Council of the European Union Luxembourg, 22 June 2015 (OR. en) 10152/15 COHOM 66 CFSP/PESC 293 CSDP/PSDC 373 FREMP 142 INF 116 JAI 490 RELEX 504 OUTCOME OF PROCEEDINGS From: Council On: 22 June 2015 No. prev. doc.: 9593/15 COHOM 55 CFSP/PESC 211 CSDP/PSDC 319 FREMP 134 INF 108 JAI 425 RELEX 450 + COR 1 Subject: EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World in 2014 Delegations will find attached in the annex the EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World in 2014. ________________ 10152/15 RC/nb 1 DG C 2B EN ANNEX Table of Contents Preface ........................................................................................................................................... 11 Overview .................................................................................................................................... 11 Implementing EU human rights priorities ................................................................................. 14 Human rights in all external policies ......................................................................................... 20 Democracy and the rule of law .................................................................................................. 22 Promoting universality, working at multilateral and regional levels ......................................... 23 I Human rights and democracy throughout EU policy ....................................................... 25 Incorporation of human rights in all impact assessments .......................................................... 25 Partnership with civil society (including freedom of association and assembly) ...................... 26 Regular assessment of implementation ...................................................................................... 31 II Promoting the universality of human rights....................................................................... 31 Universal adherence ................................................................................................................... 31 A culture of human rights and democracy in EU external action .............................................. 32 III Pursuing coherent policy objectives, internally and internationally. ............................... 34 Effective support for democracy ................................................................................................ 34 A standing capability on human rights and democracy in the Council of the EU ..................... 36 Achieving greater policy coherence ........................................................................................... 38 Respect for economic, social and cultural rights ....................................................................... 39 IV Human rights in all EU external policies and instruments ............................................... 40 Working towards a rights-based approach to development cooperation ................................... 40 Making trade work in a way that helps human rights ................................................................ 42 Reflecting human rights in conflict prevention and crisis management activities .................... 44 Entrenching human rights in counter-terrorism activities .......................................................... 47 Ensuring human rights underpin the external dimension of work in the area of freedom, security and justice (FSJ) ........................................................................................................... 50 Ensuring the promotion of human rights in the external dimension of employment and social policy .......................................................................................................................................... 54 V Implementing EU priorities on human rights .................................................................... 57 Abolition of the death penalty .................................................................................................... 57 Eradication of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment ........... 60 10152/15 RC/nb 2 DG C 2B EN Effective support for human rights defenders ............................................................................ 62 Promotion and protection of children's rights ............................................................................ 64 Protection of the rights of women, and protection against gender-based violence .................... 67 Compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL) ............................................................ 72 Enjoyment of human rights by LGBTI persons ......................................................................... 76 Freedom of religion or belief ..................................................................................................... 77 Freedom of expression online and offline.................................................................................. 80 Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ....................... 83 Administration of justice ............................................................................................................ 87 Responding to violations: ensuring accountability .................................................................... 88 Promote respect for the rights of persons belonging to minorities (including the prevention of racism and xenophobia) ............................................................................................................. 90 An enhanced policy on indigenous issues.................................................................................. 92 Human rights for persons with disabilities ................................................................................ 94 VI Working with bilateral partners .......................................................................................... 96 Impact on the ground through tailored approaches .................................................................... 96 Impact through dialogue ............................................................................................................ 97 Effective use and interplay of EU external policy instruments ................................................. 99 VII Working through multilateral institutions ....................................................................... 100 Advancing effective multilateralism ........................................................................................ 100 Effective burden sharing in the UN context............................................................................. 100 Enhanced regional mechanisms for human rights ................................................................... 105 VIII European Parliament contribution to the 2014 EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World ........................................................................................ 112 Parliament’s scrutiny of EU human rights policy .................................................................... 112 Mainstreaming human rights in the parliamentary committees ............................................... 117 Democracy support .................................................................................................................. 126 The role of delegation visits in human rights and democracy support .................................... 129 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and the Sakharov Prize Network............................. 135 Country and regional issues ................................................................................ 139 I Candidate countries and potential candidates ................................................................. 139 Albania ..................................................................................................................................... 140 The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ........................................................................ 142 10152/15 RC/nb 3 DG C 2B EN Iceland ...................................................................................................................................... 142 Kosovo* ................................................................................................................................... 143 Montenegro .............................................................................................................................. 144 Serbia ....................................................................................................................................... 144 Turkey ...................................................................................................................................... 145 Multi-beneficiary assistance .................................................................................................... 146 II EEA/EFTA countries .......................................................................................................... 147 Norway ..................................................................................................................................... 147 Switzerland............................................................................................................................... 147 Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino ......................................................................... 148 III European