The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Tunisia. The resolution had been tabled by the Greens/ALE, EPP-ED, ALDE, UEN and GUE/NGL groups. Noting that Tunisia is certainly one of the region's most advanced countries in the area of economic, social and health policies and one which, moreover, recognised at a very early stage the principle of equality between men and women and the secular nature of the State, Parliament welcomes the significant economic and social progress made in Tunisia. Such progress has been made in several areas, including in the areas of education and training, health and social security, and Parliament expresses its hope that this progress will be accompanied by similar advances in the areas of the strengthening of democracy , the rule of law, human rights, in particular freedom of expression and association, and judicial independence, which form part of the Barcelona Process acquis.

However, Parliament is deeply concerned at the decision taken on 5 September 2005 to stay the Congress of the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH), which was due to take place from 9 to 11 September 2005 in Tunis, and it calls on the Tunisian authorities to allow the LTDH, the Union of Tunisian Journalists and the Association of Tunisian Magistrates to carry on their activities freely and to hold their congresses. Members express their concern at the lack of progress towards the release of Community funds intended to provide financial support for the projects undertaken by the LTDH and the IMED (the Mediterranean Institute) and AFTURD (the Association of Tunisian Women for Research and Development) project on positive action for women's rights of citizenship and equal opportunities in the Maghreb, the project undertaken by Santé Sud and the modernisation plan for the Tunisian justice system. The Tunisian Government is called upon to take immediate action to release the Community funds intended for the above-mentioned projects and rapidly to reach agreement on the modernisation plan for the justice system.

The resolution calls on the Council and Commission to work to improve the management of projects under the MEDA programme and the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights and urges the Commission to determine the measures to be taken if no progress is made towards the release of blocked funds. Parliament urges the Council and Commission to step up their political dialogue with Tunisia , which is based on mutual understanding and respect and has the aim of encouraging democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law and good governance, by calling for the EU-Tunisia Human Rights Subcommittee, provided for in the Association Agreement , to be made fully operational in order to discuss the overall human rights situation and, in particular, individual cases of abuse.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Tunisia. The resolution had been tabled by the Greens/ALE, EPP-ED, ALDE, UEN and GUE/NGL groups. Noting that Tunisia is certainly one of the region's most advanced countries in the area of economic, social and health policies and one which, moreover, recognised at a very early stage the principle of equality between men and women and the secular nature of the State, Parliament welcomes the significant economic and social progress made in Tunisia. Such progress has been made in several areas, including in the areas of education and training, health and social security, and Parliament expresses its hope that this progress will be accompanied by similar advances in the areas of the strengthening of democracy , the rule of law, human rights, in particular freedom of expression and association, and judicial independence, which form part of the Barcelona Process acquis.

However, Parliament is deeply concerned at the decision taken on 5 September 2005 to stay the Congress of the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH), which was due to take place from 9 to 11 September 2005 in Tunis, and it calls on the Tunisian authorities to allow the LTDH, the Union of Tunisian Journalists and the Association of Tunisian Magistrates to carry on their activities freely and to hold their congresses. Members express their concern at the lack of progress towards the release of Community funds intended to provide financial support for the projects undertaken by the LTDH and the IMED (the Mediterranean Institute) and AFTURD (the Association of Tunisian Women for Research and Development) project on positive action for women's rights of citizenship and equal opportunities in the Maghreb, the project undertaken by Santé Sud and the modernisation plan for the Tunisian justice system. The Tunisian Government is called upon to take immediate action to release the Community funds intended for the above-mentioned projects and rapidly to reach agreement on the modernisation plan for the justice system.

The resolution calls on the Council and Commission to work to improve the management of projects under the MEDA programme and the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights and urges the Commission to determine the measures to be taken if no progress is made towards the release of blocked funds. Parliament urges the Council and Commission to step up their political dialogue with Tunisia , which is based on mutual understanding and respect and has the aim of encouraging democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law and good governance, by calling for the EU-Tunisia Human Rights Subcommittee, provided for in the Association Agreement , to be made fully operational in order to discuss the overall human rights situation and, in particular, individual cases of abuse.