THE EU's justified criticism of human rights abuses throughout the world, notably in Africa and Asia, is being undermined by the extent of "serious and inadmissible violations" within its member-states, the European Parliament was told.
This followed the issuing of its annual report on human rights which made more than 1.80 recommendations on, or criticisms of, the EU's record.
The report expresses alarm at the wave of racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism that has hit Europe since 1995 and the erosion of fundamental rights and freedoms in parts of the EU.
Problems in individual states are specified, including racism in Germany and persecution of conscientious objectors in Greece. It also cites the failure of some countries to fully endorse an end to the death penalty.
The report strongly criticises the extent of cruelty to children, referring to ill-treatment and sexual abuse, and condemns "frequently racist" treatment of people in detention.
Member-states have been asked to conduct thorough investigations of justified complaints of ill-treatment and abuse of power, and to provide improved training for police and prison officers to prevent such abuses.
The report strongly endorses what it describes as "a ban on euthanasia to the detriment of the disabled, patients in long-term coma, disabled new-born infants and the elderly".
It also welcomes the development of systems to lock out illegal and harmful content, including pornography, on the Internet. It urges the European Commission to establish a system of European quality branding for Internet access providers, and to promote greater international co-ordination in excluding unacceptable content.
A German MEP, Ms Claudia Roth (Green), who presented the report, said: "We seem to have difficulty in owning up to the difficulties in our own countries. We must not be hypocritical and create a separate European definition of human rights."
Europe's shortcomings were reflected in more than half its population - women - not having "the basic right to walk the streets in safety", Ms Bernie Malone (Lab) said.
"We in this parliament constantly and quite rightly condemn human rights abuses in other parts of the world. But some of the most serious human rights violations are committed here in Europe against EU citizens and residents"
The report reaffirms the right of journalists to keep their sources of information.