Brussels, 10/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - Casting opprobrium over third countries which violate fundamental right is easy, but it is a far more delicate exercise when it comes to casting a critical eye over the situation within the Union itself, was the recent criticism of a number of members of the European Parliament. The European Union applies a policy of "double standards: up until enlargement, there are the Copenhagen criteria to be respected and then afterwards, the issue of human rights disappears, even though the problems still exist", lamented NEP Kinga Gal (EPP-ED, Hungary), at a hearing held at the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday 6 October. The debate, which was attended by the members of the committee on civil liberties of the EP and representatives of non-governmental organisations, focused on various subjects such as immigration, discrimination and the freedom of expression, social rights and children. On all of these subjects, the conclusions of those taking part generally came down harshly on the European fundamental rights policy. Veronika Szente Goldston, the director for Europe and Central Asia of Human Rights Watch, stressed that although the EU is rigorous towards accession candidate countries, "it is difficult to get things moving internally. When we speak in Brussels, we often get the impression that it leads nowhere". UK MEP Sarah Ludford (ALDE) went even further in her criticism: "there is no space of Liberty, Security and Justice in Europe, because the member states only think about security, not about justice". Her colleague Sophie In't Veld (ALDE, Netherlands) stressed that despite the abundance of legislative texts, violations of fundamental rights "are considered normal" in certain member states. "If this continues, we will lose all of our credibility", she added. Several of those who took the floor referred to the example of the discrimination suffered by the Roma in Italy. "We take the view that if there is one area in which Europe has failed, it is the integration of the Roma. It is crazy to say that they no longer suffer segregation in the eastern part of the Union. The proof of this is what is happening in Italy", said Andre Wilkens of the Open Society Institute. With a report due to be adopted before the end of the year on these issues, the rapporteur to the Parliament, Giusto Catania (GUE/NGL, Italy), voiced his hopes of "developing a positive approach" in his work, in order to "stimulate initiative on the part of the institutions, NGOs and the social players on the subject of the fundamental rights", rather than drawing up a catalogue of violations. Amnesty International's Natalia Alonso welcomed this report, "which relaunches the debate on the EU's responsibility on human rights". Michael Cashman (PES, UK) described Mr Catania's report as "remarkable, but far too polite". "We need names, the names of states which are violating the fundamental rights", he urged. (B.C./trans.fl)