The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the
own-initiative report drafted by José Ignacio SALAFRANCA
SÁNCHEZ-NEYRA (PPE, ES) containing a recommendation to the
Council on the EU Special Representative for Human
Rights.
Members recall that Article 21 of the Treaty on
European Union reaffirms the EU’s commitment to promoting
human rights and democracy in all its external actions while
guaranteeing coherence and consistency across these areas and
between its external action and its other policies and that Article
33 of the TEU provides the legal basis for the appointment of the
EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights.
Given that the European Parliament has repeatedly
called for the appointment of an EU Special Representative for
Human Rights (resolution of 16 December
2010 as well as its resolution of 18 April 2012),
Members address, once again, a recommendation on the same
issue.
They recall that the EUSR for HR should strengthen
the visibility and coherence of the EU’s Human Rights
Policy as a fundamental part of its Common Foreign and Security
Policy (CFSP) and contribute to raising the EU’s human rights
profile worldwide.
The committee addresses the following recommendations
to the Council:
Appointment and the role of the European Parliament in
this context
- the appointment of the first ever thematic EUSR should
enhance the visibility, effectiveness, coherence and
accountability of the EU’s human rights
policy;
- the European Parliament should play its appropriate
role in the appointment procedure and the oversight of the
mandate during its entire term, this is why an exchange of
views/hearing with the EUSR for HR nominated by the High
Representative should take place in the relevant committee of the
European Parliament.
Mandate
- the implementation of the mandate and its consistency
with other contributions from the Union in this domain should be
kept under regular review;
- the EUSR HR should work in close cooperation with the
Council Working Group on Human Rights (COHOM); the EUSR for HR
should be a high-level interlocutor for his/her counterparts in
third countries and at international organisations, also able
to engage with the UN (UNGA, UNHRC, etc.) as well as relevant
regional organisations (it should chair high-level human rights
dialogues and lead the consultations with third countries on human
rights issues);
- the EUSR should be granted a strong, independent
and flexible mandate not defined by narrow and specific
thematic responsibilities but rather allowing the EUSR to act
swiftly and effectively;
- the Special Representative should also address
different horizontal issues contributing to more effective and
coherent action in EU external policies;
- the scope of the EUSR’s mandate should be fully
in line with the principles of universality and indivisibility
of human rights and fundamental freedoms and cover the
strengthening of democracy, the rule of law and institution
building, international justice and international humanitarian
law;
- the mandate should include, inter alia, abolition
of the death penalty, human rights defenders, the fight against
impunity, the fight against torture, freedom of expression
(including on the internet), of association, of assembly, of
religion and of belief, minority rights, child protection,
women’s rights, peace and security, gender issues, and the
fight against discrimination in all its forms;
Necessary professional qualifications
- the EUSR for HR should have the necessary professional
qualifications, extensive experience and proven track record in the
field of human rights, as well as personal and professional
integrity and an international reputation;
- the Special Representative should be appointed for
2.5 years (renewable); the Parliament should be
properly consulted in a timely manner during the renewal
process;
- the EUSR for HR should work closely with the High
Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
and the President of the European Parliament to ensure coherence
and mainstreaming of human rights across all policy areas in the
work of all EU institutions; the EUSR should interact closely with
the EEAS Human Rights and Democracy Directorate and all the
multilateral EU delegations, as well as with all EU delegations in
the world.
Specific missions
- the EUSR for HR should regularly report to the
relevant committee of the European Parliament on the situation of
human rights in the world and the state of play of the
implementation of the mandate;
- the Special Representative should cooperate with
representatives of local, regional and national civil society,
NGOs, experts, and regional and international organisations acting
in the field of protection of human rights and
democracy.
Financial and human resources
- the EUSR for HR should be provided with adequate
financial and human resources and the budget should be reviewed
annually;
- the EUSR for HR should be responsible for constituting
a team, the team may include seconded staff from Member States and
EU institutions.
The draft recommendation calls for a reference to be
made to this recommendation adopted in plenary to be included in
the future mandate of the EUSR for HR.