Brussels, 10/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European External Action Service (EEAS) intends the follow-up and the action plan on the joint communication on putting human rights and democracy at the heart of EU external action in order to bring a more effective approach to be completed “by the end of the Danish presidency”, announced EEAS Deputy Secretary General for Inter-Institutional Affairs Maciej Popowski on Thursday 9 February.
Foreign ministers will also discuss human rights at the informal Gymnich Council in Copenhagen on 9-10 March, Popowski said. “There will be a discussion among ministers in Copenhagen at the start of March. It will not focus on the drafting of the action plan but will be a general debate on human rights”, he indicated.
The aim of the communication is to reform EU action on human rights, to make it more effective, with greater consistency and more interaction between policy areas. A more rounded, more concrete approach on democracy and human rights is needed, according to Popowski, noting that human rights are also part of EU sectoral policies.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton is looking to create a post of human rights representative. This will be the first time anyone has been made a representative for a specific issue, representatives usually being for regions, Popowski, highlighted. The new appointee could represent the EU in various international organisations. (CG/transl.rt)