Athens, 27 May 2025 – A new report published today by the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) outlines how European funding intersects with violations of fundamental rights in Greece.
The report, prepared within the framework of the European project FURI ("EU Funds for Fundamental Rights”), which is an initial assessment of the country's compliance with the EU Funds' regulatory framework, which requires full respect for fundamental rights. To varying degrees, it identifies a range of rights violations affecting vulnerable social groups, such as asylum seekers, persons with disabilities, and Greek Roma, due to policies and practices implemented, in part, with European Union (EU) funds.
Among these, pushbacks, for which Greece has been recently condemned by the European Court for Human Rights(ECtHR), constitute a major issue, as are ongoing obstacles to accessing asylum and the failure to ensure dignified reception conditions.
Despite progress made, efforts in the field of inclusive education and independent living still fail to meet UN standards, risking the reinforcement of segregation experienced by persons with disabilities, with the contribution of EU Funds.
Lastly, based on examples from Greece and other states, the report draws attention to the need for constant vigilance to ensure that European resources directed towards Roma inclusion do not lead, as in the past, to conditions of segregation.
“Despite the strengthened EU regulatory framework, which requires European funds to be used with full respect for rights, as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, significant challenges remain in the effective implementation of this framework in practice.”
— Spyros-Vlad Oikonomou, Advocacy & Communications Officer at the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)
The report concludes with an indicative number of recommendations, most prominent among which is the need for continuous and thorough monitoring, as well as the use of available legal tools in cases of non-compliance.
The FURI report on Greece is available on the FURI project website at https://furi.gcr.gr/, as well as at the website of GCR.
Notes to the editors:
- The ‘EU Funds for Fundamental Rights’ (FURI) project is a transnational initiative funded by the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme (grant agreement number 101143162 - FURI - CERV-2023-CHAR-LITI). It aims to ensure that EU funds are used in ways that respect and promote the rights enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
- The project is coordinated by the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) and implemented in six EU countries, with the support of a thematic coordinator and international partners.
- National partners:
- Awen Amenca in Czechia
- Greek Council for Refugees in Greece
- Partners Hungary Foundation in Hungary
- Policy Center for Roma and Minorities in Romania
- Network of Independent Experts in Bulgaria
- Instytut Niezaleznego Zycia στην Πολωνία
- International partners:
- Thematic coordination:
- National partners:
