European Parliament approved a resolution on EU judicial...

European Parliament approved a resolution on EU judicial cooperation with the United States in combating terrorism (Doc.: B5-0813/2001, B5-0820/2001).
In adopting this resolution, Parliament emphatically declared that extradition from the EU to the US cannot be allowed for people who could be sentenced to death or who are to be tried by military tribunals.
Parliament reiterated its request for a complete abolition of the death penalty in the USA. It felt that because of the existence of the death penalty a general EU-USA agreement cannot be reached and that extradition cannot take place where a defendant could be sentenced to death.
Intervening on December 12, in the European Parliament's debate on freedom, security and justice on behalf of the council Marc Verwilghen said that while the Member States did have different national ways of dealing with criminal law, he emphasised the general European commitment to protection of freedoms and human rights. In this sense, he offered a guarantee to the House that extradition would not be granted to countries where the death penalty was still used. While Council did not have a specific policy with regard to the military tribunals to be set up in the United States, Verwilghen did say that some delegations had expressed concern about the developments which could threaten the right to a fair trial.
Extradition to the USA, where people were still being condemned to death, was an infringement on the fundamental rights of EU citizens, according to Giuseppe Di Lello Finuoli (EUL/NGL, I). He expressed concern about many Arabs being detained in the US without a right to defence and appealed to Members of the House to vote against any extradition of EU citizens, as this was "against our fundamental values and principles".
Ole Krarup (EDD, DK) said that terrorism was a threat to the planet, but that military terrorism was worse than "all terrorism put together". Showing concern over cooperation with the United States, he mentioned that the US government had sent [EU Commission president Romano] Prodi a letter on cooperation, such as arrest without defence and extradition to the USA, including the death penalty. He urged Member not to endorse such proposals.
Commissioner Vitorino said on the question of extradition, he once again emphasised that there would be no possibility of this to include any state applying the death penalty.