The UK is blocking moves to close a ‘gaping hole’ in European human rights protection, it has been claimed on the day that prime minister David Cameron is to address the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
A joint statement issued by the Council of Europe and the European parliament criticises the UK for ‘political objections’ to the European Union (EU) fulfilling its legal obligation under the Lisbon Treaty of signing up to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) - and exposing itself to the same external scrutiny as the 47 countries that have already signed.
The Lisbon Treaty, which came into force 1 December 2009, emerged from an eight-year review of treaties and institutions to make the EU more democratic, transparent and efficient.
The joint statement said: ‘EU accession to the ECHR will close a gaping hole in European human rights protection. The Lisbon Treaty has significantly increased the scope for EU action in areas that directly or indirectly affect human rights. With this increased responsibility, it is only right that there should also be increased accountability.’
EU accession to the ECHR is also needed to ensure consistency across major European courts and is a ‘vital first step towards creating a common European space for human rights’, the statement said.
‘We are therefore deeply concerned that the accession process - which is a legal obligation for the EU under the Lisbon Treaty - is currently being sidetracked by political objections from the UK.
‘We cannot risk this process being derailed, as failure to fully incorporate the EU could serve to weaken the existing European system for human rights protection which has been put in place by the Council of Europe over the last 60 years and is envied worldwide.
‘What is needed now is clear and unequivocal political commitment on the part of all 27 EU member states - including the UK,’ the statement ended.
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