Want to know what Europe does for you? Welcome to the European Parliamentary Research Service

podcast on human rights in EU trade agreements. As a community of states based on fundamental

norms and values, the EU includes human rights clauses in all agreements on trade or cooperation

with third countries. But despite serious breaches in different countries, the EU has so far proved hesitant

to take the punitive measures these agreements allow, prompting many to call for stronger

enforcement of the human rights clause in EU trade policy. Want to know more? Stay with us.

Fundamental values such as democracy, human rights and

the rule of law lie at the core of the European project. That's why the EU wants to use

its leverage as the world's biggest trading bloc to promote respect for these rights together

with his trade partners. Now, how does it work in practice?

Since the 1990s, it has included human rights clauses in its international agreements,

commercial and non-commercial, with third countries. The aim is not to set new human rights and democratic standards, but to reaffirm the commitment of the parties to their obligations

under international law.

The human rights clause allows one or other party to partially or fully suspend an agreement unilaterally in case of a breach by its counterparty. Although to date, the EU has never

activated such a clause to suspend trade preferences under any of its trade agreements.

It has clearly preferred constructive engagement to more restrictive measures, but the presence

of so many countries with problematic human rights and democracy records among the parties

to the EU's trade agreements raises many questions.

Stay with us.

The Parliament, for instance, a strong supporter of including such clauses in all trade agreements

negotiated by the EU, has deplored the absence of a strong and enforceable human rights clause

in agreements concluded with some African states such as Zimbabwe.

...