Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme 2014-2020

The Council reached a partial general approach on two proposals for regulations establishing the financing programmes in the area of justice and fundamental rights within the framework of the Multiannual Financial Framework for the period 2014-2020. Those texts will now form the basis for the negotiations with the European Parliament with a view to reaching agreement. In both proposals, the provisions regarding the financial envelope are excluded from the scope of the partial general approach since they will be negotiated at a horizontal level.

- The first proposal concerns the Justice programme, a funding programme aiming to support actions with European added value in the area of judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters and judicial training.

- The second proposal concerns the Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme (see 10642/12) which is the successor to three existing programmes: Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Daphne III and the "Antidiscrimination and Diversity" and "Gender Equality" sections of the Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity (PROGRESS). The new programme aims to contribute to the creation of an area where the rights of persons, as enshrined in the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, are respected, promoted and protected. Accordingly the programme will support actions in the areas of Union citizenship, non-discrimination on grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance; prevention and combating violence against children, young people and women, protection of victims and groups at risk; data protection; rights of the child and consumer and business rights in the internal market.

Main provisions introduced by the Council:

• The Council reached an agreement on the Article on the protection of financial interests of the Union which was also negotiated at horizontal level.
• Pending reservations: Firstly, the Hungarian delegation maintains its reservation on the grounds for discrimination as set out in Article 19 TFEU (sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation). However, the Hungarian delegation wishes to refer to the grounds as in Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation). Most other delegations cannot go along with this approach.
• The budget is excluded from the scope of the partial general approach. This is yet to be negotiated at horizontal level.