Commission Communication on Seven Thematic Programmes as a part of the Funding Reform in the field of External Relations

The Commission approved a communication on new thematic programmes on 25 January. Commission’s proposal is a part of the structural reform of the EU budget which is set to simplify the dealing with external relations and to rationalise the functioning of different aid programmes.

The proposal for thematic programmes supplements the proposal for geographic financing instruments that has been adopted earlier. Geographic instruments include Development Cooperation and Economic Cooperation Instrument (DCECI), European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) and Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). From NGOs’ point of view, the most interesting programme is “Non-state actors and Local Authorities in Development” which is subordinate to the DCECI and the ENPI. This programme contains the financing for NGO projects. The new thematic programmes are: 1. Food Security 2. Investing in people 3. Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, including energy 4. Human Rights and Democracy 5. Migration and Asylum 6. Cooperation with Industrialised Countries 7. Non-state actors and Local Authorities in Development

Commission Notice on all the new programmes:

Commission Communication on “Non-State Actors and Local Authorities in Development” programme:

Joint statement on the thematic programmes of the organisations (including CONCORD, WWF):