ABSTRACT
The European Union has a twofold system for human rights defenders within borders and in the international world. The European area of freedom, security, and justice applies for the system of human rights defenders having judiciary guarantees such as the CJEU, the judiciary of the EU, without a rapporteurship on human rights defenders. The Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union is also concerned by the legal standards of protection for human rights defenders. In the international area, guided by the EU principles, the EU is a key stakeholder for the protection of human rights defenders through their external action service, focal points, and a consortium of NGOs to work in the field, to cope with the riskiest situations. The EU Guidelines are a key instrument for the external relations of the EU in a long-term basis to promote and protect human rights defenders while strengthening pluralism and democracy in the civic and political space. The new EU Plan of Action on democracy and human rights considers promoting and empowering human rights defenders a priority for these new years. Some constitutional trends are present under this EU twofold framework on human rights defenders.
