On Wednesday 28 February, MEPs underlined the duty of the EU and its Member States to promote and protect democracy, the rule of law, and the universality and inalienability of human rights around the world.
In the report by Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, Spanish) which they adopted (377 votes in favour, 90 against and 68 abstentions), MEPs call for the strengthening of the EU’s toolbox for the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy around the world. In particular, they call for a strengthening of the EU’s action plan in this area “with a view to maximising the synergies and complementarity between human rights and democracy at local, national and global levels” and for greater ownership of this plan by Member States.
The European Parliament is calling for greater support for civil society organisations, pro-democracy activists and media organisations, in particular through the ‘European Endowment for Democracy’. It would also like to see a more “dynamic and consistent” use of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, believing that decisions relating to this regime should be taken by qualified majority. The Parliament is also calling for the coherent application of human rights clauses to all of the EU’s international agreements with third countries.
The report also makes recommendations, notably on progress towards the universal abolition of the death penalty, the right to freedom of expression, media freedom, academic freedom and the right to information, the rights to equality and non-discrimination, the rights of women and LGBTIQ+ persons and minorities, and the threats posed by artificial intelligence to human rights.
Via the adoption of amendments tabled by The Left, the Parliament is calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/b29 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)