The European Union issued a statement condemning the United States for its plans to resume executing some federal death row inmates next week.

“The European Union strongly opposes the decision of the United States Department of Justice to resume the federal death penalty after a 17-year hiatus,” the EU spokesperson said in a Friday statement. “We urge the U.S. administration to reconsider and not proceed with the federal executions due to take place starting on 13 July.”