Includes bibliographical references (p. [929]-940) and index.

An 'ever closer union' in need of a human rights policy: the European Union and human rights / Philip Alston and J.H.H. Weiler -- Is there a European approach to human rights? / Charles Leben -- The effect of rights on political culture / Martti Koskenniemi -- The legacies of injustice and fear: a European approach to human rights and their effects on political culture / Klaus Günther -- A human rights policy for the European Community and Union: the question of competences / J.H.H. Weiler and S.C. Fries -- Human rights and the third pillar / Steve Peers -- Access to justice as a human right: the European Convention and European Union / Carol Harlow -- Gender equality in the EU: a balance sheet / Catherine Barnard -- The human rights of people with disabilities under EU law / Gerard Quinn -- The internal and external 'other' in the Union legal order: racism, religious intolerance and xenophobia in Europe / Conor A. Gearty -- Non-Communitarians: refugee and asylum policies / Gregor Noll and Jens Vedsted-Hansen -- The quest for a consistent set of rules governing the status of non-Community nationals / Blanca Vilá Costa -- Striking the elusive balance between economic freedom and social rights in the EU / Miguel Poiares Maduro -- From Strasbourg to Amsterdam: prospects for the convergence of European social rights policy / Silvana Sciarra -- Human rights and European identity: the debate about European citizenship / Ulf Bernitz and Hedvig Lokrantz Bernitz -- The future of environmental rights in the European Union / Pavlos Z. Eleftheriadis -- Holding multinational corporations accountable for human rights abuses: a challenge for the EC / Menno T. Kamminga -- Human rights considerations in the development co-operation activities of the EC / Bruno Simma, Jo Beatrix Aschenbrenner, and Constanze Schulte -- Where is the EU's human rights common foreign policy, and how is it manifested in multilateral fora? / Andrew Clapham -- Human rights 'conditionality' in relation to entry to, and full participation in, the EU / Manfred Nowak -- Trade preferences and human rights / Barbara Bandtner and Allan Rosas -- Human rights clauses in external agreements of the EC / Eibe Riedel and Martin Will -- Human rights case law in the Strasbourg and Luxembourg courts: conflicts, inconsistencies, and complementarities / Dean Spielmann -- New instruments and institutions for enhancing the protection of human rights in Europe? / Giorgio Gaja -- The role of the European Parliament: past and future / Reinhard Rack and Stefan Lausegger -- Reflections on the human rights role of the European Parliament / Kieran St C. Bradley -- The past and future role of the European Court of Justice in the protection of human rights / Bruno de Witte -- Human rights and civil society / Emmanuel Decaux -- Annex: Leading by example: a human rights agenda for the European Union for the year 2000.

"For all its achievements in integrating Europe, the EU's human rights policy is not coherent, balanced or professionally organized. The introduction of a single currency, the problems of racism and xenophobia, the need for a humane refugee policy, the growing powers of the EU in many fields, and the Union's imminent eastward expansion, all make it urgent to adopt such policies. In this volume the leading experts in the field, including individuals from every EU country, provide an insightful critique of current policies and detailed recommendations for the future."--BOOK JACKET.