Multi-country Programme for 2018 - One pager outline

EUROPEAN UNION/COUNCIL OF EUROPE HORIZONTAL FACILITY FOR THE WESTERN BALKANS AND
TURKEY- PHASE II

Budget EUR 16.5 million

Project D5
promoter
Implementing Council of Europe
body
Impact/results Legal harmonisation to the EU acquis standards for a) an efficient and independent
judiciary; b) fight against corruption, organised crime and economic crime; and c)
anti-discrimination and protection of the rights of vulnerable groups (including the
rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, LGBTI, and
protection of minorities, in particular Roma) enhanced toward the accession
process:
R1 Increased level of implementation of key Council of Europe recommendations
and increased compliance with Council of Europe standards;R2 Strengthened
institutional capacities to implement reform in the programme areas.
Key activities Provision of legal and technical reviews/opinions on legislation and policies aimed
at addressing implementation and execution of specific targeted recommendations
and advisory opinions of Council of Europe monitoring and advisory bodies,
defined in country action plans and structured by thematic approach.
Provision of ad hoc legal advice/expert opinion(s) when linked to priority-related
reform Actions channelled through the Council of Europe Expertise Co-ordination
Mechanism (ECM).
Key indicators Recommendations and standards of the Monitoring Bodies of the Council of
Europe and EC progress reports. Advancement in the acquis negotiations. Baseline
data coming from recommendations of Monitoring Bodies and the Opinion
Advisory Bodies of the Council of Europe1 and EC progress reports).
Link to needs Strengthening the rule of law remains a key challenge for most of the countries in
the enlargement process, in particular in terms of improving the functioning and
independence of the judiciary and fighting corruption and organised crime. Far-
reaching judicial reforms need to be undertaken with the aim of ensuring
independent and efficient judicial systems capable of ensuring fair trials, where
judges are appointed and promoted on merit and where they are impartial and
accountable
Justification Evidence coming from the ongoing programme implementation shows that the first
phase of the HF phase is delivering well, and helps to enhance visibility and
efficiency of otherwise more dispersed actions. Moreover, there is an important
potential for a reinforced regional dimension of mutual lesson learning and
knowledge sharing that could be further developed.

1
Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM);Consultative Council of
European Judges (CCJE); Consultative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE); European Commission for the Efficiency of
Justice (CEPEJ); European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
(CPT); European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI); Committee of Experts of the European Charter for
Regional or Minority Languages and the Committee of the Parties (ECRML); European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR);
Group of States against Corruption (GRECO);Group of Experts on action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) and
Committee of the Parties; Group of Experts on action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO);
Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL);
European Commission for democracy through Law (Venice Commission);