Horizontal principles are cross-cutting principles of the European Union that every project financed from EU funds must respect, regardless of its focus. In the 2021–2027 programming period, these are primarily equal opportunities and non-discrimination, including gender equality and accessibility for persons with disabilities, compliance with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the principle of sustainable development together with the do-no-significant-harm principle for environmental objectives. In the application for a non-repayable financial contribution, the applicant describes how the project fulfils the principles – for example through barrier-free outputs, the accessibility of websites according to WCAG standards, non-discriminatory selection of participants, or green solutions in operation. Compliance is not assessed merely on a formal basis: its breach during implementation, for example an inaccessible building financed from the contribution, can lead to a correction. It is therefore recommended to translate the principles directly into activities and measurable indicators, rather than merely declaring them in general phrases.
See also: Do No Significant Harm principle (DNSH).
