World Human Rights Day

On the occasion of the World Human Rights Day, the Commission reiterates its commitment to the defence and promotion of Human Rights and democracy, which lie at the foundation of the EU. This commitment can be seen throughout the policies that the EU pursues both internationally as well as within the Union. In spite of the progress made in recent years, there are certainly no grounds for complacency. The Commission is determined to continue supporting human rights within the EU and worldwide with all the means at its disposal, in line with the EU Charter on fundamental rights.

The European Union is a main contributor to the promotion of Human Rights and democracy within the framework of relevant international multilateral fora, including the UN system. Key EU initiatives in recent years have concerned efforts to abolish the death penalty, prevent and punish torture, and to establish the International Criminal Court. In addition, Human Rights play an important role regarding EU relations with third countries. EU enlargement has been driven by the need to consolidate democracy and human rights in the applicant countries and these criteria remain the baseline for further applicants. In addition, all agreements that the Union enters into with third countries include an essential clause on mutual respect of human rights. Finally, within the EU, there is a growing body of legislation which aims to protect the rights of disadvantaged groups, such as ethnic minorities and the disabled, and safeguard the principle of equal treatment of men and women.

The Commission salutes those men and women who devote their lives to supporting human rights in the world, at often high levels of personal risk. No-one demonstrates this better than the late Sergio Vieira de Mello, a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights who gave his life in support of the UN cause. On the 10th anniversary of the creation of the post of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Commission reaffirms its support for the work done by the UN in tackling human rights abuses in the world.

To mark the annual Human Rights day, the Commission's Delegations in Indonesia, Ukraine and Ivory Coast are launching today calls for proposals under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) Micro-projects Programme. The budgets available are € 800,000 for Ivory Coast, € 800,000 for Indonesia and € 600,000 for Ukraine. Also on this occasion, the Commission Delegation in Moscow will present today 17 new micro-projects which were selected after an EIDHR call for proposals launched in June 2003, for a global amount of € 814,723.


Further information

For further information on The EU's Human rights & Democratisation Policy please consult the following webpage:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/intro/index.htm

For information on the activities of the EIDHR, please consult its webpages at the following address:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/eidhr/index_en.htm

For information on the EU anti-discrimination activities:

http://www.stop-discrimination.info/

Alternatively, you can send your question to the following mailbox:

EuropeAid-HumanRights@cec.eu.int

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• EU commitment to promoting Human Rights and Democracy (10/12/2003)
• EU Presidency Statement - Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action  (10/12/2003)