The Instrument for Pre–accession Assistance IPA II: 2014 - 2020 28th February 2014

IPA II : state of play IPA II Regulation Next steps legal framework: Adoption IPA II regulation Adoption of Specific Rules for implementation of IPA II. Next steps programming (the Country Strategy Papers): A strategic dialogue with EP Inter-service consultation and comitology committee … (Multi-) Country action programmes

IPA II Regulation: state of play Informal trilogues (Council – Parliament – Commission) ended in December 2013 EP voted in plenary on 11 December Entry into force after adoption by Council and signature by EP is foreseen for mid March 2014, with retroactive application as of 1 January 2014. EP – voted its amendments in the 1st reading and the Commision gave its agreement on these amendments.

Guiding principles for IPA II Builds on IPA I (2007–2013) Reinforced link between financial assistance and policy agenda Stronger ownership by the beneficiaries Core themes will be rule of law and economic governance and competitiveness and growth, as well as good governance and capacity building Total budget: 11,7 billion euro

Main changes compared to the current IPA (1) IPA II sets a new framework for providing pre-accession assistance under the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework, as well as for its implementation in a more strategic and coherent way, concentrating funding on key reforms Comprehensive country strategies (Country Strategy Papers), taking the place of the "old" MIPDs and covering all areas for the entire 7-year period, with a mid-term review in 2017 Financial assistance will be available to candidate countries & potential candidates, irrespective of their status

Main changes compared to the current IPA (2) Addressing an overriding objective: accession + specific objectives (Art.2, IPA II Regulation) Coherence between the assistance and the enlargement policy framework (Council, COM Enlargement strategy and package, EP resolutions) Covering policy areas (Art.3): -transition process and capacity building; socio-economic and regional development; employment, social policies and human resources development; agriculture and rural development; regional and territorial cooperation- Move towards a logic of financing policy strategies instead of individual projects -> sector approach

Main changes compared to the current IPA (3) Enhanced role of civil society Stronger focus on economic governance and structural reforms for competitiveness and growth Focus on results and monitoring of the assistance: Performance reward Flexibility to shift allocations between policy objectives (within a country allocation) and between countries Pre-defined, clear, transparent, country specific and measurable indicators Multi-level performance framework

NEXT STEPS – legal framework: Specific rules for implementation of IPA II Regulation The former Implementing rules are now a new implementing act that completes the legal framework of IPA II Covers notably indirect management and CBC The text, shorter compared to the previous one, aims at streamlining & simplifying compared to IPA I rules Adoption foreseen for April 2014, ISC launch 10 February

NEXT STEPS – programming: Strategic Dialogue with the EP A strategic dialogue with EP has been agreed as part of the overall compromise (for each concerned instrument). For IPA, it relates to the Country Strategy Papers. Before adoption of the CSPs, and again at mid-term. On priorities, possible results and indicative allocations. Goal is to enable the Parliament to influence the programming at an upstream, strategic stage In March 2014, to allow the views of the EP to be taken into account in the versions that are launched for ISC

NEXT STEPS - programming: Country Strategy Papers (CSPs) CSPs are the country-specific strategic planning documents for IPA II (7 CSPs + 1 Multi-Country SP) They target priorities / reform efforts for the entire 7-year period with a mid-term review in 2017, including performance reward assessment They are prepared under DG ELARG lead, in consultation with other IPA DGs and in partnership with beneficiaries Currently a final draft is being prepared, to be ready for Strategic Dialogue with EP in March 2014. ISC in April, with final adoption foreseen for September 2014.

NEXT STEPS – programming: Action programmes Programming with the sector approach: Promotes policy dialogue and structural reform, while empowering national authorities and enabling tighter links between Enlargement policy objectives and financial assistance Allows to move towards a more targeted & focused assistance Allows to better demonstrate the impact and results of limited financial resources (value added of IPA) Timing: ISC July 2014, adoption Q4 2014

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