May 2011
Sixty-fifth session
Agenda item 120
Strengthening of the United Nations system Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: draft resolution
Participation of the European Union in the work of the United Nations
The General Assembly,
Bearing in mind the role and authority of the General Assembly as a principal organ of the United Nations and the importance of its effectiveness and efficiency in fulfilling its functions under the Charter of the United Nations,
Recognizing that the current interdependent international environment requires the strengthening of the multilateral system in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations and the principles of international law,
Recognizing also the importance of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, as well as the benefits to the United Nations of such cooperation,
Acknowledging that it is for each regional organization to define the modalities of its external representation,
Recalling its resolution 3208 (XXIX) of 11 October 1974, by which it granted observer status to the European Economic Community,
Recalling also that, consistent with the relevant legal provisions, the European Union has replaced the European Community and that the European Union is a party to many instruments concluded under the auspices of the United Nations and is an observer or participant in several specialized agencies and United Nations bodies,
Noting that the States members of the European Union have entrusted the external representation of the European Union previously performed by the representatives of the member State holding the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union to the following institutional representatives: the President of the European Council, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European Commission and the European Union delegations, which have assumed the role of acting on behalf of the European Union in the exercise of the competences conferred by its member States,
Mindful of the modalities for the participation of Observer States and Entities, and other observers in the work of the United Nations as set out in the respective resolutions,
1. Reaffirms that the General Assembly is an intergovernmental body whose membership is limited to States which are Members of the United Nations;
2. Decides to adopt the modalities set out in the annex to the present resolution for the participation of the representatives of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, in the sessions and work of the General Assembly and its committees and working groups, in international meetings and conferences convened under the auspices of the Assembly and in United Nations conferences;
3. Recognizes that, following a request on behalf of a regional organization which has observer status in the General Assembly and whose member States have agreed arrangements that allow that organization’s representatives to speak on behalf of the organization and its member States, the Assembly may adopt modalities for the participation of that regional organization’s representatives, such as those set out in the annex to the present resolution;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to inform the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session about the implementation of the modalities set out in the annex to the present resolution.
Annex
Participation of the European Union in the work of the United Nations
In accordance with the present resolution, the representatives of the European Union, in order to present positions of the European Union and its member States as agreed by them, shall be:
(a) Allowed to be inscribed on the list of speakers among representatives of major groups in order to make interventions;
(b) Invited to participate in the general debate of the General Assembly, in accordance with the order of precedence as established in the practice for participating observers and the level of representation;
(c) Permitted to have its communications relating to the sessions and work of the General Assembly and to the sessions and work of all international meetings and conferences convened under the auspices of the Assembly and of United Nations conferences circulated directly, and without intermediary, as documents of the Assembly, meeting or conference;
(d) Permitted to present proposals and amendments orally as agreed by the Member States of the European Union; such proposals and amendments shall be put to vote only at the request of a Member State;
(e) Allowed to exercise the right of reply regarding positions of the European Union as decided by the presiding officer; such right of reply shall be restricted to one intervention per item.
The representatives of the European Union shall be ensured seating among the observers.
The representatives of the European Union shall not have the right to vote, nor to co-sponsor resolutions or decisions, nor to put forward candidates.
A precursory explanation or recall of the present resolution will be made only once by the President of the General Assembly at the start of each session.
