The importance of the ECHR

There is a lot on about today's ruling by the ECJ on insurance and gender equality.

Way to go in the week of International Woman's day! Women are henceforward going to be charged equally for something that they need not be.

Brilliant. And anti - rational. But the cargo cult that is the EU can only see in straight lines, not comprehending the truth in the Kant's famous comment about humanity and its actions,

"Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made"

But that is by-the-by. What I think is extremely important is this statment made by EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding (in charge of gender equality at the European Commission). Whilst trumpeting this idiotic decision as a great leap forward for equality (which it may be but a jump backward for women and common sense).

Today's ruling also underlines the power and importance of our Charter of Fundamental Rights. It has the same legal value as our EU Treaties. No EU legislation can be adopted that conflicts with the rights and principles guaranteed by the Charter.

The European Commission issued a 'fundamental rights checklist' last October to make sure that all laws proposed comply with the EU Charter (see IP/10/1348). This checklist ensures that our rules are beyond any reproach. We have also called on the European Parliament and the Council to take a similar fundamental-rights-friendly approach when they add amendments in the EU law-making process. Today's ruling confirms how essential this is.

Now will somebody tell our benighted Government that the EU is not pussyfooting around. They mean what they say, and what they say is that according to the EU, the European Charter, and by extension the rulings of the Court are indeed part and parcel of being a member of the EU.