EC proposes 40 per cent rise in neighbourhood policy funding

A total of €16.1 billion will be allocated for the future European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), according to a Communication on the budget for the next financial framework 2014-2020, adopted by the European Commission. If adopted, the new funding for the neighbourhood policy would represent a rise of more than 40%, compared to the €11.4 billion under the current European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI), which covers the current financial period 2007-2013. 

In a press release issued on his website, European Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Štefan Füle said: “The Commission has proposed today to increase the funding for European Neighbourhood Policy by €4.7 billion for the next financial perspective. I am convinced that the EU's support to our partners in the South and the East is essential to ensure the success of the democratisation process and improve economic and social development. The significant increase reflects our commitment to our neighbourhood and its growing importance for the EU.” 

The Communication sets out the broad budgetary orientations for the next post-2013 financial framework, together with proposals for the new Multi-annual Financial Framework regulation. The package with the legislative proposals on future EU external action instruments will follow as a next step, and is scheduled to be adopted in December 2011. 

The press release said the future European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) would continue to provide the bulk of funding to the European Neighbourhood countries, essentially throughbilateral, regional and cross border co-operation programmes. 
The new instrument would be increasingly policy-driven and provide for increased differentiation, more flexibility, stricter conditionality and incentives for best performers, reflecting the ambition of each partnership.
 

In line with the renewed vision for the European Neighbourhood Policy, the future ENI will focus in the next financial period (2014-2020) essentially on: 

• promoting political, economic and social reforms across the neighbourhood 
• backing the agreed priorities in the ENP Action Plans 
• supporting approximation to EU policies and standards 
• promoting sustainable and inclusive growth 
• enhancing people to people contacts 
• advancing the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals 

Within these areas, funding will be provided to further support the new activities stemming from the ENP review, presented in the ENP Communication of 25 May. The decision significantly to increase funding for the European Neighbourhood corresponds to this renewed ENP vision and its medium term objectives, the press release said.