Sous-commission Droits de l'homme (DROI) - Parlement européen

This briefing provides an overview of the existing legislative approaches to mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence and proposals by non-state actors, concerning the scope of potential European Union (EU) legislation on binding human rights due diligence (HRDD) obligations for companies. The briefing discusses key substantive elements of potential EU HRDD legislation including options for human rights covered by the due diligence requirement; types of violations; specific references regarding women and persons in vulnerable situations and the duties of companies to respect and protect human rights. It is recommended that a potential EU HRDD legislation should comprise all human rights and cover all types of violations. The legislation should refer to additional duties, which can be based on existing human rights treaties and instruments such as CEDAW, CRC, CRPD and UNDRIP. The legislation should cover all companies independently of their size and take a non-sector specific approach. Furthermore, the legislation should not apply solely to the company’s own activities, but also to its business relations including the value chain. Finally, the legislation should adopt a substantive due diligence model and require companies to engage actively in analysing, mitigating and remedying any adverse impacts on human rights based on their own activities and connected to them in their business relations.
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

This briefing explores options for monitoring and enforcement of European Union (EU) human rights due diligence legislation, and how such legislation should contribute to access to justice and remedy for victims of human rights abuses linked to the operations of businesses inside or operating from Member States (MS). The briefing reviews existing due diligence and disclosure schemes and considers the feasibility of specific options for monitoring, enforcement and access to remedy within a future EU due diligence law. The briefing recommends that such legislation should require effective monitoring via company-level obligations, national and EU-level measures, including repositories of due diligence reports, lists of companies required to report, information request procedures, monitoring bodies and delegated legislation or guidance further elaborating on due diligence under the law. Regarding enforcement, the law should inter alia require MS to determine appropriate penalties for non-compliance and to establish enforcement rights for interested parties. Finally, on remedy, the law should, besides requiring companies to establish complaint mechanisms, provide for national and EU measures, including requirements that MS ensure effective means of remedy and redress for victims and establish or identify bodies to investigate abuses, initiate enforcement and support victims.
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

This study provides an in-depth and accessible analysis on biodiversity as a human right to inform the European Parliament’s work on how the European Union’s external action can best contribute to a holistic and human rights-based approach aimed at stopping biodiversity loss and degradation. After a brief overview of empirical data regarding the impacts of biodiversity loss on human rights and the limitations of available sources, the study assesses the status and content of existing international obligations on biodiversity and human rights. The study then assesses existing initiatives’ (potential) legal and political impact at international and regional levels for the EU to address biodiversity and human rights in a mutually supportive manner, within a variety of multilateral fora. Additionally, the study assesses the EU’s (unilateral and bilateral) external action tools that have addressed or could address the human rights dimensions of biodiversity in the context of development, trade and other areas of international cooperation. It provides a series of recommendations on how the European Parliament and other EU institutions can support the development of a holistic and human rights-based approach to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in external action, including as part of the fight against climate change.
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Public hearing on authoritarianism and shrinking space for freedom of expression, press freedom and human rights defenders, with case studies on China, Egypt and Russia
This hearing will examine the state of international law on freedom of thought, conscience and religion and study lessons learned from past policies and actions that have contributed towards its protection. Participants will also discuss best practices of interreligious dialogue for promoting tolerance and fighting against discrimination based on religious motivations. The EU must continue its efforts to protect freedom of thought, conscience and religion, without fostering a particular belief, both inside and outside its borders.
Location : Room SPAAK P5B001
Programme
Speech by Jussi Lassila
Speech by Sara Brooks
Speech by Clement Voule
Speech and recommendations by Jianli Yang
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Public hearing on authoritarianism and shrinking space for freedom of expression, press freedom and human rights defenders, with case studies on China, Egypt and Russia
This hearing will examine the state of international law on freedom of thought, conscience and religion and study lessons learned from past policies and actions that have contributed towards its protection. Participants will also discuss best practices of interreligious dialogue for promoting tolerance and fighting against discrimination based on religious motivations. The EU must continue its efforts to protect freedom of thought, conscience and religion, without fostering a particular belief, both inside and outside its borders.
Location : Room SPAAK P5B001
Programme
Speech by Jussi Lassila
Speech by Sara Brooks
Speech by Clement Voule
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

MEPs call on the US administration to respect international law and US federal law on protecting asylum seekers, who must not, by any means, be criminalised. The delegation visited El Paso (Texas, USA), Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua, Mexico) and Washington D.C. from 24 to 28 February to assess the human rights situation of migrants and refugees at the US-Mexico border. This was a follow up to the European Parliament's urgency resolution adopted on 18 July 2019.
The cross-party delegation from the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) was led by Chair Maria Arena (S&D, BE), and composed of Isabel Wiseler-Lima (EPP, LU), Ivan Štefanec (EPP, SK), Gheorghe-Vlad Nistor (EPP, RO), Isabel Santos (S&D, PT), Dietmar Köster (S&D, DE), Susanna Ceccardi (ID, IT) and Tineke Strik (Greens/EFA, NL).
Press statement in full
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2020 - PE

The next meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights will take place on Wednesday 18 March from 09.00 to 12.30 and from 14.30 to 18.30 and on Thursday 19 March from 09.00 - 12.30, room A3G-3.

Representatives of NGOs as well as other organisations are requested to accede to the EU Transparency Register and follow the procedures therein for access to the European Parliament.
Further information
Watch the meeting live
Draft agenda and meeting documents
Press statements issued by the DROI Chair
Follow-up to urgency resolutions (DROI-EEAS) July 2019 to date
Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Length of video : 18'
You may manually download this video in WMV (218Mb) format

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Statement by leading MEPs on EU-Turkey relations following Tuesday’s acquittal by a Turkish court of nine of Istanbul’s detained Gezi Park protesters, including cultural patron Osman Kavala.
Further information
Press statement in full
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Public hearing on authoritarianism and shrinking space for freedom of expression, press freedom and human rights defenders, with case studies on China, Egypt and Russia
This hearing will examine the state of international law on freedom of thought, conscience and religion and study lessons learned from past policies and actions that have contributed towards its protection. Participants will also discuss best practices of interreligious dialogue for promoting tolerance and fighting against discrimination based on religious motivations. The EU must continue its efforts to protect freedom of thought, conscience and religion, without fostering a particular belief, both inside and outside its borders.
Location : Room SPAAK P5B001
Further information
Programme
Speech by Jussi Lassila
Speech by Sara Brooks
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Durée de la vidéo : 108'
Vous pouvez télécharger manuellement cette vidéo au format WMV (1003Mb)

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2020 - PE

Durée de la vidéo : 152'
Vous pouvez télécharger manuellement cette vidéo au format WMV (1.3Gb)

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2020 - PE

Durée de la vidéo : 201'
Vous pouvez télécharger manuellement cette vidéo au format WMV (1.8Gb)

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2020 - PE

Conclusion of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (Resolution)
EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (Resolution)
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

The Republic of Guinea, notably violence towards protesters
Child labour in mines in Madagascar
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

This hearing will examine the state of international law on freedom of thought, conscience and religion and study lessons learned from past policies and actions that have contributed towards its protection. Participants will also discuss best practices of interreligious dialogue for promoting tolerance and fighting against discrimination based on religious motivations.
The EU must continue its efforts to protect freedom of thought, conscience and religion, without fostering a particular belief, both inside and outside its borders.
Location : Room: SPAAK 5B001
Further information
Draft Programme
Press release
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Le Parlement européen a adopté jeudi deux résolutions faisant état de la situation des droits des manifestants en Guinée-Conakry et du travail des enfants à Madagascar.
Commission des affaires étrangères
Sous-commission "droits de l'homme"

Source : © Union européenne, 2020 - PE

Source : © Union européenne, 2020 - PE