The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution approving the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe.
The proposed regulation establishes the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe, including the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) and the External Action Guarantee, for the period of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027.
The instrument combines geographical and thematic priorities by merging the majority of the previously existing external financing instruments.
NDICI’s objectives
The Instrument’s aim is to uphold and promote the EU's fundamental values, principles and world-wide interests, in order to pursue the objectives and apply the principles of the EU’s external action.
To this end, the Instrument seeks to:
- contribute to the reduction and, in the long term, the eradication of poverty, consolidate, support and promote democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights, sustainable development and the fight against climate change and address irregular migration and forced displacement, including their root causes;
- contribute to the promotion of multilateralism, the achievement of the international commitments and objectives that the Union has agreed to, in particular the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement;
- promote stronger partnerships with third countries, including with the European Neighbourhood based on mutual interests and ownership with a view to fostering stabilisation, good governance and building resilience.
The proposed Regulation has the following specific objectives:
- to support and foster dialogue and cooperation with third countries and regions in the Neighbourhood, in Sub-Saharan Africa, in Asia and the Pacific, and in the Americas and the Caribbean;
- to develop special strengthened partnerships and enhanced political cooperation with the European Neighbourhood, founded on cooperation, peace and stability and a shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights, and aiming at deep and sustainable democracy and progressive socio-economic integration as well as people-to-people contacts;
- at global level: (i) to protect, promote and advance human rights, including gender equality and the protection of human rights defenders; (ii) to support civil society organisations; (iii) to further stability and peace, prevent conflict, thereby contributing to the protection
of civilians; (iii) to address other global challenges such as climate change, protection of biodiversity and the environment, as well as migration and mobility;
- to respond rapidly to: situations of crisis, instability and conflict, including those which may result from migratory flows and forced displacement, and hybrid threats; resilience challenges, including natural and man-made disasters, and linking of humanitarian aid and development action; and Union foreign policy needs and priorities.
European Fund for Sustainable Development plus (EFSD+)
The new EFSD+ may, together with the guarantee for external action, support financing and investment operations in the form of grants, budgetary guarantees and financial instruments in partner countries in the geographical areas, as well as operations with beneficiaries of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance III.
Budget
The overall financial envelope for the period 2021-2027 amounts to EUR 79 462 000 000 (in current prices), broken down as follows:
- geographical programmes (neighbourhood, Africa, Caribbean, Pacific): EUR 60 388 000 000;
- thematic programmes (human rights, democracy, civil society organisations, peace, stability, conflict prevention, global challenges): EUR 6 358 000 000;
- rapid reaction operations: EUR 3,182,000,000.
A reserve for emerging challenges and priorities of EUR 9 534 000 000 may increase these amounts.
Declarations by the institutions
The legislative resolution contains a Commission statement on a geopolitical dialogue with the European Parliament. This dialogue should allow for exchanges with the Parliament, whose views on the implementation of the NDICI will be fully taken into account. The dialogue will cover the general orientations for the implementation of the NDICI, including programming prior to the adoption of programming documents, and specific issues such as the use of the reserve for emerging challenges and priorities.
Parliament also states that the suspension of assistance under external financing instruments should be applied when a partner country persists in failing to respect the principles of democracy, the rule of law, good governance or respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms or internationally recognised standards of nuclear safety.
Lastly, Parliament called on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to set up a strategic coordination structure composed of all relevant Commission and EEAS services in order to ensure coherence, synergy, transparency and accountability in accordance with the regulation establishing the NDICI.