ALDE  has welcomed today's adoption of a strategic framework on human rights and the appointment of an  EU Special  Representative on Human Rights which the group has specifically requested in a letter to Baroness Ashton in May.    For the first time an ambitious human rights package consisting of 36 policy areas, ranging from the fight against the death penalty, effective democracy support, the eradication of torture and the promotion and protection of child rights  was adopted and by approving  this framework it sends a strong signal to  EU partners that we take the issue seriously.  

Edward McMillan-Scott (Liberal Democrat, United Kingdom) Vice President of the European Parliament responsible for the promotion of human rights and democracy, commented:

"The Arab Spring is only the latest of developments to highlight the importance of a coherent human rights and democracy promotion policy.

Leonidas Donskis (Lietuvos Respublikos liberalų sąjūdis, Lithuania) ALDE Human Rights spokesman added

"The appointment of an EU Special Representative on Human Rights has long been a strategic objective of the Parliament; that is why we are delighted that the appointment is imminent and look forward to frequent exchanges with the appointee.   It is our hope that such a position will help to ensure that human rights feature even more prominently in our external action and will help further consolidate our credibility in this field.  The EUSR will have to find his/her place in a complex institutional setting. Moreover, the challenges in the field of human rights are many and varied, so the appointee will have to hit the ground running."

"As the world's biggest aid donor, the EU has so many tools at its disposal actively to promote human rights and democracy. It is an overdue step in the right direction to increase their effectiveness and visibility through better coordination and a coherent implementation of our policies."