EU and Neighbours: evolving relations

Cooperation, peace and security, mutual accountability and a shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, are the founding principles of the special relationship between the EU and the Neighbourhood countries of the East and the South. The aim of that partnership should be “to establish an area of prosperity and good neighbourliness, founded on the values of the Union and characterized by close and peaceful relations based on cooperation”, according to the Treaty on European Union. Since it was launched, in 2004, the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) has been strengthening relations, bringing tangible benefits to both the EU and its Neighbourhood partners, including the introduction of regional initiatives and support to democratisation.

Jump to section

• EU and Neighbours: evolving relations
• The ENI – what’s new?
• Six ENI targets
• How support is given
• Priority areas
• Involving Civil Society
• From the ENPI to the ENI
• ENP and Action plans
• EU: a major donor
• Glossaries
• Background Info

The ENI

Relations and goals will be further advanced through the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), which has replaced the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) , so that it reflects real needs and considerations that have emerged over the years. The Regulation setting up the ENI underlines that it should give support to the implementation of the political initiatives shaping the ENP, including the Eastern Partnership and the Union for the Mediterranean.

Giving incentives and rewarding best performers, as well as offering funds in a faster and more flexible manner, are the two main principles underlying the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) worth over €15 billion from 2014-2020.

Based on the experiences gained until today, the ENI will support the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and turn decisions taken on a political level into actions on the ground. Effective from 2014 to 2020. the ENI seeks to streamline financial support, concentrating on agreed policy objectives, and make programming shorter and better focused, so that it is more effective.

The ENI will build on the achievements of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrumentt (ENPI) and bring more tangible benefits to both the EU and its Neighbourhood partners. It has a budget of €15.433 billion and will provide the bulk of funding to the European Neighbourhood countries through a number of programmes.

The 16 ENI Partner Countries are:

• ENI South - Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine**, Syria*, Tunisia
• ENI East - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine

* EU Cooperation with Syria is currently suspended due to the political situation
** This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.

Relations with Russia: Russia has a special status, as relations with this country are not developed through the ENP, but a strategic partnership covering four “common spaces”. Therefore it is only eligible for ENI regional and Cross-Border Cooperation programmes, for which it co-finances projects. Bilateral cooperation with Russia is funded under the new Partnership Instrument (PI).

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The ENI – what’s new?

What makes this instrument more effective, is that, under the ENI, assistance to Neighbours will:

• Become faster and more flexible, reducing the complexity and length of the programming process so that the relevance of the assistance is not undermined;
• Offer incentives for best performers through the more-for-more approach that allows the EU to increase its support to those partners that are genuinely implementing what has been jointly agreed;
• Be increasingly policy-driven based on the key policy objectives agreed with the partners, mainly in the ENP bilateral action plans;
• Allow for greater differentiation so that the EU allocates a greater proportion of funds where aid can have the highest impact;
• Aim for mutual accountability so that it takes greater account of human rights, democracy and good governance when it comes to allocating assistance.

The ENI will also encourage closer links between the EU and partner countries to enable their citizens to participate in successful EU internal programmes, such as on student mobility, youth programmes or support to civil society.

Special emphasis will be given to engagement with civil society. This funding instrument, that responds to the evolving relations between the EU and its partner countries, will continue to ensure the success of the democratisation process and improve economic and social development in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood. Itwill support the reform process already undertaken by the partner countries themselves.

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Six ENI targets

• Fostering human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, equality, sustainable democracy, good governance and a thriving civil society;
• Achieving progressive integration into the EU internal market and enhanced co-operation including through legislative approximation and regulatory convergence, institution building and investments;
• Creating conditions for well managed mobility of people and promotion of people-to-people contacts;
• Encouraging development, poverty reduction, internal economic, social and territorial cohesion, rural development, climate action and disaster resilience;
• Promoting confidence building and other measures contributing to security and the prevention and settlement of conflicts;
• Enhancing sub-regional, regional and Neighbourhood wide collaboration as well as Cross-Border Cooperation.

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How support is given

Support through the ENI is programmed and given in three different ways: 

• Bilateral programmes covering support to one partner country; 
• Multi-country programmes which address challenges common to all or a number of partner countries, and regional and sub-regional cooperation between two or more partner countries;
• Cross-Border Cooperation programmes between Member States and partner countries taking place along their shared part of the external border of the EU (including Russia).

The Regulation setting up the ENI elaborates on the way it will work and the priority areas. Detailed information about each programme can be found in Annex II of the Regulation. More types of support and other programmes are available to the Neighbourhood. 

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Priority areas

Some of the ENI cooperation areas that will be given high priority are:

• Boosting small businesses;
• Civil-society engagement;
• Climate change action;
• Energy cooperation;
• Gender equality promotion;
• Gradual economic integration;
• People-to-people contacts;
• Transport connections;
• Youth and employment.

Details about the priorities under the bilateral, the multi-country and the cross border cooperation programmes can be foundin Annex II of the ENI Regulation.

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Involving Civil Society

Through the ENI, the EU seeks to support the strengthening of the capa­city of civil society organisations to guarantee effective domestic accountability and local ownership, and to play a full role in the democratisation process. According to the ENI Regulation, external action partners, including civil society organisations and local authorities, are involved in preparing, implementing and monitoring EU support, given the importance of their roles. Furthermore, civil society organisations are called upon to participate in the development of the three financial programmes – the bilateral, the multi-country and the cross border cooperation – and will be, together with local and regional authorities, their main benefici­aries. A clear demonstration of the backing offered to civil society is the fact that support may even be increased, in case there is a serious regression in the country. More specifically, the ENI Regulation stipulates that the support and the amounts given to partner countries will be based on their progress achieve and thus can be reconsidered. However, this incentive-based approach shall not apply to support to civil society, people-to-people contacts, including cooperation between local authorities, support for the improvement of human rights, or crisis-related support measures. In the event of serious or persistent regression, such support may be increased, it underlines.

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From the ENPI to the ENI

The ENI will be replacing the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument – known as the ENPI. ENPI funding approved for the period 2007-2013 was €11.2 billion. 

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ENP and Action plans

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) aims at bringing Europe and its neighbours closer, supporting political and economic reforms in sixteen of Europe’s neighbouring countries as a means of promoting peace, stability and economic prosperity in the whole region. It is designed to give greater emphasis than previously to bilateral relations between the EU and each neighbouring country.

The bilateral Action Plans are the main documents guiding the partnership between the EU and its partner countries participating in the ENP. This political document reflects the priorities agreed between a country and the EU and spells out the planned economic and political reforms with short and medium term priorities. More information can be found in the ENP section of this website.

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EU: a major donor

The EU is a major donor for the Neighbourhood. The total amount agreed for the EU’s external relations package is €51,419 million over the period 2014-2020. The Neighbourhood is also supported by some of the other instruments.

The other instruments and money allocated are:

• Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA): €11,699 million
• European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI): €15,433 million
• Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI): €19,662 million
• Partnership Instrument (PI): €955 million
• Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IfSP): €2,339 million
• European Instrument for Democracy & Human Rights (EIDHR): €1,333 million

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What is it? 

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint policy initiative which aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its Member States and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

In this framework, guiding the EU's relations with its neighbours is the EU’s Global Strategy and the revised European Neighbourhood Policy which call on the need to focus on increasing the stabilisation and resilience of the EU's Eastern neighbours. 

Within this framework, there is a joint commitment to deliver tangible results for citizens across the region. In support of a more results-oriented approach towards the Eastern Partnership, the European Commission and European External Action Service identified 20 key deliverables for 2020, with milestones identified during the last EaP Summit, which took place in Brussels in November 2017.

These commitments by the EU, its Member States and the six Partner countries cover the four main priority areas of the Eastern Partnership:

• Stronger Economy (economic development and market opportunities);
• Stronger Governance (strengthening institutions and good governance);
• Stronger Connectivity (connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate change);
• Stronger Society (mobility and people-to-people contacts).

A structured engagement with a wider range of civil society organisations, furthers gender equality and non-discrimination, as well as clearer and tailor-made strategic communications are also being pursued as across all areas.

In September 2018, an internal monitoring was carried out by the European Commission and the EEAS to review the progress achieved under the 20 Deliverables for 2020. The key results achieved so far are available here.

In a wider context, the EaP also supports delivery on key global policy goals set by the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

How does it work? 

The overall framework guiding relations between the EU and its six Eastern partners is provided by the relevant bilateral agreements, such as the Association Agreements, as well as the Association Agendas and the Partnership Priorities and the EaP 20 Deliverables for 2020 aligned along the four key priority areas.

To ensure a broadly streamlined approach, the new multi-annual assistance frameworks for the period 2017/2018-2020 are being designed in an inclusive manner between the EU, its Member States and the six Partner countries to act as a work plans guiding the actions until 2020, supporting delivering under existing commitments, and allowing for an easier monitoring of progress.

Supporting the comprehensive approach by the EU towards its Eastern partners is the European Neighbourhood Instrument, which is the key EU financial instrument for cooperation with the EaP countries during the period of 2014-2020.

Cooperation then takes place both at bilateral (with individual partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and at regional level, depending on the nature of the action.

This is then supported through the relevant dialogues, both at bilateral level, such as the Association Council, as well as at multilateral level through thematic Platforms and Panels of the Eastern Partnership.

Eastern neighbours also participate in initiatives open to all Neighbourhood countries – such as Erasmus+, TAIEX, Twining, SIGMA and the Neighbourhood Investment Facility - and in Cross-Border Cooperation programmes.

Eastern Partnership structured consultation – post 2020:

After 10 years of close cooperation, the joint work of all partners is not finished.  A broad and inclusive structured consultation process to reflect on the future strategic direction of the Eastern Partnership and a new – post 2020 – generation of deliverables is now open.
Please visit the official consultation page.

Find out more

• "EaP 20 deliverables for 2020" document
• EaP – EU External Action webpage
• EaP Frequently Asked Questions
• EaP documents
• Eastern Partnership - a policy that delivers
• Eastern Partnership from Prague to Riga
• Eastern Partnership: Multilateral Cooperation
• EU - Armenia
• EU - Azerbaijan
• EU - Belarus
• EU - Georgia
• EU - Moldova
• EU - Ukraine

Milestones Eastern Partnership

2017

• 12 September - Annual Meeting of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP)
• 13 September - Eastern Partnership Media Conference in Kyiv
• 4 October - Eastern Partnership E-partnership Conference in Tallinn
• 25-27 October - Eastern Partnership Civil Society Conference in Tallinn
• 26-27 October - Eastern Partnership Business Forum in Tallinn
• 24 November - EaP Summit in Brussels

2016

• 1 January – DCFTA between Ukraine and EU becomes operational

2015

• 25 March - ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
• 21-22 May – EaP Summit in Riga
• 1 September – Beginning of the provisional application of DCFTA between EU and Georgia, some provisions of AA/DCFTA between EU and Moldova enter into force
• 18 November – European Commission presents a review of European Neighbourhood Policy(ENP) 

2014

• 21 March - Ukraine signs political part of Association Agreement
• 27 March - ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
• 28 April – citizens of Moldova start travelling visa-free to Europe 
• 27 June – Georgia and Moldova sign Association Agreements; Ukraine signs Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) provisions of Association Agreement
• The European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) comes into force with a budget of EUR15.4 billion for the period 2014-2020 replacing the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument  (ENPI)

2013

• 20 March - ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
• 29 November - Eastern Partnership (EaP)  in Vilnius: Moldova and Georgia initial Association Agreements with EU; Ukraine (under then President Yanukovich) defers initialling, which results in mass protests leading to fall of government and early elections

2012 

• ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
• Council sets priorities of cooperation with South Caucasus

2011

• Eastern Partnership Summit in Warsaw
• Launch of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP)
• EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly launched
• ENP Progress reports on 5 Eastern Neighbours
• Launch of renewed European Neighbourhood Policy

2010

•  EU strengthens European Neighbourhood Policy with €5.7 billion for 2011-2013

2009

• Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum launched 
• Eastern Partnership launched during Summit in Prague
• Southern Corridor Declaration adopted by the EU, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Egypt and Turkey

2008

• Commission Communication on Eastern Partnership
• Black Sea Synergy launched at ministerial meeting in Kyiv

2007

• ENPI launched

2006

• Commission communication on strengthening the ENP

2004 

• Commission communication on European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP)

1991-2006  

• TACIS Programme

The ‘Union for the Mediterranean’ promotes integration across 15 neighbours to the EU’s south in North Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans.

Formerly known as the Barcelona Process, cooperation with these neighbours was re-launched in 2008 as the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). This was an opportunity to maintain a platform for political dialogue while making relations more operational, with the initiation of new regional and sub-regional projects relevant to those living in the region. Projects address areas such as economy, environment, energy, health, migration, education and social affairs.

The UfM encompasses the 28 EU Member States, the European Commission and 15 Mediterranean countries, which makes a total of 43 UfM member states:

Austria; Algeria; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; The Czech Republic; Egypt; Finland; Germany; Hungary; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Malta; Monaco; Morocco; Portugal; Romania; Slovenia; Sweden; Tunisia; The United Kingdom; Albania; Belgium; Bulgaria; Cyprus; Denmark; Estonia; France; Greece; Ireland; Israel; Jordan; Lebanon; Luxemburg; Mauritania; Montenegro; The Netherlands; Palestine; Poland; Slovakia; Spain; Syria; Turkey.

The UfM is chaired by a co-presidency shared between the two shores of the Mediterranean – the EU on the Northern side, and Jordan on the Southern side.

After a slow start, the pace of UfM dialogue intensified in 2013 and 2014 with ministerial meetings held on: women, transport, energy, industry and environment and climate change and digital economy, blue economy and regional cooperation. The holding of these ministerial meetings shows that the process has gained important momentum, even though it remains vulnerable to domestic priorities and instability in the region. Senior Officials Meetings take place regularly. In preparation of Ministerial meetings, this is complemented by Ad Hoc technical Senior Officials Meetings.

UfM Secretariat

The UfM Secretariat is based in Barcelona. Since March 2012, Fathallah Sijilmassi has been its Secretary General. Its mandate is focused on identifying, processing, promoting and coordinating projects, which enhance and strengthen cooperation, and impact directly on the livelihoods of citizens. The EU provides substantial support to the UfM Secretariat and contributes to 50% of its operational budget.

The UfM Secretariat focuses on identifying and promoting projects which enhance and strengthen regional co-operation and impact directly on the livelihoods of the citizens in order to improve socio-economic development, regional integration, sustainable development and the exchange of knowledge among and within the members of the UfM. Lately, there has been increasing support of the Secretariat to policy dialogue (climate, energy, water, environment…) and the Commission supports the idea of transferring some of the responsibility for organising various EuroMed meetings (industry, transport) also to the secretariat.

As per the Joint Declaration of the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean of 13 July 2008, the Secretariat is mandated to work specifically on a number of key initiatives in the following areas: De-pollution of the Mediterranean, Maritime and Land Highways, Civil Protection, Alternative Energies: Mediterranean Solar Plan, Higher Education and Research, Euro-Mediterranean University; the Mediterranean Business Development Initiative. Until now, the UfM has endorsed 47 projects; some are under implementation (including, for some, with EU funding notably through the NIF).

Projects

The UfM seeks to play a role in improving people’s lives in the Euro-Mediterranean region through concrete projects. To achieve this goal, it gathers regional, sub-regional, or transnational projects in six strategic priority areas:

• business development,
• social and civil affairs,
• higher education and research,
• transport and urban development,
• water and environment,
• energy and climate action.

While the project size and scope vary – from micro-projects on employment and women entrepreneurship to macro initiatives such as the Mediterranean Solar Plan – they all share a strong political and economic relevance. Projects can be proposed by national, regional and local authorities and institutions, the private sector, international institutions and civil society organisations.

A list of UfM-labelled projects can be found here.

Parliamentary Assembly - Union for Mediterranean (PA-UfM)

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean builds on the work of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly established in 2004 as the parliamentary dimension of the Partnership set up by the 1995 Barcelona Declaration.

It consists of 280 members, equally distributed between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean. The PA-UfM holds at least one plenary session per year. It adopts resolutions or recommendations – though these are not legally binding – on all aspects of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation that concern the executive organs of the UfM, the Council of the EU, the European Commission and the national governments of partner countries.

Euro-Mediterranean Local and Regional Assembly (ARLEM)

ARLEM is a consultative assembly, which aims to increase the involvement of local and regional actors in the Union for the Mediterranean and to give it a territorial dimension. It gathers 84 Members from the 43 UfM member states, who are representatives of regions and local bodies holding a regional or local authority mandate.