Source: European Parliament
The Commission took note of the European Ombudsman’s decision to close its own-initiative inquiry and replied to its suggestions for improvements on 18 February 2025.
The Commission ensures that the EU-funded projects are carefully monitored. This is done through several means, including regular reports from implementing partners, on-the-spot verifications, results-oriented monitoring exercises, and thorough external mid-term and/or final evaluations.
The Commission is developing further practical tools in close cooperation with EU Delegations to enhance internal procedures in this area and strengthen the implementation of the human rights-based approach in all its interventions.
Some key evaluations are published. For instance, all strategic evaluations on financial instruments are published[1] and in 2022, the EU Delegation in Tunis also published the evaluation of 10 years of cooperation with Tunisia.
A website[2] established by the Commission provides access to information on the Commission’s support to partner countries in the area of migration and forced displacement.
The respect of human rights is considered all along a project’s life from programming to final evaluation and risks-mitigating measures are applied. Implementing partners of EU-funded programmes are bound to ensure the respect and protection of human rights.
Contractual provisions entitle the Commission to suspend or terminate any contract if it has evidence that, or needs to verify whether, the partner has breached any of its obligations.
The Commission can also suspend any agreement with a partner country in case it breaches its obligations related to respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law.
- [1] For instance here is the link for the evaluation of Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument for 2024: https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/document/download/2ffe013e-6287-4a09-8b18-e5f426dab2b5_en?filename=european%20unions%20external%20financing%20instruments%202014-2020-MN0924364ENN%20%281%29.pdf
- [2] https://north-africa-middle-east-gulf.ec.europa.eu/what-we-do/eu-support-partner-countries-migration-and-forced-displacement_en