The Council has adopted the two programmes which constitute the EU justice, rights and values fund as part of the EU financial framework for 2021-2027.

The programmes will help to further promote, strengthen and protect justice, rights and EU values. They will support the development of a European area of justice based on the rule of law, mutual recognition and mutual trust.

According to the current Portuguese holders of the rotating EU presidency, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the Member States in many ways, from healthcare to their economic and social fabric, and the recovery efforts will build the Europe we will live in for decades to come.

It is of utmost importance to ensure that in doing this, we strengthen our democratic and open societies, build a future based on our common values and promote our citizens right to justice by further developing a modern, well-functioning justice area. The funding extended through these programmes will be key to helping us achieve this.

The rights and values programme will have an overall budget of a maximum of 1.55 billion (a budget of €641.7 million, with an additional allocation of a maximum of €912 million), and it sets out four specific objectives:

– To protect and promote EU values.

– To promote equality and rights, including gender equality, anti-discrimination and the rights of children.

– To promote citizens’ engagement and participation in the democratic life of the EU and raise awareness of the common European history.

– To fight violence, above all, against children and women.

The justice programme will have a budget of €305 million, and it sets out the following specific objectives:

– To facilitate and support judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters and to promote the rule of law independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

– To support and promote judicial training, with a view to fostering a common legal, judicial and rule-of-law culture.

– To facilitate effective and non-discriminatory access to justice for all, including by electronic means, and support the rights of victims of crime as well as the procedural rights of suspects and accused persons.

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