€11.7 billion for new Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II)

The European Commission has published an indicative split of the funding among the countries and defines the policy priorities to be funded for the period 2014-2020. Current beneficiaries of the new Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II) are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey.

The allocations include funds for the multi-country activities, as well as for information and communication, audit, monitoring and evaluation, Office of the High Representative expenses and unallocated funds for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Figures for Bosnia and Herzegovina will be published at a later stage this year, the delay being due to a lack of the necessary coordination structures country-wide.

The most important novelty of IPA II is its strategic focus. Country Strategy Papers are the specific strategic planning documents made for each beneficiary for the 7-year period. The Strategy Papers are the overarching strategic planning documents that set the priorities and objectives for the 7-year period. They replace the Multi-annual Indicative and Planning Documents (MIPDs) used until 2013. The priorities outlined in the Strategy Papers are translated into detailed actions, which are included in annual or multi-annual Action Programmes. IPA II Action Programmes take the form of Financing Decisions adopted by the European Commission.