Timeline - Human rights

The Council decided to extend the mandate of Kajsa Ollongren as EU special representative for human rights by two years, until 29 February 2028. Ms Ollongren was first appointed in June 2025.

• EU Special Representatives: Council extends the mandates of the EUSRs for Human Rights and the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue (press release, 11 February 2026)

The Council appointed Kajsa Ollongren as EU special representative for human rights.

The new special representative will continue the work of her predecessors to contribute to the implementation of the EU’s policy on human rights, the EU’s positions on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law and support for international criminal justice. 

• Human Rights: EU appoints former Dutch minister as new Special Representative (press release, 23 June 2025)

The Council approved conclusions on the priorities of the European Union in United Nations Human Rights fora in 2025.

In the conclusions, the Council stressed that for laws and norms to be stronger than conflict, everyone must commit to multilateralism and the international order, based on the United Nations. To this end, the EU will continue to cooperate with all regions of the world, and enhance cooperation with like-minded countries.

• United Nations Human Rights Fora: Council approves EU priorities for 2025 (press release, 27 January 2025)

The EU is gravely concerned about the rise in violations of children's rights in the context of armed conflict, exacerbated by the proliferation of wars, including Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and its unlawful deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children.

The updated EU guidelines are intended to strengthen the EU's contribution to ensuring respect for and protection and fulfilment of the rights of children in armed conflict and other situations of armed violence by terrorist organisations or organised criminal groups on a global level.

• Children and armed conflicts: Council updates EU guidelines and approves conclusions (press release, 24 June 2024)

The EU extended its action plan on human rights and democracy, initially adopted for the period 2020-2024, until 2027. The action plan guides EU policies and actions fostering human rights and democracy worldwide.

With a renewed sense of urgency, the extension of the action plan reconfirms the EU's commitment to protecting and advancing human rights and democracy in its external relations, joining forces with member states, civil society, human rights defenders, democracy actors and international organisations. 

• Council conclusions on the EU action plan on human rights and democracy (27 May 2024)

The Council appointed Olof Skoog as EU special representative for human rights succeeding Eamon Gilmore. He will continue the work of his predecessors to contribute to the implementation of the EU’s policy on human rights, EU’s positions on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law and support for international criminal justice.

Furthermore, he will help establish a stronger European voice through dialogues on human rights with governments in third countries and international and regional organisations, as well as with civil society organisations and other relevant actors.

The special representative will work closely with the European External Action Service and EU institutions to ensure the effectiveness and visibility of EU human rights policy in external actions.

• Human rights: EU appoints a new special representative (press release, 26 February 2024)

The Council approved conclusions on the priorities of the European Union in United Nations Human Rights fora in 2024.

In its conclusions, 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.

• United Nations Human Rights Fora: Council approves EU priorities (press release, 22 January 2024)

2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The EU:

• reaffirms its unequivocal commitment to respect, protect and fulfil all human rights and to defend their universality
• stands united as a staunch supporter of the United Nations human rights system, and will continue to actively uphold, defend and promote all human rights as a priority of its external action

• Council conclusions on EU priorities in UN human rights fora 2023 (press release, 20 February 2023)

The Council recognises that many journalists and other media professionals are not able to work freely and independently everywhere as they should be. 

According to a Council of Europe report the number of alerts about serious threats to the safety of journalists and media freedom in Europe has almost doubled since 2016 (the number of alerts in 2021 stood at 282).

The economic situation of journalists and other media professionals is also worsening due to factors such as:

• digital transformation
• the closure of media outlets
• the consequences of the pandemic

• Council pushes for further actions to protect journalists and media professionals (press release, 21 June 2022)

The Council calls on member states to improve the protection of children in emergency situations, including by:

• setting up reception procedures (accommodation adapted to the needs of the child and access to basic services)
• providing assistance for unaccompanied children, (legal guardian or appropriate representation)
• reinforcing policies to fight against trafficking of children (strategies for identifying victims of trafficking and raising awareness of the risk)
• ensuring that emergencies are not instrumentalised in terms of guardianship of children (no adoption should take place during armed conflicts)

• Council adopts conclusions on the rights of the child (press release, 4 March 2022)

In these conclusions, the Council deplores the alarming rise in racist and antisemitic incidents in EU member states.

It invites member states to develop action plans and strategies by the end of 2022, implementing the 2020 EU anti-racism action plan and the 2021 EU strategy on combating antisemitism.

• Council adopts conclusions on combating racism and antisemitism (press release, 4 March 2022)

The Council approved conclusions on the EU’s priorities in UN human rights fora in 2022. The conclusions reaffirm the EU’s commitment to respect, protect and fulfil:

• human rights
• democracy 
• the rule of law

And to do this consistently and coherently in all areas of its external action and to support the UN human rights system as a cornerstone of its external action.

The EU will address recently emerging risks for human rights, including:

• hybrid threats
• technological developments
• climate change
• continuing consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic

• Human rights: EU adopts conclusions on EU priorities in United Nations human rights fora in 2022 (press release, 24 January 2022)

With this Action Plan, the Council reaffirms the EU's strong commitment to further advancing universal values for all.

Despite some leaps forward, there has also been a pushback against the universality and indivisibility of human rights. The COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic consequences have had an increasingly negative impact on:

• human rights
• democracy
• rule of law

There has also been a deepening of pre-existing inequalities and increasing pressure on persons in vulnerable situations.

The EU and its member states will use the full range of their instruments, in all areas of external action, to focus on and further strengthen EU's global leadership in the field of human rights and democracy and in the implementation of the EU Action Plan.

• Council approves conclusions on the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024 (press release, 19 November 2020)

The Council adopted a decision and a regulation establishing a global human rights sanctions regime.

The EU is equipping itself with a framework that will allow it to target those responsible for, involved in or associated with serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide, no matter where they occurred and be they:

• individuals
• entities
• bodies

Such restrictive measures will provide for a travel ban applying to individuals, and the freezing of funds applying to both individuals and entities.

In addition, persons and entities in the EU will be forbidden from making funds available to those listed, either directly or indirectly.

• EU adopts a global human rights sanctions regime (press release, 7 December 2020)