Too many violations of fundamental rights in the EU, MEPs say

By adopting the report drafted by Giusto Catania (GUE/NGL, IT) by 401 votes in favour, 220 against and 67 abstentions, MEPs address fundamental rights in its various aspects, voicing recommendations on a broad range of issues like discrimination, immigration, social rights or gender equality.

 

 

MEPs point out that over these last few years, the fight against terrorism has often served to diminish the level of protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, notably the right to privacy, data protection and freedom from discrimination. They call on the EU and Member States to ensure full compliance with international standards in this matter.

 

 

Concerning Parliament's report on CIA activities in the EU adopted in February 2007, MEPs stress that their recommendations have not been followed so far by Member States and EU institutions. However, they welcome the statement by US President-Elect Barack Obama on closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and bringing the inmates to trial and call on Member States to declare their readiness to jointly find solutions for remaining inmates.

 

 

Members also ask to raise public awareness about the right for women to fully enjoy their sexual and reproductive rights. They ask for the facilitation of access to contraception, and to combat the practice of women genital mutilation.

 

 

The EP asks Member States to introduce legislation on living wills to ensure that, as stated by the Oviedo convention, "the previously expressed wishes relating to a medical intervention by a patient who is not, at the time of the intervention, in a state to express his or her wishes shall be taken into account".

 

 

MEPs point to the "segregation" faced by Roma people in Member States and the "widespread anti-Roma sentiments" leading to "frequent denial of their rights by public authorities and their political under-representation". Moreover, they suffer "discrimination by the police (...) inter alia by taking fingerprints or other forms of data collection", MEPs say. They call on the Member States to "take measures to put an end to the practice of unofficial marriage of minors, often at a very young age".

 

 

The House calls on Member States to take legislative action to overcome discrimination experienced by same-sex couples by recognising such relationships. Member States with legislation on same-sex partnerships are invited to recognise provisions with similar effects adopted by others.

 

 

"Rather than focusing all their efforts on preventing illegal immigration", which led to "deploying a growing range of frontier checks" MEPs say, EU institutions and Member States should introduce "effective, long term and legal migration policies" and "more flexible and coordinated rules" for asylum seekers. The Parliament also condemns "the lack of effective integration policies", causing "the exclusion of hundreds of thousands of non-nationals", putting them "in a vulnerable position, opening the way to radicalisation, trafficking and other forms of exploitation".

 

 

The European Parliament wants to promote regional or minority languages, as "the right to speak and to be educated in one's mother tongue is one of the most basic fundamental rights", MEPs say.