“Support Independent Bodies in Tunisia (PAII-T)” project

The Project to Support Independent Bodies in Tunisia PAII-T is a joint program between the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe for a period of three years running from January 2019 until 31 December 2021. The PAII-T is, to a large extent, in continuity with the results of the Council of Europe's cooperation with Tunisia since 2011; within the framework of the 2012-2014 cooperation priorities; the Neighborhood Partnership 2015-2017/2018-2021 and the three phases of the South Programme.

OBJECTIVE:

  • to accompany the establishment of the independent bodies foreseen by the Constitution of 2014 as well as other non-constitutional independent authorities
  • to provide independent bodies with the technical, financial and logistical support necessary for thefully independent exercise of their mandates and statutory powers.

Specific technical assistance will be provided to:

  1. The Independent High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HAICA), which will shortly become the Authority of Audiovisual Communication (Instance de la Communication Audiovisuelle ‘ICA’), and
  2. The National Authority for Access to Information (INAI),

with a view to strengthening their institutional and professional capacities and the normative framework governing them to promote freedom of expression, pluralism of the media and effective implementation of the right of access to information in Tunisia.

Through the PAII-T project:

  • These bodies will be accompanied in the establishment of their internal organization, appropriate management and information tools will be provided to strengthen their operationalization, transparency and independency in conformity with Council of Europe standards.
  • The Council of Europe will support the activities of the independent bodies while facilitating exchange and consultation between them as well as with the main partners of the project, namely the Parliament (ARP), the ministries, journalists and civil society associations.

The gender dimension is taken into account at the heart of the objectives of the PAII-T in order to promote gender equality in the country. The project will also coordinate with other programs having the same objectives to ensure complementarity of interventions and their adoption by beneficiaries.