On human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024

(2024/xxxx(INI))

– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights,

– having regard to Articles 2, 3, 8, 21 and 23 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU),

– having regard to Articles 17 and 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other United Nations human rights treaties and instruments,

– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948 and United Nations Human Rights Council resolution 43/29 of 22 June 2020 on the prevention of genocide,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 18 December 1979,

– having regard to the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 36/55 of 25 November 1981,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities of 18 December 1992,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by consensus by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 53/144 on 9 December 1998,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989 and the two Optional Protocols thereto, adopted on 25 May 2000,

– having regard to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, which entered into force on 24 December 2014, and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports of 5 June 1998,

– having regard to the United Nations Beijing Declaration of September 1995,

– having regard to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted on 25 September 2015, in particular goals 1, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 16 thereof,

– having regard to the Council of Europe Conventions of 4 April 1997 for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine, and the Additional Protocols thereto, of 16 May 2005 on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and of 25 October 2007 on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse,

– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention of 11 May 2011 on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention), which not all Member States have ratified,

– having regard to Protocol No. 6 to the Council of Europe Convention of 28 April 1983 for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty,

– having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 of 7 December 2020 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2021 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 23 January 2024 on EU priorities in UN human rights fora 2024,

– having regard to the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, adopted by the Council on 17 November 2020 and its Mid-term Review adopted on 9 June 2023,

– having regard to the Council conclusions on the alignment of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024 with the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027,

– having regard to the EU Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in External Action 2021-2025 (GAP III),

– having regard to the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child 2021-2024,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on human rights defenders, adopted by the Council on 14 June 2004,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law of 2005, as updated in 2009,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on the death penalty, as updated by the Council on 12 April 2013,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines to promote and protect the enjoyment of all human rights by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons, adopted on 24 June 2013,

– having regard to the EU Human Rights Guidelines on freedom of expression online and offline, adopted by the Council on 12 May 2014,

– having regard to the EU Human Rights Guidelines on non-discrimination in external action, adopted by the Council on 18 March 2019,

– having regard to the EU Human Rights Guidelines on safe drinking water and sanitation, adopted by the Council on 17 June 2019,

– having regard to the revised Guidelines on the EU’s policy towards third countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, adopted by the Council on 16 September 2019,

– having regard to the revised EU Guidelines on human rights dialogues with partner/third countries, approved by the Council on 22 February 2021,

– having regard to the revised EU Guidelines on children and armed conflict, approved by the Council on 24 June 2024,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 12 September 2012 entitled ‘The roots of democracy and sustainable development: Europe’s engagement with Civil Society in external relations’ (COM(2012)0492),

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 10 March 2023 on the role of the civic space in protecting and promoting fundamental rights in the EU,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2024/1760 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on corporate sustainability due diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2859,

– having regard to the 2023 EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World,

– having regard to its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which in 2023 was awarded to Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran,

– having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2019 on EU Guidelines and the mandate of the EU Special Envoy on the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU,

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

– having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2021 on human rights protection and the EU external migration policy,

– having regard to its resolution of 8 July 2021 on the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EU Magnitsky Act),

– having regard to its resolution of 28 February 2024 on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2023, and to its previous resolutions on earlier annual reports,

– having regard to its resolutions on breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (known as urgency resolutions), adopted in accordance with Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure, in particular those adopted in 2023 and 2024,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2024),

A. whereas the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as set out in Article 2 TEU; whereas the EU’s action worldwide is guided by the universality and indivisibility of human rights and by the fact that the effective protection and defence of human rights and democracy is at the core of the EU’s external action;

B. whereas consistency and coherence across the EU’s internal and external policies are key for achieving an effective EU human rights policy;

C. whereas democratic systems are the most suitable to guarantee that every person has the ability to enjoy their human rights; whereas rules-based multilateralism is the best organisational system to defend democracies;

D. whereas the EU strongly believes in and fully supports multilateralism, a rules-based global order and the set of universal values, principles and norms that guide the UN member states;

E. whereas the rise in authoritarianism, illiberalism and populism threatens the global rules-based order, the protection and promotion of human rights in the world, as well as the values and principles on which the EU is founded;

F. whereas in December 2023, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrated its 75th anniversary;

G. whereas the legitimacy of the international rules-based order is dependent on compliance with the orders of international bodies, such as the United Nations Security Council resolutions and orders and decisions of the International Court of Justice; whereas there are increasing global threats to compliance with such orders and decisions, as well as, generally, with provisions of international law, human rights law and international humanitarian law in emerging and ongoing conflict situations;

H. whereas the 2023 Mid-term Review of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, now extended to 2027, has shown that, despite the progress achieved so far, more needs to be done, especially in the context of the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption;

I. whereas human rights defenders (HRDs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) are crucial partners in the EU’s efforts to safeguard and advance human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as well as to prevent conflicts globally; whereas governments around the world are increasingly censoring, silencing and harassing HRDs and CSOs in their work; whereas this behaviour includes measures encompassing strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), restrictive government policies, defamation campaigns, discrimination, intimidation and violence, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, and arbitrary arrests and detention; whereas attacks on HRDs are increasingly extending to their families and communities;

J. whereas environmental harm and the impacts of climate change are intensifying precariousness, marginalisation and inequality, and increasingly displacing people from their homes or trapping them in unsafe conditions, thereby heightening their vulnerability and jeopardising their human rights;

Global challenges to democracy and human rights

1. Reasserts the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the inherent dignity of every human being; reaffirms the duty of the EU and its Member States to promote and protect democracy and the universality of human rights around the world;

2. Insists that respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental freedoms must be the cornerstone of the EU’s external policy; strongly encourages the EU, to that end, to strive for a continued ambitious commitment to make human rights a central part of all EU policies in a streamlined manner and to enhance the consistency between the EU’s internal and external policies in this field;

3. Stresses that the EU must be fully prepared to counter the rise of authoritarianism, illiberalism and populism, as well as the increasing attacks on the universality of human rights, democracy and international humanitarian law;

4. Condemns the increasing trend of violations and abuses of human rights and democratic principles and values across the world, such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, clampdowns on civil society and political opponents, excessive use of violence by public authorities, censorship and threats to independent media, political attacks against international institutions, and increasing use of unlawful methods of war in grave breach of international humanitarian law and human rights law, among others; deplores the weakening of the protection of democratic institutions and processes, and the shrinking space for civil societies around the world;

5. Notes with deep concern the ongoing international crisis of accountability and the challenge to the pursuit of ending impunity for violations of core norms of international human rights and humanitarian law in modern conflicts around the world;

6. Notes with satisfaction that there are also ‘human rights bright spots’ within this context of major challenges to human rights worldwide; underlines the need for a more strategic communication on human rights and democracy by spreading news about positive results, policies and best practices; supports the Good Human Rights Stories initiative as a way of promoting positive stories about human rights;

Strengthening the EU’s toolbox for the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy around the world

7. Notes with concern the increasing divide worldwide; stresses the responsibility of the EU to continue defending democratic values and principles and human rights, peace and dignity around the world, which are even more important to defend in the current volatile state of global politics; calls upon the EU to keep communication channels open with different stakeholders and to continue to develop a comprehensive toolbox to strengthen human rights and democracy globally;

EU action plan on human rights and democracy

8. Observes that the EU and its Member States have made substantial progress in implementing the EU action plan on human rights and democracy, although they have not reached all of its goals, in particular due to the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption; welcomes, in this sense, the extension of the action plan until 2027, with a view to maximising the synergies and complementarity between human rights and democracy at local, national and global levels;

EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights

9. Fully supports the work of the EUSR for Human Rights in contributing to the visibility and coherence of the EU’s human rights actions in its external relations; upholds the EUSR’s central role in the EU’s promotion and protection of human rights by engaging with non-EU countries and like-minded partners; underlines the need for close cooperation between the EUSR for Human Rights and other EUSRs and Special Envoys in order to further improve this coherence, and calls for greater visibility for the role of the EUSR for Human Rights; calls for the EUSR to be supported in his work with increased resources;

Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe and the human rights and democracy thematic programme

10. Recalls the fundamental role of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, including its thematic programme on human rights and democracy, as a flagship EU instrument in promoting and protecting human rights and democracy around the world; highlights the need to engage with civil society in all the EU’s relevant external activities; reiterates the importance of streamlining a human-rights based approach in the EU’s external action instruments; underlines Parliament’s role in the instrument’s programming process and calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to share all relevant information in a timely manner in order to enable Parliament to play its role accordingly, in particular during high-level geopolitical dialogues with the Commission;

EU international agreements

11. Reiterates its call to include robust clauses on human rights in agreements between the EU and non-EU countries, supported by a clear set of benchmarks and procedures to be followed in the event of violations; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to actively reflect on how to ensure that the human rights clauses in current international agreements are effectively enforced; reiterates that in the face of persistent breaches of human rights clauses by its partner countries, the EU should react swiftly and decisively, including by suspending the agreements in question if other options prove ineffective;

EU human rights dialogues

12. Stresses the important role of human rights dialogues within the EU’s human rights toolbox and as a key vehicle for the implementation of the EU action plan on human rights and democracy; highlights that these dialogues should address the overall situation of human rights and democracy with the relevant countries; notes that human rights dialogues should be seen as a key element of sustained EU engagement and not as a free-standing instrument; recalls that these dialogues need to be used in conjunction and synergy with other instruments; reiterates the need to raise individual cases, in particular those highlighted by Parliament in its resolutions, and ensure adequate follow-up; calls to increase the visibility of these dialogues and their outcomes, including through the publication of a joint press statement;

EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (GHRSR – Magnitsky Act)

13. Welcomes the increasing use of the EU GHRSR as a key political tool in the EU’s defence of human rights and democracy across the world; notes, however, the challenges that the requirement of unanimity poses in the adoption of sanctions and reiterates its call for the introduction of qualified majority voting for decisions on the GHRSR; fully supports the possibility of imposing targeted anti-corruption sanctions within the EU framework in this regard, which has been a long-standing priority of Parliament, whether through its inclusion in the GHRSR or under a different regime; highlights the need for the complete enforcement of sanctions and calls for circumventions to be tackled;

Democracy support activities

14. Reiterates its concern regarding the increasing attacks by authoritarian and illiberal regimes on democratic principles and values; stresses that the defence and support of democracy around the world is increasingly becoming of geopolitical and strategic interest; emphasises the importance of Parliament’s efforts in capacity-building for partner parliaments, promoting mediation and encouraging a culture of dialogue and compromise, especially among young political leaders, and empowering women parliamentarians, HRDs and representatives from civil society and independent media; reiterates its call on the Commission to continue and expand its activities in these areas by increasing funding and support for EU bodies, agencies and other grant-based organisations; stresses the critical importance of directly supporting civil society and persons expressing dissenting views, particularly in the current climate of growing global tensions and repression in increasing numbers of countries; reiterates the importance of EU election observation missions and Parliament’s contribution to developing and enhancing their methodology; calls for enhanced collaboration between Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group, the relevant Commission directorates-general and the EEAS;

EU support for human rights defenders

15. Is extremely concerned by the continuing restriction of civil society space and rising threats to the work of HRDs, as well as their families, communities and lawyers, and finds particularly concerning the increasingly sophisticated means used to persecute them; supports wholeheartedly the work of HRDs and EU action to ensure their protection worldwide; calls for the complete and consistent application of the EU Guidelines on HRDs by the EU and its Member States; calls for efforts to strengthen the visibility of EU actions and channels for the protection and support of HRDs:

Combating impunity and corruption

16. Underlines that both impunity and corruption enable and aggravate human rights violations and abuses and the erosion of democratic principles; welcomes the anti-corruption actions in EU external policies in the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 3 May 2023 on the fight against corruption (JOIN(2023)0012); supports the anti-corruption provisions included in the EU trade agreements with non-EU countries; stresses the important role of civil society in non-EU countries in the oversight of the fight against impunity and corruption;

EU actions at multilateral level

17. Reaffirms that promoting the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights around the world requires strong international cooperation at a multilateral level; underlines the particularly important role of the UN and its bodies as the main forum which must be able to effectively advance efforts for peace and security, sustainable development and respect for human rights and international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue supporting the work of the UN, both politically and financially; reiterates the need for the EU and its Member States to speak with one voice at the UN and in other multilateral forums; calls for EU delegations to play a stronger role in multilateral forums, for which they should have appropriate resources available;

18. Is deeply concerned by growing attacks against the rules-based global order by authoritarian regimes, including through the undermining of the functioning of UN bodies, namely the abuse of veto power at the UN Security Council; underlines that the diminished effectiveness of these bodies brings with it real costs in terms of conflicts, lives lost and human suffering, and seriously weakens the general ability of countries to deal with global challenges; calls on the Member States and likeminded partners to intensify their efforts to reverse this trend;

19. Welcomes the political and financial support the EU has given to the International Criminal Court (ICC), including the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the ICC, not least through the launch of the ‘Global initiative to fight against impunity for international crimes’ offering EUR 20 million of support to the ICC; calls for the EU and its Member States to keep supporting the ICC with the necessary means and resources and to use all instruments at its disposal to strengthen the fight against impunity worldwide; calls on all the Member States to respect the actions and decisions of all organs of the ICC, including the OTP and the Chambers, and to support their work as an independent and impartial international justice institution;

20. Reiterates the strong support of the EU for the International Court of Justice and the ICC amid a particularly challenging time for the international justice; notes with deep concern the worrying and rising trend to undermine the decisions of international institutions and their employees by state officials;

Upholding international humanitarian law

21. Notes with concern the increasing disregard for international humanitarian law and international human rights law, particularly in the form of ongoing conflicts around the world; underlines that it is of the utmost importance for humanitarian aid agencies to be able to provide full, timely and unhindered assistance to all people in vulnerable situations and calls on all parties to armed conflicts to protect civilian populations and humanitarian and medical workers; calls upon all states to unconditionally and fully conform with international humanitarian law; calls upon the international community and the Member States in particular to promote accountability and the fight against impunity for grave breaches of international humanitarian law; calls for the systematic creation of humanitarian corridors in regions at war and in combat situations, whenever necessary, in order to allow civilians at risk to escape conflicts, and strongly condemns any attacks on them;

Team Europe approach

22. Recognises the potential for stronger alignment in approaches to human rights protection and promotion between Member States’ embassies and EU delegations in non-EU countries; emphasises the opportunity for Member States’ embassies to take an increasingly active role in advancing and safeguarding human rights, while also supporting civil society in these countries; highlights the importance of shared responsibility between Member States and EU delegations in these efforts; calls for the EU and its Member States to intensify their collective efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and to support democracy worldwide;

Responding to universal human rights and democracy challenges

Right to freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment

23. Condemns any action or attempt to legalise, instigate, authorise, consent or acquiesce to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment methods under any circumstances; condemns the increasing reports of the use of torture by state actors in conflict situations around the world, and reiterates the non-derogable nature of the right to be free from torture or other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment;

Right to food

24. Recalls that the right to food, including having physical and economic access to adequate food or the means to its procurement, is a human right; is extremely concerned about the challenges to the right to food worldwide, especially in situations of war and conflicts; notes with concern the increasing reports of the weaponisation of food in situations of armed conflict; calls for the EU and its Member States to promote mandatory guidelines on the right to food without discrimination within the UN system;

Climate change and the environment

25. Highlights that climate change and its impact on the environment has direct effects on the effective enjoyment of all human rights; recognises the important work of CSOs, indigenous people, land and environmental HRDs and indigenous activists for the protection of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; deplores the risks that environmental HRDs and indigenous activists face and calls for their effective protection to be guaranteed; notes with deep concern the increasing threats to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment posed by the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and other forms of warfare that adversely and disproportionately affect the environment;

Rights of the child

26. Calls for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all of the EU’s external policies; calls for more concerted efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of children’s rights in crisis or emergency situations; condemns the decline in respect for the rights of the child and the increasing violations and abuses of these rights, including through violence, early and forced marriage, sexual abuse including genital mutilation, trafficking, child labour, recruitment of child soldiers, lack of access to education and healthcare, malnutrition and extreme poverty; further condemns the increase in death of children in situations of armed conflict and stresses the need for effective protection of children’s rights in active warfare; reiterates its call for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all EU external policies;

Rights of women and gender equality

27. Stresses that women’s rights and gender equality are indispensable and indivisible human rights, as well as a basis for the rule of law and inclusive resilient democracies; deplores the fact that millions of women and girls continue to experience discrimination and violence, especially in the context of conflicts, and are denied their dignity, autonomy and even life; calls for the EU, its Member States and like-minded partners to step up their efforts to ensure the full enjoyment and protection of women’s and girls’ human rights; condemns in the strongest terms the increasing attacks on sexual and reproductive health and rights around the world, as well as gender-based violence; welcomes the accession of the EU to the Istanbul Convention; calls for the EU and its international partners to strengthen their efforts to ensure that women fully enjoy human rights and are treated equally to men; stresses the need to pursue efforts to fully eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation;

Rights of refugees and asylum seekers

28. Denounces the erosion of the human rights and the safety of refugees, asylum seekers and forcibly displaced persons; reaffirms their inalienable human rights and fundamental right to seek asylum; recalls the obligation of states to protect them in accordance with international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to effectively uphold their rights in the EU’s asylum and migration policy and in the EU’s cooperation with partner countries in this regard; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to acknowledge and develop ways to address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, building the resilience of migrants’ communities of origin and helping them offer their members the possibility to enjoy a decent life in their home country; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and, where possible, step up their support for countries hosting the most refugees, as well as for transit countries; reiterates that close cooperation and engagement with non-EU countries remain key to preventing migrant smuggling; stresses, in this regard, that the dissemination of information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of smuggling are crucial; calls for EU-funded humanitarian operations to take into consideration the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and to ensure their protection while they are displaced; underlines the importance of developing an effective framework of safe and legal pathways to the EU and welcomes, in this regard, the Commission communication on attracting skills and talent to the EU, including the development of talent partnerships with partner countries;

Rights of LGBTIQ+ persons

29. Deplores the human rights violations, including discrimination, persecution, violence and killings, against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) persons around the world; is extremely concerned by the spreading of hatred and anti-LGBTIQ+ narratives and legislation that target LGBTIQ+ persons and HRDs; reiterates its calls for the full implementation of the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 as the EU’s tool for improving the situation of LGBTIQ+ people around the world;

Rights of persons with disabilities

30. Is concerned by the challenges to the full enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities; reiterates its calls for the EU to assist partner countries in the development of policies in support of carers of persons with disabilities; calls for the EU, in its external policy, to make use of the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 20212030 as a tool to improve the situation of persons with disabilities, particularly concerning poverty and discrimination, but also problems with access to education, healthcare and employment, and participation in political life;

Rights of elderly people

31. Reiterates its call for the EU and its Member States to develop new avenues to strengthen the rights of elderly people, taking into account the multiple challenges they face, such as age-based discrimination, poverty, violence and a lack of social protection, healthcare and other essential services, as well as barriers to employment; underlines the work of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing on a legally binding instrument to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older people and calls for the EU and its Member States to consider actively supporting that work;

Right to equality and non-discrimination

32. Reiterates its condemnation of all forms of racism, intolerance, xenophobia and discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, social class, disability, caste, religion, belief, age, sexual orientation or gender identity; condemns the growing international threat of hate speech, including online; reiterates the crucial role of education and dialogue in promoting tolerance, understanding and diversity; calls for the EU and its Member States to lead the global fight against all forms of extremism and welcomes the adoption of an EU strategy to this end;

Right to life: towards the universal abolition of the death penalty

33. Reiterates its principled opposition to the death penalty, which is incompatible with the right to life and a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment that is irreversible; stresses that the EU must be relentless in its pursuit of the universal abolition of the death penalty as a major objective of its human rights foreign policy; notes that despite the trend in some non-EU countries to take steps towards abolishing the death penalty, significant challenges in this regard still exist; deplores the fact that in other non-EU countries the number of death sentences that have been carried out has reached its highest level in the last five years; reiterates its call for all countries to completely abolish the death penalty or establish an immediate moratorium as a first step towards its abolition;

Right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief

34. Reiterates its concern regarding violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief; deplores the instrumentalisation of religious or belief identities for political purposes and the exclusion of persons belonging to religious and belief minorities and religious communities in certain non-EU countries; recommends that the Special Envoy for the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU be granted more resources so that he can comfortably carry out his mandate; highlights the necessity for the Special Envoy to continue to work closely and in a complementary manner with the EUSR for Human Rights and the Council Working Party on Human Rights; calls for the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, to raise these issues at UN human rights forums and to continue working with the relevant UN mechanisms and committees;

Right to freedom of expression, media freedom and the right to information

35. Emphasises the critical significance of freedom of expression and access to trustworthy information for sustaining democracy and a thriving civic space; is seriously concerned about the increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in numerous countries worldwide, particularly for journalists, through censorship, enforced self-censorship, and the misuse of counter-terrorism or anti-corruption laws to suppress journalists and civil society groups; raises concerns, additionally, about the physical security of journalists and media workers and their being targeted in conflict zones;

36. Calls urgently for the EU to back trustworthy media and information outlets that promote the accountability of authorities and support democratic transitions; voices concern about the extensive use of SLAPPs to silence journalists, activists, trade unionists and HRDs globally; welcomes, in this context, the directive designed to shield journalists and HRDs from abusive legal actions and SLAPPs; encourages lawmakers in non-EU countries to develop legislation with the same goal, as part of broader efforts to promote and protect media freedom and pluralism;

37. Welcomes the Commission’s plan to finance initiatives that support journalists on legal and practical matters, including beyond the EU, through the European Democracy Action Plan; calls for the EU to strengthen its efforts to aid targeted journalists globally; acknowledges the contribution to achieving this goal of programmes such as the now defunct Media4Democracy and other EU-funded activities, including those of the European Endowment for Democracy;

38. Remains deeply concerned by the deteriorating state of press freedom around the world; condemns the censorship of journalists, HRDs and CSOs through the application of so-called foreign agents laws, as well as other legislative and non-legislative measures adopted by authoritarian and illiberal regimes;

Right to public participation

39. Deplores that the right to participate in free and fair elections is not respected in authoritarian and illiberal regimes; highlights that these regimes conduct fake elections with the aim of entrenching their power, as they lack real political contestation and pluralism;

Human rights, business and trade

40. Stresses the role of trade as a major instrument to promote and improve the human rights situation in the EU’s partner countries; notes, however, that there has been little to no improvement in some of the countries concerned; deplores the detrimental effects of some excessive and exploitative business activities on human rights and democracy; welcomes the harmonisation resulting from the adoption of the Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence with binding EU rules on responsible corporate behaviour with regard to human, labour and environmental rights; further welcomes the Regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market and calls for its swift implementation at Member State level;

41. Highlights that in many regions of the world, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are often the driving force of local economies; underlines that MSMEs account for 90 % of businesses, 60 to 70 % of employment and 50 % of gross domestic product worldwide; highlights the importance of MSMEs in their contribution to the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the sustainable development goals, namely those on the eradication of poverty and decent work for all;

Human rights and digital technologies

42. Is concerned by the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) can pose to democracy and human rights, especially if it is not duly regulated; welcomes the Council conclusions on Digital Diplomacy of 26 June 2023 to strengthen the EU’s role and leadership in global digital governance, in particular its position as a shaper of the global digital rulebook; welcomes, in this regard, the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human wellbeing; notes with concern the adverse effects of the ‘fake content industry’ on the right to information and press freedom, including the rapid development of AI and the subsequent empowerment of the disinformation industry;

43. Stresses that the internet should be a place where freedom of expression prevails; considers, nevertheless, that the rights of individuals need to be respected; is of the opinion that, where applicable, what is considered to be illegal offline, should be considered illegal online; expresses concern for the growing number of internet shutdowns; highlights that internet shutdowns are often used by authoritarian regimes, among others, to silence political dissidence and curb political freedom; calls urgently for the EU to combat this alarming phenomenon;

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44. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union Heads of Delegation.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Each year, the European Parliament adopts three annual reports on the EU’s foreign, security and defence, and human rights policies.

The three reports are on:

• the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy - annual report 2024 (based on the report of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy to the European Parliament on the Common Foreign and Security Policy) - competence of the AFET Committee,

• Human Rights and Democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter - annual report 2024 (based on the EU Annual report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World) - competence of the DROI Subcommittee, and

• the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy - annual report 2024 (based on the report of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy to the European Parliament on the Common Foreign and Security Policy) - competence of the SEDE Subcommittee.

These reports monitor and assess the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, including the EU policy on Human Rights and the Common Security and Defence Policy. They are a key component of the European Parliament’s contribution to EU foreign policy making, most notably in regard to the strengthened right of scrutiny conferred to the European Parliament by the Treaty of Lisbon. It is essential that the European Parliament responds to the annual reports issued by other institutions as soon as they are published.