WRITTEN QUESTION E-2657/01 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Council. EU-Algeria Association Agreement.
Date: 2001-10-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Algeria, Troika (EU), association agreement (EU), human rights, negotiation of an agreement (EU), rule of law

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/75

the European
The Council also informs the Honourable Member of
Commission has recently introduced a proposal for a draft Framework Decision which aims, inter alia, to
provide for a uniform definition and offence of terrorism in the Member States.

the European Parliament

that

The aforementioned draft Framework Decision has been transmitted to the European Parliament for its
Opinion and its adoption by the Council
the
21 September 2001 Extraordinary European Council.

the conclusions of

is highly urgent

in the light of

On a practical level, it is for each of the Union’s institutions to take measures to ensure that its own
security services adapt to meet current threats.

(2002/C 134 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2657/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Council

(3 October 2001)

Subject: EU-Algeria Association Agreement

What is the Council doing to ensure compliance by the Algerian authorities with agreements entered into
with the EU regarding respect for human rights?

Reply

(12 February 2002)

The EU is in the process of negotiating a Euro-Mediterranean Agreement with Algeria to replace the 1976
Cooperation Agreement. Negotiations have gathered momentum since last year and might be concluded in
the next few months. The Agreement will institutionalise regular political dialogue at various levels on all
aspects of mutual interest.

The draft Agreement provides that ‘respect for the democratic principles and fundamental human rights
established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights shall inspire the domestic and external policies
of the parties and shall constitute an essential element of this Agreement’. Upon the Agreement’s entry into
force, respect for human rights will thus become an essential element of the Agreement, serious breaches
of which will oblige the other party to take appropriate steps.

In addition to the Association Agreement, which requires the consent of the European Parliament and will
not enter into force until
it has been concluded by the Council and ratified by the Member States’
parliaments, the Council initiated a political dialogue with Algeria at ministerial level three years ago. This
is the forum in which the European Union, represented by the ministerial troika, regularly raises issues
relating to respect for human rights with the Algerian authorities and strongly insists that any departure
from this or any abuse in the fight against terrorism be avoided. On numerous occasions the European
Union has expressed its concern at reports of arbitrary detentions, extra-judicial arrests, the use of torture
and the fate of missing persons. In this context, the opening up of the country to human rights NGOs is a
very positive development. A meeting of the same nature is planned for mid-November in Brussels, which
will provide another opportunity to continue discussion of these matters with the Algerian authorities.

Lastly, Algeria has also subscribed to a number of principles in the framework of the Barcelona Process,
including the principle of respect for human rights and the rule of law. More specifically, at the fourth
Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Marseilles on 15 and 16 November 2000 the Presidency conclusions
called for a deepening of dialogue on the following subjects: the process of consolidating the rule of law,
and respect for human rights and democratic principles. Such dialogue concerning human rights has in
fact been initiated at Senior Official level.