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European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR)

Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI – Global Europe)

The new NDICI- Global Europe instrument merges several former EU external financing instruments. It aims to support countries most in need to overcome long-term developmental challenges and will contribute to achieving the international commitments and objectives that the Union has agreed to, in particular the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.

With an overall allocation of €79.5 billion, the NDICI - Global Europe instrument will cover the EU cooperation with all third countries, except for the pre-accession beneficiaries and the overseas countries and territories from the geographic programmes.

The total allocation for NDICI – Global Europe will be divided as follows:

  • €60.38 billion for geographic programmes, including at least €19.32 billion for the Neighbourhood. The remainder is allocated for Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and the Americas and the Caribbean. This pillar will also finance Erasmus+ with an indicative amount of EUR 1.8 billion.
  • €6.358 billion for a thematic programmes (Human Rights and Democracy; Civil Society Organisations; Peace, Stability and Conflict Prevention; and Global Challenges).
  • €3.182 billion for a rapid response mechanism that will allow the EU to swiftly respond to crises, contribute to peace, stability and conflict prevention, strengthen the resilience of states, societies, communities and individuals, linking humanitarian aid and development action. It will also ensure early action to address Union foreign policy needs and priorities.
  • €9.53 billion for a “cushion” of unallocated funds, to top up any of the above-mentioned programmes and the rapid response mechanism in case of unforeseen circumstances, new needs, emerging challenges or new priorities.

The NDICI-Global Europe instrument unifies grants, blending and guarantees (the latter previously subject to specific rules and regulations, such as the EIB’s External Lending Mandate), which will allow the EU to strategically promote public and private investment worldwide in support to sustainable development through the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+). Investments will be backed by an up to €53.4 billion External Action Guarantee, which will also cover the pre-accession countries.

Programming of EU financial assistance for the Neighbourhood

Programming is the process through which the EU defines its medium and long-term international cooperation priorities. The EU assistance is based on the European Neighbourhood Policy objectives and priorities outlined in the regional strategies, such as the renewed Eastern Partnership and the new Agenda for the Mediterranean.

Partner countries, the EU and the Member States agree on the common priorities in the Joint Documents, which take the form of Partnership Priorities, Association Agendas or equivalent. They set further the political and economic priorities for EU financial assistance.

For the period 2021-27, the EU defines its cooperation priority areas and specific objectives for most Neighbourhood partner countries and regions in multi-annual indicative programmes. These strategic documents are prepared in an inclusive dialogue and consultation with partner countries, EU Member States, civil society, women and youth organisations, local authorities, private sector and other donors. They contain indicative financial allocations, objectives, results and indicators (with baseline and targets) to measure EU intervention effectiveness.

Each year, the European Commission will adopt Annual Action Plans setting out how the implementation of these programmes. For those Neighbourhood countries, where there are no adopted Joint documents and multi-annual indicative programmes, the Commission will adopt special measures.

Legal basis of NDICI

The NDICI-GE Regulation was adopted on 9 June 2021, came into force on 14 June 2021 and applies retroactively since 1 January 2021. The NDICI-GE regulation is complemented by the Commission Delegated Regulation. It sets out specific objectives and thematic priorities for NDICI-GE assistance.

Multiannual Indicative Programmes 2021-27

Eastern Neighbourhood

Southern Neighbourhood

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