Labour MEP calls for effective human rights clause

Labour MEP John Attard Montalto yesterday called on European institutions and member states to grant more power to the Commission in order to take effective measures against third countries violating fundamental human rights.

Dr Attard Montalto was speaking during a debate on an own-initiative report by Italian MEP Vittorio Agnoletto on a human rights and democracy clause in EU agreements.

This clause, featuring in many agreements between the EU and non-EU countries, is intended to make it possible for the EU to drop an agreement if the other country is found to be abusing human rights.

Dr Attard Montalto, who is also a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee piloting this report, told MEPs that human rights are universal and not delineated by geographical borders. While on the one hand MEPs criticise EU institutions for not being aggressive enough when human rights are violated, on the other hand the institutions are not given the right tools to deal with the issue.

"I believe we have to provide a variety of tools so that when negotiating, EU institutions are able to resort to the best possible model relating to the case at issue," he said.

The report by Mr Agnoletto notes that many EU sectoral agreements, such as those on textiles, agriculture and fisheries, as well as agreements with developed countries, still lack the human rights clause.

The Foreign Affairs Committee, which had already debated the draft report, warned that Parliament is no longer prepared to give its assent to new agreements that do not contain a human rights and democracy clause.

The report pointed out that, on many occasions, the EU had not been able to respond adequately to serious and persistent violations of human rights and democratic principles. The report concluded that the EU must draw up new procedures and new criteria for applying the human rights and democracy clause, which must apply without discrimination between states.