Protection of human rights in line with European standards and executing the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights are among key priorities for the Horizontal Facility actions in the field of justice. By providing technical expertise, capacity building, and support to public actors, the programme has significantly contributed to the process of enhancing the application of case-law of the European Court of Human Rights in the judicial systems in the Western Balkans.

The two-day regional conference organised in Serbia on the legal aspects of the use of data from encrypted messaging services as evidence in criminal proceedings aimed to allow legal professionals from the Western Balkans to learn from experience of their peers in other members where this type of evidence has been used and challenged. The event provided a comparative review of the relevant laws and practices, with presentations of practices in Belgium, the United States, Montenegro, and a presentation of the relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights.

The first Co-ordination Roundtable focusing on the treatment of property rights among public administrative institutions was held at the premises of Europe House in Tirana, Albania. It brought together various administrative institutions to jointly discuss and co-ordinate efforts to further align legislation and enforcement in the field of property rights with the standards of the European Court of Human Rights.

The programme is assisting the legal clinics and civil society organisations (CSOs) in North Macedonia authorised for the provision of primary legal aid, in ensuring access to justice and to effectively apply protection of human rights in line with European standards. The five-day training of trainers on the “Provision of free legal aid in North Macedonia” dedicated to representatives of legal clinics and CSOs authorised for providing Free Legal Aid services in North Macedonia, strengthened their capacities with relevant knowledge and tools to become future trainers in the field of free legal aid.

In Montenegro, the programme is supporting the process of the development of the National Strategy for safeguarding victims' rights, aiming to establish a framework for systematic protection and support, especially for the most vulnerable groups. In this context, the inaugural co-ordination meetings of relevant institutions and international partners convened in Podgorica to facilitate the exchange of diverse perspectives and experiences, as well as to deliberate on best practices and outline essential steps to ensure that victims receive requisite support and protection, in line with European standards.