PURPOSE: to establish a Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries (PI) for the period 2014-2020 following External assistance: a financing instrument for cooperation with industrialised countries and territories and other high-income countries and territories.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) No 234/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries.
BACKGROUND: this Regulation is placed within the framework of the new multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2014-2020 applicable to the Unons external policy and cooperation with third countries. The measures provided are the following:
All of the procedures for the implementation of these instruments would be governed by specific Regulation adopted at the same time.
CONTENT: the objective of this Regulation is to establish a Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries to advance and promote Union interests as well as those shared with third countries.
The Partnership Instrument shall support measures that respond in an effective and flexible manner to objectives arising from the Union's bilateral, regional or multilateral relationships with third countries and shall address challenges of global concern and ensure an adequate follow-up to decisions taken at a multilateral level.
Specific objectives: the measures financed by the Partnership Instrument aim:
1. to support the Union's bilateral, regional and inter-regional cooperation partnership strategies by promoting policy dialogue and by developing collective approaches and responses to challenges of global concern;
2. to implement the international dimension of Europe2020;
3. to improve access to partner country markets and boosting trade, investment and business opportunities for companies from the Union, while eliminating barriers to market access and investment, by means of economic partnerships, business and regulatory cooperation;
4. to enhance widespread understanding and visibility of the Union and of its role on the world scene by means of public diplomacy, people-to-people contacts, cooperation in educational and academic matters, think tank cooperation and outreach activities to promote the Union's values and interests.
Progress in all these areas would be evaluated by performance indicators defined in the Regulation.
Partner countries: all third countries, regions and territories (developed and developing countries which play an increasingly important role in world affairs, including in multilateral fora and global governance).
N.B.: the Commission may take into account the geographic proximity of the Union's outermost regions and overseas countries and territories at the time of the indicative programming of the funds.
Principles applicable to implementing aid: the aid granted to third countries may be implemented on the following general principles:
Financial envelope: in line with the multiannual financial framework, the financial envelope for the implementation of this Instrument for cooperation shall be EUR 954 765 000.
In addition, the promotion of the international dimension of higher education would alone benefit by 1.68 billion EUR from different instruments of external action funding:
This amount would be allocated to actions related to mobility for learning purposes to destination or from ERAMUS+ programme partner countries, and the cooperation and political dialogue with authorities, institutions and organisations of these countries.
The actions falling within the scope of the ERASMUS+ programme would be funded by the Partnership Instrument only insofar as they are not eligible for funding under other instruments of the EU external policy.
Programming and indicative allocation of funds: the Regulation sets the framework for the indicative allocation of funds. To this effect, multi-annual indicative programmes shall be adopted by the Commission in accordance with the examination procedure, setting out the Union's strategic and/or mutual interests and priorities, the specific objectives and expected results, the priority areas selected for financing by the Union and the indicative allocation of funds.
The indicative programmes may be amended by the Commission by delegated acts after mid-term review (no later than 31 March 2018) of the implementation of this Regulation.
Annexes: the Regulation includes an Annex precisely defining the thematic priorities of the aid by main objectives.
Dialogue with the European Parliament: measures have been provided in a Commission statement in which the latter undertakes to inform the European Parliament of actions taken in the framework of a strategic dialogue.
Suspension of assistance granted: a unilateral Parliament declaration said the financial instruments applicable to the Unions external policy have no provision for the suspension of aid in the case of non-compliance with democratic principles by partner countries. The Parliament states that any amendment of provisions in the area should intervene via the ordinary legislative procedure involving the European Parliament.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 16.03.2014. The Regulation shall apply from 01.01.2014 to 31.12.2020.
DELEGATED ACTS: the Commission may adopt delegated acts to amend the thematic priorities as laid down in the Annex to this Regulation. Following the publication of the mid-term review report on the implementation of the Regulation (by 31 March 2018). The power to adopt delegated acts shall be conferred on the Commission for the period of validity of this Regulation. The European Parliament or the Council may object to a delegated act within a period of two months from the date of notification (this period can be extended for two months). If the European Parliament or the Council make objections, the delegated act will not enter into force.