The Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU Parliament, hosted a two-day seminar on lessons learned and recommendations for the future.
When the European Parliament carried out a streamed public hearing on The impact of the pandemic on fundamental rights, the RWI Director Adj. Professor Dr Morten Kjaerum was invited to share his thoughts and insights on the topic.
Read his statement to the committee here
The pandemic has had a great effect on many of our fundamental rights. The right to health, the right to education, freedom of movement, of assembly and more.
Michael O’Flaherty, Director of European Fundamental Rights Agency, briefly introduced the topic. Then, members of committee got the chance to ask a number of questions.
“There were a huge limitations to our fundamental rights”, says O’Flaherty. “For example, in regard to children development with interruption of schooling. I am thinking in particular of vulnerable groups such as Europe’s six million Roma. We have to, already in quiet times, invest in these groups, so that they better can ride out storms in the future.”
“I saw so much discrimination, over people without resources and those at the edges. Exposed to illness and even death – because of their socio-economic status.”, says O’Flaherty in the committee’s discussion on discrimination.
Other topics that were discussed during the two days were ‘The effect of communication and disinformation’, ‘Impact of the Pandemic on EU Democracies’ and ‘Parliamentary oversight of governments’ response’.
Read more
Discover FRA’s six public bulletins of the implications of Covid-19 and the responses to it.