– having regard to the Commission's proposal for a Council decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Trade Agreement between the European Union and Colombia and Peru (COM(2011)0570),

On 19 January 2009, the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate a multiparty trade agreement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States with the Member countries of the Andean Community which shared the aim of reaching an ambitious, comprehensive and balanced trade agreement.

A. whereas EU relations with Russia are of crucial importance for the purposes of pragmatic cooperation; whereas Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, a member of the G8, the third largest trading partner of the EU, the fourth largest trading partner of the Eurozone and an essential energy supplier to the EU; whereas the EU shares with Russia not only economic and trade interests but also an objective to act in the international arena, as well as responsibility for global issues and issues concerning the common European neighbourhood; whereas enhanced cooperation and good-neighbourly relations between the EU and Ru ...[+++]ssia should be based on mutual trust and common values of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law as well as on cooperation on international issues, and are therefore of key importance to the stability, security and prosperity of the whole of Europe; whereas EU relations with Russia should be based on mutual respect but also on the respect by each of the parties of the sovereignty of nations in their neighbourhood,

- the oral question to the Council by Jan Marinus Wiersma, Erika Mann, Daniel Caspary, Robert Sturdy, Cristiana Muscardini and Eugenijus Maldeikis, on behalf of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, and the Union for Europe of the Nations Group, on the Interim Trade Agreement between the EU and Turkmenistan (O-0024/2009 - B6-0019/2009);

– (DE) Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, it is already a year since this Parliament said very clearly and plainly what progress it considered necessary in order to be able to agree to the trade agreement between the EC and Turkmenistan.

The question, of course, is whether the new regime that took office after Turkmenbashi’s death has brought change to that situation – and I would like to hear from the Council and the Commission what changes and improvements they have observed over recent years – and whether that is reason enough now really to set about concluding and signing the trade agreement.