Evolution in the Pressure Tools of EU’s Human Rights: A case Study of the Generalized System of Preferences

The global human rights system not only determines a common framework of fundamental social values, but also is considered as a reference point for codes, ethics and standards of conduct expected in various international trade and businesses. The EU's behaviors as one of the main political-economic actors of capitalism are fundamental to respect for human rights. Members of the Union have a long history of using political, military or economic and cultural tools against countries to persuade them to respect for human rights. The main issue of the present study is to examine the evolution of the pressure tools of EU’s human rights and its reflection on the mechanism of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). The key question is what evolution has happened to the pressure tools of EU’s human rights? The research hypothesis is that as the EU's human rights pressures take on an economic-political nature, along with the transformations in the world capitalist system. This bloc will try to persuade countries to adhere to global human rights by force and consent. In this vein, the EU uses the mechanism of the GSP as a soft and intelligent consent tool to put pressure on other countries in order to adopt the guidelines of the global human rights system.