Buttiglione faces grilling at justice and home affairs hearing

2.32.38pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 4th Oct 2004

MEPs on the European Parliament Civil Liberties committee will tomorrow quiz European Commissioner-designate for justice & home affairs Rocco Buttiglione on his suitability.

Baroness Sarah Ludford, London MEP and Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman, will seek to probe Mr. Buttiglione on his support for the establishment of detention camps in North Africa for would-be EU refugees and immigrants, as well as his soundness on upholding European data protection rules.

The team from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group will also explore if the Italian Christian Democrat confidante of Silvio Berlusconi has a coherent strategy as JHA Commissioner and is sound on combating terrorism and trafficking, on integration of migrants and protection of minorities. They want assurances that he will not allow his Catholic views to affect his responsibilities on gay rights and respect for national laws on abortion and euthanasia.

In advance of the hearing, Baroness Ludford said:

"Mr Buttiglione thinks transit countries should 'investigate, identify and send back those who don't meet the criteria' and 'have the function of discouraging those who should not come'. But it is completely unacceptable for the EU to delegate its legal and human rights responsibilities to the tender care of that well-known humanitarian and upholder of international law, Colonel Gaddafi."

"Instead of trying to wriggle out of Europe's responsibilities within a Fortress Europe, he should use the renewed impetus of a new Commission to push for completion of a single European asylum system and a workable immigration policy.

"I also want to hear from Mr Buttiglione that he will safeguard the privacy laws that Europe has carefully built up through human rights conventions and EU legislation, not dump it for poorly-argued 'war on terror' pretexts.

"In 2000 as an MEP, he criticised me for including in my report on anti-racism some remarks on the inclusion in Austria's government of the racist and anti-immigrant party of Jorg Haider, saying 'these remarks are out of place in a report on human rights'. I find that unnerving in a person who seeks to be champion of EU fundamental rights."