The European Parliament has been at the forefront of the battle to promote and defend human rights, and it has succeeded in overcoming the limits imposed by self-interest and "national interests" , which are sometimes reflected in the positions adopted by the Member States and even by other European Union institutions.
Europa-Parlamentet har været centralt placeret i dette forsvar af menneskerettighederne, og det har formået at hæve sig op over de begrænsninger, der sættes af egoisme og "nationale interesser", der ind i mellem har fundet udtryk i medlemsstaternes holdninger og sågar hos EU's andre institutioner.