The UNHRC, the United Nations Human Rights Council, is weak, ineffectual and has not responded properly to human rights crises such as the conflict in Darfur, the European Parliament's annual report on human rights has found.
The report, written by Fine Gael MEP Simon Coveney, found that the UNHRC was being used by some states to push their own political agenda, rather than to make real progress on ending human rights abuses.
"The UNHRC should have been a new more effective way of debating and reacting to human rights crises, but that is not what's happening," Mr Coveney said.
"It is being used as a political forum with countries clubbing together in their votes on resolutions along geographical, ideological or religious lines to put pressure on other countries."
He was particularly disappointed with its performance on the conflict in Darfur.
"It took months to put together a resolution on Darfur, and it was a toothless resolution, involving sending a delegation to Darfur, which took more months to put together, and then it wasn't even allowed into Darfur.
"The UNHCR is inching forward in a situation where it is dealing with human rights abuses on a massive scale."
The report also deals with the EU's own performance on human rights issues internationally.
It emphasises the need to improve relations with China on the issue of human rights and says that the Guantánamo Bay detention centre is not only inconsistent with international law but is sending out the wrong signal as to how the fight against terrorism is being pursued.
"It is an open sore to the Muslim world," Mr Coveney said.
Fianna Fáil MEP Liam Aylward said the EU should be playing a leadership role in promoting human rights in the Middle East.
"The human rights of the Palestinian people must be respected. Israel should immediately release all detained Palestinian legislators, equally, the Israeli soldier Corporal Shalit, who is being held in Palestine, must be immediately released."
The EU must positively engage with the new Palestinian Unity Government to achieve stability in the region, Mr Aylward said.