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Human rights

The EU ensures that human rights are taken into account when developing EU law and action, and promotes human rights in its relations with non-EU countries.

Protection and promotion of human rights

Human rights are not only one of the founding values of the European Union, they are also a fundamental part of the EU's relations with non-EU countries and international organisations.

All treaties and agreements signed by the EU need to be consistent with human rights as defined by the EU charter of fundamental rights. This means that all Council bodies dealing with foreign affairs need to incorporate human rights into their work.

In addition to this, the promotion of human rights is also a priority in itself. The guiding reference for the EU's work in this area is the action plan on human rights and democracy, adopted in November 2020 for the period 2020-2024.

The action plan is structured around five lines of action:

  • protecting and empowering individuals
  • building resilient, inclusive and democratic societies
  • promoting a global system for human rights and democracy
  • harnessing the opportunities and addressing the challenges brought by new technologies
  • delivering by working together

EU guidelines on human rights

The EU has adopted a number of sets of guidelines on human rights, translating its priorities into concrete tools for EU policy makers and member states. 

The guidelines cover, for example, torture and ill treatment, the death penalty, freedom of religion or belief, the rights of children, protecting enjoyment of all human rights by LGBTI people, violence against women and girls, and freedom of expression online and offline.

Annual reports on human rights and democracy

All the EU's work and achievements on human rights through its external action are detailed in the annual report on human rights and democracy.

EU priorities in UN fora

The Council is in charge of setting the strategic priorities for the European Union within United Nations human rights fora. To that end, it adopts conclusions once a year setting out the main lines of action for the EU in the coming months. 

In 2024, the Council reaffirmed the EU's commitment to human rights, multilateralism and the international criminal justice system in the current fraught international environment marked by armed conflict, authoritarianism, disinformation and a pushback against gender equality.

Regarding thematic priorities, the conclusions highlight the EU's continued strong opposition to the death penalty in all cases and circumstances and its condemnation of the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Human rights dialogues

The European External Action Service holds regular dialogues with non-EU countries on human rights. Each dialogue is established in accordance with the EU guidelines on human rights dialogues, adopted by the Council in 2001 and last updated in 2021. 

The Council assesses the human rights situation in the country concerned and decides on the opening of a dialogue with that country through the adoption of conclusions.

Over the years, human rights dialogues have been established with around 60 countries throughout the world. These provide a platform for raising human rights concerns, exchanging best practices and strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

The Council's Working Party on Human Rights focuses on international affairs directly related to human rights. 

Sanctions against human rights violations

The EU has imposed several sets of sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations in specific countries, for example in Russia, Belarus and Myanmar/Burma.

In December 2020, the Council established a human rights sanctions framework that applies globally, meaning that the EU can target individuals, entities and bodies – including state and non-state actors – responsible for, involved in or associated with serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide, no matter where they occur.

The framework applies for example to:

  • genocide
  • crimes against humanity
  • torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
  • slavery
  • extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings
  • enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests or detentions

Other human rights violations and abuses may also fall within the scope of this sanctions framework if they are widespread, systematic or otherwise of serious concern as regards the objectives of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

These include trafficking in human beings, abuse of human rights by migrant smugglers, sexual violence and gender-based violence and violation or abuse of the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, opinion and expression, and religion or belief

The sanctions consist of travel bans for individuals, asset freezes for individuals and entities, and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available to those listed.

Derogations from the sanctions are possible, including for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Sanctions within this framework target, for example:

  • individuals and entities responsible for human rights violations and abuses in Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar/Burma, Russia and South Sudan
  • individuals and entities linked to the Wagner Group, in view of the international dimension and gravity of the group’s activities
  • Russian individuals and entities linked to Alexei Navalny’s death
  • extremist settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem responsible for serious human rights abuses against Palestinians
  • Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in response to the widespread sexual and gender-based violence committed during the terrorist attacks of October 2023

The sanctions target 108 individuals and 28 entities and were last extended until 8 December 2024.

EU special representative for human rights

The role of the EU special representative for human rights is to enhance the effectiveness, visibility and consistency of the EU’s human rights policy in its external action and to build a positive narrative on human rights. 

In addition to engaging with the United Nations, the representative:

  • chairs human rights dialogues with non-EU countries
  • works to deepen political cooperation with relevant partners
  • draws attention to human rights violations requiring an urgent response
  • promotes compliance with international humanitarian law
  • works to support international criminal justice

The current special representative for human rights is Olof Skoog.

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Last review: 25 June 2024