The Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC), at its October Plenary meeting warmly welcomed the announcement by President of the European Commission, Manuel Barroso, that he intends to create a Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Civil Liberties within the European Commission which will include citizens’ and minority rights "as a reflection that the EU is a community of rights and values". The IHRC considers the announcement is particularly welcome given the imminent ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, which will play an important role in placing fundamental rights at the core of EU law and policy.
Dr Maurice Manning, President of the IHRC said, "The IHRC considers that the creation of a new portfolio on fundamental rights and civil liberties within the European Commission has important potential to enhance the protection and promotion of human rights within EU law and policy from the earliest stages of its formulation and drafting. This new portfolio can play a key role in ensuring that the institutional structure is in place within the Commission to promote the protection of fundamental rights as set out under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and within the European Convention on Human Rights".
Dr Manning continued, "In defining the mandate of this new portfolio, and the institutional structures that will support it, the IHRC hopes that President Barroso will afford high priority to the effective protection of fundamental rights within the EU in the areas that come within its competence. The IHRC considers that it is vitally important that the new Commissioner should be a person with considerable expertise and knowledge of the protection of fundamental rights and should be committed to pursuing the protection of human rights with energy and vigour".
Mr Éamonn MacAodha, Chief Executive of the IHRC said, "As Chair of the European Group of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI), and as Ireland’s NHRI, the IHRC is committed to enhancing the co-operation and co-ordination of National Human Rights Institutions with international and regional partners, including the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, the Council of Europe and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The IHRC therefore warmly welcomes the proposal to create the new portfolio and hopes that a new Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Civil Liberties will provide an opportunity for the European Group of NHRIs to formally engage with the Commissioner as it is doing on an ongoing basis with the EU Fundamental Rights Agency and other partners. Constructive dialogue between the EU and NHRIs would recognise that many of the laws and policies formulated at EU level which concern human rights issues will come directly within the national competence of NHRIs and that national institutions can make an important contribution in working with the European Commission to ensure the protection and promotion of human rights within the national context".
ENDS/
For further information, please contact:
Fidelma Joyce, IHRC,
Tel: 01 8589601, Mob: 087 783 4939
Notes to the Editor
The IHRC is currently chair of the European Group of National Human Rights (NHRIs) Institutions, which consists of 34 NHRIs from across Europe. As Chair, the IHRC is responsible for organising meetings of the Group, disseminating information and representing the Group at conferences and events. The European Group has agreed a Strategic Plan 2009-2010 in which it commits to raise awareness of the role and functions of NHRIs with the EU and other regional partners including the EU Fundamental Rights Agency and the Council of Europe. The European Group has also committed to focus its regional engagement on agreed priority thematic areas, which include: privacy/data protection, rule of law/counter-terrorism, rights of persons with disabilities, the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and the establishment of a national preventative mechanism under that Protocol, and human rights education and training.