The EU is at the forefront of the universal promotion and protection of human rights at the multilateral level, mainly through the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee. The EU’s Delegations in Geneva and New York are instrumental in advancing these priorities, coordinating the EU’s day-to-day relations with the UN and reporting to EU Headquarters on the UN’s activities.

The EU also supports and cooperates with key regional and international human rights mechanisms and institutions, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Council of Europe (CoE), the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and other relevant UN specialised agencies. 

The EU works with other regional organisations such as the African Union (AU), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to advance human rights and democracy through structured dialogues and joint initiatives in a spirit of mutual responsibility and partnership of equals. 

As part of its commitment to human rights protection and standard-setting, the EU actively engages with UN mechanisms such as Special Procedures, Commissions of Inquiry or fact-finding missions, and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). It advances thematic and country-specific statements and resolutions, seeking cross-regional cooperation with like-minded partners worldwide in order to ensure wide support and successful implementation.

The EU is directly involved in shaping proposals impacting high-level initiatives like the UN80 Initiative. A comprehensive reform process aimed at ensuring that the United Nations and other key multilateral institutions can fulfil their core mandate ever more effectively and efficiently in the future.