Regulation 2014/232 - European Neighbourhood Instrument - Main contents

Summary of Legislation
Legislative text

1. Summary of Legislation

ENI — the European Neighbourhood Instrument (2014-2020)

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) No 232/2014 establishing a European Neighbourhood Instrument

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It sets up the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI).

ENI aims to create an area of shared prosperity and good neighbourliness between EU countries and partner countries by:

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promoting human rights, the rule of law, sustainable democracy and citizen participation;
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sustainable and inclusive growth and economic, social and territorial development, including progressive integration in the EU’s internal market;
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mobility and people-to-people contacts, including student exchanges;
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regional integration, including cross-border cooperation programmes.

Respect for human rights, democracy and good governance will be an important criterion influencing the granting of funds to partner countries.

KEY POINTS

The ENI provides the bulk of funding to the 16 partner countries covered by the European neighbourhood policy (ENP), which was reviewed in 2015 to respond to the new challenges of an evolving neighbourhood and is based on based on differentiation, joint ownership and flexibility.

This financing instrument seeks to strengthen relations with the beneficiaries through bilateral, multi-country and cross-border cooperation (CBC) programmes.

Partner countries

ENI beneficiaries are Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine.

Responding to the evolving relationship with Russia, this country remains eligible under ENI for regional cooperation. ENI also supports the implementation of regional and macro-regional strategies (as for the Black Sea synergy).

Approach to support

ENI will differentiate levels of support by adjusting assistance to the partner countries’ needs and progress.

EU support:

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is based on an incentive based approach (so called ‘more for more’ approach) to permit greater support for partners genuinely implementing sustainable democracy;
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focuses on cross-border cooperation programmes between EU and partner countries;
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seeks to strengthen links between EU and partner countries’ citizens by enabling participation in EU internal programmes such as Horizon 2020, Erasmus + and COSME.

ENI also encourages citizens’ organisations and local authorities to get involved in preparing, implementing and monitoring EU support. Joint programming with EU countries is used to enhance EU coordination and identify and develop common priorities.

ENI countries can also benefit from:

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twinning, an EU instrument that encourages the sharing of expertise via institutional cooperation between EU countries’ public administrations and those in beneficiary or partner countries; and
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TAIEX, another instrument offering short-term assistance to partner countries providing expertise on incorporating EU laws into their national law, and their subsequent application and enforcement.

Budget and implementation

The ENI budget for 2014-2020 is €15.433 billion. The main rules and procedures to implement this programme are found in Regulation (EU) No 236/2014 on funding under the EU’s external financing instruments.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 January 2014.

BACKGROUND

Further information can be found at:

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European Neighbourhood Policy (European Commission)
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Twinning (European Commission)
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TAIEX (European Commission)
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Map of the European Neighbourhood (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) No 232/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a European Neighbourhood Instrument (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, pp. 27-43)

2. Legislative text

Regulation (EU) No 232/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a European Neighbourhood Instrument

Contents

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Summary of Legislation

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Legislative text