EU Trade and Human Rights

Since 1995, the EU has incorporated a human rights clause in all agreements with third countries except sector-specific agreements such as steel and fisheries.  This gives the EU a mechanism to raise human rights issues bilaterally and if necessary to suspend agreements if human rights violations are committed by the country concerned.

The EU signed a free trade agreement with Peru and Colombia in June, which received consent from the European Parliament in December.  The inclusion of a human rights clause and suspension clause was seen as a particularly important part of this agreement.