European Parliament resolution on the EU-Russia Summit in Helsinki on 24 November 2006
Date: 2006-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: European Union, European neighbourhood policy, Russia, cooperation policy, human rights, summit meeting

C 317 E/474

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Official Journal of the European Union

23.12.2006

Wednesday, 13 December 2006

Monitoring of implementation and enforcement of the acquis

63. Regrets that the Commission has only offered a weak response to Parliament's request concerning
implementation of EU legislation in the Member States;

64. Requests the Commission to make the whole process of transposition and implementation more
transparent and to persuade Member States to produce the ‘correlation tables’ that show exactly which parts
of any piece of legislation derive from the EU and from national law respectively;

Budgetary responsibility

65.
Expects all new reforms set out in the new Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 on budgetary
discipline and sound financial management to be fully implemented in the course of 2007, thus enabling a
swift result in terms of higher-quality implementation of the budget;

66. Asks the Commission to ensure, facilitate and encourage the total implementation of the EU budget,
in particular in the new Member States, given the fact that 2007 will be a crucial year for the implementa-
tion of the new structural policy; asks the Commission to apply all the necessary measures in order to
ensure that the operational programmes for the new financing period, in accordance with the strategic
guidelines for cohesion, are ready and implemented on time for all Member States;

67. Underlines the importance it attaches to the reform agenda, in particular in the field of the fight
against fraud and mismanagement, as any such cases help to increase EU scepticism; deplores the fact that
the Commission seems to have downgraded its original reform programme; in this context calls on the
Commission to continue its work on the Action Plan for an Integrated Internal Control Framework and the
Transparency Initiative;

*

*

*

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

68.
the Member States.

P6_TA(2006)0566

Russia-EU Summit

European Parliament resolution on the EU-Russia Summit in Helsinki on 24 November 2006

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and
their Member States, of the one part, and the Russian Federation, of the other part (PCA) (1), which
entered into force in 1997 and expires in 2007,

— having regard to the EU-Russia human rights consultations,

— having regard to the current international and European responsibilities of Russia, in its capacity as

President-in-Office of the G8 and Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,

(1) OJ L 327, 28.11.1997, p. 1.

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Wednesday, 13 December 2006

— having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia, and in particular its resolution of 25 October 2006
on EU-Russia relations following the murder of
its
resolution of 23 March 2006 on security of energy supply in the European Union (2) and its resolution
of 26 May 2005 on EU-Russia relations (3),

the Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya (1),

— having regard to the outcome of the 18th EU-Russia Summit, held in Helsinki on 24 November 2006,

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

A. whereas relations between the EU and Russia have been steadily developing over the past few years,
leading to deep and comprehensive economic integration and interdependency, which is bound to
increase even more in the near future,

B. whereas enhanced cooperation and good-neighbourly relations between the EU and Russia are of key

importance to the stability, security and prosperity of the whole of Europe,

C. whereas the conclusion of a Strategic Partnership Agreement between the EU and the Russian Federation
is of the utmost importance for this greater cooperation, in particular with regard to the further develop-
ment of economic relations based on equality, transparency and respect for internationally recognised
procedures, to the strengthening of security and stability in Europe by finding peaceful political solutions
to regional conflicts in the joint neighbourhood, and to the further strengthening of respect for human
rights, respect for the rule of law and a democratic framework as a basis for these relations,

D. whereas the rapid implementation of the four common areas, with a common economic area, an area of
freedom, security and justice, an area of external security and an area of research, education and culture,
should be at the heart of the negotiations on the new Strategic Partnership Agreement,

E. whereas security of energy supply is one of the biggest challenges for Europe and one of the major fields
of cooperation with Russia, and whereas the EU imports approximately a quarter of its gas and oil from
Russia and is the most reliable consumer of Russian exports,

F. whereas the above-mentioned EU-Russia Summit of 24 November 2006 was intended to mark the start
of a new phase in EU-Russia relations and, in particular, to launch negotiations on a new framework
agreement between the EU and Russia to replace the PCA, which expires in 2007,

G. whereas Poland has blocked the start of the negotiations on the new framework agreement, making the
start of the negotiations conditional upon Moscow lifting a ban on Polish meat imports introduced in
2005,

H. whereas on 10 November 2006 Russia imposed a new embargo on imports of Polish meat and poultry
products, saying that it was concerned about breaches of veterinary regulations; whereas Russia has
recently also imposed a ban on imports of fish and fish products from the EU; whereas ahead of the
above-mentioned EU-Russia Summit of 24 November 2006 Russia threatened to extend the former ban
to the whole of the EU over concerns about swine fever in Romania and Bulgaria,

I. whereas the recent killings of prominent opponents of the Russian Government have caused great

concern in the whole of Europe,

J. whereas there is widespread concern in Russia, the EU and elsewhere over democracy and human rights
in Russia and the inability of the Russian police and judicial authorities to find those responsible for poli-
tical murders,

K. whereas border-crossing formalities are very slow at the EU-Russian borders, causing intolerable queues

of lorries at some checkpoints,

L. whereas the EU should be able to unite its forces and speak with one voice in its relations with Russia,

(1) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0448.
(2) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0110.
(3) OJ C 117 E, 18.5.2006, p. 235.

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Wednesday, 13 December 2006

1. Acknowledges the importance of Russia as a strategic cooperation partner, with which the EU shares
not only economic and trade interests but also the objective of cooperating closely in the international arena
as well as in the common neighbourhood;

2.
Stresses the importance of unity and solidarity among the EU Member States in their relations
with Russia; welcomes, therefore, the common EU line established at the unofficial Lahti Summit on
20 October 2006, enabling the EU to speak with one voice at its meetings with President Vladimir Putin in
Lahti and in Helsinki;

3. Welcomes the open discussions on democracy and human rights at the above-mentioned EU-Russia
Summit of 24 November 2006 and the Lathi Summit; emphasises, however, that the current situation in
Russia gives rise to serious concern in terms of respect for human rights, democracy, freedom of expression
and the rights of civil society and individuals to challenge and hold the authorities accountable for their
actions;

4. Regrets the failure of the above-mentioned EU-Russia Summit of 24 November 2006 to launch negotia-
tions on a new framework agreement between the EU and Russia and encourages the Finnish and German
Presidencies to continue to work to enable the negotiating mandate for a new agreement to be adopted as
soon as possible and to start negotiations without further delay;

Stresses that a robust defence of human rights and democratic values should be a core principle of any
5.
EU engagement with Russia; urges the Commission to send a clear signal to all parties involved that these
values will not have a subsidiary status in the EU-Russia negotiating package;

6. Regrets that the fourth round of the EU-Russia human rights consultations has brought about no
substantial progress in this field, which should be a priority in bilateral relations; calls therefore on the
Russian Government to contribute to the intensification of the EU-Russia human rights consultations as an
essential part of the EU-Russia partnership, and to allow the free functioning of domestic and international
human rights organisations and other NGOs and to protect the personal safety of human rights defenders;
calls on the Commission and the Council to ensure that any financial assistance granted to Russia is linked
to the development of democratic standards in that country;

7.
Expresses its deep concern at the latest reports from international human rights organisations and
United Nations (UN) experts about the use of torture in Russian prisons and police stations and in secret
detention centres in Chechnya, which includes inhumane and degrading acts committed by public officials;
strongly condemns such practices and calls on the Russian authorities to investigate the abuses, immediately
put an end to any misconduct and prosecute the perpetrators;

8.
Emphasises the need to work together with Russia as a necessary strategic partner to ensure peace,
stability and security and fight international terrorism and violent extremism, as well as address other
security issues such as environmental and nuclear hazards, drugs, trafficking in arms and human beings and
cross-border organised crime in the European neighbourhood in cooperation with the OSCE and other inter-
national fora;

9. Calls on the Commission and the Council to pursue joint initiatives with the Russian Government to
strengthen democracy, security and stability in the common neighbourhood, in particular by means of joint
activities to establish democracy and respect for basic human rights in Belarus and of joint efforts to finally
resolve the conflicts in Moldova, Georgia and Nagorno Karabakh; calls on the EU and Russia to assume
their responsibility as members of the Quartet (which also consists of the UN and the United States) for the
resolution of the Middle East conflict and to promote efforts to hold an international peace conference on a
regional Middle East peace agreement;

10.
Points out that progress towards signing and ratifying the outstanding border agreements between
Estonia and Russia and Latvia and Russia remains a high priority for EU-Russia relations, and that the issue
should be dealt with in a constructive and fair manner acceptable to all sides;

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 317 E/477

11. Deplores the disputes about the export of agricultural and fish products from the EU to Russia; is of
the opinion that the continuation of these trade disputes seriously endangers the further development of
relations between Russia and the EU; therefore calls on the Commission and the Russian Government to
resolve these outstanding trade disputes as a matter of urgency; insists that the EU show the necessary soli-
darity with all Member States, in particular Poland, which is suffering discrimination under Russia's trade
policy;

Wednesday, 13 December 2006

Expresses its concern about declarations by the Russian authorities to the effect that they will impose

12.
restrictions on EU agricultural products after the accession of Bulgaria and Romania;

13.
Expresses its deepest concern about the continuing series of murders of prominent persons, such as
Anna Politkovskaya, who oppose the current Russian Government or who have stood up for the basic
rights of Russian citizens; emphasises that the Council and the Commission must react with all their
authority and stresses that the partnership with Russia will seriously be affected if Russia fails to demonstrate
its ability and strong willingness to assist in the investigations to find the killers and to fulfil its duty to stop
this vicious circle and prosecute those responsible;

14. Urges the Russian Federation, as a member of the Council of Europe, to improve conditions for
prisoners and put an end to difficulties of access to some of them for lawyers; points out that according to
the Russian Criminal Code detainees should be imprisoned either close to their place of residence or close
to the place where the trial has taken place, as exemplified by the prisoners Mr Khodorkovsky and
Mr Lebedev;

15. Welcomes the agreement reached at the above-mentioned EU-Russia Summit of 24 November 2006
to phase out the fees which Russia charges to EU airlines flying over Siberia, resolving a 20-year dispute
between the two sides and paving the way for EU carriers to increase the number of routes to the growing
markets in Asia; notes that the dispute over charges, which cost EU airlines more than 250 million euro a
year, was one of the last hurdles the EU identified after its agreement with Russia on the country's accession
to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which will open up new possibilities for increased cooperation
and trade between the EU and Russia;

Expresses concern that recent changes to Part IV of the Russian Civil Code concerning intellectual
16.
property rights fall short of the standards required for the WTO (TRIPS), and still further short of the
deeper commitments envisaged for a strategic partnership;

17. Welcomes the intensified EU-Russia dialogue on energy issues; underlines the strategic importance of
cooperation on energy and the need to enhance EU-Russia energy relations; stresses that further cooperation
in this field must be based on the principles of interdependence and transparency, as well as the importance
of reciprocity in terms of access to markets, infrastructure and investment, with the objective of avoiding
oligopolistic market structures and diversifying the EU's energy supply; in this context, calls on Russia to
respect the principles of the Energy Charter Treaty, which entered into force in April 1998, and to increase
cooperation on energy efficiency, energy saving and renewable energy;

18. Calls on the Council and the Commission to redouble their efforts to solve the border-crossing
problems at the EU-Russian borders; points out that additional cross-border capacity must be built in order
to accommodate an increase in the flow of goods; urges the Russian authorities to reduce queuing at the
border by speeding up the inspections and by removing some of them from the border area to more remote
locations;

the

successful outcome of

19. Welcomes
in Helsinki on
24 November 2006, which took place in connection with the EU-Russia Summit and in which Russia, as
well as the EU, Norway and Iceland, participated; hopes that the Northern Dimension Framework Document
which was adopted at the Northern Dimension Summit will provide a good basis for developing closer
regional and cross-border cooperation with Russia;

the Northern Dimension Summit

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Wednesday, 13 December 2006

20.
In this regard, expresses serious concern at the measures implemented by Russia against Georgia,
which are having huge economic, political and humanitarian consequences; therefore calls on the Russian
authorities to lift the unjustified ban on sensitive exports from Georgia to Russia as well as to stop the
ongoing repression of ethnic Georgians living in Russia;

21.
Emphasises the need for the EU to act with unity and determination in its efforts to strengthen
relations with Russia; welcomes the intention of the German Presidency to give further high priority to this
important issue;

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

22.
and Parliaments of the Member States and of the Russian Federation.

P6_TA(2006)0567

Implementing Directive 85/611/EEC (UCITS III)

resolution on the draft Commission directive implementing Council
European Parliament
Directive 85/611/EEC on the coordination of
laws, regulations and administrative provisions
relating to undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS) as regards the
clarification of certain definitions

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Council Directive 85/611/EEC of 20 December 1985 on the coordination of
laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to undertakings for collective investment in
transferable securities (UCITS) (1) (the UCITS-III Directive),

— having regard to the draft Commission directive of 13 September 2006 implementing Council
Directive 85/611/EEC on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to
undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS) as regards the clarification of
certain definitions (working document ESC/43/2006) (the Draft Implementing Directive),

— having regard to the advice of the Committee on European Securities Regulators (the CESR) to the
European Commission on Clarification of Definitions concerning Eligible Assets for Investments of
UCITS of January 2006 (2),

— having regard to Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the

exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (3),

— having regard to the statement made by Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, before

the European Parliament on 5 February 2002 (4),

— having regard to its resolution of 5 February 2002 on the implementation of

financial services

legislation (5),

— having regard to its resolution of 27 April 2006 on asset management (6),

— having regard to Rule 81 of its Rules of Procedure,

(1) OJ L 375, 31.12.1985, p. 3.
(2) CESR/06-005.
(3) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. Decision as amended by Decision 2006/512/EC (OJ L 200, 22.7.2006, p. 11).
(4) SPEECH/02/44.
(5) OJ C 284 E, 21.11.2002, p. 115.
(6) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0181.