HRC63 - EU Statement - HRC63 session - Item 5 General debate on human rights bodies and mechanisms
European Union
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
63rd Session
(7 September – 7 October 2026)
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Item 5
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Statement by
H.E. Mr. Michele Cervone d’Urso
Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative of the European Union
Geneva, 24 September 2026
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HRC63 session - Item 5 General debate on human rights bodies and mechanisms
EU Statement
Mr. President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
Albania, Liechtenstein, Moldova (Republic of), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.
The European Union reaffirms its resolute commitment to the international human rights architecture, with the United Nations and its mechanisms at the core. The EU remains committed to the Human Rights Council as the primary multilateral body for the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. We restate our unwavering commitment to the essential role of the mechanisms of this Council.
Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures and HRC mandated investigative bodies continue to contribute to the mainstreaming of human rights and ensuring accountability around the world. The substantive work of these bodies and mechanisms in early-warning, technical assistance, capacity building and monitoring is more valuable than ever.
We encourage all Member States to cooperate with the international human rights mechanisms. We underscore the essential role, independence and integrity of special procedure mandate holders and call for all States to fully respect their mandates, emphasising that a robust and effective UN human rights system should be able to operate independently.
All EU Member States engage constructively with the Treaty Bodies, and retain a standing invitation to Special Procedures, which we encourage all States to do.
As we collectively move through UN reform, the EU reaffirms its commitment to effective multilateralism and supporting the integration of human rights across the UN including through the Human Rights Group led by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The vital work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is essential, and we call on all states to support the independence and integrity of that Office.
We remain deeply concerned about the lack of adequate, predictable and sustainable funding of human rights as a core pillar of the UN, in particular the human rights mechanisms and bodies and the ongoing impact of the liquidity crisis on the work of this Council.
Particularly, we are deeply concerned about the impact of the ongoing liquidity crisis which has significantly constrained the ability of the Treaty Bodies to discharge their mandates effectively, including delaying the vital review of States and the ensuing reports.
The EU and its Member States have consistently provided substantial voluntary funding to the OHCHR, we stand ready to continue that support and strongly encourage others to do the same. We take this opportunity to call upon all States to fulfil their financial commitments in full and on time, and to restate our call to the UN Secretary General to ensure sufficient funding from the regular budget for the Human Rights Pillar. The protection of civil society space nationally and internationally will continue to be a priority for us, including in working to ensure the HRC remains a space for effective and independent civil society participation. We acknowledge that a diverse and independent civil society is a cornerstone of every democratic society, and also highlight the role of National Human Rights Institutions. The EU remains deeply concerned about the growing restrictions on civil society, transnational repressions and reprisals against those seeking to cooperate with the UN. We strongly condemn any form of intimidation, harassment or reprisals. States must comply with their international obligations to ensure that human rights defenders can operate freely and safely, both online and offline.
The EU reaffirms its unwavering support for the international criminal justice system, particularly to the International Criminal Court (ICC), as well as its commitment to upholding the Rome Statute and preserving the ICC’s independence and integrity.
At a time of continuing global challenges, it is essential that this Council remains a forum for constructive and meaningful dialogue and cooperation for the protection and promotion of human rights everywhere. We urge all States to engage collaboratively, to uphold the highest human rights standards and to strengthen the effectiveness of our shared United Nations.
I thank you.