Summary: 7 October 2009, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union by Mr. Niklas Bennwik, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations, 64th Session of the General Assembly Third Committee, Items 104-105: Crime Prevention, Criminal Justice and International Drug Control, United Nations
Mr. Chairperson,
I am honoured to speak on behalf of the European Union. The following countries align themselves with this statement: The candidate countries Croatia*, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia* and Turkey, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Montenegro, Serbia and the EFTA Country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Armenia and Georgia.
Transnational organized crime is a global phenomenon that exists in all countries and that need to be addressed at regional, national and international levels. It undermines democracy and the enjoyment of human rights, hinders legitimate economic activities and obstructs the development of sustainable, stable and safe societies.
The European Union will continue to play an active role in the efforts of the international community to combat organized crime and impunity. We will continue to support the UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice programme, and its work to foster international cooperation, in particular through its technical cooperation capacity.
The vast majority of EU member states, as well as a substantial number of Candidate-, Stabilization- and Association Process countries, have ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Additional Protocols. The outcome of the 4th Conference of States Parties, that took place in Vienna in October 2008, was an important step towards ensuring the effective implementation of the Convention and its Protocols in the future. We hope that this will serve as a
constructive basis for creating a mechanism for review of implementation, strengthening international cooperation in the field of extradition and legal assistance, and providing technical assistance to prevent and combat organized crime.
The European Union stands ready to support the mechanisms for police and judicial cooperation among States, in accordance with the priorities of the Hague Programme for the EU, which also includes fighting against transnational organized crime. The adoption of the Stockholm Programme will provide a new framework for Justice and Home Affairs, covering civil protection, police and customs cooperation, judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, asylum, migration, visa and border control
for the next five years. The EU will continue its cooperation in combating international crime within this new framework.
Mr. Chairperson,
Human trafficking is one of the most shameful crimes of our time, and one of the greatest challenges that needs to be overcome. The EU remains fully dedicated to combat this form of modern slavery and to protect its victims. The recent proposal of the European Commission, for a revised Council Framework Decision on preventing and combating human trafficking and protecting its victims, demonstrates how the EU want to tackle this scourge. The proposal adopts an integrated approach to the fight
against trafficking in human beings and comprises measures on prevention, prosecution and punishment, as well as enhanced protection of victims' rights.
The underlying causes that place people at risk of becoming victims to human trafficking are poverty, economic and social marginalisation, gender inequalities and a lack of respect for human rights, as well as the demand for sexual services or cheap labour. Women, children and young people are placed at particular risk, and make up the vast majority of the victims of human trafficking.
We are pleased that a number of States have this year ratified the Additional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and children, raising the total number of parties to the Protocol to 132. Although many states have ratified the convention and its protocols, the number of prosecutions remains very low. The EU encourages the Parties to the protocol to enhance their efforts to
increase coordination and the implementation of the protocol. The establishment of the open-ended interim working group on trafficking in persons is a vital step in the right direction.
The question of how to strengthen the fight against human trafficking on a global level has been raised more than once here in the General Assembly. We believe that the Additional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime - together with institutions such as UNODC - is, and should continue to be, the legal and institutional cornerstone of our joint efforts against trafficking. We appeal to the international community to strengthen the effective and
practical implementation of existing instruments and to promote the establishment of an appropriate, strong and effective review mechanism of the UNTOC and its protocols, including the Trafficking in Persons Protocol.
Mr. Chairperson,
I would now like to talk about corruption, an ailment that is detrimental to the health and integrity of our governments, administrations and societies. Corruption undermines political systems and its institutions, hampers and distorts economic development, contributes to governmental instability and thereby constitutes a major obstacle to sustainable development, poverty reduction and good governance. Because of this, the EU attaches particular importance to preventing and combating corruption
at all levels.
The United Nations Convention against Corruption is the first global legally binding anti-corruption instrument. It entered into force in 2005 and has already been ratified by 140 states. That is a demonstration of the international community's resolve to fight corruption. It is important, during the third Conference of the Parties in Doha, that the Convention be equipped with an effective, transparent, and inclusive mechanism for the review of its implementation, in order to support the
effective implementation of the Convention by all State parties. The European Union is now working actively together with the other State parties in order to try to ensure a successful outcome of the third Conference of State parties, scheduled to take place in Doha in November.
Mr. Chairperson,
Terrorism is another scourge of global scope. EU Member States condemn terrorism in all its forms and the fight against it is a priority for the European Union. We are aware that the fight against terrorism can, and must be, carried out while respecting human rights, international humanitarian law and refugee law. Effective counter-terrorism measures and the protection of human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are complementary and mutually reinforcing goals.
The United Nations has an important role to play in actively supporting governments in fulfilling their responsibility to protect their citizens from terrorism. The EU remains fully committed and ready to contribute to the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The implementation of the Strategy needs to involve all stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector, especially in the fight against radicalisation processes and terrorism financing. On this account
the EU has been a staunch supporter of the CTITF. We maintain that the Task Force is, and should remain, the principal UN body to oversee the coordinated and integrated implementation of the Global Strategy. We therefore attach great importance to the institutionalization of the CTITF. Furthermore, the monitoring and promotion of implementation by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), as well as the technical assistance provided by UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch, help
to create a world-wide counter-terrorism network which allows us to effectively counter terrorism, while respecting human rights and the rule of law. However, sufficient resources need to be ensured to UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch in order for it to fully carry out its mandate in tailor-made capacity building and judicial assistance to UN member states.
Mr. Chairperson,
Drugs continue to destroy lives, sow the seeds for crime and endanger the sustainability of development. Every year, drug consumption kills tens of thousands of people around the world, while illegal drug production and trafficking provides a lot of money for most of the actors involved in this criminal activity.
Considerable support to the strengthening of a balanced, integrated, multidisciplinary and mutually reinforcing approach to supply and demand reduction strategies was given by the fifty-second session of Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and its High-level Segment. The EU welcomes this approach. The new political declaration during the High-level segment has adjusted the careful assessment, adopted by the special session of the General Assembly of 1998, to the current situation. The Political
declaration, adopted by the 52nd session of the CND, has similarly recognized that drugs constitute a threat to international security and thus called for concerted action by the States parties.
The overall goals and targets of UN drug policy, set out in line with the international drug control treaties and in conjunction with human rights instruments, the rule of law and principles of proportionality, must be maintained. We stand firmly by the international treaties and other legal instruments for drug control, as these will continue to represent the foundation for international cooperation to counter the world drug problem. To complement the application of treaties and conventions,
and as mentioned by the 52nd session of the CND, it is essential to adopt regional integrated strategies in order to fight the use, and the trafficking, of drugs. The goals and targets of UN drug policy are also a fundamental part of the new EU Drugs Action Plan for 2009-2012.
When adopting Resolution 1817, the Security Council emphasized that efforts undertaken on a national, sub-regional, regional and international level must be further coordinated to step up worldwide action against the diversion of chemical precursors used in drug manufacturing. The EU was very pleased that this strong message was sent by the Security Council. In this regard we call on all Member States to increase international and regional cooperation, in order to strengthening the monitoring
of the international trade in chemical precursors. We also call on all Member States, in particular chemical precursors producing countries, neighbouring countries and countries on the trafficking routes, to make sure that they have adequate national legislation and to strengthen their capacities in the areas of regulation and monitoring, as well as enforcement operations against the diversion of precursors. Overall the EU calls on all States to coordinate their efforts, and pool their
resources, in order to reduce the supply of drugs.
The EU also calls on all Member States to strengthen their demand reduction efforts in order to achieve a balance in drugs policy. Drug demand reduction policies should aim at preventing drug use, facilitating access to treatment and rehabilitation, as well as offering effective measures to reduce the adverse health and social consequences of drug abuse. In particular the continued global spread of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases among injecting drug users calls for the implementation of
effective measures. In this regard we welcome the recent decisions taken at ECOSOC to support increased capacity and resources for the provision of a comprehensive package of services for injecting drug users in relation to HIV, as elaborated in the WHO/UNODC/UNAIDS Technical Guide.
In conclusion, we must marshal all our strength to guarantee the success of the commitments in the Political Declaration and Plan of Action and establish a policy for the next decade which will allow us to tackle the drug problem more effectively.
Before I close, I would like to address a phenomena of growing international concern. The European Union is deeply troubled by acts of piracy, hostage taking, and armed robbery. Hostage taking is never justifiable in any circumstances and we firmly condemn it. We welcome the engagement by organisations such as UNODC in formulating a response to these challenges. Piracy poses new challenges that can only be effectively met with an adequate and joint response.
Mr. Chairperson, thank you very much.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process
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