EU guidelines on Human Rights

EU Guidelines on Human Rights

Since 1998, the EU has elaborated a set of Guidelines on Human Rights aiming to provide a framework for the activities of the Union in promoting human rights in third countries.

The EU Guidelines require the Union to act on specific violations of human rights (death penalty, torture) or rights of specific groups (children in arms conflicts, human rights defenders). They also include a set of rules for the implementation of dialogues on human rights with third countries and on international humanitarian law (IHL).

Attached are the full texts of the six guidelines, also available via Internet at http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/human_rights/guidelines/index.htm):

1. EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders (June 2004): Support for human rights defenders is a long established element of the EU’s human rights external relations policy. The guidelines identify practical ways for the Union to support and assist human rights defenders working in third countries. guidelines_HRdefenders_en.pdf
    

2. EU Guidelines on Children in Arm Conflicts (December 2003): Children are the primary victims of armed conflicts. They are both its target and increasingly its instrument. Their suffering bears many faces, both in the midst of armed conflict and its aftermath. The guidelines commit the EU to address the short, medium and long-term impact of armed conflicts on children, including monitoring and reporting, demarches, political dialogue, multilateral cooperation and crisis management operations. guidelines_children_en.pdf
    

3. EU Guidelines on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (2001): The prevention and eradication of torture and ill-treatment represent a priority of the EU’s human right policy. The guidelines aim to provide the EU with an operational tool to be used in contact with third parties and in multicultural fora in order to support and strengthen on-going efforts to prevent and eradicate torture and ill-treatment in all parts of the world. guidelines_torture_en.pdf
    

4. EU Guidelines on Human Rights Dialogues (2001): The document is designed to strengthen the coherence and consistency of EU’s approach on human rights and to define the conditions concerning the application and use of human rights dialogue. guidelines_HRdialogue_en.pdf
    

5. Guidelines on EU policy towards third countries on the Death Penalty (1998): The EU is at the forefront of international efforts to abolish the death penalty worldwide. It is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and systematically upholds this position in relation with third countries. The guidelines provide the basis for action of the Union. They provide criteria for making representations and outline minimum standards to be applied in countries retaining the death penalty. guidelines_death_pen_en.pdf
    

6. EU Guidelines on promoting compliance with International Humanitarian Law (2005): Parties to the Geneva Convention have the obligation to respect and to “ensure respect” for the Conventions in all circumstances. The guidelines recognize the obligation of Members States to comply with IHL and provide a basis to ensure respect of this obligation, including a wide range of actions. guidelines_IHL_en.pdf