15.3.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L77/85 REGULATION (EU) No 235/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 March 2014 establishing a financing instrument for democracy and human rights worldwide THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 209 and 212 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (%), Whereas: ()  This Regulation constitutes one of the instruments providing direct support for the Union’s external policies and replaces Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006 of the Euro- pean Parliament and of the Council (*). It establishes a financing instrument for the promotion and support of democracy and human rights worldwide allowing for assistance to be provided independently of the consent of the governments and public authorities of the third coun- tries concerned. (2)  Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) provides that the Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Those values are common to the Member States in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail. (3)  Pursuant to Articles 2 and 3(3) TEU and Article 8 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), equality between women and men is a fundamental value and objective of the Union and the Union is to promote and mainstream gender equality in all its activities. (4 Pursuant to Article 21 TEU the Union’s external action is to be guided by the principles which have inspired its () 0JC11,15.1.2013,p. 81. () 0JC391,18.12.2012,p. 110. (’) Position of the European Parliament of 11 December 2013 (not yet published in the O&aal Journal) and decision of the Council of 11 March 2014. (*) Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing a financing instrument for the promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide (OJ L 386, 29.12.2006, p. 1). own creation, namely democracy, the rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and funda- mental freedoms, respect for human dignity, the princi- ples of equality and solidarity, and respect for the princi- ples of the United Nations Charter and international law. Within the framework of the principles and objectives of the Union’s external action, the promotion of human rights, democracy, the rule of law and good governance, and of inclusive and sustainable growth, constitute two basic pillars of the Union’s development policy. A commitment to respect, promote and protect human rights and democratic principles is an essential element of the Union’s contractual relations with third countries. The Joint Communication by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission of 12 December 2011 entitled ‘Human Rights and Democracy at the heart of EU external action — Towards a more effective approach’ proposed specific measures in order to increase the effec- tiveness and coherence of the Union’s approach to human rights and democracy. The instrument hereby established is intended to contri- bute to achieving the objectives of the Union’s external action, including those of its development policy, in par- ticular the objectives set out in the Joint Statement by the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the Euro- pean Parliament and the Commission on European Union Development Policy entitled ‘The European Consensus’ and in the Commission Communication of 13 October 2011 entitled ‘Increasing the Impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change’, and the Union’s policies relating to human rights, including the objectives outlined in the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, adopted by the Council on 25 June 2012. In accordance with the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, in order to integrate human rights principles in the implementa- tion of this Regulation the Union should apply a rights- based approach encompassing all human rights, whether civil and political, economic, social or cultural. The Union’s contribution to democracy and the rule of law and to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms is rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Interna- tional Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and other human rights instruments adopted within the framework of the United Nations (UN), as well as relevant regional human rights instruments.