Brussels, 05/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - In its 2002 report on the state of human rights in the world in202, the European Parliament "has expressed its very great concern" at the EU's policy towards third countries, "possibly sidelining human rights in favour of security, economic or political priorities". Prepared by Dutch Liberal Bob Vanen Bos, the report was adopted on Thursday.
MEPs are calling for a proper application of the clause for the observation of human rights in co-operation agreements with third countries. The resolution highlights the fact that "the absence of a clear mechanism for application compromises the efficiency of the clause". It cites as a model the application mechanism contained within the Cotonou agreement, which is "exemplary in its provisions on consultation, the suspension of the agreement and the involvement of civil society". MEPs urge "the Commission and the Council to apply restrictive and suspensive measures on the basis of an assessment of the severity of the facts, and for this to be less indulgent than has been the case until now, to the detriment of the efficiency of the clause and of the legal value it is recognised as having".
In general, apart from the application of this clause, the European Parliament is also calling for the dialogue on human rights with third countries to be strengthened. The also regret the fact that the EU neither voiced its concerns on the subject of Chechnya during its Summit with Russia, nor put the human rights issue on the table at its meeting with China in September 2002. The also invite the Council and the Commission to raise the subject of the death penalty and the rights of children with the United States.
The resolution lists situations the EP would like to see the EU increasingly active in, be it for freedom of thought and of religion, against the death penalty, or to strengthen the role of the International Criminal Court. The resolution notably calls for an enquiry committee to be set up on crimes against humanity committed by the Iraqi regime, and for an ad hoc international criminal court to be set up. MEPs expressed their concern at the politisation of the UN Commission on Human Rights, and the fact that a Libyan woman has been appointed to its chair.
The European Parliament wishes to be more involved in this field, and finds the fact that Council has taken account of its views on the EU's external policy with regard to human rights "entirely satisfactory".