EU Presidency Statement - Explanation of Vote: Unilateral Economic Measures

EU PRESIDENCY EXPLANATION OF VOTE ON UNGA 60 SECOND COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM 50(a): UNILATERAL ECONOMIC MEASURES AS A MEANS OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC COERCION AGAINST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, BY THE UK MISSION TO THE UN, ON BEHALF OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, New York

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and the countries who align themselves with this explanation of vote: Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, EFTA countries Iceland, and Liechtenstein, as well as the Republic of Moldova.

The European Union abstained on the resolution entitled "Unilateral Economic Measures as a Means of Political and Economic Coercion Against Developing Countries".

The European Union is of the view that economic measures should be compatible with the principles of international law both as contained in the United Nations Charter and also with a wider interpretation including with the principles of the multilateral trading system and the rules of the World Trade Organisation.

The European Union considers that unilateral coercive measures should not be taken against any member of the international community. Such measures are not admissible. We regret that the resolution is almost exclusively focussed on the taking of such measures against developing countries.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

| Arriba |

• EU Presidency Statement - Least Developed Countries (10/11/2005)
• EU Statement - Macroeconomic policy questions: International Trade and Development (31/10/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - Macroeconomic Policy Questions and Financing for Development (12/10/2005)