B3-1121 and 1122/93

Resolution on the results of the G7 summit in Tokyo

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its previous resolutions on G7 summits,

-having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation of the world economy and the situation of the economy in the European Community,

-having regard to its resolutions of 24 June 1993 on the results of the Copenhagen European Council,

A.deeply concerned about ever-increasing unemployment,

B.having regard to the growing crisis in the world economy,

C.having regard to the stagnation in the negotiations on the GATT Uruguay Round and to its resolutions on this subject calling for a rapid conclusion to these negotiations,

D.expressing its desire that the European Community, during the GATT negotiations, should demonstrate its cohesion and its proper identity in order to arrive at a real joint external trade policy and to ensure that they result in a global and balanced agreement,

E.whereas the arrangements between the G7 countries aimed at restarting the Uruguay Round trade negotiations must be part of the GATT multilateral negotiation process in Geneva and be approved by all 110 participating countries,

GATT

1.Welcomes the results of the G7 summit in Tokyo, especially the breakthrough achieved for a reopening of the GATT negotiations;

2.Is of the opinion that the so-called Quad package, presented by the quadrilateral group (European Community, USA, Japan and Canada), for a substantial reduction in tariffs, should, together with provisional agreements already reached in other fields, contribute to a conclusion of the negotiations of the GATT Uruguay Round before the end of the year;

3.Insists on an overall balanced Uruguay round agreement; calls therefore on the GATT signatories to overcome remaining differences;

4.Calls on the countries participating in the economic summit to submit their proposals to the other negotiating parties of the Uruguay Round as soon as possible with the aim of achieving increased market access for all partners in GATT, especially for the least developed countries;

5.Calls on all partners, particularly the US and Japan, to confirm their commitment to multilateral solutions to trade questions and refrain from any bilateral actions; notes that further agreement should be reached on a number of issues such as a multilateral steel agreement, and maritime and audiovisual services;

6.Calls on the Director-General of GATT to convene a meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee before the end of July in order to maintain the political impetus created in Tokyo throughout the summer of 1993;

Bosnia-Herzegovina

7.Deplores that the western industrialized countries failed once again to propose concrete measures to stop the slaughter and ethnic cleansing in Bosnia-Herzegovina;

8.Requests that sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro be strictly enforced; is of the opinion that stronger measures should be considered immediately against Serbia and Croatia; requests that humanitarian aid to the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina be stepped up at the same time;

Russia

9.Endorses the summit's decision for support of the economy of the Russian Federation and the other states of the former Soviet Union; especially welcomes the final launching of a special aid programme for privatisation and restructuring in Russia; requests that the negotiations on a partnership agreement with the Russian Federation should be completed rapidly in order to follow up the decisions taken by the G7 summit;

10.Is convinced that the key to successful political reforms in Russia is decentralized, democratic political structures and market economy;

Employment and economic recovery

11.Shares the view that the present level of unemployment is unacceptable and detrimental to the social cohesion of our societies;

12.Is of the opinion that a GATT agreement may result in an increase in employment, but will not on its own be sufficient to solve the much larger problem of structural unemployment; is convinced that non-inflationary sustainable growth and a substantial reduction in public budgetary deficits, particularly in the US, will contribute to the recovery of western economies;

13.Calls, in order to combat unemployment, for a review of labour market structures and for public investment to be concentrated on education, training, research and development and infrastructure;

14.Deplores especially the failure to decide on any international financial-economic and monetary action;

15.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, the governments of the Member States, the governments of the member states of the G7 and the GATT secretariat.