08/12/2014 Political Affairs and Democracy
In a draft resolution adopted today in Paris, the PACE Political Affairs Committee calls on all parties to act speedily and constructively to conclude the negotiations and complete the ratification process so as to allow swift accession by the EU to the European Convention on Human Rights.
It believes that the current Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions remains “a sound basis to continue guiding relations”, but that only “genuine, continuous and substantial co-operation” can help create a truly secure and just European Union where human rights and the rule of law are fully protected and promoted.
On the basis of a report prepared by Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden, ALDE), the committee recommends that the EU take a series of measures to ensure complementarity and coherence of standards and of the monitoring of their implementation and, more particularly, take into account the Council of Europe’s role as the benchmark for human rights, rule of law and democracy in Europe while preparing new initiatives in this field, examine the possibility of acceding to certain key Council of Europe conventions and join the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO).
For its part, PACE should step up exchanges with the EU leadership on current political challenges and expand co-operation with the European Parliament.
.