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EU Statement – UN General Assembly 3rd Committee: Interactive dialogue on Torture

15.10.2025
New York

14 October 2025, New York – European Union Statement at the United Nations General Assembly 80th Session Third Committee Interactive Dialogue with Chair of the Committee against Torture, Mr. Claude HELLER; Chair of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Ms. María Luisa ROMERO; and Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Ms. Alice Jill EDWARDS

Chair,

 

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

 

Mr. Chair of the Committee against Torture, Madam Chair of the SPT, Madam Special Rapporteur,

 

The EU’s commitment to the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment is unwavering. We reaffirm our full support for your respective mandates and we welcome the firm but constructive engagement that the Special-Rapporteur, the Committee and the Subcommittee have had with States over the last year. 

 

The EU is fully aware of your rising caseloads, financial uncertainty and the increasingly complex conditions you are operating in. Against this backdrop, enhanced coordination, strategic prioritization, and further efficiency gains will be essential.

 

Questions

 

To the Chair of the Committee against Torture: The Special Rapporteur is mentioning some worrying trends in her reporting, such as sexual torture being on the rise. Which trends do you see in the cases brought to the Committee? 

 

To the Chair of the Subcommittee: In light of the financial constraints and political challenges, what strategies do you envisage to safeguard your committee’s capacity to fulfil its mandate? Do you see room for developing further the cooperation and division of labour with regional mechanisms?

 

To the Special Rapporteur: The EU has recently strengthened its ‘Anti-Torture Regulation’ to ensure that modern-day torture tools are not traded and that legitimate law enforcement equipment from the EU do not enable or facilitate torture and other ill-treatment, including in extra-custodial settings. What options do you see for promoting  such rules globally? 

 

 

Thank you.