Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-05-17-Speech-3-177"
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"en.20060517.19.3-177"2
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".
Mr President, I very much welcome this opportunity for a human rights debate. I thank Mr Howitt for his excellent report. I also welcome the comprehensive analysis of action. As the President said, both the Commission and the Council have to work very closely together in order to have a comprehensive human rights policy. Let me make a few comments and raise a few issues.
First, I acknowledge the strong support of Parliament for the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, and its continued interest. I assure you that all the elements that contribute to the success of this initiative will be maintained for the period 2007 to 2013, for instance independence from government approval and support for civil society organisations. I share the concern to make our actions in the area more flexible and in tune with the needs of the grassroots organisations. This year we are already trying out concrete improvements in our procedures, notably in the calls for proposals. We also need to better adapt the programme to the sensitive situations and restrictions often faced by civil society organisations. I will certainly continue to rely on your support to carry through those changes.
Secondly, I am grateful for the recognition of the effectiveness of the EU election-monitoring activities. They clearly demonstrate the commitment of the European Union to the democratic process and the sustainable resolution of conflicts. That is clearly reflected in the significant increase in the number of observation missions over the last two years, particularly in post-conflict and transition situations. The professional and independent approach of EU electoral observers is highly regarded and enjoys credibility and leverage. I am sensitive to the need to ensure that any further increase in that area does not squeeze resources from other priorities and I can assure you that I will do my best in that regard.
Thirdly, I welcome your positive comments on the human rights work of the EU in multilateral fora. Great efforts go into consolidating EU positions in such fora, which are often instrumental in achieving progress. As the President has already said, that leadership role of the European Union was clearly visible in the negotiations establishing the Human Rights Council. I should like to pay tribute to the Austrian Presidency, which capably steered through somewhat difficult waters.
Now that elections to the Council have taken place, the real work of this new body at the helm of the international and human rights system begins. I am confident that it will prove more efficient than the old Commission on Human Rights.
Fourthly, I should like to pay tribute to the work leading to the report on gender equality and women’s rights. The mainstreaming of women’s as well as children’s rights remains a priority for this Commission and for me personally. The ongoing work on a comprehensive communication on children’s rights encompassing the internal, as well as the external, affairs of EU action is testimony to that.
I welcome the recommendations made by the rapporteur on the format of this and future reports. I hope that it will be possible to make the 2006 EU Human Rights Report a truly interinstitutional report. In that respect, my services have already suggested to the Member States that, as suggested by Parliament, the 2006 report should include a section on human rights guidelines, more emphasis on the use and impact of human rights clauses, and it should also aim to cover the activities of all three institutions – the Council, the Commission and Parliament.
That should not in any way be interpreted as impinging on the prerogatives of Parliament to scrutinise the work of the Council and Commission. But there will be space and need for a separate report by Parliament on the European Union’s human rights policy.
I agree with Mr Howitt that a reinforced effort should be made by the European Union as a whole to address human rights concerns more systematically and to mainstream human rights considerations in EU policies. In that task, cooperation between Parliament, the Council and the Commission is crucial. You can be sure that we are a partner in it."@en1
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