The European Union (EU) is opposed to the death penalty in all cases and has consistently espoused its universal abolition, working towards this goal. In countries that maintain the death penalty, the EU aims at the progressive restriction of its scope and respect for the strict conditions set forth in several international human rights instruments, under which capital punishment may be used, as well as at the establishment of a moratorium on executions so as to eliminate the death penalty completely. The EU is deeply concerned about the increasing number of executions in the United States of America (USA), all the more since the great majority of executions since reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976 have been carried out during the 1990s through today. The following collection of documents includes key policy statements by the EU, actions on specific death row cases in the US and links to international and other agreements cited in the various documents.
EU Policy Documents:
- WORLD & EUROPEAN DAY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY, Oct. 10, 2008: Joint European Declaration; Text; EU Presidency Statement; EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner; European Parliament President
- Guidelines to EU Policy Toward Third Countries on the Death Penalty, Council of the European Union, Revised 2008
- BACKGROUND on EU Policy on the Death Penalty, September 2008
- Iran Death Penalty (2/7/08)
- European Day against the Death Penalty, October 10 (12/7/07)
- EU United against Capital Punishment (10/9/07)
- EU Insight: The European Union: Leading the Fight Against Capital Punishment
- EU Seeks European Day against the Death Penalty (6/19/07)
- EU Death Penalty Video (2007)
- EU Leaflet: "Death Has No Appeal" (2007)
- 3rd World Congress against the Death Penalty, Paris: EU Statement; European Parliament Resolution (1/31/07)
- Declaration by the Presidency on Behalf of the European Union to Mark the Entry into Force of Protocol No. 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights, Concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty in All Circumstances, July 14, 2003
- First World Congress Against the Death Penalty: Intervention at the Council of Europe, on Behalf of External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, Delivered by Angel Viñas, Director for Multilateral Relations and Human Rights, External Relations Directorate General, European Commission, Strasbourg, June 21, 2001
- EU Demarche on the Death Penalty, Presented to the US Administration on May 10, 2001
- EU Demarche on the Death Penalty, Presented to United States Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, Frank Loy, on February 25, 2000
- EU Memorandum on the Death Penalty, February 25, 2000
- Excerpts from a Statement Delivered by the Rt. Hon Christopher Patten, EU Commissioner for External Relations to the European Parliament, 16 February 2000
Action in the United Nations
- EU Welcomes UN Vote Calling for a Global Moratorium on the Death Penalty (11/16/07); United Nations Multilateral Resolution Calling for a Moratorium on the Death PenaltyUN General Assembly Resolution Adopted; EU External Relations Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner (12/19/07) (11/1/07);
- 54th UN General Assembly, Excerpt from the Speech by Minister for Foreign
- Affairs Tarja Halonen, Presidency of the European Union, September 21, 1999
- 54th UN General Assembly, Excerpts from the Memorandum by the European Union, September 21, 1999
- 56th Session, UN Commission on Human Rights, Resolution on the Death Penalty Sponsored by the European Union, April 2000
- 55th Session, UN Commission on Human Rights, Resolution on the Death Penalty, Sponsored by the European Union, April 1999
- 55th Session, UN Commission on Human Rights, Resolution on the Rights of the Child, Sponsored by the Group of the Latin American and the Caribbean States and the European Union, April 1999
Action on US Death Row Cases:
2008
- Elkie Taylor v. Texas: Letter to Texas Governor Rick Perry, November 5, 2008
- Troy Davis v. Georgia: Stay of Execution Granted: EU Statement, October 24, 2008; EU Statement at OSCE (Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe), October 23, 2008; EU Presidency's Declaration, October 22, 2008; Letter to Georgia Board of Pardons & Paroles, October 23, 2008; French Foreign Affairs/Human Rights Minister's Appeal to Georgia Governor Perdue, October 22, 2008; European Parliament President's Press Statement, October 22, 2008; European Parliament Resolution, October 22, 2008; French Foreign Affairs/Human Rights Minister's Appeal to Georgia Board of Pardons & Paroles, October 14, 2008; US Supreme Court Stays Execution; European Parliament's Urgent Appeal to Georgia Governor Perdue, September 22, 2008; Letter to Georgia Board of Pardons & Paroles, September 11, 2008
- Richard Cooey v. Ohio: Letter to Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, October 6, 2008
- Jack Alderman v. Georgia: Letter to Georgia Board of Pardons & Paroles, September 16, 2008
- José Ernesto Medellin v. Texas: EU on Mr. Medellin's Execution, August 11, 2008; Urgent Appeal to Texas Governor Rick Perry, August 4, 2008; Letter to Texas Governor Rick Perry, July 16, 2008; For earlier actions, please see 2007, 2005 & 2004
- Tommy Arthur v. Alabama - Letter to Alabama Governor Robert Riley, July 31, 2008
- EU French Presidency Statement to Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on US Death Penalty, July 17, 2008; Mark Dean Schwab v. Florida - Letter to Florida Governor Charlie Crist on US Death Penalty, July 16, 2008
- Walton v. Virginia: Letter to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, May 27, 2008; 2006 EU Actions: EU Finnish Presidency Statement at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), November 30, 2006; Response of US Mission, December 4, 2006; EU Austrian Presidency Statement at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), May 25, 2006; EU Austrian Presidency Letter to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, May 24, 2006; 2003 Letter; 2003 EU Actions: Percy Walton v. Virginia: Letter to Virginia Governor Mark R. Warner, May 20, 2003
- Green v. Virginia: Letter to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, May 19, 2008
- Berry v. Mississippi: Letter to Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, May 15, 2008
- EU on US Resumption of Executions, May 14, 2008
- Lynd v. Georgia: Letter to Georgia Board of Pardons & Paroles, May 2, 2008
- Baze v. Kentucky: EU Presidency Declaration, April 25, 2008; 2007 EU Action
Earlier Cases: Current, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998-1999
European and International Agreements:
Council of Europe, Protocol No. 6 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty, as Amended by Protocol No. 11
Organization of American States, Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty
United Nations
Related Links:
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European Union - Delegation of the European Commission to the United States