1. Death penalty  (2008)

2. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment   (2008)

3. Human Rights dialogues with third countries  (2009)

4. Children and armed conflict  (2008)

5. Human Rights defenders   (2008)

6. Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child   (2008)    

7. Violence against women and girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them  (2008)  

8. International Humanitarian Law

EU guidelines are not legally binding, but because they have been adopted at ministerial level, they represent a strong political signal that they are priorities for the Union. Guidelines are pragmatic instruments of EU Human Rights policy and practical tools to help EU representations in the field better advance our Human Rights policy.

Global EU actors implement these guidelines through specific actions such as demarches and statements (see also Chapter 4 of the EU Annual Report on Human Rights).

Publication: EU Guidelines Human Rights and International Humanitarian law [4 MB]   March 2009