Translation of "Human rights and democracy " (English → French) :

In 2012 the EU adopted an ambitious programme – the Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy – which sets out how it intended to honour its Treaty obligation to advance democracy, the rule of law, as well as the universality and indivisibility of human rights.

In this regard, civil society is to be understood as spanning all types of social actions by individuals or groups that are independent from the state and whose activities help to promote human rights and democracy, including human rights defenders as defined by the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (‘Declaration on Human Rights Defenders’).

In accordance with the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, in order to integrate human rights principles in the implementation of this Regulation the Union should apply a rights-based approach encompassing all human rights, whether civil and political, economic, social or cultural.

In this regard, civil society is to be understood as spanning all types of social actions by individuals or groups that are independent from the state and whose activities help to promote human rights and democracy, including human rights defenders as defined by the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (‘Declaration on Human Rights Defenders’).

Recalls that respect for the core values of the EU and protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms constitute common ground in the Union’s relations with third countries, and stresses that the EU is bound by the Charter also in this respect; in this regard, recalls that the promotion of democracy and of the rule of law goes hand in hand with the respect, protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms; underlines the fact that, within the new institutional structure of the EU, the European External Action Service (EEAS) can only offer an opportunity to enhance coherence and effectiveness in the sphere of external policy efforts to promote human rights and democracy ...[+++] if a human-rights-based approach to the service’s structure, resources and activities is endorsed; emphasises that the Union plays a leading role in the promotion of human rights in the world; in this regard, calls on the EU to ensure the effectiveness of the human rights clauses in the international agreements and to take into account the principles of the Charter when entering into agreements with third countries, as well as to maintain coherence between its internal and external human rights policy;

enhancing the respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international and regional human rights instruments, and promoting and consolidating democracy and democratic reform in third countries, mainly through support for civil society organisations, providing support and solidarity to human rights defenders and victims of repression and abuse, and strengthening civil society active in the field of human rights and democracy promotion;