EP - Motions for resolutions on the World Economic and Social Forums

Motions for resolutions on the World Economic Forum (Davos) and World Social Forum (Porto Alegre)

Doc.: B5-0101/2003, B5-0111/2003, B5-0115/2003, B5-0118/2003, B5-0120/2003, B5-0125/2003
Debate: 12.02.2003
Vote: 12.02.2003

Vote

Parliament adopted a joint resolution with 253 votes in favour, 248 against with 51 abstentions originating from the EPP-ED group and the ELDR group on the outcome of the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland and the World Social Forum held simultaneously in Porte Allegre, Brazil. The House supports the spreading use of Corporate Social Responsibility as a positive development and calls on more multinational companies to include social, societal and environmental concerns in their business activities, but underlines that CSR must remain a voluntary concept. Parliament also stresses that globalisation must be accompanied by greater efforts to reduce poverty. MEPs reaffirm their commitment to the United Nations Millennium Declaration Goals and ask the Commission to monitor achievements in this area and submit a report to Parliament every year. With regard to developing countries, MEPs underline that the development of equitable international trade is an efficient instrument in the attempt to bring about a drastic reduction in poverty and call for comprehensive private-sector development strategies. In this sense, the House believes that much of international trade policy, as conducted by the industrialized world, must take more account of the need for fair access for developing countries to world markets.

MEPs further reaffirm their commitment to peace, democracy and respect for human rights and international law, and reiterates the need for full application of and compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions in order to guarantee international peace and security, and call on the Iraqi Government to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1441.

With regard to sustainable developments, MEPs set out that no international gathering to consider the world economic order, international trade, the situation of developing countries or globalisation can afford to ignore the environmental consequences of all of these policy sectors. Finally, MEPs call for a reform of international bodies dealing with sustainable development issues, starting with the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as well as the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

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• EP - Motions for resolutions on the situation in Iraq (30/1/2003)
• EU Presidency Statement - The Millennium Summit (4/10/2002)
• President Prodi's statement at the 55th UNGA. The Millennium Summit (8/9/2000)