Brussels, 20/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - On the occasion of the first World Day against the Death Penalty, on 10 October 2003, the Italian Presidency issued a declaration on behalf of the European Union. An extract of this declaration reads: "The European Union's aspiration is to see the death penalty abolished in law and in practice in every country in the world, in times of peace and war. The EU calls upon countries that have not yet abolished the death penalty to at least introduce a moratorium as a first step towards complete abolition. The EU welcomes the global trend towards abolition of the death penalty. In this context, it is important to note that the international community has excluded the use of the death penalty when establishing international criminal courts and tribunals competent to try the most heinous crimes such as genocide and crimes against humanity and war crimes. In countries which retain the death penalty, the EU aim is a progressive restriction of its scope and respect for the strict conditions set forth in several international human rights instruments under which capital punishment may be used. The EU reiterates its concern about sentencing to death persons below 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the crime. The European Union supports the objectives of the World Coalition against the Death Penalty (WCADP), organisers of World Day against the Death Penalty, namely: to encourage public discussion of the death penalty; to strengthen public opposition to the death penalty; and to put pressure on retentionist countries to stop executions and abolish the death penalty". (Council and Commission will make a declaration to the European Parliament on Wednesday on a universal moratorium on capital punishment).