MOVING STATELESSNESS FORWARD 199 in this domain, it is of utmost importance that activities related to statelessness be eligible for EU funding, so that Member States and NGOs can be in a position to carry out such projects financed by these resources. A positive sign is that the new Regulation establishing the EU Asylum and Migration Fund for the multiannual period of 2014-2020 clearly refers to stateless people as beneficiaries of this financial instrument,22 therefore activities aiming at addressing and improving their situation can be covered by the allocations of the new European Fund. As for strategic treaty action, it is to be noted that Hungary’s accession to the 2006 Council of Europe (CoE) Convention on the Avoidance of Statelessness in relation to State Succession has partly pursued a foreign policy goal, too. Hungary was the third CoE Member State ratifying this Convention, thereby putting it into operation: since the Convention has required three ratifications for its entry into force.23 The aim of it was to contribute to the emergence of regionally binding treaty rules relating to the obligation of avoiding statelessness when sovereignty changed over certain territory and to indirectly contribute to the gradual formation of such a regional customary international norm. A few important ratifications that followed Hungary’s accession shortly may show the success of these efforts (Austria, Germany, Montenegro and the Netherlands as new signatories just within one year).24 Further to that, Hungarian government experts are also regularly invited to UNHCR expert consultations on different topics concerning statelessness25 and also enjoy an excellent cooperation relationship with local NGOs (e.g. Hungarian Helsinki Committee) and the UNHCR Regional Representation in Budapest. Hungary strives to assist UNHCR to improve the situation of stateless people around the world. During the last few years, more and more states have shown their interest towards the study of our SDP model and the experiences gained from it. Hungary has received different delegations for study visits from various countries, such as the United Kingdom in December 2010; Montenegro in April 2011; 22 23 24 25 Article 2 lit. c), Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Asylum and Migration Fund (doc. no. DS 1696/13 of 10 September 2013). Article 18(2). For a detailed overview of the State parties to the 2006 CoE Convention, see <http://­ conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ListeTraites.asp?CM=8&CL=ENG> accessed 15 September 2013. Expert Meeting – The Concept of Stateless Persons under International Law (Prato, 27-28 May 2010); Expert Meeting – Statelessness Determination Procedures and the Status of Stateless Persons (Geneva, 6-7 December 2010); or most recently, the Expert Meeting on loss and deprivation of nationality (Tunis, 31 October-1 November 2013). tilburg law review 19 (2014) 194-202