28 February 1997       Doc. 7773

ADOC7773

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

on the need for a strengthening of economic

relations between Europe and Japan

presented by Mr SCHWIMMER and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       The Assembly, following the visit of its Sub-Committee on International Economic Relations to Japan in January 1997 - coinciding with that of a delegation from the Assembly's Political Affairs Committee to examine the question of a future observer status for the Japanese Parliament with the Assembly - concludes that Japan stands before a fundamental reform of its economic system aimed at reducing its public deficit, streamlining its administration, restructuring its banking sector and reforming its pension system. This process will benefit the country's citizens and render it more competitive internationally and more open to trade and foreign direct investment;

2.       The Assembly warmly welcomes this development, which it believes will contribute to remedying past economic imbalances between Japan and the rest of the world, and thereby strengthen the world economic framework being built by the World Trade Organisation in particular;

3.       The Assembly believes it is essential for Europe to understand better the nature of the economic reforms now underway in Japan, so as to enable it to build improved economic relations with that country, and to place them within the context of Europe's future relations with the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.

Signed:

(see overleaf)

Signed: 1

Schwimmer, Austria, EPP

Behrendt, Germany, SOC

Billing, Sweden, EDG

Blaauw, Netherlands, LDR

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Figel, Slovakia, EPP

Gonzalez Laxe, Spain, SOC

Leers, Netherlands, EPP

Mautner-Markhof, Austria, EPP

Merkushov, Ukraine, SOC

Ramirez Pery, Spain, EPP

Stepova, Czech Republic, SOC

Telgmaa, Estonia, EDG

Townend, United Kingdom, EDG

Turini, Italy, EDG

Valleix, France, EDG

Wielowieyski, Poland, LDR

1 ¹       SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP: Group of the European People's Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR: Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: Not registered