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Recommendations of the Forum on “EU Human Rights Instruments and the Lisbon Treaty: State of Play and Way Forward” 

 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The European Union is committed to enhancing and deepening its communication and exchanges with civil society organisations (CSOs) in the field of human rights and democratisation. The 12th Annual EU-NGO Human Rights Forum (Forum) was co-organized by the European Commission through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and Belgium. The Forum provides a high profile platform for interactive discussion among CSO representatives, the EU institutions (the European Commission, Council and Parliament), and Member States, thereby helping to strengthen future EU strategy and policy making, as well as the development and implementation of EU programs and projects. Civil society is afforded an enhanced opportunity to contribute to EU policy development and at the same time the EU can better draw upon civil society experience and reflect upon lessons learned.

Theme of the 2010 Forum
The Treaty of Lisbon, a major landmark in the EU‟s institutional development, brings about a number of important and positive changes with regard to EU human rights policy formation and implementation. The Forum was therefore convened at an opportune time, only a few months after the Treaty‟s entry into force, to explore the possible human rights implications brought about by the Treaty, in particular, with regard to EU policy priorities and new human rights challenges and prospects.
In terms of institutional changes, a new permanent position of the President of the European Council was established during a meeting of EU Heads of State and Government on 19 November 2009 to provide greater continuity and stability to the Council‟s work. Second, the Lisbon Treaty establishes a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who also holds the post of Vice-President of the Commission, and chairs the External Relations Council in order to simplify EU representation in foreign relations and the EU‟s capacity to speak with one voice. This cross-appointment promotes coherence in the EU‟s external action by conferring upon one person two major fields of responsibility and helps to raise the EU‟s profile globally. Third, the Lisbon Treaty introduces a new European Citizens‟ Initiative allowing citizens to submit any appropriate proposal on any matter which they consider requires the adoption of a legal act by the Union with a view to implementing the Treaty itself.
The Lisbon Treaty also affirms that EU Member States recognize the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union as a legally binding instrument equal in juridical value to the other main treaties of the Union. The Lisbon Treaty also obliges the EU to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and it recognizes that the human rights guarantees set forth therein constitute “general principles of the Union‟s law”. Other important Lisbon Treaty provisions oblige EU institutions to respect the Charter‟s rights and Member States are likewise placed under the same obligation as regards their implementation of EU legislation.
In short, the Treaty of Lisbon opens up a wide range of exciting new avenues and the Forum provided an opportunity for CSOs and the EU to consider together the practical implications of these changes for the better promotion and protection of human rights inside the EU and in its external relations.
The Forum opened with addresses from Mr. Steven Vanackere, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Mrs. Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (video message), Mr. Koos Richelle, Director-General, EuropeAid, European Commission, Mrs. Heather Grabbe, Director, Open Society Institute (Brussels) on behalf of the Human Rights and Democracy Network, and Mrs. Irene Khan, international human rights expert.

Theme of the 2010 Forum
The Treaty of Lisbon, a major landmark in the EU‟s institutional development, brings about a number of important and positive changes with regard to EU human rights policy formation and implementation. The Forum was therefore convened at an opportune time, only a few months after the Treaty‟s entry into force, to explore the possible human rights implications brought about by the Treaty, in particular, with regard to EU policy priorities and new human rights challenges and prospects.
In terms of institutional changes, a new permanent position of the President of the European Council was established during a meeting of EU Heads of State and Government on 19 November 2009 to provide greater continuity and stability to the Council‟s work. Second, the Lisbon Treaty establishes a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who also holds the post of Vice-President of the Commission, and chairs the External Relations Council in order to simplify EU representation in foreign relations and the EU‟s capacity to speak with one voice. This cross-appointment promotes coherence in the EU‟s external action by conferring upon one person two major fields of responsibility and helps to raise the EU‟s profile globally. Third, the Lisbon Treaty introduces a new European Citizens‟ Initiative allowing citizens to submit any appropriate proposal on any matter which they consider requires the adoption of a legal act by the Union with a view to implementing the Treaty itself.
The Lisbon Treaty also affirms that EU Member States recognize the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union as a legally binding instrument equal in juridical value to the other main treaties of the Union. The Lisbon Treaty also obliges the EU to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and it recognizes that the human rights guarantees set forth therein constitute “general principles of the Union‟s law”. Other important Lisbon Treaty provisions oblige EU institutions to respect the Charter‟s rights and Member States are likewise placed under the same obligation as regards their implementation of EU legislation.
In short, the Treaty of Lisbon opens up a wide range of exciting new avenues and the Forum provided an opportunity for CSOs and the EU to consider together the practical implications of these changes for the better promotion and protection of human rights inside the EU and in its external relations.
The Forum opened with addresses from Mr. Steven Vanackere, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Mrs. Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (video message), Mr. Koos Richelle, Director-General, EuropeAid, European Commission, Mrs. Heather Grabbe, Director, Open Society Institute (Brussels) on behalf of the Human Rights and Democracy Network, and Mrs. Irene Khan, international human rights expert.
 

Recommendations of the Forum on “EU Human Rights Instruments and the Lisbon Treaty: State of Play and Way Forward”

The 12th EU NGO Forum on Human Rights which addressed the issue of “EU Human Rights Instruments and the Lisbon Treaty: State of Play and Way Forward”, was held in Brussels on 12 and 13 July 2010. It featured four workshops comprising representatives of the EU, EU Member States and civil society, particularly from the global South, as well as international experts. The Forum focused on human rights issues of current concern to the EU and the international community at large, in particular:

• Working Group I on “EU Instruments in the Fight against the Death Penalty”
• Working Group II on “The EU’s Role for the Promotion and Protection of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”
• Working Group III on “The EU’s Relations with Regional Human Rights Mechanisms”
• Working Group IV on “Lisbon and the EU’s Internal-External Consistency”

Following the Forum’s opening plenary session, each workshop met to discuss challenges and opportunities concerning the EU’s interaction with human rights NGOs against the backdrop of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the changes the Treaty has introduced into EU structures and functions relating to human rights strategy making, policy formulation and the implementation of programmes and projects. Each workshop drafted and agreed upon a set of recommendations under the guidance of the workshop moderator. Each of the four moderators then provided a synopsis and set forth the recommendations at the Forum’s closing plenary session. The present document sets forth the recommendations that emerged from the rich interaction and debate that characterized the 2010 Forum’s proceedings, according to the workshop themes.