Structural actions 2000 2006 Structural support for the

Structural actions 2000 -2006 Structural support for the accession countries • pre-accession aid from the year 2000: 1 billion EURO per year - ISPA • Phare programme re-oriented in parallel EU-Regional Policy and Cohesion Agenda 2000 1

Structural actions 2000 -2006 The ISPA - Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession • aims: prepare central and eastern European countries for full membership - development of transport links and improvement and protection of the environment - familiarisation with procedures • coverage: initially, the 10 central and eastern European candidates; changing according to accession • budget: 1 billion EURO per year EU-Regional Policy and Cohesion Agenda 2000 2

Structural actions 2000 -2006 EU-Regional Policy and Cohesion ISPA - a project approach • a minimum size of 5 million EURO • project selection based on: - Accession Partnerships - National Programmes for the Adoption of the Acquis - Strategies for environment and transport Agenda 2000 3

Structural actions 2000 -2006 ISPA - Financial allocations Indicative allocations by Commission based on : • population • GDP per capita (purchasing power parities) • surface area EU-Regional Policy and Cohesion Agenda 2000 4

Structural actions 2000 -2006 ISPA - Fields of intervention • Environmental measures to meet: - requirements of EU legislation - objectives of Accession Partnerships • Transport infrastructure measures which promote: - sustainable mobility - main links to EU and between applicant countries - inter-connection and interoperability of national networks EU-Regional Policy and Cohesion Agenda 2000 5

Structural actions 2000 -2006 ISPA - Rates of assistance • up to 75% of public or equivalent expenditure (exceptionally up to 85%) • rate of assistance reduced to take account of: - availability of co-financing - revenue generation - polluter pays principle EU-Regional Policy and Cohesion Agenda 2000 6

Structural actions 2000 -2006 ISPA - Financial Management • Title IX of Financial Regulation (external aid) applies • Financial Memorandum between Commission and beneficiary country • Conditionality: provisions for cancelling assistance EU-Regional Policy and Cohesion Agenda 2000 7

Structural actions ISPA - Management Committee including: 2000 -2006 • representatives of Member States, chaired by Commission • EIB non-voting capacity • ad-hoc committees for key projects • advisory EU-Regional Policy and Cohesion Agenda 2000 8