The EU and Council of Europe’s Horizontal Facility programme is crucial in supporting reforms in the Western Balkans and Türkiye, helping align them with European standards in human rights, rule of law, and democracy. A cornerstone of the programme are the Beneficiary Steering Committee meetings, which provide a platform for direct dialogue, evaluation, and co-ordination among key stakeholders. The 2nd Beneficiary Steering Committee Meetings were concluded in Tirana, Belgrade, Pristina, Sarajevo, Podgorica,  Skopje and Türkiye ensuring that reform priorities are aligned, progress is monitored, and challenges are addressed collaboratively.

In Albania the discussions were focused on important results of the programme including the finalisation of the National Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment; assistance provided to the School of Magistrates and the National Mediation Chamber for increasing transparency and improve the quality of justice services for Albanian citizens, in accordance with CEPEJ tools. In the field of prisoners’ rights protection, progress was marked in regard to the adaptation of the principles of trauma-informed practice and emotional recovery through Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

In Serbia the meeting highlighted several key achievements, including the release of the first national report on trafficking in human beings, improved medical check-ups for individuals in police custody, new rules to protect children's privacy in the media, measures ensuring fair media coverage of election campaigns, efforts to make content more accessible for people with disabilities and a new rulebook encouraging schools to involve students in community service projects.

In Kosovo* beneficiaries emphasised key efforts to better align Kosovo’s legislative and policy framework with European standards and best practices, focusing on strengthening justice efficiency, combating discrimination, and advancing freedom of expression and media freedom.

In North Macedonia, participants of the 2nd Beneficiary Steering Committee meeting underscored the critical role of the programme in supporting the reform priorities in the EU enlargement process identifying important tangible results that have been achieved through tailored technical assistance, expertise, and capacity-building efforts directed at public authorities and civil society organisations.

In Montenegro, the meeting revealed important accomplishments including the establishment of human rights clinics at all the three law faculties to provide free legal aid to vulnerable groups, collaborative efforts to combat hate speech and advancements in freedom of expression and digital rights. Other milestones highlighted were the adoption of anticorruption strategic documents, the development of a new Judicial Council communication strategy and initiatives aimed at creating more inclusive and democratic schools.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina the meeting underscored the tangible outcomes of the programme, which played a vital role in advancing positive reforms across the country. These include the establishment of the first shelter for LGBTI persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the expansion of the Network for Democratic School Culture with the addition of new schools to foster inclusivity and critical thinking among students and teachers, efforts to raise awareness and combat Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation,  the installation of a new prison management system in the Ministry of Justice and two pilot prisons, as well as the adoption of a risk assessment and action plan by the Council of Ministers on money laundering and terrorist financing related to virtual assets.

In Türkiye, the beneficiaries underlined the substantial technical support given under various initiatives with multiple stakeholders, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups. The crucial achievements through this support cover provision of legal aid through local bars and legal literacy trainings for a significant number of women, including violence survivors and earthquake victims; development of online training modules on Cyberbullying, Health and Well-Being and other tools for teachers and students on digital citizenship;  capacity building events with public institutions and grant actions with local bars and CSOs on women and children migrants; and efforts to establish an effective asset recovery system to combat money laundering. 

The Horizontal Facility programme demonstrates the transformative power of collaboration in addressing key challenges in the Western Balkans and Türkiye. By providing a platform for co-ordination through Beneficiary Steering Committee meetings and by supporting reforms tailored to domestic priorities, the programme has delivered meaningful progress in human rights, rule of law, and democracy in all the Beneficiaries.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.