EU Presidency Statement - Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and International Drug Control

Statement on behalf of the European Union, by Mr. Jarl-Håkan Rosengren, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations, 61st session of the General Assembly, Third Committee, Item 98 Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and Item 99 International Drug Control, New York

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this declaration.

Mr. Chairman,

Criminal activities pose a serious threat to the political, social and economic fabric ofour societies. It is a threat which must be tackled at all levels: national, regional andglobal. The United Nations has played a central role in enhancing preventive strategies, reforming criminal justice and combating transnational crime and corruption. In this regard, the European Union commends the work done by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The European Union is fully cognizant of the key role that prevention plays in the fight against crime. We have consistently stressed the need to ensure that preventive strategies form an integral part of all anti-crime activities. The European Union has also sought to ensure that victims of crime are provided adequate support.

The European Union - at both national and Union level - provides technical assistance to third countries in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. Such support has increased in recent years and covers areas such as judicial reform; capacity building for law enforcement agencies; activities to combat terrorism, organised crime and trafficking in persons; border management; and the fight against urban crime. Technical assistance of this nature can play a significant role in assisting developing countries in establishing the primacy of the rule of law. The European Union remains committed to the development of these technical assistance programmes.

In carrying out operational and technical assistance activities, it is essential to bear in mind the key aim of ensuring the primacy of the rule of law and the principle of good governance. Reform of criminal justice systems, which seeks to make sure that institutions function in a transparent, accountable and independent manner, plays an important role in this area. Ensuring respect for the rule of law as well as good governance is one of the crucial elements of post conflict reconstruction.

The European Union believes that United Nations standards and norms have a significant role to play in the global effort to effectively address crime prevention and criminal justice issues. Standards and norms assist in the harmonisation of legislation and the development of a unified response to crime related problems. They embody a useful and exemplary set of instruments in international law; a set of instruments that contributes to basic human values. They are important to developed and developing countries alike. Their relevance in establishing the basis for good governance and institution-building, and thus also for economic development especially in postconflict situations, has been widely recognized.

Mr. Chairman,

Transnational organized crime continues to pose a grave threat to all our societies. It is a threat that the European Union takes very seriously at national, regional and international levels. A central objective of the European Union is to provide its citizens with a high level of safety by strengthening freedom, security and justice within its area. The current framework to this end is The Hague Programme adopted in 2004; a multi-annual programme, which also includes the fight against organized crime.

Transnational organized crime is a global problem that must be addressed in a global manner, dealing with its causes as well as its effects. The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) and the Protocols thereto have provided us with the appropriate international instruments to tackle organized crime and the European Union is firmly of the opinion that they [...] play a key role in reducing this threat.

A considerable number of EU Member States, as well as candidate and SAP countries, have ratified the Convention and its Protocols. I can assure you of our commitment to complete the ratification process as soon as possible. The European Union calls upon all states that have not done so to ratify or accede to and implement the Convention and its Protocols at the earliest possible date.

At the third Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention against TOC in October this year, our challenge is to work towards the successful implementation of the Convention and its Protocols. It is the task of the Conference to review the implementation of the Convention and to ensure that the most effective and efficient means are used to achieve this aim. The Conference also provides the practitioners with a forum to exchange experience and to address problems they may have faced in using the Convention and its Protocols as tools in their daily work. Therefore, the European Union encourages national experts and practitioners to actively participate in the forthcoming Conference.

Mr. Chairman,

Trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants affect all parts of the world. We are all either source, transit or destination countries, or a mixture of the three. Both crimes cause considerable harm to individuals and societies and constitute major forms of organised crime. With the increasing interconnectedness of the world, both crimes have become more widespread. There is thus a need for increased prevention activities. We need forceful, joint efforts to limit the number of people at risk of becoming victims to these crimes in the source countries, to prevent criminals engaged in these activities from being able to use our territories for transit, and to eradicate demand for trafficked persons in the countries of destination.

The European Community and the Member States of the European Union as well as candidate countries have now ratified or are in the process of ratifying the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, as well as the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air. We are all committed to ensuring that there is comprehensive and effective legislation in place, both to prosecute and punish smugglers or traffickers, and to protect the victims of trafficking. Of course, legislation in itself is not enough - an effective enforcement response along with enhanced, coordinated regional and international co-operation is also necessary to prevent smuggling and trafficking and to tackle the organized crime behind these offences. Through legally binding instruments, the European Union has promoted the application of the principles of the protocols in trafficking in persons and smuggling in migrants and has incorporated these instruments along with financial assistance into the foreign policy mainstream of enhanced cooperation with third countries or regions.

Mr. Chairman,

Good governance is an integral part of achieving development, including the Millennium Development Goals. However, development efforts are in many parts of the world seriously hampered by corruption, which is a main factor contributing to poor governance. The European Commission adopted in August 2006 a Communication which proposes enhanced means to support governance in the framework of the European Consensus on Development. In this view, good governance includes, but is not limited to, the fight against corruption. Through its Communication, the European Union strives towards tackling corruption as part of its development and poverty reduction strategies as well as through its support for the processes of democratic governance.

Corruption also seriously undermines the functioning of the rule of law. In this regard, the European Union welcomes the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption, taking place in December this year. The EU hopes that the Conference will provide an opportunity to discuss how to ensure the effective implementation of the Convention, including examples of good practice, measures for reviewing efforts made and the role of civil society.

Mr. Chairman,

The continuing terrorist attacks around the world are a constant and painful reminder that terrorism remains one of the most serious threats to all States and peoples. The European Union reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. There is no cause or grievance that can justify terrorist acts.

The European Union applauds the adoption of the first ever United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy during the 60th session of the General Assembly on 8 September. The Strategy's 'Action Plan' provides clear guidance on practical and action-oriented measures to be taken by Member States nationally and in co-operation with others. The adoption of the Strategy by consensus demonstrates the determination and resolve of the General Assembly to unite behind our shared goal of preventing and combating terrorism. We believe that the General Assembly should keep up the momentum and make every effort to reach an agreement on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism without further delay.

It is imperative that all measures against terrorism comply with international law. The European Union is pleased that the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy includes a section reaffirming a clear legal framework for anti-terrorist activities, set out by the instruments and norms of international law, including human rights, refugee and international humanitarian law, as well as the principles of the rule of law. The EU also particularly welcomes the fact that the Strategy reaffirms that the promotion and the protection of human rights for all and the rule of law are essential to all components of the Strategy.

Capacity-building in all States is a core element of the Strategy. The Strategy also aims at enhancing the coordination and cooperative efforts of the UN system as a whole, as well as the cooperation with other relevant actors in the field of counterterrorism.

We would like to take this opportunity to commend the valuable work of the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the UNODC in facilitating the implementation of the 13+3 UN Conventions and Protocols on terrorism and in building capacity. We would also like to welcome the institutionalisation of the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force under the newly-adopted Strategy.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union remains strongly committed to the international fight against illicit narcotic drugs and drug-trafficking. They continue to pose a major threat to the security and health of every society in the world.

The Special Session of the General Assembly on drugs held in 1998 (UNGASS 1998) brought the reduction of demand for drugs to the agenda of international drug policy and rightly so; the reduction of demand should always be an integral part of drug policy and in balance with the reduction of the supply of illicit drugs. In 2008, it will be ten years since the Special Session. This provides an opportune moment to carry out a review of implementation of the commitments made. The European Union hopes that the review will be carried out as extensively and openly as possible and in consultation with all relevant expert bodies as foreseen in CND resolution 49/1.

The activities carried out by the European Union in combating illicit narcotic drugs and drug-trafficking take place within the framework of the EU Drugs Strategy for 2005-2012, which was endorsed by the European Council at the end of 2004, as well as the Drugs Action Plan for 2005-2008, which was adopted in June 2005. The Action Plan provides a framework for a balanced approach to reducing both the supply and the demand for illicit drugs. Among the key provisions are assistance to, and cooperation with, the largest drug producer and transit countries.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, has a leading role in the international co-operation in the fight against illicit narcotic drugs. The European Union would like to commend the Office and its Director-General for their efforts, including in the collection of data on the global drug situation. This data production and research are an essential basis for policy-setting for the international community. In addition to this work, the European Union appreciates the many important projects that the UNODC is engaged in to combat the demand and supply of illicit drugs in different parts of the world.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.


* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

| Top |

• EU Explanation of Position - Preventing and combating corrupt practices and transfer of assets of illicit origin, consistent with the UN Convention on Corruption (6/12/2006)
• EU Presidency General Statement - UN African Institute for Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders (17/11/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement - Third Committee: Social Development (2/10/2006)
• World No Drugs Day 2006: EU Commission stresses Europe's commitment to fight drugs trafficking and help addicts (26/6/2006)