kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
a particular concern is the dramatically increasing number of death penalty cases more than one hundred so far this year as we discussed in our previous debate and the repression of those exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly. we feel the council should address the situation in egypt in an appropriate manner taking into account the rapidly evolving situation in that country.
other key situations that need to be addressed by this session of the human rights council are belarus where we are deeply concerned at the number of political prisoners the democratic republic of congo where there are distressing reports of continuing human rights violations in particular widespread sexual violence as well as cte d'ivoire.
we will also table resolutions on burma myanmar and the democratic people's republic of korea.
we are seriously concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in iran.
for that reason the eu will work hard to strengthen the human rights council and especially its ability to address urgent situations.
but in the end these are only inputs.
the eu will present an initiative on freedom of religion or belief.
all that is proof that multilateral institutions can live up to their mandate and can act in what we call real time.
i am pleased that the international community sent a strong and united political signal regarding the ongoing human rights violations in libya.
i also emphasised that human rights are universal.
i think that ms pillay the un high commissioner for human rights whom i met in geneva is giving exactly the right direction politically in order to make a difference on the ground.
as honourable members may know i addressed the council last week together with many foreign ministers from across the world.
how in the name of god could we vote down something like that?
i want to know from the high representative if you are you going to raise this issue with the un?
six million jews were murdered in the second world war here in europe.
this is not to do with abortion because a woman's life is in danger or because she is in danger of having a back street abortion.
mr president i welcome the opportunity to participate in this debate and can i say at the outset that i appreciate the briefing arranged by the high representative yesterday on the issues surrounding libya.
when is political correctness going to be overcome so that we can have respectful debates here so that we do not turn our heads the other way as happened in the first half of the last century so that we raise these issues so that we ask why this is?
that is what this european union is supposed to be about unity in diversity.
i have not heard anybody from the socialist or liberal side raise in this house the issue of gender based abortion.
it is a shameful occurrence on the record of this house for those people who did it.
not only did they not raise it they voted down a resolution put to this house not to fund infanticide or coercive abortion.
it is more than i received from her in relation to my view. we have to have respectful debate in this house where people hear each other's views and then we come to conclusions.
i reflect on the fact that it is two years since the publication of ms andrikien's report on the development of the un human rights council including the role of the eu and on the resolutions that have been passed since that report was produced.
it is certainly not quite where we would have wished it to be but now that we have seen the transfer to new york of some of the discussions we can continue to work there as well.
life. i think that is probably
my team has just been meeting with a group of meps to talk further about what more we should do on this.
human. there are no other criteria that should
us. i hope that we will be able to move forward on that over the coming weeks and months.
my general point is that we believe in the right of freedom of religion and belief whatever that religion or belief might be in that context.
we do indeed hence i know about the weekly reports.
however the honourable gentleman is completely right that the significant part of this is to make sure that people's rights are not violated and that we ensure humanitarian support is given.
very finally i have not made any decision about opening a delegation in
we need to build alliances on human rights and to have the opportunity to talk with partners across the world where we can make common cause on some of the most important issues that concern
to those honourable members who specifically talked about freedom of religion and belief let me first of all say that i do indeed talk about the terrible tragedies for christian communities anywhere in the world where these terrible tragedies occur.
if i might just finish with this i was very taken by what mr salavrakos said when he said that human rights is a way of
in my conversations on this i am also clear on the need to think better and more creatively about how we operate in geneva.
it is important that we continue to make those statements as clearly as possible when you see terrorism or attacks on any religions including christianity.
right. i describe it as being this simple for human rights to apply to you you simply have to be here and
i think we have all been pushing hard with the review to try to make that review as strong as possible.
this really is an area of work where parliamentarians working with us can make a significant difference.
we give eur. one two billion to the rebuilding of iraq and yet every time we pass a resolution in this house every time we pass a written declaration with a big majority we are simply ignored by the iraqi government and by their iranian cohorts. they are psychologically torturing the people in camp ashraf with two hundred and ten loudspeakers blaring propaganda and threats at a high decibel level day and night for the last year. they are prohibiting access to medicines and the hospital for injured people and people dying of cancer.
i am disappointed that the outcome document for the working group on the review omits any independent trigger for special sessions that there is no requirement for member countries to justify failure to respond to recommendations and that there is no provision at all for addressing specific country situations.
in conclusion i believe that libya's suspension from the human rights council creates a historic precedent for respect for human rights in the un system which in these dark days shines a light on the silver thread.
firstly given what she said about the democratic republic of the congo will europeans support the appointment of a special mandate holder for that country? secondly does she accept that at some stage a judgment has to be made as to whether the palestinian and israeli investigations in relation to the goldstone report meet international standards with a deliberation on the possible referral to the international criminal court if they do not?
to show in this debate that the high representative does answer questions can i ask her three in particular?
thirdly will the eu lodge an objection to pakistan's reservation on article forty the obligation to report of the international covenant of civil and political rights?
our parliament will be present at a crucial time for the review of the human rights council as the global fulcrum for respect of human rights the universal periodic review of all un members the independence of its experts or so called special procedures and the enhanced role for civil society participation. they are key characteristics of the council that we should work to protect at all costs.
last but not least i would like to welcome the establishment of the directorate for human rights and democracy in the eeas system.
it is important that the eu member states and the european external action service actively engage in the two thousand and eleven review of the council to strengthen compliance with its mandate.
the establishment of the external action service also provides us with a unique opportunity to streamline our action on the protection of human rights in the united nations human rights council. i therefore want to encourage the high representative to make sure that european efforts in the human rights council are well coordinated and that eu member states belonging to this body are united and effective as never before.
it must also be willing to listen and able to compromise.
but at least the independence of the human rights commissioner and of the special procedure was not damaged so this is already an achievement under the present conditions.
they can show that different regional groups can come together and they can show that the council does not need to be divided.
this time is significant for another reason. a first comprehensive review of the working methods of the council has come to a conclusion and like my colleagues i feel disappointed by the fact that the council failed to appreciate the importance of the review.
it needs increased resources and its work must be integrated into all fields of eu foreign policy.
so to my last point the eu's performance. after the creation of the human rights and democracy directorate at the european external action service the eu delegation in geneva will have a central role to play in eu human rights policy in the world.
today there is no longer a reason why action on iran north korea the democratic republic of congo burma and sudan could not be next in line.
the eu prepared itself well but failed to win the support of others.
in any future discussions of the council's work the european union must be able to build alliances and to reach across to other partners.
i think we had a very welcome participation by the high representative in the meeting some weeks ago.
i really do find it hard that parliament would vote down an amendment not to fund coercive abortion not to fund infanticide.
i personally have no difficulty with reproductive health support;
it is when it comes to the abortion area i have difficulty for very good reasons and i would be happy to debate them.
i am not something from the past.
support the cause of those people in the united kingdom who had relatives friends and loved ones blown up by semtex or killed by guns that were supplied by colonel gaddafi and his murderous regime in libya.
there are too many to mention but also horizontal themes such as lgbt rights free expression rape as a war crime and the role of human rights defenders.
in a sense the un human rights council is in a similar position to the eu and it has to act as a global player.
but both bodies suffer from the same problem a lack of credibility double standards at times and they are not able to act quickly enough.
the eu thus far has been unwilling to scrutinise its own human rights record sufficiently for example its participation in renditions and the lack of press freedom in some of our member states.
until last week libya was a member of the un human rights council.
everything we are doing as the european union aims at a peaceful and democratic solution to all these different layers of the crisis through credible and serious negotiations.
the future of venezuela should be determined by its people.
in several meetings with our venezuelan interlocutors we have discussed the need to respect democratic principles democratic institutions human rights and fundamental freedoms.
we see that the people of venezuela are suffering including the many european union citizens who are also venezuelan citizens. we have a stake in this.
two months later the council recognised the lack of progress in the national dialogue and the worrying deterioration of the political and social situation in the country.
we are exploring all possibilities to develop our support together with member states and also with other donors and partner agencies.
no artificial conditions should be imposed to limit the participation of political parties.
the recent decision of the government of venezuela to declare the spanish ambassador persona non grata is wrong and unacceptable first and foremost because closing diplomatic channels does not help at a time when it is more important than ever to keep them open and seek a solution. we expect the government of venezuela to show genuine engagement in the negotiations and openness to compromise.
these targeted restrictive measures do not harm the people of venezuela but are directed at seven individuals who are responsible for undermining democratic principles and the rule of law and for human rights violations. our measures are a signal to the authorities of venezuela an invitation to engage seriously towards a negotiated solution to the crisis and to reverse the moves that have called into question
diseases such as malaria and diphtheria that had disappeared are now spreading across the country.
it is a matter of political will.
this is what the country needs in order to address the current challenges.
more than one million people are currently food insecure and the percentage of children affected by global acute malnutrition has reached emergency levels.
we need to see progress in the negotiations.
it was with a heavy heart that member states decided to adopt targeted restrictive measures in the absence of concrete results and in view of the constant deterioration of the situation. it is the first time that we have imposed measures of this kind in a latin american context and the decision was not taken lightly as you can imagine.
we do not take sides in venezuela's domestic debate but we do ask for this debate to be democratic and inclusive in line with the constitution of the country.
one five million venezuelans have already left the country.
these comprised a ban on the export of arms and equipment for internal repression and a framework decision for a travel ban and assets freeze.
the lack of medicines is estimated at around ninety by the national chamber of pharmacists.
i believe progress is still possible.
both parties should agree on a mutually acceptable date for the presidential elections.
and there are no signs of recovery from the economic crisis.
it is in the hands of the parties. as i mentioned the government has a clear responsibility to show flexibility and to engage seriously in these negotiations and we hope to see real concrete encouraging steps.
it is also essential to set up guarantees to ensure free transparent and credible elections.
we continue to monitor events on the ground and we stand ready to take appropriate measures in one way or another if the situation in the country evolves with the constant aim of supporting democratic and negotiated solutions.
everything we do is to encourage and support the country to come out of this political economic and social crisis.
as a consequence the council adopted a list of seven individuals subject to these measures.
the reports we are receiving from the united nations agencies are extremely worrying.
let me stress once again that we will adapt our policies to any change in the situation in venezuela in one sense or the other.
second call for an immediate end to us imposed financial sanctions since starving the venezuelan economy of its foreign currency earnings risks turning the country's current humanitarian crisis into a fullblown humanitarian catastrophe;
the one and only way to overcome the deep polarisation of venezuelan society is renouncing violence in favour of negotiations towards an agreement.
and third urge the representatives of the opposition to return to talks with the government in a joint effort to reach agreement on the upcoming presidential elections.
mr president the eu must put its full support behind reaching an agreement at the talks between the venezuelan government and the opposition being hosted by the president of the dominican republic. to that end first the eu must reject in unequivocal terms the totally inadmissible threats by the us president and his administration to launch a military intervention against venezuela;
malaria diphtheria and starvation in a nation with venezuela's resources or frankly in any nation this should not be.
and from a crumbling economy and from political idealism failing as so often in history flow human rights abuses.
i say this with a deep respect for the institutional and political internal dynamics but still recognising that what is happening there is not happening behind closed doors and concerns the international community.
this concerns the european union and this concerns many european union citizens.
so it is in our interest for a solution to be found. that can only be a political negotiated solution in a peaceful and constitutional outcome of the crisis.
i mention that a peaceful and constitutional outcome of the crisis is a key element because there could be a different outcome.
a different trend in the fleeing of venezuelans to neighbouring countries.
that as many of you recalled might have a destabilising effect for different political situations in different countries that are also close to our hearts.
let me stress one thing and i will close with this because i know we are running late the unity of the european union and its member states is remarkable on this issue maybe more than it is in this chamber.
but let me say the work we have done both in venezuela and in brussels has shown unity of purpose unity of action and coordinated efforts.
i would like to thank the member states for this because this is what makes the difference when it comes to playing a role and making a difference again with respect with no interference.
venezuela is a sovereign country but when there is a political crisis when there is a social crisis when there is an economic crisis when there is a humanitarian crisis and also european interest and regional dynamics are at stake we have a duty to support a positive outcome to the ongoing efforts.
a solution is possible we are not seeing this now but i believe that it is our duty to invest in this possibility.
at the same time greater transparency and comparability of offered prices and services to consumers should be ensured.
the second is financial markets and the third is local transport.
the idea of a charter that would create a single piece of legislation covering consumer rights that are currently included in a number of european directives and numerous national implementation instruments was rejected for legal reasons.
the energy consumer rights that are in the existing european legislation are already legally binding.
two thousand and seven the results of the consultation showed that there was little knowledge of existing energy consumer rights.
a very clear message should go out that this is extortionist.
as stated it is up to the national authorities to enforce the relevant law and however critical we might be vis vis our european institutions i think that we need also to bear in mind that we are acting under the principle of subsidiarity and
two thousand and nine energy regulators and industry will report on the implementation of the billing recommendations in the next forum which is expected to be in the autumn of.
market to the benefit of individual consumers. the forum involving the representatives of consumers industry national energy regulators and national administrations seeks to improve implementation of energy legislation and may develop elements for codes of conduct with self regulating and even quasi binding effects
in this context a working group on billing was established at the first meeting of the forum in.
two thousand and eight the working group's recommendations are examples of good billing practice and were presented and endorsed at the second meeting of the forum in.
internal energy market package the importance of the citizen in the internal energy market has been elevated considerably. the new measures are intended to improve the operation of the retail energy market and provide additional consumer protection. these topics are discussed and followed up at the citizens' energy forum established with the aim of improving the functioning of the retail
the harmonisation of the competences of energy regulators in relation to consumer protection which will result in active market monitoring will further enhance their protection.
the commission is currently carrying out research and fact finding on information to consumers at the point of sale and it intends to consult retail experts consumer organisations and other stakeholders on the ground before proposing concrete measures.
moreover the commission conducts information campaigns in member states who newly joined the eu to raise awareness of consumer rights and promote national organisations and institutions where consumers can find further help and assistance.
the commission promotes awareness of consumer rights through various instruments.
in all member states there are institutions and organisations that have the task of promoting knowledge and understanding of consumer rights for their citizens.
the centres' websites leaflets and brochures explain to consumers what their rights are for example when shopping online renting a car or booking holidays in another member state.
i could of course provide you with the website.
an overview of these national institutions and organisations is available on the website.
we sponsor an eu wide network of consumer centres that provides consumers with information on their rights when shopping across borders and supports them with seeking redress when something goes wrong.
the commission also promotes knowledge of rights through its consumer education initiatives such as the europe diary' that targets students aged between fifteen and eighteen and dolceta a website targeting adults and teachers.
this directive if adopted will reduce the current fragmentation of the consumer acquis and ensure that all consumers in the eu will benefit from a single simple set of consumer rights and this would make it easier to conduct pan european education campaigns on consumer rights.
the aim of the regulation is precisely to ensure that nutrition and health claims made on foods are truthful clear and based on generally accepted scientific evidence so that the consumer is adequately protected.
and thirdly the member states which give their opinion on the measures in the regulatory committee.
i must say we were amazed by the number of applications received.
i look at my electricity bill i look at it with interest because i want to make these savings and frankly i find it confusing.
please take this back to the commission and think again.
i wonder therefore if the commissioner would agree with me that under the provisions of the services directive for the cross border supply of services member states are explicitly encouraged to promote proper codes of conduct for cross border service supply.
this seems to be exactly the sort of area where we should be encouraging member states perhaps facilitated by the commission to get the car rental operators together to produce a code of conduct that reputable operators would have to sign up to which would cover the issues that my colleagues are talking about plus other serious consumer issues as well.
this is part of education and as we know education is very much in the hands of member states.
i am very eager to continue in the european commission together with parliament to benchmark and measure how consumers are treated and how much member states invest in this policy. i think it is a very good investment especially now in difficult economic times to see how consumers are treated because this gives good information about the market.
the commission is well aware of this practice by car hire companies and has responded to a number of other parliamentary questions and citizens' complaints about it.
on the other hand these practices could be contrary to the unfair commercial practices directive and the unfair contract terms directive.
first of all under the unfair contract terms directive standard terms and conditions must not be significantly unbalanced to the detriment of consumers. moreover contract terms should be drafted in plain and intelligible language.
it may be argued that a clause resulting in consumers paying in practice for something they have not consumed is unfair.