This month marked the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10th, 1948. EP News looks at Europe's role.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan described the original event as "the most beautiful chapter of the century". The 50th anniversary was recognised at this month's Vienna Summit of EU leaders as "a cornerstone in the edifice built after the second World War for the protection and promotion of human rights".
The beginning
The Declaration coincides with another anniversary, as this is the 10th year that Parliament has awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which honours outstanding achievements in the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Since 1948, human rights has become an increasingly important consideration in the minds of western politicians. In 1949, the Council of Europe was established, and this prompted the signing in 1950 of a Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Although it was less comprehensive than the UN's Declaration, the Convention was more ambitious, as it established machinery for enforcement and required signatory states to recognise that individuals had rights under international law.
The Convention was supplemented by the European Social Charter in 1965, which concentrates on economic and social rights. It went further in 1989, when it brought in the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The Treaty of Rome made little reference to human rights, but a significant step forward was taken in 1977 when the Presidents of Parliament, Commission and the Council signed a Declaration on Fundamental Rights which made reference to the Convention.
Obligation
The Declaration is now a commitment which must be accepted by all member States and applicant countries. This was reinforced in both the Single European Act and the Maastricht Treaty, which enshrined the EU's commitment to the principles of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and basic freedoms and the rule of law in the Treaty on European Union. This, in turn, was strengthened by the Amsterdam Treaty, which introduced a provision allowing for the suspension of a member state found guilty of a "serious and persistent" breach of human rights.
The European Parliament has been at the forefront of efforts to make human rights a central element in EU international and foreign relations. It has insisted on the insertion of a standard "human rights clause" in all new EU external agreements with third countries; this can lead to the suspension of the agreement in cases of gross human rights abuse.
Parliament leads
Parliament also broke new ground with the Fourth Lome Convention, which was signed in 1989 - the trade-and-aid agreement between the EU and 71 developing countries - by insisting on provisions for the suspension of aid in the case of human rights abuses. The fifth Lome Convention, to be signed in 2002, contains more specific provisions on human rights and on the suspension of aid agreements. The EU currently applies sanctions against such states as Nigeria, Sudan, Serbia and Equatorial Guinea for human rights abuses.
It has also set up a separate chapter in the EU budget - "The European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights". This has provided rehabilitation and support for victims of human rights abuses such as street children, women subjected to violence, torture victims and indigenous peoples. In 1995 Parliament reversed a Council proposal to halve EU expenditure on human rights and democracy.
Parliament also takes up individual cases, most notably on behalf of people who have been unjustly imprisoned. Cases are raised through Parliament resolutions, through parliamentary delegations, and by letters and direct interventions by individual members or political groups.
A significant number of people on whose behalf Parliament has campaigned has been released in recent years. They include the Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, a past winner of the Sakharov prize, and Sara Balagan, a 16-year-old Filipino maid.
MEPs also regularly raise the cases of prisoners on death row in the United States.
End execution
The current campaign for the UN to declare a moratorium on the death penalty had its roots in an initiative by Parliament some years ago. Most recently, its President, Jose Maria Gil-Robles, has called for a "Millennium Amnesty" - the release of political prisoners worldwide before the start of the year 2000.
With a view to the eventual enlargement of the EU there has been a strong focus on helping the former Iron Curtain countries of eastern and central Europe to rebuild their institutions, develop civil society and establish independent media and the rule of law. The role of the EU, and Parliament in particular, in fighting for human rights is becoming increasingly significant. This is in line with the raised profile of the issue which has received such a boost with the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration. Nevertheless, in the words of an article in the French newspaper Le Soir earlier this month: "The fight is not over; the candles must keep burning."