Tailoring support to the EU’s eastern neighbours
The European Union wishes to reinforce existing forms of regional and sub-regional co-operation with countries that lie to the east of its borders. The goal is to build on regional activities that were financed under the EU’s TACIS programme during the past decade.
TACIS 
proved to be a valuable tool for tackling challenges with a regional dimension and for promoting inter-state co-operation on regional issues. Assistance for regional co-operation focused on transport, energy, border issues and the sustainable management of natural resources. Between 2000 and 2006, more than €950 million was allocated to regional programmes and projects.
Priority areas for regional co-operation are now defined in the ENPI Eastern Regional Strategy Paper for 2007 to 2013 , which was adopted by the European Commission in March 2007. Funding of €223 million has been earmarked for the period 2007 to 2010.
Areas of co-operation
Regional programmes and projects for the Eastern region are grouped in the following six priority areas:
- Transport;
- Energy;
- Sustainable management of natural resources;
- Border and migration management, the fight against transnational organised crime and customs;
- People-to-people activities;
- Landmines, explosive remnants of war, small arms and light weapons.