Voluntary Contributions

In the Council of Europe, ordinary budget resources, i.e. regular, statutory, obligatory budget contributions from member and, in certain circumstances, non-member states have traditionally financed the functioning of the Council’s organs, inter-governmental standard-setting and monitoring work and its administrative infrastructure. Only limited ordinary budget resources have been available for technical cooperation and assistance activities (the very concept of which did not exist prior to 1989), which have, as a result, relied largely on extra-budgetary resources. Therefore the vast majority of cooperation and assistance activities implemented by the Council of Europe were funded by  voluntary contributions.

It is to be stressed that voluntary contributions are sought and accepted only for projects approved by the Committee of Ministers within the framework of the Organisation’s Programme of Activities. This ensures that all work and related expenditure, irrespective of source, is focussed on agreed priorities.

Latest news

  • Ambassador Julius Georg Luy et Gabriella Battaini, Director General of Programmes German voluntary contributions for CoE priority programmes exceed 1,7 million € in 2011

    [05/12/2011] Projects supported include strengthening the European Court of Human Rights, the Commissioner for Human Rights and Council of Europe monitoring mechanisms, as well as enhancing national preventive mechanisms against torture, the training programme for Roma mediators, strengthening civil society in Belarus and building a Europe for and with children. (more...)

  • Switzerland makes voluntary contribution

    [25/03/2011] Switzerland intends to make a voluntary contribution of € 523 000 to the Council of Europe for the implementation of a 3-year project on strengthening the capacity of local authorities in Ukraine. Switzerland considers strengthening democracy a priority domain for action. The agreement was signed on 24 March 2011. (more...)

  • Making a difference: Voluntary contributions - Facts and figures

    [16/03/2011] Voluntary contributions from governments and institutions rose steadily between 2001 and 2009 and now finance a significant share of Council of Europe activities. The trend was confirmed in a facts and figures publication ''Making a Difference''. It revealed that the Organisation now relies on voluntary contributions to support country specific cooperation programmes. (more...)

  • Germany makes voluntary contribution

    [03/03/2011] The Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany has made a voluntary contribution of € 60 000 to the Council of Europe towards the Action Plan to support the local elections in Albania (8 May 2011). (more...)  

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