Sous-commission Droits de l'homme (DROI) - Parlement européen

On 25 June 2025, DROI Subcommittee organised a public hearing on "The Human Rights dimension of the EU memoranda of Understanding in its Southern Neighbourhood (Mauritania, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, with a focus on the use of EU funds)". It allowed to reflect upon the EU cooperation policy in the region from a human rights perspective and discuss solutions for the monitoring of the informal agreements and related funding and improving the human rights conditionality in the EU policy tools.

Civil society voices shared testimonies and analysis of situations on the ground after the conclusion of those informal agreements, which include but are not limited to migration and asylum-related measures. Representatives of the EU Commission, the European External Action Service and the European Court of Accounts explained EU action in the field, also against the background of the upcoming EU Pact for the Mediterranean. Each panel was followed by a Q&A session with MEPs.

Location : Spinelli 3E2
Programme
ECA presentation on the EU Trust Fund for Africa
Background documents (e-meeting)
Webstreaming
Intervention of Andreina De Leo
intervention of Nour Khalil
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai
Arbitrary arrest and torture of Belgian-Portuguese researcher Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic
Urgent need to protect religious minorities in Syria following the recent terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2025 - PE

Jeudi, le Parlement a adopté trois résolutions d’urgence sur Dubaï, la République centrafricaine et la Syrie.
Sous-commission "Droits de l'homme"

Source : © Union européenne, 2025 - PE

The next ordinary meeting of the Subcommittee will be held on Wednesday, 16 July 2025, 9.00-12.30. Meeting room: Spaak 4B001.
DROI meetings - 2025
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

As the European Commission prepares a new Pact for the Mediterranean, the DROI session on 16 July at 10:00 provides an opportunity to reflect on the human rights dimension of the initiative. Representatives from the Arab Reform Initiative and Amnesty International will share their assessments and recommendations, alongside an update from the Commission on the Pact’s advancement.
The focus will be on how to ensure that civil society can operate freely and that fundamental freedoms are the cornerstone of our cooperation, in accordance with the Treaties.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

At its last meeting (25-26 June) the Subcommittee held the election of the 3rd and 4th Vice-Chairs.

• Isabel SERRA SÁNCHEZ (The Left, ES) was elected as 3rd Vice-Chair
• Arkadiusz MULARCZYK (ECR, PL) was elected as 4th Vice-Chair

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

This paper provides an overview of both long-standing and new legal and policy developments concerning Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs). The focus is on four major components: i) observing different approaches and understandings about EHRDs; ii) analysing the content of international obligations concerning EHRDs and mechanisms for reviewing implementation and accountability; iii) discussing the opportunities and challenges of using European Union (EU) instruments to advance the realisation of EHRDs’ rights; and iv) exploring EU collaboration with other regions on environmental democracy and EHRDs’ rights. The paper reports on recent vital breakthroughs, driven partly by EHRDs, including recognition of the right to a healthy environment by the United Nations, as well as progress from voluntary guidelines to binding provisions on human rights and sustainability due diligence. Yet, contrary to the principles of non-regression and progression, the paper also shows that key legal and institutional advances are at risk of being weakened or even reversed. Recommendations are provided for the EU to strengthen the realisation of EHRDs’ rights and their role as custodians of the right to a healthy environment, not only for themselves but also for others who cannot raise their voices, namely future generations and other living beings.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

On 26 June, DROI jointly with AFET held an exchange of views on the situation in the Philippines in the field of democracy, rule of law and human rights after the general elections of 12 May 2025, with speakers from academia, civil society, and the European External Action Service.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP