Renate Weber
Encyclopedia
Renate Weber is a Romanian lawyer and human rights activist who, in November 2007, was elected as Member of the European Parliament. She is the first Romanian appointed as Chief of an EU Election Observation Mission.
Renate Weber was Chair of the Soros Foundation - Romania (formerly known as the Open Society Foundation Romania), between 1998–2005 and 2006 - 2007. Between 2004 - 2005 she was Advisor on constitutional and legislative matters to the President of Romania.
In the 90s, Renate Weber has become one of the strongest voices of the Romanian civil society, being involved in a number of national and international non-profit organization, such as the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (Vienna), where she was Vice-chair (1994–1996), or the Association for the Protection of Human Rights in Romania - Helsinki Committee (APADOR-CH), where she was Co-chair (1994–1999). Renate Weber was the most longevive Chairwoman of the National Council at the Foundation for an Open Society - Romania (1998–2005, 2006–2007).
In 2000, she was appointed as Ad hoc judge, at the European Court of Human Rights
in (Strasbourg
).
She lectured in international human rights law, constitutional law, minority rights and women's rights, at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies, Faculty of Political Sciences (1997–2003). She also held classes on the protection of human rights in the context of international relations, at University of Bucharest, Faculty of History (2003–2004).
Between 2004 - 2005, Renate Weber was appointed as Advisor on constitutional and legislative matters to the President of Romania.
In 2007, she decided to enter politics and became a member of the National Liberal Party (Partidul National Liberal).
She is also a member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean Community. In this capacity, she led - in the autumn of 2008 - the EP Electoral Observation Mission in Ecuador.
Subsequently, she was appointed - by the European Commission - as Chief of the EU Election Observation Mission for the January 25, 2009 Constitutional Referendum in Bolivia and she was also Chief Observer for the EU EOM deployed for the presidential and legislative elections that took place in Bolivia on December 6, 2009.
In May 2010, Renate Weber was invited by the EC to lead the EU EOM deployed for the May-September 2010 electoral cycle in Burundi, Africa.
Other articles/papers on the Romanian legal system, the implementation of international human rights/minority rights legislation by the Romanian Courts and the human rights/minority rights situation in Romania.
Renate Weber was Chair of the Soros Foundation - Romania (formerly known as the Open Society Foundation Romania), between 1998–2005 and 2006 - 2007. Between 2004 - 2005 she was Advisor on constitutional and legislative matters to the President of Romania.
Short Bio
Renate Weber has graduated the Law Faculty of Bucharest University, in 1979 and became a lawyer at the Bucharest Bar.In the 90s, Renate Weber has become one of the strongest voices of the Romanian civil society, being involved in a number of national and international non-profit organization, such as the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (Vienna), where she was Vice-chair (1994–1996), or the Association for the Protection of Human Rights in Romania - Helsinki Committee (APADOR-CH), where she was Co-chair (1994–1999). Renate Weber was the most longevive Chairwoman of the National Council at the Foundation for an Open Society - Romania (1998–2005, 2006–2007).
In 2000, she was appointed as Ad hoc judge, at the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
in (Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
).
She lectured in international human rights law, constitutional law, minority rights and women's rights, at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies, Faculty of Political Sciences (1997–2003). She also held classes on the protection of human rights in the context of international relations, at University of Bucharest, Faculty of History (2003–2004).
Between 2004 - 2005, Renate Weber was appointed as Advisor on constitutional and legislative matters to the President of Romania.
In 2007, she decided to enter politics and became a member of the National Liberal Party (Partidul National Liberal).
European Parliament Activity
Renate Weber has become a member of the European Parliament in November 2007. She is a full member of the LIBE Committee and a substitute member of the AFET Committee.She is also a member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean Community. In this capacity, she led - in the autumn of 2008 - the EP Electoral Observation Mission in Ecuador.
Subsequently, she was appointed - by the European Commission - as Chief of the EU Election Observation Mission for the January 25, 2009 Constitutional Referendum in Bolivia and she was also Chief Observer for the EU EOM deployed for the presidential and legislative elections that took place in Bolivia on December 6, 2009.
In May 2010, Renate Weber was invited by the EC to lead the EU EOM deployed for the May-September 2010 electoral cycle in Burundi, Africa.
Other activities
- Organisation and lecturing, course in 'Rights of national minorities' (UNDP and Centre for Human Rights, Moldova, 2000)
- Organisation and lecturing, course (training of trainers) in 'The police and human rights' (UNDP and Centre for Human Rights, Moldova, 2000)
- Lecturer, 'The police and the European Convention on Human Rights', Police Academy, organised by the Council of EuropeCouncil of EuropeThe Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
(Moscow, 2000) - Lecturer, 'Joint Pilot Training Course for Human Rights Field Missions', organised by the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the UN and the EU (VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, 1999) - Member, Reflection Group on the project 'The Long-term Implications of EU Enlargement: The Nature of the New Border', formed by the European Commission and the Robert Schuman Centre of the European University Institute (Florence, 1998–1999)
- Lecturer on more than 15 courses held in the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, AlbaniaAlbaniaAlbania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, SlovakiaSlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Kirghizstan and Kazakhstan on human rights monitoring, especially as regards the relationship between international law and national legislation, in connection with the work of the police, prison conditions, the organisation and conduct of elections, freedom of expression, minority rights and women's rights (1993–1998)
Articles, Studies, Books
Renate Weber has over 50 published studies and articles on human rights, the rights of national minorities, constitutional law, the European Convention on Human Rights and fighting discrimination. Here are several examples:- Synthesis of the national situation in RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
(anti-discrimination report produced for the European CommissionEuropean CommissionThe European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, 2006) - The Kin-State and Its Minorities: Which European Standards? The Hungarian Status- Law : Its Antecedents and Consequences, in The Hungarian Status Law: Nation Building and/or Minority Protection, Zoltan Kantor and others eds., Slavic Eurasian Studies, Vol. 4, Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 2004
- “Non-Discrimination Review” – project undertaken by the Council of Europe, addressing non-discrimination issues within the Central and South East Europe – member of the three country group expert team 2002-2003
- “Report on Measures to Combat Discrimination in the 13 candidate countries “– project undertaken by MEDE European Consultancy in partnership with Migration Policy Group – country report on Romania, 2003
- “Concept paper on Combating Discrimination in Romania. An Inventory of Problems on Legislation and Institutional Mechanisms for Combating Discrimination” - a follow up project within the Non Discrimination Review project of the Council of Europe, 2003
- “The Romanian Constitutional Court: In Search of its Own Identity“ in Sadurski Wojciech ed. Constitutional Justice, East and West – Democratic Legitimacy and Constitutional Courts in Post-Communist Europe in A Comparative Perspective, Kluwer Law International, The Hague-London-New York, 2002
- “The Impact of the European Convention of Human Rights upon the Rule of Law in Romania”, Blackburn and Polakiewicz (eds.), Oxford University Press, 2002
- Research on “National and European Legislation to Combat Racism”, project undertaken by Migration Policy Group, Interrights and European Roma Rights Center, report on Romania, 2001
- “The Effect of the [ECHR] on the Legal and Political System of Member States: Romania”, in Prof. Robert Blackburn and Dr. Jorg Polakiewicz eds. http://books.google.com/books?id=Rq4zTCIXxPUC&printsec=frontcover&hl=ro&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0Fundamental Rights in Europe – The European Convention on Human RightsEuropean Convention on Human RightsThe Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by the then newly formed Council of Europe, the convention entered into force on 3 September 1953...
and its Member States], 1950–2000, Oxford University Press, 2001
- “Constitutionalism as a Vehicle for Democratic Consolidation in Romania”, in Jan Zielonka ed. Democratic Consolidation in Eastern Europe, Oxford University Press, 2001
- “Police Organization and Accountability: A Comparative Study”, in Andras Kadar ed. Police in Transition, Central European University Press, 2001
- Women 2000 – An Investigation into the Status of Women’s Rights in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States, editor, International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Vienna, 2000
- “Transilvania: evolution through devolution?” in The Transilvanian Problem (Problema transilvana), Polirom, Iasi, 1999
- “The Romanian-Hungarian Relations within the Legal Frame of the Schengen Agreements, in the review International Studies”, Centre for International Studies, Bucharest, 1999 (published also in Hungarian, in Europai Szemmel, Budapest, 1999);
- “The Moldavian Csango”, (in co-operation), International Foundation for Promoting Studies and Knowledge of Minority Rights, Budapest, 1998
- “The Protection of National Minorities in Romania: a Matter of Political Will and Wisdom”, in Law and Practice of Central European Countries in the Field of National Minorities Protection, Institute for International Affairs, Warsaw, 1997;
- “Three minorities and their claims: the Hungarian from Romania, the Romanian from Ukraine and the Gagauz from Moldova”, in Altera, no.6/1997;
- “Self-determination”, study prepared with the Bucharest Centre for Human Rights for the Committee on Political Affairs of the Council of Europe, 1996;
- “Romania and International Human Rights” - chapter for the Romanian version of Thomas Buergenthal’s book International Human Rights - in a nutshell, All, Bucharest, 1996;
- “Evolutions in the D.A.H.R. Conception on Hungarian Minority Rights” (in co-operation), Centre for Human Rights, Bucharest, 1996;
- “The White Paper on Access to Information in Romania” (in co-operation), Centre for Human Rights, Bucharest, 1996;
- “The Welfare State in Post-Communist Countries: The Romanian Case”, in Re-conceptualizing the Welfare State, the Danish Center for Human Rights, ed. Copenhagen, 1996
- “Romania’s Relations with the Republic of Moldova” (in co-operation), in the review International Studies, Centre for International Studies, Bucharest, 1995;
- “Nationalism and its Impact upon Rule of Law in Romania” (in co-operation), in the review International Studies, Bucharest, 1995;
- “Study on the Conception of Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania on the Rights of National Minorities” (in co-operation), Centre for Human Rights, Bucharest, 1994;
- “Two draft laws on the protection of minorities” (in co-operation), in Legislation in transition, Bucharest, 1994
Other articles/papers on the Romanian legal system, the implementation of international human rights/minority rights legislation by the Romanian Courts and the human rights/minority rights situation in Romania.
External links
- European Parliament - info Renate Weber
- Personal Website - Renate Weber
- Press Articles on Renate Weber
- Speeches in the EP Plenary - Renate Weber
- Press Releases - Renate Weber
- Photo Gallery - Renate Weber
- ALDE - Renate Weber
- LinkedIn Profile - Renate Weber
- Facebook Profile - Renate Weber
- YouTube videos - Renate Weber