Madam Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Member States of the European Union.

At the outset, we would like to express our gratitude to you, the members of the Bureau, and the facilitators for skillfully guiding our deliberations during this session. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the members of the Fifth Committee Secretariat and all the dedicated staff of the Organization, whose contributions have been instrumental in the successful completion of this session.

Despite challenging, inefficient, and exhausting working methods, and in the face of an exceptionally heavy workload, your firm yet gentle leadership has maintained the spirit of cooperation and constructiveness throughout the negotiations.

This 79th main session has marked significant achievements that deserve recognition.

• We successfully adopted both the 2025 regular budget and renewal of the RB and PKO scales of assessment methodology for 2025-2027, ensuring the continuity of the United Nations' operations and its ability to deliver on its critical mandates. In addition to providing resources, we have constructively strengthen the budget methodology, achieving several important consensual outcomes.

• Following a disappointing result last year, we have once again reached a negotiated outcome on the UN common system, providing timely and meaningful guidance for the upcoming comprehensive review of the compensation package for UN staff globally.
• Among other encouraging reversals, we note the adoption of the first negotiated Special Political Missions resolution in six years, as well as the first opportunity in nine years to provide the GA guidance on the resolving outstanding arbitration under the Capital Master Plan.
• Through a groundbreaking resolution on financing the Resident Coordinator System, this Committee demonstrated its ability to exceed its own expectations, reaching consensus even on complex technical matters with significant political implications.
• Last but not least, we were able to start in earnest the implementation of the Pact for the Future, an important shared achievement of Member States in reinvigorating multilateralism.

On process, however, this session highlighted several troubling trends.

• First, while we remain firmly committed to consensus-based decision-making—a principle strongly advocated by the European Union—we note with concern the continued increase in voting, including the introduction of L-documents.

The practice of selectively defunding specific mandates, particularly those related to human rights or politically sensitive issues, undermines our collective responsibility to ensure that all approved mandates are adequately resourced. Our role is to respect and operationalize resolutions that define mandates, not to renegotiate their substance.

• Second, as repeatedly emphasized, our troubling working methods require serious reflection. The European Union and its Member States stress the importance of preserving work-life balance for delegates and staff—not only as a fundamental right but also as an essential means of fostering inclusion and participation while ensuring efficient and respectful collaboration within the United Nations. Concluding a session on Christmas Eve, far from our families, does not align with the respectful working environment we aspire to uphold in this Organization.

Late-hour engagements, weekend meetings, and last-minute proposals from the Committee exclude many delegations from the negotiation process, significantly undermining transparency, inclusivity, and multilingualism—core  value of the Organization.

Such practices place undue strain on our families and risk damaging the Committee’s reputation by calling into question the quality and soundness of its decisions. As the Fifth Committee, we must set the standard for efficiency, responsibility, flexibility, and excellence within our Organization.

• Looking ahead, we must address the liquidity challenges that threaten the UN’s ability to deliver on its mandates. This critical issue demands collective attention and innovative solutions in the months ahead, and we look forward to proposals by the Secretary-General on this aspect.

In closing, Madam Chair, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the principles and values of the United Nations. As we move forward, we strive to uphold the integrity of this Committee and enhance its ability to address the needs of our time. Let us continue to work together in a spirit of constructive cooperation, consensus, and collegiality to ensure that the United Nations remains a beacon of hope. The Fifth Committee must be the Committee of the good news, the Committee that leads by example.

I thank you.

Happy holidays colleagues!