EU: The newly elected European Parliament must act to strengthen human rights and the rule of law

Jul 22, 2024 | Advocacy, News, Open letters

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the other 67 members of the Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN) address the newly elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) with an urgent call to prioritise the promotion and protection of human rights.

The new legislature takes office at a time of growing global instability and attacks on the international rules-based order, including human rights institutions.

“The European Parliament is a crucial EU institution for the protection and promotion of human rights and the rule of law”, said Karolína Babická, ICJ Europe Programme’s Senior Legal Adviser. “The new MEPs have an important task to push for the protection of rights and ensure that a well-functioning institutional framework is maintained and enhanced.

The European Union must take decisive action to counter the anti-rights agenda and reinforce human rights protections domestically and internationally.

Abuse of the unanimity rule and growing divisions among EU member states often prevent or slow the adoption of swift and effective measures to address human rights and international law violations. The abuse of EU procedures and divisions also undermine the EU’s efforts to tackle the climate crisis and address the challenges posed by new technologies. Perceptions of ineffectual policymaking and double standards risk undermining the EU’s credibility with European citizens, international fora, and other regions.

Given these challenges, the ICJ and other HRDN members recommend the following steps to strengthen human rights and the rule of law over the next five years of the European Parliament’s tenure:

  • Unequivocally commit to strongly support human rights, international humanitarian law (IHL), international justice mechanisms, humanitarian principles, civic space, the rule of law and independent international institutions in all circumstances;
  • Engage actively in and promote the work of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), the Human Rights Subcommittee (DROI), and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM);
  • Mainstream human rights throughout all committees and delegations by inviting and facilitating the participation of human rights experts, defenders, and international institutions in all appropriate areas of legislation;
  • Scrutinize EU funding to ensure adequate support for human rights and democracy-related programs and mandate the inclusion of sufficient safeguards to prevent and address human rights concerns, including for migration-related arrangements;
  • Make hearings more interactive to ensure more effective parliamentary scrutiny of the other EU institutions;
  • Continue to adopt strong urgency and other resolutions denouncing human rights abuses inside and outside the EU;
  • Support the work and role of civil society organizations, and fight against the spread of repressive legislation and undue restrictions on civil society within and outside the EU;
  • Bolster action to ensure that human rights, equality and the rule of law are upheld within the EU.

Read the full letter here: HRDN Letter to Members of the European Parliament – 2024-2029 Legislature — Human Rights Democracy Network.

Translate »