Annexes to COM(2018)465 - Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III)

Please note

This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.

dossier COM(2018)465 - Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III).
document COM(2018)465 EN
date September 15, 2021
ANNEX I

The Republic of Albania

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Iceland

Kosovo (*)

Montenegro

The Republic of North Macedonia

The Republic of Serbia

The Republic of Turkey


(*)  This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.


ANNEX II

THEMATIC PRIORITIES FOR ASSISTANCE

Assistance may, as appropriate, address the following thematic priorities:

(a)Establishing and promoting from an early stage the proper functioning of the institutions necessary to secure the rule of law and further consolidating democratic institutions. Interventions in this area shall aim at: establishing independent, accountable, impartial, professional, depoliticised, and efficient judicial systems, including through transparent and merit-based recruitment, evaluation and promotion systems and effective disciplinary procedures in cases of wrongdoing, and promoting judicial cooperation; ensuring access to justice; promoting police cooperation and information exchange; developing effective tools to prevent and fight organised crime, trafficking in human beings and of small arms and light weapons, migrants smuggling, drug trafficking, money laundering/financing of terrorism and corruption; supporting engagement with the Union on counter-terrorism and preventing radicalisation; and promoting and protecting human rights, including non-discrimination and gender equality, the rights of the child, rights of persons belonging to minorities including national minorities and Roma, as well as rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, freedom of the media, freedom of assembly and association and data protection.

(b)Strengthening capacities to face migration challenges at regional and international level. Interventions in this area shall aim at: sharing relevant information, further consolidating border and migration management capacities, ensuring access to international protection, enhancing border control and efforts to tackle irregular migration and addressing forced displacement.

(c)Enhancing capacities for strategic communication, including communicating to the public about necessary reforms for meeting the Union’s membership criteria. Efforts in this area shall aim at supporting further development of independent and pluralistic media and media literacy and shall serve, inter alia, as a means of building capacities in the area of cyber-security and increasing state and societal resilience to disinformation and other forms of hybrid threats.

(d)Enhancing good governance and reforming public administration in line with the principles of public administration. Interventions shall aim at: strengthening public administration reform frameworks, including in the field of public procurement, improving strategic planning and inclusive and evidence-based policy and legislative development; enhancing professionalisation and de-politicisation of public service by embedding meritocratic principles; promoting transparency and accountability; improving the quality and delivery of services, including adequate administrative procedures and the use of citizen-centred eGovernment; strengthening public financial management; and improving the production of good quality statistics.

(e)Strengthening fiscal and economic governance. Interventions shall aim at: supporting the implementation of the economic reform programmes and systematic cooperation with international financial institutions on fundamentals of economic policy and strengthening of economic institutions; enhancing the capacity to strengthen macroeconomic stability and social cohesion; supporting sustainable development and progress towards becoming a functioning market economy with the capacity to cope with competitive pressures and market forces within the Union; and advancing towards the Common Regional Market.

(f)Strengthening all aspects of good neighbourly relations, regional stability and mutual cooperation.

(g)Strengthening the capacity of the Union and its partners to prevent conflict, build peace and address pre- and post-crisis needs, including through: early warning and conflict-sensitive risk analysis; promoting people to people networking, reconciliation, peace-building and confidence-building measures, initiatives promoting reconciliation, transitional justice, truth-seeking, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence (such as RECOM); and supporting capacity building in support of security and development (CBSD) actions in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2021/947.

(h)Strengthening the capacities, independence and plurality of civil society organisations and social partners’ organisations, including professional associations, in beneficiaries listed in Annex I and encouraging networking at all levels among Union-based organisations and those of beneficiaries listed in Annex I, enabling them to engage in an effective dialogue with public and private actors.

(i)Promoting the alignment of beneficiaries’ rules, standards, policies and practices with those of the Union, including public procurement and State aid rules.

(j)Promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Interventions in this area shall aim at: establishing a more enabling environment for the fulfilment of women’s and girls’ rights and achieving real and tangible improvements in gender equality in strategic policy areas such as freedom from all forms of gender-based violence; sexual and reproductive health and rights; economic and social rights and the empowerment of women and girls; equal participation and leadership; women, peace and security; and the gender dimension of green and digital transformations, including through supporting gender budgeting.

(k)Strengthening access to and the quality of education, training and lifelong learning at all levels, and offering support to cultural and creative sectors and sport. Interventions in this area shall aim at: promoting equal access to quality early childhood education and care, primary and secondary education; improving the provision of basic skills; increasing educational attainment levels; tackling brain drain; reducing early school-leaving; reinforcing teachers’ training; empowering children and youth and enabling them to reach their full potential; developing vocational education and training systems and promoting work-based learning systems to facilitate the transition to the labour market, including for persons with disabilities; improving the quality and relevance of higher education and research; encouraging alumni-related activities; and enhancing access to lifelong learning and supporting investment in education and accessible training infrastructure, particularly with a view to reducing territorial disparities and fostering non-segregated inclusive education and including through the use of accessible digital technologies.

(l)Fostering quality employment and access to the labour market. Interventions in this area shall aim at tackling high unemployment and inactivity by supporting sustainable labour market integration in particular of young people (especially those not in employment, education or training), women, long-term unemployed and all under-represented groups. Measures shall stimulate quality job creation and support the effective enforcement of labour rules and standards across the entire territory in line with the key principles and rights defined in the European Pillar of Social Rights. Other key areas of intervention shall be supporting gender equality and youth and promoting employability and productivity, the adaptation of workers and enterprises to change, the establishment of a sustainable social dialogue and the modernisation and strengthening of labour market institutions such as public employment services and labour inspectorates.

(m)Promoting social protection and inclusion and combating poverty. Interventions in this area shall aim at modernising social protection systems to provide effective, efficient and adequate protection throughout all stages of a person’s life, promoting the transition from institutional to family and community-based care, fostering social inclusion, promoting equal opportunities and addressing inequalities and poverty. Interventions in this area shall also focus on: integrating marginalised communities such as the Roma; combating discrimination based on sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation; and enhancing access to affordable, sustainable and high quality services, such as early childhood education and care, housing, healthcare and essential social services and long term care, including through the modernisation of social protection systems.

(n)Promoting smart, sustainable, inclusive and safe transport, removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures, and enhancing energy security and diversification, by investing in projects with high European added-value. The investments should be prioritised according to their relevance to TEN-T connections with the Union, cross-border links, job creation, contribution to sustainable mobility, reduced emissions, environmental impact and safe mobility, in synergy with the reforms promoted by the Transport Community Treaty. Interventions in the area of energy shall aim at increasing energy efficiency and sustainable production as well as diversifying supplier countries and routes.

(o)Improving the private-sector environment and competitiveness of enterprises, in particular of SMEs, including smart specialisation, as key drivers of growth, job creation and cohesion. Priority shall be given to sustainable projects which improve the business environment.

(p)Improving access to digital technologies and services and strengthening research, technological development and innovation by investing in digital connectivity, digital trust and security, digital skills and entrepreneurship, in capacity building in research and innovation systems, in mobility, in research infrastructure and in enabling environment and by promoting networking and collaboration.

(q)Contributing to the security and safety of the supply of food and water and the maintenance of diversified and viable farming systems in vibrant rural communities and the countryside.

(r)Protecting the environment and improving the quality of the environment, addressing environmental degradation and halting biodiversity loss, promoting the conservation and sustainable management of terrestrial and marine ecosystems and renewable natural resources, investing in air quality, water and waste management and sustainable chemical management, promoting resource efficiency, sustainable consumption and production and supporting the transition to green and circular economies, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, increasing resilience to climate change and promoting climate action governance and information and energy efficiency. IPA III shall promote policies to support the shift towards a resource-efficient, safe and sustainable low-carbon economy and strengthen disaster resilience as well as disaster prevention, preparedness and response.

(s)Cooperating with the beneficiaries listed in Annex I in the peaceful use of nuclear energy in the areas of health, agriculture and food safety, ensuring full compliance with the highest international standards, as well as supporting actions addressing the consequences on the local population exposed to any radiological accident and aiming at improving their living conditions, and promoting knowledge-management, training and education in nuclear-related fields. Where applicable, these activities shall be coherent with those of the European Instrument for Nuclear Safety and in line with Regulation (EU) 2021/947.

(t)Increasing the ability of the agri-food and fisheries sectors to cope with competitive pressure and market forces as well as to progressively align with the Union rules and standards, while pursuing economic, social and environmental goals in balanced territorial development of rural and coastal areas.


ANNEX III

THEMATIC PRIORITIES FOR ASSISTANCE FOR CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION BETWEEN BENEFICIARIES LISTED IN ANNEX I

With a view to promoting good neighbourly relations, fostering Union integration and promoting socioeconomic development, assistance for cross-border cooperation may address the following thematic priorities, as appropriate:

(a)promoting employment, labour mobility and social and cultural inclusion across borders through, inter alia: integrating cross-border labour markets, including cross-border mobility; joint local employment initiatives; information and advisory services and joint training; gender equality; equal opportunities; integration of immigrants’ communities and vulnerable groups; investment in public employment services; and supporting investment in public health and social services;

(b)protecting the environment and promoting adaptation to climate change, the mitigation of climate change, and risk prevention and management through, inter alia: joint actions for environmental protection; promoting sustainable use of natural resources, coordinated maritime spatial planning, resource efficiency and circular economy, renewable energy sources and the shift towards a safe and sustainable low-carbon, green economy; improving air and water quality, including by enhancing alignment with European environmental standards, and waste and water management; promoting investment to address specific risks; ensuring disaster resilience and disaster prevention, preparedness and response; and promoting and enhancing international coordination of transboundary rivers;

(c)promoting sustainable transport and improving public infrastructures by, inter alia, reducing isolation through improved access to transport, digital networks and services and investing in cross-border water, waste and energy systems and facilities;

(d)promoting the digital economy and society by, inter alia, the deployment of digital connectivity and the development of eGovernment services, digital trust and security as well as digital skills and entrepreneurship;

(e)encouraging tourism, especially sustainable tourism, and preserving and promoting cultural and natural heritage;

(f)investing in youth, sport, education and skills through, inter alia, developing and implementing joint education, vocational training, training schemes and infrastructure supporting joint youth activities;

(g)promoting local and regional governance and enhancing the planning and administrative capacity of local and regional authorities;

(h)promoting cross-border initiatives to foster reconciliation and transitional justice (such as RECOM);

(i)enhancing competitiveness, the business environment and the development of SMEs, trade and investment through, inter alia, the promotion of and support to entrepreneurship, in particular in relation to SMEs, and the development of local cross-border markets and internationalisation, also contributing to the Common Regional Market;

(j)strengthening research, technological development, innovation and digital technologies, inter alia, through promoting mobility and through the sharing of human resources and facilities for research and technology development.


ANNEX IV

LIST OF KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The following list of key performance indicators shall be used to help measure the progress and, where appropriate, readiness by beneficiaries listed in Annex I and the Union’s contribution to the achievement of the specific objectives of IPA III:

1.Composite indicator (1) on political criteria (source: European Commission).

2.Attitude towards the EU: Percentage of population with a positive general attitude towards the EU (source: European Commission/EU Delegations).

3.Composite indicator on Union acquis alignment (source: European Commission).

4.Composite indicator on economic criteria (source: European Commission).

5.Expenditure on social protection as % of GDP (source: Eurostat) and Employment Rate of persons aged 20 to 64 and changes in the Gini coefficient of a beneficiary over time (source: Eurostat).

6.Digital skills (source: Eurostat).

7.‘Ease of doing business’ (source: World Bank).

8.Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP (source: Eurostat). Share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption % (source: Eurostat).

9.Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions avoided (tonnes CO2-eq) with IPA III support (source: European Commission). PM 10 concentrations compared to the EU daily limit value (50 μg/m3); (Source: European Environmental Agency).

10.Areas of marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems under a) protection, b) sustainable management with IPA III support.

11.Good neighbourly relations, such as number of cross-border partnerships established, formalised and implemented, percentage of intra-regional trade to GDP (Source of data: National statistics, Regional Cooperation Council), number of persons crossing the border/day, and number of goods transporting vehicles crossing the border every day (2) (Source: Transport Observatory).

Indicators will, where relevant and possible, and where data is available, be disaggregated by gender and age.


(1) The indicator includes 5 elements:

—Functioning of judiciary

—Fighting against corruption

—Fighting against organised crime

—Freedom of expression (which is an element of fundamental rights)

—Public administration reform.

(2) Data on the latter to only be available from 2023 onwards.