Von der Leyen recently came under fire following a speech in which she claimed Europe “can no longer be a custodian for the old-world order,” arguing the EU should pursue “a more realistic and interest-driven foreign policy.” Facing criticism, she later reaffirmed commitment to international law, as both the EU and Australia often do in statements. The Australian government should heed recommendations to use trade to advance rights and environmental protection, and the EU should live up to its treaty obligations to do that, for instance by focusing on labor reforms in negotiations with Thailand and Gulf countries, instead of overlooking repression as it has done in deals with India and Vietnam. Furthermore, both the EU and Australia should uphold international law and ban trade with Israel’s illegal settlements, and end their one-sided approach to denouncing rights abuses and laws of war violations in the Middle East.
Author: Human Rights Watch
Published at: 2026-03-22 22:23:00
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