The Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme aims at protecting the principles enshrined in Article 2 of the EU Treaty through support to civil society organisations at local, regional, national and transnational level.
Its specific objectives will be promoting equality -including gender equality- and non-discrimination, encouraging citizens’ engagement and participation in the democratic process, fighting violence and, for the first time in this programme, protecting the EU common values.
To these ends, it will have €641.7 million (in current prices) for the seven-year period. This amount could be increased with a maximum of €912 million, a key demand of the European Parliament negotiators.
Almost half of the total funds (€689.5 million) will be dedicated to the protection and promotion of EU values across member states. Negotiators agreed that this objective “should be equipped with substantial funding from the 1st of January 2021”, calling on the European Commission to make use of the flexibility instruments if necessary to ensure it.
The budget for the promotion of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights across the EU will bump to €1.55 billion for 2021-2027, following a deal between EP and Council negotiators.
Alice Kuhnke (Greens/EFA, SE), rapporteur, said: “The €1.55 billion budget is a huge victory for the EP and for civil society organisations across Europe. We are witnessing a backlash against our common European values as enshrined in the EU treaties. By earmarking the objectives and by creating a new Union Values strand, we have guaranteed financial support to better combat regressive forces while strengthening our democracies, LGBTI people’s rights, equality, the fight against gender based violence and the rule of law”.
The political deal between the negotiators of the Parliament and the German Presidency of the Council will have to be finalised at technical level. It will then be subject to the final formal approval by both co-legislators.
