Source: European Parliament
The High Representative/Vice-President is well aware of the situation of religious minorities and women and girls’ rights in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The EU engages regularly with Egyptian authorities on the implementation of Egypt’s national and international commitments in the area of human rights and the rule of law and freedom of religion or belief.
Human rights remain a priority in the EU’s relationship with Egypt. The Association Agreement[1] and the partnership priorities mutually agreed in June 2022[2] define the political framework for the EU’s bilateral relations with Egypt, where both parties commit to ‘ further promote democracy, fundamental freedoms, and human rights, gender equality and equal opportunities. ’
This is also referenced in the Joint declaration of the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership[3]. In addition, the EU supports capacity-building and legal assistance initiatives, responding to multiple forms of discrimination that Coptic women experience — including access to justice, social services, and public representation.
The EU continues to engage with the Egyptian authorities and systematically raises issues of concern through its diplomatic channels in the framework of different bilateral dialogues or in multilateral fora.
The visit to Egypt by the EU Special Representative for Human Rights from 4 to 5 November 2024 was an additional opportunity to raise human rights concerns, including legislative reforms related to all forms of violence against women and girls, in addition to freedom of religion and belief[4].
- [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L:2004:304:FULL.
- [2] https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-2803-2022-ADD-1/en/pdf.
- [3] https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/joint-declaration-strategic-and-comprehensive-partnership-between-arab-republic-egypt-and-european-2024-03-17_en.
- [4] https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/egypt/eu-special-representative-human-rights-mission-egypt_en?s=95.