Interview
European civil society to politicians: Uphold the rule of law
EU Staff for Peace are calling for Europe to take immediate action to stop arming Israel. ‘We are witnessing a lack of decisive action to uphold the rule of law and international norms in Gaza.’
In Brussels, a part of European civil society is mobilizing for Gaza. These are officials from various EU institutions who have come together under the banner of EU Staff for Peace.
They are calling for immediate action that Europe has so far failed to take, or has begun to consider with culpable delay: an end to the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the imposition of sanctions, and a halt to the arms trade with Tel Aviv, a market of death in which European countries are key players, among the main suppliers and purchasers of military equipment from Israel.
More than 1,500 officials from the Brussels institutions have already signed an 18-page legal “memorandum” calling on the EU to fulfill its obligations, which has been sent to European leaders, first and foremost Commission President von der Leyen and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kallas.
However, the workers’ activism is not viewed favorably by many managers and department heads within the institutions. il manifesto reached out to representatives of EU Staff for Peace.
What does your initiative represent?
EU Staff for Peace was created as a spontaneous group of officials from various European institutions: the Commission, Parliament, Council, and various agencies. Every Thursday, we gather outside the Commission's headquarters, the Belraymont building in Brussels. We are calling for action for peace in the Middle East and respect for international law and humanitarian law. Most importantly, we try to engage European leaders in dialogue.
As workers in the EU institutions, what led you to mobilize?
We are witnessing a lack of decisive action to uphold the rule of law and international norms in Gaza. The situation seems to us to be incompatible not only with EU treaties but also with the values on which the Union is founded, which must be upheld and to which we have a duty to remain faithful.
The EU is based on the rule of law, the promotion of peace and humanitarian values. How is it possible that Brussels and European states are only now noticing the violations taking place in Gaza? Politics is slower than civil society, and politicians are exposed to pressure from different forces.
That is why we are mobilizing directly to push the EU leadership to do the right thing, legally and morally, going beyond the pressure exerted on decision-makers. We see ourselves as a reminder: the rule of law should come before interests, alliances, and geopolitical strategies.
One of the points in the document is the arms embargo on Israel. Why are Brussels and the European capitals reluctant to do this?
That’s something we would like to understand too, and that is what we are doing by asking for a dialogue with the leaders of the European institutions. So far, the dialogue has been unsuccessful, and our written requests have been ignored at best, although we will continue to strive to establish contact. Of course, in the absence of an official response, as European citizens we can only speculate on the reasons why arms trade between European countries and Israel is not being blocked.
Do you mean that economic interests are stronger than anything else?
That’s what seems to be the case. And in the absence of plausible answers, we must believe the data provided by international NGOs.
Do politicians listen to you?
We participated in an initiative organized by Italian MEPs Cecilia Strada (PD/S&D) and Danilo Della Valle (M5S/Left), where we had the pleasure of meeting Raji Sourani, legal representative of the victims of Gaza at the International Criminal Court.
We were honored to hear from him that our decision to speak out in favor of peace and justice is a source of encouragement for him.
How are you continuing your work?
We are engaged in peaceful and ongoing dialogue with our colleagues in the European civil service, and support is growing. By raising awareness among our colleagues and joining our voices with those of civil society, we can have an impact on the choices and actions of leaders.
Originally published at https://ilmanifesto.it/1-500-funzionari-europei-a-bruxelles-la-ue-sta-violando-i-propri-valori on 2025-06-08