On a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly

PR_INI_RecommCFSP

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RECOMMENDATION

to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly

(2025/2167(INI))

– having regard to the Charter of the United Nations,

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Articles 21, 34 and 36 thereof,

– having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Articles 208, 214 and 220 thereof,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular its preamble and Article 18, and to the UN human rights conventions and the optional protocols thereto,

– having regard to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),

– having regard to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT),

– having regard to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women,

– having regard to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and the Secretary General’s message to commemorate the UN’s 80th anniversary,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 79/318 of 18 July 2025 on the UN80 Initiative,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution ES-11/7 of 24 February 2025 on advancing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 79/174 of 17 December 2024 on freedom of religion and belief,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 79/1 of 22 September 2024 on the Pact for the Future,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution ES-11/4 of 12 October 2022 on the territorial integrity of Ukraine,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 65/276 of 10 May 2011 on the participation of the European Union in the work of the United Nations,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 377 (V) of 3 November 1950 on Uniting for Peace,

– having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 of 31 October 2000 on Women, Peace, and Security,

– having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 2803 of 17 November 2025, adopting the Gaza Ceasefire Plan,

– having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 2817 of 11 March 2026 on the condemnation of Iran’s attacks against regional neighbours,

– having regard to the UN80 Initiative Action Pan of 21 November 2025,

– having regard to the report of the UN Secretary-General of 18 September 2025 entitled ‘Shifting Paradigms: United to Deliver’,

– having regard to the report of the UN Secretary-General of 4 September 2025 on revised estimates relating to the proposed programme budget for 2026 and the support account for peacekeeping operations for the 2025/26 period,

– having regard to the report of the UN Secretary-General of 31 July 2025 entitled ‘Report of the mandate implementation review’,

– having regard to its resolutions of 21 January 2026 on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2025, and on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2025,

– having regard to its recommendation to the Council of 9 June 2021 on the 75th and 76th sessions of the United Nations General Assembly,

– having regard to its resolution of 24 October 2024 on the misinterpretation of UN resolution 2758 by the People’s Republic of China and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan,

– having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2020 on Gender Equality in EU’s foreign and security policy, which mentions a feminist foreign policy,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 20 October 2025 on Upgrading the EU-UN Strategic Partnership on Peace and Security: Joint Priorities 2025-2028,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 23 June 2025 on EU priorities at the United Nations during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 2025 – September 2026,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 27 January 2025 on EU priorities in UN Human Rights Fora in 2025,

– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 20 March 2025,

– having regard to the oral conclusions drawn by President António Costa following the informal meeting of the members of the European Council of 22 January 2026,

– having regard to Rule 121 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0103/2026),

A. whereas, in the current geopolitical climate, it is of critical importance to uphold and strengthen the rules-based international order and to ensure the efficient functioning of intergovernmental organisations;

B. whereas democracy, its systems, standards and values, are bedrock pillars of the current multilateral system; whereas a rules-based multilateral system is promoted by democracies, as they are mutually beneficial; whereas a world of democracies, understood as mature democratic systems, is an altogether freer world, given their significant checks and balances that prevent the unpredictable behaviour of autocracies in the international context; whereas democracy is under siege in the international arena by authoritarian, totalitarian and illiberal regimes, which are attacking it both within and beyond their borders;

C. whereas the multilateral system is facing growing threats, such as Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitute attacks on the global peace and security architecture, including the UN Security Council (UNSC), China’s rising influence and the worrying withdrawal of the United States from international organisations, as well as cuts to funding affecting critical areas such as humanitarian assistance, education, climate change, hybrid threats, international law, health and peacebuilding; whereas criticism of the current state of the multilateral system also comes from democratic countries and (natural) allies of the EU; whereas the inability of the UNSC and its permanent members to act in the face of major violations of the UN Charter has contributed to public criticism of the UN as a whole;

D. whereas using economic tools such as tariffs, export controls, and sanctions to achieve geopolitical goals outside multilateral frameworks has the potential to weaken the World Trade Organization, fragment the global economy, deepen global inequalities and affect developing countries and vulnerable populations;

E. whereas attempts to weaken the UN peace architecture, including attacks on the UN Peacebuilding Commission and broader peace governance structures, constitute an effort to undermine the UN’s capacity to prevent conflict, support post-conflict reconstruction and act as a guarantor of international peace and security;

F. whereas globalisation and challenges such as climate change, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, pandemics, terrorism, the fight against organised crime, drug and human trafficking, and the management of migration, among others, require multilateral responses; whereas funding cuts and withdrawals from key multilateral bodies and platforms have weakened the international community’s ability to respond effectively to such crises;

G. whereas the UN system is the cornerstone of the current multilateral system; whereas it remains the most appropriate framework in which to move forward, with its core objectives of promoting peace, human rights and sustainable development at a global level; whereas the UN system may be experiencing structural fatigue, partly due to its lack of adaptation to new international actors that share its principles, such as the EU;

H. whereas the UNSC is a very important body for maintaining international peace and security and, given the seriousness and complexity of the current challenges, should play a more effective and decisive role;

I. whereas the reform of the UN system is necessary to ensure it is fit for purpose; whereas the UN80 initiative is a welcome initiative; whereas the UN cannot be expected to do more with fewer resources;

J. whereas statements and actions threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland and the self-determination of the Greenlandic people represent a violation of fundamental principles of international law, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and self-determination, and contribute to the normalisation of coercive diplomacy;

K. whereas UNSC Resolution 2803 welcomed the establishment of a Board of Peace as a transitional administration with international legal personality that sets the framework, and coordinates funding for, the redevelopment of Gaza pursuant to the Comprehensive Plan and, in a manner consistent with relevant international legal principles, for a credible pathway to a two-state solution; whereas European Council President Costa, among others, has expressed serious doubts about a number of elements in the charter of the Board of Peace relating to its scope, governance and compatibility with the UN Charter; whereas Parliament expresses solidarity with the victims of settler violence in the West Bank;

L. whereas in August 2025 the Trump administration barred Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 Palestinian officials from attending the meeting of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York; whereas the principles of inclusiveness and universality underpinning the UN system must be upheld at all times;

M. whereas the EU remains committed to international law and the UN Charter and its rules and principles, including those of sovereignty, territorial integrity and self-determination, and to human rights and fundamental freedoms, and stands firmly in support of a multilateral system based on international law, with the UN at its core;

N. whereas the EU, as a global actor, should play a stronger role within the UN; whereas the EU is progressively increasing its security and defence capabilities, with the aim of assuming greater responsibilities in conflict prevention, crisis management, defence and peacebuilding;

O. whereas it appears essential for the EU to intensify its cooperation with all partners, including the UN and its agencies, to jointly advance the UN’s internal reform process and thus ensure that the UN remains effective, cost-efficient and capable of addressing the rising global challenges of our time;

P. whereas Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) is responsible, inter alia, for relations with the UN in respect of matters falling within its remit, and for promoting, implementing and monitoring the EU’s common foreign and security policy, including through exchanges with international partners and parliamentary diplomacy; whereas the annual session of the UNGA is a key multilateral forum for promoting the EU’s foreign policy priorities and for parliamentary oversight; whereas in light of the above, regular missions of the AFET committee to the sessions of the UNGA would support this mandate, allowing Parliament to engage with counterparts, reinforce its role in multilateral affairs and uphold the EU’s commitment to effective and coherent external action;

1. Recommends that the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:

Safeguarding and strengthening multilateralism

(a) continue to support effective multilateralism in which laws and norms are stronger than conflict, with the UN at its core, complemented by the EU’s bilateral relations with third countries, in order to prioritise effectiveness, promote and defend international law and uphold the rules and principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity (including maritime zones as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), non-use of force, political independence, self-determination and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and oppose coercive diplomacy and attempts by any state to undermine or erode the rules-based multilateral order;

(b) remain steadfast in defending the respect, protection and fulfilment of universal human rights, democracy, human dignity, equality, the rule of law and inclusive, credible and transparent electoral processes, in line with the 2025 Council Conclusions on EU priorities in UN human rights fora; firmly uphold the principle that human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, be they civil, cultural, economic, political or social;

(c) reaffirm the essential role of multilateral organisations as indispensable platforms for conflict resolution and global governance, and for responding to major global challenges such as climate change, the management of migration flows, ensuring the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, pandemics, terrorism and the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking, among others, and, in close cooperation with the EU’s like-minded partners, pioneer multilateral initiatives, firmly anchored in global rules, that help ensure Europe’s security and prosperity;

(d) highlight that a stable, reliable and equitable multilateral system, and multilateral fora such as the UN, are essential to guaranteeing peace and security in the context of intensified geopolitical tensions and humanitarian polycrisis hotspots worldwide and must be a part of the EU’s security architecture;

(e) note with concern attempts by different actors to undermine the legitimacy, authority and universality of the UN, weaken peace governance structures and politicise the functioning of UN bodies;

(f) acknowledge the negative impact of delayed payment or non-payment by major contributors; underline the importance of robust US involvement in guaranteeing the financial sustainability of the UN system, while countering any attempts aimed at weakening multilateral cooperation at a time when it is most needed and hampering the realisation of the UN mandate, in particular in the humanitarian domain; stress the need to actively rein in efforts by authoritarian and revisionist actors aimed at exploiting any withdrawal or disengagement by Western powers from international organisations;

(g) do what is in their power to ensure that the budget gap for 2025 can be filled as quickly as possible to avoid financial collapse, and to ensure continued programme delivery worldwide, the effective operations of the UN Headquarters and the holding of the 81st session of the UNGA;

(h) emphasise the importance of promoting gender equality, the empowerment of women and youth, and the full implementation of relevant international commitments, including the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, Youth, Peace and Security agenda, and the UN Women agenda; actively support the mainstreaming of gender equality across all UN policies and programmes, ensuring equal participation of women and youth in leadership and multilateral decision-making processes, including through structured youth advisory mechanisms, adequate resourcing, and the protection and promotion of the rights of women and girls in line with international standards; acknowledge that women and girls are disproportionately affected by armed conflict, but are also powerful agents of change in conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery; call for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace processes and decision-making, and for adequate resourcing and accountability for the implementation of WPS commitments across UN peace operations and mediation efforts;

(i) underline the strategic importance of the upcoming selection of the next UN Secretary-General; act in a coordinated and transparent manner in support of an open, inclusive and merit-based selection process, with a view to ensuring the appointment of a candidate with proven leadership credentials who is independent and committed to the UN Charter, international law and effective multilateralism and capable of driving UN reform, strengthening conflict prevention and responding decisively to current and emerging global security challenges; give due consideration to promoting gender equality where candidates are equally well-qualified, including with a view to appointing a woman as Secretary-General;

Reform of the UN system

(j) support ambitious reforms of the UN system and collaborate with UN Member States, the UN system and the UN Secretary-General to advance the UN80 reform agenda and ensure that the UN is capable of delivering effectively across the three pillars – peace and security, sustainable development and human rights – and is more effective, efficient, impartial, transparent, financially sustainable and responsive and capable of addressing current and emerging global challenges;

(k) take note of and engage in the next steps of the UN80 Initiative Action Plan, to ensure that it does not become a mere budgetary reallocation exercise that imperils its good functioning in key areas such as human rights; actively participate in any discussions regarding the reform of the system of financial contributions and returns to the UN budget to ensure more timely collection and efficient resource allocation, in order to allay concerns as to whether contributions to the UN are being well spent;

(l) stress that, when other global actors, in particular our traditional allies, disengage, the EU must assume greater responsibility for supporting, financing and strengthening multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, notably by reforming the Security Council to better reflect today’s world and maintaining and increasing core support to the UN and its agencies; in this regard, engage with third countries such as China and the United States to ensure that their voluntary contributions to the UN system are commensurate with their economic development and their prominent role as UNSC members; recall the United States’ fundamental role in the construction of the UN system; express concern regarding our ally’s change of attitude towards the UN and the broader multilateral system;

(m) reaffirm their commitment to the Pact for the Future as an important step towards reinvigorating the UN, achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and maintaining international peace and security;

(n) stress that the legitimacy and sustainability of the international order depend on a comprehensive reform of the UNSC to make it more effective, inclusive, transparent, democratic and accountable, ensuring it better reflects today’s global realities and establishes conditions for strictly limiting the use of the veto when it blocks essential UN action, notably in cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the aim of fully revoking it in the future; emphasise that Russia has lost its moral legitimacy as a permanent member of the UNSC by flagrantly breaching key principles of the UN Charter, in particular by waging a war of aggression against Ukraine, and by blocking, by means of its veto, decisions concerning its own illegal actions;

(o) work towards achieving a permanent seat for the EU in the UNSC, in addition to the seat already held by France, in the context of a future consensual reform of that body; work towards achieving a permanent seat for the EU in every multilateral forum to cement the EU’s role as an interlocutor with third countries;

(p) commend the role of the UN and its agencies, particularly in conflict zones; double down on support for multilateralism by enhancing political and financial support to the work of the UN and its agencies while emphasising the need to address systemic inter- and intra-organisational fragmentation, duplication and misalignment of mandates and funding across UN structures and bodies; ensure that the next MFF provide dedicated, sufficient and predictable funding to the UN and its agencies;

(q) promote the view that Russia’s place as a permanent member of the UNSC is legally questionable, as Article 23 of the UN Charter names the Soviet Union, not Russia, as a permanent member; emphasise that the break-up of the Soviet Union was the complete dissolution of that state into 15 independent republics, of which Russia was only one, and no formal decision was made for Russia to inherit the seat of its predecessor; point out that the other Soviet republics applied for UN membership separately, while Russia bypassed this procedure and took over the Soviet Union’s seat by unilateral declaration; emphasise that Russia’s status as a permanent member of the UNSC is based on tacit acceptance and political practice, not on a clear legal decision;

(r) encourage the Member States to coordinate and synchronise their actions within UN bodies and agencies, and to work towards a reform of the UN special rapporteur system; reiterate the importance for all countries to recommit to granting full access to the UN special rapporteurs; adopt procedures to effectively address any potential biases, inefficiencies, obstructions or limitations which might jeopardise the mandate of UN agencies, including with regard to EU contributions and financing, ensuring adequate vetting and oversight of staff;

(s) continue strengthening cooperation with partners, particularly like-minded countries and those willing to abide by, contribute to and enhance the multilateral system, in order to build consensus and promote an effective multilateral order; stress that such cooperation must be based on respect for multilateralism, international law, human rights and shared decision-making within international institutions, while ensuring that the EU develops the political, financial and institutional capacity to act autonomously when partners disengage from, undermine or instrumentalise multilateral frameworks; stress that respect for multilateral institutions, international law and the sovereign equality of states is indispensable for global peace, security, and sustainable development;

(t) urgently engage, as the EU, with the Global South in a genuine and structured manner as equal partners in global governance, including through enhanced representation in decision-making bodies, fair access to finance and technology, and co-ownership of international initiatives in areas such as development, climate action, digital governance and peacebuilding; work with the Member States on enhancing the EU’s engagement in these countries;

(u) step up coordination with Latin American countries – with which the EU shares many ties and a common vision of the international order based on rules and multilateralism – given that both regions together account for one third of voting rights in the UN;

(v) recall the responsibility of the UNSC, particularly its permanent members, to uphold international peace and security and ensure accountability for violations of international law, refraining from double standards and a selective application of international rules; explore ways to strengthen the UNGA’s role in this area, through innovative and democratic voting systems whereby a UNGA qualified majority can overcome a UNSC veto deadlock in line with the United for Peace doctrine;

(w) support the responsibility to protect (R2P), an emerging norm proposed by the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, and the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty and recommend that R2P, within the UN framework, be the basis for collective action to protect populations in severe danger when their governments are unable or unwilling to act;

Peace and security

(x) reaffirm their strong condemnation of Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and its attacks against the global peace and security architecture, including UNSC instruments; advocate for a full ceasefire to alleviate civilian suffering, and for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine, including robust security guarantees, based on the UN Charter and international law, that prevent and immediately counteract any renewed aggression, while ensuring full accountability for war crimes, and the return of kidnapped Ukrainian children, imprisoned civilians and prisoners of war; support the UN in identifying legal mechanisms to mobilise frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s reconstruction without imposing a financial burden on EU Member States; seek condemnation of cyberattacks on third-country entities and individuals perpetrated by Russia and its allies;

(y) emphasise that the Arctic region is an area of increasing geopolitical tension, shaped by competition over natural resources and a growing military presence; express grave concern at Russia’s destabilising security and strategic activities in the region; underline the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland and the self-determination of the Greenlandic people, noting the strong opposition of Greenland’s people to any external attempts to alter that status without their free will and consent; call on the EU and its partners to support Denmark and Greenland in safeguarding the region’s stability in the face of external geopolitical pressures, including through enhanced Arctic cooperation; stress the need for a stronger EU and UN focus on stability, constructive dialogue and full respect for international law and the UN Charter in Arctic affairs;

(z) actively promote stronger engagement in support of Georgia within the UN, recalling that approximately 20 % of its internationally recognised territory remains under illegal Russian occupation; build on the 2024 consensus resolution of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on cooperation with Georgia, which calls for immediate and unimpeded access for international human rights mechanisms to the occupied regions and highlights continuing violations, including against ethnic Georgians in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region; work with UN partners to strengthen monitoring and accountability, uphold Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, address the human rights situation in the occupied territories and support the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter;

(aa) express deep concern about the ongoing military actions across the Middle East, including the destabilising role played by Iran and its regional terrorist organisation proxies; underline that the attacks by the United States and Israel are being conducted outside of the multilateral system, which is based on rules; express full solidarity with and support for the people of Iran, strongly condemn the Iranian regime for the violent repression of peaceful protests, mass killings, arbitrary detentions and executions and call for the establishment of and full cooperation with an independent UN fact-finding mission with a view to ensuring accountability for all serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law; welcome the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2817 (2026), which condemns in the strongest terms and demands the immediate cessation of Iran’s attacks against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Iraq; condemn, too, Iran’s attacks against Israel; step up diplomatic efforts in multilateral forums and seek closer cooperation with the EU’s partners in the region to promote de-escalation, reconstruction, meaningful dialogue and sustainable regional stability in accordance with international law and UN principles; consider strengthening Lebanese state structures as key to stability;

(ab) take note of UNSC Resolution 2803 of 17 November 2025 on the Comprehensive Plan to end the Gaza Conflict as a step towards enhanced dialogue and confidence-building among all relevant stakeholders and a credible pathway to a two-state solution; underline the importance of further exploring synergies and cooperation between any new mechanisms and existing international peace and security structures under the UN Charter; work actively with Member States to achieve a permanent ceasefire that is effectively implemented and respected and the full realisation of a two-state solution; condemn all violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes;

(ac) condemn unilateral action by Israel aimed at expanding its presence in the West Bank, the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared to be unlawful in its advisory opinion of 19 July 2024, the escalating violence by extremist settlers, and the forced displacement of Palestinians; urge all parties to fully comply with their obligations under international law to achieve a just, comprehensive and lasting peace based on a two-state solution; approve in the upcoming MFF an EU facility for the reconstruction of Gaza, providing sufficient and predictable financial support for reconstruction and democratic Palestinian governance, and contributing to the realisation of a two-state solution;

(ad) reaffirm the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in delivering humanitarian aid and essential services, including health and education, to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the wider region, noting that no viable alternative currently exists to replace its functions; continue to monitor the work and impartiality of UNRWA, ensuring credible security guarantees and full compliance with international law, including the implementation of the Colonna Report; welcome progress reports in this regard and urge the full and swift adoption of the report’s recommendations on strengthening neutrality safeguards and internal control systems within UNWRA; monitor the application of the action plan presented by UNRWA; call for UNRWA’s mandate and funding to be reinstated in full with strong oversight and accountability; stress that any form of cooperation with or tolerance of terrorism fundamentally undermines humanitarian principles, regional stability and prospects for peace;

(ae) build on the Commission’s continued engagement with relevant education authorities, and emphasise the importance of promoting educational curricula that foster coexistence, tolerance and reconciliation, as well as respect for human rights, in line with UNESCO standards; welcome the Commission’s continued engagement with the Palestinian Authority on curriculum reform and the tangible progress reported in 2025, including the ongoing review and amendment of textbooks by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education to ensure alignment with UNESCO standards; urge the Palestinian Authority to remove all educational materials and content that fail to adhere to UNESCO standards, in particular those that contain antisemitism and incitement to violence and terrorism, to which Palestinian children should not be exposed;

(af) reconfirm the EU’s full commitment to respecting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all its Member States, in accordance with the UN Charter; underline that the continued illegal presence of Turkish troops in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, an EU Member State, constitutes a violation of international law and an infringement of basic human rights and therefore call for the immediate and complete withdrawal of Turkish occupation forces, the right of all refugees to return to their home, and the ascertainment of the fate of all missing persons; continue to support the swift resumption of the Cyprus settlement talks within the UN-agreed framework on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality in accordance with relevant UN resolutions, and warn against any unilateral actions that are inconsistent with a peaceful settlement; call for the status of the buffer zone and the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus to be respected; support the work of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on Cyprus and the EU’s Special Envoy for Cyprus;

(ag) emphasise that the political and security transition in Syria remains fragile and continues to be marked by insecurity, serious violations of human rights, displacement, and attacks against religious and ethnic communities; stand with Syria’s diverse society, which has suffered for over a decade under the Iran- and Russia-bolstered Assad regime and terrorist groups; support a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned inclusive political process safeguarding territorial integrity and reconciliation; call on the Syrian authorities to include all components of Syrian society in decision-making and ensure swift, transparent and independent investigations into acts targeting religious and ethnic communities to combat sectarian violence and impunity; underline the need for coordinated engagement by the EU and the UN to support this process, including the 29 January 2026 integration agreement between the Syrian transitional government and the Kurdish-led administration;

(ah) maintain a firm stance against the de facto authorities in Afghanistan and the deteriorating humanitarian situation; continue and increase EU support for the Afghan people, especially women and girls whose rights are persistently violated by the Taliban; call on the Taliban to abolish restrictions limiting the equal access of women and girls to education and participation in public life; insist on maintaining strictly conditional engagement with the de facto authorities, in line with the benchmarks set by the EU and the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur; hold the de facto authorities in Afghanistan accountable through investigations conducted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism;

(ai) engage in diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea and oppose any unilateral change to the status quo by coercion or by force; work with like-minded partners to reinforce stability and security in the region and strengthen deterrence against coercive or military actions; keep defending the principle of the prohibition of the use of force codified in the UN Charter; underline that UN Resolution 2758 does not determine the sovereignty of Taiwan, nor does it mention Taiwan, and cannot be used to exclude Taiwan from the international system; step up EU support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations whose membership or activities are not limited to states, including those where observer status is possible, for the benefit of the international community; call on the UN to grant access to UN events to activists, civil society representatives, and journalists holding a Taiwanese passport;

(aj) step up the Union’s role as a security partner of choice for Africa by strengthening cooperation among the EU, the African Union and the UN on conflict prevention, mediation and crisis response, including through predictable and sustainable financing for African-led peace operations, notably through the African Peace and Security Architecture and, where appropriate, UN-assessed contributions; address acute and interlinked security and humanitarian crises across the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including the spread of jihadist terrorism, violent extremism, military coups and state fragility; denounce explicitly the continuing violence and insecurity in eastern DRC, play an active and coordinated role in the peace process and call for renewed international efforts to promote justice, combat impunity and ensure full follow-up of the UN mapping report, including sanctions; call to expand the arms embargo regime that currently applies to Darfur to the rest of Sudan, with a view to achieving a lasting ceasefire in Sudan; respond to security vacuums exacerbated by the withdrawal of international missions and the growing presence of destabilising external actors, including Russian mercenary networks and hybrid interference; ensure that all EU security engagement is anchored in local ownership, democratic accountability, gender inclusion and the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, in line with UN peacebuilding and Women, Peace and Security frameworks;

(ak) continue engaging with the UN to address global security challenges through conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding, crisis management, and counter-terrorism, in accordance with the EU-UN Strategic Partnership on Peace and Security; recognise the essential role of UN peace operations and leverage the review on the future of these operations to ensure that they are adapted in accordance with today’s security landscape; call for the creation of the necessary legal instruments defining the scope and the applicability of the principle of self-defence in order to adequately address the threats emanating from non-state actors in an era of growing asymmetric warfare and hybrid measures; highlight the interrelation between democracy support and security in the international arena; increase support to democracy promotion in line with Treaty obligations, including electoral observation;

(al) reiterate the crucial role that women play in conflict mediation and peacekeeping missions; recall their underrepresentation at all levels within the UN and EU missions, and the crucial importance of protecting women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations; stress the fundamental importance of ensuring full access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings;

(am) acknowledge the severe risks arising from a new arms race and the weakening of global disarmament efforts, largely driven by Russia’s, China’s and North Korea’s nuclear build-up following Russia’s unilateral suspension of compliance with the New START Treaty in 2023; call on all nuclear-armed states to halt quantitative and qualitative expansions of their nuclear arsenals and to engage in risk-reduction, transparency and arms-control processes; continue to safeguard and reinforce the multilateral frameworks governing non-proliferation and arms control, as well as those regulating the export of arms and dual-use goods and technologies; promote and strengthen multilateral instruments against the production, stockpiling and use of chemical and biological weapons;

(an) step up efforts to end impunity and ensure accountability for violations of international law, including by supporting the swift adoption of the convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, strengthening independent investigations into international crimes, and fully supporting the ICC and the ICJ as essential, independent and impartial judicial institutions, including by upholding the Rome Statute and recognising the binding nature of the ICJ’s orders and judgments; deplore the unprecedented threats, among others by the United States, faced by the ICC, and call for the activation, effective application and strengthening of the EU Blocking Statute to protect the independence and functioning of international judicial bodies, in particular the ICC and the ICJ and bodies cooperating with and supporting these courts;

(ao) call for a comprehensive revision of international sanctions regimes to ensure greater effectiveness, coherence and accountability, while preventing their politicisation and minimising their potentially negative impact on civilian populations, in line with international law;

(ap) condemn all attacks, threats, and acts of violence against UN personnel, peacekeepers, and UN facilities, and call on all parties in conflict to respect the safety, security, and neutrality of UN staff and infrastructure, in full accordance with international law, including the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel;

Sustainable development and human rights

(aq) continue integrating a human rights-based approach into sustainable development, acknowledging that the full realisation of human rights is a cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda; emphasise the EU’s leading role as the world’s largest provider of official development assistance; deepen multilateral cooperation to strengthen preparedness and build resilience against crises and challenges that threaten progress on the SDGs; stress that EU development cooperation and bilateral assistance must be made conditional upon respect for fundamental human rights, democratic principles and the values enshrined in the EU Treaties;

(ar) further leverage the Global Gateway as a sustainable, transparent, democratic and values-based alternative to competing infrastructure initiatives, particularly those of Russia and China, as a strategic instrument to strengthen the Union’s geopolitical presence, visibility and resilience worldwide, and as an initiative which contributes to delivering on the SDGs by fostering mutual growth, economic activity and job creation in partner countries, while strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy, geopolitical position and global credibility; nonetheless improve the compliance monitoring and performance assessment of projects funded through the Global Gateway strategy;

(as) welcome the outcomes of recent UN summits calling for strengthening and modernising international financial institutions, including the IMF and the World Bank; call for making the international financial architecture more effective and inclusive, scaling up concessional and development finance, addressing unsustainable debt through improved debt relief and restructuring mechanisms, and aligning financial flows with the SDGs and climate commitments;

(at) warn against the use of financial leverage, extraterritorial measures and economic coercion as tools of foreign policy, which undermine trust in the international financial system and contribute to global instability and inequality;

(au) reaffirm and assert unequivocally that all human rights, especially those enshrined in UN conventions are universal and must be fully upheld; call on the UN to condemn global trends undermining these rights, including the increasing marginalisation of human rights and the shrinking space for civil society, including in long-standing democracies;

(av) promote a human-centric, rights-based transformation by supporting an inclusive, open, safe, and secure digital future and ensuring the effective implementation of the Global Digital Compact;

(aw) continue promoting women’s rights as enshrined in the UN Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action; deploy all tools at its disposal to combat violence against women and girls in the EU and worldwide; give particular attention to vulnerable and marginalised communities in states where women’s rights are repeatedly being undermined by the national governments; step up EU funding to UN Women, the United Nations Population Fund and other UN programmes working to promote women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls;

(ax) pursue further consistent dialogue across UN fora on the need to combat persistent discrimination against the LGBTIQ+ community and ensure equal access to social protection, healthcare, education and access to goods and services; support the UN Free & Equal campaign by increasing public awareness and promoting stronger legal protections, particularly in states where discriminatory practices remain widespread;

(ay) prioritise the fight against disinformation and fake news spread through algorithmic amplification by large online platforms, the growing use of large language models without adequate safeguards and their exploitation by malicious foreign actors, and the failure of big technology companies to meet their obligations under existing legislation on this topic, undermining democracy and electoral processes; call on the UNGA to adopt stronger frameworks for addressing hybrid threats, including disinformation campaigns and other non-kinetic influence operations that undermine democratic processes and social cohesion globally; work towards implementing a global framework to protect minors online, including requirements for identity verification on social media platforms with the objective of ensuring that each user account corresponds to a natural person using their legal name and identity while ensuring that such measures are implemented in full compliance with applicable standards on personal data protection; provide the strategic communication and foresight divisions of the European External Action Service with sufficient resources to effectively combat anti-EU disinformation campaigns and narratives deployed strategically by authoritarian and illiberal regimes that seek to undermine both EU relations with Latin America, Africa and Asia and EU external action in multilateral fora;

(az) emphasise the importance of ensuring a safe environment, editorial independence and financial support for the media; fight against the escalating threats against journalists worldwide, particularly women journalists, who are disproportionately targeted; strengthen collaboration with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on promoting the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity;

(ba) strengthen the promotion of freedom of religion, thought, conscience and belief, which is a universal human right, and call for more robust measures to protect all religious, ethnic and other minorities, including Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities; strongly condemn the persecution of all religious communities, particularly Christians, who are subject to widespread persecution worldwide, and all forms of violence or discrimination against other faith communities; urge all UN Member States to guarantee full freedom of religion and worship for all individuals in line with their international human rights commitments;

(bb) reiterate the need to review the process for the election of the UNHRC, in particular to prevent countries that violate human rights from sitting in the Council; underline the obligation of the UNGA to consider candidates’ commitment to promoting and protecting human rights when electing members of the UNHRC; call on EU Member States to adopt a coordinated position in relation to UNHRC membership and to vote against all UNHRC candidates that fail to uphold human rights;

(bc) reinforce the EU’s commitment to promoting global health together with partners by supporting vaccination campaigns, implementing the Pandemic Agreement, tackling non-communicable diseases, and strengthening multilateral mechanisms for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response;

(bd) strengthen the promotion of artistic freedom, and the protection of cultural heritage and cultural rights by supporting the work of UNESCO and moving towards the establishment of an EU standing rapporteur or permanent EU interlocutor to the UNESCO;

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2. Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and, for information, the United Nations General Assembly and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

In view of growing global instability, multiple conflicts and crises, and growing threats to the multilateral system, it is of critical importance to uphold and strengthen the rules-based international order and to ensure the efficient functioning of intergovernmental organisations. The report underlines the need to support an effective rules-based multilateral order with the UN at its core, promote and defend international law, and uphold the rules and principles of the UN Charter, while working towards a more effective, efficient, transparent, financially sustainable and responsive UN that is capable of meeting current and emerging global challenges.

The report recalls the EU’s commitment to human rights, sustainable development and multilateral cooperation, emphasising the EU’s leading role in development assistance, its support for the Sustainable Development Goals, and the need to counter disinformation, protect fundamental freedoms, and to uphold freedom of religion or belief. It also underlines the importance of modernising UN mandates and practices to ensure effectiveness, impartiality and credibility across the system.

It advocates for leveraging multilateral cooperation to better address current challenges such as maintaining international peace and security, combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, fostering sustainable development, and promoting human rights worldwide.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his report input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted

15.4.2026

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

52

18

2

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