Speaking with One Voice but Having Little Impact: The EU at the UN’s Human Rights Council Karen E Smith LSE
EU and the HRC • Role in formation of Human Rights Council • Role in HRC sessions thus far • Influence limited – why
HRC • To replace discredited Commission on Human Rights (‘captured’ by human rights violators; politicised) • 4 groupings involved in initial discussions: Africa Group, Group of Arab States, OIC, and EU • New HRC agreed at World Summit 2005, but details worked out in UNGA; agreement in March 2006
HRC Resolution, March 2006 • subsidiary organ of the General Assembly, based in Geneva; • responsible for promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and should address situations of violations of human rights; • to meet at least three times a year, for at least ten weeks, and can hold special sessions, at the request of an HRC member with the support of one-third of the HRC membership; • to undertake a universal periodic review of the fulfilment by each UN member state of its human rights obligations and commitments; • composed of 47 member states, elected by a majority of the UNGA members; states found guilty of gross violations of human rights could be suspended from HRC membership by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly [EU wanted HRC members to be elected by 2/3 of UNGA]
EU at HRC • Research question: • US has absented itself from HRC (refused to vote for it; refuses to be elected to it); therefore: • Without the US (hegemon) can the EU lead in the HRC?
Representation on CHR vs HRC Africa Group Asia Group CHR No. of states/% 15 (28) 12 (23) HRC No. of states/% 13 (28) Latin America Eastern Europe WEOG TOTAL EU 11 (21) 5 (9) 10 (19) 53 (100) 2005: 8 (15) OIC 2005: 13 (24. 5) 8 (17) 6 (13) 7 (15) 47 (100) 2006: 8 (17) 2007: 7 (15) 2006: 17 (36) 2007: 15 (32) UN regional group
HRC sessions • 6 regular sessions so far: • • 1) 19 -30 June 2006; 2) 18 September-6 October and 27 -29 November 2006; 3) 29 November-8 December 2006; 4) 12 -30 March 2007; 5) 11 -18 June 2007 (‘institutionbuilding process’ finished); 6) 10 -28 September and 10 -14 December 2007 • • • 6 special sessions so far: 1) July 2006: human rights in occupied Palestinian territory; 2) August 2006: human rights violations in Lebanon caused by Israel; 3) November 2006: human rights violations in occupied Palestinian territory caused by Israeli military incursions; 4) December 2006: human rights situation in Darfur; 5) October 2007: human rights situation in Myanmar; 6) January 2008: human rights violations in occupied Palestinian territory caused by Israeli military incursions
EU ‘output’ Regular sessions 1 -6 Special sessions 1 -6 Resolutions sponsored 9 1 Statements/ participation in debates Explanations of vote 124 6 34 6 Voting cohesion 100% (0 split votes 80% (1 split vote out of 24 roll-call out of 5 roll-call votes)
EU output compared with other groupings EU OIC Africa Group of Arab States Asia Group NAM GRULAC LMG WEOG Nordic Group Statements 124 66 52 9 8 5 7 1 1 6 Eo. Vs 34 7 4 1 2 Resolutions 9 10 14 Statements 6 6 6 4 Eo. Vs 4 1 1 Resolutions 1 Reg. session s 1 -6 4 Special sesions 1 -6 4 1 2 2
Limited influence of EU • Limited influence on institution-bldg process (agenda item 7; mandates for Belarus and Cuba; country resolutions) • Limited influence on HRC debates: OIC setting agenda on Israeli violations; racism, Islamophobia and defamation of religions • Seeks consensus, waters down positions • Often isolated: in 28 roll-call votes in total, EU member states in minority on all but 3 of them; + joined only by other ‘Northern’ states
Why? (work in progress…) • Coordination process time-consuming anyway, little time for outreach; worse with enlargement? • HRC more intensive process and EU ms haven’t boosted Geneva missions • Influence impossible anyway, due to: • 1) North-South split is deep • 2) clashes over values, and double standards of North • 3) Israeli violations of human rights
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