A new three-year programme worth €25 million was launched by the Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn in Brussels on 11 April 2016.

The “European Union - Council of Europe Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey (HF) 2016-2018” will support justice reform and the fight against corruption and money laundering.

It will also aim at combatting discrimination and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups, as well as freedom of expression and the media.

"With the signature of the Horizontal Facility for South-East Europe and Turkey, along with the ongoing co-operation programmes in the Eastern Partnership and the Southern Mediterranean regions, the Council of Europe complements its strategic approach to joint action with the European Union in line with the 2014 Statement of Intent," said the Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland.

Background

The Horizontal Facility will cover Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” as well as Kosovo*.

The Horizontal Facility follows up on the Statement of Intent signed on 1 April 2014 in which both Organisations agreed to further strengthen their co-operation in key areas of joint interest.

Turkey will be involved in the Horizontal Facility programme by benefitting from Council of Europe legislative expertise.

The Programme is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and is endowed with a budget of €25 million (80% funded by the EU, 20% by the CoE). The Horizontal Facility will be implemented by the Council of Europe.

*All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nation's Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

Joint EU-CoE statement

Photo reportage

Video of the beginning of the meeting