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Own-initiative report First reading

Addressing transnational repression of human rights defenders

Parliament sets out its own position on a topic. The resolution is not binding but signals what Parliament wants.

Where it stands: Parliament adopted the text on 13 November 2025. This is its final position on the matter.

  1. ✓ Referred to committee 13 March 2025
  2. ✓ Committee work Report adopted 16 October 2025
  3. ✓ Tabled for plenary 23 October 2025
  4. ✓ Plenary vote Adopted 13 November 2025
  5. ✓ Parliament’s position Final
How a file moves through Parliament

A file is referred to one lead committee (others may give an opinion). Its rapporteur writes a draft report, committee members table amendments, and the committee votes to adopt the report. The report is then tabled for all MEPs; political groups can table further amendments, which are voted on before the final vote in plenary. The adopted resolution is Parliament’s final position; it is not itself law.

Who is working on it

Lead committee
AFET — Foreign Affairs
Rapporteur
Chloé RIDEL S&D
Shadow rapporteurs
Antonio LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE PPEMatthieu VALET PfEMariusz KAMIŃSKI ECRJan-Christoph OETJEN RenewHannah NEUMANN Verts/ALERima HASSAN The LeftTomasz FROELICH ESN

The rapporteur drafts and negotiates the text for the lead committee; each other political group names a shadow rapporteur to follow the file.

The text, version by version

Adopted by Parliament · latest Adopted text TA10-0258/2025 13 November 2025 ✦ Parliament's resolution on transnational repression of human rights defenders condemns such repression, proposes a definition, and calls for EU action to protect HRDs, including through monitoring, digital safeguards, sanctions, and support.⇄ what changed Tabled for plenary Report A10-0206/2025 23 October 2025 ✦ Parliament's resolution on addressing transnational repression of human rights defenders proposes a definition, condemns the practice, and calls for EU and Member State action to protect defenders.⇄ what changed Committee draft Draft report (AFET) 10 June 2025 ✦ This draft report addresses transnational repression (TNR) of human rights defenders (HRDs). It condemns TNR, calls for EU policies to include TNR, and proposes measures for monitoring, digital oversight, accountability, and sanctions.

Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament: Adds Cuba as a perpetrator and condemns an attack on a former Parliament vice-president. Softens provisions on shelter and asylum, removing specific calls for humanitarian visas and family reunification. Drops a paragraph on enforcing digital services and due diligence for tech companies. see the changes →

Committee draft → Tabled for plenary: The report now proposes a formal definition of transnational repression and adds detailed statistics on its prevalence, naming specific perpetrator states. New provisions address digital repression, including spyware, social media, and technology companies' accountability, with calls for due diligence and reporting mechanisms. Protection measures for human rights defenders are expanded, covering visas, asylum, relocation, and support for gender-specific threats. The report strengthens calls for sanctions, legal accountability, and diplomatic coordination against perpetrators, including within EU member states. The other changes are formal: updated statistics in the explanatory statement. see the changes →

Newest version first. Open a version to read it in full. “What changed” shows the differences paragraph by paragraph; ✦ lines are AI-written from the texts themselves.

Timeline

  1. Plenary stage
  2. 13 November 2025 Plenary vote
    Sitting of 13 November 2025 📄 Report A10-0206/2025📄 Adopted text TA10-0258/2025
    Adopted Adopted by an overwhelming majority
    For 512 Against 76 Abstained 52

    Final vote — text as a whole at 10:49 · 80% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →

    How the vote unfolded · 11 ballots

    adopted rejected lapsed square = amendment circle = part of the text decisive vote Solid = roll call (click for every MEP’s vote); faded = no individual positions

    Show all 11 ballots in voting order
    1. Amendment 2, adding text after paragraph 4 10:47 A10-0206/2025 – Chloé Ridel – After § 4 – Am 2
    Adopted
    2. Separate vote on paragraph 18
    — no individual positions recorded
    Rejected
    3. Separate vote on paragraph 19
    electronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded
    Rejected
    4. Separate vote on paragraph 20
    — no individual positions recorded
    Adopted
    5. Separate vote on paragraph 20
    electronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded
    Rejected
    6. Separate vote on paragraph 21
    — no individual positions recorded
    Adopted
    7. Separate vote on paragraph 21
    electronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded
    Rejected
    8. Separate vote on paragraph 22
    electronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded
    Rejected
    9. Separate vote on paragraph 30
    — no individual positions recorded
    Rejected
    10. Separate vote on recital B
    electronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded
    Adopted
    11. Final vote — text as a whole 10:49 A10-0206/2025 – Chloé Ridel – Motion for a resolution (as a whole)
    Adopted
  3. 12 November 2025 Debated in plenary

    MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.

    Sitting of 12 November 2025 📄 Report A10-0206/2025
  4. 5 November 2025 2 amendments tabled for the plenary vote

    Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.

    📄 Amendments 1–2
  5. 23 October 2025 Report tabled for plenary

    This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.

    📄 Report A10-0206/2025
  6. Committee stage
  7. 16 October 2025 Committee vote: report adopted

    AFET (Foreign Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.

  8. 10 July 2025 Amendments tabled in committee

    Members of AFET (Foreign Affairs) proposed changes to the draft.

    📄 Amendments in committee (AFET)
  9. 10 June 2025 Draft report published

    The rapporteur’s first text in AFET (Foreign Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.

    📄 Draft report (AFET)
  10. 13 March 2025 Referred to the AFET (Foreign Affairs) committee

    The lead committee prepares Parliament’s report.