Charter guarantees rights of young people
Issued : Thursday 5 June, 2008
Statement by Proinsias De Rossa
Speaking at a Labour Party press conference this afternoon on the Lisbon Treaty and Young People, Proinsias De Rossa MEP said the Charter of Fundamental Rights represented a considerable step forward in the protection of the rights of young people.
Proinsias De Rossa said: "One of the main achievements of the Lisbon Treaty is that it makes the Charter of Fundamental Rights, drawn up by a Convention of elected representatives from across Europe in 2000, legally binding. This is a major innovation - the Charter contains the most detailed and ambitious elaboration of civil, social, economic and political rights anywhere in the world, and includes a number of provisions that will be of specific relevance to young people.
"Art.7 guarantees everyone the right to respect for his or her private and family life, home and communications.
"Art.14 guarantees the right to education, including the right to receive free compulsory education. In goes further than the European Convention on Human Rights by also guaranteeing a right to vocational and continuing education.
"Art.21 prohibits discrimination on a number of grounds, including on the basis of age.
"Art.32 guarantees that laws designed to protect young people in the workplace will not be undermined by any laws adopted at EU level.
"The Charter should be welcomed because it ensures that any EU or national law implementing an EU law that conflicts with the rights set down in it can be overturned in the courts. In short, it is a shield to protect the citizen.
"What is also significant about Lisbon is that is now provides the legal base for the EU to ratify the European Convention on Human Rights. And the Treaty also confirms that the 'level' of rights set down in the ECHR must be respected by the EU, but that this shall not stop the EU from agreeing higher levels of protection for the citizen.
