III European Union
| Published date | 01 March 2004 |
| Date | 01 March 2004 |
| Author | Mielle Bulterman |
| DOI | 10.1177/016934410402200107 |
| Subject Matter | Part B: Human Rights News |
III EUROPEAN UNION
MIELLE BULTERMAN
Resolutions on Human Rights of the European Parliament
As in previous years, the European Parliament in its Resolution on
Fundamental Rights in the European Union (2002) addresses the human
rights situation in the European Union following the rights and principles
set out in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The European Parliament is concerned with the deterioration of the
situation of prisoners in some EU Member States mainly as a result of
overcrowding in prisons. The Member States are called upon to take
measures, such as setting up independent agencies to monitor the running
of prisons. With respect to the EU’s common asylum and immigration
policy, the Parliament deplores the delays in adopting measures at a EU
level. It also regrets the fact that the measures that have been adopted, have
all been concluded on the basis of lowest common denominator.
In the draft-resolution of Fode´ Sylla attention is paid to the debate in
several Member States on the decriminalisation of voluntary active
euthanasia and the fact that a medical and ethical debate at EU level on
this extremely delicate subject cannot be evaded. The delicacy of the subject
is probably illustrated best by the fact that this paragraph has been left out of
the final version of the resolution as adopted by the European Parliament.
In its resolution on human rights in the world in 2002 and the EU’s
human rights policy the European Parliament expresses its severe criticism
of the external human rights policy of the European Union. The Parliament
deplores the fact that the Union has not yet succeeded in realising the
ambitious goals of the Union’s policy in this field in practice. Specific reason
for concern of the Parliament are the absence of a mechanism to implement
the human rights clauses in agreements with third countries, the lack of
openness on the human rights dialogues with third countries and the fact
that the Council’s interaction with Parliament on human rights issues is far
from satisfactory.
Both resolutions were adopted on 4 September 2003 and can be found
on the internet site: www.europarl.eu.int/plenary.
Commission Communication on Article 7 EU Treaty
On 15 October 2003 the Commission presented its views on the measures to
be taken in view of the new powers on the EU institutions in their
monitoring of fundamental rights in the European Union under Article 7
Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, Vol. 22/1 (2004) 119
To continue reading
Request your trial