Today the European Parliament has approved its annual report on the "situation of human rights in the EU - effective implementation after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty". Renate WEBER (PNL, Romania), ALDE-coordinator in the LIBE committee and ALDE shadow on the report, stated:

"ALDE warmly welcomes the adoption of the report which includes most of our amendments, notably on the need to strengthen fundamental rights and freedoms in the EU and its Member States, as well as for appropriate and innovative mechanisms to prevent, stop and sanction fundamental rights violations."

"ALDE contributed to ensure that the report covers the fight against all forms of discrimination, notably for Roma and LGBT people, the full application of the right to freedom of movement, the right to fair trial and procedural rights, freedom of the press and of the media, as well as the need to overcome the lack of follow up by Council and Commission to the EP report on CIA extraordinary renditions and secret prisons which should now be updated."
 
"From an inter-institutional perspective, ALDE called for the strengthening of the human rights impact assessment of all EU proposals and measures, for enhanced early detection and monitoring, evaluation and sanctioning by EU institutions of breaches of human rights in the EU (including on the basis of articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty) and for the strengthening of the Fundamental Rights Agency."

"ALDE is particularly satisfied by the inclusion in the report of its main proposal on the creation of a "freezing procedure", whereby when Member States' risk contravening EU law and values, the measures should be temporarily frozen until EU institutions can determine their conformity with EU law and fundamental rights. Sanctions can also be imposed if the measures are implemented contrary to EU law. Such a procedure is extremely urgent, as we have learnt from the recent expulsions of Roma, to ensure that violations of fundamental rights and of EU law are not condoned and individual rights are concretely respected" she concluded.

For more information, please contact:
Corlett Neil - Tel: +32 2 284 20 77 Mob: +32 478 78 22 84
Terzi Federica - Tel: +32 2 283 23 24
Web: http://www.alde.eu