Southern Neighbourhood

The Council of Europe’s Neighbourhood Policy (2011) promotes dialogue and co-operation between the Organisation and its neighbouring regions, including the Southern Mediterranean. The policy focuses in areas of the Council of Europe’s expertise while ensuring alignment with priorities with partners in the region.

Since 2012, the Council of Europe has established several strategic neighbourhood co-operation documents with national authorities of Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Palestine*. These documents have identified co-operation priorities in the field of human rights, the rule of law and democracy, accompanying the revision and preparation of legislative frameworks and building capacities of professionals and promoting intergovernmental co-operation in these areas. Technical co-operation and political dialogue have been progressively reinforced especially with Morocco and Tunisia. Both countries have currently Neighbourhood Partnerships (2026-2029) adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.  

The establishment of a common legal space between Europe and the Southern Mediterranean based on Council of Europe standards is a key achievement of the political dialogue and technical co-operation in the framework of the Neighbourhood Policy. Concrete results include:

  • Strengthened international co-operation through accessions of Southern Mediterranean countries to Council of Europe Conventions that are open to non-member States and participation in specialised Council of Europe entities and monitoring bodies;
  • National legislation in the Southern Mediterranean region increasingly compliant with international standards in key areas (such as combating violence against women, trafficking in human beings, protection of personal data, combating cybercrime, justice);
  • Enhanced technical capacities of national authorities, professionals and civil society to implement international human rights and rule of law standards in the region;
  • South-South and North-South networks. For example, the Arab Network of Justice Inspection Services (ARNJIS) of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) fosters co-operation between Southern Mediterranean partners in the justice sector and promotes a broader co-operation between European, Southern Mediterranean and Arab justice inspection services.

Through bilateral and regional joint programmes, the Council of Europe and the European Union have been working closely with beneficiaries in the region since 2012. The South Programme provides the main regional framework for co-operation complemented by targeted regional and bilateral actions.  The joint EU/Council of Europe CyberSouth+ project (2024-2026) on enhanced cooperation on cybercrime and electronic evidence in the Southern Neighbourhood targets criminal justice actors in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine* and Tunisia.

Bilateral joint projects in Tunisia and Morocco focus on providing support to prevent corruption (Amélioration de la gouvernance économique par la lutte anticorruption en Tunisie - AGELA, 2024-2027) and modernising the justice system (Vers une justice plus protectrice, accessible et efficace au Maroc - MA-JUST, 2024-2027).

In addition to European Union funding, voluntary contributions from several Council of Europe member States (Belgium, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland), have supported the Neighbourhood Parternships 2022-2025 with Morocco and Tunisia.

The medium-term Strategy of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity of the Council of Europe (North-South Centre) adopted in November 2023, establishes enhanced synergies between the Council of Europe's Neighbourhood Policy with the Southern Mediterranean and the North-South Centre. These ties are instrumental to further associate civil society and ensure ownership of human rights and rule of law reforms by young people in the Southern Mediterranean.

* This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of Council of Europe member States on this issue.