ΣΥΜΠΟΣΙΟ Θεμελιώδη δικαιώματα: Προκλήσεις και προοπτικές για την ΕΕ και την Κύπρο

English follows
Το Κέντρο για τα Θεμελιώδη Δικαιώματα του Πανεπιστημίου Λευκωσίας διοργανώνει Συμπόσιο με θέμα τα θεμελιώδη δικαιώματα αύριο Τρίτη 14 Νοεμβρίου στην αίθουσα ΟΥΝΕΣΚΟ του Πανεπιστημίου, ώρα 18.00. Το συμπόσιο θα ασχοληθεί με τα θεμελιώδη δικαιώματα εν καιρώ κρίσης, με φόντο την οικονομική κρίση, την προσφυγική κρίση, την άνοδο της ακροδεξιάς και την κρίση νομιμοποίησης που εν γένει αντιμετωπίζουν τα κράτη και η ΕΕ. Ομιλητές η Επίτροπος για τα δικαιώματα του παιδιού κα Λ. Κουρσουμπά, η Επίτροπος Προστασίας Προσωπικών Δεδομένων κ. Ε.  Λοϊζίδου , ο κ. Αλέκος Μαρκίδης, οι ακαδημαϊκοί Κώστας Κωνσταντίνου και  Άρης Κωνσταντινίδης και ο εκπρόσωπος του Οργανισμού Θεμελιωδών Δικαιωμάτων της ΕΕ (FRA) Gabriel Toggenburg. Είσοδος ελεύθερη.

Είσοδος ελεύθερη. Η εκδήλωση κατά κύριο λόγο στα Αγγλικά, αλλά κάποιοι ομιλητές θα μιλήσουν στα Ελληνικά. Θα υπάρξει διερμηνεία για όσους συμμετέχοντες θέλουν να μιλήσουν στα Ελληνικά. Πιο κάτω το πρόγραμμα και συνημμένο το σκεπτικό της εκδήλωσης

ΠΑΝΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΙΟ ΛΕΥΚΩΣΙΑΣ

ΚΤΙΡΙΟ UNESCO

Tρίτη 14 Νοεμβρίου 17.45

ΣΥΜΠΟΣΙΟ

Θεμελιώδη δικαιώματα: Προκλήσεις και προοπτικές για την ΕΕ και την Κύπρο

Kαφές/τσάι:                            17.45 - 17.55       

Ομιλίες:                                   17.55 - 19.15

Λήδα Κουρσουμπά, Επίτροπος για τα Δικαιώματα του Παιδιού.

Ειρήνη Λοϊζίδου Νικολαΐδου, Επίτροπος για την προστασία των προσωπικών δεδομένων.

Gabriel N. Toggenburg, Οργανισμός Θεμελιωδών δικαιωμάτων της ΕΕ (FRA)

Άριστος Τσιάρτας, Εμπειρογνώμονας θεμελιωδών δικαιωμάτων

Άρης Κωνσταντινίδης, Kαθηγητής Νομικής, Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου

Κώστας Κωνσταντίνου, Καθηγητής Πολιτικών Επιστημών, Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου

Αλέκος Μαρκίδης, πρώην Γενικός Εισαγγελέας

Συντονιστής:       Νίκος Τριμικλινιώτης, Καθηγητής, Πανεπιστήμιο Λευκωσίας

Συζήτηση:           19.15- 20.00               

Ποτά:                   20.00-20.30

SYMPOSIUM Fundamental Rights: Challenges and potential for the EU and Cyprus

Program 17.45 - 17.55 Welcome coffee & drinks

Chair: Nicos Trimikliniotis, Centre for Fundamental Rights, University of Nicosia

17.55-18.00 Opening remarks and concept

18.00 – 19.15
Leda Koursoumba, Commissioner for the rights of the child

Irini Loizidou Nikolaidou, Commissioner for the protection of personal data

Gabriel N. Toggenburg, FRA, Senior Legal Advisor The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in legal practice: challenges and potential

Aristos Tsiartas, Fundamental rights expert Challenges in combating racism and discrimination Aris Constantinides, Αss. Professor of Law, University of Cyprus Cypriot Courts on Equality and Social Rights: Lessons from international experience

Costas M. Constantinou, Professor of Political Science, University of Cyprus Fundamental Rights and the Cypriot State of Exception

Alecos Markides, former Attorney General Fundamental Rights and the Cyprus Problem: the Challenges ahead

19.15- 20.00 Discussion and closing remarks

20.00-20.30 Drinks 2 / 2

Concept Note

After centuries of bloodshed, inequality and unspeakable human pain, culminating in the atrocities of World War II, in the post-holocaust era Europe developed one of the most sophisticated human rights legal systems in the world, supported by an impressive infrastructure of institutions, including the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, known as the FRA. In recent years, we have all become witness to the fact that legal frameworks alone, however admirable, cannot meet constantly evolving challenges. In a recent speech at the Central European University in Budapest, FRA’s director Michael O Flaherty stated: “Beyond unacceptable patterns of failure to deliver effective human rights protection we must acknowledge an underlying malaise – this is the increasing willingness of some who hold power to repudiate the very human rights values and systems themselves. This phenomenon is relatively new and it is a matter of extreme concern, given the way in which it can corrode the system and weaken it.” Indeed, the EU is facing an existential turmoil. The last decade has seen rising threats to fundamental rights, democratic life and the social wellbeing of the peoples of Europe. The global economic crisis combined with the austerity policies, the rise of the far-right all over Europe and the worst refugee crisis since World War II have all contributed to serious fundamental rights challenges: The appalling and undignified living conditions of refugees and other migrants, the increase of intolerance and hate in the digital and non-digital sphere, the rising levels of inequality, exploitation and poverty, the curtailing of our right to privacy as a result of surveillance, which is assuming a new impetus of legitimisation in light of the terrorist threat. These developments do not paint the Europe that the older generation had dreamt. At our national level, up until EU accession, Cyprus’ political problem monopolised public interest. Accession and the transposition of the EU acquis brought significant changes not only to the legal order, but also to the mechanisms for monitoring compliance, collecting data, stakeholder consultation and evaluation of the impact of laws and policies. In addition to the new body laws and the new rights that entered the Cypriot legal sphere as a result of accession, the Charter of Fundamental Rights offered itself as an additional tool for ensuring that the national policies and legislation transposing the EU acquis are in line with human rights standards. The promise of a new human rights culture raised the expectations of society and its more vulnerable members with respect to equality, human rights, public accountability and measures for empowerment and integration. The degree to which this promise has delivered needs to be questioned and assessed. The economic crisis found Cyprus’ formerly affluent society unprepared for the sudden changes to everyday lives. Austerity has negatively impacted on basic rights and undermined welfare, social and economic rights of all, and mostly those in need. Despite the return to moderate economic growth, Cyprus is still plagued with serious economic and social problems: the fifth highest unemployment rate in the EU, the fourth highest in youth unemployment, many of whom are emigrating abroad, reversing 30-year long migration trends; a dramatic rise in precarious and insecure employment; one of the highest rates of persons at risk of poverty Whilst labour rights are increasingly eroded and the welfare state is weakened, xenophobia and intolerance to diversity is on the rise. The emergence of a number of far right groups, one of whom has secured seats in parliament, coupled with the failure of the centreright and the centre-left parties to address the needs of the newly poor, has polarised society and further intensified the climate of intolerance against migrants, asylum seekers, ethnic communities and the Turkish Cypriot community, our future partners in a potential solution to the Cyprus problem. Seven eminent speakers with expertise and engagement in fundamental rights will seek to address these challenges and contribute to a vision for a way forward.