European Parliament resolution on the right to freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs
Date: 2006-02-16
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Muslim, designs and models, freedom of expression, freedom of religious beliefs, fundamental rights, religious discrimination

29.11.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 290 E/399

Thursday 16 February 2006

P6_TA(2006)0064

Right to freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs

European Parliament resolution on the right to freedom of expression and respect for religious
beliefs

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms, Articles 10 and 11 of the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union
and Articles 6 and 11 of the Treaty on European Union,

— having regard to Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,

— having regard to the reactions of the High Representative for the CFSP, Javier Solana, the President of
the European Parliament, Josep Borrell, and the Austrian Presidency of the Council, and to the joint
statement by the Secretaries-General of the UN and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference,

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

A. whereas freedom of expression, thought, conscience and religion is enshrined in Articles 9 and 10 of

the European Convention on Human Rights,

B. whereas these freedoms form a fundamental part of the development of European democracies, as does

the clear separation between state and religion,

C. whereas the violent protests in various parts of the world are directed towards individual Member States
and the so-called Western world as a whole, and whereas the protests were triggered by the private
publication of cartoons which were not communications of any state,

D. whereas this has led to protests and consumer and trade boycotts as well as violent unrest around the

world, particularly in Islamic countries, some of it orchestrated,

E. whereas the overwhelming majority of peoples in the EU, as well as countries affected by these unfor-
tunate events, hope for dialogue and a peaceful relationship based on mutual respect and understand-
ing, and whereas only groups opposed thereto profit from recent developments,

F. whereas the cartoons that triggered the protests do not further the dialogue that the EU has initiated to
build intercultural and interreligious ties, and whereas the European Union remains fully committed to
further developing and strengthening ties with the affected countries in a spirit of mutual cooperation
and a common vision of strengthened relations,

G. whereas a free and independent media is an essential requirement for the full respect of the right of
freedom of expression and reinforces the principle of democracy on which the Union is founded,

1.
Defends freedom of expression as a fundamental value of the EU; believes that freedom of expression
must be exercised within the limits of the law and should coexist with personal responsibility and be based
on respect for others' rights and sensibilities; acknowledges that balancing these concerns necessitates
ongoing debate in a democracy;

2.
Calls on all those who enjoy freedom of expression to commit themselves to supporting the funda-
mental values of the EU — democracy, pluralism and tolerance — and not to abuse that freedom by
incitement to religious hatred or the dissemination of xenophobic or racist attitudes aimed at excluding
any persons, whatever their origin or religious beliefs;

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Official Journal of the European Union

EN

29.11.2006

Thursday 16 February 2006

Recalls that freedom of expression, thought, conscience and religion is enshrined in the Charter of

3.
Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights;

Believes that freedom of expression should always be exercised within the limits of the law and should
4.
coexist with responsibility and with respect for human rights, religious feelings and beliefs, whether they be
connected with the Islamic, Christian, Jewish or any other religion;

Considers that freedom of expression and the independence of the press as universal rights cannot be
5.
undermined by any individual or group that feels offended by what is being said or written; expresses, at the
same time, its respect for those who have felt offended by the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, but
points out that redress for any possible offence may be sought through the courts in accordance with
existing national and European legislation;

6.
Condemns in the strongest possible terms the burning down of embassies of Member States, as well as
the threats against individuals; deplores the failure of some governments to prevent violence and the toler-
ation by other governments of violent attacks; calls on the countries where these incidents took place to
show clearly and in practice that such incidents will not be accepted in the future; calls on all states to
honour their obligations under the Vienna Convention;

7.
Points out that many of the countries where the violence and demonstrations over the cartoons took
place are countries where freedom of expression, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are regularly
violated;

8. Welcomes the statements and efforts of those leaders of European Muslim communities and in the
Arab world who have expressed their firm condemnation of the violent attacks on embassies and the burn-
ing of flags;

9.
Expresses its solidarity with journalists in Jordan, Egypt and Algeria who have courageously reprinted
and pointedly commented on the cartoons; strongly condemns their arrest and urges the respective govern-
ments to drop all charges against them;

Underlines that a boycott against one Member State is incompatible with the fact that trade agree-

10.
ments are always concluded with the EU as a whole;

11.
Expresses its full support for and solidarity with Denmark and the countries and people that have
been affected under these unprecedented and difficult circumstances; recalls the solidarity clause contained
in Article 11 of the Treaty on European Union;

Supports all democratic forces — politicians, media and civil society — that are confronted with and

12.
struggling against authoritarian or oppressive religious regimes;

Condemns the assassination of Father Santoro by a religious fanatic in Turkey, and also the deaths of

13.
all the other victims of the recent violence;

14. Welcomes the initiative of Turkey to join diplomatic forces and act as a mediator in this conflict,

15.
Strongly regrets that there seem to be organised extremist groups both in Europe and in the Muslim
world which see an advantage in escalating the present tensions and using the cartoons as a pretext for
incitement to violence and discrimination; notes that the population at large in all the countries concerned
takes a different view and strives for peace, stability and economic and cultural exchange;

16.
Regrets the renewed and increased anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli propaganda in some Arab countries
and in Iran; points out that in these countries degrading and humiliating cartoons of Jews are regularly
printed, thus showing that those countries obviously do not apply the same standards to all religious com-
munities;

Calls for a return to a climate of constructive and peaceful dialogue, and calls on local political and

17.
religious leaders to take active steps to end the violence;

29.11.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 290 E/401

Thursday 16 February 2006

Considers that the promotion of intercultural and interreligious dialogue and the advancement of

18.
mutual understanding and respect are an ongoing challenge for the globalised world;

Firmly believes that development in this regard will make full use of the framework of cooperation

19.
and dialogue with the Mediterranean and Asian partner countries;

20.
Recalls that the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly is the appropriate forum for working
together with the EU's partners on the southern bank of the Mediterranean for a democratic, pluralist and
tolerant society based on the values of human rights; calls for this problem to be dealt with as a priority
issue by the March session;

21.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Council of
Europe, the governments and Parliaments of the Member States, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference
and the Arab League.

P6_TA(2006)0065

Outlook for Bosnia and Herzegovina

European Parliament resolution on the outlook for Bosnia and Herzegovina

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on Bosnia and Herzegovina, in particular that of 14 April
2005 on the state of regional integration in the western Balkans (1), that of 17 November 2004 on
the European Union military operation ‘Althea’ in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2) and that of 7 July 2005
on Srebrenica (3),

— having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council on the progress achieved by
Bosnia and Herzegovina in implementing the priorities identified in the ‘Feasibility study on the pre-
paredness of Bosnia and Herzegovina to negotiate a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the
European Union (COM(2003)0692)’ (COM(2005)0529),

— having regard to the Council Decision on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the
European Partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina (15267/2005), namely the short- and medium-
term priorities identified as regards political requirements,

— having regard to the Commission's 2005 enlargement strategy paper (COM(2005)0561),

— having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘The Western Balkans on the road to the EU:

consolidating stability and raising prosperity’ (COM 2006)0027),

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

A. whereas the Thessaloniki agenda sets a clear perspective for European integration and states unequivo-
cally that the future of the western Balkans lies in the European Union, once they meet the established
criteria, and whereas the Stabilisation and Association Process is the initial phase of the European inte-
gration process,

B. whereas on 25 January 2006 the EU started negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina for a Stabili-
sation and Association Agreement (SAA) and whereas the European Union continues to present itself as
a reliable partner for its neighbours, committed to promoting stable democracies and prosperous econ-
omies with a view to integration into the EU, especially for the western Balkans,

(1) OJ C 33 E, 9.2.2006, p. 565.
(2) OJ C 201 E, 18.8.2005, p. 77.
(3) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0296.