Central Europe: New Member States and Candidate Countries

Within the framework of the governability strategy set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and in close collaboration with the European Union to achieve common goals, FIIAPP continues to develop specific projects and actions in the new Member States (Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania) for the modernization of their administrations.

FIIAPP concentrated its efforts on Bulgaria and Romania in support of their final step towards adherence by reinforcing project coordination through Spanish embassies in Sofia and Bucharest.

Turkey, which is a key country for stability in the Middle East, has initiated adherence negotiations as a potential candidate. Currently it receives FIIAPP's support through various projects in such vital areas as the fight against drugs, maritime security or border control.

 

The Balkans

The Thessaloniki Summit of June 2004 confirmed the EU's will to step up the integration process of the Balkans to Europe. In keeping with Spanish Cooperation guidelines, FIIAPP promotes the European Neighbourhood Policy to achieve a prosperity belt around the EU's new borders.

Over the past two years, actions have concentrated on the Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia) and have been sponsored bilaterally (by AECID) and multilaterally (through the European CARDS programme - Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development, and Stabilisation).

Current priorities of Spanish Cooperation in this region overlap perfectly with those of European cooperation:

• Strengthening of government and civil society

• Creation of employment

• Environmental protection

• Support for improvement of basic social needs

Underlying the above goals are AECID's horizontal objectives: alleviation of poverty, promotion of gender equality and environmental protection.

 

Two geographical area categories are currently in place for Central and Eastern Europe, in accordance with the Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation 2005-2006:

1. Special Attention countries, those undergoing special circumstances involving crises derived from natural disasters, the need for conflict prevention or peace reconstruction, or for the recovery of respect for human rights: Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania.

2. Preferential countries, those targeted for action involving less developed areas and social sectors: Candidates for adherence to the EU that may need focused aid within the framework of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe.

Since 2001 AECID has had a Technical Cooperation Office (TCO) in Sarajevo to coordinate Spanish Cooperation actions on the ground. The TCO currently coordinates actions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, and Albania. FIIAPP relies on TCO staff to identify and follow its cooperation projects within its geographical purview.

 

Eastern Europe: Post-Soviet States

FIIAPP also undertakes technical assistance actions in Eastern Europe through the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument (ENPI, formerly TACIS), a community aid group for the former Soviet Republics: Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Georgia.

Spanish Cooperation includes as preferential countries those former Soviet republics of medium and low income that are potential candidates for adhesion to the EU as well as those that might require focused aid within the framework of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe.