Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/345 of 11 February 2026 appointing the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2026/345 13.2.2026 COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2026/345 of 11 February 2026 appointing the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 33, in conjunction with Article 31(2), thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Whereas: (1) On 25 July 2012, the Council agreed to appoint a European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights(1). (2) On 23 June 2025, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2025/1252(2), appointing Ms Kajsa OLLONGREN as the EUSR for Human Rights. The EUSR’s mandate expires on 28 February 2026. (3) Ms Kajsa OLLONGREN should be given a new mandate as EUSR for Human Rights for a period of 24 months. (4) The EUSR will implement the mandate in the context of a situation which may deteriorate and could impede the achievement of the objectives of the Union’s external action as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 European Union Special Representative Ms Kajsa OLLONGREN is hereby appointed as the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights from 1 March 2026 until 29 February 2028. The Council may decide that the EUSR’s mandate (the ‘mandate’) be terminated earlier, on the basis of an assessment by the Political and Security Committee (PSC) and on a proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’). Article 2 Policy objectives The EUSR’s mandate shall be based on the policy objectives of the Union regarding human rights as set out in the Treaty on European Union and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, as well as on the EU Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy and on the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, including: (a) enhancing the Union’s effectiveness, presence and visibility in protecting and promoting human rights in the world and bringing forward a positive perspective on human rights, in particular by deepening Union cooperation and political dialogue with third countries, relevant partners, business, civil society and international and regional organisations, and through action in relevant international fora; (b) enhancing the Union’s contribution to strengthening democracy and institution building, the rule of law, good governance, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms worldwide; (c) improving the coherence of Union action on human rights and the integration of human rights into all areas of the Union’s external action. (1) Council Decision 2012/440/CFSP of 25 July 2012 appointing the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights (OJ L 200, 27.7.2012, p. 21, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2012/440/oj). (2) Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1252 of 23 June 2025 appointing the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights (OJ L, 2025/1252, 24.6.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1252/oj). ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/345/oj 1/5EN OJ L, 13.2.2026 Article 3 Mandate In order to achieve the policy objectives set out in Article 2, the mandate shall be to: (a) contribute to the implementation of the Union’s policy on human rights, in particular the EU Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy and the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, as well as the implementation of Union guidelines, toolkits and action plans on human rights, including by formulating recommendations in that regard; (b) contribute to the implementation of the Union’s positions, as defined by the Council, on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law; (c) contribute to the implementation of the Union’s positions, as defined by the Council, on promoting support for international criminal justice, in particular Council Decision 2011/168/CFSP(3) on the International Criminal Court; (d) help establish a stronger European voice through dialogues on human rights with governments in third countries and international and regional organisations, as well as with civil society organisations and other relevant actors in order to ensure the effectiveness and the visibility of the Union’s human rights policy; lead important human rights dialogues with third countries; (e) contribute to improving the coherence and consistency of the Union’s policies and actions in respect of the protection and promotion of human rights, in particular by providing input to the formulation of relevant policies of the Union; (f) contribute, in consultation with Member States, to improving the coherence and consistency of the Union’s positions referred to in points (b) and (c). Article 4 Implementation of the mandate 1. The EUSR shall be responsible for the implementation of the mandate, acting under the authority of the High Representative. 2. The PSC shall maintain a privileged link with the EUSR and shall be the EUSR’s primary point of contact within the Council. The PSC shall provide the EUSR with strategic guidance and political direction within the framework of the mandate, without prejudice to the powers of the High Representative. 3. The EUSR shall work in close coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its relevant departments. Article 5 Financing 1. The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the mandate (the ‘expenditure’) for the period from 1 March 2026 to 29 February 2028 shall be EUR 3 320 623,17. 2. The expenditure shall be managed in accordance with the procedures and rules applicable to the general budget of the Union. 3. The management of the expenditure shall be subject to a contract between the EUSR and the Commission. The EUSR shall be accountable to the Commission for the expenditure. (3) Council Decision 2011/168/CFSP of 21 March 2011 on the International Criminal Court and repealing Common Position 2003/444/CFSP (OJ L 76, 22.3.2011, p. 56, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2011/168/oj). 2/5 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/345/ojEN OJ L, 13.2.2026 Article 6 Composition of the EUSR’s team 1. Within the limits of the mandate and the corresponding financial means made available, the EUSR shall be responsible for assembling a team. The EUSR’s team shall include expertise on the Union institutions and the Union’s external human rights action and on specific policy issues as required by the mandate. The EUSR shall keep the Council and the Commission promptly informed of the composition of the EUSR’s team. 2. Member States, institutions of the Union and the EEAS may propose the secondment of personnel to work on the EUSR’s team. The salaries of such seconded personnel shall be covered by the seconding Member State, by the institution of the Union concerned or by the EEAS, as appropriate. Experts posted by Member States to the institutions of the Union or to the EEAS may also be seconded to work on the EUSR’s team. International contracted personnel shall have the nationality of a Member State. 3. All seconded personnel shall remain under the administrative authority of the seconding Member State, of the institution of the Union concerned or of the EEAS and shall carry out their duties and act in the interests of the mandate. 4. The EUSR’s staff shall be co-located within the relevant EEAS departments in order to ensure the coherence and consistency of their respective activities. Article 7 Security of EU classified information The EUSR and the members of the EUSR’s team shall respect the security principles and minimum standards established by Council Decision 2013/488/EU(4). Article 8 Access to information and logistical support 1. Member States, the Commission, the EEAS and the General Secretariat of the Council shall ensure that the EUSR is given access to any relevant information. 2. The Union delegations and the diplomatic representations of Member States, as appropriate, shall provide logistical support to the EUSR and to the members of the EUSR’s team. Article 9 Security In accordance with the Union’s policy on the security of personnel deployed outside the Union in an operational capacity under Title V of the Treaty, the EUSR shall take all reasonably practicable measures, in conformity with the EUSR’s mandate and on the basis of the security situation in the area of responsibility, for the security of all personnel under the EUSR’s direct authority, in particular by: (a) establishing a specific security plan based on guidance from the EEAS, including specific physical, organisational and procedural security measures governing the management of the secure movement of personnel to, and within, the area of responsibility and the management of security incidents, and by establishing a contingency plan and an evacuation plan; (b) ensuring that all personnel deployed outside the Union are covered by high-risk insurance, as required by the conditions in the area of responsibility; (c) ensuring that all personnel to be deployed outside the Union, including locally contracted personnel, have received appropriate security training before or upon arriving in the area of responsibility, based on the risk ratings assigned to that area by the EEAS; (4) Council Decision 2013/488/EU of 23 September 2013 on the security rules for protecting EU classified information (OJ L 274, 15.10.2013, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2013/488/oj). ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/345/oj 3/5EN OJ L, 13.2.2026 (d) ensuring that all agreed recommendations made following regular security assessments are implemented, and providing the Council, the High Representative and the Commission with written reports on the implementation of those recommendations and on other security issues within the framework of the regular progress reports and the final comprehensive mandate implementation report referred to in Article 14. Article 10 Reporting The EUSR shall regularly provide the High Representative with reports. The EUSR shall report regularly to the PSC and as necessary to Council working parties, in particular the Working Party on Human Rights. Regular reports shall be circulated through the COREU network. The EUSR may provide the Foreign Affairs Council with reports. In accordance with Article 36 of the Treaty, the EUSR may be involved in briefing the European Parliament. Article 11 Access to documents and data protection 1. The EUSR shall apply the rules laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council(5), as well as the relevant implementing rules adopted by the High Representative. 2. The EUSR shall protect individuals with regard to the processing of their personal data in accordance with the rules laid down in Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council(6), as well as the relevant implementing rules adopted by the High Representative. Article 12 Coordination 1. The EUSR shall contribute to the unity, consistency and effectiveness of the Union’s action and shall help ensure that all Union instruments and actions of the Member States are applied or implemented consistently in order to attain the Union’s policy objectives. The activities of the EUSR shall be coordinated with those of the Member States and the Commission, as well as with those of other EUSRs, as appropriate. The EUSR shall provide regular briefings to the missions of Member States and to Union delegations. 2. In the event of visits in the field, the EUSR shall liaise closely with the relevant Member States’ Heads of Mission and the Heads of the Union delegations, as well as with Heads or Commanders of common security and defence policy missions and operations and other EUSRs, as appropriate. They shall make every effort to assist the EUSR in the implementation of the mandate. 3. The EUSR shall also liaise with other international and regional actors in the field. The EUSR shall seek regular contacts with civil society organisations both at headquarters level and in the field. Article 13 Assistance in relation to claims The EUSR and the members of the EUSR’s team shall provide assistance in responding to any claims and obligations arising from the mandate of the previous EUSR for Human Rights, and shall provide administrative assistance and access to relevant documents for such purposes. (5) Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2001/1049/oj). (6) Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1725/oj). 4/5 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/345/ojEN OJ L, 13.2.2026 Article 14 Review The implementation of this Decision and its consistency with other contributions from the Union shall be kept under regular review. The EUSR shall present the Council, the High Representative and the Commission with regular progress reports and with a final comprehensive mandate implementation report by 30 November of each year of the mandate. Article 15 Entry into force This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. Done at Brussels, 11 February 2026. For the Council The President K. KALLAS ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/345/oj 5/5