The Council of the European Union's Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) is scheduled to meet on 8 July 2026 at 09:30 in the Justus Lipsius Building, Brussels, to discuss five agenda items, according to a notice of meeting and provisional agenda published by the Council. The meeting will cover preparations for the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC63), human rights of older persons, children and armed conflict, the EU Global Human Rights Sanction Regime, and EU guidelines on freedom of religion or belief, plus any other business.
The meeting, convened by the Council's secretariat, brings together member state representatives to coordinate EU positions on human rights ahead of international forums. The agenda reflects ongoing EU priorities: the HRC63 preparations will shape the EU's stance at the UN Human Rights Council session later this year, while the discussion on older persons follows a 2024 Council conclusion on the topic. The children and armed conflict item aligns with the EU's commitment to UN Security Council resolutions on the matter. The EU Global Human Rights Sanction Regime, established in 2020, allows the EU to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for serious human rights violations; the working party may review its implementation or consider new designations. The guidelines on freedom of religion or belief, last updated in 2013, are being revisited to reflect current challenges.
No prior coverage of this specific meeting exists in the available record. The meeting is internal and does not produce binding decisions but feeds into Council conclusions and EU foreign policy positions. Stakeholders affected include EU member states, which coordinate their diplomatic positions; the European External Action Service, which provides input; and civil society organisations that may be consulted on the dossiers. The meeting's outcomes will influence EU advocacy at the UN and the application of human rights sanctions.