vehicles;

Calls on the Commission to work out new energy-saving programmes for the rational use of energy

23.
and to retain the existing SAVE II and Altener II programmes;

24.
Calls on the Commission to intensify its efforts to improve the terms of competition in the oil
sector and to ensure compliance with existing competition rules; considers that particular emphasis should
be placed on investigating and combating oligopolies and cartels in refining and distribution to points of
consumption.

Urges the Commission to enhance the level of oil production, especially from indigenous EU oil-

25.
fields, by promoting research and investment in improved oil recovery techniques;

Notes that oil is a costly, non-renewable resource required for important areas of life such as the

26.
manufacture of medicines;

Calls on the Member States in future to plan housing developments with a view to high energy

27.
efficiency and, in particular, to adapt them to transport structures with low oil dependence;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission and the govern-

28.
ments of the Member States.

16. Biological and toxin weapons convention

B5-0434, 0436, 0446, 0454 and 0462/2001

European Parliament resolution on the Compliance Protocol for the Biological and Toxin Weapons
Convention (BTWC)

The European Parliament,

(cid:129) having regard to its previous resolutions on arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament,

A.

concerned by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction technology, the threat posed by the
misuse of biotechnology for hostile purposes, and the relative ease with which biological and toxin
weapons could be made,

B.

regretting that currently no mechanism exists to verify compliance with the BTWC,

C.

convinced that a Compliance Protocol would greatly increase confidence in the international prohibi-
tion of the development, production and stockpiling of biological weapons,

D. noting the EU common position of 17 May 1999 relating to progress towards a legally binding Proto-

col to strengthen compliance with the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) (1),

E. welcoming the possibility of a Compliance Protocol to be agreed before the Fifth Review Conference

of the BTWC in November 2001,

(1) OJ L 133, 28.5.1999, p. 3.

28.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/401

Thursday 14 June 2001

F.

noting the recent composite text submitted by the Chairman of the ad hoc Group of BTWC States
Parties as negotiations enter their final stages, for completion before the end of the last working
session on 17 August 2001,

G. noting with concern reports that the US policy review on the Compliance Protocol has recommended

that the US government reject the current draft compromise proposal,

H. welcoming the statement made on behalf of the European Union on 23 April 2001 by Swedish
(cid:145)A successful conclusion of these negotiations
Ambassador Henrik Salander to the Ad Hoc Group:
will not only strengthen the Convention, but will also be a demonstration that multilateral negoti-
ations are capable of achieving progress towards disarmament and non-proliferation(cid:146),

I.

noting the short timeframe for resolving outstanding issues before the session ends in August 2001,

1.
Calls upon all BTWC States Parties to show maximum flexibility and readiness to compromise so that
the short deadline may be met and a Protocol may be adopted before the Fifth BTWC Review Conference
in November-December 2001;

Urges all BTWC States Parties to support a compromise agreement based on the Chairman(cid:146)s com-

2.
posite text;

3.
Urges States to create the strongest possible verification regime, in order to curb the hostile misuse of
biological technologies, which means maintaining as a minimum the measures currently outlined in the
Chairman(cid:146)s composite text;

Recommends that the final version of the Compliance Protocol establish a modern and open verifi-

4.
cation regime, capable of adjusting to changing political climate and technical capabilities;

Invites the Council to raise these matters concerning the Compliance Protocol for the BTWC with the

5.
President of the United States at the G(cid:246)teborg Summit;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Chairman of the
6.
BTWC Ad Hoc Group Ambassador Tibor T(cid:243)th, the Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan,
the President of the United States, and the Heads of State or Government of the EU Member States and of
the Applicant States.

17. Situation in the Central African Republic

B5-0431, 0437, 0447, 0455 and 0463/2001

European Parliament resolution on the situation in the Central African Republic

The European Parliament,

(cid:129) having regard to the situation of virtual bankruptcy, despite its rich natural resources, of the Central
African Republic, which is unable to resume its repayments to the World Bank and where the mili-
tary, with the exception of the presidential guard, are owed back pay for one year and teachers for
more than two years,

A. whereas this landlocked country has suffered the full force of the Congolese rivalries, which cut off its

usual access routes,

B.

concerned at the breakdown of the State and the public service,