WRITTEN QUESTION E-0520/03

by Miet Smet (PPE-DE) to the Council

(24 February 2003)

Subject: Women's rights in Pakistan

In 2001 the European Union and Pakistan signed a cooperation agreement. Article 1 of that cooperation agreement contains a clause relating to respect for human rights and democratic principles.

In spite of the fact that Pakistan subscribes to these principles, the rights of women in Pakistan are not always respected. AFP, Reuters and the New York Times report that some Pakistani women have been the victims of blood feuds, including rape, burning, murder etc. Blood feuds can be decreed by local councils.

Has the EU yet reacted to these grave infringements of women's rights? If not, does it intend to do so?

Is there any provision for a mechanism to systematically monitor and enforce respect for women's rights in Pakistan? Is there provision for the possibility of suspending cooperation between Pakistan and the EU if women's rights, and human rights in general, are continually violated in Pakistan?

If the answer to the last two questions is no, will the EU make provision in future for such possibilities?

If there is provision for the monitoring and enforcement of respect for human rights and for the possible suspension of cooperation between Pakistan and the EU, does this apply to all the countries which have signed a similar agreement (i.e. a third generation agreement containing explicit references to human rights) with the EU?

Reply

(22 July 2003)

1. The Council recalls that the EU, in all dialogue meetings with Pakistan, underlines the importance it attaches to respect for human rights, including the rights of women: it will continue to do so on every possible occasion. The EU Heads of mission in Islamabad follow developments in human rights very closely and raise individual cases in the course of their regular contacts with the authorities.

2. The EU has included human rights as an essential element in trade and cooperation agreements with third countries since 1995. Such clauses stipulate that respect for fundamental human rights and democratic principles underpins the internal and external policies of the Parties and constitutes an essential element of the agreement. In the event of a breach, the agreement may be suspended. Before 1995 respect for human rights was often mentioned explicitly for instance in the preamble of agreements.

3. As of today, no agreement containing a human rights essential element clause has been suspended. However, where the EU considered that a partner country had violated the essential elements of the agreement, certain provisions of the agreement have been suspended. This was for instance the case for the financial provisions under the Cotonou Agreement with regard to Zimbabwe (2002), Comoros (2000), Cote d'Ivoire (2000), Fiji (2000), Haiti (2000) and Liberia (2001). In other cases, the signing of cooperation agreements was delayed because of human rights concerns, for instance with Croatia (1995), Pakistan (1999), Algeria (1998) and Russia (1995).

4. The emphasis lies on promoting dialogue and positive measures rather than punitive action. The EU takes every opportunity to urge States to respect human rights and to promote their protection, and to remind partner countries of commitments arising from agreements containing a human rights essential element clause.

5. The Draft Co-operation Agreement between the EC and Pakistan on Partnership and Development which is currently under consideration by the European Parliament follows the same lines described above.