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DRAFT REPORT (2025/2179(INI))

On countering transnational repression – towards an EU strategy to protect Europe’s sovereignty and democratic values

AFET-PR-778365

Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Hannah Neumann

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This draft report proposes an EU strategy to counter transnational repression (TNR), defining it as cross-border acts by states or proxies to intimidate or harm individuals abroad. It calls for coordinated EU action, victim protection, and measures against specific TNR tactics. The report urges the Commission, Council, and Member States to adopt a common definition, establish monitoring mechanisms, appoint a coordinator, and integrate TNR into EU external action and policies.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes a comprehensive EU strategy to counter transnational repression, covering definition, coordination, protection, prevention, deterrence, and global leadership, as outlined in the motion for a resolution.

Key points

  1. Defines transnational repression as deliberate acts or threats by states or proxies to intimidate, silence, coerce or harm individuals or groups abroad, undermining human rights and sovereignty.
  2. Calls for a common EU definition of TNR and for the Commission, Council and Member States to adopt it.
  3. Urges the Commission and EEAS to establish an EU data collection, monitoring and reporting mechanism for TNR, with accessible and trauma-informed reporting channels.
  4. Requests Member States to provide specialised training, dedicated reporting channels, rapid response mechanisms, and a network of national contact points on TNR.
  5. Calls on the Council to appoint a coordinator for countering TNR and on the Commission to adopt a whole-of-EU approach.
  6. Demands a victim-centred approach, recognising psychosocial harm and lawfare as forms of TNR, and ensuring remedies and protection measures, including gender-sensitive ones.
  7. Calls for updating the EU action plan on human rights and democracy and the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders to address TNR explicitly.
  8. Urges recognition and countering of digital TNR, including enforcement of the Digital Services Act and inclusion of digital TNR as a systemic risk.
  9. Recognises reprisals against family members as TNR and calls for family reunification and other protective pathways.
  10. Calls for refusing informal or coercive foreign requests, training on Interpol data, and extra vetting for extradition requests from TNR-engaging governments.
  11. Urges safeguards against weaponisation of AML/CFT and cybersecurity frameworks, and cooperation between law enforcement and financial regulators.
  12. Calls for integrating TNR into EU external action, rule of law and enlargement reports, and the European Democracy Shield, and for future Council Presidencies to prioritise it.

Who is affected

  • Individuals targeted by TNR, including dissidents, journalists, human rights defenders, and their families, will receive better protection and support.
  • Member States' authorities, including law enforcement, asylum, and consular services, will need to implement new measures and training.
  • EU institutions, including the Commission, EEAS, and Council, will take on new coordination and reporting duties.
  • Perpetrator states and their proxies will face increased deterrence and accountability measures.

Legal basis: Articles 3 and 21 of the Treaty on European Union; Articles 83 and 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union