Justice, rights and values: Council adopts programmes of up to €1.8 billion for 2021-2027

The Council today 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 further development of an European area of justice based on the rule of law, mutual recognition and mutual trust.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit us in many ways, from our health to our 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, we build a future based on our common values and we promote our citizens right to justice by further developing a modern, well-functioning justice area. The funding under these programmes will be key to help us achieve this.

Francisca Van Dunem, Portuguese Minister of Justice

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

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  to protect and promote EU values
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  to promote equality and rights, including gender equality, anti-discrimination and the rights of children
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  to promote citizens engagement and participation in the democratic life of the EU and to raise awareness of the common European history
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  to fight violence, notably against children and women

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

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  to facilitate and support judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters and to promote the rule of law independence and impartiality of the judiciary
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  to support and promote judicial training, with a view to fostering a common legal, judicial and rule of law culture
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  to facilitate effective and non-discriminatory access to justice for all, including by electronic means, and to support the rights of victims of crime as well as the procedural rights of suspects and accused persons
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  Position of the Council at first reading and statement of the Council's reasons on the regulation establishing the citizens, equality, rights and values programme
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  Position of the Council at first reading and statement of the Council's reasons on the regulation establishing the justice programme
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  Rights and values programme: Council presidency and European Parliament reach provisional agreement (press release, 17 December 2020)
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  Justice programme: Council presidency and European Parliament reach provisional agreement (press release, 18 December 2020)
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  Long-term EU budget 2021-2027 and recovery package (background information)