"Equal Justice" across the EU will affect all our lives, says Claude Moraes MEP - 2009-11-25

"We need an EU  justice system that ensures issues as varied as wills and inheritance, cross border divorces, custody of children and mutual recognition of marriages, are recognised across the EU members states," says Labour MEP Claude Moraes.

"EU citizens must be entitled to carry their rights and liberties across Europe,  as easily as they can carry their suitcase, " he said.

The European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg is now   expected to pass very wide-ranging legislation  - known as "the Stockholm Programme" - later today that will be a  programme  for better rights for all  citizens, to be enacted step by step.

Claude Moraes is the  spokesperson  on civil liberties, justice and home affairs with  the European Parliament's second largest group, the Socialists and Democrats, who have taken the lead on this issue.

"The proposals will be a blueprint for better rights," he continued. "This will come into force at the same time as the Lisbon Treaty so  European citizens will now have control of the  key  issues concerning Justice and Home Affairs, through their elected MEPs.

"Step by step, it  will bring the highest possible standards to European criminal law. If you're arrested anywhere in the EU you'd have guaranteed rights through mutual recognition. For example, with the European  Arrest Warrant,  you'll get a translator, and forensic procedures will be the same across the EU .

"We'll have consistent definitions of crime across the EU, with Europe-wide tools for tackling organised crime and terrorism, which are clearly cross-border issues that can't always be tackled in one state.

"This will get the right balance between protecting us all through improving Law and Order, and safeguarding the liberties of EU citizens

"It will also protect all EU citizens against  all 'horizontal" discrimination. The Stockholm programme will give us the ability to create a new anti-discrimination Directive protecting older people, the LGBT community, people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities across Europe . You  should get the same protection in any country.  Member States of the EU will have to remove any bureaucratic obstacles to this. 

"The  draft programme of the Council (the governments of the EU) totally lacked ambition. Today's vote is a clear warning that under the Lisbon Treaty the EP will use its increased powers on these issues to mark the way in a much more progressive manner," he said.

› Back