The Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2024-2027 was adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 18 October 2023 and officially launched in Tbilisi on 18 January 2024 by Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe and Lasha Darsalia, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. This fourth Action Plan is a strategic programming instrument that aims to bring Georgia’s legislation, institutions and practice in line with European standards in the areas of human rights, the rule of law and democracy.

The Action Plan has been prepared in close consultation with the Georgian authorities. Its priorities take into account the decisions, resolutions and recommendations, findings and conclusions of reports and opinions of the Council of Europe’s monitoring and expert advisory bodies as well as judgments of the European Court of Human Rights regarding Georgia. The priorities also reflect the recommendations set out in the European Commission's opinion on Georgia’s application for European Union (EU) membership as well as Georgia’s national reform agenda.

The basis of the Action Plan is the principle of shared responsibility of the Council of Europe and the 46 member states to improve implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights. Overall, this four-year Action Plan will build on the achievements of the previous one.

The main beneficiaries of Council of Europe co-operation with Georgia include state institutions, civil society and the general public.

 

Key areas of co-operation:

Human Rights

  • Implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights at national level
  • Protecting the environment through a human rights perspective
  • Business and human rights
  • Human rights in the field of biomedicine and health
  • Freedom of expression and information, media and data protection
  •  Gender Equality, combating violence against women and domestic violence
  • Children’s rights
  • Anti-discrimination, diversity and inclusion
  • Ensuring social rights

Rule of Law

  • Independence and efficiency of justice
  • Fight against corruption, money laundering, terrorism financing and cybercrime
  • Support to penitentiary reforms
  • Fight against drugs and addiction

Democracy

  • Strengthening participatory democracy at local level
  • Improving electoral legal framework and practice
  • Parliamentary cooperation
  • Confidence building measures

The Council of Europe office in Georgia and operational services in Strasbourg are responsible for the implementation of the Action Plan. In particular, the Council of Europe office in Georgia co-ordinates the implementation of the projects in the field, including joint projects with the European Union.

Total Action Plan budget is approximately €19.9 million Euro. Projects in the Action Plan are funded from multiple sources and co-ordinated with the international partners present in Georgia. Funding is provided from the Council of Europe’s ordinary budget, as well as voluntary contributions, including the European Union notably through the European Union/Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance (PGG).

Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

            

Through the actions implemented in 2022, the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023 contributed to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 3 (targets 5 and 8), SDG 4 (target 1, 2 and 7), SDG 5 (targets 1, 2, 5 and c), SDG 8  (targets 1 and 2), SDG 10 (targets 2, 3 and 4), SDG 11 (target 3) and SDG 16 (targets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10).

More information: Overview of the Council of Europe Contribution to the UN 2030 Agenda.