Brussels, 14/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 13 January, the civil liberties committee at the European Parliament (LIBE) adopted the report by Louis Michel (ALDE, Belgium) on fundamental rights in the EU (in 2012). The committee mainly calls on the Commission to set in place a new monitoring and objective assessment system of member states and of their compliance with accession criteria, the so-called Copenhagen criteria. This new “Copenhagen mechanism” would serve to set indicators, draw up binding recommendations and impose penalties, such as freezing EU funding to countries that fail to comply, MEPs state in their resolution adopted by 31 votes to 18 and 5 abstentions. They also recommend review of Article 7 of the Treaty, which is often described as an “atomic bomb” in that it provides for any country in Council to have its voting right suspended in the event of serious breach of EU values. MEPs recommend that a clearer distinction be made in Article 7 regarding the “risk” and effective “violation” stages, a press release states.
In their resolution, MEPs again underline the need to protect migrants and to assist migrants in distress at sea. They also place emphasis on the rights of persons with disabilities, freedom of religion and the “right to die in dignity”. The report will be put to the plenary session end February. (SP/transl.jl)