Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-12-15-Speech-3-529"
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"en.20101215.27.3-529"2
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"Madam President, I should like to thank everyone for all the contributions to this debate, which I found extremely useful.
Colleagues have also mentioned the need to address the rights of women, of children and of lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual people. I read into all that was said, about the different people and the different countries, the fundamental point about human rights, which is this: for them to apply to you, you simply need to be human and here. Those are the criteria for human rights and that is, again, how we will approach this within the External Action Service. They belong to everybody.
The third thing I wanted to say was just a bit about some of the things we are beginning to see happen and in which we are playing a part. This is particularly true on some of the work that we are doing internationally. The International Criminal Court this year saw four countries recognise and ratify the statute. That is very important because we played a part: I personally wrote to the ministers in every country that had not yet ratified, asking them to do so. These were countries which responded directly to us and which have ratified.
Equally, I would mention the importance, in the UN General Assembly Committee, of trying to extend support for the moratorium on the death penalty. I think this is a core and fundamental part of the work that we should do. It is universal, it is something we all believe in, and it is the way forward that we should be practical in what we do.
So three areas: firstly, making sure the structures are right and the people know and understand the core work they need to do; secondly, ensuring that we cover everyone in the work we do on human rights; and thirdly, ways in which we can make a difference.
The final point I want to make is how I think that, more than anything, we have to look, within the review, for practical and innovative ways of getting our messages across. I want us to be really creative in working with people on the ground in different countries where we meet human rights defenders – and I do wherever I go. I want us to be innovative and creative in finding new ways of raising these issues of human rights, new ways beyond what is so important in any event: the statements that I make, the statements that we make as 27 Member States and the statements that we make as the institutions of the European Union. It is about finding ways in which we can do as much as possible to address the concerns. It is about individuals, organisations and the collective will to be able to make a real difference.
Can I just say that I am on the Council side now but I was on the Commission side earlier today? I move between the two, and we do keep a record to make sure that I move between the two, so you must just catch me when I am here.
Again, I would like to thank Ms Andrikienė very very much for the work that she has done, and congratulate her on the report, which has been extremely helpful.
I am going to respond on three particular areas. I will begin with the issue which Ms Hautala raised right at the end and which a number of colleagues have mentioned.
Let me start by being absolutely clear: I talk about mainstreaming because I have seen, too often in my life, human rights relegated to the corner of an organisation and done as an afterthought in a way that is not going to make any kind of difference. I am not suggesting that is what the EU has done before. I am suggesting that I am determined to make sure it cannot happen again. As you will see in the structure when we finalise it, and we have not yet done so – human rights will be fully recognised in the structure and we are going to make sure we have the expertise that colleagues here have asked for within the structure. But I do not want it to sit in a corner. I want it to be part of everything that we do: a silver thread, not a filigree thread, a silver thread that is strong but that shines and is there for everyone to witness. That is what I want to achieve in my time in office and I feel 100% committed to trying to achieve that.
It will take time and there will be things we cannot do as well as I would wish, but we will absolutely do our best. It matters to me, however, that this Parliament understands what I am trying to do and that I am trying to make sure that it is everybody’s responsibility. Yes, it should be monitored; yes, we need expertise; but it is not down to just a few people within the EAS. It is the responsibility of everybody. That is the first thing to say. The second thing is that you will see the structures very soon, and it is in there. It is there for you all to witness as part of what we will be doing.
On the working group chairs, we are going to put forward our proposals for appointments. I will be appointing the working group chair who will be responsible for human rights, and that will enable them to pick up the point that was made about whether capitals should have people gathered from the capitals or whether it should be based in Brussels. We will pick that point up in that conversation.
Finally on structures: we have already done the training programme for new heads of delegations, and one session was about human rights. They are very clear about their responsibilities and about my and your expectations in that regard. So please accept that it is part – and a fundamental core – of the structure, but I will be determined to make it everybody’s responsibility.
The second point was about the breadth of the issues. I recognise what a number of people have said about religious faith and I accept that this is an important issue. It was, in fact, part of our discussions at the Foreign Affairs Council this week as well."@en1
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