European Union and the Need to Stand up for the Universality of Human Rights in the Context of Migration

• Author: Marcela Monica Stoica
• Pages: 32-36

European Integration - Realities and Perspectives. Proceedings 2018

32

European Union and the Need to Stand up for the Universality of Human

Rights in the Context of Migration

Marcela Monica Stoica1

Abstract: Europe, embodied by t he European construction, was always seen as the land of unity, the land

where people are equal and their fundamental rights are guaranteed and protected. After two world wars when

it has been proven that human life and human dignity could be at someone’s discretion, the European leaders,

hand in hand with all the leaders of the world, inspired from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

stood for universality of human rights making them a corner stone for Europe. But the last years, from this

new century, marked by severe economic and social crisis, t han the starting of the Syrian war, demonstrated

that there are still many gaps that have to be fulfilled and the European project, actually, the European Union,

is weaker and weaker, the distance between citizens and their leaders grows, and a strong crisis of authority is

going on. Much more, the migration than began after the Syrian war proved that human rights are not yet so

well defended as the European and non European citizens believed and a lot of measures and strategies have

to be the main preoccupation for all the institutional and policies of the EU. Thus, this article deals with the

main provisions of the European Agenda for Migration and the way the leaders succeeded, more or less, to

apply it in order that universality of human rights to be respected and put it in the center of their politics.

Keywords: citizen; migration; rights; freedoms; hatred; asylum

1. European Union as a Construct for Peace and Freedom. What we Celebrate at the

End of this Year?

Ironically, the end of this year mark two important date for the mankind and its rights. Firstly, as

usual, on the 10th of December, we have to celebrate the International Human Rights Day, but taking

into account all the events that took place during this year, it seems that we have no reasons for

applauses but rather for remembering and meditation on hatred and intolerance. As the Director of EU

Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), Michael O’Flaherty declared “More and more, we are seeing

a crisis of values, a crisis of fundamental rights,” and added “Many of the most vulnerable people in

our societies are finding themselves the target of hatred that is a far cry from the rights set out in the

Universal Declaration. We all have a duty to stem this erosion of the humane values that form the

cornerstone of European society.”2

Throughout the history of humanity the possibility of migration was a savior solution for hundreds,

thousands of men and women. They were looking for a new place where to find a new homeland

because of wars and political instability or simply to find a better job or a more beautiful place to live.

Migration is also a respond to demographic trends and labour market gaps in the EU. So, migration, in

1 Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University, Faculty of Political Sciences, Bucharest, Romania, Address: 176 Splaiul Unirii,

București, Tel.: 021 330 8931, Romania, Corresponding e-mail: mms_stoica@yahoo.com.

2 www.fra.europa.eu.