Fact Sheets on the European Union
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Human rights

The founding principles of the European Union are liberty, democracy and respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. The EU aims to build human rights concerns into all its policies and programmes. This fact sheet explains:
— The legal framework that governs the EU’s human rights policy;
— The tools and funds that the EU uses to support democracy and human rights in its relations with countries and organisations outside the EU.

Legal basis

  • Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) lays down the EU’s founding values as ‘human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities’.
  • Article 3 TEU sets objectives for the EU’s ‘relations with the wider world’ – its external relations. These objectives include contributing to the ‘eradication of poverty and the protection of human rights, in particular the rights of the child’. It also specifies that the EU aims to help ensure that international law is developed and is strictly obeyed, and that the principles of the UN Charter of 1945 are respected.
  • Article 6 TEU commits the EU to recognising the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter). The Charter only explicitly refers to the implementation of EU law, but the EU’s institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, and its Member States, must also respect the Charter in the EU’s external relations. Countries joining the EU must also comply with the Charter. Article 6(2) requires the EU to sign up to the European Convention on Human Rights (4.1.2).
  • Article 21 TEU sets out the principles inspiring what the EU does internationally – its external actions. These principles are democracy, the rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for human dignity, equality and solidarity, and respect for the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Universality means that human rights and freedoms apply to everyone, and indivisibility means that these rights and freedoms are equal in importance, so this article commits the EU to considering economic and social rights to be as important as civil and political rights.
  • Article 205 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) states that the EU’s international actions are to be guided by the principles laid down in Article 21 TEU.

How does the EU apply its human rights policy?

The EU adopts and applies its human rights policy by developing action plans, guidelines and strategies, by working collaboratively with non-EU countries and organisations, and by funding specific programmes. These measures are explained in this section.

A. Action plans

In 2012, the Council adopted a Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy, and an action plan for implementing the framework. The framework sets out the principles, objectives and priorities for making EU policy more consistent and more effective. These principles include promoting and protecting human rights throughout EU policy, ensuring consistency between internal and external policies, and adapting the approach to specific situations. In November 2020, the Council adopted the latest EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, which initially applied until 2024 but was extended to 2027, to match the time frame of the EU’s long-term spending plan. This action plan sets out the EU’s ambitions and priorities regarding human rights and democracy, organised into five areas of action:

  • Protecting and empowering individuals;
  • Building resilient, inclusive and democratic societies;
  • Promoting a global system for human rights and democracy;
  • New technologies: harnessing opportunities and addressing challenges;
  • Delivering by working together.

B. Human rights guidelines

The Council has adopted a series of thematic guidelines on human rights. They provide practical guidance for EU representations around the world on:

  • Action against the death penalty;
  • Dialogues on human rights;
  • The rights of the child;
  • Action against torture and other cruel treatment;
  • Protecting children in armed conflicts;
  • Protecting human rights defenders;
  • Complying with international humanitarian law;
  • Combating violence against women and girls;
  • Promoting freedom of religion and belief;
  • Protecting the rights of LGBTI people;
  • Promoting freedom of expression both online and offline;
  • Non-discrimination in the EU’s external action;
  • Safe drinking water and sanitation.

C. Country-specific strategies

The EU develops country-specific strategies on human rights and democracy. To do this, it consults officials and civil society organisations in the country in question, with the aim of integrating EU human rights guidelines and priorities into a clear and logical set of policy goals for that country, which then apply for the next three years.

D. Dialogue and international agreements

The EU regularly includes human rights in political dialogues with non-EU countries or regional organisations. It also holds dialogues and consultation specifically on human rights with around 60 non-EU countries and regional groupings.

Bilateral trade agreements and the various association and cooperation agreements between the EU and non-EU countries or regional organisations include a human rights clause. By including respect for human rights as an ‘essential element’ of the agreement, this clause opens up dialogue and debate on human rights, and also allows the EU to impose appropriate measures, such as reducing or stopping cooperation, if human rights and democratic principles are seriously violated. The EU can also offer incentives for signing and implementing human rights and labour rights conventions, including allowing developing countries that do so to trade with the EU under special terms (5.2.3).

Countries applying to join the EU must meet strict conditions (5.5.1). Before they can join, they have to develop stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and the protection of minorities. The EU actively supports this process.

The European Neighbourhood Policy (5.5.5) is also based on common values of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. The EU supports partner countries in implementing reforms and it develops stronger partnerships with the countries that make the most progress on democratic reform.

E. Election observation

The EU’s election observation missions all around the world also aim to improve human rights by discouraging intimidation and violence during elections, and strengthening democratic institutions.

F. Work with multilateral organisations

The EU promotes human rights by participating in multilateral forums such as the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, the UN Human Rights Council, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the Council of Europe. The EU also actively promotes international justice, for example through the International Criminal Court.

G. Thematic funding programmes

The EU’s programme on human rights and democracy under its Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument, Global Europe, mainly supports and protects civil society organisations that promote human rights and democracy. An important feature of this programme is that funding can be allocated whether or not the government of the partner country agrees to it. The programme has a budget of EUR 1.511 billion for the 2021-2027 period.

In addition, the EU has committed to progressively integrating a rights-based approach into all of its development programmes, based on a toolbox developed by the Commission in 2014 and updated in 2021.

H. Measures to tackle human rights violations

In December 2020, the Council adopted a regulation establishing a global human rights sanctions regime. It allows the EU to 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. On 22 March 2024, in the light of the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the February 2024 death of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the Council imposed restrictive measures on an additional 33 individuals and two entities. As of November 2025, the Council had imposed restrictive measures (asset freezes and, where relevant, travel bans) as part of the global human rights sanctions regime on a total of 131 individuals and 37 entities.

There is increasing evidence and public awareness of human rights violations occurring throughout the range of activities that result in a product being put on the market. In the light of this, Parliament and the Council adopted a directive on corporate sustainability due diligence, which entered into force in July 2024. This directive legally requires companies to identify and, where necessary, prevent, end or lessen negative impacts of their activities on human rights and the environment.

A complementary regulation banning products from the EU market that have been made with forced labour entered into force in December 2024.

I. Annual reporting

An annual report on human rights and democracy in the world, prepared by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and adopted by the Council, provides an overview of the human rights situation in the world, as well as of the EU’s actions during the course of the reporting period.

Who does what?

This section outlines the different responsibilities of the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies in promoting and protecting human rights.

The European Council sets out the EU’s strategic interests and the general guidelines of the EU’s common foreign and security policy (5.1.1).

Within the Council of the EU, the Foreign Affairs Council generally deals with human rights issues related to the common foreign and security policy, or the EU’s trade or development policies. The Council’s Human Rights Working Party, which prepares for high-level discussions and decisions on human rights issues, is made up of human rights experts from the Member States and representatives from the European External Action Service and the Commission.

Every EU delegation has a human rights ‘focal point’. The EU delegations have an important role in developing and implementing the human rights and democracy strategies for the country or organisation in which they are situated, preparing human rights dialogues, engaging with human rights defenders and civil society, and identifying priorities for EU financial assistance.

The Commission negotiates international agreements, oversees the EU’s enlargement process and neighbourhood policy, and manages development programmes and funding (in close cooperation with the European External Action Service).

The role of the EU Special Representative for Human Rights is to enhance the effectiveness and visibility of EU human rights policy. The Special Representative has a wide and flexible range of responsibilities and works closely with the European External Action Service.

Parliament contributes to the development of the EU’s policies and monitors the work of the other EU institutions, as explained in more detail in the next section.

Role of the European Parliament

Under Articles 207 and 218 TFEU, most international agreements need Parliament’s consent to enter into force, and Parliament can refuse to give consent if it has human rights concerns. For example, in 2011, Parliament blocked the textile protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Uzbekistan, primarily on account of reports of child labour being used in the country. It only gave its consent in 2016, after Uzbekistan had made significant steps towards ending the use of child and forced labour.

Article 36 TEU obliges the Vice-President / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to regularly consult Parliament on the ‘main aspects and the basic choices’ of the common foreign and security policy, and to inform it of policy developments. Parliament may ask questions or make recommendations to the Council or the Vice-President / High Representative.

Parliament’s resolutions on human rights aim to raise awareness of human rights abuses, support human rights defenders and shape the EU’s human rights policy through concrete policy proposals. Parliament produces resolutions either as part of ongoing legislative procedures or on its own initiative, when it asks the Commission to propose legislation on a topic that its committees have prepared. Resolutions may also be the outcome of the monthly debates in Parliament’s plenary sessions held to highlight flagrant violations of human rights across the world. Parliament’s annual resolution on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter analyses the achievements of the EU’s human rights policy and the challenges it faces.

Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights, attached to its Committee on Foreign Affairs, is responsible for issues concerning democracy, the rule of law, human rights – including the rights of minorities – in non-EU countries and the principles of international law, and for ensuring that all of the EU’s external policies are in line with its human rights policy. The subcommittee also handles the day-to-day management of human rights topics, while its delegations regularly visit relevant countries and institutions. The subcommittee monitors the follow-up to Parliament’s urgency resolutions and holds frequent exchanges with the European External Action Service about the EU’s human rights dialogues.

Human rights issues in the EU’s external relations are also dealt with by the following committees: the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on International Trade, the Committee on Development, and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality. Human rights are equally an essential element of the work of Parliament’s standing delegations, which interact with non-EU parliaments bilaterally and in the context of parliamentary assemblies.

Thanks to its budgetary powers (under Article 14 TEU and Article 310(1) TFEU), Parliament has a say in the allocation of funds to Global Europe and other funding used to promote human rights. Furthermore, Parliament, alongside the Council, has to approve funding schemes relating to the EU’s external policies.

Every year, Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to human rights activists around the world. In October 2025, Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli, two imprisoned journalists respectively from Belarus and Georgia, won the Sakharov Prize, in recognition of their work to defend human rights, freedom of expression and democratic values.

Other prize-winners include:

  • In 2024, María Corina Machado and Venezuelan President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia for their leadership of the Venezuelan opposition;
  • In 2023, Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement in Iran;
  • In 2022, the brave people of Ukraine, represented by their president, elected leaders and civil society;
  • In 2021, Alexei Navalny, known for his fight against corruption and human rights abuses in Russia;
  • In previous years, Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Raif Badawi and the democratic opposition in Belarus.

Parliament created the Sakharov Prize Network to support Sakharov prize-winners, develop contact between them and encourage joint activities.

Parliament promotes human rights as part of its broader activities in supporting democracy, which include election observation, actions before and after elections, parliamentary capacity building, mediation and dialogue on promoting democracy (5.4.2).

The President of the European Parliament actively supports human rights through statements and letters, and by discussing human rights issues when meeting with important individuals and organisations.

For more information on this topic, please see the website of Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights.

 

Adrián ROMERO AVELLO