The EU enlargement from the human rights perdpective. EU efficiency of protection of foundamental rights: The role the UE Fundamental Rights Agency

Politykę UE w zakresie praw człowieka można podzielić na skierowaną do wewnątrz i tę skierowaną na zewnątrz. Tę pierwszą realizuje w swoich działaniach Agencja Praw Podstawowych, można tu także zaliczyć rezolucje Parlamentu Europejskiego oraz w pewnym zakresie akty prawne. Ta druga urzeczywistnia działania Parlamentu Europejskiego, przede wszystkim Komisji Spraw Zagranicznych i jej Podkomisji Praw Człowieka, a także przez Radę UE i Komisję Europejską. Celem niniejszej publikacji było ukazanie roli i znaczenia Agencji Praw Podstawowych w kształtowaniu systemu ochrony praw człowieka. Z kontekstu powyższych rozważań należy uwypuklić to, że mimo braku wyposażenia FRA w aparat administracyjno-prawny oddziałujący władczo zarówno na organy wspólnotowe, jak i organy krajów członkowskich, istnieje realna potrzeba jej współistnienia w strukturze instytucjonalnej na poziomie wspólnotowym. Dzięki swojej apolityczności zapewnia bowiem dostęp do należytej, ustandaryzowanej obiektywnej informacji z zakresu praw i wolności obywatelskich zarówno na poziomie poszczególnych krajów członkowskich, jak i na poziomie struktury paneuropejskiej

Some reflections on human rights education in the XXI century Europe

From introduction: "The subject of human rights raises issues that are neither simple nor clear. Human rights are political by nature and they require political will to implement and public scrutiny to maintain. States have a duty to govern according to the rule of law and to respect the rights and freedoms of individual citizens. Citizens must also be constantly vigilant and insist on transparent and accountable government."(...

Common fundamental rights in the case-law of the court of justice of the european communities

"If the description of fundamental rights as the body of rights and freedoms protected by the Constitutions is undoubtedly not entirely satisfactory in comparative law, that description is quite inappropriate in the Community legał order, which is based not on a Constitution but on international treaties. Although the case-law of the Court of Justice has evolved along constitutional lines at the same time as the Community legał order has gone through a process of constitutionalisation1 - it is a „Community based on the rule of law” according to the judgement of 23 April 19862 - and although the development of those fundamental rights has followed the same direction, the specific naturę of the Community has produced particular effects from the outset. Since the objectives and activities of the Community were economic, the Treaties emphasised the economic freedoms, and more incidentally the social freedoms, of the nationals of Members States in order to succeed in establishing a vast market based on the free movement of goods, persons (both natural and legał) and the means of production. The Treaties therefore mention rights which are very similar to fundamental rights but which hinge on the principle prohibiting discrimination on the ground of nationality. Moreover, while the mixed character of the Community legał order leads it to borrow from the techniques (and rules) of international law and those of domestic law,it is by naturę an autonomous legał order."(...

Rethinking Human Rights Promotion and Protection in the Context of the War on Terror in the Twenty First Century

"International concern with human rights is a phenomenon of comparatively recent origin. Although it is possible to point out to a number of treaties of international agreements affecting humanitarian issue before World War II, it is only with the entry into force of the United Nations Charter in 1945, that it is possible to speak of the advent of systematic human rights protection and promotion within the international system. None the less, it is clear that the international protection of human rights, has its antecedents in domestic efforts to secure legal and political protection for individuals, as well as groups, against the arbitrary excesses of state power."(...

Education for democratic citizenship and human rights as integral part of European integration policy

Publikacja recenzowana / Peer-reviewed publicatio

Integracja europejska. Tworzenie wspólnej przestrzeni ochrony praw człowieka w ramach Unii Europejskiej

"Pierwsze koncepcje politycznej i gospodarczej integracji Europy formowane były już w XIX w. Jednakże dopiero po zakończeniu drugiej wojny światowej powstały warunki do urzeczywistnienia idei integracji regionalnej w Europie. W wyniku wojny ukształtowany został nowy układ sił tak w skali światowej, jak i, przede wszystkim, w Europie."(...

Wpływ polskiej prezydencji na kształtowanie się polityki praw człowieka w UE. Wybrane zagadnienia

The purpose of this paper is to examine human rights issues through the prism of the Polish Presidency in the EU Council. The Polish Presidency of the EU Council started with high expectations on the part of other Member States and EU officials. Poland took over the EU Council Presidency on 1 July 2011. Assuming the EU Presidency for the first time since its accession in 2004, Poland was well prepared for this challenge. At the same time, all actions of the Polish Presidency were very closely watched in other EU capitals as it was the first Presidency held by Warsaw. Even more so, as the previous Presidencies held by Member States that had joined the EU after 2004, had not been considered as terribly successful. Both the Czech Republic, because of the collapse of the government, and Hungary, because of the adoption of the controversial act on the media, were remembered as weak presidencies whose achievements had been overshadowed by negative internal developments. The Poles were aware of the fact that the standards were set high and of the challenges they would have to face. They also knew that even well prepared Presidencies were often hampered by unexpected turns of events. In a very difficult atmosphere marked by discussions on the need to deal more decisively with the economic crisis and the expectations of strong action on behalf of Europe’s leaders, the Polish Presidency pushed the European Agenda forward and achieved some significant results. The main task of the Presidency was to lead the EU on a path to faster economic growth and an enhanced political community. In order to follow these targets, this article has been concentrated on some aspects of the three basic presidency’s priorities: “European integration as the source of growth”, a “Secure Europe” and a “Europe benefiting from openness”. Special emphasis has been put on the development of expanding the area of European values and regulations, including further EU enlargement and the development of cooperation with neighboring countries. The initial objective of the Presidency, adopted by the Council of Ministers in May 2011, was to implement effectively the Stockholm programme. Thus, activities were engaged to protect EU citizens and facilitate their access to justice. Poland fully implemented the priority of the Presidency concerning the strengthening of collaboration in combating drug-related crime. The European Pact against synthetic drugs was adopted, along with the conclusions of the Council concerning the cooperation between the EU and Eastern Europe concerning drugs and conclusions concerning combating of new psychoactive substances. Taking into consideration the EU human rights policy, this paper aims at providing a general, and at the same time, comprehensive picture of the Polish Presidency activities in the field of the EU support for the protection of fundamental rights, as well as enhancing mechanisms for the prevention against any kind of discrimination. One of the key elements, in that respect, has been the EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. As a part of its Presidency, Poland took a major step forward in the process of the negotiations for the accession

Supporting HRE for Aged Persons in the EU

In the field of education, human rights have played an important role over the past decades, especially in relation to the idea of civil dialogue and demographic changes. This paper examines human rights issue through the prism of the ageing societies and demographic changes taking place in contemporary Europe. In order to demonstrate the activities and involvement of the AGE Platform Europe and its impact on the reception of ageing in contemporary European politic, it off ers a systematic analyses of the different phases of AGE’ actions engagement during the preparation process of the 2019 European parliamentary election.Od szeregu dekad, w płaszczyźnie szeroko rozumianej edukacji, prawa człowieka odgrywają istotną rolę. Poprzez wspieranie państw członkowskich w walce z ageizmem UE dąży do wzmocnienia integracji i spójności europejskiego społeczeństwa oraz do umożliwienia wszystkim obywatelom korzystania z równych szans w zakresie edukacji praw człowieka. Artykuł bada problematykę praw człowieka poprzez pryzmat dyskryminacji, wykluczenia społecznego seniorów i zmian demografi cznych zachodzących we współczesnej Europe. Celem przedstawienia aktywności i zaangażowania AGE Platform Europe i jej wpływu na społeczny odbiór rosnącego starzejącego się społeczeństwa we współczesnej polityce europejskiej, publikacja oferuje systematyczną analizę szeregu faz działania AGE w trakcie przygotowań do europejskich wyborów parlamentarnych w 2019 roku

Prawne i polityczne aspekty polityki antydyskryminacyjnej Rady Europy

Council of Europe has a long history of combating discrimination, although this subject has been dealt with in different institutional setting. The principles of equality and non-discrimination feature prominently and repeatedly in the Council of Europe documents. Promoting human rights and non-discrimination have been focal issues for the Council of Europe ever since its founding, paving the way for numerous policy measures, campaigns, conferences, trainings and debates. This paper presents current trends in Council of Europe’s non-discrimination policy, as well as the historic review of the process of its development. It focuses, both on the presentation of instruments and practical effects. The Council of Europe has played a key role in the development of a common anti-discrimination agenda. European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the Protocol no. 12, as well as the other instruments dealt with in this presentation, were a major step in the fight against discrimination in Europe. At the level of general orientation of the Council of Europe policy against discrimination the legislation prohibiting discrimination brings forth effective results. Nevertheless, combating discrimination and un-equality requires more than prohibition. Therefore, the Council of Europe must not see progress to date as the endgame, but rather a first step towards a society in which everyone can participate equally