Instrument for Stability (IfS)
The Instrument for Stability (IfS) is a strategic tool designed to address a number of global security and development challenges in complement to geographic instruments. In force since 1 January 2007, it replaces several instruments in the fields of drugs, mines, uprooted people, crisis management, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
What's new?
Opening of the Regional Secretariat for the African Atlantic Façade
Brussels/Rabat. On 19 March 2013, representatives of the European Union, the Kingdom of Morocco, the United Nations and a dozen partner countries united in Rabat to inaugurate the Regional Secretariat for the African Atlantic Façade (AAF) in Rabat within the frame of the Centres of Excellence (CoE) Initiative of the European Union.
Brussels, 22 March 2013 – Between 4 and 8 February 2013, the EuropeAid Days brought together members of each EU Delegation in Brussels to discuss wide-ranging EU Development policy and strategy. Eddie MAIER, vice Head of DG Development and Cooperation’s unit dealing with the Instrument for Nuclear Safety (INSC) presented to the 200-strong audience, including Heads of Delegations, the way the EU has been working to raise nuclear safety standards in third countries since 2007.
For more information
Website of DG Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid : http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.htm
Website of the EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs : http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/piebalgs/index_en.htm
Website of the Instrument for Stability – long-term component : http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/how/finance/ifs_en.htm
Website of the Nuclear Safety Co-operation Instrument : http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/how/finance/nsci_en.htm
The EU steps up its response to fight money laundering and drug trafficking in West Africa
The European Union has launched a new project which will contribute to the fight against money laundering in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Cape Verde. The project will help law enforcement agencies to better investigate money laundering, and thereby fight organized crime. At the same time, it will increase regional cooperation among these countries which are part of the "Cocaine route", i.e. the route used by South American drug cartels to ship drugs into Europe.
Abu Dhabi, 23 January, 2013 – The EU invited the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to participate in an international network to prepare for and counter risks resulting from hazardous materials. This invitation was extended during a conference held on 22 January 2013 in Abu Dhabi. The conference was co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and the European Commission.
New EU initiative to combat piracy in the Gulf of Guinea
Brussels, 10 January 2013 - A new project that will boost security and the safety of maritime routes across seven African countries in the Gulf of Guinea was announced today by the European Union. The Critical Maritime Routes in the Gulf of Guinea (CRIMGO) Programme will help governments across West and Central Africa to improve the safety of the main shipping routes by providing training for coastguards and establishing a network to share information between countries and agencies across the region.
EU workshop on countering violent extremism
On 26 and 27 November 2012, a two-day expert workshop on countering violent extremism was organised to explore how the EU can better support third countries in their efforts to address the problems of violent extremism, radicalisation and recruitment to terrorism.
CBRN Centres of Excellence (CoE) conference defining roles of partners for better coordination and cooperation on risks and threats to start today
Brussels, 14 May, 2012 – A two-day kick-off conference of the worldwide Centres of Excellence (CoE) initiative, promoting a higher level of security in the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) domains, has started today in Brussels. The high-level conference is organised by the European Commission (Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation, EC Joint Research Center and European External Action Service) and represents the first and essential step on the path to a better coordination and cooperation between EU institutions and with EU partners.
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What does it cover?
The instrument has two components: one short-term (managed by Directorate General External Relations) and the other long-term (priorities 1 and 2 managed by EuropeAid, priority 3 managed by DG RELEX).
The short-term component (‘Crisis response and preparedness’) aims to prevent conflict, support post-conflict political stabilisation and to ensure early recovery after a natural disaster. It can only be triggered in a situation of crisis or emerging crisis, in order to re-establish the conditions necessary to the implementation of the Community's development assistance under other long-term instruments.
Activities under this component include: support for the development of democratic and pluralistic state institutions, support for international criminal tribunals, promotion of independent and pluralist media, aid for the victims of the illicit use of firearms and support to relieve the impact on the civilian population of anti-personnel landmines.
In the context of stable conditions for the implementation of EU co-operation policies in third countries, for the long-term component, three mainpriorities have been identified:
- fighting and protecting against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,
- strengthening response capacities of non-EU member countries to cross-border threats such as terrorism and organized crime, including the illicit trafficking of weapons, drugs and human beings,
- enhancing pre- and post-crisis preparedness capacity building.
How much money is available?
The IfS has a budget of € 2.062 billion for 2007-2013, allocated as follows:
- short-term component: €1,487 million (72% of the total)
- long-term component: €484 million (23% of the total)
The remaining funds are allocated for administrative expenses.
This allocation reflects the intention that the IfS should primarily be an instrument for crisis response, and that long-term measures under this Instrument should not be a substitute for those that could be more effectively delivered under country or regional strategies funded from the main geographic financing instruments (like EDF, DCI and ENPI).
Measures may be co-financed by Member States, other donor countries, international and regional organisations, companies, firms, other private organisations and businesses, other non-state actors, partner countries and regions in receipt of funding, and other bodies eligible for funding.
Whilst the assistance provided through the short-term component cannot be programmed, the assistance provided in the context of stable conditions for cooperation is programmed in a Strategy Paper [160 KB] covering the period 2012-2013 and an Indicative Programme [353 KB] covering the period 2012-2013.
Who is eligible for funding?
The entities which are eligible for funding are:
- partner countries and regions,
- joint bodies (partner regions and the Community),
- international organisations,
- European agencies,
- bodies of any Member State, partner country, partner region or any other country contributing to the objectives of this instrument.
In the majority of cases the funding for the Instrument for Stability, long term component, is allocated using the negotiated procedure, direct award, administrative arrangements or joint/contribution agreements with International Organisations. Calls for proposals will be used only in rare circumstances. In case of call for proposals and tenders: each of them will specify in related documents the eligibility criteria for that specific call or tender.