Thursday, 16 February 2012 - Strasbourg

Explanation of vote:

Projekt rezolucji B7-0071/2012

Pino Arlacchi (S&D ), in writing . − I voted for this resolution because it stresses Parliament’s strong support for the EU’s active participation in the work of the UN Human Rights Council and the importance of holding common positions on the key issues that will be discussed during the 19th session of the Council. It is fundamental to underline that, with regard to human rights issues, all international actors must work for the elimination of double standards and for the avoidance of selectivity and politicisation.

For these reasons, with this resolution we express our concerns regarding the persistence of the practice of ‘bloc politics’ which continue to affect the selection of the countries receiving the UNHRC’s attention. This practice indeed is having a negative impact on its authority and credibility.

In view of this I also believe in the necessity, for the EU and its Member States, to ensure that human rights are fully respected in internal policies, in order to increase consistency between internal and external policies and to enhance their moral authority on the international scene.

[source: www.europarl.europa.eu]