Brussels, 08/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 7 July, the MEP Elena Valenciano (S&D, Spain) was elected chair of the sub-committee on human rights of the European Parliament, by acclamation. “This is an honour and a responsibility which I humbly accept”, the MEP said. The human rights sub-committee has a “very important job to do: defending human rights must be a central element of European policy inside and outside the borders of the EU. Europe should set the example rather than giving lectures”, Valenciano stressed. She added that her committee would work with other parliamentary committees “to promote the rights of all those who are persecuted throughout the world”. The EPP members Cristian Preda (Romania) and Laslo Tokes (Hungary) have been elected first and third deputy chairs of this committee. Fernando Maura Barandiaran (ALDE, Spain) is the second deputy chair. The former president of the sub-committee on human rights, Barbara Lochbihler (Greens/EFA, Germany) was elected as the fourth deputy chair of this sub-committee. (CG)