EU Statement – UN General Assembly 6th Committee: Rule of Law

EU Statement - UN General Assembly 6th Committee: Rule of Law

8 October 2025, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States by Mr. Fabio Cannizzaro, Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Sixth Committee on the Agenda item 84: "The rule of law at the national and international levels"

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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*, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia, as well as Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

We thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive Report on strengthening and coordinating United Nations rule of law activities. Once again, the Report provides a wealth of examples, best practices, and inspiration for our debate.

The 80th anniversary of the United Nations offers the opportunity to reflect on the state of the rule of law, at both national and international levels; to take stock of what has been achieved, and what still remains to be accomplished.

Indeed, this anniversary finds us at a moment when the international legal order suffers a level of strain, which is unprecedented since the end of World War II and the creation of the United Nations. We are facing increasing and diverse threats to international peace and security. These include grave violations of the UN Charter, such as acts of aggression and violations of territorial integrity, as well as egregious breaches of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. We all have a duty to stand up for the UN Charter and the fundamental rules and principles of international law that are now increasingly violated.

We are also witnessing setbacks for human rights, democracy and the rule of law in many countries, with the targeting of political opposition, human rights defenders, journalists and the media; threats to the independence of the judiciary; and attempts to undermine or blur the separation of powers. These are not, and should not be considered, merely internal affairs. They touch the core of the rule of law also at the international level, and often lead to further instability in the relevant regions or even at global level. Therefore, it is our common duty to take action to prevent this from happening and remain open to dialogue and cooperation to find adequate solutions.

In this respect, the Secretary-General's Report does not only confirm the pervasive and indispensable role of the United Nations system and its unwavering commitment to promoting the rule of law globally; it also provides a reminder to all of us, individually and collectively, that we all have an important role to play in upholding the rule of law, at home and at the international level.

Mr./Madam Chair,

For the European Union, the rule of law is a cornerstone of our integration project. As one of our founding values, enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, the rule of law is essential to making our societies and economies function, while ensuring fundamental rights are protected and corruption is tackled. This is why the rule of law is also a key criterion for candidate countries wishing to join our Union.

Over the years, we have established and strengthened a robust architecture to address risks and challenges to the rule of law across our Member States. This includes the EU's Rule of Law Toolbox, which continuously monitors developments and supports Member States in their efforts to uphold the rule of law. The EU Rule of Law Report, published annually since 2020, examines developments in four key areas: the justice system, the anti-corruption framework, media pluralism and media freedom, and other institutional issues related to checks and balances. The 2025 Report includes concrete recommendations to all EU Member States, building on previous years' assessments and addressing new challenges.

We have also strengthened our capacity to effectively respond to breaches of the rule of law, through infringement procedures, the conditionality for the protection of the EU budget, relying, of course, on the Court of Justice of the EU.

In parallel, we continue to refine and expand our EU legislative framework. For example, we are modernising our current legal framework on combating corruption. Recently, we also introduced new instruments to protect media pluralism and freedom of expression. The European Media Freedom Act, fully applicable as of August 2025, put in place a new set of rules to protect media pluralism and independence in the EU, ensuring that media - public and private - can operate more easily across borders in the EU internal market, without undue pressure and taking into account the digital transformation of the media space. Since May 2024, another new EU legislation (Directive 2024/1069) has been in place to counter strategic abusive lawsuits against persons who engage in public participation, such as journalists and human rights defenders, including in cross-border situations.

At the international level, as the magnitude of challenges facing the UN system widens, the EU and its Member States reiterate their support for an effective multilateralism and the international legal order, with the UN at its core and oppose efforts to undermine or erode it.

This is reflected in our support for the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of SDG 16 on 'access to justice for all', as well as in our commitment to the implementation of the Pact for the Future and its annexes, which we were pleased to see well referenced in the Secretary-General's Report. Peace and prosperity, as well as the achievement of the SDGs, go hand in hand with respect for democracy, the rule of law, and all human rights.

To be effective, the rule of law requires ensuring international justice and accountability for all violations of international law. We welcome the Report's reference to the role of the International Court of Justice, which the EU strongly supports as one of the main pillars of the international justice system. We recall that the ICJ's orders and judgments are binding on the parties to the dispute and must be implemented in full. The EU also 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. We also support the other international criminal courts and tribunals and the other international accountability mechanisms, mentioned in the Report, and their efforts in completing their workload to ensure international accountability and support international criminal justice; it is also important to learn from their experience and preserve their legacy for future generations.

Ensuring accountability may also require setting up new instruments, such as the Register of Damages Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which is recalled in the Report. 44 States, out of which 26 are EU Member States, and the European Union have become members of the Register of Damages. The EU and 26 EU Member States have also actively participated in the negotiations on the establishment of an International Claims Commission for Ukraine, and of the Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. We will continue to work closely with the Council of Europe to finalise these efforts, in order to reaffirm our joint commitment to justice, accountability, and the international legal order. We call on all UN Members to join in these efforts as all the underlying instruments are open for cross-regional participation of States which support these important accountability efforts.

We will also continue to promote and support initiatives aimed at developing international law. The recent achievement of the required threshold of ratifications for the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement - a crucial tool to protect our ocean beyond borders - stands as a shining victory for multilateralism. As the Secretary-General noted, in two years, we "turned commitment into action, proving what is possible when nations unite for the common good". This should inspire us as we embark on the processes for the negotiation of a Convention on the prevention and punishment of Crimes against Humanity, and on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters, which we agreed to launch last year in this Committee. As noted in the Report, both processes are based on the work of the International Law Commission. We take this opportunity to reaffirm the important role of the ILC in the codification and development of international law and stress the need for the ILC to be given sufficient resources to fulfil its mandate.

The EU and its Member States also remain committed to protecting democracy, including elections, from foreign information manipulation and interference by state or non-state actors. We will work with partners towards a global strategy for countering foreign information manipulation and interference, supporting the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, and actively promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, and democratic principles in the digital space.

Mr./Madam Chair,

To conclude, the rule of law is essential for the functioning of our societies, economies, and international order. It is the foundation on which the EU stands firm in a world where the international legal order, and respect for fundamental rights, and democratic systems are increasingly under pressure. The EU and its Member States remain steadfast in our commitment to upholding and promoting the rule of law within our borders, in our neighbourhood, and globally. We look forward to continuing to work with the UN actors and all Member States to achieve this common goal and to build a more just, peaceful, and prosperous world for all. We must ensure that at future anniversaries, we can celebrate achievements and solutions rather than acknowledge persistent challenges or setbacks.

I thank you.

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