(11) 50 th anniversary U.E. over 50 years the Italian state does not process applications!!!

A. To mark the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Union recalls the importance it attaches to this statement. On it are based national, regional and global policies to advance and protect the dignity of human beings throughout the world.

The universality and indivisibility of human rights and the responsibility for safeguarding and promotion of these rights, together with the promotion of pluralistic democracy and effective guarantees for the rule of law, constitute essential objectives of the European Union as a union of shared values and represent the fundamental basis of our action.


The human being is at the heart of our policies. Ensuring the human dignity of every individual remains our common goal. The full realization of the rights of women and children in particular deserves to be highlighted as neglect in this respect remains widespread.


The preservation and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, to which governments have responsibility, contributes to prosperity, justice and peace in the world. These goals can not be achieved without the assistance of international organizations, civil society and individuals.


The Union pledges its continuing support for the further promotion and protection of human rights under the Treaty on European Union, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the European Council declarations Luxembourg in 1991 and 1997, and adopts the following declaration:


B. I. Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights fifty years ago, the Union has witnessed progress in human rights and the spread of democracy throughout the world. The Union, however, while aware of the threat to progress and the need to strengthen its determination and its commitment to the realization of all human rights for everyone everywhere.


II. The adoption of the Universal Declaration has initiated an irreversible process of awareness of civil society on human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the world. The Declaration is very much the basis for the subsequent development of an impressive body of important international legal instruments, including the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights reaffirmed the universality and indivisibility of all human rights. The Union urges all countries that have not yet done so to become a part of all the major treaties on human rights.


The implementation of the Universal Declaration and other international instruments on human rights is of paramount importance for the universal character of the rights under this Treaty to become reality. Nothing in particular, motivated by considerations of national, cultural or religious beliefs may lawfully derogate from the principles enshrined in those instruments.


The 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration is an opportunity to take stock and to intensify efforts to promote respect for human rights in all countries of the world. The Union seizes this opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the realization of all human rights for all.


Mindful of the Declaration of the Luxembourg European Council on 28-29 June 1991, the Union recognizes and takes note with satisfaction the achievements since the adoption of the Universal Declaration. The Union must deplore the persistence of flagrant violations of human rights around the world. It reaffirms that the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide legitimate and permanent responsibility to the international community and all States acting individually or collectively. For its part, the Union will continue its action against violations wherever they occur. The Union welcomes the fact that while a growing number of states to cooperate with the EU on the basis of partnership to promote human rights and ensure its universality.


Over the past 50 years, all over the world, thousands of men and women have fought to protect those values, often paying a heavy toll. The Union pays tribute to their courageous actions that shall inspire in its determination to promote the rights enshrined in the Declaration.


The EU welcomes in this context the adoption of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Individuals and nongovernmental organizations around the world are making indispensable and courageous contributions to safeguarding and promoting human rights and should continue to be strong support.


III. The European Union is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law, shares the values that lie at the root of the declaration. It is conscious of the need to promote respect for human rights in its Member States. Both internally and externally, respect for human rights proclaimed in the Universal Declaration is one of the key components of the Union. In conducting its activities comply with EU institutions under the control of the Court of Justice, Human Rights guaranteed by the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and that find their origin in the constitutional traditions common to the Member States. Member States are bound by the European Convention and their activities are subject to the supervision of the European Court of Human Rights. With the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms will be a condition for EU membership and a serious and persistent breach of these rights may lead to the suspension of the rights of a Member State.


Moreover, the Amsterdam Treaty will further strengthen the EU's commitment towards the preservation and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular through measures to combat discrimination in many areas, including the further strengthening of ability to ensure equal opportunities to men and women. Considering the European Social Charter and the Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers, it defines aims in the field of fundamental social rights. In the framework of cooperation in justice and security, the EU will also on respect for human rights.


Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is also one of the objectives of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union and development cooperation. The Union pursues this goal both in its bilateral relations with third countries in the UN and other multilateral fora, in particular the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe.


Pursuing its policy of promoting human rights in all parts of the world, the Union regularly raises human rights issues in its dialogue with third countries as an important and legitimate part of this dialogue, as well as in framework of its initiatives and statements.


In the agreements it concludes, the European Community has included a clause which makes respect for human rights, particularly as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an essential condition for concluding the agreement. The Union thus assumes its responsibility for promoting and safeguarding human rights as a legitimate concern of the international community, while reaffirming that this protection and promotion remain the primary responsibility to individual governments.


It expresses concern about recent incidents of racism and xenophobia, both internally and throughout the world, and will work actively to achieve meaningful results at the World Conference against Racism. A series of practical measures complement the Union's efforts in these areas, in this context, the Union wishes to highlight in particular the activities undertaken by the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia in Vienna.


This year the EU has decided to intensify its commitment to the universal abolition of capital under a strongly held policy agreed by the EU. Where the death penalty still exists, the EU claims that its application is restricted, and demands that it be carried only in accordance with international safeguards. The EU is also pressing, if any, is a moratorium.


The European Union attaches great importance to supporting efforts to promote democracy, respect for human rights, rule of law and good governance. The EU therefore supports throughout the world many projects and programs in these areas.


The European Union and the Member States undertake to cooperate with international mechanisms for protecting human rights globally and regionally. It actively supports the action of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and its activities, especially in terms of operations on the territory, and encourages the efforts of the Secretary General of the United Nations for a better integration of rights' man in the whole range of UN activities.


The Union particularly welcomes the adoption of the Statute of a permanent International Criminal Court to judge the most serious crimes and serious violations of humanitarian law affecting the international community and calls for rapid ratification of this statute.


IV. These policies must be continued and, where necessary, strengthened and improved. In this regard it is important that the Union reinforce its capacity to achieve the objectives on the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this regard, the Union is determined to ensure respect for human rights in all its actions. In particular, the Union will consider concrete measures such as:


1) enhance, through increased coordination, the ability to jointly assess the situation regarding human rights in the world and otherwise ensure the availability of all relevant data in order to act within the Union, including through l ' possible publication of an EU annual report on human rights;


2) further develop cooperation in the field of human rights through teaching and training in coordination with other relevant organizations, and ensure the continued program of Masters in Human Rights organized by 15 European universities;


3) consider the usefulness of convening a periodic human rights discussion forum with the participation of EU institutions together with representatives of academic institutions and NGOs;


4) strengthen the capacity to meet the operational requirements of international human rights and democratization, for example by establishing a common roster of European experts in democracy and human rights, to carry out transactions on the Rights man, and the control and monitoring elections;


5) promote the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in third countries, in particular working towards the earliest possible adoption of the draft regulations, currently being considered by within the European Union, the implementation of cooperative activities;


6) ensure all means to achieve a coherent realization of these objectives, even taking into consideration the strengthening of relevant EU structures.