Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on asset recovery by Arab Spring countries in transition.

The resolution was tabled by the ECR, S&D, ALDE, EPP and Greens/EFA groups.

Members stress that the return of misappropriated assets stolen by former dictators and their regimes to Arab Spring countries in transition is, beyond its economic significance, a moral and legal imperative and a highly political issue in terms of the EU's political commitment and credibility. It therefore constitutes a key dimension of the Union's partnership with its southern neighbourhood, with special regard to Egypt, Libya and Tunisia . Parliament recalls that these three countries have made considerable efforts to ensure that misappropriated assets stolen by former dictators and their regimes are repatriated to those countries, including setting up dedicated national investigative commissions tasked with recovering such assets, and initiating legal cases in the courts of EU Member States. Whilst the EU, G8 members, and Switzerland responded positively to these efforts, few concrete results have been achieved , which has caused growing frustration in the requesting countries. Lack of results are due mainly to the diversity and complexity of the relevant procedures in national legal systems, the lack of expertise on the part of the Arab Spring countries concerned regarding relevant procedures, and the lack of resources available to them.

In addition, this is an important economic issue for the southern neighbours concerned , as funds are needed to help stabilise economies and create jobs and growth.

Parliament urges the EU and its Member States to make further significant efforts aimed at facilitating the return of misappropriated assets stolen by the former regimes to the people of Arab Spring countries within a reasonable timeframe. It calls on the European External Action Service to take a proactive leadership role , notably in coordinating Member States' efforts, providing capacity-building, and encouraging cooperation among all the states concerned. National asset recovery offices in all the Member States are asked to work closely together and to develop their relations with the relevant authorities of Arab Spring countries with a view to assisting them with the complex legal procedures involved.

Noting that asset recovery is an essential part of the Union's support for democratic transition and economic recovery in those countries, Parliament welcomes the initiative of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Japan, Switzerland and the United States in issuing a guide containing a comprehensive description of their national legal systems in relation to asset recovery, and it encourages all the Member States to do likewise and to establish a common EU set of principles.

It calls for the establishment of an EU mechanism composed of a team of national and international investigators, prosecutors, lawyers and other experts, with the aim of providing legal and technical advice and assistance to Arab Spring countries in the process of asset recovery. This mechanism should be sustainable and be financed by the relevant financial instrument within the field of the Union's external relations. Members note the possibility of additional funding for this mechanism, at a later stage, through co-financing agreements with requesting states.

Members welcome the new legislative framework adopted by the Council on 26 November 2012, which facilitates the return of misappropriated funds to Egypt and Tunisia but stress the need to achieve concrete results and to fully include Libya in this process.

Lastly, Parliament asks the Arab League to implement mechanisms of cooperation on asset recovery, and calls on the Gulf countries in particular to offer their legal assistance to Arab Spring countries in addressing the process of asset recovery.

T7-0224/2013

Debate in Parliament

B7-0188/2013

B7-0189/2013

B7-0191/2013

B7-0192/2013

B7-0193/2013

B7-0194/2013

RC-B7-0188/2013