European External Action Service

09/20/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/20/2022 09:05

HRC 51 - EU Intervention: Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination

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HRC 51 - EU Intervention: Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination

President,The European Union thanks the Working Group for their report.

As stated in the report, the Working Group has observed a proliferation of serious violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law committed by mercenaries, mercenary-related and private military and security companies. However, the roles and actions of mercenaries, a category specifically defined in international law, should not be confused with the activities of private military and private security companies, the use of which is lawful in certain circumstances. As we have already highlighted in the previous sessions, the Working Group's work would prove to be more effective if its scope were to focus more clearly on mercenaries and mercenary-related activities.

Further, the report recommends that states adopt legislation aimed at regulating the activities of private military and security companies. We are firmly committed to this. For instance, in 2021 we published guidance on existing international due diligence standards [to assist EU companies in addressing forced labour risks and their impacts on their own operations and in their supply chains], and in 2022 we published a draft legislative initiative on corporate sustainability due diligence that would establish one of the first cross-sectoral legislations in the world, with mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence across companies' value chains and activities.

Chair-Rapporteur,

You have advised that an intersectional victim-centred approach requires a holistic outlook. Do you have recommendations for the international community on what actions we can take to be more holistic and better meet the need of victims?

I thank you.