The European Union, in a statement delivered on 17 June 2026 at the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, warned that freedom of expression faces unprecedented challenges from online information manipulation, disinformation, and hate speech, and called for stronger regulation and multi-stakeholder cooperation to address power imbalances between states, digital platforms, and AI companies.
The statement was made during an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, whose final report the EU welcomed as her mandate concludes. The EU reaffirmed that freedom of expression is an essential foundation of democratic societies, particularly in an increasingly digital world, and noted that the right to seek, access, and impart information is indispensable for the protection of all human rights.
The EU outlined its ongoing work with member states, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society to promote and protect freedom of expression both online and offline. This includes supporting independent and pluralistic media, protecting journalists and human rights defenders from threats including transnational repression, and advancing a human rights-based approach to digital technologies and artificial intelligence.
In a question to the Special Rapporteur, the EU asked her to elaborate on the most effective measures states can take to ensure that digital platforms and AI technologies support rather than undermine freedom of expression and other human rights. The statement did not announce new EU legislative or policy measures but reiterated the bloc's commitment to a human rights-based digital governance framework.
The EU's intervention reflects its ongoing regulatory push in the digital sphere, including the Digital Services Act and the AI Act, which aim to balance platform accountability with fundamental rights. The statement underscores the EU's position that stronger regulation and international cooperation are necessary to counter the power imbalance between states, tech companies, and users.