Throughout 2011, Germany has consistently shown its support for the Council of Europe by concluding voluntary contribution agreements for individual projects. In 2011 contributions amount to € 1,770,000. Projects supported include strengthening the European Court of Human Rights, the Commissioner for Human Rights and Council of Europe monitoring mechanisms, as well as enhancing national preventive mechanisms against torture, the training programme for Roma mediators, strengthening civil society in Belarus and building a Europe for and with children. In addition, Germany has contributed annually to the Human Rights Trust Fund since it was set up in 2008. The amount contributed in 2011 is € 600,000.

"The Council of Europe needs sufficient funding for specific projects fostering our core values - human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Despite painful budgetary constraints we support such activities through targeted voluntary contributions, complementing thus the funds allocated in the ordinary budget of the Council of Europe. This applies in particular to the European Court of Human Rights which must maintain its high level of human rights protection", said Ambassador Julius Georg Luy.

Germany and the Council of Europe