On the situation of fundamental rights in the EU in 2022 and 2023

The Committee on Constitutional Affairs calls on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:

1.Calls for the EU’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights to be finalised and for the EU to accede to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages;

2.Calls for the accession of the EU and its Member States to the Council of Europe conventions to be finalised and for their cooperation with the Council of Europe to be strengthened;

3.Recalls the key role of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights;

4.Takes note of the Council of Europe’s report of 6 October 2022 entitled ‘Freedom of political speech: an imperative for democracy’; stresses that freedom of expression in the EU must not be limited by the interests, constitutional framework or political choices of a Member State; reiterates the need for a mechanism for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, which should be established through an interinstitutional agreement;

5.Calls on the UK Government and the Member States to ensure the full protection of the rights of both EU and UK citizens, who are still being penalised by Brexit;

6.Stresses that the Northern Ireland Protocol is a prerequisite for a smooth relationship between the EU and the UK; calls for continued vigilance in order to preserve the Good Friday Agreement; welcomes the Windsor Framework;

7.Considers that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine places the EU in a new situation, namely that of a prospective enlargement to include Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, with the Copenhagen criteria as a fundamental basis; calls for all refugees to be treated with humanity, solidarity and generosity;

8.Calls on the Commission to take a very firm stance against persistent attacks on the rule of law in certain Member States;

9.Deplores the recent scandals that have tarnished the EU’s image, such as Qatargate and State espionage using Pegasus, with MEPs among the targets;

10.Calls for all the consequences of these scandals to be addressed and for Parliament’s credibility to be fully restored.