DRAFT MOTION FOR RESOLUTION

tabled under art.47 of the Rules of Procedure by Mr G. DELL'ALBA on behalf of the ARE group

on conscientious objection

The European Parliament:

A.Considering its previous resolutions on conscientious objection (13 October 1989, 11 March 1993 and 18 January 1994),

B.Considering the resolution of the grouping of the NG0s having consultative status at the Council of Europe on 25 September 1996,

C.Considering that the right to conscientious objection is not yet fully implemented in several countries candidates to European Union membership (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Turkey) as outlined in recent reports of NG0s such as Amnesty International and the European Bureau for Conscientious Objectors,

D.Considering that the Greek Parliament is presently discussing the issue of legalization of the status of conscientious objection in Greece, which constitutes a first step in the right direction,

1 .Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all persons detained or imprisoned solely because they have been refused their right to register their conscientious objection to military service or to perform a genuinely alternative service of non-punitive length and of a pure civilian character,

2.Calls on all member States of the Council of Europe to re-examine their legislation on conscientious objection to military service in the light of the current international resolutions and recommendations,

3 .Urges the Council of the European Union, when it will consider the fulfilment of the conditions of accession of the candidate countries to the European Union membership, to make clear that recognition of the right to conscientious objection to military service and the introduction of an alternative civilian service of a non-punitive length will be included in the condition for their admission to the European Union,

4.Calls on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to seek the opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs on the Draft Protocol to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning conscientious objection to military service, in line with the unanimous resolution of the grouping of NG0s with consultative status at the Council of Europe,

5.Urges the member States of the Council of Europe to ensure effective implementation of the recommendations included in the review of member States' compliance with Recommendation N R(87)8, which is currently being carried out by the SteeringCommittee for Human Rights (CDDH and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 1997,

6.Urges the Greek Parliament to approve the law on the status of conscientious objectors before the summer recess,

7Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the member States, notably to the Greek Parliament, to the Secretary General and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.