Improving the EU's Aid to its Neighbours : Lessons Learned from the ENPI, Recommendations for the ENI

Analiză aprofundată 23-07-2012

The briefing paper assesses the extent to which assistance provided under the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument (ENPI) has contributed to the stated goals of the European Neighbourhood Policy. While it was designed as a policy-driven instrument, the ENPI has contributed to achieving the ENP’s objectives only to a limited extent. The linkage between the ENP policy framework and EU support under the ENPI has been insufficient. The ENPI’s record is also mixed when it comes to assistance relevance and effectiveness. These have been undermined by the complexity and the length of the programming process. Country allocation under the ENPI between 2007 and 2013 highlights inconsistencies which reflect the EU’s difficulties to defend simultaneously its values and its strategic interests. The proposed ENI regulation brings substantial improvements by increasing the consistency between the EU’s assistance and policy framework, shifting the allocation of funds towards a performance-based approach and simplifying the programming process. However, it is neither sufficiently detailed nor binding when it comes to developing an effective partnership with civil society in assistance priority- setting and monitoring. Finally, the proposed Regulation does not provide adequate procedures and mechanisms to effectively apply conditionality.