The enlarging European Union at the United Nations: Making...

The enlargingEuropean Union at theUnited Nations:

Making multilateralism

matter

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THE ENLARGING EUROPEAN UNION

AT THE UNITED NATIONS:MAKING MULTILATERALISM MATTER

PUBLISHED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION

AGREED BY THE TROIKAAND MEMBER STATES IN NEW YORK

APRIL 2004

A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet.It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu.int).

Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication.

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2004

ISBN 92-894-6185-3

© European Communities, 2004Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

Printed in Belgium

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Contents

1. The EU at the UN — Overview ....................................................................................... 5

2. The EU and how it works at the UN .............................................................................. 10

3. EU–UN development cooperation ................................................................................. 15

4. Environment and sustainable development .................................................................. 23

5. Keeping the peace and preventing conflict ................................................................... 28

6. The fight against terrorism and transnational crime ...................................................... 33

7. Humanitarian aid ........................................................................................................... 35

8. The EU and human rights ............................................................................................. 38

9. EU–UN trade and development .................................................................................... 46

10. EU–UN culture and civilisation ..................................................................................... 51

5

An enlarging European Union takes the world stage

The European Union (EU) is committed to ensuring astable and peaceful Europe while building its presenceon the world stage to contribute more effectively topeace and development across the globe.

Having started in the 1950s (1) as a project to bindEurope together through economic integration, aimingto prevent future war, the EU (2) has grown into a sig-nificant world actor, the biggest trading entity in theworld with a single market as well as a single currencyfor 12 member countries.

The EU at the UN — Overview

(1) On 9 May 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman put forward the Schuman Plan to place the West German and French coal and steel industries under asingle High Authority. This marked the beginning of the European Community. 9 May is celebrated every year as ‘Europe day’.

(2) The EU-15 comprises Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and theUnited Kingdom until the next enlargement.

(3) The European Community (EC), created in 1957, had already developed a wide range of activities, including in the field of external relations. The Treaty of Rome andthese policies are still in force today. The Maastricht Treaty, signed in 1992, which created the European Union (EU), mainly added the common foreign and securitypolicy and cooperation in the field of justice and home affairs to the existing activities of the European Community.

The EU is also the world’s largest provider of officialdevelopment assistance (ODA), totalling some USD36.5 billion in 2002.

In the 1990s, the EU developed a common foreign andsecurity policy (CFSP) to match its already formidableeconomic clout. This led to the decision at theEuropean Council meeting in Nice in December 2000to include in its CFSP the progressive framing of acommon defence policy, including a rapid reactionforce, civilian crisis management capabilities and thecreation of permanent political and military crisismanagement organs (3).

European Union share of world gross national income (GNI), 2002 (%)

United States32.1

Japan13.5

European Union (1)

26.8 Rest of world27.6

(1) European Union of 25 Member States.

Source: World Bank, July 2003.

Net official development assistance, 2002 (%)

European Union andEuropean

Commission56.9

Othercontributors

7.9

United States20.7

Japan14.5

Note: The 10 new Member States of the EU are not members of theDevelopment Assistance Committee (DAC), the principal bodythrough which the OECD deals with issues related to cooperationwith developing countries. DAC members account for at least 95% of worldwide ODA disbursements.

Source: OECD, December 2003.

C H A P T E R 1

6

On 16 April 2003, 10 more countries, most of them fromthe former Communist bloc, signed Accession Treatiesto join the EU on 1 May 2004 — Cyprus, the CzechRepublic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. In addition, Bulgaria andRomania are expected to join in 2007, and Turkey couldstart membership talks soon after 2004. The countries ofthe western Balkans may not be far behind, either.

Together, the EU-25 comprises more than one eighthof all votes in the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA). Along with other European countries, almostone sixth of UN Member States now align themselveswith EU statements at the UNGA. And EU memberand candidate countries account at present for a thirdof the UN Security Council’s (UNSC) membership.

The EU-25 luncheon, including the European Commission and CouncilSecretariat, on the day of the signing of the Treaty of Accession for 10 new countries to join the European Union. The guest of honour wasUN Deputy Secretary General Louise Fréchette. New York, 16 April 2003.

Photo: GANP/Dimitrios Panagos.

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These future member countries have made a remark-able transition — politically, economically and admin-istratively — guided by the EU enlargement process,with the Union serving as a goal, a model and a mon-itor of progress.

Hence, the EU is an expanding zone of peace, stabilityand prosperity in today’s highly volatile world.

7

The main objectives of the UN are to maintain inter-national peace and security, to develop friendly rela-tions among nations, to cooperate in solving interna-tional economic social, cultural, human rights, tradeand humanitarian problems and to be a centre for har-monising the actions of nations in attaining these com-mon aims. As a consequence of the EU’s own politicaldevelopment and very similar objectives, it is not sur-prising that the EU and the UN should be deepeningtheir relationship at this time. The UN promotes thevalues of democracy, solidarity, sustainability, market-based economy, cultural diversity and the rule of law,which are central to the EU. Flowing from the deepcommitment to these values comes a natural supportby the EU for multilateral institutions, like the UN,and for multilateral solutions to global problems.

The EU’s substantial contribution to the UN’s work

Moreover, the EU makes a major contribution to theUN’s activities. It works with all UN bodies, agenciesand programmes across virtually the whole range ofUN activities, from development policy and peace-making to humanitarian assistance, environment,human rights and culture, throughout the world.

Not least, EU Member States together are the largestfinancial contributor to the UN system. At present, theEU-25 pay 38 % of the UN’s regular budget, more thantwo fifths of UN peacekeeping operations and aroundhalf of all UN Member States’contributions to UN fundsand programmes. Despite the fact that EU MemberStates already contribute far more to the UN than theirshare of the world economy, the EU as a whole decidedto keep its overall financial contribution at the same levelas before in the last round of UN budget negotiations in2000. It is proud to have maintained its generous share ofUN funding as a sign of its support of the UN system.

Growing cooperation in many fields

Working through the UN is an EU priority. The EUrecognises its responsibility to support and strengthenthe UN in order to protect the organisation’s role inseeking multilateral solutions to global problems onthe basis of its charter.

Drawing on well-equipped European troops fromnational armed forces, the EU has undertaken to createa rapid reaction force of 60 000 soldiers as part of itsEuropean security and defence policy (ESDP).Depending on circumstances, this force can be madeavailable to provide prompt assistance for UN peace-keeping operations, like the ‘Artemis’ EU militaryoperation launched in the Democratic Republic of theCongo in June 2003 in response to the UN SecretaryGeneral Annan’s request (and as authorised by UNSCResolution 1484). This EU operation reflects the con-tribution the ESDP can make to crisis management incooperation with the UN.

The EU and the UN have also cooperated intensivelythroughout the Balkans in recent times and will continueto do so into the future, including, inter alia, in the UNMission in Kosovo (UNMIK), where the EU is in chargeof the reconstruction ‘pillar’, the current EU PoliceMission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (based on UNSCResolution 1396); and the ongoing EU military opera-tion ‘Concordia’ in the Former Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia (based on UNSC Resolution 1371) to helpbuild peace and stabilise the political situation there.

Contributions to United Nations regular budget 2003 (%)

United States22.0

Rest of world20.7

European Union (1)37.8

Japan19.5

(1) European Union includes 25 Member States.

Source: United Nations, assessments of Member States.

Left to right: Commissioner Chris Patten and High Representative JavierSolana confer with Mr Goran Svilanovic, Foreign Minister for Serbia andMontenegro, the day after the assassination of Serbian Prime MinisterDjindjic, 13 March 2003.

Photo: Fonet, Belgrade.

➜

EU Troika meets with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, 13 September 2002.

UN/DPI photo by Eskinder Debebe.

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8

Other notable recent examples include the following.

• The EU is fully supportive of UN efforts to fightterrorism through the UN Counter TerrorismCommittee and various UN conventions on ter-rorism, particularly in response to 11 September2001 (see Chapter 6). Relatedly, the EU is theleading donor of reconstruction and humanit-arian aid in Afghanistan, which is firmly set in the context of the Bonn Agreement (December2001) that was negotiated under the aegis of theUN and endorsed by UNSC Resolution 1383.

• Both the EU and the UN are involved in theMiddle East Peace Process as members of the‘Quartet’ — the EU, the Russian Federation, theUnited States and the UN — which has launcheda ‘roadmap for peace’ between Israel and thePalestinian Authority.

• In spring 2001, the European Commission issueda communication on ‘Building an effectivepartnership with the United Nations in thefields of development and humanitarianaffairs’, aiming to improve the quality andimpact of the EC’s development policy withinthe UN system. This has had a positive impact,leading to the signing of a new financial andadministrative framework agreement betweenthe European Commission and the UN in May2003. This, together with other measures aimedat creating an enabling environment, will preparethe way for strategic partnership in developmentand humanitarian fields with a number of UNagencies, funds and programmes.

• The EU took leading roles at the UNConference on Financing for Development(Monterrey, March 2002), the World FoodSummit (Rome, June 2002) and the WorldSummit on Sustainable Development(Johannesburg, September 2002).

The EU is also very grateful concerning the UNSecretary General’s efforts in trying to find a compre-hensive solution to the issue of the divided island ofCyprus, which is due to join the EU in 2004.

The EU seeks to promote an integrated follow-up to allmajor UN conferences, aiming to make the review andappraisal processes more rational and manageable, andto maximise the political impact of any follow-upevent. This approach applies to the follow-up to allmajor conferences and summits held since the begin-ning of the 1990s — Rio (environment and develop-ment), Vienna (human rights), Cairo (population),Beijing (women), Copenhagen (social development),Rome (World Food Summit), Istanbul (habitat), NewYork (children), Kyoto (climate change), Monterrey(financing for development) and Johannesburg (sus-tainable development) — as well as the MillenniumSummit itself.

The EU also raises UN issues of concern during itssummits with major countries in the world, as and

when necessary. A recent example of this is the jointEU–US initiative on HIV/AIDS.

Many current and future EU Member States’ citizensserve the UN in senior positions. Among them are UNHigh Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers,UN Development Programme Administrator MarkMalloch Brown, UN Environment ProgrammeExecutive Director Klaus Topfer, UN Legal CounselHans Corell, Vice-Chairman of the International CivilService Commission Eugeniusz Wyzner, ExecutiveDirector of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime andDirector-General of the UN Office at Vienna AntonioMaria Costa, Executive Director of the UN Iraq pro-gramme Benon Sevan, International Fund forAgricultural Development President Lennart Båge,UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Jean-Marie Guéhenno and UN Under-SecretaryGeneral for Political Affairs Sir Kieran Prendergast.

The European Union at the UN

The presence — and the representation — of the EUat the United Nations has many faces. As only Statescan be Members of the UN, the Union is representedby the State holding the presidency of the EUCouncil, which at present rotates every six months. Atthe Security Council, EU positions are also repre-sented and defended by EU Member States who areelected or permanent members. In order to ensurecontinuity, the EU Council has set up a Liaison Officewith the UN, as part of its Secretariat. For the samepurposes, the EU Council has also set up an office inGeneva.

The European Community was granted observer sta-tus at the 29th General Assembly in 1974 byResolution 3208. It is represented by the EuropeanCommission, which has delegations that are accred-ited to UN bodies in Geneva (including, inter alia,the Office of the High Commissioner for HumanRights (OHCHR), the United Nations HighCommissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UnitedNations Conference on Trade and Development(UNCTAD), the International Labour Organisation(ILO), the World Health Organisation (WHO), theWorld Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO),the International Telecommunications Union (ITU),the Conference on Disarmament (CD) and theUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe(UN/ECE)), Paris (the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)),Nairobi (the United Nations EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP), Habitat), New York (the UNSecretariat, the General Assembly and its main com-mittees, the UN Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC), the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP), etc.), Rome (the UN Food andAgriculture Organisation (FAO), the World FoodProgramme (WFP) and the International Fund forAgricultural Development (IFAD)) and Vienna(including the United Nations Office on Drugs and

9

Crime (UNODC), the UN Industrial DevelopmentOrganisation (UNIDO) and the International AtomicEnergy Agency (IAEA)). The EuropeanCommission’s original information office in NewYork officially became a Delegation to the UnitedNations in 1974.

As an observer within the UN General Assembly andmost UN specialised agencies, the EuropeanCommunity has no vote as such, but is a party to morethan 50 UN multilateral agreements and conventionsas the only non-State participant. It has obtained a spe-cial ‘full participant’ status in a number of importantUN conferences, as well as for example in the UNCommission on Sustainable Development (CSD) andin the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF). In1991, the European Community was accepted as a full member of the UN’s Food and AgricultureOrganisation, the first time it had been recognised as afull voting member by a UN agency. The EuropeanCommunity speaks and votes on behalf of all EUMember States in areas where powers have been trans-ferred to it.

For descriptions of the EU institutions’ delegations andoffices accredited to UN bodies, please visit:http://europa-eu-un.org/article.asp?id=474#t andhttp://europa-eu-un.org/article.asp?id=1020.

Cooperation of EU institutions with the UN

The EU meets the UN Secretary General at ministeriallevel annually in New York as part of an agreed format

for regular EU–UN meetings. The UN DeputySecretary General and other senior UN officials alsovisit EU institutions in Brussels (where 16 UN spe-cialised agencies, funds and programmes now haveoffices), Luxembourg and Strasbourg regularly forpolicy discussions. Regular meetings of senior UNofficials with the EU Council’s Political Committeeare foreseen. EU and UN officials liaise together moreand more frequently as daily working contacts de-velop. Furthermore, the visibility of the EU at the UNhas been enhanced by the participation of EU Heads ofState or Government in major UN conferences, and byongoing visits of Commissioners and high-ranking EUofficials to cities hosting UN bodies.

The UN Secretary General and Deputy SecretaryGeneral are also developing contacts with theEuropean Parliament (EP). The EP, in turn, hasincreased the number of high-level MEP visits to theUN to attend major events.

In autumn 2003, the European Commission issued aCommunication for discussion and agreement by theCouncil and the European Parliament entitled ‘TheEuropean Union and the United Nations: the Choice ofMultilateralism’, which proposes the future course ofthe EU–UN relationship. For this document and for allother up-to-date information, please visit regularly theEU @ UN website at http://europa-eu-un.org.

EU–UN relations

The European Council reaffirms the deeply rootedcommitment of the European Union to make effectivemultilateralism a central element of its external action,with at its heart a strong UN. The European Counciltherefore welcomes the comprehensive Commissioncommunication on ‘The European Union and theUnited Nations: the Choice of Multilateralism’ whichcomes at a dynamic junction in the EU–UN relations.

In this context, the European Council also recalls theEU–UN Joint Declaration of 24 September 2003 oncooperation in crisis management, which constitutesthe basis for enhanced cooperation in this area.

The European Council welcomes the conclusions ofthe GAERC on 8 December on EU–UN relations andstresses the need for these conclusions, as well as theJoint Declaration on crisis management be translatedinto operative action.

European Commission President Romano Prodi meets UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan, New York, January 2002.


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10

C H A P T E R 2

The EU and how it works at the UN

What is the European Union?

The 1957 Treaty of Rome laid the foundation for theEuropean Community (EC), a milestone in the processof western European integration and the forerunner oftoday’s EU. It looked forward to creating an ever-closer union among the peoples of Europe, setting outthe basis for a common market and an eventual eco-nomic and monetary union. The European Communitycontinues to exist today as a vehicle for many policieswithin the larger EU framework.

The project’s success — especially as seen in its on-going increase in membership and its growing eco-nomic importance in the world — is a unique exampleof integration between sovereign States, going farbeyond normal intergovernmental cooperation. Unlikethe UN, NATO or the OECD, this European venturewas, from the outset, conceived as a supranationalstructure with common institutions, including aCouncil, a Commission, a Court of Justice, a Court ofAuditors and a directly elected Parliament (represent-ing over 450 million European citizens after enlarge-ment). Both the European Parliament and the Councilhave important roles in the decision-making process,notably in the approval of legislation and adoption ofthe budget, which gives the Community its ownresources. European Community legislation has prece-dence over national legislation and is subject to thejurisdiction of the Court of Justice.

In 1992, building on the success of the EC, Europeanleaders signed the Treaty of Maastricht, which estab-lished the European Union. This Treaty significantlydeepened the relationship between member countriesin the areas of monetary policy and justice and homeaffairs. It also confirmed the Union’s desire to assert itsidentity on the international scene, in particularthrough the implementation of a CFSP, including theprogressive framing of a common defence policy. InDecember 2000, the European Council meeting inNice decided to take the CFSP further by adopting acommon European security and defence policy.

The European Council, bringing together the Heads ofStates or Government of the EU Member States, providesthe Union with the necessary impetus for its developmentand defines the general political guidelines.

The Union’s principal decision-making body across thespectrum of its activities is the Council of the EuropeanUnion. The Council is composed of one representativeat ministerial level from each Member State, who isempowered to represent his government, politicallyaccountable to the national parliament.

Every six months (4) an EU Member State takes overthe presidency of the Council and its preparatory bod-ies. The presidency ensures follow-up of policy deci-sions taken by the Council. It also represents the Unionin common foreign and security policy matters, and isresponsible for the implementation of CFSP decisions.On this basis, it expresses the position of the Union onthese matters in international organisations and atinternational conferences.

(4) The EU presidency calendar: Greece (first half 2003); Italy (second half 2003); Ireland (first half 2004); Netherlands (second half 2004); Luxembourg (first half 2005);and the United Kingdom (second half 2005); thereafter subject to enlargement and the new constitution for Europe.

Ambassador Marcello Spatafora at the UN Security Council, represent-ing the EU presidency, second half of 2003.

UN/DPI photo by Evan Schneider.

➜

11

The presidency is assisted in its tasks by the HighRepresentative for the EU’s common foreign and secu-rity policy, and by the General Secretariat of theCouncil under his responsibility.

The European Commission comprises 20 Commis-sioners until enlargement, including at least one fromeach Member State (5). It takes policy decisions collec-tively and has exclusive powers for initiating policy pro-posals across the whole spectrum of Community mat-ters. It also implements Community legislation, andnegotiates bilateral treaties and international commit-ments on behalf of the Community. The EuropeanCommission is fully associated in the Union’s CFSP. Inthe UN, the Commission represents the EuropeanCommunity.

The European Parliament (EP) has wide powers in thedecision-making process with regard to Communitylegislation, agreements and the budget. The presidencyconsults it on the main aspects and basic choices of theCFSP. And the EP follows EU external policies close-ly, in particular through its Committee on ForeignAffairs, Human Rights and the CFSP. It expressesitself through non-binding resolutions on importantinternational issues, many with UN aspects.

During 2002–03, the ‘Convention on the Future ofEurope’ completed its work to draft a new EU constitu-tional treaty, which is being debated in an EU Inter-governmental Conference. Once agreement has beenreached and all EU Member States ratify the newTreaty, new provisions relating to institutions and exter-nal policies are expected to take effect as from 2006.

(5) There will be one Commissioner for each of 25 Member States after enlargement and until the new constitution for Europe enters into force.

(6) Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom: 1945; Sweden: 1946; Austria, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain:1955; and Germany: 1973. The European Community has also been a permanent observer at the UN since 1974. Among future members, Poland: 1945; Hungary:1955; Cyprus: 1960; Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania: 1991; Slovenia: 1992; and the Czech Republic and Slovakia: 1993.

How the EU coordinates its work at the UN

All EU countries are members of the UN in their ownright, and many have been since the UN’s foundationin 1945 (6). The establishment of the EU’s commonforeign and security policy brought forward the needfor EU Member States, the Council and theCommission to enhance the coordination of theiractions in international organisations. The EU Treatyrequires them to uphold common positions so thattheir collective weight can have more impact in theworld.

Coordination now covers the six main committees ofthe General Assembly and its subordinate bodies,including ECOSOC and the subordinate functionalcommissions. More than 1 000 internal EU coordina-tion meetings are conducted each year in both NewYork and Geneva to prepare and finalise EU positions.

The EU has also spoken with one voice in the follow-up of all the major conferences and summits held sincethe beginning of the 1990s.

As the EU’s CFSP becomes a daily reality, the activi-ties of its members on the UN Security Council(UNSC) increasingly take account of the EU dimen-

A delegation of Members of the European Parliament came to theUnited Nations to voice their opinions just before the start of the Iraqconflict, March 2003. Left to right: Ulla Sandbaek (EDD, Denmark);Proinsias De Rossa (PSE, Ireland); Patricia McKenna (Green/EFA,Ireland); Pernille Frahm (GUE/NGL, Denmark).

UN/DPI photo by Evan Schneider.

➜

Left to right: Latvian Ambassador Gints Jegermanis, former UKAmbassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock, former Cypriot Ambassador SotiriosZackheos and former Luxembourg Ambassador Hubert Wurth, some ofthe 25 EU Ambassadors (plus the European Commission and CouncilSecretariat) that now regularly attend EU coordination meetings, New York,17 April 2003.

GANP/Dimitrios Panagos.➜

12

sion on those global security issues where the EU hasa political position. Article 19 of the European UnionTreaty foresees that EU ‘Member States which are alsomembers of the UN Security Council will concert andkeep other Member States fully informed. MemberStates which are permanent members of the SecurityCouncil will, in execution of their functions, ensure thedefence of the positions and interests of the Union,without prejudice to their responsibilities under provi-sions of the UN Charter’. The Union’s common view-point on such issues is made known publicly by jointstatements delivered by the EU presidency in openmeetings of the UNSC.

The role of the EU presidency is particularly importantin this respect. It is responsible for day-to-day EUcoordination and represents the Union in most areas ofUN activity. It also represents the EU in discussionswith other UN Member States, regional groups ororganisations, and delivers démarches and statementson behalf of the Union.

The European Commission is actively involved at theUN, where it works with the EU presidency to repre-sent EU views in various areas, especially develop-ment, environment and humanitarian aid. Furthermore,the European Commission has specific responsibilitiesto speak for the European Community in areas such astrade, fisheries and agriculture.

When the EU meets with non-EU countries or region-al groupings or undertakes démarches, it often does soin the Troika format, a representative group composedof the presidency, the Council Secretariat, theEuropean Commission and the incoming presidency.

EC Ambassador John B. Richardson addresses the UN GeneralAssembly Special Session on Children on behalf of the EuropeanCommunity, May 2002.

UN/DPI photo by Mark Garten.

➜

EU votes together at the UN GeneralAssembly

Through its CFSP, the EU speaks almost always withone voice at the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Fromglobalisation and human rights, to development anddisarmament, the EU aims for unanimity. And theresults are clearly evidenced in EU cohesion, whichhas stood at around 95 % of all resolutions passed bythe UNGA since the mid-1990s.

United Nations General Assembly consensus on resolutions 1991–2003

(1) Refer to 15 European Union Member States.

Source: European Commission.

EU (1) consensusUN consensus

Per

cent

age

cons

ensu

s

13

European Union voting patternMiddle East resolutions 1993–2002

NB: Greece did not vote in 12 out of 20 of these resolutions.

NB: In the last 10 years the EU has never voted against any of the resolutions considered as part of the Middle East package of resolutions.

NB: European Union refers to the 15 Member States.


Num

ber

of

reso

lutio

ns

48th GA 49th GA 50th GA 51st GA 52nd GA 53rd GA 54th GA 55th GA 56th GA 57th GA

EU abstains EU voted ‘yes’ EU voted ‘no’

Bulgaria

Hungary

Lithuania

Poland

Romania

Estonia

Slovenia

Czech Rep.

Slovakia

Latvia

Malta

Cyprus

Turkey

Voting alignment of candidate countries with EUin 56th and 57th General Assembly until 16 April 2003 (%)

Voting alignment with EU 56th GA Increase in 57th GA Decrease in 57th GA

Of the 15 to 25 % of resolutions that are actually voted onat the UNGA each year, the EU votes unanimously onaverage four times out of five. Even on contentious issueslike the Middle East, the EU has managed to achieve una-nimity on virtually every occasion over the past decade.

The EU’s enlargement is spurring greater cohesionbetween current and future members as well. In theUNGA, most EU candidate countries had alreadyachieved 100 % alignment with the EU even beforesigning their Accession Treaties on 16 April 2003.

14

Now, both present and acceding States consistentlyuphold EU common positions. As a candidate country,Turkey is also making good progress in this regard.Furthermore, over the past few years, all candidatecountries have associated themselves increasinglywith EU statements made at the UN, along with

Cyprus

Czech Rep.

Bulgaria

Hungary

Malta

Poland

Estonia

Lithuania

Romania

Latvia

Slovakia

Slovenia

Turkey

Alignment of candidate countries with EU statementsin 56th and 57th General Assembly until 16 April 2003 (%)

Increase in 57th GAAlignment in 56th GA

Irela

nd

Pre

sid

ency

Cou

ncil

Por

tuga

l

Com

mis

sion

Hun

gary

Netherlands

Luxembourg

Czech Republic

United Kingdom

Estonia

Austria

Cyprus

Finland

Latvia

Germany

Lithuania

Italy

Greece

Denmark

Slovakia

Spain

Slovenia

Belgium

Poland

Sweden

Malta

France

European Union coordination at the UNSeating order during ‘Irish Presidency’

coordination meetings — January to June 2004

Note: Countries rotate one seat clockwise after each EU presidency (seating of presidency, Commission and Council does not change).

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway (which are notexpected to join the EU for now). This larger Europeanconvergence is set to increase further among the 25current and future Member States that are now sittingtogether around the same table in all EU coordinationmeetings at the UN.

15

C H A P T E R 3

EU–UN development cooperation

Development cooperation — A new focus on aid effectiveness and global commitments

By far the largest provider of official developmentassistance in the world, the European Union accountedfor around half of the world’s ODA total, some USD35.5 billion in 2002 (7). Moreover, the EU pledge inMonterrey (Financing for Development (FfD)) willbring the amount of EU ODA up to EUR 39 billion by2006.

The European Community itself is also a major sourceof financing support for UN programmes, specialisedagencies and funds. During 1999–2001, the EC con-tributed an average of more than EUR 350 millionannually to the UN system, putting it consistentlyamong the top three donors in its own right for theWFP and UN Relief and Works Agency for PalestineRefugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

(7) This includes both the ODA of individual EU Member States and that of the European Community.

Official development assistance: Comparison by major donors in EUR billion, 2000-06

USA

Japan

EU — Pledge

EU — Estimate

NB: Excluding EU acceding countries.

Austria 520Belgium 1 072Denmark 1 643Finland 462France 5 486Germany 5 324Greece 276Ireland 398Italy 2 332Luxembourg 147Netherlands 3 338Portugal 323Spain 1 712Sweden 1 991United Kingdom 4 924European Commission 6 561

Total 36 509

(1) Excludes 10 new member states.Source: OECD, December 2003.

European Union (1) official development assistance, 2002 (USD million)

235 260

495

0

100

200

300

400

500

1999 2000 2001

EuropeAid to the UN system1999–2001

(EUR million)

NB: Excludes contributions from EU Member States.Source: European Commission.

16

A new era of EU–UN development cooperation

The EU places high priority upon intensifying andenhancing its relations with the UN in the field ofdevelopment. Progress has been achieved in the policyfield and in operations over the years, but there isscope for an improved, more effective partnership. ECcooperation with the UN system is changing from adhoc, project-based collaboration towards more system-atic and programmatic cooperation. The policy dia-logue is also being strengthened, recognising theadded value and core capabilities that UN bodies canbring in relation to EU development policy priorities.

Three major elements continue to shape the EC’sapproach to development cooperation:

• the European development policy agreed by theEuropean Commission and EU developmentministers in the Development Council in 2000;

• the new Cotonou Agreement (which replaces theLomé Convention) agreed between the EUMember States and 78 African, Caribbean andPacific (ACP) countries — the agreemententered into force on 1 April 2003, setting a newstandard in the relationship between the EU andthe ACP countries;

• the European Commission’s far-reaching reformof the management of Community external aid.

EuropeAid to UN agencies 1999–2001 (%)

UNMIK - Kosovo peacekeeping2.1

NB: Excludes contributions from EU Member States.

(1) Other UN agencies include ECLAC, ITU, UNIFEM, UN Dept of PoliticalAffairs, WHO, CICP, ECA, ICTY, IMO, UN, UNCTAD, UNDCP, UNESCO,UNFPA, UNOCHA, UNOPS.


Other agencies (1)4.1

FAO2.2

OHCHR1.0UNDP

9.9

UNHCR7.2

UNICEF3.9

UNIDO1.0

UNRWA29.4

UNTAET1.3

WFP37.8

These three important decisions help the EU respondto the dual challenge of how to make its external aidmore effective, and how to meet the internationallyagreed development goals arising from theMillennium Declaration and the major internationalconferences of the past few years. The EU sees thisnew global partnership as having a fundamentalimpact on how development policy is understood andimplemented across the world.

More specifically, concerning cooperation with theUN, the Commission is implementing the recommen-dations found in the Commission Communication ofMay 2001 on ‘Building an effective partnership withthe UN in the fields of development and humanitarianaffairs’, which looks at ways and means for improvingthe quality and impact of EC development policywithin the UN system. The Commission is increasingits policy dialogue with UN organisations, stepping upits activities in UN policy and decision-making bodiesas well as establishing strategic partnerships with anumber of UN agencies, funds and programmes.

To facilitate cooperation between the Commission andthe UN organisations, an updated financial and admin-istrative framework agreement, designed to facilitate acloser partnership between the two bodies, was signedin April 2003 by UN Deputy Secretary General LouiseFréchette, and EU Commissioner for DevelopmentCooperation and Humanitarian Aid Poul Nielson. Theagreement will pave the way for a closer partnershipbetween the EC and the UN, lowering costs for pro-jects and programmes.

The development policy of the EuropeanCommunity

Reduction of poverty is the central focus and overallobjective of the EU’s development policies and activ-ities. To foster this, the EC pursues an integratedapproach, addressing political, economic, social, envi-ronmental and institutional dimensions on all levels —global, regional, national and local — with partners in

Mr Poul Nielson, European Commissioner for Development andHumanitarian Aid, New York, April 2003.


➜

17

UN Millennium Development GoalsBy the year 2015, all 191 United Nations Member States have pledged to meet these goals.

Eradicate extremepoverty and hunger

Achieve universal pri-mary education

Promote gender equalityand empower women

Reduce child mortality

Improve maternalhealth

Combat HIV/AIDS,malaria and other diseases

Ensure environmentalsustainability

Develop a global partnership for development

• Reduce by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day

• Reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger

• Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling

• Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015

• Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate among children under five

• Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio

• Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS• Halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major

diseases

• Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources

• Reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access tosafe drinking water

• Achieve significant improvement in lives of at least 100 million slumdwellers, by 2020

• Develop further an open trading and financial system that is rule-based,predictable and non-discriminatory. Include a commitment to goodgovernance, development and poverty reduction — nationally andinternationally

• Address the least-developed countries’ special needs. This includes tariff- and quota-free access for their exports; enhanced debt relief forheavily indebted poor countries; cancellation of official bilateral debt;and more generous official development assistance for countries committed to poverty reduction

• Address the special needs of landlocked and small island developingStates

• Deal comprehensively with developing countries’ debt problemsthrough national and international measures to make debt sustainable in the long term

• In cooperation with the developing countries, develop decent and productive work for youth

• In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access toaffordable essential drugs in developing countries

• In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits ofnew technologies — especially information and communications technologies

18

the public, private and civil sectors. The EU also con-siders that the gradual integration of developing coun-tries into the world economy is one of the major com-ponents of a global strategy to achieve internationaldevelopment targets.

In its poverty eradication efforts, the EU emphasisesthe importance of reducing hunger and malnutrition,halving poverty by the year 2015 and improving theliving conditions of rural populations.

Six core tasks for development assistance

EC development policy identifies six areas where itcan offer comparative advantage:

• trade and development;

• regional integration and cooperation;

• macro-economic policies linked with povertyreduction strategies, in particular the strengthen-ing of social sectors like health and education;

• reliable and sustainable transport, which plays akey role in access to basic social services and toeconomic progress;

• food security and sustainable rural developmentstrategies;

• institutional capacity-building, good governanceand the rule of law.

Cross-cutting issues, such as gender aspects, environ-mental sustainability and human rights are being fullyintegrated into all activities.

The European Commission targets its efforts in areaswhere it has a proven track record, and where it canprovide added value compared with other developmentpartners, especially EU Member States. TheCommission is increasing its cooperation with itsMember States, other bilateral and multilateral donors

Training for sustainable management of tropical forests, funded by theEuropean Union, Papua New Guinea.

Photo: European Commission.

➜— in particular the UN system and the Bretton Woodsinstitutions — to ensure other areas are covered as well.

As one of the largest donors, the EC will also play anincreasingly active role with its development partners.The EC is making best use of existing frameworks,such as the poverty reduction strategy programme and the UN Development Assistance Framework(UNDAF).

Furthermore, the EU is in the process of adjusting itspolicies to support the results of the major interna-tional conferences. EU initiatives on water and energywere launched at the World Summit for SustainableDevelopment (WSSD) in Johannesburg in September2002, supporting the WSSD plan of implementation.These initiatives demonstrate the EU’s commitment to translate the political agreements made inJohannesburg into concrete action.

‘The EU energy initiative for poverty eradication andsustainable development’ followed an agreementreached at the WSSD on the need for joint action toimprove access to reliable and affordable energy serv-ices sufficient to achieve the UN MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs). This initiative emphas-ises the development of partnerships, at policy level aswell as at practical level for implementation, withrecipient countries, the private sector, other donors,financing organisations and civil society.

The EU water initiative, ‘Water for life’, will make apositive contribution towards achieving the targets ofclean water provision and access to basic sanitation.

The European Commission coordinates both initiat-ives and chairs the multi-stakeholder advisory group ofthe water initiative, involving the EU Member States,NGOs, private sector and professional associationsand the European Investment Bank. It has also sug-gested boosting the EU water initiative by proposingthe establishment of a European Union water fund,with a budget of EUR 1 billion, to help give people inthe ACP countries access to safe drinking water andadequate sanitation.

Another priority area for action arising from the WSSDis the ‘EU action plan for forest law enforcement, gov-ernance and trade’, which aims to address the growingproblem of illegal logging and related trade.

The landmark Cotonou Agreement

The EU and its ACP partners achieved an importantmilestone in their relations with the entry into force of the Cotonou Agreement on 1 April 2003. TheEurope–ACP partnership has significantly developedduring the past 40 years: from the association systemin 1957 to the Yaoundé Conventions in 1963 and 1969,and the four Lomé Conventions (1975, 1980, 1985,1990, plus 1995 bis). The renewal of the ACP–EUAgreement has been the subject of intensive discus-sions since 1996. Wide-ranging public debate has

19

made it possible to assess the expectations andchanges needed to breathe new life into the partner-ship.

As with the EU’s development policy in general, theagreement’s key objective is the reduction of poverty.This is embedded in an innovative economic and tradecooperation framework, which supports regional inte-gration and cooperation efforts between ACP coun-tries. In this context, the EC intends to negotiateregional economic partnership agreements, which willbe at the heart of regional free trade areas. This processshould help ACP countries integrate gradually into theworld economy, giving prominence to strengthenedregional cooperation and thus responding to the chal-lenges of globalisation.

It also paves the way for increased foreign direct invest-ments, which the EC intends to stimulate through a newEUR 2.2 billion business investment facility.

This new agreement will disburse funds in the order ofEUR 13.5 billion (in addition to EUR 10 billion notallocated during previous agreements) for the period2000–07. Allocation of these funds will be based onthe evaluation of each country’s individual require-ments as well as their policy performance. This coun-try-by-country approach, based on the principles ofselectivity and effectiveness, is another leading featureof the new relationship.

Important elements such as peace-building, conflict-prevention policies and migration have also been intro-duced into the new agreement.

Reform of the Commission’s externalservice

On 1 January 2001, the reorganisation and reform ofthe European Commission’s external services cameinto effect. This included the establishment of a newEuropeAid Cooperation Office for the management of80 % of the EC’s external assistance — EUR 9 billionin total. External assistance projects are now managedunder a single administrative structure, from start tofinish. The primary aim: speeding up delivery andimproving the quality of programmes and projects.

Reorganisation has also included the decentralisationand devolution of powers from the EuropeanCommission’s headquarters into the field, includingprovision of necessary human and material resources.The goal is to ensure development policy is made andimplemented on the ground.

Heavily indebted poorest countries(HIPCs)

Thus far, the EC has pledged more than EUR 1.275billion to the HIPC initiative: EUR 734 million as a

donor to the HIPC Trust Fund; EUR 485 million as acreditor; and an additional EUR 60 million, again as acreditor, to alleviate remaining special loans granted toleast-developed ACP HIPCs. The EC remains commit-ted to cover, on a fair burden-sharing basis, the poten-tial costs of the ‘topping up’, namely the additionaldebt relief that may be needed at completion point forcountries having experienced external shocks, leadingto a debt burden above the threshold of sustainability.

Health issues

The European Commission and the WHO widened theircollaboration in December 2000 by an exchange of let-ters and a memorandum of understanding identifyingvarious priority areas in a wide range of health issues.These included communicable disease control, theFramework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), aglobal strategy on diet, physical activity and health, envi-ronment and health and the strategic partnership betweenthe EU and the WHO in the field of development.

Coordinated efforts and international public/privatepartnerships against infectious diseases such as malaria,tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS are key issues for develop-ment and poverty reduction in the developing world.

In this context, the EU has developed a comprehensiveprogramme for action on accelerated actions targetingthese three diseases, and has given high priority toimproved results in this area on national, regional andglobal levels, in the areas of development, researchand trade.

Increased cooperation in the field of communicablediseases is an even greater priority since the 2003 out-break of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).There is now effective synergy between the EU earlywarning and response system and the WHO globaloutbreak alert and response network.

The FCTC was adopted unanimously in May 2003 andis recognised as the first international treaty negotiatedunder the auspices of the WHO. The Commissionnegotiated on behalf of the EU. Commissioner Byrne’sleadership and commitment to tobacco control wasrecognised by a special award given by the WorldHealth Assembly.

On access to medication, the EU and the WHO haveconfirmed their intention to work together on improv-ing access to medicines for poverty-related diseases. Afinal multilateral agreement in the WTO on the DohaDeclaration on trade-related aspects of internationalproperty rights (TRIPs) and public health is needed assoon as possible and the Commission is working hardto achieve it. In this context, it is worth recalling themajor contributions of the EU to the financing of theGlobal Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Finally, the strategic partnership between theCommission and the WHO in the field of development

The ACP States

http://www.europarl.eu.int/intcoop/acp/21_01/default_en.htm

(1) Joined ACP 13 May 2003. ACP-EC Council has accepted East Timor's accession to Cotonou.

MALICAPE VERDE

KIRIBATI

SAMOA

CÔTED'IVOIRE

SENEGALGAMBIA

GUINEA-BISSAU

SIERRA LEONELIBERIA

TONGAFIJI

BELIZE JAMAICAHAITI

BAHAMAS

DOM.REP.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS

ANTIGUA & BARBUDADOMINICA

ST. VINCENT &THE GRENADINES

TRINIDAD & TOBAGOGRENADABARBADOS

ST. LUCIA

GUYANA

SURINAME

BENIN

TOGOGHANA

GUINEA

MAURITANIA

COOK ISLANDSNIUE

BURKINAFASO

PACIFIC OCEANNORTH ATLANTIC

OCEAN

SOUTH ATLANTICOCEAN

ETHIOPIA

CHAD

PAPUANEW GUINEA

MICRONESIA

PALAU

MARSHALLISLANDS

KIRIBATINAURU

SOLOMONISLANDS

TUVALU

FIJIMAURITIUS

MADAGASCAR

COMOROS

SEYCHELLES

MALAWI

MOZAMBIQUE

SWAZILAND

LESOTHOSOUTHAFRICA

NAMIBIA

BOTSWANA

ZIMBABWE

TANZANIA

KENYARWANDA

BURUNDI

ANGOLAZAMBIA

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

SUDAN

CAMEROON

EQUATORIALGUINEA

GABONCONGO

SÃO TOMÉ&

PRÍNCIPE

NIGERIA

NIGERERITREA

DJIBOUTISOMALIA

UGANDACONGO

(DEM. REP.OF THE)

VANUATU

EASTTIMOR (1)

INDIAN OCEAN

PACIFIC OCEAN

ARCTIC OCEAN

22

and health is aimed at maximising the opportunitiesfor the reduction of poverty and the attainment of themillennium development goals. Both organisationsshare the same conviction that public health policy isat the heart of a genuine development policy.

The EU’s involvement in key UN development conferences

In the last few years, a number of important interna-tional meetings have taken place related to the EU andUN common concern to eradicate poverty.

The third UN Conference on Least-DevelopedCountries (LDCs) was held at the Brussels headquar-ters of the European Parliament in May 2001. The EUplayed a leading role in making this conference a suc-cess and contributed strongly to the adoption of theprogramme of action on LDCs for 2001–10.

Then, at the International Conference on Financingfor Development in Monterrey in 2002, the EU under-took the eight ‘Barcelona commitments’ as its concretecontribution to the conference. These ‘commitments’paved the way for considerable undertakings fromother major donors, expressed both at the Monterreyconference and in the ‘Monterrey consensus’, whichcontains a number of positive messages on partner-ship, increases in ODA and the untying of aid andtechnical assistance. The post-FfD conference periodhas been marked by the EU’s strong commitment towork with the UN, the Bretton Woods institutions andthe WTO.

On the occasion of the ‘World Food Summit: Fiveyears later’ in June 2002 in Rome, the EU reassertedits firm commitment and determination to achieve asolemn Millennium Declaration objective: to freemankind from the scourge of famine. In this context,the EU underlined the need for a comprehensive strat-egy hinging on trade, public aid, research and cooper-ation with the countries concerned. Each year, the EU

handles food security programmes worth roughly EUR2.7 billion. To maximise their impact, the EU has con-centrated food security operations in the 34 most vul-nerable countries over the last few years.

At the WSSD in Johannesburg, the EU reaffirmed itswillingness and determination to contribute to theachievement of the Millennium Development Goals.The WSSD succeeded in adding new momentum tothe cause of sustainable development and demon-strated, like FfD, that the EU can speak with one voiceand play a leading role. The EU is determined to makesure that the three pillars of sustainable development(economic, social and environmental) are equally wellcovered. And the most important aspect of all: imple-mentation. In March 2003, the EU reviewed its strat-egy for sustainable development with a focus on puttinginto practice the commitment undertaken in theWSSD, both internally and externally. The EU’s newinitiatives on water, energy and illegal logging, asdescribed above, demonstrate clearly its willingness todeliver.

New challenges for Community development policy

The EC’s development policy has entered a new era.The new global partnership established as a result ofthe Millennium Declaration and the major inter-national conferences pose new goals and challengesfor development. It is now time to focus on the imple-mentation of the joint global commitments and payeven more attention to the effectiveness of our actions.As a major global partner in development cooperation,the EU is ready to push for improvements in the inter-national community’s ability to achieve its develop-ment policy goals. The EU is therefore committed tothe ongoing efforts to enhance aid effectiveness, andattaches great importance to the efforts of the donorcommunity to work towards the harmonisation ofdonor practices. Closer cooperation between the EUand the UN family will be part of this effort.

23

C H A P T E R 4

Environment and sustainable development

Environmental problems need betterglobal governance

Global issues have increasingly driven European envi-ronmental policy. Some of the most pressing environ-mental concerns today, such as climate change, ozonedepletion and biodiversity loss, are global in scope,requiring coordinated international action.

The European Union plays an active role in interna-tional environmental forums, believing that existinginternational bodies dealing with such issues must bereinforced and made more efficient. This entailsstrengthening the international institutional frame-work, in particular the United Nations EnvironmentProgramme, and ensuring better implementation ofenvironmental agreements. The EU also advocates theinclusion of environmental considerations into theactivities of other UN bodies and the internationalfinancial institutions.

Practising what it preaches

The EU has been instrumental in achieving many ofthe major environmental conventions negotiatedrecently (on the ozone layer, climate change, desert-ification, biodiversity, hazardous wastes, hazardouschemicals, etc.).

It has also played a key role by giving guidance to gov-ernments on how to develop their environmental pol-icy. This includes an active follow-up of the Rioprocess and Agenda 21, and full participation in thework of the UN Commission on SustainableDevelopment (CSD).

The EU was broadly satisfied with the outcome of theWorld Summit on Sustainable Development inJohannesburg (September 2002). The implementationplan and the political declaration have shaped a global partnership for sustainable development. Goodgovernance and a better environment are part of thedeal.

The implementation plan contains a set of new targetson access to basic sanitation, biodiversity, fish stocksand chemicals, which complement the MillenniumDevelopment Goals. Implementation of national sus-tainable development strategies is to start by 2005, and

a 10-year framework for programmes on sustainableconsumption and production will be developed. Therewas also agreement to increase the share of renewableenergy in the total energy mix, and to complement this,the EU launched an initiative to work with other like-minded countries in a ‘coalition for renewables’ that isnow being developed.

The most innovative element of Johannesburg was theannouncement of more than 200 voluntary partner-ships for sustainable development, involving govern-ments, international institutions and stakeholders.These partnerships, including two important EU part-nerships on water and energy, will be an importantinstrument to mobilise action and resources at alllevels.

Just as the EU played a leading role at the summit, itwill take the lead in the follow-up by focusing onimplementation of the commitments made. Someexisting instruments, for example the sustainabledevelopment strategy agreed in Göteborg in June 2001and the sixth environmental action programme, pro-vide the framework for the EU to implement the out-come of the WSSD. EU leaders addressed the follow-up to the WSSD at the spring European Council in2003, reiterating their commitment: to the new goalsand targets agreed in Johannesburg; to ensuring effect-ive follow-up to the commitment made in Monterrey

EC President Romano Prodi and Danish Prime Minister Anders FoghRasmussen, representing the EU presidency at the World Summit onSustainable Development, Johannesburg, September 2002.


➜

24

on the realisation of the 0.7 % target for ODA; to pro-moting sustainable and fair trade; and to the timelyelaboration at both international and EU levels of the10-year framework of programmes on sustainable con-sumption and production.

Combating climate change

Climate change has become one of the most importantglobal environmental challenges, and the EU is at theforefront of international efforts to fight it. The EU hasestablished targets for significant reductions in green-house emissions and, as a first step, it has achieved itscommitment to stabilise its own CO2 emissions by2000 at 1990 levels. The objective, in line with the UNFramework Convention on Climate Change, is to sta-bilise the atmospheric concentration of greenhousegases at a level that will not cause unnatural variationsof the earth’s climate.

The EU is thus strongly committed to ratification andimplementation of the Kyoto Protocol, the basis forfurther efforts by all parties in the global fight againsthuman-induced elements of climate change. The EUbelieves that the Kyoto Protocol represents the rightinternational framework to face this challenge. It alsosupports capacity building to assist developing coun-tries in implementing the convention. The EU and allits Member States have shown leadership in the fightagainst climate change by living up to their commit-ments and ratifying the Kyoto Protocol in May 2002.

And the EU continuously calls upon other countries tocomplete their ratification processes as soon aspossible. (For more information, please see:http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/home_en.htm. Also relevant is: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/ozone/index.htm.)

The EU also supports the Forum on Forests, theConvention to Combat Desertification, the Conventionon Persistent Organic Pollutants and the MontrealProtocol on the ozone layer. The EU worked for andobtained a successful replenishment of the GlobalEnvironment Facility (GEF), which, at USD 2.92 bil-lion, was the highest replenishment ever, with addi-tional voluntary contributions from some EU MemberStates. This will provide additional support for the newmandate of the GEF with regard to persistent organicpollutants and desertification.

Protecting the seas

To tackle the complexity and diversity of marine issuesand challenges, the EU has adopted a wide range ofpolicies and approaches. The themes range from theconservation of biodiversity, management of fisheriesand aquaculture and sustaining livelihoods of coastalcommunities, to flood protection and pollution control.

This diversity of issues is reflected in a host of inter-national, regional and national commitments and con-ventions such as Agenda 21, the UNEP regional seasprogramme and the UN Convention on the Law of theSea, to which the European Community is a contract-ing party. The EU attaches great importance to theimplementation of the existing international frame-work of treaties and agreements.

Action contributing to development and environmentalprotection has been acquiring increasing importance inthe European Union. The EU common fisheries policysupports international efforts to achieve sustainablefisheries, and the EU plays an active role in cooperat-ing with developing countries through internationalaction within the framework of the UN bodies, and inregional fisheries organisations.

Preserving biodiversity

The European Community and its Member States arecontracting parties to the United Nations Conventionon Biological Diversity (CBD), and are active particip-ants in follow-up activities, including the BiosafetyProtocol, which the EC ratified in August 2002.

Adopted in 1998, the Community’s biodiversity strat-egy defines a framework for the actions necessary toimplement fully the CBD, focusing on the integrationof biodiversity concerns into the development andimplementation of relevant sectoral policies. Specificbiodiversity action plans for the conservation of natu-ral resources, agriculture, fisheries and developmentand economic cooperation were adopted in spring2001. The EU fully endorses the target to reduce sig-nificantly the rate of loss of biological diversity by2010 included in the WSSD plan of implementation.In fact, the Göteborg European Council adopted theEuropean sustainable development strategy, including

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, European Commissioner for theEnvironment Margot Wallström and Spanish Environment MinisterJaume Palau at the celebrations following the signing of the KyotoProtocol, New York, April 2002.

Photo: Permanent Mission of Spain to the UN.

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25

the more ambitious target of halting biodiversitydecline by 2010, as set out in the sixth environmentalaction programme.

In February 2002, the European Commission proposeda regulation on the transboundary movement of genet-ically modified organisms (GMOs). When adopted,this regulation will complete the EC legislative frame-work implementing the provisions of the CartagenaProtocol on Biosafety.

The social dimension

The social dimension of sustainable developmenthas become increasingly important for the EU,which implies promoting the same integratedapproach to social and economic policy both inter-nally and beyond Europe’s borders. It also meanssupporting quality employment and social cohesion,promoting a high level of employment and socialprotection and social dialogue by ensuring respectfor core labour standards, supporting gender equalityand the fight against discrimination and social exclu-sion.

Moreover, the recent creation of a World Commissionon the Social Dimension of Globalisation, and theprogress made by the ILO in promoting implementa-tion of its fundamental conventions, are importantsteps in that direction.

The EU attaches great importance to its relationshipwith the ILO, which started with the first EC–ILOagreement in 1958. This was strengthened by anexchange of letters between EU CommissionerDiamantopoulou and ILO Director-General Somaviain May 2001. The EC has also put forward proposalsfor an institutional strengthening of the ILO itself.Both organisations share a commitment to social andeconomic progress, improving living and workingconditions and promoting employment.

However, there has been growing public concern thatthe social aspects of globalisation have been neglected.The implementation of the Commission communica-tion on promoting core labour standards and improv-ing social governance provides the backdrop for EUcontributions to the discussions of the ILO workingparty on the social dimension of globalisation. It isalso the context for EU participation in the WorldCommission established by the ILO to strengthen thedialogue between international organisations and civilsociety.

Respect for core labour standards is also a key prem-ise for EU development policy. ILO standards areincorporated into EC assistance programmes. Thefight against child labour is a case in point. Here, theEU is a major contributor to the ILO InternationalProgramme on Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC).There is also cooperation between the EU and theILO in the field of corporate social responsibility(CSR).

The European social model provides an importantdimension of EC–ILO cooperation. Employment pol-icies, including skills and mobility, employmentreports and guidelines, migration and trafficking,occupational health and safety at work, social protec-tion and social dialogue are all examples of how theEU can provide a benchmark for policy worldwide.

The EU has also contributed to major UN conferenceson gender equality, racism, ageing, as well as to theirfollow-up. It also aims to ensure that issues of socialgovernance are dealt with effectively by other UN bod-ies, such as ECOSOC, the Commission for SocialDevelopment, and the UNGA’s Third Committee, aswell as the major conferences.

NGOs: an essential partner

NGOs formed part of the European Community andmany Member State delegations to the RioConference, Rio + 5, the WSSD and to most sessionsof the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.In addition, the EU has regularly supported the NGOSteering Committee of the CSD.

Environmental NGOs participate in EU expert groupsand in preparatory and implementation committees,providing important input to EU policies, programmesand initiatives. EU Member States involve NGOs andother sectors of civil society as part of advisory coun-cils on environment and sustainable development inthe design of national as well as local strategies suchas ‘Local agenda 21’ initiatives.

The 1998 action programme to promote Europeanenvironmental NGOs provides a legal framework forthe financial relationship between the EC and NGOson these issues. Dialogue on the environment isassisted by the existence of the EuropeanEnvironmental Bureau, which brings together around140 large and small NGOs at the European level.

European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection David Byrne receives the WHO Director-General's award for his ‘leader-ship in global tobacco control’ at the headquarters of the World HealthOrganisation, presented to him by Derek Yach, WHO Executive Directorof the non-communicable diseases and mental health cluster, June 2003.

Photo: P. Virot/WHO.

➜

Parties to the Kyoto Protocol: States that have ratified,accepted, acceded, or approved (1)

(1) As of 24 February 2004.

UNITEDKINGDOM

MALI

COSTARICA

COLOMBIA

PERU

PANAMA

KIRIBATI

SAMOA

SENEGALGAMBIA

LIBERIA

FIJI

CANADA

IRELAND

FRANCE

MEXICO

GUATEMALA

BELIZEHONDURAS

JAMAICA

CUBA

BAHAMAS

DOM.REP. ANTIGUA & BARBUDA


GUYANA

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY

ARGENTINACHILE

ECUADOR

NICARAGUAEL SALVADOR

ICELAND

SPAINPORTUGAL

MOROCCO

BENINGHANA

GUINEA

BOLIVIA

COOK ISLANDSNIUE

BRAZIL

ST. LUCIA


OCEAN

SOUTH ATLANTICOCEAN

KYRGYZSTAN

HUNG.

BEL.GERMANY

SWEDEN FINLANDNORWAY

ROMANIA

MOL.

LITHUANIALATVIA

ESTONIA

GREECE

CYPRUS

GEORGIAARMENIA AZERBAIJAN

TURKMENISTANUZBEKISTAN

CHINA

MONGOLIA

SOUTHKOREA

JAPAN

MALAYSIA

PAPUANEW GUINEA

MICRONESIA

PALAU

MARSHALLISLANDS

KIRIBATINAURU

SOLOMONISLANDS

TUVALU

FIJI

NEWZEALAND

MAURITIUSMADAGASCAR

SEYCHELLES

MALAWI

LESOTHOSOUTHAFRICA

NAMIBIA

BOTSWANA

TANZANIA

BURUNDI

CAMEROON

EQUATORIALGUINEA

MALTA

DENMARK

LUX.

BANGLADESH

BHUTAN

MYANMARLAOS

THAILAND

CAMBODIAVIETNAM

TUNISIA

DJIBOUTI

UGANDA

CZECH. REP.SLOVAKIA

JORDAN

BULG.ITALY

AUSTRIASLOVENIA

NETH.

SWITZ.

POLAND

MALDIVES

SRI LANKA

INDIA

VANUATU

PHILIPPINES

INDIAN OCEAN

PACIFIC OCEAN

ARCTIC OCEAN

28

C H A P T E R 5

Keeping the peace and preventing conflict

EU Member States: Active peacekeepersunder UN auspices

The European Union is deeply committed to the pri-mary role of the UN in maintaining international peaceand security and its core function of peacekeeping, asmandated by the Security Council (8). This commit-ment is confirmed by EU Member States’ major con-tributions of troops, police officers, and observers toUN operations, which totalled 3 259 personnel, or 9.0 % of the UN total in June 2003. When the contri-butions of the 10 acceding countries are added, the fig-ures rise to 4 801 and 13.2 %, respectively.

Furthermore, the EU is by far the largest troop con-tributor to other peace missions under the authority ofthe UN Security Council, even if not directly run bythe UN. This is the case with two large peacekeepingoperations in the Balkans: SFOR, which operates inBosnia and Herzegovina, and KFOR in Kosovo, inconnection with the UN Mission UNMIK. In theseoperations, troop contributions by EU Member States comprise about 60 % of the total. In Africa, more than20 000 personnel from the EU Member States wereserving under a UN mandate in April 2003.

The share of the EU-25 in the UN peacekeepingbudget is around 39 % of the world total at present,making the Union by far the largest contributer. Bypaying their assessed contributions on time and infull, EU Member States play a decisive role in ensur-ing that peacekeeping activities continue to functionsmoothly.

(8) Two EU Member States — France and the United Kingdom — are permanent members, and other EU Member States frequently serve as rotating members.

Member State

Austria 452Belgium 15Cyprus 0Czech Republic 35Denmark 64Estonia 2Finland 239France 320Germany 287Greece 27Hungary 141Ireland 531Italy 161Latvia 0Lithuania 8Luxembourg 0Malta 0Netherlands 282Poland 740Portugal 565Slovakia 500Slovenia 15Spain 23Sweden 180United Kingdom 558

EU-25 Total 5 145

EU personnel contributions to UN peacekeeping operations

(as of January 2004)

Source: UN DPKO.

29

Additional EU means available throughthe CFSP

The objectives of the EU’s common foreign and secu-rity policy are, among other things, ‘to strengthen thesecurity of the Union in all ways’ and ‘to preservepeace and strengthen international security, in accord-ance with the principles of the United NationsCharter’. Through the CFSP, the EU expresses its posi-tion on the international stage and acts in a consistentfashion where there is a common interest for itsMember States. The Council of the European Unionplays a vital role in implementing this policy, to whichthe European Commission is fully associated. Beyondthe general representation of the EU by the rotatingMember State presidency, the CFSP is also perma-nently represented by the Secretary General of theCouncil of the European Union, the HighRepresentative for the CFSP.

As part of the CFSP, the Union is developing aEuropean security and defence policy that embracesall issues relating to its security and to its crisis man-agement capacity.

EU-led crisis management operations

The European Union can undertake the followingtypes of crisis management operations:

• humanitarian and search-and-rescue operations,as well as evacuation;

• peacekeeping operations;

• combat missions and peacemaking.

Necessary decision-making procedures and struc-tures, as well as planning tools and concepts, are nowin place. The Union may thus decide to undertakemilitary operations and/or carry out missions in thefields of policing, the rule of law, civilian administra-tion and civil protection. Faced with a crisis, the EUnow has at its disposal the whole range of tools —economic, diplomatic and military — to deal withsuch situations.

Military capabilities

The EU’s capability to undertake military crisis-man-agement operations implies that it can deploy credi-ble and efficient military forces. The HelsinkiEuropean Council of December 1999 set the objec-tive: a military capacity of 50 000 to 60 000 men,supported by corresponding air and naval resources,to be operational in 2003 at the latest, deployable inless than two months and able to remain in the fieldfor more than a year.

Civilian capabilities

The following capabilities have been pledged by EUMember States to be brought under collective manage-ment:

• police: availability of up to 5 000 policemen, ofwhom 1 400 can be deployed in less than amonth;

• strengthening of the rule of law: availability ofaround 300 public prosecutors, judges, and prisonservice officers to supplement the work carriedout by the police forces in crisis situations;

Major contributors to the UN peacekeeping budget2003 (%)

United States27

Rest of world15

EU-2539

Source: UN DPKO.

Japan19

Kofi Annan and Pat Cox (January 2004)

Photo: European Parliament

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30

• civilian administration, for which a pool ofexperts has been established;

• civil protection, with experts and interventionteams that can be mobilised at very short notice.

Collective EU efforts help the UN to keepthe peace

By civilian means: The European Union Police Mission

In the first operation of its kind, the EU replaced theUN’s International Police Task Force in Bosnia andHerzegovina on 1 January 2003, allowing the UN toredeploy its resources elsewhere. This European UnionPolice Mission (EUPM) aims to establish sustainablepolicing arrangements under the ownership of Bosniaand Herzegovina, in accordance with best Europeanand international practices. It does this chiefly throughmonitoring, mentoring and inspection activities. It con-sists of 500 police personnel from more than 30 coun-tries: the 15 EU Member States, nine of the 10 acced-ing countries and eight other countries.

By military means: Bunia

The EUPM was quickly followed by the EU-led milit-ary operation (called ‘Artemis’) in the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, conducted under the mandateof UN Security Council Resolution 1484 (2003). TheESDP provides the framework for the temporary sta-bilisation force in Bunia, where more than 1 500peacekeepers have helped stabilise a volatile and dan-

gerous situation under difficult circumstances. TheEU’s High Representative for the CFSP shall act asprimary point of contact with the UN, providing regu-lar reports to the Security Council on implementationof the operation’s mandate.

These EU-led crisis management operations illustrateprogress towards the implementation of a commonEuropean security and defence policy, as well as theEU’s will to intervene in crises and to promote stability.Thus, the Union is responding to one of the concernsmost clearly expressed by its citizens: namely, Europe’sability to guarantee its own security and to assert itselfas an important player on the international stage (9).

Conflict prevention at the heart of EU external relations

Conflict prevention is not a new issue on the EU’sexternal agenda. Even before the development of theCFSP, the EU was well placed to prevent conflictthrough a full range of instruments, including:

(9) According to the June 2003 Eurobarometer poll, 67 % of EU citizens are in favour of a common foreign policy, and 74 % support a common defence and securitypolicy.

‘The European Union is a new player in the field of conflictmanagement. The EU should integrate this new dimension,and build procedures and an identity for itself in this fieldthat are specific to it, in order to be able to deal with com-plex crises with all the necessary tools. In this way it willbecome an exporter of peace and security.’ Javier Solana,High Representative for the common foreign and securitypolicy.

EU Police Mission Commissioner Sven Frederiksen and the EUSR Lord Paddy Ashdown urge police municipal leaders to work together to build confidence on a visit to Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina,January 2003.

Photo: EUPM.

➜ EU High Representative Javier Solana addresses the UN SecurityCouncil on the Artemis EU Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, July 2003. UN/DPI photo by Mark Garten.

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31

• trade policy;

• development policy;

• cooperation and association agreements;

• social and environmental programmes;

• humanitarian assistance (the EC HumanitarianOffice — ECHO);

• cooperation mechanisms in the field of justiceand home affairs.

Besides, the development of the CFSP enhanced sig-nificantly:

• diplomatic tools (declarations, visits, démarches,special envoys) and political dialogue;

• the strategy against proliferation of weapons ofmass destruction.

An effective and proactive use of these tools, old andnew, requires better coordination and coherenceamong different areas of policy, as well as between theCFSP, the actions of EU Member States and those ofthe European Community. Urgent horizontal measures(for example, measures against the illicit trade in smallarms and ‘conflict’ diamonds) and long-term, broaderdevelopment policies are increasingly being imple-mented in a mutually reinforcing and coordinatedfashion. And other peace-building measures, likeeffective protection of human rights and good gover-nance, have a ‘circular effect’, helping to prevent theoutbreak of conflict.

Helping the UN in conflict prevention

The European Union has been heavily involved formany years in helping the UN to prevent conflict in theworld.

On the ground, this has been aided by the appointmentof EU special representatives, who play a growing rolein shaping the EU’s presence, contributing either toconflict prevention or peace-building activities acrossthe globe. Such special envoys are currently involvedin the western Balkans (three mandates coveringBosnia and Herzegovina, the Former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia and the Stability Pact), theMiddle East Peace Process, the African Great Lakesregion and Afghanistan.

In Africa, millions of civilians have died from violentconflict in recent years. The Union will continue tosupport efforts in favour of the prevention and resolu-tion of conflicts in Africa, in close cooperation withthe UN, the African Union and other sub-regional

organisations. The EU has also supported efforts todeal with the illicit trade in minerals and otherresources that directly finance conflict.

In the Mediterranean, the EU’s overall policy isdefined by the 27-country Euro-Med Partnership,launched at the Barcelona conference in November1995. It constitutes a good example of a comprehen-sive and innovative strategy to promote stability andprosperity in a complex region. The adoption of theEuro-Mediterranean Charter for Peace and Stabilitywill provide the EU and its Mediterranean partnerswith a useful tool to join forces in maintaining peaceand stability in the region. The EU is also the largestdonor of non-military aid to the Middle East PeaceProcess (an average of EUR 810 million annually inrecent years), as well as to the Palestinian Authority(an average of EUR 179 million a year for the last sixyears).

The EU has established a stabilisation and associationagreement (SAA) process to bring the countries of theregion closer to European structures and, eventually,EU membership. The prospect of European integrationremains a fundamental tool of conflict resolution andconflict prevention. Moreover, European countries andinstitutions provide the vast majority of resourcespledged to the reconstruction of the region throughbilateral programmes, the SAA process and throughthe Stability Pact for south-eastern Europe.

The EU leads Pillar 4 (economic reconstruction,recovery and development) of the UN Mission inKosovo. The EC budget has provided around EUR1.24 billion in reconstruction programmes, humanitar-ian aid and financial assistance in Kosovo from 1998to 2001. Altogether, the Union has provided someEUR 7 billion in assistance for the western Balkansregion as a whole since 1991.

Normalisation, disarmament and non-proliferation

A solid basis for peace requires the creation of a safeenvironment in countries emerging from conflict. Theirpopulations deserve to enjoy the ‘peace dividend’ assoon as possible. The so-called DDR actions (disarma-ment, demobilisation and reintegration) are a vital cat-alyst to encourage combatants to return to normal civil-ian life. The EU and its Member States have financedimportant programmes of this type, like those inMozambique in the framework of UNOMOZ, and pro-jects focused on child-soldiers in Liberia. Anotherexample: immediately after the elections held in Serbiain September 2000, the EC delivered fuel for the

(10) For a detailed description see The EU mine action programme, August 2003.

32

Conflict prevention, crisis management and peace-buildingare thus at the heart of the EU, which itself is a successfulexample of how stability and prosperity can be promotedthrough reconciliation and understanding. European integra-tion has proved to be a model for regional cooperation, andhence, conflict resolution.

Serbian population in preparation for winter, attempt-ing to normalise the situation as quickly as possible.

Disarmament and arms-control play an important role,too, and the Union actively supports UN efforts in thisfield. The EU is involved in several UN disarmamenttopics related to the Conference on Disarmament inGeneva, such as small arms and light weapons(SALW), the Convention on Conventional Weapons(CCW), the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). It alsosupports measures involving different internationalactors, ranging from the fields of nuclear safeguards tothe collection and destruction of small arms.

Similarly, the EU supports the Convention on theProhibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production andTransfer of Anti-Personnel Landmines (APLs) and ontheir Destruction. Indeed, since the convention is animportant step towards achieving a total ban on APLsworldwide, it is worth recalling that the EU is thelargest donor in the field of humanitarian mine action,including stockpile destruction, mine clearance andmine awareness education. The European Communitycontributed EUR 42 million in 2002 alone to supportAPL-related projects throughout the world (10).Total EU spending (EC and EU Member States) wasEUR 142.5 million in 2001.

As to non-proliferation, the EU provides active sup-port to several initiatives aimed at preventing prolifer-ation of weapons of mass destruction, in particularproliferation to non-State actors, such as terrorists. TheEC is a member of the Australia Group, which endeav-ours to allow exporting or transhipping countries tominimise the risk of assisting chemical and biologicalweapon (CBW) proliferation. The Commission’s JointResearch Centre in Ispra, Italy, works closely with theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in these

matters. The European Commission also cooperateswith the IAEA on a range of technical issues — mostnotably nuclear safeguards — and the EU generallyspeaks with one voice in the IAEA’s Board ofGovernors on political issues such as the verificationof nuclear programmes in North Korea, Iran and Iraq.

The EU is also a major contributor to the G8 GlobalPartnership against the spread of weapons and mater-ials of mass destruction launched in Kananaskis in2002. Through a specific joint action under its CFSP,along with the financial contribution of the EC’s Tacisprogramme, the EU is active in chemical weaponsdestruction, nuclear submarine dismantlement, fissilematerials security and disposition, and the re-employ-ment of former weapons experts. As such, it is animportant actor on the Geneva security scene.

Peace and security: essential for development

The EU is by far the largest donor of world overseasdevelopment assistance and an active promoter of sus-tainable development. It is therefore in a strong posi-tion to ensure development policy works in the causeof peace and peace-building, addressing some of theroot causes of conflicts: poverty, disease, lack of gov-ernance and the rule of law.

Kofi Annan and Romano Prodi (January 2004)➜

33

C H A P T E R 6

The fight against terrorism and transnational crime

Combating terrorism

The crime of terrorism is one of the most serious com-mon challenges facing the international communitytoday. It constitutes an acute threat to internal andexternal security, to peaceful relations between Statesand to the development and functioning of democraticinstitutions and principles. The EU categorically con-demns all acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifi-able, irrespective of their motivation, forms and mani-festation. It firmly believes that those who perpetrate,organise and sponsor terrorist acts must be brought tojustice and duly punished.

The horrific terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001made it clear that terrorism is a global challenge, andthat the fight against it requires concerted global action.This fight has been and continues to be a top priority forthe EU and its Member States. The Union believes,however, that the battle against this scourge must be car-ried out in accordance with international law, includinghuman rights conventions and, in case of an armed con-flict, established humanitarian precepts.

The EU recognises the central role of the UnitedNations in this respect and remains committed to sup-port the UN in its endeavours in this field. Universalimplementation of Resolution 1373 (2001) and other

Security Council resolutions on counter-terrorism is amatter of continuing priority and urgency to the Unionand to its Member States. In implementation of thisresolution, the EU applies autonomous economic andfinancial sanctions to persons, groups and entities pro-viding, directly or indirectly, funds likely to supportterrorist acts.

Furthermore, the EU attaches great importance tointernational and regional cooperation in the fightagainst terrorism. Anti-terrorism clauses are beingincluded in many EU agreements with third countries.And the EU actively supports and participates in thecounter-terrorism activities carried out in the Councilof Europe, the OSCE, and in various UN bodies,including the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. In addi-tion, the EU provides technical assistance to thirdcountries that lack the resources to implement fully theUNSC resolutions concerning terrorism, notablyUNSC Resolution 1373. Building capacity within thepolice and judiciary, border security and counteringterrorist financing and money laundering are examplesof areas where the EU has been able to assist othercountries through specific programmes. Counter-terrorism requirements are also being taken intoaccount in the development of longer-term assistanceprogrammes and new projects designed to meet spe-cific short-term needs, like training and assistance withdrafting legislation.

Moreover, the EU has adopted measures internally inthe field of police and judicial cooperation to combatterrorism. The framework decision on combating ter-rorism provides Member States with a common defini-tion of terrorist acts and terrorist groups. Likewise, theEuropean arrest warrant provides for simplified sur-render procedures between judicial authorities ofMember States, based upon the principle of mutualrecognition of judicial decisions.

The EU believes there are close links between terror-ism and organised crime, and drug trafficking, and it isaddressing these connections, placing specific empha-sis on simultaneous investigation. A joint EuropeanCommission–Council civil protection mechanism hasbeen established, aimed at protection of populationsfrom chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear ter-rorist threats.

To reduce the risk posed by certain terrorist groupsgaining access to weapons of mass destruction,

The tragedy of 11 September delayed the opening of the 56th sessionof the UN General Assembly by two months. EU foreign ministers, the Commission and Council eventually met in New York in November 2001.

Photo by Michael Vitti/Vittiphoto.

➜

34

radioactive materials and means of delivery, the EUhas taken concrete measures in the field of strengthen-ing the relevant multilateral instruments on disarma-ment, arms control and proliferation; improving exportcontrols; strengthening disarmament cooperation; andenhancing political dialogue with third States.

The Union strongly believes that the 12 UN conventionsand protocols on terrorism — and their implementation— play a pivotal role in the fight against terrorism. ItsMember States are committed to the ratification andrapid implementation of all these conventions.

The EU also supports the early conclusion of the nego-tiations on the draft Comprehensive Convention onTerrorism, and the adoption of the draft InternationalConvention for the Suppression of Acts of NuclearTerrorism. The risk posed by certain terrorist groupsgaining access to weapons of mass destruction is clear.

For more on EU actions to combat terrorism after 11 September, please visit: http://europa-eu-un.org/article.asp?id=1587.

The fight against transnational crime

The EU and the UN share common goals in the fightagainst transnational organised crime. Dismantlingfrontiers between the EU Member States is bringingmany benefits, but it is also making it easier for crim-inal organisations to be active across Europe.Simultaneously, criminals have been taking advantageof fast-moving technological advances, such as theInternet. Governments acting individually cannot ade-quately address these newly emerging problems.

The Treaty on European Union established an institu-tional framework to fight against organised crime. Itprovides for the development of common actions inthe field of police and judicial cooperation in criminalmatters, including approximation of rules on criminalmatters in certain circumstances, while preservingMember States’ responsibility for maintaining law andorder and safeguarding internal security.

A strategy for combating organised crime has beendefined at EU level in several instruments, namely: the1997 and 1998 action plans to combat organisedcrime; the conclusions of the special EuropeanCouncil held in Tampere on 15 and 16 October 1999,concerning the creation of an area of freedom, secur-ity, and justice in the EU; and the EU strategy of 27 March 2000 for the beginning of the new millen-nium on the prevention and control of organised crime.As a result, many concrete steps have already beentaken by the EU Council to fight against transnationalorganised crime.

In addition, the EU cooperates with the Centre on CrimePrevention and participates actively in the Committeeon Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. In this con-text, the EU supports conventions concluded by the UNto combat organised crime. The European Communityhas signed the UN Convention against TransnationalOrganised Crime (UNTOC) and its protocols on smug-gling of migrants, trafficking in human beings, and traf-ficking in firearms. It favours ratification of these instru-ments and their swift entry into force, and uses them asguidance for action within the EU and for EuropeanCommunity cooperation with third countries. On 19 July 2002, the EU Council adopted a frameworkdecision on trafficking in human beings to complementthe UN protocol on that subject.

Similarly, the EU and the UN are both active in com-bating corruption. The European Community isinvolved in the ongoing negotiations for a UNConvention against Corruption, and the EuropeanCommission attends meetings of the UN inter-agencycoordination group on corruption.

Countering the world drug problem

In June 1998, the 20th Special Session of the UNGeneral Assembly devoted itself to countering theworld drug problem (UNGASS). The political declara-tion adopted at this Special Session enshrined the com-mitment of the international community to address allaspects of the drug problem in a balanced and inte-grated manner. The EU is fully committed to theimplementation of this political declaration and to theimplementation of the action plans and other measuresadopted at UNGASS. In this respect, the EU MemberStates continue to implement the EU action plan ondrugs 2000–04 in cooperation with the EuropeanCommission, the European Monitoring Centre forDrugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and Europol.

A ministerial-level segment of the UN Commission onNarcotic Drugs held on 16 and 17 April 2003 assessedboth the progress achieved and the difficulties encoun-tered to meet the goals and targets set out in the polit-ical declaration adopted at UNGASS. The EU playedan active role during this event. Furthermore, it partic-ipates actively in the Commission on Narcotic Drugsand in theUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) major donor group.

‘It is hard to conceive how the terrorist threat can be con-fronted effectively except through international cooperationand disciplines. Impressive work has already been donewithin the EU and through the UN Counter-terrorismCommittee. We should continue to help countries which findit hard to meet their counter-terrorism obligations under UNSecurity Council Resolution 1373. And we should continue towork for a less unequal world for example in the WTO DohaDevelopment Agenda; by carrying forward the Monterreydecisions on development financing; and by implementingthe Johannesburg decisions on sustainable development.’

EU External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten12 March 2003, speaking at the European Parliament.

35

C H A P T E R 7

Humanitarian aid

Closer relations with the UN system

The European Commission’s 2001 Communicationentitled ‘Building an effective partnership with the UNin the field of development and humanitarian affairs’,was a concrete expression of the Commission’s com-mitment to move the European Community’s relation-ship with the UN system in the humanitarian arenainto a higher gear. And it has accomplished just that:relations between the EU and EC and the respectivehumanitarian actors, especially in Geneva, the maincentre for UN humanitarian affairs, have been consid-erably strengthened.

In parallel, ECHO (the Office entrusted with the man-agement of the European Community’s humanitarianaid, under the Commission’s responsibility) has beenengaged in building a more effective relationship withits UN partners as well through an enhanced strategicprogramming dialogue (SPD).

This SPD aims at identifying common ground for col-laboration and seeks to provide the financial pre-dictability needed by UN partners. SPDs initiallybegan with the UNHCR and the WFP. They nowinclude UNICEF, the Office for the Coordination ofHumanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the WHO. Thescope of SPDs has been steadily growing since theirinception, and they have contributed to consolidatingand further strengthening cooperation at country andpolicy/strategy level between ECHO and its UN part-ners. For example, ECHO coordinates with OCHA onUN consolidated appeals for humanitarian assistance,ensuring compatibility with EC strategies and object-ives.

Related to this, developments in the field of asylum atthe international level — for example, the UNHCR’sagenda for protection, and the EU’s common asylumpolicy — require close consultations between the EUand the UNHCR, as prescribed by the AmsterdamTreaty. Hence, frequent meetings take place betweenthe Commission’s representatives and the UN HighCommissioner for Refugees, Mr Ruud Lubbers, whoalso consults regularly with the EU Council.

In addition to its substantial financial support to theRed Cross Family (ICRC) — some EUR 31 million in2002 — the EU highly values its dialogue with the

ICRC, which takes place primarily in Geneva, on theissue of international humanitarian law. In addition,there are also regular high-level meetings between rep-resentatives of the ICRC and the Council’s Politicaland Security Committee in Brussels.

Finally, EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner PoulNielson and UN Under-Secretary-General forHumanitarian Affairs Kenzo Oshima, launched inBrussels in June 2003, the ‘Guidelines on the use ofmilitary and civil defence assets in support of UNhumanitarian activities in complex emergencies’ (bet-ter known as the ‘Oslo Guidelines II’). The text pro-vides a blueprint for a clear relationship between mili-tary and humanitarian actors.

The role of the European Community’sHumanitarian Aid Office (ECHO)

ECHO is a European Commission service under thedirect responsibility of Commissioner Poul Nielson,who is also in charge of development policy. ECHO’smandate is to provide emergency assistance and reliefto the victims of natural disasters or armed conflict out-side the European Union. This assistance is deployedvia ECHO’s partners in the field — the humanitarianagencies of the United Nations, non-governmentalorganisations (NGOs), the Red Cross movement andother international organisations — and is targeteddirectly at those in distress, irrespective of their race,religion or political convictions. The main task is toensure that goods and services get to crisis zones fast.Goods may include essential relief supplies, specificfoodstuffs, medical equipment, medicines and fuel.Services may include medical teams, water purificationteams and logistical support.

Kabul just after thedefeat of the Taliban.The European Unioncommitted more thanUSD 815 million forreconstruction andhumanitarian aid toAfghanistan in 2002,including USD 650 mil-lion for humanitarian aidsince 11 September.Photo: ECHO.

➜

36

ECHO contributes substantial amounts of financialassistance to UN bodies dealing with humanitariancrises, such as the UNHCR, the WFP and UNICEF. Itwas established in 1992 in response to a growing num-ber of serious humanitarian crises in the post-cold warworld. Modest at the outset, the aid managed by theOffice rose rapidly to reach a level similar to the totalassistance provided bilaterally by the EU MemberStates. Humanitarian aid has thus become an import-ant aspect of the EU’s external action. Since 1992,ECHO has funded humanitarian aid in more than 85countries. Each year it manages a budget of aroundEUR 500 million. And almost one third of this budgetis devoted to projects run by UN humanitarian agen-cies, especially the UNHCR.

The EU as a whole (Member States plus EuropeanCommunity) is now the world’s major source ofhumanitarian aid funding.

In addition to its core activities in funding humanitar-ian operations, ECHO has a number of related respon-sibilities: conducting feasibility studies for its opera-tions; monitoring projects and setting up coordinationarrangements; promoting disaster preparedness bytraining specialists; strengthening institutions; andrunning pilot micro-projects. ECHO also organisesand supports training initiatives, and seeks to raisepublic awareness about humanitarian issues in Europeand elsewhere.

692 092 512

656 655 500

441 611 954

517 657 060

812 911 000

491 715 000543 703 000

537 790 000

100 000 000

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

200 000 000

300 000 000

400 000 000

500 000 000

600 000 000

700 000 000

800 000 000

900 000 000

0

Financial decisions for EC humanitarian aid, 1995–2002 (EUR)


Contribution(EUR million)

Austria 1 250Belgium 25 020Denmark 40 070Finland 43 170France 6 060Germany 140 730Greece 3 550Ireland 33 360Italy 38 890Luxembourg 1 180Netherlands 149 180Portugal 1 630Spain 5 540Sweden 104 640United Kingdom 74 180European Community 537 790

Total 1 206 240

(1) Excluding 10 acceding countries.Source: European Commission.

Humanitarian assistance from EU (1)in 2002

Financial decisions for humanitarian aid by region (%)Total decisions in 2002: EUR 537 790 000

Asia26

NIS (Newlyindependent

States)8 Global

3


WesternBalkans

8

Africa39

MiddleEast/North

Africa12

Latin America4

EC humanitarian aid distribution by partners, 2002 (%)

United Nations27

Others11


EU-based NGOs62

37

striving to help the victims of this forgotten crisis,although operating conditions remain extremely diffi-cult. ECHO’s partners only have irregular access toChechnya and work in a highly insecure environment.

Despite these difficulties, ECHO assistance has helpedto cover the priority humanitarian needs of the popula-tion affected by the conflict, both in Chechnya and inneighbouring republics. ECHO funding is used to pro-vide food aid, medical assistance and educational andpsychosocial support for IDPs and other vulnerablepeople. It is also used to improve water and sanitationfacilities and shelter conditions. In 2002, ECHO allo-cated EUR 28 million for victims of the conflict inChechnya. Since the current crisis began, ECHO hasgranted more than EUR 90 million, making the EU theleading donor to the region.

Providing humanitarian transport for the Horn of Africa

ECHO Flight is a vital partner to most humanitarianagencies operating in the Horn of Africa and GreatLakes region, transporting personnel and supplies todozens of remote locations that would otherwise be cutoff from the outside world.

From its base in Nairobi and satellite hubs inMogadishu and Hargeisa (Somalia), Mandera (Kenya)and Goma (Democratic Republic of the Congo),ECHO Flight provides free air transport capacity to aidagencies operating relief and development pro-grammes in Somalia, north-eastern Kenya and theDemocratic Republic of the Congo. Personnel andcargo are flown aboard scheduled flights using a fleetof five light aircraft.

Since its launch in May 1994, the service has clockedover 50 000 missions and carried more than 200 000aid workers and 6 000 tonnes of food and medical sup-plies to some of the world’s most desperate popula-tions. The service has also carried out more than 200emergency medical or security evacuations.

ECHO Flight has provided support to relief operationsduring the Rwandan genocide, the refugee crises inUganda, Ethiopia and Sudan, and the volcanic erup-tions in Goma. With an annual budget of about EUR 8 million, ECHO Flight continues as a concreteexpression of Europe’s humanitarian commitment to the region.

Meeting new needs in Iraq

ECHO has been the largest external donor of humanit-arian aid to Iraq, providing EUR 157 million for reliefactions over the last 12 years. ECHO’s strategy is to beas flexible as possible, ensuring that its activitiesreflect the changing nature of the Iraq crisis. In effect,this means having a ‘rolling programme’ of humanit-arian aid decisions adapted to needs as they emerge.

In the early 1990s, the greatest need was among theKurdish population in the north. Prior to the 2003 war,the most vulnerable groups were in the centre andsouth of the country, where social services had pro-gressively deteriorated through lack of investment andinfrastructure. A key element in ECHO’s programmebefore March 2003 was the rehabilitation of institu-tions, such as children’s homes, residential centres forthe handicapped and health facilities that had falleninto disrepair. As soon as hostilities broke out, ECHOre-directed its EUR 13 million programme for2002–03 to more immediate needs, including tankedwater, food rations and medical aid for the war-wounded. The Commission also announced a furtherEUR 21 million in humanitarian aid from ECHO’sregular budget, and obtained an additional EUR 79 million from the emergency budget reserve,making a total of EUR 100 million to help meet thenew needs generated by the war.

Helping the vulnerable in Chechnya

Since the resumption of the conflict in autumn 1999,the people of Chechnya have suffered great hardship,with a large part of the population forced to leave theirhomes to escape fighting and insecurity. Many intern-ally displaced people (IDPs) sought refuge elsewherein Chechnya itself, while others fled to neighbouringrepublics, in particular Ingushetia and Daghestan.Today, this vulnerable population is heavily dependenton humanitarian aid. The Humanitarian Aid Office is

European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Poul Nielson visits Al Yarmuk hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. ECHO is funding humanitarian assistance to the hospital through the FrenchNGO, Première Urgence. May 2003.

Photo: Première Urgence.

➜

38

C H A P T E R 8

The EU and human rights

Human rights: fundamental to everything

Liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fun-damental freedoms, and the rule of law, are foundingprinciples of the European Union and an indispensableprerequisite for the Union’s legitimacy. This is alreadyreflected in the Treaty on European Union. Humanrights and democratic values factor into all areas of theEU’s activities, and have become a cornerstone of itsexternal policy.

In fact, the clauses of the UN Charter are among theguiding principles of the Union, cited in the preambleof its founding Treaty of Rome in 1957.

The EU has therefore dedicated itself since the Treatyof Rome to the global task of the promotion and pro-tection of all human rights and fundamental freedomsas laid down in the Universal Declaration on HumanRights and its complementary core human rightsconventions (11), as well as other international andregional instruments, including the EuropeanConvention on Human Rights.

The human rights enshrined in these instruments areuniversal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated,as was confirmed by the World Conference on HumanRights held in Vienna in 1993. Respect for these val-ues is closely linked to democracy and development.

A priority in policies

The EU took a considerable step in integrating humanrights and democratic principles into its policies withthe entry into force of the Treaty on European Unionin November 1993. In the Treaty, one of the objectives

of the EU’s common foreign and security policy is thedevelopment and consolidation of ‘democracy and therule of law, and respect for human rights and funda-mental freedoms’.

In 1993, the European Council meeting inCopenhagen formulated political criteria to be met bycountries applying for EU membership. It stated that‘membership requires that the candidate country hasachieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democ-racy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for andprotection of minorities’. The concepts of respect forand protection of minorities constitutes a key elementin combating racism and xenophobia.

The Treaty of Amsterdam, which came into force inMay 1999, marks another significant step forward inintegrating human rights into the EU’s legal order. Anew Article 6 has been inserted into the Treaty onEuropean Union, reaffirming that the EU ‘is foundedon the principles of liberty, democracy, respect forhuman rights and fundamental freedoms, and the ruleof law, principles which are common to the MemberStates’.

At the European Council meeting in Nice inDecember 2000, the EU adopted a Charter ofFundamental Rights, combining into a single textthe civil, political, economic and social rights hithertolaid down in a variety of international, European andnational sources.

Even before this solemn proclamation, human rightsand democratisation constituted essential componentsof development policy. According to the EC Treaty:‘Community policy in this area shall contribute to thegeneral objective of developing and consolidatingdemocracy and the rule of law and to that of respect-ing human rights and fundamental freedoms’. A joint

(11) These include: the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; Convention on the Rights ofthe Child; Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; Convention on the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination against Women; and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. For texts of these instruments, please visit:http://www.unhchr.ch/html/intlinst.htm.

39

Council/Commission statement in November 2000 onthe European Community’s development policy reiter-ated that it is based on the principle of sustainable,equitable and participatory human and social develop-ment and that ‘the promotion of human rights, democ-racy, the rule of law and good governance are an inte-gral part of it’.

Since May 1995, the EC has generally included ahuman rights clause in its bilateral trade and coopera-tion agreements, as well as bilateral accords of a gen-eral nature (excluding sectoral agreements), with thirdcountries. Such clauses afford a positive basis for pro-moting dialogue and support for democracy andhuman rights with the possibility of taking appropri-ate measures, including suspension of an agreement,in the event that the commitment to respect humanrights is breached. Many such agreements havealready been signed, including association agree-ments, such as the Europe and Mediterranean agree-ments. Another landmark example is the CotonouAgreement between the EU and African, Caribbeanand Pacific countries, which came into force on 1 April 2003. It includes the most recent version of thehuman rights clause and introduces a specific consul-tation mechanism to investigate alleged violations ofhuman rights by parties to the agreement. It alsoincorporates good governance as a fundamental ele-ment of the accord.

Role of non-governmental organisationsis valued

In implementing its human rights policy, the EuropeanUnion recognises the importance of the contributionsmade by international, regional and civil society and tothe development of a democracy that upholds political,civil, economic, social and cultural rights.

At the behest of the European Parliament, a specificchapter in the EU budget was established in 1994 to dealwith the promotion of human rights, especially throughNGOs. This programme, the European initiative fordemocracy and human rights (EIDHR), receives aroundEUR 100 million in funding commitments annually. Forthe period 2002–04, funding under the EIDHR isfocused on the following themes: democratisation, goodgovernance and the rule of law; abolition of the deathpenalty; the fight against torture and impunity and forinternational tribunals and criminal courts; and combat-ing racism and xenophobia and discrimination againstminorities and indigenous people.

(12) There are six main committees: the First (Disarmament and International Security); the Second (Economic and Financial); the Third (Social, Humanitarian andCultural); the Fourth (Special Political and Decolonisation); the Fifth (Administrative and Budgetary); and the Sixth (Legal).

Combating discrimination

The fight against discrimination is an integral part ofthe EU’s human rights policies, and the Union hasmade considerable progress over the past few years.

The EC Treaty has a general clause on combating dis-crimination, mainly applicable to measures concerningasylum, refugees and immigration, as well as to thefield of employment, working conditions and socialprotection. Article 13 encourages ‘appropriate action’to be taken ‘to combat discrimination based on sex,racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, ageor sexual orientation’.

A major milestone was the adoption of two pieces oflegislation in 2000. The first prohibits discrimination onthe grounds of racial or ethnic origin in the fields ofemployment, training, social protection, education andaccess to goods and services, including housing. The sec-ond piece, adopted in November 2000, prohibits discrim-ination on the grounds of religion and belief, disability,age and sexual orientation in the field of employment.

To give such legislative changes a wider context, theEU has launched an action programme to combat dis-crimination and its underlying causes, and to raiseawareness of the problem and measures being takenacross the Union to tackle it. The aim: changing atti-tudes at the grassroots level.

The EU at the Third Committee and theUN Commission on Human Rights

The European Union plays a very active role in theproceedings of the UN Commission on Human Rightsand in the Third Committee of the UN GeneralAssembly (12). It introduces resolutions and gives state-ments aiming to protect and promote human rights andfundamental freedoms. In supporting such resolutions,the EU underlines the importance it attaches to thework of UN special representatives and rapporteurs onhuman rights’ issues related to countries and themes.The Union pronounces both on the human rights situ-ation in any country that may be under discussion, andon ‘thematic’ questions that are in need of action inmany places in the world.

During the 57th session of the Third Committee in2002, the EU was one of the driving forces behind theadoption of the optional protocol to the Conventionagainst Torture, establishing a system of international

Parties to Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1)

(1) As of 24 February 2004.

UNITEDKINGDOM

AND.

MALICAPE VERDE

COSTARICA

COLOMBIA

PERU

PANAMA

SAMOA

SENEGALGAMBIA

SIERRA LEONE

FIJI

CANADA

IRELAND

FRANCE

BELIZEHONDURAS



TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

BARBADOS

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY

ARGENTINA

ECUADOR

VENEZUELA

ICELAND

SPAINPORTUGAL

BENINGHANA

GUINEA

BOLIVIA

BRAZIL


OCEAN

SOUTH ATLANTICOCEAN

HUNG.

BEL.

S.M.

GERMANY


ROMANIA

LITHUANIALATVIA

ESTONIA

GREECE

CYPRUS

GEORGIA

TAJIKISTAN

MONGOLIA

SOUTHKOREA

EASTTIMOR

MARSHALLISLANDS

NAURU

FIJI

AUSTRALIA

NEWZEALAND

MAURITIUS

MALAWI

LESOTHOSOUTHAFRICA

NAMIBIA

BOTSWANA

TANZANIA

ZAMBIA


GABON

NIGERIA

NIGER

MALTA

DENMARK

LUX.

CAMBODIADJIBOUTI

UGANDA

SLOVAKIA

JORDAN

BULG.S.& M.ITALY

AUSTRIASLOVENIA

CROATIA

NETH.

F.Y.R.O.M.ALB.

B.H.

SWITZ.LICH.

POLAND

AFGHANISTAN

CONGO(DEM. REP.

OF THE)

INDIAN OCEAN

PACIFIC OCEAN

ARCTIC OCEAN

42

and national visiting mechanisms for the inspection ofplaces of detention and investigation.

At the 59th session of the CHR in 2003, the EU wasfully acknowledged as a major player — seven EUMember States plus Poland are currently members ofthe CHR. The composition of the CHR (53 membersin total) can be problematic, however, as a number ofits members have a record of human rights violations.Hence, the EU considers that CHR membership entailsspecial responsibilities and represents a unique oppor-tunity to demonstrate commitment to internationalhuman rights.

During the 59th session — chaired by Libya — the EUparticipated actively in nearly all items and introduceda great number of initiatives, both on country situa-tions and thematic issues. It was a difficult session,especially in light of the political situation in theMiddle East, notably the crisis in Iraq. Nevertheless,the CHR adopted resolutions proposed by the EU onBurma/Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of theCongo, Iraq, Israeli settlements, North Korea,Turkmenistan (introduced jointly with the UnitedStates), rights of the child and the death penalty, andissued chairman’s statements negotiated by the EU onColombia and East Timor. However, EU initiatives onChechnya, Sudan and Zimbabwe were not adopted. Inaddition, the EU supported a wide range of resolutionsintroduced by third countries and delivered statementson several human rights’ issues, including a keynotespeech addressing democracy, the rule of law, goodgovernance, the fight against torture and the deathpenalty, as well as the human rights situation in 24countries across the world.

Despite the risk of politicisation of debates, the CHRremains the key forum — ‘the central architect of theUN’ (according to former UN High Commissioner forHuman Rights Mary Robinson) — in the worldwide

promotion and protection of human rights, and the EUcontribution to its discussions is a fundamental com-ponent of the EU’s external action.

Office of the High Commissioner forHuman Rights

The EU Member States and the European Commissionstrongly support the work of the OHCHR, reflectingthe importance the EU attaches to the signature, ratifi-cation and application of international human rightsinstruments by the third countries with whom it haspartnerships, as well as to the follow-up of relevantrecommendations by UN bodies. The EuropeanCommunity is the third largest donor to the OHCHR,with support for a wide range of projects includingOHCHR operations in Colombia, Burundi and theDemocratic Republic of the Congo.

Supporting the International Criminal Court

The establishment of the International Criminal Court(ICC) dovetailed perfectly with the principles behindthe EU’s external relations concerning respect forhuman rights and fundamental freedoms. From theEU’s point of view, the ICC represents an achievementof historical dimensions, sending a signal that theworld can be made a safer and more just place to livein. By removing the impunity of those who have com-mitted or encouraged atrocities, the Court willstrengthen the primacy of law and contribute to theassertion of peace in the world.

Members of the European Parliament visit Geneva for the 59th session ofthe Commission on Human Rights. Left to right: Marie-Anne Coninsx, ECDelegation in Geneva; Edward McMillan-Scott (EPP-ED, United Kingdom);Carlo Trojan, Head of EC Delegation in Geneva; Bob van den Bos, Headof MEP Delegation (ELDR, Netherlands); Michael Cashman (ESP, UnitedKingdom); and Armin Laschet (EPP-ED, Germany), April 2003.

Photo: EC Delegation in Geneva.

➜UN Commission on Human Rights,

59th session resolutions

Not adopted4 %

EU-7 + PL consensus

31 %

NB: Total resolutions adopted = 86.Resolutions adopted by recorded vote = 31.EU-7 = EU Member States of UN CHR: Austria, Belgium, France,Germany, Ireland, Sweden, United Kingdom.PL = Poland, joining EU in May 2004.


Adoptedwithout vote

62 %

NoconsensusEU-7 + PL

3 %

43

The Rome Statute establishing the ICC entered intoforce in July 2002. By mid-2003, 89 States had ratifiedit, including all EU Member States. As underlined inthe EU’s common position of 20 June 2002, the EU isstrongly committed to the good functioning of the ICC,and has encouraged support for the ICC in contactswith third countries and through the substantial fundingwhich has been channeled to projects supporting theICC under the EIDHR. The EU welcomes the progresstowards the ICC becoming fully functional, includingthe election of judges and a prosecutor.

Battling the death penalty

In June 1998, the EU decided to strengthen its inter-national activities in opposition to the death penaltyand work towards its universal abolition. Europe is thefirst continent where abolition is about to happen. Inthose countries which retain the death penalty, the EUaims at the progressive restriction of its scope and fullrespect for strict minimum safeguards as set out ininternational human rights. The issue is also raised bythe EU in its dialogue with third countries, the overallobjective being to persuade the States concerned toabolish the death penalty.

The EU carries out individual démarches when itbecomes aware of individual death penalty cases,which violate minimum standards, such as a properlyfunctioning and open judicial system. The EU is espe-cially concerned about the imposition of the deathpenalty on persons who are below 18 years of agewhen the crime was committed, or who suffer from amental disorder.

Promoting democracy

The EU is convinced that democracy and sustainabledevelopment go hand-in-hand, and it is working withthe UN to foster democratic processes in many parts ofthe world.

The European Union provides assistance for democrat-isation, including support to prepare elections, often aspart of development and cooperation programmes.

Frequently, the EU deploys election observation mis-sions to third countries with the objective of increasingpublic confidence in the electoral process, deterringfraud, strengthening respect for human rights, con-tributing to the resolution of conflicts and providing animpartial assessment.

Further the EU has formulated a coherent strategy forelection observation and assistance, and elaborated acode of conduct for EU election observers.

Social rights

The EU attaches great importance to the promotion ofgender equality and is actively encouraging it in allUN forums, and in particular in the Commission on theStatus of Women, and the implementation of theBeijing platform for action. The EU believes that allforms of violence against women, such as rape, traf-ficking, domestic violence and traditional or custom-ary practices which threaten the health and even livesof women and girls, must be urgently addressed.

The EU also actively contributed to the UN GeneralAssembly Special Session for Children in 2001. Alltoo often the situation of children and their rights suf-fers due to discrimination, poverty, armed conflict andthe HIV/AIDS epidemic. The EU believes that theConvention on the Rights of the Child must be thebasis for all future action on behalf of children.

Social development, poverty and social exclusion areurgent issues for the EU as well. The EU is engaged inthe work of the Commission on Social Developmentand is playing an active role in the follow-up to the1995 World Summit in Copenhagen and in promotingimplementation of the commitments made there.

Marking the 20th anniversary of the First WorldAssembly on Ageing, the Second World Assembly onAgeing was held in Madrid in April 2002. The adoptedMadrid Declaration and plan of action set out the blue-print for an international response to the opportunitiesand challenges of population ageing in the 21st century — both in developed and developingcountries — and for the promotion of the concept of a‘society for all ages’.

Countries applying or not applying the death penalty (1)

(1) Based on Amnesty International information as of 26 February 2004.

Countries not applying death penalty

Countries which have applied death penalty within past decade

UNITEDKINGDOM

AND.

MALICAPE VERDE

COSTARICA

COLOMBIA

PERU

PANAMA

KIRIBATI

SAMOA

CÔTED'IVOIRE

SENEGALGAMBIA

GUINEA-BISSAU

SIERRA LEONELIBERIA

TONGAFIJI


CANADA

IRELAND

FRANCE

MEXICO

GUATEMALA

BELIZEHONDURAS

JAMAICA

CUBA

HAITI

BAHAMAS

DOM.REP.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS




ST. LUCIA

GUYANA

SURINAME

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY

ARGENTINACHILE

ECUADOR

VENEZUELA


ICELAND

SPAINPORTUGAL

MOROCCO

ALGERIA

BENIN

TOGOGHANA

GUINEA

MAURITANIA

BOLIVIA

COOK ISLANDS

BURKINAFASO

BRAZIL


OCEAN

SOUTH ATLANTICOCEAN

KYRGYZSTAN

HUNG.

BEL.

S.M.

IRAN

YEMEN

INDONESIA

ETHIOPIA

CHAD

GERMANY


ROMANIA

MOL.

BELARUS

R.LITHUANIA

LATVIA

ESTONIA

GREECETURKEY

CYPRUS

ISR.LEB.

SYRIA

GEORGIAARMENIA AZERBAIJAN

TURKMENISTANUZBEKISTAN

KAZAKHSTAN

TAJIKISTAN

NEPAL

CHINA

MONGOLIA

NORTHKOREA

SOUTHKOREA

JAPAN

TAIWAN

PHILIPPINES

BRUNEIMALAYSIA

SINGAPORE

EASTTIMOR

PAPUANEW GUINEA

MICRONESIA

PALAU

MARSHALLISLANDS

KIRIBATINAURU

SOLOMONISLANDS

TUVALU

FIJI

AUSTRALIA

NEWZEALAND

MAURITIUSMADAGASCAR

COMOROS

SEYCHELLES

MALAWI

MOZAMBIQUE

SWAZILAND

LESOTHOSOUTHAFRICA

NAMIBIA

BOTSWANA

ZIMBABWE

TANZANIA

KENYARWANDA

BURUNDI

ANGOLAZAMBIA


SUDAN

CAMEROON

EQUATORIALGUINEA

GABONCONGO

SÃO TOMÉ&

PRÍNCIPE

NIGERIA

NIGER

MALTA

DENMARK

LUX.

BANGLADESH

BHUTAN

MYANMARLAOS

THAILAND

CAMBODIAVIETNAM

RUSSIA

LIBYA

TUNISIA

EGYPT

ERITREA

DJIBOUTISOMALIA

UGANDA

OMAN

U.A.E.QATAR

BAHRAIN

CZECH. REP.SLOVAKIA

JORDAN

IRAQ

KUWAIT

SAUDIARABIA

BULG.S.& M.

UKRAINE

ITALY

AUSTRIASLOVENIA

CROATIA

NETH.

F.Y.R.O.M.ALB.

B.H.

SWITZ.LICH.

POLAND

MALDIVES

SRI LANKA

INDIA

PAKISTAN

AFGHANISTAN

VAT.CITY

MON.

CONGO(DEM. REP.

OF THE)

VANUATUINDIAN OCEAN

PACIFIC OCEAN

ARCTIC OCEAN

46

EU–UN trade and development

The developing world must benefit fullyfrom trade

Successful work in the GATT, and latterly in the WorldTrade Organisation, has brought huge benefits to inter-national trade, spurring major economic growththroughout the world over the last 50 years.

Nevertheless, while the benefits generated by themultilateral trading system have been global, not allcountries have equally benefited from them. Forinstance, the 49 least-developed countries (LDCs)account for less than 1 % of world trade.

Furthermore, other concerns related to internationaltrade and ‘globalisation’ have emerged in recent years,such as employment, the environment, developmentand wealth distribution.

Paving the way…

Since committing itself to offering tariff-free treatmentfor almost all imports from LDCs in October 1997, theEU has frequently called on other developed countriesin the WTO to match the EU’s openness to importsfrom the LDCs.

In 1998, the EU was already by far the leading des-tination for LDC exports, taking in 56 % (EUR 8.71billion) of the world total.

One main objective of the Cotonou Agreement signedbetween the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific(ACP) countries is the smooth and gradual integrationof ACP countries — 40 of them being LDCs — intothe world economy. Forthcoming negotiations ofWTO-compatible trading arrangements will help con-solidate economic and legal reforms and will createmore opportunities for local and foreign investors.

(13) UN Secretary General Annan’s article in the Financial Times, 5 March 2001.

In February 2001, the EU adopted a new initiative ent-itled ‘Everything but arms’, to provide full marketaccess for products originating in LDCs to EU mar-kets, covering all goods except the arms trade, with (inmost cases) immediate effect. It is hoped that otherdeveloped countries will quickly follow the lead of theEuropean Union in this regard.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has praised theEU’s ‘Everything but arms’ initiative, saying it hasproven that ‘Europe really does want a fair inter-national trade system in which poor countries have areal chance to export their way out of poverty’ (13).Total imports from all beneficiary countries haveincreased by 8.9 % since the initiative’s entry intoforce (from EUR 12.9 billion to EUR 14.1 billion).

…and completing it

Integrating developing countries into the multilateraltrading system is a crucial element of the new WTOround that was launched in Doha at the end of 2001, asit will increase the potential for poverty eradicationand sustainable development in these countries — atop EU priority. The scope of the new round is clearlystated in its name: the Doha Development Agenda.

The comprehensive approach of the round, involving abroad range of issues in which all participants can gain(and which the EU fully supports), remains the bestway to achieve that result.

To that end, it is essential that developing countries —which are the large majority of the WTO membership— participate fully, ensuring that the multilateral trad-ing system works to the advantage of all of its mem-bers.

C H A P T E R 9

47

EU objectives for the Doha Development Agenda

Key EU aims include the following.

• Special and differential treatment for developingcountries: the EU pursues an approach that increasesflexibility vis-à-vis the developing countries. Thiswill not carve out a two-tier WTO, but rather ensurethat developing countries are better able to apply anynew rules agreed in the round, and better able to inte-grate into the global economy as a result.

• Substantially improved market access and tradingopportunities: the EC’s proposals on industrial mar-ket access in the Doha round envisage removal ofpeak and high tariffs, notably in areas of export inter-est to developing countries, which will also stimulatetrade between developing countries. In agriculture,the EU has proposed an ambitious reduction of tar-iffs. Moreover, it agreed a fundamental reform of itscommon agricultural policy in June 2003, which willlargely decouple subsidies and production, makingEU farm policies more market-oriented and less dis-tortive of international trade. It also includes meas-ures that will sustain agricultural communities inEurope and worldwide. This strengthens the EU’snegotiating hand in the ongoing Doha talks. In ser-vices, the EC has made the most ambitious offer ofany WTO member, including in the key area ofmovement of natural persons, a developing countrypriority.

• Promoting new WTO disciplines in the areas of com-petition, investment, transparency of governmentprocurement, and trade facilitation: in drafting thesenew rules, which are inherently beneficial for tradeand development, developing countries’ constraintswill be taken into account.

• Helping WTO members having genuine difficultiesin implementing WTO agreements.

• Enhanced assistance to build human and institutionalcapacity and to address supply-side constraints.

Help developing countries to take advantage of the world trading system

Improved export opportunities are not in themselvessufficient. Many developing countries also need assist-ance to enhance their capacity to make use of the trad-ing opportunities offered by improved market accessand multilateral trade liberalisation in general. Trade-related technical assistance is a key element in build-ing capacity in developing countries, so that they cantake advantage of the opportunities available. Countrydevelopment programmes must have trade and integra-tion in the world economy built into them.

Developing country members of the WTO should alsohave the capacity to participate fully in and benefit fromthe ongoing negotiations. The WTO membership set upa Global Trust Fund to deliver on this objective, and theEU has demonstrated its commitment by pledgingaround 60 % of the total funds, a sum of EUR 19 million.

EU: Committed to trade-related technical assistance

As a result of the reorientation of the EU’s development pol-icy toward trade, substantial amounts of development assist-ance will be devoted to the integration of developing coun-tries in the multilateral trading system. Already, over theperiod 1996 to 2000, the European Commission spent aboutEUR 700 million on trade-related assistance. By early 2003,the portfolio of trade-related projects funded by theCommission covered more than 200 projects for a totalamount of more than EUR 1.5 billion. As regards the future,it is expected that more than EUR 2 billion will be allocatedto new trade-related projects over the next five years.

European Commissioner for Trade Pascal Lamy frequently visits developingcountries in his quest to make the Doha Development Round a success.

Photo: European Commission.

➜

Loading cocoa in Takoradi Harbour, Ghana.

Photo: Thomas Dorn/European Commission.

➜

Members of the World Trade Organisation (1)

(1) As of 4 April 2004.

UNITEDKINGDOM

AND.

MALI

COSTARICA

COLOMBIA

PERU

PANAMACÔTE

D'IVOIRE

SENEGALGAMBIA

GUINEA-BISSAU

SIERRA LEONE

FIJI


CANADA

IRELAND

FRANCE

MEXICO

GUATEMALA

BELIZEHONDURAS

JAMAICA

CUBA

HAITIDOM.REP.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS




ST. LUCIA

GUYANA

SURINAME

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY

ARGENTINACHILE

ECUADOR

VENEZUELA


ICELAND

SPAINPORTUGAL

MOROCCO

BENIN

TOGOGHANA

GUINEA

MAURITANIA

BOLIVIA

NETH.ANT.

BURKINAFASO

BRAZIL


OCEAN

SOUTH ATLANTICOCEAN

KYRGYZSTAN

HUNG.

BEL.

S.M.

INDONESIA

CHAD

GERMANY


ROMANIA

MOL.

LITHUANIALATVIA

ESTONIA

GREECETURKEY

CYPRUS

ISR.LEB.

GEORGIAARMENIA

CHINA

MONGOLIA

SOUTHKOREA

JAPAN

TAIWAN

PHILIPPINES

BRUNEIMALAYSIA

SINGAPORE

EASTTIMOR

PAPUANEW GUINEA

SOLOMONISLANDS

FIJI

AUSTRALIA

NEWZEALAND

MAURITIUSMADAGASCAR

MALAWI

MOZAMBIQUE

SWAZILAND

LESOTHOSOUTHAFRICA

NAMIBIA

BOTSWANA

ZIMBABWE

TANZANIA

KENYARWANDA

BURUNDI

ANGOLAZAMBIA

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICCAMEROON

GABONCONGO

NIGERIA

NIGER

MALTA

DENMARK

LUX.

BANGLADESH

MYANMAR

THAILAND

TUNISIA

EGYPT

DJIBOUTI

UGANDA

OMAN

U.A.E.QATAR

BAHRAIN

CZECH. REP.SLOVAKIA

JORDAN KUWAIT

BULG.ITALY

AUSTRIASLOVENIA

CROATIA

NETH.

F.Y.R.O.M.ALB.

SWITZ.LICH.

POLAND

MALDIVES

SRI LANKA

INDIA

PAKISTAN

CONGO(DEM. REP.

OF THE)

H.K.MACAO

INDIAN OCEAN

PACIFIC OCEAN

ARCTIC OCEAN

50

A political agenda for trade and sustainable development

Two major international meetings that took place in2002 have acknowledged the importance of trade foreconomic growth and sustainable development.

The International Conference on Financing forDevelopment, which was held in Monterrey, Mexicoin March 2002, found international agreement on themobilisation of resources for development. TheMonterrey consensus built a partnership for develop-ment financing, which recognises external and do-mestic resources, private and public, as well as theimportance of the domestic policy environments fordevelopment. The Monterrey consensus recognisedthe importance of trade for development, and in thiscontext stressed the importance of support to removesupply-side constraints to trade and of effective, secureand predictable financing of trade-related assistanceand capacity building.

In September 2002, at the Johannesburg WorldSummit on Sustainable Development, world leadersrecognised the importance of trade for sustainabledevelopment by underlining the need for furtherefforts in support of sustainable trade, beyond thosealready made in Doha and Monterrey, and by stressingthe need for mutually supportive trade, developmentand environment policies.

Cooperation in UNCTADand the United Nations

An overall WTO objective is to contribute to sustain-able development. Yet the WTO is and will remain atrade institution. Many of the concrete policy measuresrequired to help developing countries benefit fromincreased trading opportunities fall within the primaryresponsibility of national governments or within thefields of activity of other international organisations.The United Nations Conference on Trade andDevelopment has an important role to play in this

respect, as it is the focal point within the UN for theintegrated treatment of trade and development and theinterrelated issues in the areas of finance, technology,investment and sustainable development.

Although it only has observer status, the EuropeanCommunity has played a major role in theUNCTAD’s evolution and policymaking, from itsvery beginning in 1964. And EU support of and influ-ence in UNCTAD policymaking continues to be sub-stantial. Not only is this due to the Union’s majorshare of world trade, but also because its membercountries have been consistently successful in coor-dinating their policy positions.

The EU intends to play the same constructive role inthe process leading to the UNCTAD XI conference,which will take place in São Paulo in June 2004.

The EC representative participates actively in thedebates on trade and development at each autumn ses-sion of the UN General Assembly Second Committee.

The Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)

Based in Geneva, the UN Economic Commission forEurope is actively involved in the elaboration of con-ventions, norms and standards in the fields of trade,transport and the environment. This assists the processof convergence of central European and CIS countries’practices with those of the EU. Other UN regionalcommissions model or copy them in such fields astrade facilitation standards (UN/Edifact — UN elec-tronic data interchange for administration, commerceand transport), agricultural standards, transport facil-itation (international truck transportation, cross-borderoperations, infrastructure) and environment (air pollu-tion, accidents, impact assessment and access toinformation). Recently, the UN/ECE organised theregional preparatory meeting for the World Summit onSustainable Development, where the EuropeanCommission played an active role in promoting the EUagenda for the Johannesburg meeting.

51

C H A P T E R 1 0

EU–UN culture and civilisation

Strength in diversity

The European Union is a community of cultureslargely comprising what is historically known as the‘European civilisation’, a source of major contribu-tions to the arts and sciences, philosophy and literatureand other fields of human endeavour.

The Treaty on European Union devotes a chapter toculture, one of Europe’s richest and most varied assets.It calls on the EU to ‘contribute to the flowering of thecultures of the Member States, while respecting theirnational and regional diversity and at the same timebringing the common cultural heritage to the fore’.

EU countries stand united in their view that each cul-ture of the Union is a unique expression of the peoplewho live in it and, as such, they all deserve support andprotection. The ‘European Year of Languages 2001’was a very positive illustration of this.

Furthermore, the Union’s enlargement enriches boththe diversity and the common heritage of the culturesin the European Union, thus widening the scope of itscultural policies.

The EU Treaty also mandates that the Community andMember States foster cooperation with third countriesand ‘the competent international organisations’ in thesphere of culture. Along these lines, at this difficulttime in international relations, the EU considers thatUNESCO has a fundamental role to play in the UNsystem, based on its unique competence in the areas ofits responsibilities, such as education and the protec-

tion of cultural heritage (particularly through theWorld Heritage Programme).

The EU welcomes UNESCO’s participation in thereconstruction of Afghanistan, especially in the fieldsof education, heritage and communication, and itactively supports UNESCO in efforts to protect (andrecover) the cultural heritage of Iraq.

At the UN, the EU is actively concerned with culturalissues (via UNESCO and UNICEF in particular) pro-moting international cooperation and concerted action.Working in these forums, the EU has contributed to thediscussion and resolution of issues pertaining to lan-guage, international communication, freedom ofexpression, free-flow of information, the arts and otherculture-related social issues. And it also does so byexample: the EU recognises the importance of multi-lingualism within its own borders, evidenced by its 11 official languages at present (and soon-to-be 20).Three European languages are also official languagesof the United Nations (English, French and Spanish).

Protecting the world’s heritage

Established in 1972 as part of the ConventionConcerning the Protection of World Cultural andNatural Heritage, UNESCO’s World Heritage Missionand Programme aim to define and conserve the world’sheritage by drawing up a list of sites whose outstand-ing values — historical, aesthetic, archaeological, sci-entific, ethnological or anthropological — should bepreserved for all humanity, and to ensure their protec-tion through closer cooperation among nations.

As signatories to the convention, the EU MemberStates have pledged to conserve such sites situated ontheir territories, many of which having been recog-nised as World Heritage-worthy by the World HeritageCommittee. In fact, 269 of the 730 World Heritagesites across the globe are located in the 25 current andacceding EU countries.

The Parthenon on the hill of the Acropolis in Athens, official symbol of UNESCO.

Photo: Greek National Tourist Organisation.

➜

52

For a list of European and other World Heritage sites,please visithttp://whc.unesco.org/nwhc/pages/doc/mainf3.htm.

Supporting UNESCO

In November 2000, UNESCO’s Executive Councilfixed its main priorities in the following fields: educa-tion, water resources and normative actions related toethics in science and technology and cultural diversity.With respect to these areas, the EU:

• supports UNESCO’s leading role in the ‘Educationfor All’ (EFA) programme. It takes note of the excel-lent EFA monitoring report, which provides clearpriorities in intensifying cooperation with other part-

ners, fully exploiting its expertise (at headquarters,but also in UNESCO’s institutes) and making gooduse of the UN literacy decade to strengthen worktowards adult literacy and access to education for thedisadvantaged;

• attaches the highest importance to concerted actionon water resources in the UN system — both in theframework of the International Year of Fresh Waterand of the EU water initiative launched at the WSSDin Johannesburg — to preserve and highlight thefresh water resources of our planet, and to help man-age them better for the benefit of all. The EU ispleased at the impact made by the world water devel-opment report, presented at Kyoto in March 2003,and welcomes UNESCO’s contribution;

• favours the drafting of a declaration on genetic datawhich, like the declaration on the human genome,ought to bring about greater awareness of what is atstake in the sphere of bioethics. The EU would alsolike to see UNESCO encourage a universal norma-tive framework on anti-doping in sport;

• welcomes the fact that UNESCO considers protec-tion of the tangible and natural cultural heritage as apriority for cultural diversity.

UNESCO Member States are also working on a draftconvention on the intangible cultural heritage. The EUhopes that this work will be successful in providing aclear and acceptable conceptual framework, whichshould encourage cooperation at all levels. The sameapplies to the project for a convention on culturaldiversity, based on the principles of the UniversalDeclaration on Cultural Diversity, which the generalconference adopted unanimously in November 2001.A convention on this subject, as foreseen by the decla-ration, would be an extension of the work in hand, andwould signal the willingness to move ahead and realiseits commitments.

Given that the digital heritage forms part of the intan-gible heritage of humanity and a vehicle for the pro-motion of cultural diversity, the EU welcomes thework taking place on a proposed draft charter for theconservation of this heritage.

Still, normative action in UNESCO should not belimited to drafting conventions and must include thefollow up to all these instruments, above all wherethe human rights aspects of these conventions areconcerned.

Finally, the EU applauds the progress achieved in thereform process of UNESCO, particularly towardsresults-based budgeting and more rigorous manage-ment and budgetary control. Progress has been realisedon new management procedures, a new humanresources policy and decentralisation, even if muchremains to be done.

Furthermore, the EU acknowledges the importanceand impact the United States’ return to UNESCOwill have on all aspects of activity within the organ-isation.

UNESCO has designated many World Heritage sites in Europe, includingthe Upper Rhine Valley in Germany. For two millennia, it has served as oneof the most important transport routes in Europe, facilitating contactbetween the Mediterranean region and the north.

Photo: UNESCO.

➜

Source: UNESCO

UNESCO World Heritage sites within the enlarged European Union

53

Towards the information society

The EU vision and approach to the information societyis based on a comprehensive set of policies developedover the last decade. Accordingly, the EU provided amajor contribution to the preparation of the WorldSummit on the Information Society (WSIS) that washeld in December 2003 in Geneva, and will do thesame for WSIS in November 2005 in Tunisia.

The WSIS’ aim is ‘to develop a common vision andunderstanding of the information society and to drawup a strategic plan of action for concerted developmenttowards realising this vision’, as called for by the UNGeneral Assembly in January 2002.

The EU took an active part in three of the four regionalconferences organised to prepare the world summit:the African conference in Bamako in June 2002, thepan-European conference in Bucharest in October2002, and the conference of the Latin American coun-tries in Punta Caña in January 2003. The EU also playsan active role in the preparatory committees of thesummit, contributing substantively to the draft polit-ical declaration and action plan.

Freedom of the press

Freedom of the press and the free and unhindered flowof information and opinion are fundamental prerequis-ites for the full development of the individual as wellas for democracy. The EU has always vigorously pro-moted the principle of freedom of the press and thefree flow of information and opinion.

Dialogue among civilisations

The EU represents a mosaic of cultures and continuesto benefit from a multiplicity of cultural inputs fromother continents. The EU supports actions that couldcontribute to greater understanding and dialogueamong and within civilisations.

UNESCO has several levers at its disposal to achievepeace and genuine dialogue between cultures and civili-sations. It contributes to the overall actions of the UN sys-tem towards the achievement of the millennium develop-ment goals. And UNESCO should continue to strengthenits cooperation with other international organisations.

54

www.europa-eu-un.org

Aiming to increase understanding of its activities at the United Nations, the European Union launched theEU@UN website on 23 January 2002. Managed jointly by the EU presidency, the European Commission andthe Council Secretariat in New York, it gives the latest news about EU-UN relations to the public, the media andthe UN community.

Among its features, the website contains a multilingual (English, French) and multifaceted search engine (by keywords, date, subject, UN body, EU institution, world region, etc.).

EU statements at the UN, press releases and policy documents are now available in a database format that makesit easy to locate current and past documents. It also sports an e-mail alert service for those who want to beinformed about the latest news appearing on the website.

In recognition of the importance of multilingualism, the website is available in the official languages of the 15 EU Member States (1). Many documents are loaded onto the search engine in English and French. EU prior-ities at the United Nations (e.g. UNGA 58) are posted in all 11 EU languages.

For any inquiries about the website and further information about EU-UN relations, we can be contacted at:[email protected].

(1) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands,Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

55

EU and related acronyms

ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific countries; parties to Cotonou Agreement

CFSP Common foreign and security policy

EC European Community

ECHO European Community Humanitarian Office

EIDHR European initiative for democracy and human rights

EMCDDA European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

EP European Parliament

ESDP European security and defence policy

EU European Union

EU-25 Current 15 EU Member States plus the 10 acceding countries

EUPM European Union Police Mission (in Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Europol European Police Office

FfD Financing for Development (Monterrey)

HICP Heavily indebted poorest countries

ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross

LDCs Least-developed countries

NGO Non-governmental organisation

ODA Official development assistance

OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

OSCE Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe

SAA Stabilisation and association agreements

SPD Strategic programming dialogue

Tacis Technical assistance programme to 13 east European and central Asian countries

TRIP Trade-related intellectual property

WTO World Trade Organisation

WSIS World Summit on the Information Society

WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg)

56

The UN system — Main bodies and acronyms

Principal organs and main subsidiary bodies

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and main committees

United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Trusteeship Council

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

United Nations Secretariat

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

Economic Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

United Nations programmes and offices

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Development Fund for Women (Unifem)

United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat)

United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (Instraw)

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

World Food Programme (WFP)

United Nations Population Front (UNFPA)

United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP)

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR)

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)

United Nations University (UNU)

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (Unitar)

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (Unrisd)

United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (Unicri)

United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (Unidir)

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (Unaids)

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

57

United Nations specialised agencies

International Labour Organisation (ILO)

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

World Health Organisation (WHO)

World Bank

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU)

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)

International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

Related organisations

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

World Tourism Organisation (WTO)

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO)

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

Principal departments and offices of the Secretariat

Office of the Secretary General (OSG)

Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS)

Office of Legal Affairs (OLA)

Department of Political Affairs (DPA)

Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA)

Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO)

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services (DGAACS)

Department of Public Information (DPI)

Department of Management (DM)

Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP)

Office of the United Nations Security Coordinator (Unsecoord)

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

UN Office at Geneva (UNOG)

UN Office at Vienna (UNOV)

UN Office at Nairobi (UNON)

European Commission

The enlarging European Union at the United Nations: Making multilateralism matter

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities

2004 — 57 pp. — 21 x 29.7 cm

ISBN 92-894-6185-3

11

NF-49-02-595-E

N-C

ISBN 92-894-6185-3

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