On Friday, 7 March, justice ministers from European Union Member States approved conclusions on the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, following the European Commission’s 2024 Annual Report on the subject (see EUROPE 13501/29).
The ‘Justice’ Council, meeting under the Polish Presidency, came down in support of transparent, stable funding to promote, protect, and enforce these rights.
According to a press release, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights Sirpa Rautio contributed her expertise on the financial situation of civil society organisations (CSOs) during the debates, notably calling for adequate funding to enable them to successfully carry out their missions.
Emphasising the decisive role that CSOs play, the conclusions also reiterate that European funding is instrumental in actions being taken to ensure these fundamental rights are effective.
Nevertheless, the EU Council recognises that, despite an increase in funding, there is still a lack of sufficient resources to handle the exponential needs in the area of fundamental rights. Consequently, it is necessary to count on additional national funding as well.
At the end of the day’s meeting, Polish Minister of Justice Adam Piotr Bodnar was delighted to tell the press of the development in Poland’s position on fundamental rights, highlighting his country’s involvement in the adoption of these conclusions.
European Commissioner for Justice Michael McGrath also expressed how pleased he was with the conclusions before announcing that preparations for the next annual report had begun, adding that it “will be a good opportunity to evaluate what additional measures are needed.”
The conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/fsk (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)