External publications

The European Union’s Global Strategy: making support for democracy and human rights a key priority

Hackenesch, Christine / Clare Castillejo
External Publications (2016)

European Think Tanks Group

The EU Global Strategy is a unique opportunity to (re)commit to making support for democracy and human rights a key priority of European Union (EU) external action and to reflect on how the EU’s instruments to promote these priorities could be further strengthened. However, political interest in support of democracy and human rights currently appears to be at low ebb across the EU. The paper argues that support for democracy and human rights is not just a question of values but that it is in the EU’s own economic, security and geo-strategic interests. The paper shows that the EU is uniquely placed to pursue this agenda and gives concrete recommendations how the EU should reform its policies to support democracy and human rights.