CARDS and TACIS Implementation of EC Assistance to the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia

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CARDS and TACIS - Implementation of EC
Assistance to the Balkans, Caucasus and Central
Asia

• Per Brix Knudsen
• Director European Commission EuropeAid
  Co-operation Office
• Thursday, 21 March 2002,Brussels

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I. Introduction

• CARDS Community Assistance for Reconstruction,
  Development and Stabilisation 2000 - 2006 to
  Albania, BiH, Croatia, Fyrom and FRY
• TACIS Technical Assistance to the Community of
  Independent States(13) since 1991

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II.CARDS - EC Assistance to the Balkans

• With the Council Regulation (EC) n 2666/2000 of
  5 December 2002, the existing Community
  assistance (Phare, Obnova) was expanded and
  redirected to adjust it to the European Unions
  political objectives for the Balkans gt The new
  programme CARDS (2000-2006) replaces Phare and
  Obnova
• Wider objective to support the participation of
  Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the
  Federal Republic of Yougoslavia and the Former
  Yougoslavian Republic of Macedonia in the
  Stabilisation and Association Process, SAP

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SAP

• Stabilisation and Association Process is the
  cornerstone of the EUs policy to the region. It
  seeks to promote stability within the region
  whilst also facilitating closer association with
  the EU. Through the SAP, the EU has created a
  framework of new contractual relationship, the
  Stabilisation and Association Agreements (SAA)

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CARDS Annual Programmes - Who is doing what?

• CSP for each of the Balkan countries, as well as
  the region as a whole, a Country/Regional
  Strategy Paper provides a strategic framework for
  the assistance.
• CSP is prepared by DG RELEX
• CSP sets out EU-co-operation objectives, policy
  response and priority fields
• MIP the Multiannual Indicative Programme
  included in the CSP highlights programme
  objectives, expected results and conditionality
  in the priority fields 2002-2006
• Based on the CSP and the MIP, EuropeAid Office HQ
  and Delegation prepare the Annual Programmes

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CARDS Areas of Co-operation

• Priorities of the Stabilisation and Association
  process (i.a.Justice and Home Affairs issues,
  strengthening of public administration, internal
  market-related areas, environment, )

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CARDS Budget

• Total EURO 4 650 million has been allocated to
  the implementation of the CARDS Programme for the
  period 2000-2006

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Past EC Assistance to the Western Balkans since
1991, 6,1 billion euro

• Overview EU Assistance in Mio
• 1999-2001 2001 2002
• Albania 1,098   37,5 44,9
• BiH 2,271,2 105,23 71,9
• Croatia 427,058 60,0 59,0
• FRY 1,888,96 430 320,6
• FYROM 452,33 54,5 41,5
• Regional 43,5

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Management of the assistance

• The CARDS National Programmes are managed by the
  European Commission Delegations and by the
  European Agency for Reconstruction.
• The Cards Regional Programme is managed by the
  European Commission Headquarters in Brussels
• Tempus (Higher Education) and Customs Programmes
  are managed by the Headquarters

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III. TACIS

• Technical Assistance to 13 countries of Eastern
  Europe and Central Asia
• Armenia, Azebaijan, Belarus, Georgia,
  Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia,
  Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan

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TACIS - A new regulation

• Replaces the former legal basis (Council
  Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1279/96, which
  expired on 31.12.1999.
• The new regulation covers the years 2000-2006
  (Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 99/2000 of
  29.12.1999

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TACIS Areas of Co-operation

• Institutional, legal and administrative reform
• Private sector and economic reform
• Social consequences of transition
• Development of infrastructure networks
• Environmental protection and natural resources
• Rural economy
• (Nuclear Safety)

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PCA

• Partnership and Co-operation Agreements (in force
  with 9 countries)
• Legal framework setting out the political,
  economic and trade relationships between the EU
  and the country concerned

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TACIS Programming Cycle

• TACIS funding is allocated through
• National Country Programmes, which include
• Indicative Programmes(valid 3-4 years)
• Annual Action Programmes
• Regional Programmes
• Small projects programmes to address very
  specific tasks (trade regulation, co-operation
  in higher education, encouraging EU investment)

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Tender opportunities and Calls for Proposals

• http//europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/
  tender/index_en.htm

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Budget 2002

• TACIS 449 990 000 Euro
• CARDS 665 000 000 Euro

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Eligibility for CARDS

• the EU Member States
• the recipient States of the Cards
  programmeAlbania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia,
  the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and FYROM (5
  States)
• the recipient States of the Phare programme
  (same as above)
• the following States of South East
  EuropeTurkey, Cyprus and Malta (3 States)

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Eligibility for TACIS

• Contracts financed by budgetary commitments of
  2000 onwards(Council Regulation No 99/2000 of 29
  December 1999)
• the EU Member States
• the recipient States of the Tacis programme
  (same as above)
• the recipient States of the Phare programme
  (same as above)
• On a case by case basis, participation of
  natural and legal persons of the Mediterranean
  Partners

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Contact European Commission

• EuropeAid Co-operation Office
• Directorate A
• Rue de la Loi 41, 1049 Brussels
• Per-Brix.Knudsen_at_cec.eu.int