to reiterate its support for an ambitious, comprehensive and balanced negotiation, which should unleash the untapped potential of a more integrated global services market, while preventing social, environmental and economic dumping and fully guaranteeing compliance with the EU acquis ; to shape and regulate globalisation and to strengthen international standards, while legally securing the right to regulate and to pursue legitimate public policy objectives such as public health, safety and environment; to secure increased market access for European services suppliers, including SMEs, in key sectors of interest, while accommodating specific carve-outs for sensitive sectors, including all public services; to ensure that these negotiations ...[+++]contribute fairly and significantly to job creation and inclusive growth, and set ambitious trade in services standards for the 21st century; to respect the EU’s and Member States’ political, social and cultural models as well as the fundamental principles enshrined in the EU Treaties, and those included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, such as gender equality; to promote and protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law worldwide;

Due regard for established rights is one of the general principles of law protected by the Community legal order.

Concerning petitions regarding the infringement of a right protected under the Charter of Fundamental Rights, once the legal nature of the Charter, its ‘binding’ character and the legal protection accorded have been better defined, it is very probable that Parliament and its Committee on Petitions will require new instruments to process these petitions.

By letter of 24 January 2003 the Commission forwarded to Parliament its Communication on "Towards a United Nations legally binding instrument to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities" (COM(2003) 16), which had been referred to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs, Committee on Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities and Committee on Petitions for information.

In this regard, the Commission notes the statement of the Danish Presidency on behalf of the European Union at the UN Third Committee's meeting on 3 October 2002 [24] whereby it welcomed the stronger focus put on the rights of persons with disabilities and recognised the usefulness of an international legally binding instrument to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

EUROPA - EU law and publications - EUR-Lex - EUR-Lex - 52003DC0016 - EN - Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Towards a United Nations legally binding instrument to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities