All EU institutions raised their voice to mark the eighth World Day against the Death Penalty, celebrated on 10 October. The Council of Europe and the European Union reaffirmed their opposition to the use of capital punishment in all circumstances, and their commitment to the abolition of the death penalty worldwide; besides, the European Parliament also adopted a resolution condemning capital punishment and calling for an unconditional worldwide moratorium on executions.

On the celebration of the European Day against the Death Penalty, on 10 October, EU institutions highlighted that the establishment of a death penalty-free Europe is an important step towards universal abolition. The Council of Europe and the European Union welcomed the continuous increase in the number of abolitionist countries in the world and called upon countries in Europe and worldwide to support the Resolution on a global moratorium on the use of the death penalty which will be discussed at the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Since 1997, no execution has taken place on the territory of our Member States. Although the death penalty is still not completely abolished de jure on the entire European continent, there are encouraging signs. The Council of Europe and the European Union welcomed the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation which ruled that no death sentence can be pronounced or applied in that country. Belarus remains the only European country still applying the death penalty in practice, although the EP also calls on Kazakhstan and Latvia to amend their national laws that still allow the death penalty for certain crimes under exceptional circumstances.

Earlier that week, a universal moratorium on executions with a view to total abolition in all states which still practise the death penalty was the key demand of a Parliamentary resolution voted by MEPs at the Parliament's plenary session. According to the resolution, 43 countries worldwide retain the death penalty and the highest number of executions took place in 2009 in China, Iran and Iraq. China alone carried out about 5000 or 88% of the world total of executions, Iran put at least 402 people to death, Iraq at least 77 and Saudi Arabia, at least 69. This Parliament's resolutions follows the strong call made in October 2009 for death penalty abolishment.

MEPs argue that the new European External Action Service (EEAS) should provide guidance for a comprehensive and effective European death penalty policy with regard to dozens of confirmed European nationals facing execution in third countries, which shall include strong and reinforced mechanisms in terms of the identification system, the delivery of legal assistance, EU legal interventions and diplomatic representation.

Fight against death penalty: a key priority of EU human rights policy

The EU is a leading donor to efforts by civil society organisations in the fight against the death penalty, which is one of the thematic priorities for assistance under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR). Since 1994 over 30 projects worldwide were funded by EIDHR, with an overall budget of over 15 million Euro.