The European Union (EU) and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic held their 14^th Human Rights Dialogue on 13 June in Vientiane, Lao PDR. 

During the dialogue they engaged in constructive discussions on a wide range of human rights topics, namely economic, social and cultural rights; civil and political rights including freedom of expression and assembly; the rule of law and governance; gender equality; rights of the child; rights of persons with disabilities, and other persons in vulnerable situations. They also exchanged on the engagement with the United Nations human rights mechanisms, notably the 4^th Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Lao PDR which had taken place recently. The EU and Lao PDR underlined the importance of sustained implementation of accepted UPR recommendations as well as further enhancing engagement with UN mechanisms and special procedures.

The Lao delegation updated on the individual cases raised by the EU, and provided information on its legal and policy frameworks and national measures on safeguarding of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, as well as the conditions for granting pardon or reduced sentences to inmates on the occasion of the Lao National Day. The EU also emphasised the importance of full compliance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations with regard to European citizens while the Lao PDR shared its legal provisions and practices in the implementation in good faith of international treaties to which the Lao PDR is a State party. The EU further exchanged on addressing human rights challenges within the EU. 

The EU took note of ongoing amendments to the legal framework governing civil society organisations and encouraged an enabling environment for their engagement whereas the Lao PDR assured that the improvements to the relevant Decrees had the purpose of creating conducive conditions and facilitation for the operation of those organisations.

The Lao PDR informed of its priority programme of activities on human rights towards the end of 2025, including its consideration of recommendations received from the 4^th Cycle of UPR, the dissemination of accepted recommendations and development of a Plan of Action, as well as its treaty reporting under the Convention against Torture (CAT), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). The EU recommended the Lao PDR to further consider the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED) signed by the Lao PDR in 2008; and other international treaties, important in the light of Lao PDR’s impending graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status and the subsequent change in the EU trade regime applied to the country. The EU in this context assured the Lao PDR of its continued cooperation in helping realise these priorities. 

The EU and the Lao PDR reaffirmed their commitment to promoting and protecting human rights in accordance with the international human rights treaties to which they are parties and reiterated the importance of constructive dialogue and cooperation based on mutual respect and the respect for sovereignty of States.

The EU and the Lao PDR agreed on a series of initiatives. These are related to EU support for developing the UPR plan of action; workshops on freedom of religion and on freedom of expression including the fight against disinformation; a seminar on human trafficking and related crimes; collaborative projects to advance gender equality, and further exchange with the Ministry of Public Security, if need be, among others.

The delegation of the European Union was headed by Leila Fernandez Stembridge, Head of Division for South-East Asia and ASEAN at the European External Action Service (EEAS), while the delegation from the Lao PDR was led by Phoukhong Sisoulath, Director General, Department of Treaty and Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting was attended by representatives from relevant ministries and agencies of the Lao PDR, the EEAS, the EU Delegation in Vientiane, Heads of Mission and representatives of the Embassies of EU Member States in the Lao PDR.

Prior to the Dialogue, on 12 June, a joint seminar on the death penalty was organised as a side event. The seminar provided an opportunity for participants to exchange perspectives on regional and global trends and legal frameworks related to the death penalty.

The 15^th meeting of the EU – the Lao PDR Human Rights Dialogue will be held in Brussels, Belgium, in 2026.