Regulation (EU) no 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II)

Support for the EU enlargement strategy in the following period will be provided through a special instrument for financing external action, which is the continuation of the previously used instrument

Support for the EU enlargement strategy in the following period will be provided through a special instrument for financing external action, which is the continuation of the previously used instrument, therefore the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation No 231/2014 on 11 March 2014 establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance for the period 2014-2020, i.e. IPA II. The beneficiaries are courtiers of the Western Balkans with a confirmed European perspective: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Island, Kosovo(*), Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and FYR Macedonia, of which Island, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and FYR Macedonia have been granted the status of candidate country to EU membership. The priorities for action meeting towards meeting the objectives in the relevant policy areas which will supported by IPA II should be defined in multiannual indicative strategic papers established by the Commission for the period from 2014 to 2020 in partnership with the beneficiaries. General objective: The Instrument for Pre–accession Assistance for the period from 2014 to 2020 (‘IPA II’) shall support the beneficiaries in adopting and implementing the political, institutional, legal, administrative, social and economic reforms in order to comply with the Union’s values and to progressively align to the Union’s rules, standards, policies and practices, with a view to Union membership. Specific objectives: (a) support for political reforms, (b) support for economic, social and territorial development with a view to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, strengthening of the ability of the beneficiary to fulfil the obligations stemming from Union membership by supporting for progressive alignment with, and adoption, implementation and enforcement of the Union acquis, including preparation for management of Union Structural Funds, the Cohesion Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, (c) strengthening regional integration and territorial cooperation involving the beneficiaries, Member States, and where appropriate, third countries. Policy areas: (a) reforms in preparation for Union membership and institution- and capacity-building; (b) socio-economic and regional development, (c) employment, social policy, education, promotion of gender equality and human resources development, (d) agriculture and rural development, (e) regional and territorial cooperation – multi-country and horizontal actions as well as cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation actions. Strategic planning: Assistance shall be provided on the basis of country or multi-country indicative strategy papers established for the duration of the Union’s multiannual financial framework for the period from 2014 to 2020, by the Commission in partnership with the beneficiaries. The strategy papers shall define the priorities for action towards meeting the objectives in the relevant policy areas, and in line with the general and specific objectives of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. The strategy papers shall include the indicative allocation of Union funds per policy area, as applicable, broken down per year. Moreover, the strategy papers shall include the indicators for assessing progress with regard to attainment of the targets set therein. Programming: Union assistance under this Regulation shall be implemented directly, indirectly or in shared management through programmes and measures. Implementation shall take the form of annual or multiannual, country-specific or multi-country programmes, as well as cross-border cooperation programmes, established in accordance with the strategy papers. Financial envelope: EUR 11.698.668.000 (Up to 4 % of the financial envelope shall be allocated to cross-border cooperation programmes between the beneficiaries). The funding shall be made available through two multiannual allocations covering the first four years and the remaining three years respectively.

Regulation (EU) no 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II)