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General programme "Fundamental Rights and Justice": specific programme "Fight against violence" - Daphne III Programme 2007-2013

2005/0037A(COD)

PURPOSE: in the context of the framework programme on “Fundamental Rights and Justice” 2007-2013, to establish a specific programme to combat violence against children, young people and women and to protect victims and groups at risk (Daphne III programme).

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision No 779/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing for the period 2007-2013 a specific programme to prevent and combat violence against children, young people and women and to protect victims and groups at risk (Daphne III programme) as part of the General Programme "Fundamental Rights and Justice".

BACKGROUND: the framework programmes in the area of Justice, Freedom and Security, under the new Financial Perspectives 2007-2013   have been established to provide coherent support to an area of freedom, security and justice under the financial perspectives 2007 - 2013. The three key objectives of freedom, security and justice are to be developed in parallel and to the same degree of intensity, thus allowing for a balanced approach, based on the principles of democracy, respect for fundamental rights and freedoms and the rule of law. Each of the three key objectives is supported by a Framework programme underpinning and linking each policy area. This structure represents a major simplification and rationalisation of existing financial support.

The three framework programmes are:

1)      “Fundamental rights and Justice” which includes 5 specific measures: i) “Fundamental rights and citizenship”; ii) “Civil justice”. Iii) “Criminal justice”; iv) “Daphne III”; v) “Drugs prevention and information”;

2)      “Security and safeguarding Liberties” comprising of 2 specific programmes : i) the programme on prevention of terrorism; ii) the specific programme on the “Prevention and the fight against crime”;

3)      “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows” includes 4 specific funds: i) the European Fund for the Integration of Third-country nationals; ii) External Borders Fund; iii) Refugee Fund; iv) Return Fund.

Each of these framework programmes have been given an overall financial envelope covering the 2007-2013 period which will be broken between each specific programme, except for the Funds which have individual budgets.

The ‘Fundamental Rights and Justice’ Framework Programme has several specific objectives. They are:

  • to promote the development of a European society based on the European Union citizenship and respectful of the fundamental rights provided for in the Charter of Fundamental Rights; to fight anti-Semitism, racism and xenophobia and to strengthen civil society in the field of fundamental rights;
  • to combat all forms of public or private violence against children, young people and women;
  • to contribute to the setting-up of an area of freedom, security and justice by providing information on and preventing the use of drugs;
  • to promote judicial cooperation with the aim of contributing to the creation of a genuine European area of justice in civil and commercial matters;
  • to promote judicial cooperation with the aim of contributing to the creation of a genuine European area of justice in criminal matters.

It should be noted that initially the Commission had presented the "Daphne" and "Drugs prevention and information" together. However, at the request of the European Parliament the two programmes were split so as to clarify the objectives and the implementing measures.

CONTENT: building on the policies and objectives laid down in the Daphne and Daphne II programmes, this Decision establishes the Daphne III programme as referred to above, as part of the general programme "Fundamental Rights and Justice".  The programme covers the period from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013. It should be noted that for the purposes of the programme, the term "children" covers an age range of 0-18 years, in accordance with international instruments concerning the rights of the child. However, projects with actions particularly designed for beneficiary groups such as, for example, "teenagers" (13 to 19 years old) or people from 12 to 25 years old, will be considered as targeting the category of "young people".

General objectives: the aim of the programme is to contribute to the protection of children, young people and women against all forms of violence and to attain a high level of health protection, well-being and social cohesion. The general objectives of the programme must contribute, to the development of Community policies, and more specifically to those related to public health, human rights and gender equality, as well as to actions aimed at protection of children’s rights, and the fight against trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation.

Specific objective: this involves contributing to the prevention of, and the fight against, all forms of violence occurring in the public or the private domain against children, young people and women, including sexual exploitation and trafficking in human beings, by taking preventive measures and by providing support for victims and groups at risk. This will be achieved by means of the following transnational actions, or other types of actions as referred to in the Decision:

- assisting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other organisations active in this field;

- developing awareness-raising actions targeting specific audiences, such as specific professions, competent authorities, identified sectors of the general public and groups at risk, with a view both to promoting the adoption of zero tolerance towards violence, and to encouraging support for victims and the reporting of incidences of violence;

- disseminating the results obtained under the Daphne and Daphne II programmes; 

- enhancing actions contributing to positive treatment of people at risk of violence, following an approach that encourages respect and promotes their well-being and self-fulfilment;

- setting up multidisciplinary networks with a view to strengthening cooperation between NGOs and other organisations active in this field;

- ensuring the expansion of evidence-based information and the knowledge base, the exchange, identification and dissemination of information and good practice, including through research, training, study visits and staff exchange;

- designing and testing awareness-raising and educational materials regarding the prevention of violence against children, young people and women, and supplementing and adapting those already available for use in other geographical areas or for other target groups;

- studying phenomena related to violence and its impact, both on victims and on society as a whole, including the health-care, social and economic costs, in order to address the root causes of violence at all levels of society;

- developing support programmes for victims and people at risk and intervention programmes for perpetrators, whilst ensuring the safety of victims.

Types of actions: these include the following:

- specific actions taken by the Commission, such as studies and research, opinion polls and surveys, development of indicators and methodologies, collection, development and dissemination of data and statistics, seminars, conferences and experts meetings, organisation of public campaigns and events, development and maintenance of a helpdesk service and websites, preparation and dissemination of information materials (including IT applications and training resources), establishment and facilitation of a stakeholder think-tank providing expert advice related to violence, support to other networks of national experts, and analytical, monitoring and evaluation activities;

- specific transnational projects involving at least two Member States under the conditions set out in the annual work programmes;

- support to the activities of NGOs or other organisations, under the conditions set out in the annual work programmes.

Funding: the financial envelope for the implementation of the Decision is set at EUR 116.85 million for the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013. Community funding may take the form of grants, or public procurement contracts.

Access to the programme is open to private or public organisations and institutions (local authorities at the appropriate level, university departments and research centres) working to prevent and combat violence against children, young people and women or to provide support for victims or to implement targeted actions to promote rejection of such violence or to encourage attitude and behaviour change towards vulnerable groups and victims of violence

Evaluation: the Commission must ensure the regular, independent, external evaluation of the programme, and submit the following to the European Parliament and the Council:

-an interim evaluation report on the results obtained and the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the implementation of the programme not later than 31 March 2011 accompanied by a list of the projects and measures financed;

- a communication on the continuation of the programme not later than 31 May 2012;

- an ex-post evaluation report, on the implementation and results of the programme not later than 31 December 2014.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 04/07/2007