– CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY –

Thank you, Mr./Madam Chair, 

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

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia*, the Republic of Moldova,Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia, as well as Armenia, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Mr./Madam Chair, 

We understand that, following last year’s adoption of Resolution 79/122, this year’s resolution on this agenda item is expected to simply set the exact dates for the second session of the Preparatory Committee in 2027 and, possibly, also for the first session of the Conference, which will be held in 2028. 

However, as we resume our debate on this item, it is impossible not to recall the spontaneous and sustained applause that filled this room last year, when your predecessor gaveled the adoption of the resolution launching the process to negotiate a Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity. 

As the overwhelming majority of delegations have repeatedly emphasized over the past six years in this Committee, such a Convention is long overdue to fill a gap in international treaty law. 

This is why the adoption of Resolution 79/122 has been rightly welcomed as a historic development by the international legal community and beyond. 

The European Union and its Member States are proud to have supported this initiative from the outset, as part of our steadfast commitment to ending impunity and ensuring accountability for all the perpetrations of international crimes.

The future Convention will strengthen the international legal framework on crimes against humanity and facilitate prevention, national investigations, prosecutions, and punishment of such crimes. It will provide additional legal tools at the national level and, at the same time, establish a new basis for inter-State cooperation.

As we have stated in previous years, we consider the Draft Articles elaborated by the International Law Commission in 2019 to provide a solid foundation for the negotiation of the Convention. Last year’s decision to elaborate such a Convention reaffirms the important role of the ILC in the codification and progressive development of international law. At the same time, we have always remained open and receptive to possible amendments aimed at updating and improving the Draft Articles, including on substance, on how to facilitate implementation, and on international monitoring.

We thus look forward to the comprehensive and inclusive process that will begin in January 2026 – a process in which all delegations and interested stakeholders, including civil society organizations, will have ample opportunities to present their positions and proposals, and which will take into account the importance of promoting consensus on its final results. 

We take this opportunity to acknowledge the valuable role that civil society organizations have played throughout the process so far, and look forward to their continued contributions, especially in promoting a victim and survivor-centered approach. 

Mr./Madam Chair,

To conclude, we would like to echo the Secretary-General, who, when celebrating the achievement of the threshold of ratifications for the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement – a landmark tool to protect the marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction – noted that we “turned commitment into action, proving what is possible when nations unite for the common good.” 

This should serve as our inspiration as we embark on the process of negotiating a Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity. There can be no doubt that we are united in our shared goal to prevent and punish these most serious crimes.

I thank you. 
 

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.