Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-12-14-Speech-4-164"
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"en.20001214.6.4-164"2
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"Mr President, the Commission of course wants to associate itself with the support given by Parliament to the UNHCR for its 50th anniversary. I should like personally to associate myself with that support as well. I have worked closely with the UNHCR as a development minister; I worked closely with the UNHCR when I was in Hong Kong and I work closely with the UNHCR in my present activities. As one or two speakers have said, it would be a happier world if the vitally important work that the UNHCR does was unnecessary.
The first of what is meant to be a series of regular, strategic programming meetings with the UNHCR took place in Brussels on 6 December. The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) presented its strategy for next year, including funding criteria and priorities, and exchanged views with UNHCR on humanitarian needs and horizontal issues of common concern. These meetings should help the Commission provide the more predictable and transparent funding that UNHCR requests and has long called for, while at the same time assisting UNHCR in rendering a better service to those in need.
I want to refer to a broader issue that is very relevant to what the honourable Member said earlier. Because of our existing financial regulation, it is extremely difficult for us to provide support to UN organisations for example, for programming – we have to focus on projects – and that means that there is sometimes an extremely uncertain profile in our funding of organisations like the UNHCR. That is why I am extremely keen to see appropriate changes made in our new financial regulation to ensure that we can support programming so that UN bodies and other similar organisations can be sure some time in advance of a flow of funds to support work we are doing in common and to which we both attach priority.
The Commission is firmly committed to strengthening the UNHCR's unique protection mandate and to working with the UNHCR in enhancing the security of relief workers. The Commission is also working closely with the UNHCR in trying to ensure a smooth transition between relief and development. In this regard, the Commission participates actively in the UNHCR-sponsored Brookings Process, which will be an important element of the communication on linking relief, rehabilitation and development which is currently being finalised.
Finally, I should like to pay a tribute to all the work that has been done by Mrs Ogata for the UNHCR and to wish Mr Ruud Lubbers well in his new post. The UN system should be very pleased to have attracted as outstanding a candidate as Mr Lubbers and I am sure he will do very distinguished service for the UNHCR and for the whole UN system.
The UNHCR is a key partner for the establishment of an asylum policy in Europe. That is why a declaration was annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty which foresees consultations with the UNHCR on asylum policy issues. The Commission and the UNHCR therefore demonstrated, on 6 July, the strengthening of their partnership on asylum and refugees through an exchange of letters between Commissioner Vitorino and Mrs Ogata.
As the House knows, the Commission is engaged in the field of asylum in an important legislative effort to implement Treaty and Tampere European Council commitments on the basis of the calendar included in the scoreboard.
Against this background, the Commission has regular consultations with UNHCR. It was the case, for example, when we prepared our proposals on temporary protection in case of mass influx of displaced persons, on asylum procedures and, currently, on reception conditions for asylum seekers.
We will continue to follow that model for our proposals on the successor instrument to the Dublin Convention, conditions to qualify as a refugee on the basis of the Geneva Convention, and on subsidiary forms of protection. The inclusion of high-level protection standards in our proposals is of prime importance to the Commission.
On 22 November the Commission adopted a communication on a common asylum procedure and a uniform status for those granted asylum valid throughout the Union, which is the final aim fixed in Tampere for the common European asylum system. Our proposals fit into the Tampere political guidance, in particular the need for a full and inclusive implementation of the 1951 Geneva Convention for maintaining the principle of non-refoulement and a balanced approach between the absolute respect for the right to seek asylum and the legitimate aim to control migration. They also fit into the comprehensive approach to strengthen partnership with countries of origin.
On the same day the Commission adopted a communication on a Community immigration policy which complements our thinking on migration issues.
The Commission entirely shares the importance attached by the European Parliament to addressing the particular circumstances affecting women seeking international protection in the context of preparing a common European asylum system. These issues are reflected in the different instruments that we have been tabling.
The UNHCR is the Commission's main single partner in the humanitarian field. The Commission has traditionally worked closely with the UNHCR and it is further enhancing our collaboration."@en1
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