Human Rights Clause in the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the EU and Arab States

On 27-28 November 1995, the governments of 27 countries, that is the 15 European Union (EU) member States and 12 southern and eastern Mediterranean countries, held meetings in Barcelona, Spain, and formally launched the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP), commonly known as the Barcelona Process, which lays its basis on 3 pillars:
! Political dialogue and security
! Economic and financial partnership
! Social and cultural cooperation
On the bilateral level, the main instruments of the EMP are Association Agreements between the EU and the Mediterranean partners. Following the general EU policy, they include a human rights clause (article 2), which holds that respect for democratic principles, and fundamental human rights constitute "an essential element" of the agreements.
These clauses are similar but not uniform. Following is a reproduction of the human rights clause in each Association Agreement between the EU and Arab Mediterranean countries.
1. Tunisia (signed on 17 July 1995)
Article 2
Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles which guide their domestic and international policies and constitute an essential element of the Agreement.
2. Morocco (signed on 26 February 1996)
Article 2
Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of this Agreement itself, shall be based on respect of democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.
3. Palestinian Authority (signed on 24 February 1997)
Article 2
Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect of democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the universal declaration on human rights, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.
4. Jordan (signed on 24 November 1997)
Article 2
Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect of democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the universal declaration on human rights, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.
5. Egypt (signed on 25 June 2001)
Article 2
Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect of democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.
6. Algeria (signed on 19 December 2001)
Article 2
Respect for the democratic principles and fundamental human rights established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights shall inspire the domestic and international policies of the Parties and shall constitute an essential element of this Agreement.
7. Lebanon (signed on 10 January 2002)
Article 2
Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of this Agreement itself, shall be based on respect of democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.