Amnesty International understands that the latest round of the EU-Egypt Association Council may be scheduled in July or September 2017, in order to finalize the new Partnership Priorities. Against the backdrop of increasing human rights violations, including a massive crackdown on human rights defenders, Amnesty International urges that the Association Council only goes ahead if this issue is placed front and centre on the agenda of the meeting, and is prominent in all related EU communications, particularly the official EU statement.