Jürgen Klute - Oral Question European Commission - FTA and Human Rights in Colombia (long version)

Colombia is widely recognized as having one of the worst records on human rights protection. This country has, for example, the world record in murder of trade unionist.

Human rights are core values of the European Union, they are embedded in its founding treaty, and countries which have concluded trade and other agreements with the EU must respect human rights.

But the European Commission signed a Free Trade Agreement with Colombia....

The German MEP, Jürgen Klute, raised a question to the European Commission about how they will insure that the violations of human rights will not continue in Colombia.

Karel De Gucht, Commissionaire of Trade, said "Insure it's a difficult word that you are using, we are not an insurance company, we are a political body!"

Please find below the question raised by Jürgen Klute

"Today, activists in Colombia continue to be threatened and murdered, as the recent case of Ana Fabricia Cordoba shows, though she had publicly denounced the threats she was receiving. Her children attribute her assassination to members of the police.

Since July 2010, 40 activists have been assassinated, and an efficient response from the Colombian Government is nowhere to be found.

The Commission always refers to the human rights clause as a means to improve respect for human rights. Yet Colombia is already part of the GSP+ that includes a human rights clause.

The latter has never been invoked by the EU and Community leaders, NGO staff and activists continue to be assassinated in Colombia."

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Jürgen
• Klute;
• European
• Commission;
• Insurance
• Company;
• Ana
• Fabricia
• Cordoba