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The EU’s economic size, including its role as the world’s biggest aid donor,
means that the EU has considerable influence to encourage respect for and
implementation of human rights and democracy standards. The EU already
has a wide range of mechanisms at its disposal to promote human rights,
including more than 40 human rights dialogues with third countries; human
rights clauses in political and economic agreements with third countries;
sanctions; and project funding and development aid. With the entry into force
of the Treaty of Lisbon in December 2009, the EU has a range of new
structures through which it can pursue its human rights objectives. The High
Representative has also spoken forcefully of the EU’s commitment to
promoting human rights and democracy in its external action.
EU member states have agreed eight sets of common human rights policies
which provide the framework or principles for lobbying and other activity by
the External Action Service and member states. These policies cover the
death penalty; torture; human rights defenders; human rights dialogues with
third countries; children’s rights; violence against women; children in armed
conflict; and international humanitarian law. Although these are not legally
binding they express the EU’s political commitment to carry out systemic and
sustained action in these specific areas. They also serve as a framework for
protecting and promoting human rights in third countries. Under this
framework, the EU has frequently spoken out on particular cases or areas of
concern and has also lobbied many governments on their human rights
records and on individual cases. Under the guidelines, the EU convened talks
with a wide range of third countries in 2010, including Tajikistan, Georgia,
Colombia, Russia and the US.
The EU has been active in highlighting Iran’s human rights record in 2010. It
has focused particularly on death penalty including the threatened execution
of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who was originally sentenced to death by
stoning for adultery. In July, the High Representative publicly condemned
executions in Iran, including the sentence of Ms Ashtiani. At the end of 2010
Ms Ashtiani still faced the possibility of execution on charges of murder. The
EU will continue to monitor closely and lobby on her case. The EU also co-
sponsored the Iran human rights resolution at the UN General Assembly
which passed with the biggest margin for eight years, with a wide range of
countries in support.
With support from several other member states, we also took a leading role in
pushing for the EU to improve its work on lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) rights. Working closely with other member states and
NGOs, we helped the Spanish presidency develop an LGBT “toolkit”, loosely
based on our own FCO toolkit. The EU LGBT toolkit, adopted by EU
ministers, gives practical guidance to EU diplomats in third countries on
working with international and civil society organisations and local
governments to promote and protect LGBT rights. The European Council
also agreed conclusions on child labour and on democracy in 2010, helping to
promote awareness and action on these important issues.
EU enlargement
The European Union is founded upon the values of “respect for human
dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human
rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.” It also
stipulates that any European state that respects and is committed to
promoting these values may apply to become a member of the EU. EU
enlargement is therefore a powerful mechanism for helping to improve human
rights records in countries wishing to join the EU.
Despite the adoption of a human rights strategy and action plan in 2009,
Kosovo made limited overall progress during 2010. However, progress was
made on the return and re-integration of minority communities in Kosovo, a
subject on which we worked closely with the government of Kosovo. April
saw the completion of a UK-funded project, managed and implemented by the
UN Development Programme, which enabled nine Kosovo-Serb families to
return to the village of Softaj/Softovic. We also funded an income generation
project for returnees from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities and
supported the strengthening of the rule of law in Kosovo through the
secondment of expert staff to the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo
(EULEX), including two judges, three prosecutors and the head of the
organised crime unit.
Turkey has made progress in certain areas of human rights, but there is more
work to be done before it meets EU standards, particularly on freedom of
expression and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities. We support
Turkey’s efforts to address these issues and in 2010 we agreed to fund the
largest ever number of human rights projects across the widest ever range of
issues in Turkey, including on LGBT, children, women and disability, and
helping refugees and asylum seekers better understand their rights and
access legal remedies. The year 2011 promises to be an important year for
Turkey. Several key pieces of legislation have been drafted and will pass
through the Turkish parliament, including on anti-discrimination, data
protection and human rights. There is a parliamentary election in June, and
should the current government retain power it has announced it will draft a
new constitution. This would give renewed impetus to Turkey’s reform
programme. We will continue to encourage the government of Turkey to
make progress towards EU standards.
Each year, the EU and partner countries agree action plans which detail
reforms in democratisation, human rights and the rule of law. Progress under
each action plan is monitored through sub-committees. Progress reports are
published annually.
The second round of the EU–Armenia human rights dialogue took place on 7
December. This provided an opportunity for the EU to reiterate to Armenia
the importance of human rights as an essential element for Armenia’s
development into a fully democratic society.
In March, the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
issued its report on the conduct of the trials that took place in the aftermath of
the March 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan. The report revealed
shortcomings in Armenia's justice system and made a number of
recommendations. It is important that the Armenian government implements
these recommendations as part of its judicial reform programme.
Although Armenia has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women and its principles are addressed in the
constitution, women continue to suffer significant discrimination in economic
and political life. On 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of
Violence against Women, the EU announced the launch of 10 new human
rights and democracy projects including one that aims to reduce gender-
based domestic violence in Armenia.
We are working closely with the High Representative and EU partners to put
together a plan for long-term economic and institutional assistance to assist
Egypt’s orderly and peaceful transition to a civilian-led democratic
government, through free and fair elections.
Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations provide the EU and its member states with
a strong lever to promote reform, including in the field of human rights. A key
area of support has been in the justice sector, with a focus on the rule of law
and criminal justice reform. Other areas of EU activity include work to
promote media independence, electoral reform and participative democracy.
An EU–Georgia human rights dialogue takes place bi-annually, providing a
forum to discuss trends and individual cases. But whilst some progress has
been made, there were continuing concerns over media freedom, electoral
reform, judicial independence, religious freedoms, prison conditions, and the
rights of internally displaced persons and minorities.