Effective Human Rights Promotion and Protection? The EU and its Member States at the UN Human Rights Council

Abstract

This article examines the EU's role as a global human rights actor through the example of its activity in the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). Whilst the EU has aimed to become an effective actor in the UN overall, the key focus is the extent to which the EU can be considered an effective actor in the HRC. Here, EU action is interpreted as the combined contribution of the EU and its Member States, thereby providing a comprehensive picture of EU engagement. The EU's effectiveness is evaluated by studying its input, engagement in negotiations and goal achievement. Furthermore, perceptions of effectiveness, based on interviews, are incorporated into the analysis. The article claims that the EU can be considered an effective actor in terms of its input and achieved outcomes. It has also improved its effectiveness in negotiations. However, EU effectiveness remains conditioned by the political context of the HRC.