Measures needed to counter the sharp decline in democracy and human rights worldwide

The Committee on Foreign Affairs voted on Tuesday on the 2025 annual report on human rights and democracy in the world, which assesses EU action in these areas.

In the report adopted by 44 votes in favour, 13 against and 6 abstentions on Tuesday, MEPs condemn the overall deterioration of the human rights situation in the world, the clear acceleration in the decline in democracy and the rise in human rights violations. They stress that disinformation and cyber-attacks during election periods contribute significantly to the decline of democracy.

MEPs consider that multilateral human rights institutions and the rules-based multilateral order are facing unprecedented threats, and regret the decision of some countries to withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council.

The text assesses the tools available to the EU to promote and contribute to the protection of human rights and democracy worldwide. It regrets the lack of human rights and democracy conditionality in the area of cooperation with third countries and stresses the crucial role that trade and international agreements play in the EU’s bilateral relations. In this context, it calls for the effective implementation of human rights conditionality.

EU sanctions are a fundamental tool for the EU to defend the rule of law, democracy and human rights, MEPs say, and the mechanisms need to be enhanced to allow for wider and more systematic application.

The text also assesses the EU’s action to defend the rules-based international order, welcoming the European financial support for the International Criminal Court (ICC). MEPs regret however that the EU blocking statute has not yet been activated to protect the ICC from the effects of sanctions.

Recommendations

In their recommendations, MEPs insist that all EU Member States and signatory states to the United Nations Charter, the Rome Statute and the European Convention on Human Rights must comply in full with decisions handed down by the international courts, to ensure that the work of international institutions continues to be respected.

They call for the establishment of humanitarian corridors to enable civilians to escape conflict and call on the European Commission and the European External Action Service to adopt a new gender action plan, to combat gender-based violence and establish a gender-based approach to humanitarian aid.

A dedicated budget must be clearly allocated to human rights and democracy in the future 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework, MEPs add.

They call for the effective and full implementation of existing EU rules on responsible business conduct with regard to human, labour and environmental rights, such as EU due diligence legislation. They call for systematic assessment of the human rights situation in countries that sign agreements with the EU and underline the need for a swift and determined EU response to violations.

The report notes that the fight against corruption must remain a priority and calls on the Council to adopt an anti-corruption sanctions regime.

Denouncing in particular the growing harassment and digital threats faced by human rights defenders, MEPs call for extensive use of the EU sanctions regime – the EU Magnitsky Act.

Background

Each year, Parliament adopts three reports on EU foreign, security and defence policy and human rights policies. The human rights report contributes to ongoing preparations for a new post-2027 action plan on human rights and democracy: it assesses the tools available to the EU in this area and makes recommendations to other European institutions for further development. The report will be put to a vote in plenary in early 2026.