On 7 December 2020, the EU Council adopted a decision and a regulation establishing a global human rights sanctions regime, allowing it to take restrictive measures against individuals, entities and bodies – including state and non-state actors – involved in gross human rights violations and abuses worldwide. Other human rights violations or abuses can also fall under the scope of the sanctions regime where those are widespread, systematic or are otherwise of serious concern, including sexual and gender-based violence and freedom of association.

The EU had committed to developing a global human rights sanctions regime to tackle serious human rights violations and abuses in its Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024.