Funding sources for Accession States

PHARE

The PHARE programme has resources of 1,664 Million Euro (2002) and covers Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

PHARE aims to provide finance for economic development administrative reconfiguration, social change, legislative work to enable candidate countries to meet the criteria for membership of the EU through grants (100 per cent). PHARE can finance individual projects, but it is rapidly moving towards the Structure Fund format of working with Candidate States to fund thematic schemes developed by the State in conjunction with the Commission.

Each State has its own National Action Plan (NAP) and national agency who should be contacted in the first instance. Within these National schemes, PHARE will contribute between 50,000 Euro and 2 million Euro for individual projects. For projects outside the national scheme the commission will only fund projects of more than 2 Million Euro. For 2002, there was a special allocation for strengthening institutions in Candidate countries, and there is always encouragement to work with other member states, particularly border regions.

Implementing agencies may be national, regional or local administrations, foundations or financial intermediaries such as banks or investment agencies.

Malta-EU

Within PHARE there is special financing for administrative reconfiguration and strengthening and legislative work to enable Malta to meet the criteria for membership of the EU. This is suitable for the state and regions of Malta, local authorities, regional organisations, public agencies, local or traditional communities, business support organisations, co-operatives and civil society. Malta has its own Action Plan, so applications must go through the National Agency.

Back to funding for Accession States

Contact