The project “EU Support for Rule of Law” is part of a larger Action programmed in the IPA II 2020 North Macedonia Action Document “EU for Rule of Law”.  It has the overall objective to support the rule of law in line with European and international standards.

The project is funded by the EU, and implemented by the Austrian Agency for European Integration and Economic Development (AEI), the Croatian Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights and it will last 60 months.

It is divided into four specific objectives (components) which are interconnected. Components are further defined by the results and activities that the project aims to achieve.

Component 1: To improve the capacities of justice institutions to deliver justice in a transparent and accountable manner

Component 2: To strengthen the capacities to effectively implement modern investigation techniques in fighting organized crime

Component 3: To improve the prevention and fight against corruption

Component 4: To enhance the protection of fundamental rights and strengthen the uptake of alternative means to detention

The final beneficiaries will be the following authorities:

Judicial Council, Court Budget Council, Council of Public Prosecutors, Public Prosecution Office (PPO), Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, the Bar Association, Academy for Judges and Prosecutors, Ministry of Justice (MoJ), ICT Council for the Judiciary, Directorate for Execution of Sanctions (DES), Ministry of Interior (MoI), Public Security Bureau within the MoI, Financial Intelligence Unit within the Ministry of Finance (MoF), National Security Agency, Agency of the Management of Confiscated Assets, Asset Recovery Office, Financial Police Office, Public Procurement Bureau, Public Revenue Office and the Customs Administration, State Audit Office, the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption, Ombudsman’s Office, the Commission for Protection and Prevention against Discrimination, the National Coordinative Body for monitoring the state of play in non-discrimination and equal opportunities, and the citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia as indirect final beneficiaries.

The project will address multiple stakeholders with cross-cutting issues at the same time. All the mentioned authorities will benefit from the envisaged activities on the project.

The approach will be based on the beneficiary’s needs. To this end, the concrete need for support will be assessed in advance in order to design targeted activities. Most of the activities shall be carried out as on-the-job training in order to ensure the practicability of the support measure. The result is a sustainable learning effect. The progress of the activities will be regularly evaluated and discussed with the beneficiary.