Opening remarks by Christina Meinecke, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the European Union, 18 May 2026

Good morning, and a very warm welcome to all of you who join us here in Brussels and participating online. With 100 participants signed up during the course of today, this is clearly a timely discussion which has sparked interest.

Thank you for taking the time to join this expert roundtable to reflect together on the international human rights dimensions of the European Union’s proposed Digital Omnibus.

Let me begin with a simple but important observation.

Digital governance and regulation do not stop at borders. Decisions taken in one jurisdiction, particularly one with the regulatory weight and normative influence of the European Union, increasingly shape laws, institutional practices, and enforcement cultures far beyond that jurisdiction. That is why we have framed today’s discussion in terms of the international aspects.