EP: nog steeds veel mensenrechtenschendingen in EU (en)

Violations of fundamental rights still occur too often in the EU, says the European Parliament in a resolution adopted on Wednesday. Greater consistency is also needed between policies on basic rights inside and outside EU territory, add MEPs.

In this, its first report on fundamental rights in the EU since the Lisbon Treaty entered into force, Parliament emphasises that the new Treaty transformed fundamental "basic values" into "concrete rights" by making the Charter of Fundamental Rights i legally binding.

Incorporating the Charter into EU primary law "creates new responsibilities for the decision-making and implementing institutions, as well as for Member States when implementing EU legislation at national level", notes Parliament. It points out that the Charter's provisions have become directly enforceable by European and national courts.

The Charter offers "a good balance between rights and solidarity", and includes civil, political, economic and social rights as well as "third generation" rights (i.e. to good administration, freedom of information, a healthy environment and consumer protection), say MEPs. The EU should, however, "develop a regulatory framework to protect against fundamental rights abuses by businesses".

Specific breaches, requiring urgent action

There are many outstanding issues as well as actual violations of fundamental rights in the EU that require "urgent concrete steps, mid-term strategies and long-term solutions, as well as follow-up by EU institutions", says Parliament. Areas of concern include:

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  freedom of movement of EU citizens;
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  personal data and privacy;
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  rights of refugees and migrants;
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  the need for an EU strategy on the rights of the child, covering child abuse, sexual exploitation and child pornography, and promoting safer internet use;
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  freedom of the press in the EU, "which is deteriorating year after year";
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  racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism;
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  discrimination, including ethnic profiling;
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  the need for an EU-level strategy to foster the inclusion of Roma.

"Zero tolerance" of human rights abuses

MEPs expect Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding to take action to match her "declared intentions", including "zero tolerance" of violations of the Charter and in-depth investigations and infringement procedures "when Member States are in breach of their human rights obligations in implementing EU law". They also point to the "recent revival of nationalism, xenophobia and discrimination in some Member States" and stress the role the Commission should play in preventing rights violations related to this.

"Freezing" questionable national policies and practices

"EU action should not only address violations of fundamental rights after they have happened, but should also seek to prevent them", MEPs stress, calling for a "reflection on mechanisms for early detection of potential violations of fundamental rights in the EU and in its Member States, temporary freezing of the measures which constitute such violations, accelerated legal procedures for determining if a measure is contrary to EU fundamental rights and for sanctions in the event that these measures are nonetheless implemented contrary to EU law".

Consistency on basic rights when dealing with non-EU countries

Lastly, Parliament calls on the EU to "make effective" the human rights clauses in international agreements and to take account of Charter principles when entering into agreements with third countries, as well as to "maintain coherence between its internal and external human rights policy". Moreover, argue MEPs, the European External Action Service i (EEAS) "can only offer an opportunity to enhance coherence and effectiveness in the sphere of external policy's efforts to promote human rights and democracy if a human rights-based approach to the service's structure, resources and activities is endorsed".

The report, drawn up by Kinga Gál i (EPP i, HU), was approved by 585 votes to 10, with 51 abstentions.