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This News Service is posted by the
International Secretariat of Amnesty International,
1 Easton Street, London WC1X 8DJ
(Tel +44-71-413-5500, Fax +44-71-956-1157)
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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
EUROPEAN UNION ASSOCIATION

Rue du Commerce 70-72
B - 1040 BRUSSELS
TEL.: +32-2-502.14.99
FAX.: +32-2-502.56.86



(EMBARGOED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, 27 MARCH 1996 AT 12 NOON)


EUROPEAN UNION: HUMAN RIGHTS MUST HAVE A CENTRAL PLACE ON THE
IGC AGENDA, SAYS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

      As the Intergovernmental Conference is about to start
on 29 March 1996 in Turin, Amnesty International calls on the
European Union Member States to take this opportunity to
place the respect for and protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms at the heart of the legal basis of the
Union.

      "The European Union's foundation as primarily a trade
agreement has deprived it of a clear and coherent human
rights basis. As the spheres of activity of the Union have
embraced ever increasing and diverse aspects of human
endeavour, including foreign policy, now is the time for this
defect to be remedied", Amnesty International  stated.
      Amnesty International will monitor the options
considered by the government representatives to ensure that
they will not reduce human rights protection, and will
campaign for better protection of human rights by the
European Union institutions, both within the Union's
territory and in its external action.

      While the timetable for the IGC remains unclear, the
main themes for the IGC have been identified by the
Reflection Group set up by the European Council. Although
this Group identifies in its report the need to strengthen
human rights protection in the Union this principle is
inadequately implemented in the areas considered by the
Group.

      Amnesty International has identified five main topics
which should  be under consideration during the IGC and which
are of direct relevance to its concerns. Detailed submissions
on the five points will be put forward by Amnesty
International during the process of the IGC.

      Respect for and protection of human rights must go hand
in hand with transparency and accountability. "This should be
incorporated into the European Union Treaties as a
fundamental principle", Amnesty International said. This is
ever more important as national parliaments lose control over
the decisions taken at EU level, while the European
Parliament  still lacks full legislative competence.

      The disintegration of the former Yugoslavia and the
genocide in Rwanda have highlighted the utter inadequacy of
the Common Foreign and Security Policy as currently
structured to respond effectively to grave human rights
violations. Making protection for human rights a cornerstone
of the Common Foreign and Security Policy is only possible
when this policy is characterised by coherence,  coordination
and clear divisions of competence among the various actors in
CFSP, all aspects which are lacking at the moment. Amnesty
International requests that the IGC introduce the concept of
a "human rights audit" , to assess the impact on fundamental
human rights of any important decision to be made at EU
level, as a logical consequence of the 1986 Council
Declaration on Human Rights in the framework of  European
Political Cooperation.

      Amnesty International has frequently expressed its
concern at the decrease in the protection of asylum seekers
and refugees in Europe.  All too often the harmonisation of
asylum policy within the European Union is based on the
lowest common denominator and thus results in the lowest
common level of protection for refugees and asylum-seekers.Access to a  
fair and satisfactory  asylum determination
procedure is fundamental to the rule of law and fulfilment of
the international human rights obligations of the Member
States. In the revised Treaties, refugees and asylum-seekers
should be guaranteed effective protection against
refoulement, in line with the Convention Relating to the
Status of Refugees of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol, as well as
with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights of which
article 14 guarantees the right of everyone to seek and enjoy
asylum from persecution in other countries.

      Accession to the European Convention for the Protection
of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (European
Convention) by the Union, if it takes on a legal personality,
or the Community,  has received support from many members of
the Reflection Group and from several other parties. Such
accession to the most important European human rights
instrument  could be one way for  the Union to demonstrateits commitment  
to human rights. Such a step deserves careful
consideration in close consultation with the Council of
Europe and non-governmental organisations. "Of course,
accession is never enough. The rights recognized in human
rights treaties must be implemented in practice.", said
Amnesty International.

      Finally, Amnesty International stated that it is
important for the Union no longer to ignore the human rights
consequences of the transfer of military, security and police
equipment and expertise from the Member States to the rest of
the world.  Member States and the Union should put an end to
those transfers that are expected to contribute to serious
human rights violations. The Intergovernmental Conference
should create the possibility of transparency and control at
EU level.

      For Amnesty International, it is imperative that in the
IGC negotiations, human rights  be entrenched in the
foundations of the Union not only as regards its activities
within the Member States but in all areas of its competence
worldwide.

ENDS/

27 March 1996
For further information please contact:
Marike Radstaake, Executive Officer,
AI EU Association Tel. (32-2) 502.14.99

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