Several dozen parliamentarians are urging the new European Commission to make the introduction of a European law against human rights violations one of the priorities of the new foreign policy. They call it a “big blunder” that the new Commission has not yet included the so-called Magnitsky law in the list of priorities for the coming years.
The appeal is signed by both Members of the European Parliament and national politicians from France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, among others. The law is named after the Russian accountant Sergei Magnitsky. In 2009, he died under suspicious circumstances in a prison cell in Moscow. Magnitsky is said to have uncovered tax fraud by high-ranking Russian officials and politicians.
The United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, among others, already have a Magnitsky law. Such a law makes it possible to impose sanctions on Russian individuals and companies, such as freezing bank accounts and imposing visa bans.
The Dutch parliament recently called on Prime Minister Rutte's cabinet to introduce such a Magnitsky law in the Netherlands as well, should it not be possible on a European scale. Earlier this year, the Netherlands therefore submitted a proposal in the EU to be able to tackle foreign businessmen and politicians, not only for human rights violations but also for financial and economic fraud and crimes. This gives the Dutch proposal a broader and more general approach than the Magnitsky law, as it is no longer aimed solely at Russian suspects.
One of the stumbling blocks and objections from some EU countries is precisely the reference to Magnitsky in the law. The connection to the death of the Russian accountant could give the impression that the law is aimed against Russia, while the intention is to address human rights violations worldwide. The Netherlands therefore does not speak of a Magnitsky law but of an EU sanctions regime.
During the discussion of that Dutch proposal earlier this year, there was much support, but no final decision was reached. Because it is now up to the new European Commission to conclude the proceedings, it was expected that the Von der Leyen Commission would include the new law against human rights violators in the new foreign policy. The two new European leaders, EU President Michel and EC President Von der Leyen, have both stated that they want a more self-confident and active EU on the world stage.