The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-06/30COM/11A.1 and taking note of Document WHC-06/30COM/INF.11A,
2. Recalling Decisions 25 COM VII.25-27 and 7 EXT COM 5A.2, adopted respectively at its 25th session (Helsinki, 2001) and 7th extraordinary session (UNESCO, 2004),
3. Expressing its sincere appreciation for the considerable efforts by all 48 States Parties in Europe in submitting the Periodic Reports for Section I in 2004 and Section II in 2005,
4. Notes the successful use of an electronic tool, the development of an evaluation tool and the storage in a World Heritage Centre database of all information submitted by the States Parties;
5. Thanks the German authorities for hosting a European meeting (Berlin, Germany, 8 - 9 November 2005) on the results of Periodic Reporting Section I and the finalization of Section II, as well as the development of an overall Strategic Action Plan and welcomes the "Berlin Appeal" to enhance cooperation and support by European States Parties and European Institutions on World Heritage;
6. Welcomes with satisfaction the synthesis report of the European Region illustrating a growing co-operation among States Parties;
7. Acknowledges and endorses the Action Plan of the European synthesis report on Section I and II and the sub-regional reports and requests the States Parties to make an effort towards a coordinated approach for its implementation;
8. Requests States Parties to work with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to start implementing the Action Plan for the European Region;
9. Further notes that preparations for the follow-up to the Periodic Reporting results, including name changes, boundary changes and statements of significance have started in some European States Parties, following the Circular Letter of 23 January 2006, and welcomes the meetings offered by the Greek authorities in November 2006, by the French authorities in October 2006 and by the Spanish authorities in January 2007, to ensure a coordinated and systematic approach of these follow-up activities;
10. Notes the importance of management plans for the protection of World Heritage properties and that many European sites reviewed lack this tool, and requests States Parties to prepare management plans for those World Heritage properties that still do not have them;
11. Recognizes the need to avoid the nomination of similar types of properties and encourages States Parties to cooperate in harmonizing their Tentative Lists by sharing information on the sites proposed;
12. Strongly encourages the States Parties in Europe to continue the improved cooperation and requests all States Parties to submit any changes to names, criteria, boundaries and statements of significance in a timely fashion and in accordance with deadlines outlined in the Operational Guidelines;
13. Notes also that such proposals (and the similar ones made in Periodic Reports for other Regions) have considerable resource and workload implications for the Committee, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies as well as for States Parties;
14. Further requests that all European States Parties provide an official letter to the World Heritage Centre by 31 September 2006, indicating their agreement to make the electronic database available for data-sharing with the Council of Europe and other partners as well as on the World Heritage webpage for the general public;
15. Requests the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to prepare a progress report on the follow-up to the European Periodic Report including time tables, budgetary implications and priorities for examination at its 31st session in 2007.
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