Summary: 12 November 2009, New York – Explanation of Vote on behalf of the European Union by the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations, 64th Session of the General Assembly Third Committee, draft resolution L.31 GA64: Globalization and its impact on the full enjoyment of all human rights
Mr. Chairperson,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
The following countries align themselves with this statement:
The candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia*, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the EFTA Countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
The EU cannot support the draft resolution in document L.31 “Globalization and its impact on the full enjoyment of all human rights”, a position we have declared already previous years.
We do acknowledge that globalization can have implications on the full enjoyment of human rights. However, the draft resolution before us, just like in the past, inaccurately generalizes that, in essence, globalization has negative effect on the enjoyment of all rights, a stand point we cannot subscribe to.
Dealing with globalization, and its effects, in a comprehensive manner is high on the EU agenda. Globalization is a multidimensional phenomenon, though. We realize that the problems and challenges faced in the world are increasingly of a global nature, yet globalization can also offer the means to tackle the most acute problems of our time, including extreme poverty.
The EU acknowledges that the economic benefits of globalization are not evenly shared. But globalization can provide a great opportunity for stimulating growth and prosperity all over the world and, in this regard, can wield a positive influence on the promotion and protection of human rights.
But we are not convinced that globalization has an impact on all human rights. The EU believes this relationship must be assessed on a case by case basis.
There are human rights and fundamental freedoms which are not affected by globalization. In some perspectives of globalization there might actually be positive effects for example due to an increased flow of information.
The EU voted against this resolution last years for the same reason. We now again note that we have severe problems with the whole concept of the draft resolution in document L.31 "Globalization and its impact on the full enjoyment of all human rights”.
We therefore will press the red button, and respectfully ask other delegations to do the same.
Thank you Mr. Chairperson.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
| Top |
European Union Member States
Alerts by email
Email this page
Print this page