Eastern Partnership Integration and Cooperation (EaPIC) programme
What is it?
The Eastern Partnership Integration and Cooperation (EaPIC) programme was launched in June 2012, to provide incentive-based financial assistance to Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries in line with the principle of "more for more": more support will be offered to those partners that deliver on reforms for deep democracy and respect of human rights.
The "more for more" principle is defined in the 2011 review of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP): A new response to a changing Neighbourhood. In the EaP, partners most engaged in reforms will benefit more from their relationship with the EU, including closer political association, deeper gradual economic integration in the EU internal market and increased EU assistance.
How does it work?
- All EaP countries are eligible for EaPIC. But only partner countries that progress in deep democracy and respect of human rights are granted access to additional EaPIC resources ("more for more"). Assessment of progress is mainly based on the Country Progress Reports, which are part of the annual Joint Communication on the implementation of the ENP. Civil society organisations, EU Member States and other donors contribute their inputs to the Progress Reports; major international indicators on good governance are also taken into account, as well as the respect for international commitments on human rights.
- EaPIC country allocations are not pre-defined: they depend on progress over the previous year (detailed in "Progress Reports") and key unfolding events. Country allocations are publicly announced during high-level official events, in order to maximise their "incentive effect".
- EaPIC funds can be used for new projects or to expand the scope of existing projects. The aim is to promote democratic transformation and institution building, or sustainable and inclusive growth and economic development. Projects are selected in each country according to the overall EU assistance package and in coordination with EU Member States and other donors.
Funding
A first round of EaPIC country allocations totalling €65 million has been announced. Selected beneficiary countries are: Moldova (€28 million), Georgia (€22 million), and Armenia (€15 million).
A new round of allocations will be made public after the release of the 2013 ENP Progress Reports.
EaPIC complements additional funding amounting to €350 million made available when the EaP was launched.