The European Council adopted the programme ‘Fundamental Rights and Citizenship’ on 20 April. The programme’s objective is to “support respect for fundamental rights and encourage the participation of citizens in the democratic life of the European Union”. The budgetary allocation to the programme for the period 2007-2013 is 93.8 million Euros. Tolerance, intercultural dialogue and the combating of racism, xenophobia and anti-semitism are the main areas on which the parties concerned (public bodies, NGOs, and international organizations active in the sector) will be called to present projects of a trans-national character. The first invitation to present bids, to be published shortly, will benefit from a funding of 10.6 million Euros for actions begun in 2007. Commenting on the vote in Council, the Commissioner for Justice and Internal Affairs Franco Frattini said: “the adoption of the programme reinforces EU action in the sector, permitting national authorities and civil society to benefit from EU commitment to respect for and protection of human rights”. A funding is also planned to support the work of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts and the Association of the Councils of State and Supreme Jurisdictions.
