Secretary General Jagland and European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), Stefan Fule have signed today a € 4 million “Facility” in the framework of the Eastern Partnership initiative (EaP): a multilateral tool to facilitate activities in the fields of electoral standards, support to the judiciary, fight against corruption and cybercrime in six countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine.

“Today's signature marks the beginning of new partnership based on a more strategic approach to co-operation between the EU and the Council of Europe. This is one of the key external objectives of the on going reform of the Council of Europe and I am very encouraged that it has been achieved so early in the process. A shift to "facility" financing reflects a qualitative improvement in the relationship between the two partner Organisations, allowing for strengthened partnership and long-term planning," declared Jagland after the meeting.

In the framework of Council of Europe - European Union relations, Secretary General Jagland has already met with the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy; with the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso; with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton; and with the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek.

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