At the annual European Union and Council of Europe Senior Officials Meeting held in Brussels, Belgium, on 8 July 2025, representatives from both organisations, highlighted the impact, efficiency, and adaptability of the three joint programmes – the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye, the Partnership for Good Governance and the South Programme.
These joint programmes remain important in translating common European standards into practical reforms on the ground, which continue to deliver tangible results across the continent and beyond.
In the context of the European Union enlargement process, joint programmes such as the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye and the Partnership for Good Governance were recognised as essential tools for supporting national reforms and contributing to the European Union’s Rule of Law Reports.
Finally, the European Union and the Council of Europe reiterated their commitment to global outreach by encouraging wider accession to Council of Europe Conventions, promoting a rules-based multilateral order rooted in shared values.
The meeting concluded with a strong mutual commitment to sustained, strategic co-operation between the European Union and the Council of Europe.
Read the joint communiqué: European Union-Council of Europe Senior Officials’ Meeting
