Aberrations in governance, the normalisation of hate speech and tougher political stances towards migration are the principal threats identified by the European Parliament in its report on the application of the fundamental rights in 2016, which was approved by a large majority on Thursday 1 March.
In this report, which was authored by Frank Engel (EPP, Luxembourg), the MEPs note that violations of the rule of law are becoming more and more frequent in the EU and stressed that article 7 of the Treaty, which has been triggered the first time against Poland (see EUROPE 11972), should no longer be seen as a purely hypothetical tool.
Parliament also notes that in 2016, several member states toughened their political stances towards asylum and migration, leading to failure to abide by their obligations. “EU member states should refrain from the rhetoric of cultural isolationism and hatred of those who are different”, the MEPs stress in their report.
The MEPs also express concern at the alarming increase in hate speech and extremism, both online and off-line, and particularly condemn the normalisation of hate speech by certain authorities and political parties.
The report also looks at the trafficking in human beings, the dissemination of false information, children's rights on the Internet and the fundamental rights of minorities, all of which are challenges that remain topical in 2018.
Linked to the adopted text: http://bit.ly/2FgDwHB (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)