Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-11-14-Speech-2-033"
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"en.20001114.2.2-033"2
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"Mr President, colleagues who have argued this morning that this Charter does not reflect this or that right strongly enough or indeed at all, or say that it is not Christian Democratic enough or Socialist enough, or Green enough, seem to have missed the whole point of the Charter. This is a Charter that brings together rights that belong to no party and to every party. It is a fusion of existing European values in a contemporary and imaginative way. All sections of the House who are interested in the development of the European Union should welcome that.
As the Commission says in its excellent communication, and as Mr Moscovici has reminded us this morning, this Charter is unique because it brings together civil, political, economic and social rights in a way that is not contained in any other human rights or fundamental rights charter that exists in the world. It is also, the Commission points out, contemporary because it deals with issues such as bioethics, genetic engineering and data protection as well as access to information. So it is a good step in the right direction. The convention and its chairman, Mr Méndez de Vigo should be congratulated for it.
The big question that now divides us is what this Charter is for. For me it has three purposes. Firstly, to say to the citizens: Europe is not simply something that happens to you, it is a community that gives you rights, that gives you guarantees, that gives you protection in certain circumstances. Secondly, to say to the institutions: you have a duty, that is expressed in this Charter, to deal with the citizens in a certain way. When you pass legislation, when you take administrative actions, when you draw up documents, you have to abide by the contents of this Charter. Thirdly, it says to both existing Member States and to applicant states that when you become a member of the Community you become a member of a community of values. There are certain conditions that you must maintain and attain to be or to remain a member of the European Union. That is a very clear message, not just to the applicant states but to the existing states. If you think of the fragile political situation in one or two of our Member States, that is an important message to be setting out at this time.
How will the Charter be used? I agree with colleagues who say the Court is not going to ignore a Charter that has been proclaimed solemnly by the three institutions: the Commission, the Council and Parliament. It is going to bear that Charter in mind when making judgments. That is to be welcomed, not feared as Mr Bonde seems to think. Mr Dupuis and even my own European minister have implied that this is a vacuous or empty document. I cannot accept this. This is a major step forward in the building of Europe. I welcome it.
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