EU-LAT Network joins HRDN Letter to European Parliament on Decision to Shrink Urgency Resolutions on Human Rights

In the wake of the “Qatargate” corruption scandal, the European Parliament has decided to dramatically shrink the length of its urgent resolutions on human rights, undermining the very strength these resolutions. Instead of the newly imposed 500 word-limit, the following measures could be taken to enhance transparency and accountability around the adoption of urgency resolutions:

1. Publishing the three topics proposed for the urgencies by each group the week before each plenary;
2. Indicating only one MEP per group as the lead author of each motion, so that they can take full ownership of the group’s motion on the group’s behalf; and
3. Publishing the lists of all MEPs who have been members of the (now dissolved) “friendship” groups with third governments.

As member of HRDN, and after having signed the first open letter to the Parliament on the 20th of December, concerns have already been raised about proposals to freeze all activities of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and to stop urgency resolutions on human rights abuses in third countries as a result of the “Qatargate” corruption scandal.