Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-22-Speech-4-233"
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"en.20040422.7.4-233"2
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".
Mr President, the Ottawa Treaty is a corner-stone of multilateral disarmament policies. Its political success and practical impact have become a guiding light for multilateral efforts to eradicate the legacies of hatred and lingering threat left by conflicts.
Since the adoption of the APL regulation, the European Union has played a substantial and visible role in the fight against landmines, both in political terms and also in terms of financial commitments. Looking at the broad picture for the years 2000 to 2002, contributions to mine action from the EU Member States and the European Community stood at a sum total of EUR 410 million. We hope to be able to continue our engagement at this impressive level.
We know that failure to award sufficient priority to mine action would have enormous human costs and render its development fragile and fragmented. The mine threat can be overcome. The deadlines were set in the Ottawa Convention and clearly challenge us to swiftly eradicate this scourge. The Nairobi Summit will be an appeal to all of us to do more and to do it faster.
Parliament's resolution provides a forceful and positive signal in this direction.
Since its entry into force significant progress has been made by the international community: 141 countries have ratified the MBT, 9 more countries have signed, over 110 countries are not using anti-personnel landmines, more than 30 million stockpiled mines have been destroyed by states parties to the Convention and, last but not least, mine action programmes are being successfully implemented in many mine-affected countries. However, much still remains to be done.
A number of countries continue to use anti-personnel mines, and some are also believed to be continuing to produce landmines. Approximately 65 countries are still affected to some degree by mines and unexploded ordnance and, unfortunately, new areas of conflict are adding to this list. Global estimates of new landmine casualties each year vary between 15 000 and 20 000 people, many of whom are civilians, including children.
The upcoming review conference on 29 November to 3 December 2004 in Nairobi will be a major opportunity to take stock of past achievements and the lessons learned and to trace the course of action for the years ahead.
What has the EU done so far and what does it intend to do in preparation for this review conference? The importance attached by the EU to the goals of the Ottawa Convention became a tangible fact in 1997 when Parliament created the anti-personnel landmine budget line. In March 2000, the first anniversary of the entry into force of the Ottawa Treaty, the European Commission issued a communication and forwarded to Parliament and the Council a draft regulation on the reinforcement of the EU contribution to the fight against landmines.
In July 2001 Parliament and the Council adopted the legal instrument and its financial envelope. These lay the foundations of an integrated and focused European policy.
In 2002, the new legal instrument was put into practice through the multiannual strategy for the years 2002-2004. The strategy is the first of its kind since the anti-personnel landmine regulations entered into force. It constitutes an operative framework for coordinating and prioritising EU-financed projects in this field. It contains an overall approach and detailed programming covering 33 countries for an average yearly EC contribution of about EUR 42 million.
The Commission is in the process of launching the multiannual strategy for 2005 to 2007. The figures here also contain the contribution from sources within the European Development Fund and reflect the total level of activity we are supporting.
The setting of priorities will be conducted on an informed and coherent basis. We will do this against a background of perspectives and goals shared with the international community and reflecting a jointly-defined orientation and policy. We will ensure that in the preparatory work for the Nairobi Summit we coordinate within the European Union both at government level and non-governmental level, and also with a wide range of non-state actors. This consultation is important if we are to create 'ownership', within a very broad framework, for what we do in Nairobi."@en1
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