The VIS should have the purpose of improving the implementation of the common visa policy, consular cooperation and consultation between central visa authorities by facilitating the exchange of data between Member States on applications and on the decisions relating thereto, in order to facilitate the visa application procedure, to prevent ‘visa shopping’, to facilitate the fight against fraud and to facilitate checks at external border crossing points and within the territory ...[+++] of the Member States.

2. In the framework of the controls referred to in this Section, customs and other competent authorities may, where necessary for the purposes of minimising risk and combating fraud, exchange with each other and with the Commission data received in the context of the entry, exit, transit, transfer, storage and end-use of goods, including postal traffic, moved between the customs territory of the Community and other territories, the presence and m ...[+++]ovement within the customs territory of non-Community goods and goods placed under the end-use procedure, and the results of any control.

Enlargement, Neighbourhood and Russia Monitoring of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s compliance with the Copenhagen criteria Revision of contractual relations with Serbia and Montenegro and clarification of Kosovo status Review issues of financial support and trade with the Turkish Cypriot community Conducting negotiations with Ukraine on successor to the current Partnership and Co-operation Agreement Starting negotiations with Russia on the successor to the current Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Continued contribution to the Middle East Peace Process as well as to other “frozen” conflicts Wider World Concluding the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) with the 6 ACP regions to allow implementation as from 1 January 2008 ...[+++]Stepping up support towards ACP countries affected by the sugar reform Finalising the Doha negotiations and start implementing agreements Further improve EC capacity to respond to international crises, natural or man made, in coordination with the Council Reinforcing EU aid effectiveness through joint programming with Member States Enhancing the contribution of EU internal policies to the implementation at EU level of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agenda on Policy coherence for Development Negotiating a new EU-China Framework Agreement Five years after the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development assessing EU progress on the commitments taken and identifying the main challenges for the following five years Implementing the international fund for renewables and consolidating progress on international action to tackle climate change Improving cooperation with third country on migration management; adoption of common standards on return of third country nationals and extension of readmission agreements Launching a Community Food Safety training, open to participants from developing countries, promoting and clarifying Community standards and enhancing international trade in safe food |

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the Declaration of Principles for the transitional period and for the talks on Permanent Status was drawn up on the basis of a defined philosophy and clear political principles, particularly UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and their implementation, the territories in exchange for peace and a timetable for the negotiations on the permanent status.

It is also based on the search for a fair solution to the refugee problem and on the principle of territories in exchange for peace.

Is Israel prepared to comply with the UN’s resolutions and, in exchange for peace and security, hand back the Arab areas which were conquered in 1967?