The Draft Constitution and Human Rights Protection in European Union
周大勇 (Zhou,Dayong)
1 the general introduction of the draft constitution in aspect of the human rights
2 short review of the human rights protection in European Union
3 the new points in aspect of human rights in the draft constitution
3.1 common values
3.2 incorporation of the Charter of fundamental rights
3.3 other changes could affect the human rights
4 arisen questions
4.1 the protection different from under the Convention
4.2 the two courts system and its application
5 conclusions in a historical view
1 general introduction of the draft constitution in aspect of the human rights
“Conscious that Europe is a continent that has brought forth civilization; That its inhabitants, arriving in successive waves from earliest times, have gradually developed the values underlying humanism: equality of persons, freedom, respect for reason” Extract from the preamble to the draft Constitution
In past 16 years, the European Union (EU hereafter) has marked itself through a series of changes. From The Single European Act, in which the Union committed itself to create a single market and at the same time establish on its territory the freedom of movement of people, goods, services as well as capital, to Maastricht Treaty, which brought the Union into reality and led to common foreign policy and cooperation in the area of justice and internal affairs as a higher level cooperation among Member States. Then the following Amsterdam (1997) and Nice (2001) Treaties, strengthened cooperation in foreign and security policy and placed Justice and Home Affairs matters and established the frame for the Union as a legitimate institution, in which people from different nations integrated in a large region would have common historical direction and splendid future before them. Just before the door of enlargement of the Union, it was argued that the Union has to improve democracy and transparency as well as efficiency, in order to outlines the EU’s purpose and competence clearly and streamline structures so as to prevent paralysis, therefore a new constitution for the Union is determined to replace the EU's series of key treaties in passed over the last 50 years as a single document .
Under leading of former French President and master draftsman Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the European Convention set about its work of drafting the European Union's first ever full-fledged constitution. With the convention's work completed, the draft must now be finalized by an Intergovernmental Conference of European leaders that is expected to complete deliberations by the end of the 2003. As far as our topic is concerned, noticeably modifications come out in the constitution contract, first of all, the incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which we will discuss later. In the beginning it is meaningful to consider the statues of the draft constitution in the progress course of the Union. The Union desires to bring peace and prosperity, to promote economic and social progress through continuously integrating market and expanding freedom under light of united institution and social systems . These goals, however, are the foundation of development and protection of human rights . That means, if we regard human rights as a series right which realized at first in peaceful and law-ruling society, then the Union has already kept on entrenching to appreciate these goal from beginning on, and now by means of perusing such goal in a larger region through enlargement, the EU’s influence extent to broader area and more people.
The draft constitution then in such context should be viewed as another historical phase in the process. Because the promoting of well-being and fortune of people depend not only on the development of economic situation and adding some single freedom clauses into the governmental documents, but also upon the entire politic system and background in which we live. Without governing based on democratic and effective institutional structure, and especially a ripe legislation and judiciary mechanism, the realization and protection of human rights could only be on the paper. This is also one of the motive caused the Declaration on the future of the European Union which committed the Union to becoming more democratic, more transparent and effective, in order to pave the way for a Constitution in response to the expectations of the people of Europe . In this perspective, one shall recognize the Constitution as a moving forward step of the whole EU institutionalization targeting its goal, so that to discuss the Constitution in connection with the human right protection, it is helpful to review the human rights protection in Europe and, especially in EU.
2 short review of the human rights protection in European Union
The protection of human rights has been internationally come to life in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 (UDHR) with reorganization of disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind and respect for inherent dignity as well as the equal rights of all members of the human. This declaration states explicitly that the rights and freedoms of humans have to be guaranteed without distinction and destruction by any group, state or person. These principles were broadly accepted by European countries, considering the origin of the EU (EC) and the historical separation in Europe after WWII, we denote only the contracting countries of European Community.
For the Member States of EC, the Council of Europe has been up to now the most important instrument, which established in 1949 as a result of the Congress of Europe in The Hague , and took for the basic of the human rights protection. The Council accepted the principles of Universal Declaration of Human Rights and integrated it into The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights (the Convention hereafter), which and its 12 Protocols turned out to be the significant resource for Human Rights protection in Europe. Because of the existence of the Convention, the other two organizations established in the same age aftermath of the Second World War, i.e. OEEC and the European Communities didn’t include relevant clauses for Human Rights protection into their founding treaties. Since it was agreed at that time, the Council of Europe would focus on the protection of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democratic values, whereas the OECD and the European Communities were to be concerned with the economic restoration of Europe. The reason of separate organizations was based on a view to avoiding economic excuses for future inhumanity. Another reason came from the thought, which believed that the process of economic integration set forth in the Community Treaties could not lead to a violation of human rights. Furthermore, the original Member States in the Treaty of Rome feared, that the inclusion of a "bill of rights" in the Treaty might have brought about an undesirable expansion of Community powers, since it could lead Community institutions to interpret their powers as extending to anything not explicitly prohibited by the enumerated guarantees.
Under the regime of Council of Europe, a lots of achievement of human rights improvement has been reached , yet along with the development and expansion of EU, another mechanism on protection of human rights which does not totally rely on the Council of Europe has derived out on one hand, on the other hand being lack of provisions ruling human rights protection in the Treaty establishing EC did not prevent the EC and the later European Union from providing care for the protection against the violations on human rights. Naturally, how could a swelling supranational organization as EC, which has been continually strengthening its power in all social aspects, does not involve in human rights issues especially when the consciousness of human rights nowadays become more significant both in international and national stages? Regarding to EU, The protection system has been formed in three aspects.
First of all, the legislation in the Member States of EU. Since there were no Member States of EU (EC) which accedes to the Community without being a member of the Council of Europe, and according to the Convention, it impose obligations on the Member States that they should ensure that the internal laws and practices comply with the human rights standards set out in the instruments. Very member states in EU have recognize the principles derived from the Convention and incorporated them somehow into national laws, most importantly, provided constitutive protection as the basic legal resource for human rights protection. For example in Germany, Basic Law (Grundgesetz) Art 1 to 19 deliver explicit provisions even beyond the Convention; the same case as Part VIII (§71-85) in Constitution of Denmark ; in Britain the Act of Human Rights came into force on 2 October 2000 steers extending a ways, in which the Convention can be used before domestic courts. Certainly, according to the classic human rights lessons, the basic protection of human rights could only be afforded at the national level through national legislation and excise of authoritative power.
Secondly, the institutions and legislation at the EU level acts also with high respect to the human rights protection. The EU has showed its commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms and has explicitly confirmed the EU's attachment to fundamental social rights ever since its establishment.
The Amsterdam Treaty established procedures intended to secure their protection. It was ascertained, as a general principle, that the European Union should respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, upon which the Union is founded. For the first time a procedure is introduced, according to which severe and continuing violations of Fundamental Rights can lead to suspension of voting and other rights of a member state, if the Union determined the existence of a serious and persistent breach of these principles by that Member State. As to the Candidate countries, they should also respect these principles to join the Union. Furthermore, It has also given the European Court of Justice the power to ensure respect of fundamental rights and freedoms by the European institutions. In accordance with the inner requirement for the implementation of development cooperation operations, in order to reach objective of developing and consolidating democracy, EU also need its rule respecting for human rights. Such cases we have are for instance the EU Council’s regulation on human rights, Council Regulation (EC) No 975/199 and Council Regulation (EC) No 976/1999 for example, are aimed at providing technical and financial aid for operations to promote and protect of civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights etc.
Likewise, at their meeting in Cologne in June 1999, EU leaders declared that in respect to the current stage of progress of the European Union, the fundamental rights applicable at Union level should be pushed forward, namely be consolidated in a Charter and thereby made more evident. They argued, that the legal resources of human rights protection come from not only the European Convention of Human Right, but also from various international conventions drawn up by the Council of Europe as well as the United Nations and the International Labor Organization, they also include EU treaties themselves and from the case law of the European Court of Justice. As a result, a Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter hereinafter) was sketch out, which highlighted the EU’s respect for human rights, for fundamental freedoms and for the principle of democracy through listing more rights a more precise definition of the common values comparing the early documents including the Convention. We will continue to concentrate on the Charter in point 3 since it has been integrated in the draft Constitution as an outstanding achievement.
Finally, the opinion and case-law of European Court of Justice (ECJ hereafter) also have immense impact on the establishment of the instrument of human rights protection within EU.
Although the jurisprudence developed by the ECJ recognizes the Convention as the standard-setter in cases in which the Court has to consider and decide a human rights issue, since there were no relevant legislation existed in the frame of the Community, the ECJ furnish itself power in this aspect by means of case-law. Earlier in 1974, the ECJ first made reference to the ECHR in the Nold judgment, in which the ECJ emphasized its commitment to fundamental human rights based on the constitutional traditions of the Member States’ fundamental rights form an integral part of the general principles of law which the Court enforces. In assuring the protection of such rights, the Court is required to base itself on the constitutional traditions common to the Member States and therefore could not allow measures, which are incompatible with the fundamental rights recognized and guaranteed by the constitutions of such States. The ECJ declared, that the international treaties on the protection of human rights in which the Member States have cooperated or to which they have adhered could also supply indications which may be taken into account within the framework of Community law.
That implied, even without clear regulations in the treaties, the remedy against violation on human rights could also be provided within the framework of the Community in respect for the common traditions applied to the Member States, and in connection with we have mentioned about the Member States’ above, the principles and resource applied to the Member States derived from the Council of Europe. Thus a EU standard could be established by transform a rating comparison of the members’ legal systems to the case-law in ECJ in respect for human rights.
宜春市中心城区建筑业、房地产业税收 征收管理办法
江西省宜春市人民政府
宜府发〔2003〕28号
宜春市人民政府关于印发《宜春市中心城区建筑业、房地产业税收 征收管理办法》的通知
袁州区人民政府，市政府各部门：
现将《宜春市中心城区建筑业、房地产业税收征收管理办法》予以印发，请认真遵照执行。
二OO三年六月二十日
宜春市中心城区建筑业、房地产业税收征收管理办法
第一条 为了加强宜春市中心城区建筑业、房地产开发税收的征收管理，维护建筑、房地产市场公平竞争的纳税环境，促进我市经济发展，根据《中华人民共和国税收征收管理法》及相关法律法规和政策规定，结合本市实际，特制定本办法。
第二条 凡在宜春市中心城区从事建筑业、房地产开发经营的单位和个人（以下简称纳税人），均应按本办法的规定办理纳税事项。
宜春市中心城区是指：2020年宜春市中心城区远期规划的城区范围。
建筑业包括：建筑、安装、修缮、装饰和其他工程作业。
房地产业包括：转让土地使用权、销售不动产。
第三条 凡在宜春市中心城区范围内从事建筑业、房地产业所产生的税收，统一由宜春市地方税务局市本级地方税收征管机关（以下简称市本级地税机关）负责征收管理。
第四条 纳税人必须自领取营业执照之日起30日内到市本级地税机关办理税务登记；外来户必须提供《外出经营活动税收管理证明》办理报验登记，生产经营时间在连续的12个月内累计超过180天的，应当在市本级地税机关办理税务登记手续；宜春市中心城区范围内原属袁州区管辖的纳税人应重新到市本级地税机关办理税务登记。
建筑业、房地产业按单项工程实行工程项目税务管理，凡标的50万元以上的工程项目，纳税人应自取得施工或开发资格之日起30日内，向市本级地税机关报送有关工程项目文书、合同等资料，办理工程项目登记。
第五条 纳税人必须在规定的纳税期限内，分项目向市本级地税机关申报纳税，不得违反规定异地纳税。
异地纳税行为包括引税、买（卖）税收和强行征收。对异地纳税的税款通过市财政将所征税款加倍划回，并按次从区财政的收入增长分成比例中扣除一个百分点；对卖税的纳税人，由工商、房管等主管部门协助税务部门查处，情节严重的移交司法机关追究法律责任。
第六条 纳税人必须按税法规定建账建制，真实反映收入、成本、费用，准确计算应纳税款。
（一）建筑业企业不能如实提供计税收入，或因垫资及建设方资金不到位造成不能准确反映计税收入的，按形象工程进度核定计税收入，计算应纳税款。
（二）已完工建筑工程项目，不论是否结清工程价款，一律按决算金额清算税款；尚未决算的暂按预算造价或工程进度结算税款，待决算后进行清算。
（三）土地转让、房屋销售取得的预售定金或预收款必须按税法规定预缴税款；房屋交付使用的，不论是否结清价款都必须按成交金额（成交金额不真实的，按评估价）计缴税款。
（四）从事房地产业的纳税人，在房地产开发项目全部竣工前，转让普通标准住宅的，按取得收入的0.5%预征土地增值税，转让其它项目的按取得收入的1%预征土地增值税。待该房地产开发项目全部竣工，办理结算后进行清算。
（五）建筑业企业纳税人的企业所得税、一律实行核定征收方式征收，其核定征收率为营业税计税收入的3%；实行工程项目承包经营的，同时对承包人按营业税计税收入的2%征收个人所得税；从事建筑业的个人独资和合伙企业投资者及其他个人按营业税计税收入的5%征收个人所得税。2003年7月1以前领取了施工许可证的建筑工程项目，按原规定的征收率执行。
（六）房地产业企业纳税人的企业所得税原则上实行核定征收方式征收，严格审批查账征收方式。实行查账征收的纳税人，纳税年度内按照核定征收率预征，年终由市本级地税机关查实，确实能准确反映收入、成本、费用、利润，并按时申报纳税及提供相关资料，又无欠税、偷税行为的，可按查账征收方式结算税款。房地产企业所得税核定征收率为3.3%；从事房地产开发的个人独资和合伙企业投资者及其他个人按营业税计税收入的4%征收个人所得税。
（七）建筑业纳税人对收购砖、瓦、沙、石等应纳资源税的矿产品，应按规定接受“资源税管理证明”，未接受的按《江西省建筑材料资源税征收管理暂行办法》（赣地税[2000]143号）的规定代扣代缴资源税。建筑物按每平方米建筑面积代扣资源税折算税额分别为：砖混结构的0.6元，全框架结构的1元，框架砖混结构的0.8元。
第七条 纳税人所需税务发票原则上由市本级地税机关代管监开。
（一）建筑业纳税人向建设单位收取工程价款时，必须开具由税务机关监制的《建筑安装业发票》。
（二）房地产业纳税人向购房方收取定金和预收款时，必须开具由税务机关监制的《房地产销售预收款专用发票》，房屋交付使用或价款结清后，由税务机关检查核实后开具《房地产销售发票》。
（三）在宜春市中心城区内所有建筑单位（包括行政、事业单位、企业、社会团体及其他组织）和个人支付建筑、安装、修缮、装修和其他工程作业工程价款时，必须接受市本级地税机关开具的建筑安装发票。
（四）非城区内使用的建筑安装发票必须加盖限制使用范围的发票专用章，不得在城区范围内使用。
（五）对未按规定开具，接收税务发票的单位和个人按《中华人民共和国发票管理办法》处理。
第八条 市计委、建设、土管、房管等部门应当积极支持和协助税务工作，配合市本级地税机关抓好建筑、房地产税收的征管。
（一）计委应当定期向市本级地税机关传递审批基建计划情况。
（二）建设部门应当凭市本级地税机关出具的《宜春市工程项目税务登记证明》办理《施工许可证》，定期向市本级地税机关传递建设规划审批项目及建筑工程招（投）标情况。
（三）房管部门必须凭《房产销售发票》及市本级地税机关出具的《房地产建造、交易已（免）税证明》办理《房屋产权证》，定期向市本级地税机关传递房屋产权办证情况。
（四）土管部门在办理土地转让手续时，必须凭《房产销售发票》及《宜春市土地权属转让已（免）税证明》办理《土地使用证》，定期向市本级地税机关传递土地转让办证情况。
第九条 税务、计委、建设、土管、房管等部门都应按照规定的要求共同做好建筑、房地产税收的管理。市本级地税机关有权对房管、土管部门的办证情况进行检查审核。对房管、土管部门不按本规定执行造成税款流失，市本级地税机关要责令纳税人补缴税款，并可报请宜春市人民政府对办证单位进行查处，同时追究直接责任人的相关责任。
第十条 纳税人税务违法行为按《中华人民共和国税收征收管理法》及相关税收法规处理。
第十一条 税务机关工作人员徇私舞弊、滥用职权或者玩忽职守，造成应收税款流失的，将依法追究责任。
第十二条 涉及招商引资政策优惠及与袁州区税收收入需要调整的，一律由财政支出形式进行调整；外资企业从事建筑业、房地产开发经营的，依据涉外企业税收规定执行。
第十三条 本办法由宜春市地方税务局负责解释。
第十四条 本办法自发布之日起施行。凡与本办法相抵触的按本办法执行，未涉及到的按税收法规执行。
宜春市人民政府办公室 2003年6月23日印发
