The European Union, together with its twenty-seven Member States, acts as the largest donor of technical assistance in Europe and its neighbouring countries as well as on a world scale. Altogether we contribute an average share of a little over 50% to the total aid. The European Union alone yearly allocates approximately between 7 and 10 billion euros of aid to several countries around the world.

In the framework of the New Financial Perspective 2007–2013, the European Union mostly focused on the IPA technical assistance programme, which is intended for the enlargement process, namely for Croatia, Turkey, Macedonia and other Western Balkans countries, as well as on the ENPI programme which is intended for the former Soviet Union countries and South Mediterranean countries.  The European Union takes interest in a wide range of affairs and therefore collaborates with and renders assistance to developing countries within the DCI programme. It renders assistance and promotes democratic processes and human rights within the EIDHR programme, contributes to stability and provides crisis support within the IFC programme, assures nuclear safety within the INSC programme, and delivers humanitarian aid to third countries and renders development aid to undeveloped countries by disbursing the EDF funds. In the period 2007–2013, the European Union will allocate approximately 70 billion euros altogether to technical assistance programmes.


EU technical assistance programmes

IPA - Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance
IPA is a technical assistance programme intended for current EU candidate countries and potential candidate countries for EU membership, namely for Croatia, Turkey, Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. The IPA programme combines and simultaneously substitutes the previous PHARE, ISPA, SAPARD, OBNOVA and CARDS programmes. In the framework of this programme, projects that help candidate countries and countries with European perspective to implement reforms, harmonise legislation and build their capacity to accept the obligations of the EU membership are being carried out. The projects are aimed at offering assistance and support to transition processes, institution building, cross-border cooperation, regional development, human resources development and rural development. Within this programme, several twinning projects have been launched with Slovenia’s active involvement.  In the period 2007–2013, nearly 12 billion euros will be earmarked for this programme.

ENPI - European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument
This is also a technical assistance programme intended for countries in the immediate neighbourhood of the EU as well as for other EU neighbouring countries where the EU implements its Neighbourhood Policy with a view to enabling all neighbouring countries to enjoy stability, safety and prosperity, and laying the ground for strengthening Union's relations with its neighbours in circumstances different from those concerning the accession to the EU. The ENPI programme combines two past programmes from the period 1992–2007: TACIS (assistance to former Soviet Union countries) and MEDA (assistance to Southern Mediterranean countries). Among the neighbouring countries are 6 countries of the former Soviet Union or the so-called Eastern States: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. The European Union and Russia have concluded a special partnership. The following five Central Asian countries belong to a somewhat extended and distant group: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The group of Southern States consists of 10 Mediterranean countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunis. ENPI consists of three sets of programmes: national programmes (73% of all funds), in which bilateral cooperation is carried out between the European Union and individual beneficiary countries; cross-border cooperation programmes (5% of all funds), where cooperation is carried out between the EU Member States and their neighbouring countries, adjacent to the EU external border; and regional programmes (15% of all funds), which are intended for cooperation between beneficiary countries themselves. Beside these programmes, several twinning and technical assistance projects are being carried out within the ENPI programme. The projects are focused on support for institutional, legislative and administrative reforms; assistance with economic and trade development; assistance to the financial sector and investment promotion; assistance for social reforms and human resources development; education and training; assistance in the fight against terrorism; assistance in environment protection and waste management; assistance for poverty reduction and job creation; assistance for public health; assistance for modernisation of industry and the energy sector, and general support for economic infrastructure; assistance for strengthening human rights and migrations; and assistance for the civil society and local development. In the period 2007–2013, nearly 15 billion euros will be earmarked for this programme.

DCI - Development Cooperation Instrument
This technical assistance programme is intended for the countries of South Africa, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and of the Caribbean and Pacific regions. The programme partly concerns those Asian countries of the former Soviet Union which are entitled to assistance within the ENPI programme (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). The DCI programme is the successor to the former ALA programme. The projects are aimed at support and assistance for democratic processes, human rights, legislation, faster and sustainable development, including its political, economic, social and environment aspects, transition to market economy, development of international criteria regarding protection of environment and management of natural resources, and strengthening partnership with the EU and the region where the individual country is located.  Emphasis is placed on cooperation with non-governmental organisations in fields such as human rights, child rights, public health, fight against AIDS, fight against poverty, etc. In the framework of the DCI programme, 5 thematic programmes relating to the support and assistance with investment in people, environment and sustainable management of natural resources, development of non-governmental and local bodies, food protection, migrations and asylum are being carried out.  In the period 2007–2013, approximately 10 billion euros will be allocated for the basic DCI programme, while around 5.6 billion euros will be allocated for thematic programmes.

EIDHR - European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights
EIDHR is a technical assistance and humanitarian aid programme for countries eligible for such assistance. It primarily comprises projects of assistance in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms, democratic reforms and monitoring of elections in third countries, especially in the framework of civil society organisations. For the period 2007–2013 nearly 1 billion euros is earmarked for this programme.

INSC - Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation
This programme of technical assistance is aimed at providing nuclear safety in the former Soviet Union countries and in third countries. It mostly focuses on awareness-raising in relation to nuclear safety and on provision of technical assistance. For the period 2007–2013 nearly 500 million euros is earmarked for this programme.

IFC - Instrument for Stability
This programme of technical assistance is aimed at ensuring stability and support to countries in crises which are eligible for such assistance. Mostly it is about support to NGOs that provide help to women and children who are victims of violence and to the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms and democracy, as well as support for economic and social actions, civil society and media. For the period 2007–2013 nearly 2 billion euros is earmarked for this programme.

Instrument for Humanitarian Assistance
The Instrument for Humanitarian Assistance in third countries provides help on non-discriminatory basis to people who are in need, particularly victims of natural disasters, persons from areas where armed conflicts or wars are taking place, and people who suffer from natural or man-made diseases. Under this programme, funding is available for transport of aid and other related activities and also for civil operations to protect the victims of fighting. The European Commission approves grants on a case-by-case basis.

EDF - European Development Fund
This instrument of development aid and cooperation provides assistance to 76 ACP countries. Under the EDF, projects are carried out that foster economic, social and cultural development with a view to provide peace and security and create stable and democratic environment in all these countries. Its main objective is to contribute to the eradication of poverty and to support sustainable development by gradually integrating these countries into the world economy. Each EDF is concluded for a period of five years. In the period 2008–2013, around 23 billion euros will be allocated to the EDF activities, i.e. on average 3.78 billion euros per year.

In Slovenia, the Government Office for European Affairs has been appointed as the National Coordinator of the IPA and ENPI technical assistance programmes, while the DCI, EIDHR, INSC and IFC programmes are coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.



How to apply

Slovenia as an EU Member State has access to participation in any of the mentioned assistance programmes which are implemented through tendering procedures, similarly as was the case with the Phare programme dedicated to candidate countries of the previous financial perspective and recent EU-enlargement rounds.

The programming cycle is based on strategy papers, multi-annual indicative programmes and annual action plans. On this basis, all further stages are built: projects and then calls for proposals, selection procedures and implementation of projects. The stages can be followed on the web pages stated below, where all lists are available: of the past, ongoing and future calls for proposals, sorted according to countries, regions and type of projects, including information on rules and procedures instructing the interested parties how to apply.

The application procedures and criteria are rather demanding. Therefore they have to be studied very carefully in order to submit a successful application. Moreover, the "rules of the game" dictate strict conditions with regard to references, experience, expertise and financial credibility, and finally, skilled lobbying. In the case of Slovenia, a small country with an economy characterised by a large number of small and medium enterprises, applying for major projects is almost out of reach. Therefore we recommend, at least initially, to enter into partnerships with larger and internationally renowned companies.

For the time being, Slovenia is not among the most active EU Member States as regards the participation in these initiatives, with the exception of the IPA programme dedicated to candidate countries and other Western Balkans countries. With this information, we would therefore like to encourage and invite all interested parties to use the listed web pages in their search for additional information and opportunities for participation in all technical assistance programmes of the EU.

The Government Office for European Affairs (GOEA) can assist with additional information and facilitate establishment of contacts with other EU Member States that have already been actively participating within the EU assistance programmes. The Government Office of the Republic of Slovenia for European Affairs is the National Coordinator and performs the function of the National Contact Point for Twinning Projects as well. Thus, the calls for proposals for the implementation of twinning projects in the framework of the IPA and ENPI programmes can be followed on the GOEA web pages, under Activities: Twinning, or under Calls for Proposals: Calls for Proposals for twinning projects.

Types of procedures:

Source: European Commission, 2007.

Contact for ENPI:

Dr. Riana Benko
Government Office for European Affairs
Gregorčičeva 25–25a, 1000 Ljubljana
Phone: +386 1 478 25 46
Fax: +386 1 478 25 00
E-mail: riana.benko(at)gov.si

The main relevant links:

External cooperation programmes: Procedures and documents

EuropeAid: Funding opportunities


Some other relevant links:

European Commission: Grants of the European Union

European Community: Euroresources

Welcomeurope: Eufunding


Other links:

European Commission

European Commission, Enlargement

Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance

Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance

External cooperation programmes

European Neighbourhood Policy

European Neighbourhood Policy: The Policy Funding

External Relations: Countries

Eastern Europe and Central Asia

External Relations: The EU's Mediterranean & Middle East Policy

(last change: 25 April 2008)