On the World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union and the Council of Europe reaffirm its united opposition to the death penalty, and their commitment to its worldwide abolition in a joint declaration signed by Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Jerzy Buzek, the President of the European Parliament also expressed Parliament's opposition.

On 10 of October, the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, signed a joint declaration in which they reaffirm their united opposition to the death penalty, and their commitment to its worldwide abolition. The joint declaration stressed the opposition to the Death Penalty already expressed in a declaration on the same day last year. Catherine Ashton also declared the EU’s work on abolishing the death penalty worldwide a “personal priority”. The declaration condemn the use of the death penalty in Belarus, the only country in Europe still applying capital punishment. Therefore, European leaders urge Belarus to introduce a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with a view to its complete abolition. At the same time, the joint declaration states that experience in Europe has taught that the death penalty does not prevent an increase in violent crime, and nor does it bring justice to the victims of such crimes.

Besides, the President of the European Parliament made a statement in which considers opposition to capital punishment fundamental, because it is anchored in the belief that no justice is ever achieved when the state takes away the life of its own citizen. He also remains that the EU and especially the European Parliament will always stay vigilant: from China to Iran, from Bahrain to Yemen, Parliament will keep pressure on governments and raise awareness among civil society about the ills of capital punishment.

The global abolition of the death penalty is one of the main objectives of the EU’s human rights policy. In 2010, the EU issued more than 15 statements on the death penalty, most of which were on individual death penalty cases, and carried out numerous demarches against the death penalty. Moreover it is one of the thematic priorities under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR). Since 1994, the European Commission has funded through the EIDHR over 50 projects worldwide, with an overall budget of more than €33 million.