The [Treaty of the European Union II] (Amsterdam 1997), contains the following provisions for human rights: (1) Article 6 (ex Article F) of the EU Treaty has been amended so as to reaffirm the principle of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; (2) a procedure is laid down for dealing with cases where a Member State has committed a breach of the principles on which the Union is based; (3) more effective action is to be taken to combat not only discrimination based on nationality but also discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation; (4) new provisions on equal treatment for men and women are inserted in the Treaty establishing the European Community; (5) individuals are afforded greater protection with regard to the processing and free movement of personal data; and (6) the Final Act was accompanied by declarations on the abolition of the death penalty, respect for the status of churches and philosophical or non-confessional organisations, and on the needs of persons with a disability.
2. The system for the prevention of human rights violations at the international and regional level must bear in mind that the application of certain policies, especially policies resulting in high income concentration, high levels of redundancy and poverty, will bring as consequences the social disintegration (atomie) and cultural disintegration (anomie) of society, with serious consequences for the rights of individuals.