• European Commission
• Enlargement
• How does it work?
• Financial assistance

Financial Assistance - Transition Facility

National Programmes, Financing Proposals and Project Fiches

Between the date of accession and the end of 2006, the Union provided temporary financial assistance, known as the "Transition Facility", to the new Member States to develop and strengthen their administrative capacity to implement and enforce Community legislation and to foster exchange of best practice among peers. Assistance addresses the continued need for strengthening institutional capacity in certain areas through action which cannot be financed by the Structural Funds, in particular in the following areas:

• justice and home affairs (strengthening of the judicial system, external border controls,
  anti-corruption strategy, strengthening of law enforcement capacities),
• financial control,
• protection of the Communities' financial interests and the fight against fraud,
• internal market, including customs union,
• environment,
• veterinary services and administrative capacity-building relating to food safety,
• administrative and control structures for agriculture and rural development, including the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS),
• nuclear safety (strengthening the effectiveness and competence of nuclear safety authorities
  and their technical support organisations as well as public radioactive waste management
  agencies),
• statistics,
• strengthening public administration according to needs identified in the Commission's
  comprehensive monitoring report which are not covered by the Structural Funds.

The commitment appropriations for the Transition Facility, at 1999 prices, are EUR 200 million in 2004, EUR 120 million in 2005 and EUR 60 million in 2006.