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EU: Close human rights gaps in the Stockholm Programme
15/07/2009 14:44:24
EU: Close human rights gaps in the Stockholm Programme
As EU justice and home affairs ministers gather in Stockholm to start negotiations on a road map detailing continued EU cooperation in the areas of asylum and migration, criminal law and policing for the next five years, Amnesty International urges the EU to shape a visionary programme with strong human rights protection for all, that will address the human rights challenges facing the European Union of the future.
In a briefing sent to the ministers attending the meeting (briefing available here, letter available here), Amnesty International detailed its concerns on the communication from the European Commission which will serve as a basis for the discussions. The organization called on Member States to ensure that its human rights recommendations are taken on board before they adopt the final programme at the Summit in December.
“Despite the focus on the individual, the document currently on the table falls short of protecting the rights of people in Europe and instead concentrates on operational effectiveness and control measures” said Nicolas Beger, Director of Amnesty International's EU Office. “As it stands, it does not offer any progress in addressing persisting human rights problems within the EU” he added.
Amnesty International welcomes parts of the draft proposal but is, for example, concerned by the lack of attention devoted to international human rights law with regards to the fight against terrorism. This is particularly striking at a time when EU justice and home affairs ministers have succeeded in adopting a common framework for helping the US close Guantanamo, and are further seeking to adopt common principles with the US on how to fight terrorism in line with international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.
Amnesty International calls on the EU’s justice and home affairs ministers to aim for a programme that ensures that Member States implement their existing obligations under international human rights law. This would guarantee the highest possible standards for the protection of everyone’s human rights, including refugees and migrants, regardless of their legal status within the EU.
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