WRITTEN QUESTION E-1080/04 by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission. Human rights defenders.
Date: 2004-04-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: human rights, human rights movement, the EU's international role

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/567

(2004/C 88 E/0578)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1080/04

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(6 April 2004)

Subject: Human rights defenders

The development of guidelines on human rights defenders is one of the stated priorities of the Irish EU
Presidency. While the EU has highlighted the importance of the protection of human rights defenders,
there is an absence of a specific EU policy that would serve to strengthen the EU’s support for human
rights defenders throughout the world.

formal proposals has the Commission received from the Council on this issue? Does the
What
the introduction of such guidelines is necessary in order to enhance the
Commission agree that
effectiveness of EU human rights policy? Will the Commission address the issue of human rights defenders
in its next communication on human rights and democratisation?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission welcomed and fully supports the initiative of the Irish Presidency to adopt EU Guidelines
in support of human rights defenders.

Although the Member States and the EU institutions have repeatedly paid tribute to the crucial role played
by human rights defenders, the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders will provide a consistent and
visible policy to support and protect human rights defenders in the framework of EU relations with third
countries and through Community and Member States’ assistance programmes.

The political prominence achieved by previous EU Guidelines aimed at the realisation of human rights
(such as those on the death penalty, torture and children in armed conflict) underlines the added-value of
adopting Guidelines at the EU level.

With regard to the question of the Honourable Member on whether the issue of human rights defenders
will be addressed in the next Communication on Human Rights and Democratisation, the Commission is
not at present considering a new Communication following its Communication of May 2001 on the ‘EU’s
role in promoting Human Rights and Democratisation in third countries’ (1).

(1) OJ C 227 E, 24.9.2002.

(2004/C 88 E/0579)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1092/04

by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(5 April 2004)

Subject: Caste discrimination

Caste based discrimination affects more than 260 million people worldwide. Caste communities live in
physical and social segregation, face gross injustice before the law and have limited access to land,
employment, education and health care. The UN Special Rapporteur on Racism stated in his follow-up to
the World Conference against Racism that this issue ‘should be given priority in the follow-up to the
Durban Conference, in the fight against all forms of discrimination and the promotion of human rights
worldwide.’

Recommendations for action to counter caste discrimination have been made at EU level mainly through
the European Parliament’s resolutions on human rights in the world and its recommendations to the UN
Commission on Human Rights sessions. In contrast,
it seems that no action has been taken by the
Commission or the Council to enhance the political and human rights dialogue with caste afflicted