Back The European Union and the Council of Europe to carry out joint projects for Armenia under the third phase of the Partnership for Good Governance (2023-2027)

The European Union and the Council of Europe to carry out joint projects for Armenia under the third phase of the Partnership for Good Governance (2023-2027)

New projects will be carried out in Armenia under the third phase of the EU/Council of Europe “Partnership for Good Governance (PGG)” programme in 2023-2027. The first Local Steering Committee meeting for these projects took place on Tuesday 23 May 2023, where the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia and the Council of Europe, together with 40 representatives of national partner institutions, discussed joint actions for the new phase of the PGG for Armenia.

"Against the challenging background and the ongoing discussion on the future of the Eastern Partnership platform, the successful synergy of the EU and the Council of Europe in the case of the Partnership for Good Governance programme comes to prove the effectiveness of the format.

The tailor-made programme of the Partnership of Good Governance complementing the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia are relevant for Armenia’s reform agenda and the priorities of the Armenian Government," said Varduhi Melikyan, Head of the Council of Europe Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia.

“The EU will continue supporting reforms in Armenia. We prioritise strengthening the rule of law through independence of the judiciary, enhancing good governance through public administration reform and anti-corruption measures, as well as allowing for an inclusive and human rights-based development. In this context, the EU-Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance programme is indispensable in contributing to the EU efforts to improve Armenia's human rights record and continue reforms in the rule of law/governance system,” said Frank Hess, Head of the Development Cooperation Section of the European Union to Armenia.

“Under PGG III, the Council of Europe will continue providing support in the field of the judiciary, fight against corruption, combating discrimination and violence against women based on its standards in order to increase the citizen’s trust in the national institutions and improve their daily lives,” noted Delphine Freymann, Head of the Programming and Resource Mobilisation Department, Directorate of Programme Co-ordination, Council of Europe.

Three country-specific projects will be implemented in Armenia, with a total budget of 2.36 million euros, co-funded by the EU and the Council of Europe. They build on the results of the previous phases of the programme and aim at assisting Armenian authorities with carrying out judicial reforms in the country, enhancing national capacities to effectively prevent and fight economic crime and promoting equality non-discrimination. 

In addition, Armenia is taking part in three projects implemented at regional level aimed at fighting economic crime, promoting equality and non-discrimination and facilitating access of women to justice. Their purpose is to encourage networking, provide a platform for sharing lessons learning and best practices, and, where relevant, complement country-specific projects. 

Yerevan 23 May 2023
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Strasbourg, France Strasbourg, 1-2 July 2024
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Addressing hate speech and hate crime: regional gathering of the network of Equality Bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership Region

A two-day workshop on addressing hate speech and hate crime took place at the premises of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, involving Equality bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions.  The event supported by the EU and Council of Europe, gathered 50 representatives from both regions who discussed and exchanged on the best practices, measures and common challenges when addressing hate speech and hate crime. Through monitoring and reporting, policy advocacy, raising awareness and supporting victims equality bodies play a fundamental role in protecting human rights and ensuring that all individuals are treated equally.

In her opening remarks, Angela Longo, Head of Anti-discrimination Co-operation Unit, Council of Europe, underlined the significant progress in engaging with Equality Bodies through this network, regularly exchanging best practices and addressing the challenges of hatred and intolerance in societies. She highlighted that this new chapter of discussion delves into the grey area between hate speech and hate crime, addressing issues of incitement and biases,

Representatives from Equality Bodies had the opportunity to discuss and enhance their knowledge on the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers Recommendation to member States on combating hate crime, adopted on 7th May 2024, as well as gain a clearer understanding of EU standards in the field of hate crime. Moreover, participants engaged in exchanges with peers from the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE), who shared insights on addressing hate speech in the public discourse. The National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) in Italy provided practical examples for developing counter-narratives and raising awareness initiatives.

They also explored opportunities to advocate for legislative reform, foster multisectoral co-operation, enhance data collection, and overall improve national mechanisms to counter hate crimes.

This seminar was organised within the action “Promoting equality and combating racism and intolerance in the Western Balkans” and the project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination: towards more resilient and inclusive societies” – co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe  under the joint Programmes “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and “Partnership for Good Governance”.

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