EU Policy on the Death Penalty

The European Union holds a strong and principled position against the death penalty; its abolition is a key objective for the Union’s human rights policy. Abolition is also a pre-condition for entry into the Union. The EU is the leading institutional actor and largest donor to the fight against the death penalty. This commitment is outlined clearly in the EU Guidelines on the death penalty, the first ever human rights guidelines adopted by Council, in 1998. The European Union regards abolition as essential for the protection of human dignity, as well as for the progressive development of human rights. Where the capital punishment is still used, the EU calls for it to be progressively restricted and insists that it be carried out according to international minimum standards. EU funding also allows non-governmental organisations to campaign for the abolition of the death penalty. Projects may range from the monitoring of the use of the death penalty to assistance to prisoners, support for constitutional reform, training, advocacy and awareness-raising campaigns.

The link address is: http://eeas.europa.eu/human_rights/adp/index_en.htm