“Extremely concerned” about threats to human rights and democracy around the world, the European Parliament called on the EU and its Member States on Thursday 17 February to coordinate their efforts more closely to address human rights challenges around the world, both individually and in cooperation with like-minded international partners.
In adopting the marathon report by María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos (Renew Europe, Spain) on human rights and democracy in 2021 - by 487 votes to 80 with 120 abstentions - MEPs call on the EU and its Member States to make full use of the tools at their disposal, including their bilateral trade relations, to provide more ambitious support for freedom, good governance, the Rule of law, and democratic institutions.
They also call for the development of an ambitious European strategy to address the increasing attacks on human rights defenders. In their view, a European system for issuing short-stay visas for the temporary relocation of human rights defenders should be created.
Furthermore, considering that climate change is one of the greatest threats to the human rights of our generation and future generations, Parliament calls on the EU and the Member States to take bold initiatives to fight impunity for environmental crime at the global level.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/db
Fighting corruption
In another report by Katalin Cseh (Renew Europe, Hungary) on corruption and human rights, adopted with 568 votes in favour, 42 against and 82 abstentions, Parliament calls for a comprehensive EU anti-corruption strategy, a “human rights-based approach in the fight against corruption”, placing the fight against corruption at the forefront and centre of all EU efforts and policies to promote human rights, democracy, and the Rule of law worldwide.
MEPs also call for the swift presentation of a legislative proposal to sanction those responsible for corruption around the world.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/da (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)