European Parliament resolution on the 25th Anniversary of Solidarity and its message for Europe
Date: 2005-09-28
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Poland, commemoration, strike, trade union, vision of Europe

C 227 E/508

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

21.9.2006

Wednesday, 28 September 2005

P6_TA(2005)0357

25th anniversary of Solidarity and its message for Europe

European Parliament resolution on the 25th Anniversary of Solidarity and its message for Europe

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the founding fathers of the European Union proclaimed that the unification of Europe would
not be complete until the enslavement of central and eastern Europe ceased to exist and the Iron
Curtain was shattered,

B. whereas the enlargement of the European Union on 1 May 2004 was an act unifying Europe around

common values and aims which united countries, nations and citizens of the European Union,

C. believing that the accomplishment of the aims of the European Union should be reinforced by

conscientious actions of nations and citizens of Europe seeking freedom and solidarity,

D. recalling that the mass strikes led by workers which took place in many Polish cities in July and

August 1980 were an expression of rejection of a system of totalitarian enslavement,

E.

F.

recalling that the strike under the leadership of Lech Wałęsa, which took place between 14 and 31
August 1980 in the shipyard of Gdańsk under the eyes of Europe and the entire world, was conducted
with extraordinary bravery and determination in the name of fundamental European values, and that
the ‘21 postulates’ formulated by the shipyard workers from Gdańsk opened a new chapter in the Euro-
pean fight for ‘bread and freedom’,

expressing its esteem for the Gdańsk Accords signed on 31 August 1980 which,
in a totalitarian
system, created a 500-day space of freedom for the independent and self-governing trade union Solidar-
ność, with its 10 million members, and gave rise to a powerful citizens' movement uniting all signifi-
cant social spheres of Poland,

G. recalling the message to the working people of eastern Europe addressed by the First Convention of

Solidarność in the name of the common fight for human rights in that part of Europe,

H. recalling that Polish society defended its rights and beliefs with courage and determination, particularly
law introduced by the Communist government on 13 December 1981

in the face of the martial
against Solidarność and against Polish society's aspirations for freedom,

I.

J.

recalling the broad recognition of and support for the events of August 1980, and the support for the
Solidarność movement from free societies in Europe during the period of the trade union's legal exis-
tence, as well as after the declaration of martial law, and expressing the belief that the historic impulse
of Solidarność was one of the most important moments in the formation of a European public space,

recognising that the Solidarność movement applied peaceful means in the fight against a totalitarian
system, and was one of the most significant movements in Europe which rejected violence,

K. acknowledging that the Polish motto ‘there is no liberty without Solidarity’ is important for the whole

of Europe and the world,

L.

recognising that the peaceful success of Solidarność had an influence on other movements fighting for
human rights, and believing that it is still a role model for countries that are deprived of freedom,

21.9.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 227 E/509

Wednesday, 28 September 2005

M. expressing the belief that the historic events of August 1980 were significant for the whole of Europe,
and that the strike of shipyard workers in Gdańsk, as well as the Gdańsk Accords, may be treated as
the beginning of the collapse of the Communist system, the end of the Cold War, the end of the divi-
sion of Europe and the fall of the Berlin Wall,

Expresses its deepest esteem and gratitude to the Polish workers and to all people of central and

1.
eastern Europe who fought for human rights, freedom, solidarity and the unity of Europe;

2. Recognises that, in order to commemorate this effort and to place it in the collective memory of
Europe, 31 August is to be celebrated as the Day of Freedom and Solidarity;

3. Calls on the Council and the Commission to raise awareness that Solidarność is part of European
education and culture;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the parliaments

4.
and governments of the Member States.

P6_TA(2005)0358

Territorial cohesion in regional development

European Parliament resolution on the role of territorial cohesion in regional development
(2004/2256(INI))

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, and in particular to Articles I-3, I-
14, II-96, III-220, III-363, paragraph 3 and Article 8 of the Protocol on the application of the principles
of subsidiarity and proportionality,

— having regard to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community,
as amended by the Single European Act and the Treaties of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice, and in
particular Articles 158 and 159 of the Treaty establishing the European Community,

— having regard to its resolutions of 7 February 2002 (1) and 22 April 2004 (2) respectively on the

Commission's Second and Third reports on economic and social cohesion,

— having regard to its resolution of 2 September 2003 on structurally disadvantaged regions (islands,
mountain regions, regions with low population density) in the context of cohesion policy, and their
institutional prospects (3),

— having regard to its resolution of 29 June 1995 on the Commission document ‘Europe 2000+, Coop-

eration for European territorial development’ (4),

— having regard to the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) adopted in Potsdam in 1999 by

the Informal Council of EU Ministers responsible for Spatial Planning,

— having regard to the White Paper on European Governance adopted by the Commission in July 2001

(COM(2001)0428),

— having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 10 April 2003 on ‘Territorial cohe-

sion in Europe’ (5),

(1) OJ C 284 E, 21.11.2002, p. 329.
(2) OJ C 104 E, 30.4.2004, p. 1000.
(3) OJ C 76 E, 25.3.2004, p. 111.
(4) OJ C 183, 17.7.1995, p. 39.
(5) OJ C 244, 10.10.2003, p. 23.