In the occasion of the celebration of the Human Rights Day, the European Union has reaffirmed its strong commitment to keep human rights at the centre of its external action. The European Union has underlined its strong commitment to do more to promote and defend human rights throughout the world. Support to human rights defenders is a key element of the EU’s human rights policy in its external action.

International Human Rights Day, celebrated on 10 December under the theme “human rights defenders who act to end discrimination”, has been the occasion for the European Commission to reaffirm that human rights are at the centre of the EU's external action and the work of the newly established European External Action Service. As High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, highlighted, the European Union will always defend and promote human rights in all aspects of its work.

This Day also marks a moment for recognition to all those human rights defenders who have devoted their lives to furthering the cause of human rights. Indeed, support for human rights defenders is a long-established element of the European Union's human rights policy, and is built on the UN declaration on Human Rights Defenders of 1999.

The EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders adopted in 2004 by the Council of the European Union provide practical suggestions for enhancing EU action in supporting human rights defenders. Besides, EU diplomatic missions are tasked with jointly organising annual meetings with human rights defenders and their organisations, adopting local strategies and nominating EU liaison officers as contact points for human rights defenders.

Within the period 2007-2013, the EU has committed more than 40 million Euro under the EIDHR (European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights) to support human rights defenders in third countries. This support represents around 1000 projects currently funded by EIDHR in some 100 countries. With this support the EU has ensured direct protection, medical and legal aid to human rights defenders, relocation of individual defenders under threat, security training and public campaigning in many countries.

The EU regularly raises issues of discrimination in dialogues with third countries, and anti-discrimination activities are part and parcel of its cooperation programmes. Under the EIDHR, the EU provides funding to a number of NGOs fighting racism, xenophobia and discrimination worldwide, such as in Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Guatemala, Rwanda or Vietnam. Moreover, the EU supports through the EIDHR the Council of Europe and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in their fight against racism and intolerance.