The human rights conditionality in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership Agreements, comparing the stands of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission

Abstract

The Euro-Mediterranean partnership established in 1995 at the Barcelona Conference laid down a policy with long-term goals and objectives. This was the departing point of the Barcelona process. This process is considered by many as a proximity process as it marked increased commitment by the EU on challenges facing the Southern borders. One of the main aspects of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership agreements was to establish an area of peace and security and also stability based on the vital principles of human rights and democracy. The lack of respect for Human Rights around the Mediterranean Basin have for many years given rise to grave concern. Many have noted how in parts of the region, press freedom is eroded by governments, and in other parts torture and inhumane executions are systematically practiced. Women's rights have been infringed and the lack of or inexistence of democratic freedoms is increasing. From the perspective of the Southern Partners, progress was made in the 1980's in democratization, however hereditary monarchies and military regimes still dominate the political life and the respect for human rights by the governments is deeply influenced by internal and external security considerations. Civil Society is very weak and the filtration of human rights are not strongly embedded in societies. Islamist movements have been on the rise introducing highly ambivalent attitudes towards democratic values and human rights especially the rights of women. In this dissertation I have analyzed the core aspects of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership agreements dealing with Human Rights and what has been done and what has still to be done to eradicate such demeaning practices and attitudes in the Southern regions and strengthen human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Euro-Mediterranean partnership has given rise to the hope that in the due course it will install a dynamic comparable to the Helsinki process in making human rights and fundamental freedoms a legitimate subject for discussion between governments and the citizens and making internal human rights questions a legitimate concern of all Partners in their common endeavor of securing peace and prosperity for the region. In this dissertation I have described the Barcelona Declaration as well as the background for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. Further on I shall focus on the central elements of the Barcelona process in order to better clarify the role of human rights. Subsequently I shall analyse the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership Association Agreements and the application of the human rights clause. This thesis will comment on the application of Human Rights in the Mediterranean region through the EU's mix of instruments both in its Common Foreign and Security Policy and in its external relations. Emphasis has been placed on the stands that the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission take on the application of human rights , both in the European Union and the Barcelona Process.