European Parliament resolution on the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories and the role of the EU
Date: 2006-06-01
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Palestine, cooperation policy, election, humanitarian aid, international aid, peacekeeping, the EU's international role

8.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 298 E/223

Thursday 1 June 2006

TEXT PROPOSED BY
THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 9
Article 5, paragraph 1a (new)

1a. Where application is made in the framework of this
Framework Decision for the criminal records of a Member
State, in accordance with national law, with a view to obtain-
ing information on a national of more than one State, such an
application shall always be made to the central authority of
each Member State of which the person concerned is a
national.

Amendment 10
Article 7, title

Reasons for non-recognition or non-enforcement

Reasons for non-recognition, non-enforcement or adaptation of
the prohibition

Amendment 11
Article 7, point (ca) (new)

(ca)

the offence at the origin of the prohibition is covered
by an amnesty in the enforcing State.

Amendment 12
Article 7, paragraph 1a (new)

1a.
If the duration of the prohibition exceeds the maximum
provided for by the law of the enforcing State for the same
offence, the duration of the enforced prohibition shall be
reduced to that maximum.

Amendment 13
Article 8, paragraph 1

To enforce a prohibition, the competent authority of the
1.
than
issuing State shall not
form B, referred to in Article 4(2) of the Council Decision of
[…] on the exchange of information extracted from the criminal
record.

require any formalities other

1.
To enforce a prohibition, the competent authority of the
issuing State shall not require any formalities other than the
form referred to in Article 3(2) of the Council Decision of […]
on the exchange of information extracted from the criminal
record.

Amendment 14
Article 8, paragraph 2

2.
If the duration of the prohibition exceeds the maximum
provided for by the law of the enforcing State for the same
offence, the duration of the enforced prohibition shall be
reduced to that maximum.

Deleted

P6_TA(2006)0237

Crisis in the Palestinian territories

European Parliament resolution on the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories and the role
of the EU

The European Parliament,
— having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in the Middle East, in particular those of
23 October 2003 on peace and dignity in the Middle East (1), 27 January 2005 on the situation in
the Middle East (2) and 2 February 2006 on the result of the Palestinian elections and the situation in
East Jerusalem (3),

(1) OJ C 82 E, 1.4.2004, p. 610.
(2) OJ C 253 E, 13.10.2005, p. 35.
(3) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0041.

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8.12.2006

— having regard to the report of the EU Election Observation Mission to Palestine and to the report of

Parliament's election observers,

— having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions Nos 242, 338, 1373 and 1397,

— having regard to the Quartet's ‘Roadmap for Peace’ of 30 April 2003,

— having regard to the results of the national elections in Israel held on 28 March 2006,

— having regard to the statement of the Quartet Principals made on 9 May 2006 in New York,

— having regard to the conclusions of the General Affairs Council of 15 May 2006 on the Middle East

peace process,

— having regard to the Neighbourhood Agreements between the EU and Israel and the EU and Palestine,

— having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas after the elections in Palestine and Israel the time has come to secure a new basis for a
diplomatic and political initiative of the European Union and the Quartet (the EU, the US, Russia and
the UN) which must pursue ambitious goals in order to relaunch negotiations and a process for a stable
and viable peace solution,

B. whereas the serious deterioration of the humanitarian and social situation in both Gaza and the West

Bank must be faced urgently in order to avoid chaos and further political instability,

C. whereas the elections in Palestine, held in conformity with international standards, have led to the
setting-up of a government which is composed of members of the ‘Change and Reform’ list drawn up
by Hamas, and whereas the international community is now confronted with the need to respect the
democratic results of the elections,

D. whereas the decision of Hamas to participate in the elections and its success will confer on it the
responsibility to comply with the previous agreements signed by the Palestinians, which include the
rejection of terrorism and the recognition of Israel's right to exist, as demanded by the international
community,

E. whereas on 9 May 2006 the Quartet reiterated its support for assistance to help meet the basic human
needs of the Palestinian people, and expressed its willingness to endorse a temporary international
mechanism that is limited in scope and duration and ensures direct delivery of assistance to the Pales-
tinians; whereas the EU has been given the task of developing and proposing such a mechanism,

F. whereas the EU is working urgently to develop this mechanism, which as a matter of priority will be
aimed at contributing to meeting basic needs and includes consultation of international financial insti-
tutions and other key partners, and invites other donors to actively join in the effort to establish this
mechanism as soon as possible,

G. whereas the new Israeli government has presented guidelines which include a commitment for negoti-
ations with the Palestinians but do not exclude unilateral measures for the implementation of the
‘convergence plan’ with the aim of fixing the final borders,

H. whereas Israel should be reminded of its obligations regarding the Oslo Agreements concerning the
borders of 1967, the settlements and East Jerusalem, and should be aware of the present grave situation,

Expresses its serious concern over the deterioration of the humanitarian, economic and financial situ-

1.
ation in the West Bank and Gaza;

Calls on the Council and Commission to strengthen their initiatives by taking account of the following

2.
recommendations:

— to act within the Quartet with the aim of urgently guaranteeing the flow of aid essential to the Pales-
tinians through humanitarian agencies and NGOs and implementing the above mentioned temporary
international mechanism, as proposed by the Quartet, to guarantee direct aid to the Palestinian people,
which should be funnelled by the World Bank or other international bodies,

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Thursday 1 June 2006

— to invite the governments of the US and the other donor countries to ensure a broad and flexible scope
for this mechanism, to facilitate it by the direct involvement of the President of the Palestinian Auth-
ority and to ensure financial control and accountability of expenditure,

— to develop such a mechanism in order to avoid a major humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories;
in this regard, calls on all the institutions involved in establishing such a temporary international finan-
cial mechanism to be as transparent as possible in order to prevent any fraud or misuse of funds,

— to call on the Israeli government immediately to resume the direct transfer of the withheld Palestinian
tax and customs revenues which have been blocked since January 2006; notes that part of these funds
have been transferred for payment of electricity supplies in compliance with the 1994 Paris Protocol,

— to reinvigorate the institution-building process in Palestine, which has seen an important moment in

the recent elections,

— to continue with the EU presence in Rafah and the implementation of the Agreement on Movement

and Access,

— to make a comprehensive assessment of the situation together with the High Representative for CFSP so
as to guarantee coherence in both aid measures and political and diplomatic initiatives in order to
conduct a dialogue with the Palestinian Authority through its President,

— to ensure that all future assistance will be reviewed in the light of the Palestinian government's respect

for these principles,

— to take full advantage of the Action Plan with the Palestinian Authority within the framework of the
European Neighbourhood Policy; the Commission, for its part, will have to guarantee the full imple-
mentation of the EU–Israel Action Plan as far as Israel's obligations towards the Palestinian Authority
are concerned;

3. Welcomes the statement of the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, at Parliament's
plenary session of 16 May 2006 and calls on the Council and Commission to continue to support the
President in his efforts to talk with Israel, the Palestinian government and the international community;

Supports the Palestinian President's initiative to promote national dialogue and hopes that the pro-
4.
posals will be accepted by all parties; considers that the President is mandated to conduct negotiations and
to take responsibility for the management of international aid;

Considers that any contact with the newly appointed Palestinian government should aim to achieve
5.
recognition of a final peace agreement based on a solution involving two viable states and the renunciation
of violence by the government itself and the groups supporting it; believes the government's clarification
regarding denouncing violence and recognition of Israel's right to exist and the Palestinians' international
obligations to be crucial for any cooperation by the EU with it;

6.
Declares once again, at this particular stage, that a solution to the Middle East conflict is only possible
through the negotiation of a firm and final peace agreement as set out in the Roadmap, without prior
conditions and based on the existence of two democratic, sovereign and viable states living peacefully side
by side within secure and recognised borders;

7. Welcomes the first meeting since the Israeli elections between the President of the Palestinian Auth-
ority, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, and Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister, Tsipi Livni, held on 20 May 2006 in Sharm-el-Sheikh, which constitutes an encour-
aging sign paving the way for the planned meeting between Mr Abbas and the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud
Olmert; hopes that these contacts will eventually lead to the resumption of peace negotiations, pushing
forward the long-stalled peace process;

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8.12.2006

Points out that there is no alternative to bilateral negotiations and that unilateral actions could under-

8.
mine efforts to reach a lasting and comprehensive settlement;

9.
Reiterates its condemnation of, and calls for an immediate halt to, the continuing extension of settle-
ments, in particular in East Jerusalem, and the building of the wall beyond the 1967 borders, which is
contrary to international law and is an obstacle to the restoration of a climate of dialogue;

10.
Calls on all parties concerned to fully implement the Roadmap and calls on the Quartet to encourage
negotiations for a fair and lasting solution to the conflict in the Middle East, leading to a firm and final
peace agreement as laid out in the Roadmap;

Supports the constructive attitude of the Commission and Council within the Quartet in setting the

11.
conditions for a future engagement with the Palestinian Authority;

12.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Represen-
tative for CFSP, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the President of the Palestinian
Authority, the Palestinian Legislative Council, the Israeli Knesset and government, the governments of the
US and the Russian Federation and the UN Secretary-General.

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 Govern-

ment 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 Partner-

ship and a more open market for the 21st century’ (COM(2005)0196),

(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.