Council of the

European Union


Brussels, 27 November 2019
(OR. en)
    14585/19
ADD 1

DEVGEN 219
COTRA 25
ACP 142
COASI 154
RELEX 1108
MIGR 200
FIN 781
ENER 521
CLIMA 315
CFSP/PESC 910

SUSTDEV 168
CSDP/PSDC 552
GENDER 59
AGRI 576
COEST 269
COHOM 126
COLAC 83
MAMA 171
COAFR 240
ATO 101
MOG 96

COVER NOTE
From:
Secretary-General of the European Commission,
signed by Mr Jordi AYET PUIGARNAU, Director
date of receipt:
26 November 2019
To:
Mr Jeppe TRANHOLM-MIKKELSEN, Secretary-General of the Council of
the European Union
No. Cion doc.:
SWD(2019) 409 final - Part 1/2
Subject:
Commission Staff Working Document accompanying the document Report
from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council
2019 Annual Report on the implementation of the European Union’s
instruments for financing external actions in 2018

Delegations will find attached document SWD(2019) 409 final - Part 1/2.

Encl.: SWD(2019) 409 final - Part 1/2

14585/19 ADD 1

YML/ik

RELEX.1.B

EN

EUROPEAN
  COMMISSION

Brussels, 26.11.2019
SWD(2019) 409 final
PART 1/2

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT

Accompanying the document
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND
THE COUNCIL
2019 Annual Report
On the implementation of the European Union’s instruments for financing external
actions in 2018
{COM(2019) 604 final}

EN

  EN

European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

Introduction: The European Union response to world developments in 2018
During  2018,  the  European  Union  (EU)  faced  –  and  rose  to  –  significant  challenges  on  the
international scene. Conflicts and instability continued to develop globally and at the EU’s southern
and eastern borders. State fragility and security concerns were evident from the Sahel to the Horn of
Africa.  Conflicts  continued  in  Syria,  Ukraine  and  Yemen.  There  was  limited  progress  in  the  Middle
East peace process (MEPP). Regional rivalries sharpened, and the major powers competed to extend
their  global  economic  and  strategic  influence.  Unilateral  action  and  the  weakening  of  the  rules-
based global order challenged multilateralism and the international system.
In its engagement in world affairs, the EU continued to promote a joined-up approach whereby the
EU  institutions  and  Member  States  use  all  available instruments to  strive  for  a  more  peaceful  and
prosperous world. The EU’s external action is framed by the Global Strategy on Foreign and Security
Policy and grounded in the Lisbon Treaty. It calls on Member States to act collectively to overcome
challenges.  In  2018,  the  EU’s  comprehensive  response  spanned  diplomacy,  security,  financial
relations, trade,  development,  humanitarian aid and further development of special relations with
its  closest  neighbours.  The  EU  also  supported  urgent  reforms  to  enable  the multilateral system to
face  present  and  future  challenges  and  to  boost  cooperation  and  partnerships  with  regional
organisations.
In  the  Western  Balkans,  the  European  Commission’s  Western  Balkans  Strategy  of  February  2018
provided  a  major  boost  for  the  region’s  European  path.  It  reconfirmed  the  future  of  the  Western
Balkans  as  an  integral  part  of  the  EU  and  called  for  significant  enhancement  of  the  EU’s  political,
technical  and  financial  support  to  the  region.  At  the  EU–Western  Balkans  Summit  in  Sofia  in  May
2018, EU leaders reaffirmed their unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western
Balkans, and the Western Balkans partners recommitted to this perspective as their firm, strategic
choice.  The  EU  leaders  agreed  on  new  measures  for  enhanced  cooperation  with  the  region.  The
historic  Prespa  Agreement  between  Greece  and  the  Republic  of  North  Macedonia  provided  an
example  of  strengthening  good  neighbourly  relations  for  the  entire  region.  Turkey  continued  to
move away from the EU, with a continued deterioration in particular in the rule of law field and a
substantial reduction in EU funding due to backsliding by Turkey in key areas. Cooperation continued
in areas of joint interest, in particular on migration.
Under the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the EU continued to support and foster stability,
security and prosperity in the EU’s closest Neighbourhood and to develop strong partnerships with
neighbouring  countries  to the  east  and  south  based on  joint  ownership,  focusing  on  issues  of  key
concern to the EU.
An ambitious work plan – the ‘20 Deliverables for 2020’ – was endorsed by the leaders in the context
of  the  Eastern  Partnership  Summit  in  November  2017.  The  monitoring  of  the  ‘20  Deliverables  for
2020’ started in 2018 and was discussed at the Eastern Partnership (1) foreign ministers’ meeting on
15 October. The EU also continued to help secure a lasting peaceful solution that respects the unity,
sovereignty  and  territorial  integrity  of  Ukraine  and  promoted  further  mediation  efforts.  It  also
agreed  to  increase  cooperation  with  Ukraine  on  cybersecurity,  hybrid  threats  and  strategic
communication in preparation for elections in 2019. The EU’s response to the challenging situation
with Russia continued to respect the five agreed principles. They involve collaborating with Russia on

1 Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
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foreign policy and global issues of interest to the EU, such as the Arctic,  Iran, Syria and migration,
while supporting civil society and promoting dialogue.
In the Middle East and North Africa, the EU continued to support the ENP goal of stabilisation and
promoted  regional  integration  in  the  strategically  important  Mediterranean  region.  Although  the
situation in Syria continued to present challenges, the EU pursued a political solution to bring lasting
stability  and  to  address  the  most  critical  humanitarian  and  resilience  issues  affecting  Syrians  and
communities  hosting  Syrian  refugees.  The  Syria  Conference  in  April  2018  reaffirmed  the
international community’s political and financial support to the country’s neighbours and resulted in
pledges of EUR 3.5 billion in grants. The EU supported the stabilisation of Iraq, Libya and Yemen in
cooperation  with  the  United  Nations  (UN)  and  regional  partners.  The  two-state  solution  and  its
existing policies, including on Jerusalem, remained central to EU engagement in the MEPP, working
with Israelis, Palestinians and the international community.
Implementing and preserving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran remained
an important priority. EU Member States showed an ongoing intention to implement the JCPOA as
long  as  Iran  abides  by  its  nuclear  commitments.  The  deal  continued  to  ensure  that  Iran  does  not
acquire  material  or  equipment  to  develop  nuclear  weapons,  as  confirmed  repeatedly  by  the
International  Atomic  Energy  Agency,  thereby  demonstrating  its  importance  to  the  security  of
Europe, the Middle East and the wider world.
The  EU  and  Africa  worked  to  bolster  the  strategic  partnership  between  the  ‘twin  continents’  and
strove to implement the outcomes of the African Union (AU)–EU Summit (29–30 November 2017).
This  strengthened  alliance  between  the  two  continents  is  based  on  mutual  interests  and  shared
values  and  encompasses  peace  and  security;  governance;  mobility  and  migration;  investment  and
job creation; and knowledge and skills. The EU supports the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the integration of
the  continent  through  the  African  Continental  Free Trade  Area.  Negotiations to  secure  a  renewed
partnership with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states continued in preparation for the expiry
of  the  Cotonou  Agreement  in  February  2020.  The  EU  provided  bilateral  and  regional  support  to
promote  stability  in  the  Sahel  as  a  key  priority.  This  involved  political,  security,  development  and
humanitarian  investment  amounting  to  EUR 8  billion.  The  EU  and  the  Niger  presidency  also
organised  a  conference  of  G5  Sahel  countries  (Burkina  Faso,  Chad,  Mali,  Mauritania  and  Niger)  in
February  2018.  This  was  a  milestone  towards  operationalising  the  G5  Sahel  Joint  Force,  which
addresses  challenges  including  terrorism  and  organised  crime,  climate  change  and  demographic
growth.
The  transatlantic  relationship  remained  central  to  EU  foreign  policy.  The  EU  made  good  progress
with the United States through a strong and effective relationship focusing on foreign relations with
the EU’s immediate Neighbourhood, North Korea and the Western Balkans. The EU also stepped up
cooperation  with  the  United  States  over  foreign  policy  issues  such  as  cybersecurity,
counterterrorism  and  defence,  and  pursued  constructive  dialogue  to  resolve  differences  and  to
defend  the  EU’s  values,  political  objectives  and  economic  interests.  It  worked  with  Canada  on
strengthening multilateralism and on implementing the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) and
the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
In  relation  to  partnership  between  the  EU  and  Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean,  the  ministerial
meeting in July 2018 was successful; work continued to shape the future of the partnership, in order
5

European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

to  transition  from  development  cooperation  to  a  diversified  model  that  emphasises  trade,
investment, research and innovation, education, the digital agenda and collaboration in defence of
common  values.  In  addition,  the  EU  continued  to  support  the  implementation  of  the  peace
agreement in Colombia, a key element for the stability of the region, while closely following events
in Venezuela. The EU worked hard to modernise Association Agreements with Chile and Mexico and
to conclude the Association Agreement with Mercosur. Overall, the EU sought to facilitate political
processes  in order to re-establish respect  for democracy,  the  rule of law  and human rights  and to
assist the countries of the region in tackling the humanitarian consequences of migration.
At  the  Asia–Europe  Meeting  (ASEM)  in  October  2018,  leaders  agreed  to  improve  connections
between  the  continents  to  boost  trade,  improve  security,  increase  dialogue  and  preserve  the
environment. They renewed their support for the rules-based international order and an open world
economy. The EU showed its commitment to an active EU security presence and engagement with
Asia  at  bilateral,  regional and  global  levels,  while  pursuing  sustainable connectivity  between  both
regions. The EU remained committed to the ongoing diplomatic process and efforts to bring about
the denuclearisation of North Korea, both in talks with partners and through sanctions. The EU and
UN have vast expertise in this field, which could be used to achieve lasting peace and security on the
Korean Peninsula. The EU also continued to exercise a mix of international efforts and constructive
engagement  with  Myanmar  in  order  to  improve  the  situation  there  while  providing  extensive
humanitarian assistance  to Rohingya refugees.  The EU supported  an inclusive  and united platform
for  peace  in  Afghanistan,  involving  all  social  groups  and  protecting  18  years  of  progress  on
fundamental rights for women, children and minorities.
The EU played a leading role in the implementation of global agreements, notably the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change and the negotiations for the
Global  Compacts  on  Migration  and  on  Refugees.  Throughout  2018  (the  70th  anniversary  of  the
Universal  Declaration  for  Human  Rights,  the  20th  anniversary  of  the  Rome  Statute  and  the  20th
anniversary  of  the  Declaration  on  Human  Rights  Defenders),  the EU  confirmed  its  commitment  to
promoting the  protection of  human rights.  The  EU increased its  efforts on  cybersecurity with the
Global Tech Panel  and led determined global efforts to promote  international ocean governance,
and negotiations for the Global Pact for the Environment.
In addition, the EU made important headway in implementing the Integrated Approach to Conflict
and  Crises.  Following  the  adoption  of  the  Joint  Communication  on  Resilience  in  2017,  work
continued  on  a  coherent  policy  framework  with  the  focus  being  on  the  Neighbourhood.  The  EU
continued to promote external policies and cooperation that enhance the security of the EU and its
citizens, focusing on internal and external security. The EU stepped up its engagement with partners
in  areas  such  as  counterterrorism,  non-proliferation  and  disarmament,  cybersecurity,  maritime
security and sanctions.
With  regard  to  trafficking  in  human  beings,  the  EU  delivered  towards  its  2017  Communication,
identifying  as  a  targeted  priority  the  intensification  of  a  coordinated  and  consolidated  response,
both within and outside the EU (2). In this context, the EU Anti-trafficking Coordinator promoted a
coherent  and  coordinated  approach  to  the  complex  phenomenon  of  trafficking  in  human  beings,

2 COM(2017) 728 final, 04.12.17.
6

European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

both  within  the  EU  and  in  relation  to  non-EU  countries,  addressing  the  issue  in  key  relevant
instruments (3).
The Global Strategy on the EU’s Foreign and Security Policy anticipated the importance of a strong
UN as the bedrock of the multilateral rules-based order and affirmed the EU’s commitment to it. The
EU and its Member States remained the largest contributor to the UN. The EU provided more than
one quarter of all voluntary contributions, while Member States contributed to one third of the UN
regular  budget  and  more  than  one  third  of  the  peacekeeping  budget.  In  2018,  the  strategic
partnership of the EU and the UN on peacekeeping operations and crisis management resulted in a
new  action  plan  for  the  next  three  years.  All  of  the  EU’s  16  crisis  management  missions  and
operations  cooperated  closely  with  members  of  the  UN  family.  EU  missions  and  operations
continued to share  the same theatres  as UN missions, including several in Africa. The EU played a
key role  in UN reform, both  by  helping the  UN Secretary-General Guterres to secure an ambitious
package  across  the  three  reform  strands  (management;  peace  and  security;  development  system)
and by implementing measures due to enter into force on 1 January 2019.


3 For more details, please see: SWD(2018) 473 final, 03.12.2018; COM(2018) 777 final, 03.12.2018; the European Commission`s anti-
trafficking website: https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/node/4598_en.
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1. Delivering on global commitments
1.1.
The EU as a strong global actor
The  EU  strongly  promotes  a  joined-up  approach  that  brings  together  EU  institutions  and  Member
States to work towards a more peaceful and prosperous world.
The Lisbon Treaty guides the EU’s external actions while the Global Strategy on the EU’s Foreign and
Security Policy enables the EU to act collectively and responsibly to tackle complex global challenges.
While  continuing  to  implement  the  five  original  priorities  of  the  Global  Strategy (4),  support  for  a
global  order  based  on  international  law  with  the  UN  at  its  core,  in  partnership  with  regional
organisations, is increasing. Advancing multilateralism means adjusting to the changing realities and
distribution  of  power  in  the  world  while  ensuring  visibility  and  strong  implementation  of  key
milestones for the multilateral system, such as the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development
Goals  (SDGs),  the  Iran  nuclear  deal  or  the  UN  Global  Compact  for  Migration.  It  also  means
redoubling efforts to work with others who remain committed to the existing international system.
The  groundbreaking trilateral  AU–EU–UN  partnership paves the way for enhanced cooperation on
the wider peace and security agenda, while support for the G5 Sahel Joint Force is an example of the
importance of investing in regional security partnerships.
In  2018,  the  EU  assisted  with  the  comprehensive  approach  to  conflicts  and  crises  through  timely
interventions under the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP) and through Common
Foreign  and  Security  Policy  actions  across  the  world,  including  in  Bangladesh,  Central  African
Republic,  Iraq,  Libya,  Mali,  Myanmar,  the  Philippines,  Syria,  Ukraine,  Venezuela  and  the  Western
Balkans. Through these actions, the EU contributed to mediation, dialogue and confidence building,
conflict  prevention  and  post-conflict  peacebuilding;  to  strengthening  the  rule  of  law,  the  fight
against terrorism, and security sector reform; and to efforts to combat the proliferation of weapons
and  promote  effective  global  governance  and  multilateralism.  During  the  year,  the  first  Capacity
Building  for  Security  and  Development  (CBSD)  initiatives  were  launched  under  the  IcSP (5).  These
actions,  which  were  closely  coordinated  with  the  relevant  military  EU  missions  on  the  ground  in
Central African Republic, Mali and Somalia, demonstrate the EU’s integrated approach.
The EU is taking greater responsibility for its defence and assisting partners with peace and security.
Advancements  on  a  Coordinated  Annual  Review  on  Defence,  the  Military  Planning  and  Conduct
Capability,  the  European  Defence  Industrial  Development  Programme,  the  EU–NATO  Joint
Declaration  and  the  Permanent  Structured  Cooperation  (PESCO)  are  concrete  and  historic
achievements.  Intense  work  continues  on  the  European  Defence  Fund  and  the  proposal  for  a
European Peace Facility to finance peacekeeping operations. Also, under the Common Security and
Defence Policy (CSDP), the EU operates civilian and military missions worldwide.
In addition to its work on conflict, the EU continues to tackle existing vulnerabilities and respond to
humanitarian crises – natural and man-made – amplified by climate change, insecurity and modest
economic growth. The EU and its Member States remain the world’s largest donors of humanitarian

4  The  five  original  priorities  are  security  and  defence;  resilience;  an  integrated  approach;  an  internal/external  nexus;  and  regional  and
thematic strategies.
5 Five new CBSD financing decisions were adopted under the crisis response component: in Central African Republic (two), Lebanon, Mali
and  Somalia.  The  first  CBSD  actions  under  the  crisis  preparedness  component  took  place  in  Benin,  Burkina  Faso,  Kenya,  Lebanon  and
Niger.
8

European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

aid  and  of  development  assistance,  providing  more  than  half  of  Official  Development  Assistance
(ODA) globally, making a huge difference to the livelihoods of millions of people around the world.
The  EU  also  fosters  dialogue  on  values  and  global  challenges  with  key  partners  across  the  world.
Human  rights,  gender  equality  and  support  for  women,  peace  and  security  are  central  to  all  EU
policies. The EU seeks to broaden conversations, defend and promote  European values, build new
cross-regional alliances and project influence, contributing to the security of the EU and its citizens.
The EU upgraded dialogue (e.g. with Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Turkey and Western Balkans)
on non-proliferation and disarmament, cybersecurity, maritime security and sanctions, focusing on
the internal/external security nexus in counterterrorism.
Finally, trade is, for some, becoming a political weapon. As the world’s largest trading bloc and the
biggest source of foreign direct investment, the EU continues to work with international partners to
promote a free and fair international trading system. The EU is deeply engaged in the reform of the
World  Trade  Organization  (WTO)  and  will  continue  to  defend  itself  against  unfair  and  distorting
trade  practices  while  expanding  its  bilateral  and  regional  partnerships.  New  technologies  are
revolutionising  how  we  live,  how  we  work  and  how  we  conduct  diplomacy,  development  and
security. This was the rationale for the EU proposal to create the Global Tech Panel. Technology is
creating new challenges not covered by international laws and standards, and the EU will contribute
decisively  to  shaping  those  laws  and  standards  using  the  strength  of  the  single  market  to  ensure
predictability, social inclusion and prosperity.
1.1.1.  International cooperation and development
In  2018,  the  Commission  continued  to  support  the  implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda  globally,
advancing  the  application  of  the  new  European  Consensus  on  Development  (2017) (6),  which
provides a framework for a common approach to development policy. Thus, the Commission actively
integrated SDGs across its methods, instruments and tools.
The Commission continued to develop tailored partnerships for effective development cooperation.
For  example,  in  September  2018,  the  EU  and  countries  in  the  ACP  group  started  to  plan  for  their
cooperation after 2020, aiming to conclude the agreement by the end of 2019.
A  key  policy  initiative  was  the  Africa–Europe  Alliance  for  Sustainable  Investment  and  Jobs,
announced by President  Juncker in September 2018. Since  the adoption of the  Consensus, the  EU
has  been  actively  implementing  the  Addis  Ababa  Action  Agenda  as  an  integral  part  of  the  2030
Agenda. This involves promoting the mobilisation and use of financial and non-financial means and
all  forms  of  partnerships  to  achieve  the  SDGs.  ODA,  which  still  plays  a  significant  role  in  many
developing countries, will be used more catalytically to generate additional financing for sustainable
development.  This  approach  will  be  part  of  the  future  Neighbourhood,  Development  and
International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), which sets out to support the implementation of the
SDGs.
The EU and its Member States are firmly committed to the SDGs and to eradicating poverty. In 2018,
EU  ODA  was  0.47 %  of  gross  national  income  (GNI)  –  EUR 74.4  billion  –  down  compared  to  2017,
when  it  was  at  0.50 %  of  GNI.  This  reduction  was  due  to  a  significant  decrease  in  donor  refugee

6 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/new-european-consensus-development-our-world-our-dignity-our-future_en.
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

spending,  which  assists  refugees  and  asylum  seekers  during  the  first  year  of  their  stay,  covering
food, shelter or training (7).
In  2018,  the  Commission  continued  to  address  economic,  social  and  environmental  dimensions of
sustainable  development.  For  instance,  the  European  External  Investment  Plan  (EIP)  promoted
sustainable development in Africa and the European Neighbourhood through enhanced investment,
boosting  local  economies  and  creating  decent  jobs  while  addressing  the  root  causes  of  irregular
migration and forced displacement.  In 2018, the EU allocated  EUR 1.54 billion to  28 guarantees to
unlock  investments  for  micro,  small  and  medium-sized  enterprises  (MSMEs)  in  energy  and
connectivity,  cities,  agriculture  and  the  digital  sector.  Also,  21  blending  projects  in  sub-Saharan
Africa  are  expected  to  leverage  around  EUR 4  billion  for  transport,  energy,  private  sector
development (PSD) and agriculture.
Several  programmes  were  launched  under  the  Spotlight  Initiative,  the  EU–UN  partnership  to
eliminate  all  forms  of  violence  against  women  and  girls.  Support  is  provided  to  strengthen  local
organisations working to end gender-based violence. Moreover, a total of EUR 265 million has been
committed to combat sexual and gender-based violence in Africa and Latin America.
The EU has also sought to enhance research and innovation collaboration, which is a key vehicle for
fostering  socioeconomic  development  and  supporting  the  EU’s  external  policies.  In  2018,  major
developing  partner  regions  participated  on  approximately  225  occasions (8)  in  Horizon  2020
collaborative projects, supported by an EU contribution of about EUR 33 million.
1.1.2.  European Neighbourhood Policy
In 2018, the EU continued to implement its revised ENP, aiming to stabilise the EU’s Neighbourhood
(the  overarching  goal  of  the  2015  review).  Throughout  the  year,  the  revised  ENP  mobilised
significant  support  for  its  four  refocused  priorities (9)  and  fully  integrated  the  principles  of
differentiation  and  shared  ownership.  Engagement  with  all  Neighbourhood  countries  through
political  dialogue  continued,  and  additional  guidance  and  support  was  provided  to  ENP  partner
countries with their reform efforts.
In the east, the EU’s assistance and major programmes were based on the ‘20 Deliverables for 2020’,
adopted  at  the  Brussels  Summit  in  November  2017.  A  new  institutional  set-up  of  the  Eastern
Partnership has also been put in place. Work on the differentiated relations with all Eastern Partner
countries  has  advanced  well.  The  political  framework  set  by  the  Association  Agreements  with
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and the association agendas have continued to be implemented. The
realignment  of  multilateral  and  bilateral  actions  is  ongoing,  and  the  multi-annual  Programming
Documents for 2017–2020 for Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine (for the period 2018–2020) and
the  regional  east  provided  the  basis  for  annual  programming.  The  Single  Support  Framework  for
Azerbaijan was adopted in December 2018, while a package of ‘special measures’ was adopted for
Belarus, with negotiations on Partnership Priorities.

7 Preliminary figures for 2018 indicate a slight decrease in overall collective ODA. Taking into account the Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development’s (OECD) recent change to the method of calculating ODA, the adjusted difference between 2017 and 2018
represents a decrease of EUR 731 million.
8 Figures cover Africa, Central and Latin America and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
9  The  ENP’s  priority  areas  are:  good  governance,  democracy,  human  rights  and  the  rule  of  law;  sustainable  economic  development;
security; and migration and mobility.
10

European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

In  response  to  the  conflict  in  the  east  of  Ukraine,  the  EU  provided  humanitarian  support  and
assistance for stabilisation and early recovery. The EU also adopted a significant package to support
development and strengthen social and economic resilience in government-controlled areas.
In  the  south,  the  EU  and  Tunisia  agreed  on  strategic  priorities  for  2018–2020.  A  Single  Support
Framework  (2018–2020)  for  Algeria  was  adopted.  The  EU–Morocco  Action  Plan  implementing  the
advanced  status  and  the  Single  Support  Framework  were  extended  for  one  year.  The  EU–Jordan
Association Council agreed on a two-year extension of the Partnership Priorities. The first drafts of
the Partnership Priorities with Palestine and Israel were prepared for discussion with Member States
in early 2019 and action plans were extended for three years. The EU also presented a review of its
engagement in favour of the two-state solution to Member States at the Gymnich meeting in August
2018, to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its support. Its conclusions are being integrated
into the programming.
Substantial  efforts  were  devoted  to  enhancing  coordination  mechanisms  in  the  Neighbourhood
South  and  ensuring  coordination  of the  EU  response  at  all  levels,  including  via  Joint  Humanitarian
and  Development  Frameworks  for  Jordan,  Lebanon  and  Syria,  and  permanent  discussion  and
coordination  between  the  different  instruments,  including  humanitarian  and  crisis  response.
Mitigating the impact of the protracted Syrian crisis remained a priority throughout 2018. The April
Brussels II Conference on Supporting the future of Syria and the region reaffirmed the engagement
of  the  EU  in  supporting  Syrian  refugees  and  host  communities  –  notably  in  Jordan,  Lebanon  and
Turkey  –  through  the  activities  of  the  EU  Regional  Trust  Fund  in  Response  to  the  Syrian  crisis.
Meanwhile, in Libya, the security situation remained a barrier to the implementation of cooperation
programmes.  Operations  continued  to  be  remotely  managed  from  Tunis,  where  the  delegation  is
temporarily based.
The  EU  continued  to  drive  forward  programmes  to  assist  Neighbourhood  countries  to  tackle  the
causes  of  instability  through  a  sustained  focus  on  good  governance,  the  rule  of  law  and  human
rights, both in the east and the south. Significant efforts at bilateral and regional levels continued to
increase the capacity of civil society across the region in terms of policy shaping to support human
rights defenders and freedom, as well as the accountability of states to their citizens.
Migration and related security  challenges also continued to receive EU attention and support. The
EU  continued  to  apply  a  balanced  approach  to  the  multiple  aspects  of  migration,  with  a  focus  on
areas  of  mutual  interest.  For  example,  the  EU  Emergency  Trust  Fund  for  Africa  contributes  to
addressing the causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, the fight against trafficking of
human beings and smuggling of migrants, and the protection, voluntary return and reintegration of
migrants to their countries of origin.
Peer-to-peer  instruments,  the  Technical  Assistance  and  Information  Exchange  (TAIEX)  model  and
Twinning  also  actively  contributed  to  support  the  overall  reform  process  in  line  with  EU  political
priorities.
1.1.3.  Humanitarian aid and civil protection
Humanitarian crises have steadily increased in complexity and severity in recent decades; this trend
did  not  change  in  2018.  Conflict  remained  the  main  driver  of  humanitarian  needs,  while  natural
disasters necessitated emergency aid. Overall, more than 134 million people needed humanitarian
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

assistance  and  protection  –  and  more  funding  than  ever  before  was  required  to  help  them.  The
Commission funded humanitarian aid operations for more than EUR 1.5 billion (10) in more than 90
countries (Figure 1). A significant proportion of this went on supporting conflict-affected populations
inside Syria and refugees in neighbouring countries and regions. The EU has also continued to be a
leading  donor  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  with  Africa  continuing  to  account  for  a  large  share  of
funding.
Figure 1. EU humanitarian aid in 2018

However,  maintaining  the  EU’s  capacity  to  respond  rapidly  remains  a  challenge  due  to  difficult
access  and  security  situations  in  several  countries.  Promoting  principled  humanitarian  aid  and
respect  for  international  humanitarian  law  has  continued  to  be  at  the  heart  of  the  Commission’s
overarching objectives as a donor. In 2018, the EU continued to play a leading role by chairing  the
two  EU  donor  groups:  the  Donor  Support  Group  of  the  International  Committee  of  the  Red  Cross
and the Good Humanitarian Donorship group. The Commission also continued to chair the ‘Call to
action on protection from gender-based violence in emergencies’, to be handed over to Canada in
January 2019.
In  line  with  the  Grand  Bargain  agreed  in  2016  between  donors  and  operational  agencies  at  the
World  Humanitarian  Summit, the  Commission  has  also  worked  for  the  greatest  possible  efficiency
and value for money in the use of humanitarian funding. A key part of this has been the Guidance
Note  on  the  Delivery  of  Large-Scale  Cash  Transfers.  In  addition,  support  for  innovation  and
digitalisation  has  continued  to  be  a  major  focus  of  the  EU’s  drive  to  maximise  the  impact  of
humanitarian aid.
The  Commission  has  also  pursued  work  on  resilience  as  crisis  and  fragility  become  normalised  in
many  parts  of  the  world.  The  peace  element  of  the  Humanitarian–Development  Nexus  was
endorsed during the informal Foreign Affairs Council for Development meeting in September 2018,

10 This included emergency support in the EU (EUR 199 million).
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

with the understanding that efforts should contribute to addressing a protracted crisis, though not
to  the  detriment  of  principled  humanitarian  assistance  programmes.  Education  in  emergencies
remains  a  flagship  policy  for  the  EU:  in  2018,  the  Commission  adopted  a  Communication  on
Education  in  Emergencies  and  Protracted  Crises,  setting  clear  and  strategic  priorities.  Having  met
Commissioner Stylianides’  pledge  to  devote  8 %  of  the  EU’s  2018  humanitarian  aid  budget  to
education in emergencies, the EU has set the ambitious goal of 10 % in 2019.
The EU Civil Protection Mechanism (rescEU) was activated 20 times. Within the EU, assistance was
provided  for  forest  fires  in  Greece,  Latvia,  Portugal  and  Sweden.  Following  oil  leaks,  Bulgaria  and
France requested EU support on the issue of marine pollution. International assistance was provided
to Guatemala (volcanic eruption), the Democratic Republic of Congo (Ebola outbreak) and Indonesia
(earthquake  and  tsunami).  The  unprecedented  2018  forest  fire  season  demonstrated  the  need  to
continue  strengthening  the  EU,  which  prioritised  concluding  negotiations  on  the  Commission
proposal.  Political  agreement  was  reached  at  the  end  of  2018,  paving  the  way  for  its  rapid
implementation, which is a top priority for the EU in 2019.
The EU will also step up support for Member States to improve their disaster risk management and
will set up a new EU Civil Protection Knowledge Network to share lessons learned. Cooperation on
training, research and innovation will be, where possible, extended to neighbouring countries.
This  new  legal  framework  also  enables  an  overall  increase  in  the  EU  Civil  Protection  Mechanism
financial  envelope  of  EUR 205  million  for  the  remaining  Multiannual  Financial  Framework  period
(2019–2020),  which  will  partly  be  used  to  finance  prevention  and  preparedness  projects,  training,
exercises,  peer  reviews,  advisory  missions  and  exchange  of  experts  in  Neighbourhood  and
enlargement countries.
1.1.4.  EU enlargement
The Commission continued to support enlargement countries to improve their readiness to join the
EU.  For  example,  on  6  February  2018,  the  Commission  adopted  the  Strategy  for  ‘A  credible
enlargement  perspective  for  and  enhanced  EU  engagement  with  the  Western  Balkans’ (11).  This
provided a major boost to the enlargement agenda and confirmed the firm merit-based prospect of
EU membership for all countries in the region. At the same time, it stressed the urgent need to make
progress  on  the  rule  of  law,  economy,  reconciliation  and  good  neighbourly  relations.  It  also  put
forward concrete measures to increase EU engagement with the region.
The  EU–Western Balkans Summit  in Sofia on 17 May 2018 brought  together the  heads of state or
government from EU Member States and leaders from the six Western Balkans partners. It focused
on  improving  connectivity  and  security  in  the  region.  EU  leaders  reaffirmed  their  unequivocal
support  for  the  European  perspective  of  the  Western  Balkans,  and  the  Western  Balkan  partners
recommitted themselves to this perspective as their firm strategic choice. The EU leaders agreed on
the  Sofia  Declaration  and  the  Sofia  Priority  Agenda (12),  outlining  new  measures  for  enhanced
cooperation with the region.
The  annual  enlargement  package,  consisting  of  a  Commission  Communication  on  the
implementation of EU enlargement policy and seven country reports, was adopted on 17 April 2018.

11 COM(2018) 65 final, 06.02.2018.
12 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/34776/sofia-declaration_en.pdf.
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In view of the progress made by the Republic of Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia, the
Commission  recommended  opening  accession  negotiations  with  the  two  countries.  On  26  June
2018,  the  Council  responded  positively  to  this  progress  and  set  out  the  path  towards  opening
accession negotiations with the two countries in June 2019, provided further progress is made. The
Council will discuss the Commission recommendations in October 2019.
There  has  been  some  re-engagement  between  the  EU  and  Turkey  in  2018,  including  a  leaders’
meeting  in  March  2018.  The  EU–Turkey  dialogue  was  maintained  on  crucial  issues  of  common
interest, including migration, with a key role played by the implementation of the March 2016 EU–
Turkey Statement (13). However, due to the continued deterioration of the rule of law in Turkey, in
June  2018  the  Council  noted  that  Turkey’s  accession  negotiations  have  effectively  come  to  a
standstill, and no further work towards modernising the EU–Turkey customs union is foreseen. The
implementation of the pre-accession assistance to Turkey took place in this challenging context, with
a substantial reduction in funding due to backsliding by Turkey in key areas.
The  EU Facility for Refugees  in Turkey, established in November 2015, continued to enable a joint
coordination mechanism of existing instruments and to ensure that the needs of refugees and host
communities in Turkey are addressed in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. In 2018, results
under  the  first  tranche  of  funding,  totalling  EUR 3  billion,  were  already  visible,  with  programmes
benefiting  over  2  million  refugees.  In  July  2018,  the  Commission  adopted  a  decision  on  a  second
tranche  of  EUR  3  billion  to  be  committed  in  2018–2019,  with  EUR  2  billion  coming  from  the  EU
budget and EUR 1 billion from Member States’ contributions. Programmes under the second tranche
will reflect the protracted nature of the refugee situation and focus on inclusion and self-reliance. At
the  end  of  2018,  EUR 1.4  billion  of  the  second  tranche  has  been  committed.  This  is  a  remarkable
achievement and constitutes major progress in achieving the EU’s objectives.
1.1.5.  Security and defence
In 2018, the implementation of the EU’s Global Strategy in the areas of security and defence focused
on  deepening  cooperation  through  PESCO.  This  included  legal  acts  as  well  as  the  launch  of
collaborative PESCO projects.
In June 2018, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-
President  of  the  European  Commission  (HR/VP),  along  with  the  Commission  itself,  proposed  a
European  Peace  Facility.  It  would  provide  the  EU  with  an  off-budget  fund  to  finance  all  Common
Foreign  and  Security  Policy  operational  actions  with  military  or  defence  implications,  including
partner country military capacity building and support for partner organisation peace operations to
prevent conflict, preserve peace and strengthen international security.
The European Defence Industrial Development Programme was launched, and proposals were made
by  the  Commission  for  a  European  Defence  Fund.  In  November  2018,  the  mandate  and  staffing
ceiling  of  the  permanent  operational  planning  and  conduct  capability  for  non-executive  military
missions were reinforced. Moreover, a ‘civilian CSDP compact’ was adopted by the Council, with 22
commitments  to  develop  civilian  capabilities,  enhance  the  effectiveness  of  civilian  CSDP  missions
and ensure a joined-up approach with other EU instruments.

13 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/18/eu-turkey-statement/pdf.
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EU–NATO  cooperation  on  countering  hybrid  threats  focused  on  20  out  of  74  EU–NATO  common
actions. The Helsinki Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats scaled up its support for EU
and NATO staff, and exchanges continued on cyber concepts, training, threat indicators, alerts and
assessments.  The  EU  also  contributed  to  NATO’s  Building  Integrity  programme  to  help  NATO
partners in the EU Neighbourhood prevent corruption in defence- and security-related sectors.
EU–UN information exchanges have intensified. The agreement on ‘Reinforcing the UN-EU Strategic
Partnership  on  Peace  Operations  and  Crisis  Management:  Priorities  2019–2021’  has  extended  its
scope from peacekeeping to other aspects of peace operations and crisis management.
The  CBSD  initiative  introduced  a  previously  missing  element  to  the  EU  toolbox:  the  possibility  in
specific  circumstances  to  support  military  actors  in  partner  countries  to  enhance  their  capacity  to
prevent  and  respond  to  crises  on  their  own.  This  contributes  to  national  and  regional  stability,
sustainable  development  and  peaceful  societies.  In  2018,  CBSD  actions  were  approved  in  Central
African  Republic,  Lebanon,  Mali  and  Somalia,  in  particular  to  train  and  support  military  actors  to
contribute  to  the  restoration  of  state  authority  and  enhance  the  state  capacity  to  deliver  basic
services  in  insecure  areas.  An  operational  risk  assessment/management  methodology  was  also
developed  to  identify  and  mitigate  the  risk  of  unintended  negative  consequences  of  such  EU
support.
The  2018–2020  Multiannual  Indicative  Programme  was  approved  for  IcSP  Article  4  (to  support
conflict prevention, peacebuilding and crisis preparedness capacities globally) and Article 5 (to assist
in addressing global, trans-regional and emerging threats). Thus, several projects were launched to
strengthen the resilience of communities and governments against violent extremism and terrorist
attacks,  including  actions  on  anti-money  laundering  and  counterterrorist  financing.  Interregional
cooperation  and  countries’  capabilities  to  prevent  and  manage  incidents  involving  chemical,
biological, radiological and nuclear defence and explosive agents were also strengthened.
1.1.6.  Crisis response and preparedness
Throughout 2018, the IcSP remained a key tool for EU diplomacy in crisis contexts and in its quest for
stability,  conflict  prevention  and  resolution,  and  peacebuilding.  All  42  new  crisis  response  actions
adopted responded directly to EU political priorities.
Commitments under the crisis response component of the IcSP amounted to EUR 254.1 million – a
55 %  increase  compared  to  2017.  Under  the  Annual  Action  Plan  for  conflict  prevention,
peacebuilding  and  crisis  preparedness,  EUR 33.7  million  were  committed  to  longer-term
interventions.  This  component  of  the  IcSP  allowed  for  targeted  support  related  to  all  major  crises
worldwide, including ongoing activities in 14 out of 16 countries listed as the ‘least peaceful’ of 2018
according to the Global Peace Index (14): Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic
of  Congo,  Iraq,  Libya,  Nigeria,  Pakistan,  Somalia,  South  Sudan,  Sudan,  Syria,  Turkey,  Ukraine  and
Yemen.
The 2018 Annual Action Programme also consolidated IcSP support to civil society in third countries
to  prevent  conflicts  and  build  peace  while  contributing  to  inclusive  peace  mediation  and  dialogue
processes  at  local,  regional  and  international  levels.  While  many  of  the  IcSP  actions  take  place  in

14  Global  Peace  Index  2018,  Institute  for  Economics  and  Peace:  North  Korea  and  Russia  are  the  only  two  ‘least  peaceful’  countries  not
covered by the IcSP crisis response component.
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areas  suffering  from  prolonged  conflicts,  as  outlined  above,  some  address  challenges  in  different
contexts, such as in Lesotho, Madagascar, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Crisis response actions adopted in 2018 included the first specific mine intervention in north-eastern
Syria  in  areas  liberated  from Da’esh  by  the  Global  Coalition; considerable engagement  to  advance
peace negotiations and support stabilisation actions in Central African Republic; continued support
to  the  Organization  for  Security  and  Co-operation  in  Europe’s  (OSCE’s)  Special  Monitoring
Mechanism; innovative action on cybersecurity in connection with Ukrainian elections; and support
related to the crisis in Venezuela, including help to neighbouring countries receiving refugees.
In addition, newly adopted actions in Central African Republic, Mali and Somalia, as well as ongoing
programmes  in  Afghanistan,  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina,  Georgia,  Kosovo (15),  Niger  and  Ukraine,
directly complement the work of CSDP missions, thereby contributing to the implementation of the
EU Integrated Approach in response to conflicts and crises. Furthermore, 2018 was the first year of
implementation of CBSD actions following the 2017 amendment to the IcSP regulation. So far, five
CBSD  actions  have  been  launched  in  four  countries  (Central  African  Republic,  Lebanon,  Mali  and
Somalia) under Article 3, and one action has been adopted under Article 4 to build regional centres
for training in the areas of health, mine clearance or civil protection for military actors.
Work to coordinate international efforts in conflict and post-conflict settings continued with the UN
and  other  international  organisations,  notably  the  World  Bank.  Initiatives  to  contribute  to
peacebuilding  and  stabilisation  efforts  in  fragile  mineral-rich  areas  (e.g.  by  promoting  responsible
sourcing and trading of gold and diamonds in West Africa and Central Africa) have continued: the EU
used  its  rotating  presidency of the  Kimberley Process  to  attract  additional  attention.  New  support
has also been identified in the area of transitional justice, where  a new expert facility will provide
fast and reliable access to experts and advisers for deployment in third countries.
1.1.7.  Making a difference: New instruments and aid modalities
In  order  to  finance  the  SDGs  and  respond  to  an  increasingly  complex  world,  development  finance
needs to rely on a combination of funding sources. To increase the impact of ODA, public and private
funds  must  be  leveraged  as  efficiently  as  possible.  The  EU  must  be  ready  to  adapt  and  further
develop its financial instruments and policy tools for investments outside the EU if it is to deliver on
its ambitious commitments to sustainable development.
To  this  end,  in  2017  the  European  Commission  developed  the  EIP,  a  new  EU  initiative  offering  an
innovative  way  to  attract  more  investment,  in  particular  from  businesses  and private  investors,  to
countries in Africa and the EU Neighbourhood. At the core of EIP, the European Fund for Sustainable
Development (EFSD) combines a new guarantee instrument (total EUR 1.54 billion) with two regional
investment  platforms  (the  Africa  Investment  Platform  (AIP)  and  the  Neighbourhood  Investment
Platform,  NIP),  which  together  account  for  EUR 2.6  billion,  by  blending  EU  financial  support  with
loans  and  equity  from  eligible  institutions  that  finance  and  manage  development  projects  in
countries outside the EU.

15  This  designation  is  without  prejudice  to  positions  on  status  and  is  in  line  with  UN  Security  Council  Resolution  1244  (1999)  and  the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
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The  EFSD  guarantee  aims  to  support  investments  in  less  developed  and  more  risky  countries  in
Africa  and  the  European  Neighbourhood  by  attracting  private  sector  players  into  sectors  in  which
they do not traditionally get involved. Under the EFSD guarantee, the Commission provides partial
guarantees  to  eligible  financiers,  who  pass  on  the  benefits  of  the  guarantee  to  investment
operations – directly or via local private banks, investment funds or microcredit institutions – to the
end borrowers, such as MSMEs, through a wide range of financial instruments. These may include
loans (including local currency loans), guarantees, counter-guarantees, capital market instruments,
any  other  form  of  funding  or  credit  enhancement,  insurance  and  equity  or  quasi-equity
arrangements.
As  of  31  December  2018,  28  guarantees  have  been  validated  via  the  EFSD,  mobilising  EUR 1.54
billion  from  the  initial  guarantee  of  the  EIP,  with  the  expectation  of  unlocking  EUR 17.5  billion  in
total investments in areas such as access to finance for MSMEs, energy and connectivity, agriculture,
cities and digital.
The  EU  blending  allocated  for  51  projects  in  sub-Saharan  Africa  is  expected  to  leverage  nearly
EUR 10  billion  in  sustainable  investment  and  around  EUR 9.5  billion  for  43  projects  in  the
Neighbourhood.
Overall,  programmes  and  projects  approved  by  the  EFSD  by  the  end  of  2018  are  expected  to
mobilise around EUR 37 billion in investment, bringing the EU close to its target of unlocking EUR 44
billion by 2020.
The  first  guarantee  agreement  was  signed  in  December  2018  with  the  Dutch  Development  Bank
(FMO) for the ‘Nasira’ Risk-Sharing Facility. As a result, the EU will extend to FMO a guarantee of up
to  EUR 75  million  for  its  proposal.  This  will  enable  FMO  to  mobilise  investment  of  around  EUR 1
billion  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  migrants,  displaced  people  and  refugees,  and  youth,  women
and  underserved  entrepreneurs  in  particular.  The  aim  of  the  facility  is  to  create  or  support  up  to
800 000 jobs in partner countries.
Another of the guarantees will enable the French Development Agency (AFD) to provide affordable
and  sustainable  credit  to  financially  underserved  producers  and  rural MSMEs. Projects  enabled  by
the  guarantee  will  lead  to  greater  financial  inclusion  of  rural  populations  while  promoting
environmentally  responsible  practices  (i.e.  climate-smart  agriculture).  These  projects  will  also  help
transform  partner  financial  institutions,  improving  their  technical  skills  and  the  range  of  financial
products available. The AFD estimates that the resulting projects will help to create or maintain at
least  750 000  jobs  and  improve  access  to  finance  for  around  400 000  people  and  agribusinesses,
especially in the least developed and highly indebted countries.
1.1.8.  Human rights and democracy
The 2030 Agenda  reflects a human-rights-based vision, which is fully consistent with the EU policy
framework (16).  While  several  SDGs  make  an  explicit  link  between  development  and  human  rights
and democracy (in particular SDG 5, SDG 10 and SDG 16), all are underpinned by human rights.

16 Promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms is a key EU foreign policy objective as stipulated in the EU Treaty (Articles 2 and 21
of the Treaty on the EU (TEU)).
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

The  year  2018  marked  the  70th  anniversary  of  the  Universal  Declaration  of  Human  Rights.  In  this
landmark  year,  the  EU  reaffirmed  its  support  to  human  rights,  democracy  and  good  governance
throughout  its  financial  instruments,  both  by  reinforcing  the  rights-based  approach  to  promote
human  rights  and  democracy  in  development  cooperation  –  as  a  result  of  its  underpinning  in  the
new  European  Consensus  on  Development  –  and  by  dedicated  support  to  human  rights  and
democracy worldwide.
Against a backdrop of increased attacks on human rights and human rights defenders, protection of
human rights defenders and support of civil society were emphasised, including enabling space for
action (e.g. freedom of association and assembly, freedom of expression). In October 2018, the EU
supported  the  Human  Rights  Defenders  World  Summit,  bringing  together  over  150  human  rights
defenders in Paris, and reaffirmed its strong commitment to protect them worldwide. Through the
European  Instrument  for  Democracy  and  Human  Rights  (EIDHR)  alone,  more  than  1 300  human
rights  defenders  under  threat  received  assistance  from  emergency funds.  Furthermore,  the  EIDHR
reinforced  its  emergency  facility  for  civil  society  with  an  additional  contribution  of  EUR 3.5
million (17), and more than 250 new civil society human rights/democracy initiatives were supported
worldwide (EUR 100 million). Special attention was given to some of the most difficult human rights
issues,  for example,  in  the  context  of  ‘land-grabbing’  and  climate  change,  extrajudicial  killings  and
disappearances,  forced  labour  and  modern  slavery,  and  freedom  of  religion  and  belief
(approximately  EUR 20  million).  The  European  Endowment  for  Democracy,  with  renewed  financial
support from the EU, further extended its operations in the Neighbourhood, Turkey and the Western
Balkans, with 103 new initiatives funded in 2018 in support of civil society, independent media and
democracy activists.
Against  a  backdrop of  continuing  challenges  to  global  democracy,  the  EU  continues  to  reaffirm  its
commitment to democratic processes, launching programmes totalling more than EUR 41.7 million
in  some  30  countries  in  2018.  These  programmes  aim  to  support  the  electoral  process  and
institutions, parliaments, political parties, civil society and wider democratic governance. The EU also
deployed 9 fully fledged Election Observation Missions (EOMs), 10 Electoral Expert Missions (EEM)
and  4  follow-up  missions  in  2018.  EEMs  aim  to  ensure  that  follow-up  work  focuses  on  the  EOM
recommendations  for  the  improvement  of  electoral  processes  and  thus  they  are  increasingly
important in the context of results-oriented management.
The launch of the pilot programme ‘INTER PARES’ (EUR 5 million) in 2018 aims to build capacity of
partner country parliaments through peer-to-peer exchanges with EU Member State parliaments. In
addition, the largest share of budget support – which represents 40 % of EU bilateral cooperation –
goes  to  governance,  providing  an  essential  opportunity  to  reinforce  dialogue  in  support  of
democracy, justice reforms and the rule of law. Moreover, in 2018, the EIDHR included for the first
time  a  specific  amount  (EUR 5  million)  to  leverage  digital  technologies  in  support  of  global
democracy via civic activism and participation.
In  2018, the  EU  also  reinforced  its  commitment  to counter violence  against  women  and  girls. The
Spotlight  Initiative  –  a  EUR 500  million EU–UN  strategic  partnership  –  gained momentum  with  the
commitment of an initial EUR 320 million to eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls
in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

17 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sectors/human-rights-and-governance/democracy-and-human-rights/human-rights-defenders_en.
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

1.2.
Fostering sustainable development
1.2.1.  Implementing the 2030 Agenda comprehensively and coherently
The 2017 European Consensus on Development aligns the EU with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and the SDGs, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for development and the
Paris Agreement on climate change. The Consensus is set out in the framework of EU external action
provided by the Treaty on the European Union (Article 21 on external action) and the Treaty on the
Functioning  of  the  European  Union  (Articles  208–211  on  development)  and  in  the  EU  Global
Strategy.  The  Enlargement  and  revised  European  Neighbourhood  Policies  also  contribute  to
achieving the SDGs.
It  is  in  the  EU’s  interest  to  play  a  leading  role  globally  in  the  implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda
through its external action – doing so will foster a stronger and more sustainable, inclusive, secure
and  prosperous  Europe.  The  EU’s  robust  commitment  to  the  SDGs  signals  its  support  of
multilateralism.
National  governments  are  responsible  for  implementing  the  2030  Agenda.  However,  the  EU  will
continue  to  engage  actively  with  partner  countries  through  policy  dialogues  based  on  the  SDGs,
making use of national development plans and voluntary national reviews of SDGs.
This goes hand in hand with the EU objective to promote joint programming with the Member States
and  enhance  cooperation  with  the  UN.  In  accordance  with  the  Consensus,  the  Commission  is
continuously  updating  reporting  systems  for  consistency  with  the  2030  Agenda’s  follow-up
processes  and indicators and is working closely with Member States for greater impact  at country
level – through joint programming, joint implementation and joint results frameworks – in line with
the  ‘Working  better  together’  commitment.  The  Commission  also  played  a  key  role  in  forging  the
renewed Partnership in Development between the EU and the UN, adopted in September 2018, in
support of accelerated SDG implementation at country level.
In response to the 2030 Agenda, the EU has revised its International Cooperation and Development
Results  Framework  and  will  report  on  this  annually.  To  assess  progress  in  partner  countries,  the
indicators for this revised framework have been based, where possible, on the internationally agreed
indicators for the SDGs.
SDGs  are  also  reflected  in  major  initiatives  such  as  the  proposal  for  a  new  external  financing
instrument – the NDICI – and the EU’s new partnerships with Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific,
that will succeed the Cotonou Agreement after 2020 and should work towards fulfilling the SDGs.
Getting  the  private  sector  fully  on  board  and  boosting  sustainable  investment  beyond  the  EU’s
borders remains a priority. The European EIP, an important initiative designed to contribute to the
achievement of the SDGs, ensures an integrated approach to boosting investments in Africa and in
the  European Neighbourhood with a focus on conﬂict-  and violence-aﬀected and fragile  countries,
landlocked countries and the least developed countries (LDCs) that are in greatest need.
1.2.2.  The means of implementation of the new agenda
In line with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the EU has a comprehensive and integrated approach to
mobilising  financing  from  all  available  sources  (public  and  private,  domestic  and  international)  as
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well as promoting other means of implementation, including the establishment of good policies and
policy coherence for development, which are needed to fulfil the SDGs.
In  2018  the  Commission  published  its  report  ‘Investing  in  sustainable  development’,  in  which  it
presented progress made by the EU and the Member States towards meeting the commitments of
the Addis Ababa Action Agenda between 2015 and 2017. Presented by Commissioner Mimica at the
2018  UN  Financing  for  Development  Forum,  the  overall  message  of  the  report  is  that  the  EU  is
collectively on  track  to meet most  of the  commitments  by  2030  if  current  efforts  are maintained.
While the 2018 figures show that the EU and its Member States remain the world’s largest providers
of ODA, more effort needs to be made in some areas, notably providing ODA to the LDCs.
Budget support is central to the EU’s international cooperation policy: it accounts for around 40 % of
EU  bilateral  assistance  and  is  used  in  91  countries  or  territories;  it  provides  a  platform  for  policy
dialogue  and  creates  synergies  with  other  aid  modalities;  it  contributes  to  strengthening  country
systems and budget processes in the context of SDG implementation; and it offers additional fiscal
space for necessary actions or reforms, rewarding performance when results are met. Investments,
blending or guarantees are supported by budget support contracts, which strengthen the economic
framework.
Other EU achievements in 2018 include bringing together aid, investment, trade, domestic resource
mobilisation and policies designed to unlock the full potential of all financial flows. Through the EIP,
the EU encourages investments in partner countries in Africa and the EU Neighbourhood region. The
EIP is expected to leverage at least EUR 44 billion in investment in sustainable development in Africa
and  the  countries  neighbouring  the  EU  by  2020.  With  the  establishment  of  the  EFSD,  a  key
innovation  is  the  increased  importance  of  investments  underwritten  by  a  new  External  Action
Guarantee.  The  EU  allocated  the  entire  EUR 1.54  billion  guarantee  of  the  EFSD  to 28  projects  and
signed the first guarantee agreement for a project designed to unlock financing for entrepreneurs in
sub-Saharan  Africa  and  the  EU  Neighbourhood.  The  EU  also  allocated  EUR 2.2  billion  to  blending
operations  in  an  effort  to  leverage  other  sources  of  public  and  private  finance.  Through  these
instruments,  the  EU  supports  actions  to  prevent  climate  change  and  promote  the  social  and
economic empowerment of women.
Given  the  importance  of  the  private  sector  as  a  contributor  to  inclusive  growth  and  creation  of
decent  jobs,  the  EU  has  taken  measures  to  promote  local  PSD  in  partner  countries.  Through
assistance  for  investment  climate  reforms,  lending  and  venture  capital  facilities  and  technical
assistance  to  businesses  (including  MSMEs),  the  EU  is  promoting  attractive  policy  environments.
Moreover,  support  for  mobilisation of  domestic  resources  is  helping  to  improve  the transparency,
fairness, effectiveness and efficiency of tax systems in partner countries.
The  EU  is  helping  partner  countries  make  the  most  of  the  diverse  financing  sources  available  to
support SDG implementation (including Development Finance Assessments). It is also facilitating the
process  of  ODA  modernisation  and  the  development  of  the  Total  Official  Support  for  Sustainable
Development  (TOSSD)  statistical measure  to  help  identify  available means of  implementation  (e.g.
investment,  private  mobilised  resources,  South–South  and  triangular  cooperation  and  financial
flows) for emerging donors. An international task force co-chaired by the European Commission has
advanced the drafting of reporting instructions for the TOSSD.
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1.2.3.  Working better together with Member States
Working  better  together  for  the  SDGs  is  about  the  EU  developing  a  European  approach  for
development  cooperation in  a  partner  country  that adds  value  to  collective  bilateral  development
cooperation,  both  in  terms  of  policy  dialogue  and  technical  and  financial  support.  The  key
components  that  strengthen  this  framework  are  joint  programming,  joint  results  frameworks  and
joint implementation.
By  December  2018 there were  23  Joint  Programming  Documents  in  place  globally,  and  intensified
efforts to reach the same level of commitment were underway in another 17 partner countries. To
further support and facilitate joint programming, the EU Joint Programming Guidance was published
in 2018, providing a basis for training EU staff. Work was undertaken during the year to document
current experiences and practices as well as to provide recommendations on joint programming in
conflict-affected and fragile states, joint programming in support of the SDGs and use of joint results
frameworks.  These  efforts  were  further  complemented  by  production  of  joint  programming  case
studies,  stories  and videos from the  field. The Global Learning Event on Joint Programming, which
shared knowledge among practitioners, and a joint mission by the EU and Member States to Mali,
also  signalled  closer  European  collaboration  in  development  cooperation  and  external  actions.
Cooperation  between  the  EU  and  the  Practitioners’  Network  for  European  Development
Cooperation continued with a focus on the efficiency and effectiveness of joint implementation. Also
in 2018, Joint Programming Documents were launched in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya and Senegal.
1.2.4.  Policy Coherence for Development
In  all  the  policies  that  it  implements,  the  EU  is  committed  to  embracing  the  objectives  of
development cooperation likely to affect developing countries. This is known as Policy Coherence for
Development (PCD) and is enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Through this commitment, the EU aims to minimise contradiction, build synergy among its different
policies  to  the  benefit  of  partner  countries  and  increase  the  effectiveness  of  development
cooperation.
As highlighted in the 2017 European Consensus on Development, PCD is an important contribution
to the achievement of SDGs by partner countries and to the broader objective of policy coherence
for sustainable development.
Given  that  implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda  requires  a  whole-government  approach  and
coordination efforts at all levels, work on PCD has been integrated into the Commission’s work on
implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda  across  all  its  policies.  PCD  is  an  important  interface  between
internal and external implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
To reflect this new approach, the Commission adapted its reporting on PCD by integrating it into the
overall EU reporting on the SDGs. In 2018, the Commission collected input from Member States and
started  drafting  the  2019  EU  report  on  PCD.  In  addition,  the  scope  of  PCD  has  been  broadened
beyond  the  traditional  five  strategic  challenges  (trade  and  finance,  climate  change,  food  security,
migration  and  security)  to  reflect  the  new  dynamics  of  the  SDGs  and  the  requirements  of  the
Consensus.
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The  Commission  promoted  PCD  in  this  new  policy  framework  internally  and  with  Member  States,
the European Parliament and civil society.
Reporting from EU delegations on PCD issues was further reinforced to get better evidence on the
impact of EU policies in partner countries.
Work  on  the  strategic  evaluation  of  PCD,  covering  the  period  2009–2016,  started  in  2016.  The
Commission  took  account  of  the  external  evaluation  and  prepared  a  Staff  Working  Document  to
present its conclusions.
1.2.5.  Development effectiveness
The  EU,  along  with  its  Member  States,  is  actively  engaged  in  improving  aid  and  development
effectiveness.  It  adheres  to  the  commitments  of  successive  high-level  forums  on  aid  development
expressed  in  various  declarations,  the  last  one  being  the  Nairobi  Outcome  Document  from  the
second High-Level Meeting of the Global Partnership in 2016.
In  the  new  European  Consensus  on  Development,  the  EU  and  its  Member  States  reaffirm  their
commitment  to apply  the key principles of development effectiveness: ownership of development
priorities  by  partner  countries;  focus  on  results,  transparency  and  accountability;  and  inclusive
development partnerships. The EU coordinates and supports Member States in the implementation
of these principles, promoting a European approach that allows common positions and practices to
be developed in light of the 2030 Agenda.
In  particular,  the  Commission  has  contributed  in  the  areas  of  implementing  and  enhancing
development  effectiveness  at  country  level.  The  Commission  supports  the  Global  Partnership  for
Effective  Development  Cooperation  (GPEDC)  goals  and  actively  promotes  the  application  of
development effectiveness principles across all development cooperation and aid modalities.
The Commission also directly contributes to, discusses and promotes use of the evidence generated
by the GPEDC Progress Reports (2016 and 2018). The reports are used to monitor implementation of
the  development  effectiveness  principles  through  country-led  and  country-based  processes,  as  a
tool for mutual accountability.
The  Commission  also  launched  studies  to  explore  how  to  improve  access  to  procurement  by  local
contractors, support the use of country systems and increase the impact on results of development
effectiveness  principles.  In  addition,  following  discussions  among  Development  Assistance
Committee  (DAC)  members,  a  revised  DAC  Recommendation  on  Untying  ODA  was  approved,
resulting in wider coverage of eligible countries.
1.3.
Working together towards the SDGs – policy level
1.3.1.  SDG 1 No poverty
Introduction
The  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable  Development,  with  the  17  SDGs  at  its  core,  is  the  principal
international blueprint for poverty eradication and sustainable development.
The  primary  objective  of  the  new  European  Consensus  on  Development  is  poverty  reduction.  EU
work across the SDGs contributes to eradicating poverty in all its dimensions. It requires an approach
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that addresses the related issues of inequality, exclusion and discrimination and has a special focus
on the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society: growth must be inclusive and sustainable.
Tackling poverty in all its dimensions requires actions on all fronts (including education, health, social
protection,  gender  equality,  strengthening  resilience,  etc.).  To  reduce  economic  and  social
inequalities, the EU supports development of policies that seek to maximise positive social outcomes
and  impacts.  In  this  context,  domestic  resource  mobilisation  is  seen  as  key  to  ensuring  long-term
inclusive growth, poverty eradication and sustainable development.
The  links  between  poverty,  conflict,  fragility  and  forced  displacement  are  also  addressed  in  a
comprehensive manner. This requires merging actions on human rights,  food security, rule of law,
good governance, environmental degradation, displacement, peace, security, etc. While the focus is
kept on poverty eradication, the  Consensus commits to a comprehensive approach to conflict  and
crises. The EU tackles extreme poverty in fragile situations through its conflict early warning system
and better use of transition strategies that recognise the nexus between sustainable development,
humanitarian action, peace and security.
Ultimately,  all  development  cooperation  initiatives  are  designed  to  contribute  to  the  overarching
SDG 1. Poverty eradication is considered to be the result of many interacting activities.
Overview and trends
The reduction in extreme poverty is one of the global success stories of the past 30 years. However,
significant  areas of  extreme  poverty  remain.  The  number of  people  living  on  less  than  USD 1.90 a
day  has  fallen  to  a  record  low  of  about  655  million  (around  9 %  of  the  world’s  population),  but
without significant shifts in policy, there will still be about 480 million people (approximately 6 % of
the world’s population) in extreme poverty in 2030. In 2030, poverty is expected to be concentrated
in the LDCs and conflict-affected countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty is not just an
issue  for  developing  countries  –  in  2018,  6.2 %  of  Europeans  were  suffering  severe  material
deprivation.
In the context of the new European Consensus on Development, the EU is committed to allocating at
least 20 % of its ODA to social inclusion and human development. Given the expected concentration
by  2030  of  extremely  poor  people  in  fragile  and  conflict-affected  regions,  the  EU  continues  to
strengthen ways to address the needs of the poor in those regions.
Although  poverty  has  reduced,  the  related  challenge  of  inequality  within  countries  has  increased
almost everywhere. Of the 10 most unequal countries in the world, 7 are in sub-Saharan Africa.
The  EU  attaches  great  importance  to  the  link  between  humanitarian  aid  –  as  a  rapid  response
measure in crisis situations – and more medium- and long-term development action. More than 68
million  people  were  forcibly  displaced  in  2018,  and  most  of  them  were  hosted  in  developing
countries with limited resources. Protracted displacement – that is, lasting five or more years – has
become the norm. Forcibly displaced people rely for years on humanitarian assistance despite this
not  being  designed  to  cater  for  long-term  displacement.  Throughout  2018,  the  EU  continued  to
prevent  forced  displacement  from  becoming  protracted  and  to  gradually  end  dependence  on
humanitarian  assistance  in  existing  displacement  situations  by  fostering  self-reliance  and  enabling
the displaced to live in dignity.
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At  policy  level,  the  EU  actively  contributed  to  the  process  that  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  Global
Compact on Refugees and the Global Compact for Migration by the end of 2018.
Case studies
The EU’s use of budget support to eradicate poverty
The  EU  implements  some  270  budget  support  programmes  in  90  countries  or  territories.  These  are  fully
aligned with partner countries’ own development policies, priorities, objectives and country systems in the
context of SDG implementation. Since 2003, EU budget support beneficiaries have achieved strong gains in
terms of reducing extreme poverty. Some budget support programmes directly support national strategies
for development and poverty reduction, aimed at tackling various root causes of poverty; others contribute
to the implementation of specific policies in given sectors. Also in this context, the EU policy dialogue and
performance  monitoring  pays  particular  attention  to  pro-poor  measures  advocating  for  policies  that  are
inclusive  in  their  design  and  effectively  address  social  or  geographic  disparities,  including  fiscal  and  tax
policies. Moreover, EU budget  support  increasingly  focuses on low-income countries (18). In 2017, 37 % of
total commitments were allocated to low-income countries compared to 26 % in 2014. This includes helping
fragile states to rebuild basic state functions and to improve their resilience.


18 The World Bank assigns the world’s economies into four income groups – low, lower-middle, upper-middle and high – based on GNI per
capita calculated using the Atlas method. The unit for this measure is current US dollars. New thresholds are determined at the start of the
Bank’s fiscal year in July and remain fixed for 12 months, regardless of subsequent revisions to estimates. From 1 July 2018, the thresholds
for classification by income were: less than 995 (low); 996 to 3 895 (lower-middle); 3 896 to 12 055 (upper-middle); over 12 055 (high).
Source: https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/new-country-classifications-income-level-2018-2019.
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European Commission, OECD, Finland and Germany: EU Social Protection Systems Programme
Launched in January 2015 and co-financed by the European Commission, the OECD and the governments of
Finland and Germany, this is a four-year programme supporting 10 low- and middle-income partner country
governments  and  national  expert  institutions  in  their  efforts  to  develop  comprehensive  social  protection
systems  comprising  social  assistance,  social  insurance,  active  labour  market  measures  and  access  to
essential social services and care. Partner countries include Cambodia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic,
Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Togo, Vietnam and Zambia. Joining forces with international organisations
already working  with the governments in these  countries  was  central to the EU Social  Protection Systems
Programme Strategy.
The programme provides support through a combination of:
•  country-driven  technical  assessments;  for  example,  systemic  capacity  assessment  and
development;
•  development  of  country-specific  analytical  tools  to  assess  the  current  status  and  potential
pathways for the social protection system;
•  strengthening capacity for policymakers and practitioners.
One of the aims of the programme is generating evidence-based knowledge, for future EU cooperation and
for  use  by  other  development  partners,  on  the  effectiveness  of  social  protection  in  reducing  poverty  and
vulnerability, addressing inequality and promoting social cohesion.

1.3.2.  SDG 2 Zero hunger
Introduction
As of December 2018, if current  trends continue,  SDG 2 is unlikely to be  achieved by 2030. World
hunger  and  food  insecurity  have  been  on  the  rise  in  the  past  few  years,  following  earlier
improvements.  This  increase  can  largely  be  attributed  to  conflicts,  natural  disasters  and  climate
change. According to the 2018 Global Report on Food Crises, 821 million people were suffering from
hunger  and  malnutrition  and  more  than  124  million  people  in  51  countries  were  in  food  crisis
situations. The EU and its Member States have been working with partners to address hunger in all
its  forms,  including  by  promoting  sustainable  and  resilient  agriculture.  Agriculture  and  rural
development can be powerful drivers of growth, job creation and poverty reduction and therefore
contribute to other SDG targets as well.
Overview and trends
Support for growth of sustainable agricultural includes initiatives focused on scaling up research and
innovation.  The  Development  Smart  Innovation  through  Research  in  Agriculture  (Desira)  initiative,
launched  at  the  One  Planet  Summit  in  December  2017,  has  regenerated  momentum  following
consensus over the benefits of boosting climate-relevant research and innovation in agriculture. The
EU  continues  its  support  in  2018  both  by  providing  a  platform  and  by  mobilising  around  EUR 140
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million to stimulate innovation at country, regional and global levels to transform agriculture in rural
areas.
New  activities  were  developed  in  2018  regarding  agro-ecological  intensification  and  agroforestry,
livestock,  water  management  in  farming  systems,  pest  and  disease  surveillance,  carbon
sequestration  and  agriculture  knowledge  and  innovation  systems  in  more  than  20  countries.  In
September, the EU hosted a conference together with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
and  the  World  Organisation  for  Animal  Health  (OIE)  to  help  eradicate  a  virus  that  kills  millions  of
sheep  and  goats  each  year.  At  the  conference,  over  45  countries  renewed  their  commitment  to
globally  eradicate  peste  des  petits  ruminants  by  2030.  In  2018,  the  Partnership  for  Research  and
Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) started its operations to develop innovative solutions
for the sustainable management  of water and agro-food systems, with the support of the  EU, the
Member States and key Mediterranean partner countries. The Horizon 2020 framework programme
contributed EUR 220 million.
Building resilience has been a key component of EU support for agriculture and food and nutrition
security.  In  September,  the  EU  heralded  this  approach  at  the  UN General  Assembly  with  a  signing
ceremony to support the work of the Global Network against Food Crises. Having spearheaded the
Global Report  in 2016, the EU,  together with the FAO, the World Food Programme  and additional
partners,  produced  the 2018  Global  Report  on  Food Crises.  Based  on  this  report,  and  through  the
EU’s  flagship  resilience  initiative  PRO-ACT  (Pro-Resilience  Action),  EU  involvement  in  18  countries
will support resilience building in tandem with humanitarian responses.
The EU plays a key role in supporting investments in agriculture and agri-food systems and making
sure that these are administered responsibly, that issues such as land governance receive sufficient
attention  and  that  farmer  organisations  receive  due  support.  As  of  31  December  2018,  the  EU
supports land governance actions in about 40 countries and contributes to secure access and use of
land  for  men  and  women,  which  is  crucial  for  sustainable  development,  food  security  and  an
inclusive  and  vibrant  agricultural  sector.  By  the  end  of  2018,  on  top  of  grants,  a  further  EUR 215
million  had  been  provided  to  leverage  additional  private  funding  and  support  investments  for
MSMEs.
In October, the EU published its ‘Progress report on the Commission’s action plan on nutrition’. The
EU  is  on  track  to  fulfil  its  two  commitments.  It  has  already  allocated  71 %  of  the  EUR 3.5  billion
target,  as  a  result  of  which  4.7  million  children  will  have  been  averted  from  stunting  by  2025.
Despite this being more than double the 2017 calculation of 2 million, 151 million children under the
age of 5 will continue to suffer from stunting.
In  the  third  biennial  report,  ‘Implementing  EU  food  and  nutrition  security  policy  commitments’,
published  in  October  2018,  EU  donors’  overall  alignment  with  EU  policy  priorities  is  analysed
according  to  two  themes  in  particular:  climate-resilient  approaches  and  nutrition-sensitive
agricultural  practices.  The  report  shows  that  annual  financial  contributions  from  the  EU  and  its
Member  States  to  food  and  nutrition  security  increased  to EUR 4.2  billion  –  an  increase of  14.7 %
since  2014  and  24.8 %  since  2012.  Genuine  efforts  are  made  to  ensure  that  support  is  climate-
sensitive (over 43 % promotes climate change adaptation) and gender-sensitive (over 57 % promotes
gender equality and women’s empowerment).
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Following  publication  of  that  report,  the  Council  adopted  important  conclusions  in  ‘Strengthening
global  food  and  nutrition  security’  (14554/2018).  Adopted  in  November  2018, they  call on  the  EU
and  its  Member  States  to  continue  collaborating  to  improve  the  coherence  and  effectiveness  of
development cooperation.
Another  important  achievement  was  the  International  Fund  for  Agricultural  Development’s  (IFAD)
release  of  the  ABC  Fund  as  a  private  impact  investment  fund  with  support  from  the  EU  (EUR 45
million).
Case studies
Empowering women and strengthening resilience
The  ‘Resilience  building  and  creation  of  economic  opportunities  in  Ethiopia  (RESET  II)’  programme  is  a
Commission services’ initiative that aims to address the root causes of displacement and irregular migration
in  eight  drought-prone  areas  of  the  country.  With  a  budget  of  EUR 48.3  million  from  the  EU  Trust  Fund
(EUTF)  and  Austria  and  the  Netherlands,  the  programme  is  implemented  by  eight  consortia  of  around  30
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) coordinating closely with federal and local government institutions
for the period 2016–2020.
Although the central role of women in resilience building is widely recognised, a strong gender dimension
has been lacking, prompting technical support from Commission services to strengthen the gender focus of
RESET II. Activities have included fieldwork in two clusters, each incorporating a self-assessment survey of
gender-responsiveness,  and  participation  in  an  experience-sharing  workshop  organised  by  the  EU
delegation.
Gender transformative approaches include: activities to promote positive behaviour change; engaging with
men and women on nutrition training, family planning and gender-based violence; and supporting women
in leadership to act as role models for others. Implementing partners are confident that these initiatives are
having  a  positive  impact  on  women’s  empowerment  and  resilience.  Beneficiaries  cite  more  opportunities
for women to engage in income-generating activities, increasing their voice in decision-making (inside and
outside the home),  more positive attitudes towards supporting girls in school and greater harmony in the
home.

Diversifying diets and livelihoods
The  World  Agroforestry  Centre  (ICRAF)  is  a  research  centre  co-funded  by  the  EU  and  IFAD,  which  has  a
project  in  Kenya  called  the  4K  club.  Implemented  in  partnership  with  local  NGOs  in  Machakos  (100 km
south-east  of  Nairobi)  50  students  cultivate  a  diverse,  nutritious  and  healthy  food  system  in  their  school
garden.
The fruit and vegetables from the garden are used to provide healthy school meals. Clubs from surrounding
communities also participate in the project by taking saplings and seeds home for their own farms; thus the
project is helping to tackle malnutrition issues at the community level.
As of 31 December 2018, the Nutrition Food Portfolio has been developed for 16 sites across Ethiopia, Kenya
and Uganda. Participants in such projects improve their diets and can generate additional income by  selling
their produce.
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1.3.3.  SDG 3 Good health and well-being
Introduction
The  EU  supports  progress  towards  SDG 3  through  a  comprehensive  range  of  EU  instruments
(bilateral  programmes  on  health,  population,  gender  and  nutrition)  and  contributions  to  global
initiatives, UN agencies and civil society organisations (CSOs), working closely with other EU services
and  Member  States.  Effective  health  policy  and  programmes  require  complementary  work  and
progress  in  other  sectors  and  SDGs,  such  as  SDG 2  (nutrition),  SDG 4  (education),  SDG 5  (gender
equality and  women’s  empowerment)  and  SDG 10 (reducing  inequalities).  At  the  same  time,  good
health is an essential component of the human capital of each country, and hence a co-determinant
for its economic and social development. The EU and its Member States support partner countries in
pursuing  a  ‘health  in  all  policies’  approach  and  encourage  cross-sectoral  and  coordinated  efforts
aimed at effectively and sustainably improving the quality, coverage and affordability of healthcare
for all.
Overview and trends
Health aid amounts to EUR 2.6 billion in the period 2014–2020, of which 50 % is allocated to global
initiatives,  while  the  other  50 %  is  implemented  through  bilateral  and  joint  EU  actions  in  17
countries (19),  aimed  at  strengthening  country  health  systems  and  supporting  countries  to  reach
their SDG 3 targets, including universal health coverage. Many of the 43 countries that received EU
health  aid  from  previous  financial  frameworks  are still  benefiting  from  programmes  with  a  similar
objective  of  sustainably  strengthening  country  systems  and  ensuring  the  most  vulnerable  and
marginalised  population  groups  are  being  reached,  including  children  under  the  age  of  five,
adolescents and youth, and pregnant and breastfeeding women. Sexual and reproductive health and
rights  (SRHR)  are  priority  areas  for  support,  as  reflected  in  the  new  European  Consensus  on
Development and the second EU Gender Action Plan (GAP II) (2016–2020), and represent an entry
point for gender equality and the empowerment of women. An estimated 30 % of EU health aid is
spent on reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health (EUR 469 million in 2017).
Contributions  to  global  initiatives  –  e.g.  the  Global  Fund  to  Fight  AIDS,  Tuberculosis  and  Malaria
(GFATM); Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Universal Health Coverage Partnership of the World Health
Organization  (WHO);  the  United  Nations  Population  Fund  (UNFPA)  –  ensure  that  the  EU  plays  a
significant  role  in  shaping  the  international  policy  agenda.  The  Commission  has  pledged  EUR 475
million to the Global Fund for the  period 2017–2020. This represents about 5 %  of total resources
spent  and,  in  2017,  helped  put  11.5  million  people  on  life-saving  HIV  treatment,  detected  and
treated  5  million  cases  of  tuberculosis  (including  treatment  of  102  000  people  with  drug-resistant
tuberculosis), distributed 197 million mosquito nets to prevent malaria and treated 108 million cases
of  malaria (20).  The  Commission’s  support  to  Gavi  (EUR 200  million  for  2016–2020,  representing
about 2 % of total resources spent) helped to immunise 65 million children in 2017 (21). Through the

19 Afghanistan, Belize, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Grenada, Guinea Bissau,
Guinea Conakry, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, South Sudan, Tajikistan and Zimbabwe.
20 https://www.theglobalfund.org/media/7741/corporate_2018resultsreport_report_en.pdf.
21 https://www.gavi.org/progress-report/.
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Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation,  the  EU  has  supported  the  European  and
Developing  Countries  Clinical  Trials  Partnership  (EDCTP)  with  EUR 500 million  since  2003.
Furthermore, the Commission provided a grant to WHO of EUR 28 million during the period 2016–
2018  in  support  of  the  Universal  Health  Coverage  Partnership  programme.  The  programme
contributed  to  improving  donor  coordination  and  aid  effectiveness  and  to  strengthening  health
systems  in  28  partner  countries.  The  EU’s  contribution  to  the  UNFPA  Supplies  Trust  Fund  (two
grants,  totalling  EUR 45  million,  for  2016–2020)  helped  improve  access  to  SRHR,  including  family
planning  in  46  mainly  low-income  countries.  In  2017,  the  programme  reached  15  million  women
with  quality  family  planning  services.  The  contraceptives  provided  had  the  potential  to  avert  7.5
million  unintended  pregnancies,  18 000  maternal  deaths,  114 000  child  deaths  and  2.3  million
unsafe abortions (22). In November 2018 the Commissioner pledged EUR 26.5 million to the  World
Bank  Global  Financing  Facility  as  a  contribution  towards  innovative  work  aiming  to  bridge  the
financing gap and improve health outcomes for women, children and adolescents.
In the framework of enlargement negotiations, the Commission services supported countries to align
to the EU acquis communautaire and standards. Through the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA and
IPA II),  support  was  provided  to  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  to  transform  care  institutions  (EUR 1
million), to North Macedonia to analyse secondary and tertiary health system effectiveness (EUR 0.6
million) and to Montenegro for the construction of a new health facility, to support early childhood
development, to reform the national disability determination system and to purchase microbiology
equipment (EUR 8.5 million).
The EU also supported actions against global health threats, such as air pollution and antimicrobial
resistance (AMR), and strengthened preparedness and responsiveness of countries’ national health
systems against epidemics. It provides around EUR 200 million every year to support humanitarian
health  programmes.  Under  the  EU’s  Partnership  Instrument,  EUR 9  million  has  been  allocated  to
address AMR in seven Latin American countries through development of national ‘One health’ action
plans.  The  EU’s  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation,  Horizon  2020 (23),  covered
research on poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases as well as regional initiatives, such as
the second EDCTP programme (EDCTP2) (24) and other multinational initiatives. By the end of 2018,
Horizon 2020  supported  104  research  projects  worth  EUR 431 million,  and  EDCTP2  supported 125
projects  related  to  accelerating  the  development  of  medical  interventions  with  a  total  estimated
value  of  EUR 264  million.  These  included  35  multicentre  clinical  research  grants  with  a  total
estimated value of EUR 223 million. Sustained investment in clinical research capacity in sub-Saharan
Africa remains a central priority for the EDCTP, including preparedness for (re-)emerging epidemics.
The  EDCTP  also  continued  to  fund  projects  to  strengthen  ethics  reviews  and  the  regulatory
framework  for conducting clinical research, as well as  fellowships to strengthen research capacity,
promote scientific excellence and leadership. As of December 2018, 58 individual African fellowships
(39  male  and  19  female)  have  been  funded  to  promote  scientific  excellence  and  leadership,  the
Alumni  Network  platform  was  launched  and  renewed  funding  was  provided  for  four  regional
networks of excellence focused on research capacity development.

22 https://unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/UNFPA_Supplies_Annual_Report_2017_FINAL.pdf.
23 http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/legal_basis/fp/h2020-eu-establact_en.pdf.
24 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014D0556&from=EN.
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

Case studies
Progress towards universal health coverage and improved health equity in Bangladesh
The  Supporting  Public  Health  Institutes  Programme
(SPHIP)  (2015–2020)  strengthens  institutes  of  public
health  in  low-income  countries  to  assist  national
authorities  with  evidence-based  policymaking  in  key
public  health  areas.  In  Bangladesh  the  SPHIP  project  is
tackling  health  inequalities,  focusing  on  the  urban  poor.
About  one  third  of  the  urban  population  lives  in  slums,
with  poor  access  to  health  services  and  deteriorating
health and nutrition conditions.
The  Bangladeshi  International  Centre  for  Diarrhoeal
Disease Research, working closely with the Ministry of Health, collated evidence and strengthened the capacity
of decision makers to exploit the evidence to advocate for and implement policies that improve the health of
the urban poor.
Key results include:
▪  stronger public health institutions able to promote evidence-informed policymaking;
▪  increased dialogue between scientists, policymakers and the general public on urban health;
▪  formulation  and  implementation  of  new  policies  on  urban  health,  resulting  in  more  effective  and
equitable distribution of health services.
More information is available at http://www.share4health.com/.

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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

Boosting support to improve health outcomes for vulnerable women and children in northern Nigeria
Since  2013,  the  EU,  in  close  partnership  with  Unicef,
has  been  supporting  health  authorities  in  two
northern  states  with  a  EUR 30  million  programme  to
address  high  maternal,  newborn  and  child  mortality.
An  additional  EUR 50  million  (2016–2020)  extends
coverage of the programme.
Key results include:
▪  enhanced  policy  dialogue  and  strategic
planning
with
health
authorities
and
humanitarian  and  development  actors  and
A mother brings her baby for growth monitoring
establishment  of  community  accountability
Jega PHC, Kebbi State © Unicef/Nigeria/2018
platforms;
▪  strengthened community systems for management of common health conditions;
▪  improved access to quality maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition services at primary care
facility  level  through  upgrading  of  facilities  and  capacity  building  of  staff,  and  enhanced  outreach  to
communities.

1.3.4.  SDG 4 Quality education
Introduction
The  EU  continued  its  proactive  engagement  towards  achieving  SDG 4,  supporting  around  100
countries through a number of funding instruments and offering other support to global education
partnerships. For the 2014–2020 programming period, around 60 partner countries either included
education  as  a  focal  sector  in  their  Multiannual  Indicative  Programmes  or  had  cooperative
programmes  with  an  education  component.  Bilateral  support  for  education  at  country  level  is
provided  by  several  programmes  or  projects  and  implemented  through  a  mix  of  complementary
modalities.  Of  the  education  focus  programmes,  21  provide  budget  support,  which  contributes
typically  to  strengthening  education  systems  and  enabling  governments  to  achieve  their  strategic
goals.
Overview and trends
The  EU,  together  with  its  Member  States,  is  the  biggest  contributor  to  the  Global  Partnership  for
Education (GPE), which supports basic education, focusing on the poorest countries and/or those in
fragile situations. For 2018–2020, an additional EUR 100 million was pledged, on top of the EUR 375
million  for  2014–2018.  GPE’s  priority  is  to  provide  all  children  access  to  education.  Through  its
support for the GPE, the EU has contributed to the enrolment of millions more children in school.
Through the ‘Erasmus+’ programme, the EU continued to support partner countries to enhance the
employability  of  individuals  and  to  reinforce  intercultural  dialogue  and  understanding.  Between
2015 and 2017, under ‘Erasmus+’ mobility in higher education, thousands of students and university
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

staff moved between Europe and the Neighbourhood South countries (32 000); the Western Balkans
(27  000);  the  Eastern Partnership  countries  (24  000);  Asia  (18 000);  Africa  (14 000); Latin  America
and the Caribbean (5 000).
Between  2014  and  2017,  hundreds  of  scholarships  for  joint  master’s  degree  programmes  were
awarded  to:  African,  Asian  and  Latin  American  students  (2  978);  students  from  the  southern
Neighbourhood (476); students from the Eastern Partnership countries (376); and students from the
Western Balkans (295).
Furthermore,  projects  for  capacity  building  in  higher  education  were  funded  to  modernise  and
reform  higher  education  institutions,  develop  new  curricula,  and  improve  governance  and  build
relationships  between  higher  education  institutions  and  enterprises,  focusing  on:  the  southern
Neighbourhood (953); the Eastern Partnership (304);  Africa, Asia and Latin America (254); and  the
Western Balkans (68).
The  EU  also  contributes  to  Building  Resilience  in  Crises  through  Education  (BRiCE)  and  Education
Cannot  Wait  (ECW).  BRiCE  supports  access  to  quality  education  to  preschool,  primary  and  lower
secondary levels for children in fragile and crisis-affected environments in several African countries,
with  EUR 24  million  contributed  for  2018–2021.  The  ECW  fund  supports  education  in  crisis
situations. With an EU contribution of EUR 16 million, it helped to reach more than 650 000 children
during its first year of operation (2017–2018).
Harnessing  education’s  unique  transformational  potential  is  essential  for  delivering  on  the  EU’s
commitment to leave no one behind. In this context, education in emergencies remained a political
priority  for  the  EU  throughout  2018.  In  May  2018,  the  European  Commission  issued  the
Communication on Education in Emergencies and Protracted Crises for an increasingly coordinated
Humanitarian–Development  Nexus  approach  and  clear  strategic  priorities.  Besides  the  substantial
development  funding,  in  2018  EU  humanitarian  aid  has  continued  to  scale  up  its  budget  for
education  in  emergency  actions  to  8 %  of  the  humanitarian  budget,  amounting  to  over  EUR 90
million. Through this funding, the EU provided support to girls and boys of primary and secondary
school  age  in  over  30  countries.  At  the  G7  Charlevoix  Summit,  the  EU  pledged  to  invest  EUR 72
million over three years to promote equal access to quality education and learning opportunities.

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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

Case studies
European School in Tbilisi
Context
The  establishment  of  the  first  European  School  in  the  Eastern  Partnership  in  Tbilisi  is  part  of  the  broader
regional effort to address the needs of young people. It is a priority project in the context of the European
Neighbourhood  East  cooperation  which,  as  part  of  the  Eastern  Partnership  ‘20  Deliverables  for  2020’,
constitutes  a  key  element  of  the  Youth
Package
endorsed
at
the
Eastern
Partnership Summit of November 2017. The
Youth Package is designed to bring together
various actions into a  comprehensive  set of
measures addressing the educational, social
and  economic  challenges  facing  young
people in the Eastern Partnership region.
Objectives
The Youth Package aims:
▪  to support young people in improving their professional opportunities through education;
▪  to offer a high-quality secondary diploma course to pupils from Eastern Partner countries;
▪  to base the educational approach on the European School system, bringing together the excellence
of the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a focus on European studies;
▪  to promote cooperation, multicultural understanding, tolerance, fundamental values and a better
understanding of the EU and its engagement in the region.
Impact
With the support of the EU’s 28 Member States and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and
Ukraine, the Eastern Partnership European School opened its doors in September 2018 to 30 students aged
16–17 from the six Eastern Partnership countries.
These  students  passed  a  rigorous,  merit-based  selection  process  to  obtain  scholarships  for  their  diploma
studies.  They  now  have  the  opportunity  to  engage  in  European  studies  and  consider  EU  issues  in  a
multilingual and multicultural environment, through academic courses and extracurricular activities.
Since its opening in September, the school has generated a lot of interest in Georgia and elsewhere in the
region.  The  30  scholarship  students  reported  very  positive  experiences  at  the  end  of  the  first  academic
term, and as of December 2018, faculty members report that academic performance has been very high. In
addition,  24  other  students  (not  funded  by  the  EU  scholarship  programme)  chose  to  follow  a  ‘European
Studies’ focus, which is evidence of the interest in the programme itself. A new call for applications for the
2019/20 scholarships is in progress, and the intention is to increase the number of grants approved.

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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

Iraq – capacity building in primary and secondary education to improve quality and equality
Context
In Iraq, conflict and the almost tripling of the population in the last 30 years resulted in an inadequate supply
of quality education. There are also new pressures from the influx of Syrian refugees and the movement of
internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly to Kurdistan. Although the enrolment rate for primary school
is 91 %, only 44 % complete  on time, with wide discrepancies in both enrolment  and completion between
governorates, gender and urban/rural populations.
Actions
•  Implement quality assurance of schools according to defined standards with a focus on issues of
inclusion, gender and IDPs to ensure schools are able to respond to emerging needs.
•  Build capacity to enhance the curriculum.
•  Support  teacher  development  around  inclusive  pedagogies  for  excluded  groups,  and  revise  how
teachers are distributed throughout the country, with a focus on language/cultural issues.
Impacts
•  Financial aid for greater inclusion;
•  Advocacy by parents and teachers;
•  Increased parent–school dialogue.

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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

Nepal – budget support
Context
Almost  10 %  of  the  school  population  in  Nepal  —  divided  equally  between  girls  and  boys  —  still  do  not
attend  school.  A  rather  complex  mix  of  causes,  such  as  ethnicity,  poverty,  disabilities,  discrimination  and
language,  keeps  these  children  out  of  school.  The  EU  support  is  enabling  Nepal  to  make  its  schools  more
inclusive at a quicker pace.
Actions
•  The EU is supporting the government  to expand equitable access to schools and to improve the
quality, governance and resilience of the education system.
•  EU policy dialogue focuses particularly on three dimensions: early grades, disaster risk reduction
and equity.
•  Targeted interventions are being implemented in the most disadvantaged districts to reduce the
number of children not in school and to improve the learning achievements of the most vulnerable
groups.
Impact
•  Children  from  the  poorest  households,  children  with  disabilities  and  children  from  deprived
communities  will  benefit  from  the  Consolidated  Equity  Strategy,  developed  by  the  Ministry  of
Education with the support of the EU and other development partners to tackle inequality in school
education.

1.3.5.  SDG 5 Gender equality
Introduction
Gender equality and empowerment of women and girls have been core values and principles of the
EU since its foundation and key to EU development policy, as well as international relations policy,
and they feature prominently in the new European Consensus on Development as a key value and
principle  of  EU  external  action.  GAP II  identified  three  main  priority  areas:  i)  Ensuring  girls’  and
women’s  physical  and  psychological  integrity;  ii) Promoting women’s  and  girls’  socioeconomic  and
cultural  rights;  iii)  Strengthening  girls’  and  women’s  voice  and  participation  in  all  decision-making
processes, in all settings and at all levels.
Overview and trends
Commission services contributed  substantially to the operationalisation of the 2030 Agenda in the
field  of  gender  equality.  The  GAP II  implementation  is  fully  underway,  and  the  second  report
covering  2017  was  published  in  October  2018.  It  shows  progress  and  actions  taken  by  EU
delegations,  the  European  Commission  services,  European  External  Action  Service  (EEAS)  and  EU
Member  States  throughout  2017,  while  underlining  what  still  remains  to  be  achieved  in  order  to
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

attain the GAP II objectives and consequently the SDGs. The Council welcomed  this progress  in its
conclusions of 26 November 2018. The 2019 report is in preparation.
After  two  years  of  implementation,  there  is  evidence  of  enhanced  EU  political  leadership  and
management  ownership  of  the  gender  equality  priority.  The  commitment  to  mainstreaming
continues to gain traction, as seen, for example, in the use of gender analysis in the formulation of
many more actions. What is notable in the reports is that all EU services are making greater use of
gender  expertise  to  strengthen  their  actions  and  to  contribute  more  comprehensively  to  GAP II
objectives  and  gender  equality  outcomes.  The  Commission  is  progressing  towards  achieving  the
target  of  at  least  85 %  of  all  projects  promoting  gender  equality  by  2020.  For  2018,  a  significant
increase in the  number of new initiatives marked G1 or G2 is observed in the Neighbourhood and
enlargement  area  (55 %  in  2018;  53.5 %  in  2017;  46.5 %  in  2016),  while  68 %  of  new  initiatives
undertaken in the development cooperation area were marked G1 or G2 (65.9 % in 2017; 58.8 % in
2016; 51.6 % in 2015) (25).
Enhanced  political  dialogues,  including  human  rights  dialogues,  the  more  systematic  use  of  the
mainstreaming of a gender perspective  and steadily increasing financial contributions have proved
to  be  essential  for  promoting  gender  equality.  The  year  2018  was  also  marked  by  the
implementation  of  the  Spotlight  Initiative,  the  transformative  EU–UN  partnership  aiming  to
eliminate  all  forms  of  violence  against  women  and  girls  worldwide.  Launched  in  September  2017
with EUR 500 million, EUR 320 million was committed in 2018 with the remaining amount expected
to be committed in 2019.
Among the funds committed, the ‘Safe and fair’ programme (EUR 25 million, November 2017) aims
to improve the working conditions of female migrants who move from 11 ASEAN countries to Gulf
countries. A further EUR 32 million was devoted to projects dedicated to fighting against sexual and
gender-based  violence  in  the  most  remote  areas  and  in  forgotten  crises.  In  this  context,  specific
support  was  provided  to  Panzi  Hospital  and  Foundation  in  South  Kivu  (Democratic  Republic  of
Congo), managed by the Nobel Prize Laureate Dr Mukwege.
Close to EUR 45 million have been committed to fighting against femicide in Argentina, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
Eight  country  programmes  (Liberia,  Malawi,  Mali,  Mozambique,  Niger,  Nigeria,  Uganda  and
Zimbabwe)  have  been  finalised  in  sub-Saharan  Africa  (EUR 220  million)  with  the  objective  of
preventing, combating and prosecuting sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls,
including  elimination  of  harmful  practices,  such  as  child,  early  and  forced  marriage  and  female
genital mutilation. This component will also contribute to promoting, protecting and fulfilling SRHR.
In all the above-mentioned components of the Spotlight Initiative, CSOs play a key role both in the
definition of the priorities and in their implementation and monitoring. Combating violence against
women  is  also  a  priority  across  all  Neighbourhood  countries, where  the Commission  is  supporting
the signature and ratification of the Istanbul Convention. In addition, the Commission continues to
finance  manifold  projects.  For  instance,  the  project  ‘Ensuring  sustainable  democratic  governance
and  human  rights’  (EUR 3  million)  focuses  on  the  southern  Mediterranean  region.  The  project

25 G1 indicates that the initiative  is ‘gender sensitive’; G2 indicates that it is ‘supporting gender machinery’ or ‘gender transformative’.
Source: https://www.oecd.org/dac/gender-development/Handbook-OECD-DAC-Gender-Equality-Policy-Marker.pdf.
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

‘Ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey: Implementing norms, changing
minds’  (EUR  5  million),  funded  under  the  IPA II,  focuses  on  the  most  disadvantaged  groups  of
women in these regions.
The  Commission  also  continued  its  policy  dialogue  on  women’s empowerment  with  the Union  for
the  Mediterranean  (UfM).  During  the  October  2018  meeting  in  Lisbon,  the  Union  established  a
mechanism to monitor the progress made by UfM Member States towards gender equality.
Policy dialogue and technical assistance continue to bring gender equality into the Enlargement and
Neighbourhood Policy process in 2018. There are a number of projects ongoing with UN agencies to
support  education  and  women’s  employment  in,  for  example,  Egypt  and  Tunisia.  The  EU  is
supporting young Libyan entrepreneurs, in particular female and youth entrepreneurs, by providing
training  via  its  ‘Support  to  Libya  for  economic  integration,  diversification  and  sustainable
employment’. Under the EUTF in response to the Syrian crisis, the Commission in 2018 launched two
important  initiatives:  a  project  (EUR 12.5  million)  with  UN  WOMEN  to strengthen  the  resilience of
Syrian women and girls and host  communities  in Iraq, Jordan and Turkey; and a project  (EUR 12.5
million)  with  the  EuroMed  Feminist  Initiative  designed  to  reinforce  access  to  protection,
participation and services for women refugees, IDPs and host communities.
In 2018, the EU allocated nearly EUR 30 million in humanitarian aid to help fight sexual- and gender-
based violence. In line with its policy on gender in humanitarian aid (26), support includes prevention
of sexual violence and response through a comprehensive multisectoral approach including medical
care,  psychological  support,  referral  to  legal  services  and,  where  possible,  livelihood  support  or
socioeconomic assistance (27).
Furthermore, from June 2017 to December 2018, the EU led the global humanitarian initiative ‘Call
to  action  on  protection  from  gender-based  violence  in  emergencies’ (28),  bringing  together  82
partners  comprising  governments  and  donors,  international  organisations  and  NGOs.  Its  aim  is  to
drive  change  and  foster  accountability  from  the  humanitarian  system  to  address  gender-based
violence  from  the  earliest  phases  of  a  crisis.  During  its  leadership  of  the  ‘Call  to  action’,  the  EU
welcomed  18  new  members,  initiated  the  ‘Call  to  action’  in  Nigeria  and  Democratic  Republic  of
Congo (implementing partner: UNFPA), organised 10 awareness-raising workshops through its field
offices and facilitated the drafting of the 2017 Call to Action Progress Report.
The  EU  has  built  key  alliances  to  strengthen  the  voice  and  participation  of  women  at  work.  The
Partnership Instrument aims to achieve progress towards women’s economic empowerment; this
cannot come solely from public policy but must include active engagement by the corporate sector,
which makes up 90 % of global employment. Greater participation of women in the workforce will
address not only entrenched inequalities but also economic shortfalls. Advancing women’s equality
could add USD 12 trillion to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025 according to a McKinsey
study (29).

26 https://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/policies/sectoral/gender_thematic_policy_document_en.pdf.
27 https://ec.europa.eu/echo/what/humanitarian-aid/gender-sensitive-aid_en.
28 http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/thematic/call_to_action_on_protection_from_gender_based_violence_in_eme
rgencies_en.pdf.
29 https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/employment-and-growth/how-advancing-womens-equality-can-add-12-trillion-to-global-
growth
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Case studies
Partnership Instrument actions
Three  Partnership  Instrument  actions  are  working  in  synergy  to  increase  commitment  of  the  public  and
private sectors to gender equality and the empowerment of women in the world of work at all levels.
▪  ‘WE  EMPOWER  G7  countries’  facilitates  multi-stakeholder  dialogue  and  exchanges  between
companies,  governments  and  public  institutions  in  Canada,  France,  Germany,  Italy,  Japan,  the
United States and the United Kingdom.
▪  ‘WIN  WIN’  promotes  the  economic  empowerment  of  women  in  the  corporate  sector  in  Latin
America  and  the  Caribbean,  in  particular  in  Argentina,  Brazil,  Chile,  Costa  Rica,  Jamaica  and
Uruguay.
▪  ‘WE  EMPOWER  Asia’  promotes  the  economic  participation  and  empowerment  of  women  in
China,  India,  Indonesia,  Malaysia,  the  Philippines,  Thailand  and  Vietnam.  It  focuses  on  the  role
that  the  private  sector  can  play  in  partnership  with  the  public  sector  and  networks  of  women
entrepreneurs, women-owned business and associations.
Activities  include  helping  companies  develop  and  implement  corporate  policy  and  practice  by  providing
training on how to measure, monitor and report progress in women’s empowerment implementation, and
facilitating dialogues to develop tools and incentives for improving the situation of women at work.

EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis
From economic hardship to a thriving business
One  of  the  first  women’s  rights  advocates  and  entrepreneurs  from  Mafraq,  Jordan,  Asmaa  turned  her
precarious  economic  situation  into  a  profitable  business.  After  her  separation,  Asmaa  moved  back  to  her
parents’  home  with  her  sick  daughter.  There,  she  opened  a  clothes  shop  and,  thanks  to  funds  provided
through the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, Asmaa received a loan that helped her
expand  her  business.  With  the  shop’s
profits,  Asmaa  was  able  to  treat  her  sick
daughter and help her parents, relatives and
neighbours. Asmaa is now well known in the
city  for  her  women’s  rights  activism,
spreading  the  message  that  women  should
not  back  down  because  of  pressure  from
society.  She  likes  to  tell  women  to  step  up
and  work  and  is  convinced  that  this  is  the
only way to success and emancipation. This
initiative  is  one  of  many  similar  projects
funded  through  the  EU  Regional  Trust
Fund’s  ‘Leaders  project’.  As  of  December
2018,  it  has  helped  some  250 000  Syrian  and  local  community  members,  like  Asmaa,  to  become
economically self-reliant.

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1.3.6.  SDG 6 Clean water and sanitation
Introduction
Population  growth,  migration,  urbanisation,  industrialisation,  energy  demands  on  water,  climate
change,  agricultural  expansion  and  changing  consumer  patterns  are  combining  to  increase  the
pressure  on  finite  freshwater  resources,  leading  to  overuse  and  pollution  of  surface  water  and
groundwater together with forced migration and conflict over dwindling resources.
Overview and trends
While the fact that SDG 6 represents a cornerstone in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the
objectives of the new European Consensus on Development is widely recognised, according to the
2018  SDG 6  Synthesis  Report,  presented  at  the  2018  High-Level  Political  Forum  for  Sustainable
Development, the world is not on track to reach SDG 6 by 2030.
The  EU  Council  Conclusions  on  Water  Diplomacy  (November  2018)  call  upon  EU  institutions  and
Member States ‘to give the necessary consideration to the importance of water and sanitation in the
programming of future financial and technical cooperation with partner countries’ – a clear demand
to continue and strengthen EU action in this domain.
Through  its  external  instruments,  the  EU  supports  actions  on  water  and  sanitation  in  four  main
areas:
▪  investments in water and sanitation infrastructures to improve living and health conditions
for urban and rural populations, with a focus on the most vulnerable people;
▪  promotion  of  sustainable  water  management  and  good  water  governance  at  all  levels,
notably by aligning integrated water resource management with the EU Water Framework
Directive,  the  Nexus  approach  between  water–energy–food  ecosystems  and  the  accession
and implementation of the Water Convention in partner countries;
▪  support  for  river  basin  planning  and  facilitation  and  user  participation  in  decision-making
and support for establishment and functioning of water user associations;
▪  development of water-related scientific and technical knowledge as well as capacity building
for water operators, basin organisations and students, including relevant indicators and data
and improvement of water monitoring.
The  EU  is  the  biggest  donor  to  humanitarian  action  in  the  water,  sanitation  and  hygiene  sector,
allocating around EUR 200 million each year to ensure safe access to water services for populations
threatened by humanitarian crises.

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Case study
Nakuru County Sanitation Programme: How to create value out of sewage
Context
Sanitation infrastructure in the low-income county of Nakuru (Kenya) is inadequate (less than 30 % in 2013).
The  situation  is  compounded  by  Nakuru’s  porous  and  sandy  soil  texture,  which  heightens  the  risk  of
groundwater contamination.
The  Nakuru  County  Sanitation  Programme  (NCSP),  finished  in  2018,  was  an  EU-funded  public–private
partnership  that  applied  a  behavioural  change  and  market-based  model  of  accelerating  sanitation
improvements. The total cost of the programme was EUR 4.2 million, of which EUR 2.5 million came from
EU financing.
Objectives
The aim was to implement a sanitation value chain with the following objectives:
▪  increase hygiene awareness and sanitation coverage in Nakuru Town;
▪  establish  collection  facilities  and  transport  services  for  hygienic  and  sustainable  capture  and
removal of human waste;
▪  controlled and certified production and sales of human waste products on a large scale.
Impact
The  NCSP  has  executed  a  hygiene  awareness  campaign  and  improved  more  than  9 000  latrines,  serving
some 90 000 people. The programme has also introduced a  faecal sludge collection scheme. The waste is
processed into briquettes that are sold on the local market as a replacement for traditional charcoal fuel.

1.3.7.  SDG 7 Affordable and clean energy
Introduction
Sustainable  energy  is  a  key  priority  for  the  EU.  It  remains  a  pivotal  theme  in  the  new  European
Consensus on Development (30), and the EU remains firmly committed to implementation under the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (31).
Overview and trends
Africa  is  a  key  priority  for  EU  energy  cooperation.  On  8  November  2018  at  the  Africa  Investment
Forum  in  Johannesburg,  the  European  Commission  organised  the  launch  of  the  AU–EU  High-Level
Platform  on  Sustainable  Energy  Investments  (SEI  Platform).  The  SEI  Platform  will  function  as  an
energy  task  force  under  the  Africa–Europe  Alliance (32),  which  was  launched  by  Commission
President  Juncker  in  September  2018.  The  SEI  Platform  will  bring  together  public  and  private

30 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/european-consensus-on-development-final-20170626_en.pdf.
31 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld.
32 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/africaeuropealliance_en.
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representatives  as  well  as  academia  –  all  active  in  the  energy  field  –  to  produce  concrete
recommendations and actions that will help to boost investments in the sustainable energy sector.
The SEI Platform will be operationalised during 2019.
The EU continues to support the Africa-led Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) (33). AREI aims
to accelerate and scale up the harnessing of the continent’s huge renewable energy potential. The
EU  has  committed  EUR 1.5  billion.  By  the  end  of  2018,  24  projects,  expecting  to  leverage  EUR
4.5 billion in investments and generate 2.3 GW of renewable energy by 2030, have been approved
under AREI.
The  EU  promotes  ownership  and  knowledge  exchange  at  local  level.  The  EU-funded  Covenant  of
Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) (34) supports local authorities in sub-Saharan Africa in their
fight  against  climate  change  and  in  their  efforts  to  ensure  access  to  clean  energy.  The  initiative
reached 140 signatory cities by the end of 2018.
Through the EU Technical Assistance Facility, the EU helps partner countries enhance the investment
climate  in  their  energy  sectors  by  helping  improve,  among  other  things,  regulatory  frameworks.
Through the Technical Assistance Facility, the EU has supported the African Union Commission (AUC)
in the harmonisation of the regulatory frameworks for the electricity markets in Africa. The initiative
was  adopted  by  AU  heads  of  state  in  July  2017  at  the  AU  Summit.  The  implementation  of  the
initiative has been intensified during 2018, with several missions involved in partner countries.
The  EU’s  innovative  financial  tools  to  boost  private  sector  investment  in  the  development
cooperation  are  expanding.  Under  the  EFSD  –  a  key  component  of  the  EIP  –  eight  guarantee
instruments are approved (totalling EUR 603.5 million), of which six focus on Africa (35). Under the
Electrification Financing Initiative (ElectriFI) – the EU’s flagship initiative to de-risk investments in the
energy sector – 16 projects are in operation. ElectriFI country windows have also been created for
Benin,  Côte  d’Ivoire,  Nigeria  and  Zambia,  and  a  regional  window  has  been  created  for  the  Pacific
region.
In  late  2018,  the  EU  confirmed  its  support  of  EUR  23  million  to  the  African  Development  Bank
(AfDB)-led Digital Energy Facility (DEF). The aim of the facility is to support start-ups and innovative
small  and medium-sized enterprises  (SMEs)  active  in  the  energy  access  area  by  providing financial
and digital skills training.
As part of a broader Africa–Europe Partnership, a dedicated research and innovation partnership on
climate  change  and  sustainable  energy  has  been  established  to  support  the  development  of  joint
research activities in renewable energy production and use, and to promote innovation. Under this
cooperation, co-funded by the Horizon 2020 programme, support is provided for research, including
the exchange of European and African researchers, to implement a mutually beneficial research and
capacity-building agenda in renewable energy technologies. This action intends to establish a public–
private partnership adapted to the African context and align public and institutional investments in
research and innovation in Africa.

33 http://www.arei.org.
34 http://comssa.org/.
35 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/eu-external-investment-plan_en.
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During 2018, the EU initiative ‘Women and sustainable energy’ (EUR 18.1 million) has become fully
operational (36). The initiative promotes the economic empowerment of women in the energy sector
and covers three projects in 10 countries (37).
Energy security and energy efficiency continued to be among the key priorities for EU cooperation
with  Eastern  Partnership  countries.  The  ‘EU4Energy’  initiative  delivered  new  laws  and  improved
governance  in  the  energy  sector.  The  High-Level  Energy  Efficiency  Initiative  was  implemented,
bringing  together  international  financial  institutions  in  upscaling  energy  efficiency  reforms  and
investments.
The  Strategy  on  ‘A  credible  enlargement  perspective  for  and  enhanced  EU  engagement  with  the
Western Balkans’ was adopted by the Commission on 6 February 2018, confirming the merit-based
prospect  of  EU  membership  for  all  countries  in  the  region  with  a  comprehensive  action  plan
including components on connectivity and energy.
In the Western Balkans, implementation of the existing Projects of Energy Community Interest (PECI)
priorities continued. While no new project was launched in 2018, the Energy Community identified
and  approved  the  2018  list  of  PECI  projects,  of  which  11  could  benefit  from  IPA  assistance.
Montenegro  and  North  Macedonia  made  important  progress  in  implementing  and  enforcing  the
Energy  Community  acquis  communautaire  but  the  overall  picture  was  mixed  in  2018,  despite  the
Secretariat’s work. The ‘Winter package’  for a clean energy economy was being transposed to the
Energy Community. The EU continues to be actively engaged in the EU-facilitated dialogue between
Belgrade and Pristina and regional cooperation overall.
In the three regions, the EU continues to support the High-Level Energy Efficiency Initiative. In this
action plan, the EU and the participating international financial institutions (38), as well as the Energy
Community  Secretariat,  have  put  together  a  set  of  actions  and  initiatives  to  support  energy
efficiency  in  pilot  countries  (Georgia,  Serbia,  Tunisia  and  Ukraine)  to  successfully  transit  to
sustainable energy and climate policies.
The EU Partnership Instrument also contributes to achieving SDG 7. It will offer a different approach
to established models of development cooperation by promoting policy cooperation with countries
of strategic interest to the EU. In particular, it will allow the EU to establish a wider political dialogue
with  emerging  partners.  It  will  also  support  the  EU’s  relations  with  countries  that  are  no  longer
eligible  for  bilateral  development  aid.  The  Partnership  Instrument  is  well  aligned  with  the  aims  of
this  SDG,  reinforcing  cooperation  on  global  challenges,  addressing  in  particular  climate  change,
energy security and the protection of the environment. Developing energy cooperation with partner
countries  and  promoting  renewable  and  sustainable energy  sources  remains  a key  focus.  In  2018,
the  EU  Partnership  Instrument  continued  its  actions  on  themes  such  as  clean  energy,  energy
efficiency and liquefied natural gas. The partner countries with Partnership Instrument intervention
in  this  sector  were  Argentina,  China,  India,  Iran,  Japan  and  the  Gulf  Cooperation  Council  (GCC)

36 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/facsheet-women-sustainable-energy-no-cropmarks_03152018_en.pdf.
37 The three projects take place in: i) Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda; ii) Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Honduras and Malawi; and iii) Mali, Niger
and Senegal.
38  The  international  financial  institutions  are  the  International  Finance  Corporation,  the  European  Investment  Bank  (EIB),  the  European
Bank  for  Reconstruction  and  Development  (EBRD),  the  International  Monetary  Fund  (IMF),  the  World  Bank  and  German  development
bank KfW.
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countries.  The  Partnership  Instrument  also  contributed  to  areas  relevant  to  SDG 7  in  a  number  of
other countries through the International Urban Cooperation programme.
Case studies
Promoting off-grid energy in East Africa through innovative financing
Public funds are not sufficient to meet today’s and tomorrow’s energy demand. There is an urgent need for
increased  private  sector  investment  to  reach  the  2030  Agenda  target  of  providing  universal  access  to
modern,  affordable,  reliable  and  sustainable  energy  by  2030.  ElectriFI  plays  a  central  role  in  EU  energy
cooperation, and providing energy to rural off-grid areas is one of its main objectives.
Azuri Technologies, one of leading providers of
PayGo  solar  products  and  services  across
sub-Saharan  Africa,  approached  ElectriFI  in
2017  to  help  structure  and  fund  a  new
debt-financing  facility  in  East  Africa.  The  first
phase  is  being  deployed  in  Kenya.  Subsequent
phases  of  the  facility  will  expand  to  Azuri’s
other  key  territories  in  East  Africa,  including
Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
Results by the end of 2018 include:
▪  about 59 000 connections;
▪  295 635 direct beneficiaries with new or improved access to energy;
▪  installed capacity of 0.97 MW;
▪  37 650.44 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions saved;
▪  1 871 direct and 14 042 indirect jobs created.

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Harmonising rules on African electricity markets
Regional  energy  markets  transcend  multiple  jurisdictions.  This  calls  for  the  harmonisation  of  policies,
legislation,  regulation  and  institutional  frameworks  at  the  regional  and  continental  levels  to  enhance
coordination  and  cooperation  as  well  as  to  remove  barriers  to  cross-border  trade  and  investment.  A  joint
initiative  of  the  EU  and  the  AUC  aims  to  integrate  and  harmonise  regulatory  frameworks  for  electricity
markets in Africa.
The EU’s Technical Assistance Facility, in close
cooperation  with  the  AUC,  has  developed  a
strategy  and  action  plan  to  accelerate  the
process  of  integration  and  harmonisation  of
continental  and  regional  electricity  markets.
The heads of state and government of the AU
adopted both documents in July 2017.
In  the  course  of  2018,  a  number  of  activities
have been successfully deployed.
Harmonised transmission tariffs
Regulation  of  cross-border  electricity  trading
requires a methodology for transmission costs and tariffs within each power pool. Therefore, a harmonised
continent-wide  transmission  tariff  methodology  for  the  electricity  sector  has  been  developed  for
international bilateral transactions, and pilot testing has commenced.
Guidelines for minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and energy labelling
The adoption of MEPS and labelling of appliances at the continental level will save energy in the short term,
reduce demand from the grid, lower electricity bills for consumers, improve living standards and, ultimately,
facilitate  energy  access  for  all  African  households.  In  the  course  of  2018,  guidelines  were  developed  and
tested  through  consultation  in  Egypt,  Namibia,  Senegal  and  Uganda  (one  per  African  subregion)  and  are
expected to be adopted in March 2019.

1.3.8.  SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth
Introduction
In 2018, the EU supported SDG 8 through the implementation of ongoing actions and the adoption
of several new actions funded by various financing instruments.
▪  The ‘Sustainable investment climate and value chains’ programme (EUR 16.7 million) aims to
enhance  dialogue  with  the  private  sector  to  prioritise  reforms  in  the  investment  and
business  environments,  promote  financial  inclusion,  promote  knowledge  sharing  and
dissemination, and mobilise technical and advisory support for key stakeholders in partner
countries.
▪  ‘Enhancing decent work, transparency and traceability for sustainable garment value chains’
(EUR 19.2  million)  aims  to  improve  working  conditions,  occupational  health  and  safety,
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environmental  compliance  and  gender  equality  at  factory  level.  It  also  aims  to  help
government  agencies, national institutions, employers and worker organisations in partner
countries to develop decent work public policies and practices.
Overview and trends
An  agreement  has  been  signed  with  German  development  bank  KfW  to  implement  the  EU’s
contribution to the Women Financial Inclusion Facility action (EUR 10 million, including EUR 1 million
from the European Parliament). It is the Commission service’s first blended finance facility entirely
dedicated  to  the  promotion  of  access  to  financial  services  and  digital  and  financial  literacy  for
women.
Also, ‘Promoting responsible supply chain in the area of conflict minerals (3TG)’ was signed with the
Netherlands  Enterprise  Agency  (EUR 5.4  million).  The  contract  with  the  International  Labour
Organization’s  (ILO)  International  Training  Centre  has  been  extended,  promoting  decent  work,
combating child and forced labour in global supply chains and assessing the impact on employment
of EIP investments.
Two  contracts  promoting  responsible  value  chains  in  Asian,  African  and  Latin  American  countries
have been signed, namely: i) ‘Bottom UP! Promoting a sustainable cotton and garment value chain
from Ethiopian cotton to European consumers’ with Solidaridad Nederland (EUR 1.4 million); and ii)
‘SMART-TAG,  sustainability,  more  consumer  awareness,  responsibility  and  transparency  in  the
textile and garment sectors’ with SEQUA (EUR 1.35 million).
In  the  area  of  skills  development  in  developing  countries,  to  strengthen  the  relationship  between
vocational education and training (VET) and the private sector in partner countries, the VET Toolbox
was officially launched in 2018. Also in 2018, the scope of Socieux+, an ongoing short-term peer-to-
peer technical facility based on the TAIEX model, has been widened in terms of fields of assistance
and number of partner countries covered (mostly in Africa and Latin America).
Supported  by  EU  bilateral  agencies,  the  action  ‘Intra-ACP  TA  facility  improving  the  business  and
investment climate through structured dialogue’ (EUR 10 million) contributes to the wider efforts for
capacity  building  for  EU  delegations,  ACP  regional  economic  committees  and  local  development
financial institutions. The action ‘Capacity building of mineral institutions and of small-scale private
sector  operating  in  low-value  minerals  in  ACP  countries:  Phase  II’  (EUR 10  million)  encourages
continued capacity building for MSME employment and income in the development minerals sector.
Regarding implementation of ongoing actions, a service contract entitled ‘Promote ACP–EU private
sector  development  knowledge  management’  (EUR 6  million)  was  signed  to  support  the  ACP
Secretariat in coordinating the ACP PSD programme, including learning from ongoing and previous
PSD  programmes,  reporting  and  communication  of  PSD  actions  and  enhanced  collaboration
between ACP private stakeholders.
Agreements were also signed with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (EUR 8
million)  and  the  International  Trade  Centre  (ITC)  (EUR 14.7  million)  under  the  action  ‘Support  to
business-friendly  and  inclusive  national  and  regional  policies  and  strengthen  productive  capacities
and  value  chains’  to  help  ACP  partner  countries  improve  their  investment  and  business
environment.
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The  Partnership  Instrument  action  ‘Responsible  business  conduct  in  Latin  America  and  Caribbean’
(OECD,  EUR 3.2  million,  and  ILO,  EUR 6  million)  raises  awareness  of  unsustainable  behaviour,
particularly  among  SMEs,  aiming  to  exchange  information  and  share  best  practice  (e.g.  in
governance, transparency and involving civil society in policymaking). The action ‘Responsible supply
chains  in  Asia’  (United  Nations  Development  Programme  (UNDP),  EUR  5.5  million)  supports  the
implementation  of  responsible  business  conduct  (RBC)  by  mapping  current  approaches,  showing
businesses  the  added  value  of  adhering  to  RBC  and  collecting  tools,  lessons  learned  and  factors
associated with implementation success/failure.
The  EU  is  continuing  to  support  the  transition  of  IPA  II  beneficiaries  into  functioning  market
economies able to withstand the competitive  pressures of the EU Single Market. In this context, a
new  regional  action  for  EUR 19.8  million  was  adopted  in  2018  to  support  the  implementation  of
reforms identified in the beneficiaries’ Economic Reform Programmes, develop a competitive private
sector and support implementation of a regional economic area.
The regional programme ‘Support to an enabling business environment for MSME development and
financial  inclusion’  was  launched  in  2018  to  support  economic  governance  and  reforms  for
sustainable  economic  growth,  enhanced  public  and  private  sector  investments,  and  MSME
development  through  improved  access  to  finance,  job  creation  and  economic  inclusiveness  in  the
southern  Mediterranean  partner  countries.  A  financing  agreement  was  signed  for  the  ‘Skills
development and matching for labour market needs’ programme in Georgia so that the education
system  can  better  respond  to  labour  market  demand  and  forge  closer  links  between  the  private
sector and VET institutions.
Case studies
SANAD Middle East and North Africa Fund for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Phase III)
This fund (EUR 23.4 million)  was  signed to create and maintain employment, especially for young people,
primarily through supporting MSMEs; to reduce poverty by facilitating self-employment, primarily through
microfinance; and to build inclusive financial systems by cooperating with banks, microfinance institutions,
leasing companies and other institutions to facilitate access to financial services.

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EU4Business: Women in business in the Eastern Partnership
Context
The  ‘Women  in  business’  programme,  implemented  by  the  EBRD  under  the  ‘EU4Business’  initiative,  helps
women-led SMEs access the finance and know-how that they need in order to grow. Specifically, the EBRD
provides dedicated credit  lines to local banks and offers  business advice to help companies become  more
competitive. The programme also offers training, mentoring and other support so women entrepreneurs can
share their experiences.
Objectives
The objectives are to promote women’s entrepreneurship, access to finance and participation in business.
Impact
The programme has secured a number of outcomes:
1)  access to finance:
(a)  dedicated credit lines were provided to participating financial institutions for lending to eligible
women-led SMEs,
(b)  technical assistance was provided to participating financial institutions,
(c)  marketing and outreach were targeted at female clients;
2)  access to know-how:
(a)  business advisory services and coaching was provided to women-led SMEs,
(b)  training in key entrepreneurial skills was provided to women entrepreneurs,
(c)  networking seminars were held for women in business;
3)  highlights:
(a)  more than 2 300 women-led SMEs received loans under the programme (total value EUR 21.6
million),
(b)  almost 400 women entrepreneurs were trained or coached,
(c)  more than 100 women in participating financial institutions were trained or coached.
‘The project significantly helped the company to compete successfully during the economic slowdown and
to  build  a  strong  direct  distribution  network,’  says  Gulnara  Hasanova,  Director  of  ESSE  LLC,  a  woman-led
accessory  and  home  care  products  company  in  Azerbaijan.  With  help  from  the  ‘Women  in  business’
programme, the company introduced an effective recruitment  and sales system, and as a  result, turnover
was  up  18 %,  customer  base  increased  25 %  and  ESSE  was  able  to  add  new  product  lines  and  open  two
regional offices.

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1.3.9.  SDG 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Introduction
Connectivity plays a fundamental role in achieving the targets of the SDGs, notably the SDG 9 target
on  quality  and  resilient  transboundary  infrastructure.  To  boost  implementation  of  the  transport-
related  elements  of  SDG 9,  in  2018  the  EU  continued  to  focus on  supporting  strategic multimodal
corridor development that builds on economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Overview and trends
Blending  operations  represented  another  important  pillar  in  support  of  multimodal  transport
corridor  development  in  Africa.  In  2018,  EU  contributions  (EUR 91  million)  leveraged  a  further
EUR 688 million to interconnect Africa and to enhance access to rural populations through safe and
resilient transport networks. Cameroon, Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar and Uganda were the
main  beneficiaries  in  central,  eastern  and  western  Africa  and  the  Indian  Ocean  region,  along
respective regional corridors.
From  a  policy  perspective,  the  EU  maintains  its  seat  on  the  board  of  the  ‘Africa  transport  policy
programme’, which is relevant for policy and strategy support to African governments and regional
economic  communities.  In  2018  the  EU  participated  in  international  forums  at  G7,  G20,  UN  and
OECD levels  to make  available quality infrastructure principles, standards and approaches  that  are
essential to deliver on SDG 9. Furthermore, the EU’s engagement in project investment, delivery and
capacity  building  through  EU  investment  facilities  aimed  to  facilitate  cooperation  between  hard
(investment) and soft (governance) perspectives.
From  a  strategic  perspective,  the  coordination  and  steering  of  the  joint  Africa–EU  infrastructure
agenda  towards  smart  transport  corridor  development  was  fundamental.  This  also  involved
supporting  the  master  strategic  connectivity  plan  for  Africa:  the  ‘Programme  for  infrastructure
development for Africa’. Similar efforts have been made for the EU–Asia connectivity agenda.
In science, technology and innovation, ACP–EU support for more than 350 research centres, higher
education institutions and innovation partners continued throughout 2018. All the projects funded
through the ACP ‘Science and technology II’ programme ended in 2018. These projects strengthened
the  capacities  of  research  and  innovation  stakeholders,  nurtured  international  collaboration,
consolidated  research  partnerships  and  helped  apply  research  results  to  specific  development
needs.
A new EUR 60 million ACP–EU initiative, which intends to have a structuring effect on the innovation
ecosystems and capabilities of ACP countries, was adopted in 2018.
In the Western Balkans, regional cooperation continued to focus on the connectivity agenda. At the
EU–Western  Balkans  Summit  in  May  2018,  a  substantial  connectivity  package  was  delivered
comprising 11 transport  projects  totalling EUR 190 million in grants  and leveraging investments of
EUR  1  billion  from  international  partner  financial  institutions  in  the  Western  Balkans  Investment
Framework (WBIF).
In  the  eastern  Neighbourhood,  in  order  to  develop  the  digital  economy,  the  Eastern  Partnership
countries have affirmed their commitment to reduce roaming tariffs within a set date. To this end,
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they  have  adopted  a  joint  roadmap  towards  signing  a  regional  roaming  agreement  among  the
Eastern  Partners  by  2020.  In  addition,  support  for  policy  work  in  six  priority  topics  (electronic
communications  and  infrastructure,  trust  and  security,  eTrade,  digital  skills,  ICT  (information  and
communication  technology)  innovation  and  start-up  ecosystems,  and  eHealth)  is  streamlined
through the EU4Digital initiative and the related technical assistance programmes.
Meanwhile,  an  interesting  example  of  promoting  sustainable  industrialisation  is  the  Low  Carbon
Business  Actions  in  Brazil  and  Mexico.  These  have  been  running  since  2015,  and  aim  to  decouple
economic  growth  from  CO2  emissions,  thus  addressing  global  climate  change  while  improving
market opportunities for leading EU businesses in the green-technology sector.
The  European  Commission  continued  promoting  the  integration  of  developing  countries  into
sustainable  industrial  value  chains  through  the  implementation  of  the  ‘Competitive  industries  and
innovation programme’ (CIIP). The scope of CIIP, due to complete its current phase in May 2020, is
to support integrated solutions for the design and implementation of public policies and investments
that  promote  competitiveness  and  innovation,  in  terms  of  both  industrial  product  and  process,  in
high-potential industries and countries.
In  the  area  of  conflict  minerals,  the  European  Commission  supported  the  establishment  of  the
European  Partnership  for  Responsible  Minerals.  The  focus  for  this  partnership  is  the
introduction/promotion of responsible mining practices in the informal mining sector, which is often
the source of primary raw materials such as cobalt, tantalum, lithium, tungsten, etc.
Blending  operations  represented  another  important  pillar  in  support  of  multimodal  transport
corridor  development  in  Africa  linked  to  SDG 9.  In  2018,  EU  contributions  of  EUR  91  million
leveraged investments amounting to EUR 688 million to interconnect Africa and to enhance access
to  rural  populations  through  safe  and  resilient  transport  networks.  Cameroon,  Gambia,  Kenya,
Liberia, Madagascar and Uganda were the main beneficiaries in central, eastern and western Africa
and the Indian Ocean region along respective regional corridors.
In the framework of the EIP, the European Commission established the EFSD to support investments
in Africa and the Neighbourhood. A total of 28 guarantees have been approved in 2018, mobilising
EUR 1.54 billion of the initial guarantee of the EIP, with the expectation that this unlocks EUR 17.5
billion  in  total  investments,  covering  areas  such  as  access  to  finance  for  MSMEs,  energy  and
connectivity,  cities,  agriculture  and  digital.  The  digital  sector  has  been  identified  by  the  European
Commission  as  a  target  area  for  support  within  the  framework  of  the  EIP,  focusing  on  innovation
that addresses local social needs, ﬁnancial inclusion and job creation. In 2018, four guarantees were
approved (EUR 220 million), aiming to increase the use of digital technologies, widen rural access to
broadband and boost investment in innovative start-ups using digital solutions.

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Case studies
The ‘Ventures’ programme with FMO
A  guarantee  of  up  to  EUR 45  million  will  promote  sustainable  development  by  attracting  much-needed
private investment to the ventures sector. It will boost investment for innovative start-ups that use digital
solutions to improve or enable access to products and services for unserved and underserved communities.
It will enable FMO to pursue early-stage direct and indirect investment in:
▪  fintech – financial services to improve financial inclusion;
▪  off-grid energy – distributed renewable energy to improve access to energy;
▪  agritech – agribusiness to improve access to inputs, farming techniques and markets;
▪  venture  funds  investing  in  technology-enabled  solutions  in  sectors  such  as  education  and
healthcare,  mobility  and  transport,  supply  chain  optimisation,  efficient  logistics,  digital  and
business infrastructure and e-commerce.
Another example of an approved project is the ‘Digital transformation platform and broadband investment
programme’, which will increase the use of digital technologies and widen rural access to broadband in the
EU Neighbourhood, especially outside the main urban centres and in rural, remote and unserved areas.
With  EU  contributions  up  to  EUR 70  million,  the  programme  offers  a  guarantee  that  lowers  risks  for
potential private investors and so makes projects more attractive (‘bankable’) to them.
The  EIB,  EBRD  and  private  co-investors  intend  to  lend  directly  to  companies,  public  entities,  city  and
regional  authorities  and  publicly  owned  telecommunications  companies.  As  a  result,  the  programme  will
redress the market failures of a  digital sector characterised by high  investment  costs, strong competition,
market dominance, limited access to finance and pressure on revenues. More specifically, it will address the
failure  of  dominant  incumbent  actors  to  invest  in  alternative  digital  infrastructure  and  improve  access  to
finance  where  the  economic  lifetime  of  contemporary  digital  infrastructure  exceeds  the  tenor  of  loans
typically available in domestic capital markets.

Construction of a new motorway section from Demir Kapija to Smokvica (Corridor X)
Investment  in infrastructure is crucial to achieving  sustainable development. As a  contribution to SDG 9, the
new  motorway  section  between  Demir  Kapija  and  Smokvica  (28.18 km),  part  of  a  pan-European  Corridor X
with a total project cost of EUR 227 million (the EU component being EUR 62 million), was opened to traffic in
April 2018.
Context
Transport connectivity is essential to facilitate movement of goods and people, support cultural exchange and
enhance  social  and  economic  development.  The  project  provided  the  missing  link  in  the  1 451 km-long  pan-
European Corridor X, connecting Salzburg and Thessaloniki.
Objectives
The project aims to construct a new motorway between Demir Kapija and Smokvica, comprising:
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▪  a 2+2-lane carriageway of 28.18 km;
▪  2  twin-tube  tunnels  (both  over  1.2 km  long)  with  modern  energy-efficient  lighting,  systems  for
ventilation,  fire  detection  and  extinguishing,  and  a  backup  power  supply  as  well  as  a  SCADA (39)
system for monitoring and traffic management;
▪  6 bridges and 120 culverts;
▪  5 overpasses and 7 underpasses;
▪  2  interchanges  and  high  embankments  and  deep  cuts  (>20 m)  with  more  than  8 million m3  of
earthworks.
Impact
The project has achieved a number of positive results.
▪  A highway for citizens and business was opened in April
2018.
▪  Up  to  730 000  vehicles  per  year  will  travel  faster  and
more safely from Skopje to Thessaloniki.
▪  A  63 %  decrease  in  travel  time  is  possible  between
Demir Kapija and Smokvica.
Tunnel T1 during construction
▪  All traffic safety standards have been applied, ensuring that the traffic in this section will be safer for
all participants.
▪  EU  environmental  requirements  for  construction  have  been  strictly  respected,  guaranteeing  a
reduction in transport emissions.
Videos  of  the  new  motorway  can  be  viewed  at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT-sDy2S95U  and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETKt9AXU2DM.

Bridge B3 during construction


39 A sensor network-based SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system.
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1.3.10. SDG 10 Reduced inequalities
Introduction
SDG 10 addresses inequalities affected by income, age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion,
economic  status  or  other  status.  It  also  addresses  inequality  among  countries  and  calls  for  the
facilitation of orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people.
The new European Consensus on Development specifically calls on the EU and its Member States to
act  to  reduce  inequality  of  outcomes  and  promote  equal  opportunities  for  all.  The  2030  Agenda
recognises the potential contribution of migrants for inclusive growth and sustainable development
while  also  acknowledging  the  challenges.  It  encourages  more  comprehensive  cooperation  on
migration  between  countries  of  origin,  transit  and  destination.  The  Consensus  reiterates  this
approach, confirming migration as an intrinsic part of EU development policy and cooperation.
Since  2015,  the  EU  has  established  a  comprehensive  and  balanced  approach  on  migration.  In  line
with the European Agenda for Migration, this approach is based on genuine partnership and mutual
interest, underpinned by meaningful political dialogue  and adapted to the specific context in each
partner country.
Overview and trends
More  effort  needs  to  be  made  to  achieve  SDG 10  globally  and  to  reduce  lingering  disparities,  as
inequality in all of its forms remains a serious concern globally. Although, between 2010 and 2016, in
60 out of 94 countries with data, the income of the poorest 40 % of the population grew faster than
that of the entire population (SDG target 10.1) (40), income inequality observed in many countries, in
particular  among  developing  countries,  remains  high.  The  countries  with  the  highest  levels  of
income inequality, as measured by the Gini index, are in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa.
EU  external  action  and  development  cooperation  target  inequality  in  partner  countries  by,  for
instance, supporting social protection systems; supporting universal access to quality public services,
including  education and health; policies to fight discrimination, such as the rights-based approach;
supporting the design of progressive fiscal policies and domestic revenue mobilisation (DRM).
The  EU  supports  several  global  and  national  programmes  to  strengthen  social  protection  systems,
including  social  protection  floors,  and  is  involved  in  the  Universal  Social  Protection  Initiative  (USP
2030) to advance universal social protection policies, with a focus on the poor and the vulnerable. In
2018, the EU supported around 12 partner countries to strengthen their social protection systems,
including in fragile or conflict-affected countries. One of them is Lesotho, where the EU has helped
to establish a social protection system that addresses vulnerability and inequality throughout the life
course.
Moreover, in line with the Consensus, which calls on the EU and Member States to mainstream the
reduction of inequality in its development cooperation, the Commission is evaluating opportunities
to better integrate the reduction of inequality in EU development cooperation in future.

40 https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/files/report/2018/TheSustainableDevelopmentGoalsReport2018-EN.pdf.
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In terms of migration, the number of international migrants increased from 173 million in 2000 to
220 million in 2010 and 258 million in 2017 (41). Global forced displacement figures remain at an all-
time high. During 2018 the EU as a whole received over 0.5 million first-time asylum claims (42). At
the same time, the majority of refugees worldwide continue to be hosted by developing countries.
In  2018 the  Commission  continued  to  play  an  active  role  in  driving  forward  international  dialogue
and  policy  on  migration  and  development,  linking  EU  political  commitments  with  dialogue,  and
concrete and effective implementation in partner countries. Notably, the Commission engaged with
priority  countries  in  Africa,  Asia  and  Latin  America  to  implement  the  Partnership  Framework (43)
under the European Agenda on Migration.
Achieving real progress will only be possible if all stakeholders work together in a coordinated way,
pulling together resources and exploiting all policy tools available. In 2018 the Commission mobilised
substantial  funding,  in  particular  through  the  EUTF  for  Africa,  to  improve  the  management  of
migration  and  to  boost  socioeconomic  development,  contributing  to  the  creation  of  new,  decent
jobs in many African partner countries. At the end of 2018, 187 projects worth EUR 3.6 billion had
been approved in the Horn of Africa, North Africa and Sahel and Lake Chad regions.
Case studies
EU–IOM joint initiative for migration protection and reintegration
This  initiative  launched  in  December  2016  through  the  EU  Emergency  Trust  Fund  for  Africa.  It  aims  to
strengthen  mechanisms along central  Mediterranean migration routes to  ensure that  migrants’ rights are
respected  and  that  the  migration  process  is  safer  and  better  governed.  Starting  with  14  countries  in  the
Sahel and Lake Chad region and Libya, it covered 26 African countries by the end of 2018. Core programme
components  include  protection  and  assistance,  reintegration,  information  and  awareness-raising,  and
migration data and flow monitoring. The initiative had two significant results:
▪  from May 2017 until the end of November 2018, the joint initiative supported the voluntary return
of over 42 600 migrants, mostly from Libya and Niger, but also from Djibouti, Mali and Mauritania;
▪  in  the  countries  of  origin,  the  joint  initiative  provided  assistance  upon  arrival  to  over  58 100
migrants whose returns were supported by the EUTF for Africa or other contributors.


41 https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/publications/migrationreport/docs/MigrationReport2017_Highlights.
pdf.
42 http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=migr_asyappctzm&lang=en.
43 COM(2016) 0385 final, 07.06.2016.
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The Research Facility on Inequalities
This facility aims to expand knowledge and understanding of economic and social inequalities, their drivers,
underlying factors and policies, and approaches to reduce them. This is achieved through:
▪  development  of  global  research  projects  on  the  drivers  and  dynamics  of  economic  and  social
inequalities in low- and middle-income countries and the most successful policy responses aimed at
addressing them;
▪  country-  and  city-based  research  projects  to  help  partner  governments  design  relevant  public
policies to address inequalities;
▪  strengthening  synergies,  collaboration  and  political  alignment  among  EU  Member  States  and
international  partners  to  fight  against  inequalities  together  within  the  framework  of  the  2030
Agenda.
As  of  December  2018,  the  project  has  initiated  6  global,  10  country-based  and  3  city-based  projects,
including  projects  in  Burkina  Faso,  Cameroon,  Ghana,  Mexico,  South  Africa  and  Vietnam.  Global  projects
address  themes  such  as  economic  inequality,  the  distributional  impact  of  social  protection  and  inequality,
and taxation.

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Enhancing access of children to education and fighting child labour
In  Egypt,  the  EU  provides  a  holistic  package  of  interventions  to  help  combat  the  root  causes  of  negative
coping strategies,  such as  child  labour and early marriage,  and their implications, by supporting enhanced
nutrition, food security and quality of education. The project ‘Enhancing Access of Children to Education and
Fighting  Child  Labour’,  implemented  by  the  World  Food  Programme,  strengthens  the  capacities  of
governmental stakeholders on education, child protection and information management.
The concept of community education was initiated during the early 1990s, with the goal of improving access
to basic education in underserved areas, especially in rural northern Egypt. Since then, community schools
have contributed to equity in education, school enrolment and attainment, and social inclusion, thus having
the long-term potential to break the poverty cycle among marginalised communities. This project supports
children living in 16 of the most vulnerable governorates in Egypt through the provision of nutritious daily in-
school snacks, reaching about 1.8 million students in over 8 000 community and public schools.
To provide alternative means of income-generation for families, the EU also supports over 50 000 mothers
of  community  school  children  through  livelihood  enhancement  activities.  Together  with  local  NGOs,  the
World  Food  Programme  delivers  entrepreneurship  and  basic  business  skill  trainings  for  mothers.  The
integration  of  capacity-strengthening  and  financial  inclusion  in  livelihood  support  activities  supports  the
expansion of economic potential in the lives of women, ultimately helping to reduce poverty and empower
them  through  enhanced  mobility,  resources,  decision-making  capacities  and  networks,  while  also
contributing to household food security.
The  EU  supported  about  9  000  teachers,  enhancing  their  skills  and  knowledge  through  capacity
strengthening  on  pedagogical  skills,  nutrition,  positive  discipline,  class  management,  emergency
preparedness and education through arts and drama. Looking beyond community schools, the project  has
also  initiated  dialogue  with  different  partners  on  empowering  graduates  through  technical  and  vocational
training, linking to existing opportunities at the national level.

1.3.11. SDG 11 Sustainable cities and communities
Introduction
Urbanisation  and  the  role  of  cities  are  increasingly  shaping  development  challenges  and
opportunities  in  developing  countries,  so  much  so  that  local  authorities  will  become  key  actors  in
achieving the majority of the SDGs.
A status report for SDG 11 was prepared for the UN High-Level Political Forum in July 2018 (44). Key
targets  include  adequate,  safe  and  affordable  housing;  accessible,  safe  and  sustainable  transport
systems for all; inclusive  and sustainable urbanisation; reducing the number of people affected by
disasters; reducing the environmental impact of cities; and supporting rural–urban linkage.
Overview and trends
With  cities  globally  contributing  to  80 %  of  GDP,  70 %  of  global  energy  consumption  and  70 %  of
global  carbon  emissions  and  nearly  1  billion  people  living  in  slums,  achieving  the  SDG 11  targets

44
https://www.un-ilibrary.org/economic-and-social-development/tracking-progress-towards-inclusive-safe-resilient-and-sustainable-
cities-and-human-settlements_36ff830e-en.
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represents a significant challenge. African cities are typically densely populated but have poor urban
mobility;  air  pollution  in  many  megacities,  especially  in  Asia,  has  reached  toxic  levels.  These
challenges will become ever more pressing with a rapidly expanding urban population. In the next 30
years, the global urban population is projected to increase by 2 billion, 90 % of which will occur in
Africa and developing Asia.
The renewed focus on cities is also reflected in the Sendai Framework and the New Urban Agenda
(adopted  in Quito  in 2016).  At  the  European  level,  the  new  European  Consensus  on  Development
fully reflects this recognition of the centrality of urbanisation, not only in terms of demographics but
also as a process underpinning multiple aspects of global development.
In  2018,  the  Commission  published  a  staff  working  document  on  cities  and  local  authorities  in
development  cooperation.  The  subsequent  Council  conclusions  underpinned  the  importance  of
addressing  the  challenges  of  rapid  urbanisation,  as  well  as  the  opportunities  presented  by  well-
planned urbanisation.
The  EU  has  put  a  number  of  instruments  in  place  to  support  cities  and  sustainable  urban
development.
During 2018, through the EIP ‘Sustainable cities’ window, work progressed on three programmes to
mobilise additional finance for sustainable urban developments.
A new approach within the local authority component of the Annual Action Plan 2018 was proposed.
The  programme  aims  to  support  local  authority  contributions  to  sustainable  urban  development.
Following  a  call  for  submissions  in  October  2018,  258  concept  notes  were  received,  169  were
evaluated and the best 43 proposals have been invited to submit a full proposal.
The  three-year  ‘International  urban  cooperation’  programme  was  adopted  by  the  European
Commission  as  part  of  the  Partnership  Instrument  Annual  Action  Programme  2015  with  a  total
budget  of  EUR 20.2 million.  In  2018,  the  programme received an  additional  EUR 10 million  and  an
extension to the end of 2020. The overall objective of the programme  is to strengthen EU climate
and  urban  diplomacy  and  leadership  in  the  context  of  the  New  Urban  Agenda  and  the  Paris
Agreement.
A  number  of  thematic  facilities  targeting  specific  urban  issues  have  been  put  in  place  (slum
upgrading,  urban  resilience,  climate  change).  A  tendency  towards  more  national  and  regional
programmes targeting urban development can be observed.

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Case studies
Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP)
The  PSUP  is  a  joint  effort  of  the  ACP  countries,  the  European  Commission  and  UN-Habitat.  To  date,  the
programme has reached out to 35 ACP countries and 160 cities, and it has provided the necessary enabling
framework for improving the lives of at least 2 million slum dwellers. ACP Member States have joined the
programme to address the challenge of slums and improve living standards of the urban poor by adopting
the programme’s integrated strategies for systemic change and to benefit from technical exchanges on the
achievements made in the different regions.
In  practical  terms,  PSUP  puts  slums  on  the  ‘urban’  maps  and  facilitates  dialogue  at  local,  national  and
regional  levels.  This  is  necessary  for  a  change  in  mindset,  which  is  key  for  positive  policy  changes.  The
initiation of urban strategic planning, increased budget allocations and the formation of multi-stakeholder
partnerships  for  the  sustainable  improvement  of  the  living  conditions  of  slum  dwellers  are  some  positive
results of the PSUP.

The Covenant of Mayors in sub-Saharan Africa
The CoM SSA helps local authorities and cities  ensure access to energy and climate change mitigation and
adaptation.  By  the  end  of  2018,  the  CoM  SSA reached  close  to  140  signatory  cities  from  34  countries;  13
cities received grants for local climate and energy planning and pilot projects. In addition, at least 12 cities
received support through the delegation agreement with EU Member State organisations.
In 2018 the European Commission also engaged with eastern and southern EU neighbours, North  America
and South America and south and east Asia to mobilise climate and energy initiatives. Specifically, it helps
cities and local governments implement initiatives through capacity building and validation of their energy
and  action  plans,  with  support  from  the  Joint  Research  Centre  and  through  in-kind  contributions  to  the
Global Covenant Secretariat.

1.3.12. SDG 12 Responsible consumption and production
Introduction
While the EU is making significant progress towards sustainable consumption and production (SCP)
in  Europe,  it  also  actively  promotes  SCP  practices  in  third  countries  through  external  action.
Promoting  SCP  practices  at  the  global  level  is  in  line  with  expectations  from  a growing  number  of
citizens who want to know that the goods and services they buy have been produced responsibly,
respecting the environment and offering decent employment to local workers.
Overview and trends
The  2018  report  of  the  UN  Secretary-General  on  progress  towards  the  SDGs  indicates  that
‘decoupling economic growth from resource use has been challenging’ and that ‘domestic material
consumption  in  absolute  terms  is  growing  globally,  with  consequences  in  terms  of  both  resource
pressures and associated environmental impacts’.
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The EU supports action on SCP by third countries through three main work streams:
▪  enabling policy frameworks for SCP by promoting inclusive policymaking;
▪  promoting private sector involvement by engaging with different stages in the value chain;
▪  facilitating investments in SCP practices through measures such as risk-sharing mechanisms.
This approach is delivering results: an evaluation of EU international cooperation on SCP published in
2018 (45) indicated that, through the funding of more than  150 ‘green business’ projects under the
SWITCH  to  Green  regional  programmes  in  Asia,  Africa  and  the  Mediterranean  (corresponding  to
commitments  above  EUR 250  million  since  2008),  the  EU  has  helped  to  improve  practices  in
approximately 90 000 MSMEs and has sustained approximately 350 000 jobs.
The promotion of SCP practices is embedded in all relevant EU external action financing instruments,
including:  the  Development  Cooperation  Instrument  (DCI),  which  finances  initiatives  such  as
SWITCH;  the  European  Development  Fund  (EDF),  which  finances  diverse  actions  promoting
sustainable  value  chains;  and  the  Partnership  Instrument,  which  supports  similar  initiatives  while
also  benefiting  EU  companies,  for  example  by  creating  a  level  playing  field  requiring  adequate
environmental, social and governance standards for all business operators.
To help make the case for the necessary transformation of world economies, the EU also supported
global action on SCP and resource efficiency by contributing to the UN work on ‘green’ finance for
SDGs and to the development of indicators to monitor progress on green economy transformation.
Support  includes  the  UN  International  Resource  Panel,  a  science–policy  interface  providing  an
authoritative assessment of sustainable resource management. The Resource Panel issued two new
reports in 2018 (46).


45 https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/public-environment-climate/documents/scp-evaluation-final-report-full-package-publications.
46 https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/weight-cities and https://resourcepanel.org/reports/re-defining-value-manufacturing-
revolution.
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Case studies
SWITCH Africa Green Hanisa e-waste model project
Context
Ghana generates over 150 000 tonnes of waste from
electrical and electronic  equipment  (WEEE) annually,
largely  as  a  result  of  imports. Sites  like  Agbogbloshie
(a central point for the crude dismantling of WEEE in
Accra)  are  among  the  most  toxic  places  on  earth
according to the WHO. The retrieval of precious metal
components
from
WEEE
presents
enormous
environmental challenges due to pollution from the burning of  waste and exposure to lead, mercury and
phosphorus. To help address these challenges, the EU provided a grant of EUR 233 675 through the SWITCH
Africa Green Programme to the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency.

Objectives
The project aims to:
▪  develop a sustainable e-waste management system;
▪  establish a structured approach to e-waste education and publicity;
▪  provide a disposal solution for institutions, businesses and individuals.
Impact
The project has had the following outcomes:
▪  creation of a formal e-waste collection network;
▪  private sector construction of recycling plants and refurbishment centres;
▪  prospective domestic and international markets identified for resale of e-waste components;
▪  increase in proper disposal of toxic e-waste components, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, etc.;
▪  training of local youth in the safe handling of e-waste that can be used to earn a living;
▪  SME business opportunities facilitated through awareness and training activities.

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Demand-side management of water use in MSMEs in Uganda
Context
Available  renewable  water  resources  in  Uganda  have  been  reduced  by  more  than  one  third  in  the  last  30
years, leading to a high dependency ratio from upstream countries (69 % in 2013). The manufacturing sector
lacks  awareness  of  the  importance  of  this  situation.  Demand-side  management  of  water  use  implements
techniques and practices to improve efficiency. To help address these challenges, the EU contributed a grant
of EUR 185 000 through the SWITCH Africa Green Programme to the Ministry of Water and Environment.
Objectives
The programme has the following aims:
▪  to enhance water-use efficiency and increase productivity in MSMEs;
▪  to create awareness about water conservation among MSMEs;
▪  to facilitate the adoption and optimisation of efficient water-use techniques and practices.
Impact
The following outcomes have been achieved:
▪  annual volume of 337 118 m3 of fresh water saved;
▪  annual raw material savings of USD 865 342 and annual water savings of USD 548 939;
▪  USD 577 220 of private sector investments in water efficiency technologies and practices.

A recovery tank installed to recover cooling water and a meter installed to measure recovered water

1.3.13. SDG 13 Climate action
Introduction
Climate change is one of the top priorities at the global level for the EU, confirmed by the increasing
amount of financial resources allocated to this challenge. In December 2018, the 24th Conference of
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the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted the Paris rulebook,
which will allow operationalisation of the Paris agreement by all parties from 2020. The framework
establishes  common  rules  to  which  developed  and  developing  countries  must  adhere  in  order  to
track  progress  as  regards  their  nationally  determined  contributions  (NDCs)  and  their  adaptation
efforts. All parties to the Paris Agreement submitted their NDCs, indicating their expected input to
the  global  effort  to  reduce  emissions.  NDCs  may  also  include  strategies  for  adaptation  to  climate
change  impacts  and  to  reduce  climate-related  risks,  including  through  land  restoration  and
sustainable management and other nature-based solutions.
Overview and trends
The  EU  supports  climate  change  action  through  both  dedicated  (thematic)  actions  and  through
mainstreaming of climate change into other sectors.
The  Global  Climate  Change  Alliance  (GCCA+)  EU  initiative  has  continued  to  support  mitigation-
specific actions (in Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria), and eight other projects were launched in 2018. They
are mainly focused on adaptation in the most vulnerable countries – that is, small island developing
states (SIDS) and the LDCs (47).
In December 2018 the EU joined the InsuResilience Global Partnership as a core member. Launched
in 2017 as a joint G7, G20 and V20 (48) initiative, this aims to strengthen the resilience of developing
countries  to  natural  disasters  and  complement  ongoing  efforts  to  avert,  minimise  and  address
climate  risks. Other regional actions on land restoration and sustainable use  (e.g. the Great Green
Wall initiative and REDD+ (49) actions) contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts
worldwide.
As the delivery of EU climate objectives requires significant investment, the EU agreed that at least
20 % of the EU budget in 2014–2020 should be climate related. The EU is broadly on track towards
the 20 % target, but more needs to be done; although the financial contributions to climate action
increased  (from  10.3 %  in  2014  to  26.8 %  in  2017),  based  on  preliminary  data,  the  2018
contributions are likely to have decreased. Integrating climate change is not just a matter of hitting a
target, but being coherent and consistent over the long term.
The  importance  of  mainstreaming  climate  change  becomes  evident  by  the  fact  that  most  of  the
financial contributions to climate action come from non-thematic actions (approximately 55 % of the
contributions  to  climate  action  in  the  2014–2017  period  were  the  result  of  mainstreaming  in  the
agriculture/food security and energy sectors). When it comes to mainstreaming of climate change,
actions  are  screened  to  identify  opportunities  to  contribute  to  climate  change  mitigation  and
adaptation,  but  also  to  ensure  that  actions  themselves  are  resilient  to  climate  change  (e.g.
engineering design of infrastructure).
The EU also supports climate action through the EU Partnership Instrument, which promotes policy
cooperation with countries of strategic interest to the EU. Among other things, it aims to bolster EU
relations  with  countries  that  are  no  longer  eligible  for  bilateral  development  aid.  The  ‘Strategic

47 The projects were based in Cambodia, Djibouti, Maldives, Myanmar, Senegal and three Caribbean countries: Cuba, Dominican Republic
and Trinidad and Tobago.
48 The V20 Group represents a group of 20 countries whose economies are systemically vulnerable to climate change and extreme events.
49  REDD+  is  ‘reducing  emissions  from  deforestation  and  forest  degradation  and  the  role  of  conservation,  sustainable  management  of
forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries’.
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partnerships for the implementation of the Paris Agreement’ (SPIPA) project, funded in part by the
Partnership  Instrument,  was  initiated  to  encourage  major  economies  to  implement  the  Paris
Agreement by facilitating the translation of political commitment into concrete interventions. SPIPA
contributed  to  the  South  Africa  National  Talanoa  Dialogue  in  August  2018,  which  aims  to  bring
together  the  different  levels  of  government  and  various  stakeholders  to  align  on  national  climate
action across South Africa by providing a forum in which to review the Paris rulebook.
The  ‘EU4Climate’  programme  supports  the  development  and  implementation  of  climate-related
policies by the Eastern Partnership countries, hence contributing to their low-emission and climate-
resilient development and their commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The EU participated in the Adaptation Futures Conference in Cape Town in mid-June 2018 to raise
awareness of EU actions on climate change adaptation in Africa.
Efforts to reduce deforestation and land degradation, to combat loss of biodiversity and to reduce
pollution  are  also  key  in  fighting  climate  change.  Forests  have  the  capacity  to  absorb  half  of  the
world’s CO2 emissions, but the degradation of forests accounts for 20 % of emissions. This is why the
EU supports its partner countries in transforming their economies with more sustainable pathways.
Cambodia: Happier pig farmers in a cleaner environment
Cambodia is extremely vulnerable to climate change. It needs
to  implement  its  development  and  climate  change  policies
while  promoting  inclusive  and  green  growth.  Since  2016  the
EU-funded  GCCA+  has  supported  the  National  Biodigester
Programme  (NBP)  to  promote  the  use  of  medium-scale
biodigesters (10–20 kW) in pig farms. Successful pilots are now
being  disseminated  and  the  NBP  is  looking  for  dedicated
financing  products  to  encourage  the  use  of  this  technology
nationwide. The main results are as follows:
▪  More than 20 000 biodigesters have been installed for household use.
▪  A  network  of  financiers,  construction  companies,  masons,  bio-slurry  specialists  and  aftercare
technicians has been established in 14 of Cambodia’s 24 provinces.
▪  One pig farm was able to reduce its electricity bill by 40–50 %.
▪  Pilot farmers reduced their emissions of CO2e by 600 tonnes and used the biodigester slurry as a
natural fertiliser for their farming activities.
Case studies

Malawi: Farmer Field Schools empower farmers to fight climate change
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Malawi is also vulnerable to climate change, and its
farmers  are  among  the  most  exposed.  The  EU-
funded Farm Field Schools complement traditional
agricultural  advisory  services  by  helping  farmers
learn  how  to  analyse  the  problems  they  face  and
adopt sustainable land management techniques.
The main results are:
▪  increased  local  capacity  to  design  and
implement  climate-resilient  development
plans;
▪  better adaptation of vulnerable communities’ practices to climate variability and change;
▪  an approach that builds capacity and effectively empowers communities and households.

The Covenant of Mayors East
Context
The  EU’s  Covenant  of  Mayors  initiative  helps  municipalities  in  Armenia,  Azerbaijan,  Belarus,  Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine implement their energy and climate commitments. By providing grants intended for
municipal projects, the EU contributes to their overall target to cut CO2 emissions by 30 % by 2030, in turn
helping municipalities across the region implement the Paris Agreement.
Objective
The  objective  is  to  help  municipalities  in  the  Eastern  Partnership  countries  develop  and  implement
sustainable  energy  and  climate  action  plans.  These  plans  are  the  key  local  energy  and  climate  policy
documents that set out how each municipality will reach its CO2 reduction target and increase resilience to
the impacts of climate change.
Impact
Almost 400 municipalities in the Eastern Partnership region have signed up to the Covenant of Mayors.

1.3.14. SDG 14 Life below water
Introduction
Oceans are an important component of the 2030 Agenda and SDG 14. Despite the pledges made in
Our  Ocean  conferences,  however,  global  progress  on  addressing  threats  –  such  as  pollution  and
eutrophication, overfishing  and  destruction  of  habitats  –  has  been  slow.  Climate  change  is  further
increasing  the  pressure  on  oceans  and  coastal  areas,  provoking  coral  bleaching  and  affecting
biodiversity,  fish  reproduction  and  migration  as  well  as  global  weather  patterns  and  sea  levels.
Climate change will have a considerable impact on coastal communities in tropical areas.
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Overview and trends
As initiated by the EU’s Joint Communication on International Ocean Governance (2016), EU external
action in realising SDG 14 is growing in importance, by, for example: promoting sustainable fisheries
governance, protecting marine biodiversity and reducing pollution.
In  Cambodia,  the  EU  agreed  on  its  first-ever  budget  support  contract  in  the  fisheries  sector,  the
‘Capture fisheries’ (CaPFish) programme, which supports the implementation of reforms in fisheries
management and the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Planned to start
in  2019,  the  contract  focuses  on:  i)  conservation,  management  and  compliance  with  laws  and
regulations;  ii)  fish/food  safety;  iii)  support  to  fishing  communities;  and  iv)  institutional  capacity.
Together with the Commission of the Indian Ocean, the EU has signed the new Ecofish programme
(EUR 28  million)  to  promote  sustainable  management  and  development  of  fisheries.  In  particular,
Ecofish strengthens regional capacity to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing in the African part
of the Indian Ocean region and support concrete fisheries management and governance initiatives in
small-scale marine and inland fisheries.
The  study  ‘Larger  than  tigers:  Inputs  for  a  strategic  approach  to  biodiversity  conservation  in  Asia’
was  launched  in  May 2018.  It  supports  a  strategic  approach  to  halting environmental  degradation
and  biodiversity  loss  in  Asia  and  includes  a  regional  section  on  the  marine  ecosystem  with  a
particular focus on the Coral Triangle. The EU also committed EUR 10 million to support integrated
seascape  management  in  the  Coral  Triangle,  addressing  the  expansion,  management  and
reinforcement  of  the  Marine  Protected  Areas  network,  sustainable  small-scale  fisheries  and
ecosystem management.
In  2018,  the  EU,  together  with  the  Secretariat  of  the  ACP  countries,  agreed  a  new  support
programme for ACP SIDS and coastal countries (EUR 35 million). This programme will contribute to
the  implementation of the SAMOA Pathway (SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action) by supporting
efforts  to  protect,  manage  and  use  marine  and  coastal  biodiversity  at  regional,  national  and  local
levels,  through  targeted  capacity  building,  strengthening  knowledge-based  decision-making,
supporting  grass-roots  pilot  projects  and  enhancing  intra-  and  interregional  cooperation  for
environmental sustainability. The programme will also provide a platform for sensitising all relevant
stakeholders  and  promoting  dialogue  on  issues  relevant  to  the  development  of  SIDS  and  coastal
countries. The programme includes a pillar on ocean-related activities (EUR 9.2 million), designed to
support  the  implementation  of  Regional  Seas  Conventions  by  promoting  networks  of  Marine
Protected Areas resilient to climate change and by tackling pollution of the marine environment.
In the Mediterranean region, the programme GreenMed III (EUR 48 million) was adopted in 2018 to
promote  resource  efficiency  and  SCP,  notably  through  depollution  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea  and
reduction  of  water  stress.  The  EU  will  also  continue  supporting  the  development  of  Marine
Protected Areas and the achievement of the ‘good’ environmental status of the Mediterranean Sea.
Through  the  Partnership  Instrument,  the  EU  is  supporting  a  dedicated  project  (EUR 9  million)  to
address  marine  litter  in  hot-spot  countries  and  rivers  in east  and  south-east  Asia.  The  EU will  also
provide EUR 17 million to help Pacific countries build waste management programmes and address
issues relating to health and well-being, marine litter and biodiversity conservation.
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The  EU  strives  to  support  the  work  of  Regional  Seas  Conventions.  For  example,  support  for
implementation of the ecosystem approach in the Mediterranean Sea has some important potential
ramifications for replication in other regions.
The  EU  is  also very  active  on  the  issue  of marine  litter,  including  in  discussions  on  a  future  global
programme of action to protect the marine environment against land-based sources of pollution.
Case study
Improved regional fisheries governance in West Africa (Pescao)
Context
Fisheries,  as  typically  managed  in  2018,  represent  a  threat  to  food  security,  livelihoods  and  marine
biodiversity. Climate change is likely to make this situation worse. There are three main problems:
▪  poor management of fish stocks;
▪  widespread IUU fishing;
▪  lack of cooperation between regional institutions and national authorities.
Objectives
Pescao seeks to boost the contribution of fisheries resources to sustainable development, food security and
poverty alleviation in West Africa. The programme has three components:
▪  supporting the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to develop a framework for
regional  fisheries  priorities  and  encourage  cooperation  between  sub-regional  organisations  and
development partners;
▪  building the capacity of national and regional authorities to deter IUU fishing;
▪  promoting coordinated approaches to shared fisheries management.
Impact
The Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC) organised two joint campaigns at sea in 2018 in the exclusive
economic zones (EEZs) of Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
The  SRFC  organised  and  coordinated  the  Mory  Gningue  (October)  and  Badjigui  Kouate  (December)  joint
operations.  Participating  coastal  states  provided  patrol  vessels  and  fisheries  inspectors.  To  support
patrolling,  SRFC  chartered  the  Senegalese  Navy  vessel  Fouladou.  These  operations  were  organised  in
cooperation  with  the  European  Fisheries  Control  Agency  (EFCA).  To  support  the  operation,  the  SRFC
deployed two  EFCA inspectors: in the coordination centre  and on board one of the fishing patrol vessels.
The EFCA provided integrated maritime services and Copernicus imagery to assist enforcement authorities
in  detecting  possible  unwanted  activities.  In  total,  89  fishing  vessels  were  inspected  and  9  were  ordered
back  to  port  following  serious  violations  (illegal  fishing  gear,  non-compliant  meshing,  non-declaration  of
catches,  etc.).  Where  applicable,  heavy  fines  are  imposed  by  coastal  states’  authorities.  For  example,
Guinea imposed a EUR 100 000 fine on a Chinese vessel accused of using illegal fishing equipment in its EEZ.
Testimonies
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SRFC coordinator Commander Babacar Ba: Thanks to Pescao and EU support, the SRFC and EFCA are joining
forces  to  pinpoint  and  sanction  IUU  fishing  vessels  that  are  depleting  fish  resources  in  West  Africa.  Joint
operations combined with on-the-spot training will make all the difference!
EFCA  Project  Officer  for  Pescao,  Sergio  Amorim:  I  am  proud  to  be  part  of  the  joint  control  operations
organised by the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission, which has brought West African countries together to
share information and resources to combat illegal fishing. The joint control operations, organised under the
Pescao  project,  show  that  fishing  activities  can  be  monitored  to  ensure  compliance  with  regional  and
national fisheries regulations. The joint control operations are effective instruments in the fight against IUU
fishing, and they can make a very important contribution in delivering more sustainable fisheries.
Andrea Patalano, EFCA fisheries control expert deployed on the Fouladou patrol vessel during a 2018 joint
control  surveillance  operation:  I  am  pleased  to  have  taken  part  in  one  of  the  joint  control  operations
organised by the SRFC. My deployment helped identify potential areas for European Union operational and
training activities as part of the Pescao project. The collaborative nature of the joint surveillance operations
also provides an excellent platform for the EFCA and SRFC countries to exchange best practices.

1.3.15. SDG 15 Life on land
Introduction
In developing countries the vast majority of terrestrial ecosystems and their biodiversity continue to
degrade  at  alarming  rates,  affecting  people’s  livelihoods  and  well-being  as  well  as  socioeconomic
development (50).  This  results  in  habitat  loss,  a  decrease  in  quantity  and  quality  of  fresh  water,
further land erosion and degradation, more pollution and higher emissions of greenhouse gases.
Every  year  in  developing  countries,  13  million  hectares  of  forests  are  lost,  mostly  to  agriculture
expansion and forest exploitation, including illegal logging. Forests are home to more than 80 % of
all  terrestrial  species  and  around  1.6  billion  people  depend  on  them  for  their  livelihoods.
Deforestation, land and forest degradation and changes in land use amount to one quarter of global
emissions (51) and, as of December 2018, trends are clearly incompatible with the aim of restricting
increases in global temperature to below 1.5 °C by 2050.
Three quarters of the people living in poverty are directly affected by land degradation. Every year,
12  million  hectares  of  productive  soil  are  lost  from  desertification  and  drought  alone.  Land
degradation  forces  farmers  to  migrate,  with  pastoralists  looking  elsewhere  for  suitable  land.
Tensions over land and other natural resources result in instability and conflict.
The world is on course for its sixth mass extinction of species, the first one caused by humankind,
having  lost 60 % of the main assessed  global populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and
reptiles  between  1970  and  2014 (52).  Illicit  poaching  and  trafficking  of  wildlife  continue  to  thwart
conservation efforts, and wildlife and forest crime is now the fourth-largest form of criminal activity
globally.  Addressing  all  drivers  of  wildlife  and  forest  crime  requires  the  scaling-up  and
mainstreaming of conservation and anti-trafficking actions.

50 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
51 https://repository.uneca.org/handle/10855/22514.
52 https://www.wwf.ch/sites/default/files/doc-2018-10/LPR2018_Full%20Report%20Pages_22.10.2018_0.pdf.
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Overview and trends
The new European Consensus on Development demands that the EU and its Member States support
the sustainable management  and use of natural resources,  including forests, oceans, coastal areas
and river basins. It highlights the need to promote agriculture and food systems that contribute to
the conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems and natural resources and to addressing climate
change. The main global policies in this domain are the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and
Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan to tackle illegal logging and its associated trade, the EU Action Plan against
Wildlife Trafficking and the EU commitments towards the Paris Agreement on climate change.
In 2018, the Work Plan 2018–2022 for the implementation of the FLEGT Action Plan was elaborated
jointly  with  EU  Member  States.  The  EU  initialised  FLEGT  Voluntary  Partnership  Agreements  with
Honduras and Guyana. Moreover, the EU has continued to support FLEGT processes in 24 countries
with  a  view  to  improving  sustainable  forest  management,  enhancing  legality  systems,  building
capacity  of  national  and  local  authorities,  strengthening  CSOs  (especially  those  representing
indigenous people) and enhancing private sector compliance with national regulations.
The  year 2018 has also been critical for the EU in combating deforestation. The  EU supported the
organisation of the international conference on Halting Deforestation and Increasing Forest Area in
Rome in February 2018. The objective was to improve understanding of the roles and contributions
of  forestry-related  sectors  in  promoting  forest-smart  activities  to  halt  deforestation  and  expand
forest  areas,  and  identify  lessons  learned  from  existing  initiatives.  The  European  Commission  also
strengthened  its  commitment  in  the  Central  African  Forest  Initiative,  which  aims  to  preserve  the
value  of  forests  by  implementing  low-emissions  development  investment  frameworks  that  include
national policy reforms and measures addressing drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. In
addition,  a  new  phase  of  the  EU  REDD+  Facility  (2018–2022)  was  launched  to  help  signatory
countries reduce  greenhouse  gas emissions from deforestation and forest  degradation in line with
NDCs.
Three  years  after  the  ‘Larger  than  elephants’  report,  which  provided  the  strategic  approach  for
wildlife conservation in Africa, the European Commission has delivered the study ‘Larger than tigers’.
The  report  highlights  Asia’s  immense  natural  capital  and  provides  information  and  analysis  in
support  of  a  strategic  approach  to  halting  environmental  degradation  and  biodiversity  loss  in  the
region. As its title suggests, the problem is far greater than survival of a single iconic species, like the
tiger; vanishing species are just a part of complex natural ecosystems that benefit humanity. Many
such  systems,  if  lost,  are  irreplaceable.  The  report  was  co-authored  by  more  than  200  scientists,
practitioners  and  decision  makers  and  is  now  used  as  a  basis  for  further  programming  of
biodiversity-related investments.
In 2018, support for the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking was significant (EUR 43.5 million),
with the signing of 10 contracts on forests and wildlife crime. In particular, Interpol and the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime signed two contracts for implementing the strategic action plan
of  the  International  Consortium  for  Combating  Wildlife  Crime.  It  will  consist  of  capacity-building
actions with the police, justice and customs services of countries in Africa, Asia and South America.
On the other hand, CSOs – through a series of targeted contracts – will improve law enforcement on
the ground in the pan-Amazon, Congo Basin, East Africa, Liberia and Mekong Basin regions.
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The EU also actively supported the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, including for
the  engagement  of  developing  countries  in  the  14th  COP  in  Egypt  in  November  2018.  This
conference  also  enabled  decisive  progress  for  the  negotiations  of  a  post-2020  global  biodiversity
framework, with the expected adoption of a new Deal for Nature at the 15th COP in Beijing in 2020.
Case studies
Supporting sustainable management of tree species through the United Nations Environment Programme
and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Context
The  drivers  for  loss  of  species  are  unsustainable  production  and  consumption,  which  deplete  all  types  of
ecosystems  of  species  and  habitats.  The  demand  for  scarce  and  luxurious  tree  products  threatens  the
survival of many species. Dalbergia spp. (rosewood), for example, is in such high demand globally that 28 of
86 species are now listed as endangered due to illegal harvesting. To reverse biodiversity loss, sustainable
management practices must be fostered so that local populations and developing countries, which directly
depend on natural resources, derive fair and long-term benefits from their sustainable use and trade.
Objective
The objective is to support implementation of conservation, management and trade regulations to curb the
trend towards extinction of an increasing number of valuable tree species in biodiversity-rich countries. As
of December 2018, more than 600 of the most economically valuable tree species in international trade are
regulated by CITES. The project  supports producing countries complying with its regulatory framework by
producing non-detriment findings, a requirement for a CITES export permit.
Impact
The project has achieved a number of results:
▪  improved  technical  and  technological  capacity  for  development  of  non-detriment  findings,
including  forest  inventory,  distributional  mapping  and  technical  guidance  for  species-specific
management plans;
▪  improved silvicultural and ecological knowledge for management of CITES-listed tree species;
▪  successful  capacity  building  for  timber  identification  and  effective  information  and  tracking
systems, sustainable management of, and trade in, selected tree species;
▪  identification tools for CITES-listed tree species improved and developed using IT applications and
other training support to identify and follow CITES-listed tree species products;
▪  market studies produced and forest product information systems in place;
▪  long-term support for sustainable forest and tree management in key states.

Saving the sea turtles of Anguilla: Combining community action with scientific evidence to drive legislative
change
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Context
Anguilla’s turtles rely on the island’s coral reefs, seagrass beds, beaches and coastal vegetation to support
their foraging and nesting behaviour. For Anguilla, whose main tourism draw is its  beaches, protecting the
integrity of this habitat for sea turtles also means protecting the most significant indirect contributor to the
island’s GDP. The Anguillan government established a five-year moratorium on sea turtle harvesting in 1995,
which has since been extended to 2020, yet the major problem is that direct evidence about changes in sea
turtle populations in the Caribbean remains limited.
Objectives
The overall objective of this project is to address the current lack of vital data about sea turtles in order to
inform management and conservation on and around Anguilla. The specific objectives are to train Anguillans
on  the  biology  and  conservation  of  sea  turtles,  tracking  and  monitoring  sea  turtles  and  marine  spatial
planning and data analysis. It will also develop a certification programme for sea turtle ecotour guides and
certify at least 20 individuals, including local people, as sea turtle ecotour guides.
Impact
The project has achieved a number of results.
▪  The areas and population status of foraging sea turtles and breeding sea turtles were identified and
assessed.
▪  Potential  threats  to  sea  turtle  populations  were  identified  and  possible  mitigation  strategies
formulated.
▪  A  framework  and  supporting  structures  for  guiding  sea  turtle  conservation  action  and  recovery
were established.
▪  Increased technical expertise on sea turtle conservation and research was honed within Anguilla.
▪  National  and  international  awareness  and  support  for  sea  turtle  and  coastal  conservation  was
increased.

1.3.16. SDG 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
Introduction
In  2018,  the  EU  reaffirmed  its  unconditional  support  for  implementation  of  SDG 16  worldwide
through  a  variety  of  interventions  funded  under  thematic  and  geographic  EU  external  financing
instruments.
Overview and trends
Democracy, human rights and good governance
Five  projects  aiming  to  strengthen  the  capacities  of  political  parties  in  terms  of  women’s
participation,  multiparty  systems,  inter-party  dialogue  and  fair  and  transparent  political  party
financing began implementation in 10 countries in 2018.
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The  Technical  Assistance  Facility,  Media4Democracy,  continued  to  support  the  EU  delegations  in
their efforts to promote freedom of expression and developed ‘Supporting access to information: A
practical guide for EU delegations’.
The EU co-financed capacity building to strengthen international tax governance and facilitated the
participation of developing country experts in international tax forums such as the UN’s Committee
of  Experts  on  Taxation.  In  parallel,  the  EU  initiated  screening  (and  in  some  cases  listing)  of  tax
jurisdictions worldwide with the objective of improving international tax governance.
Under the local authorities component of the Civil society organisations and local authorities (CSO–
LA) programme, 72 contracts were signed to strengthen local authorities as partners in governance
and  development  through  active  democratic  participation,  the  promotion  of  human  rights,  the
participation of women and youth in the public sphere and multilevel accountability. The Integrated
Diagnostic  Decentralization  Framework  was  applied  in  five  pilot  countries,  and  modules  on
decentralisation,  urban  and  rural  development  were  created  as  a  preliminary  step  for  the
development of a country-level roadmap on local authorities.
In  2018,  efforts  were  redoubled  to  improve  the  capacities  of  several  African  countries  on  civil
registration and vital statistical systems.
The EU continued to promote the rule of law, access to justice and the strengthening of capacities of
justice institutions in several countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Furthermore,
several  projects  focused  on  ending  all  forms  of  violence,  trafficking  and  sexual  exploitation  of
children.
The principles of good governance, democracy, rule of law and human rights included under SDG 16
are key to the ENP’s objective of stabilisation. In 2018, several new initiatives to implement reforms
in  these  areas  were  launched  in  eastern  and  southern  Neighbourhood  countries,  to  improve
governance  and  judicial  independence,  and  deepen  democracy  and  the  respect  of  rule  of  law,
including in the context of security reforms and border management.
In line with the new Western Balkan Strategy – ‘A credible enlargement perspective for an enhanced
EU  engagement  with  the  Western  Balkans’ (53)  –  measures  were  rolled  out  to  foster  judicial
independence  and  efficiency,  empower  institutions contributing  to  societal  change  and  encourage
regional cooperation in the region.
Moreover,  the  European  Commission  has  continued  to  enhance  linkage  between  public
administration  reform  (PAR)  efforts  and  inclusive  and  evidence-based  law  and  policymaking
processes  at  sector  level,  and  it  has  supported  the  building  of  effective  country  systems  for
monitoring,  reporting  and  evaluating  public  policy  performance  in  the  Enlargement  and  European
Neighbourhood  regions.  In  the  European  Neighbourhood  regions,  the  Commission  renewed  its
support  for  the  OECD  Support  for  improvement  in  governance  and  management  (SIGMA)
programme to facilitate more sustainable governance and PAR.

53 https://eeas.europa.eu/regions/western-balkans/39711/credible-enlargement-perspective-and-enhanced-eu-engagement-western-
balkans_en.
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Peace, fragility and resilience
During 2018, the European Commission continued to focus on the role of development cooperation
in preventing, managing and helping to resolve conflicts and crises, averting humanitarian needs and
building  lasting  peace  and  good  governance.  In  particular,  the  Commission  launched  the  strategic
evaluation of conflict prevention and peacebuilding for the period 2013–2017, which, once finalised,
in  addition  to  providing  an  independent  assessment  of  EU  support,  will  identify  key  lessons  and
produce  recommendations  on  EU  engagement  in  the  field.  The  Commission  also  launched  a
thematic evaluation of mediation activities financed under the IcSP and concluded the evaluation on
mine  action  under  the  IcSP,  launched  in  2017,  which  provided  valuable  insights  for  future
engagement.
Security and stability
The  implementation  of  the  2016  Security  Sector  Reform  (SSR)  Strategic  Framework  continued  to
make positive changes in the way EU institutions support the security sector in third countries, with
the overarching goal of better securing the Union, promoting peace and EU values  worldwide and
contributing directly to SDG 16 of the 2030 Agenda. In 2018, two ‘SSR coordination matrices’ were
finalised  in  Georgia  and  Mali  with  the  effective  engagement  of  EU  Member  States  present  in  the
field (54).
The  EU,  under  the  IcSP,  has  also  supported  peaceful  political  transitions,  such  as  the  Colombian
peace  process  and  those  in  Gambia  and  Kenya.  Several  activities  in  Afghanistan,  Libya,  Niger  and
Somalia directly complemented the work of CSDP missions.
Prevention  and  countering  of  violent  extremism  (P-CVE)  has  become  a  key  component  of  EU
counterterrorism policy. A number of related specific actions were launched around the world under
the Strengthening resilience to violent extremism (STRIVE) programme to facilitate innovative P-CVE
projects  in  collaboration  with  local  communities  and  strengthen  conditions  conducive  to
development and resilience towards violent extremism (55).
Nuclear safety
The  EU  flagship  environmental  programme  for  Central  Asia  to  remediate  former  uranium  legacy
sites  is  entering  its  implementation  phase. During  the  contributors’  conference  held  in  London  on
8 November 2018, the EU pledged EUR 10 million in support.
Case studies
Justice for victims of sexual crime
In  the  Democratic  Republic  of  Congo,  support  through  IcSP  for  justice  actors,  including  lawyers  and  local
NGOs, led to a landmark decision on 26 July 2018 when the High Military Court convicted for crimes against

54 The matrices developed under the IcSP-financed Security Sector Governance Facility provide a detailed overview of the level of
engagement as of 31.12.2018 and indicate a short- to mid-term vision of future EU support for SSR.
55 This is in line with the UN Secretary-General’s 2016 Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, which recognises the need for a
practical and comprehensive approach to addressing the drivers of violent extremism, wherever they manifest themselves.
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humanity a member of the Provincial Assembly of South Kivu and the members of his militia for the kidnap
and rape of 39 children from Kavumu (56).

The EU Security Sector Governance Facility
The  EU  Security  Sector  Governance  Facility  is  a  three-year  Technical  Assistance  Facility,  launched  in  2018
under  the  IcSP,  whose  objective  is  to  provide  technical  expertise  globally  to  ensure  that  standards  and
principles like legitimacy, good governance, sustainability, ownership and holistic approaches remain central
to SSR processes and EU support. The facility was used in 2018 to support the SSR processes in Gambia and
Mali, among other things.

EU4Citizens: Deepening democracy in Armenia
As a response to large-scale peaceful protests by Armenian citizens and a government change in May 2018,
this new action supports the Armenian reform agenda based on democracy, transparency and accountability
to  citizens.  The  first  component,  on  ‘Increased  trust  in  government’,  supports  the  credibility  and
transparency of national elections, as well as human rights protection and promotion mechanisms and Open
Government  Initiatives.  A  second  component  on  ‘Deepening  civic  engagement  in  Armenia’  focused  on
expanding  the  understanding  of  participatory  democracy  and  of  tools  to  engage  Armenians  as  active
citizens, at national and local levels.


56 https://www.justiceinfo.net/en/tribunals/national-tribunals/38157-kavumu-trial-high-military-court-confirms-all-condemnations.html.
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The Regional Housing Programme (RHP) in the Western Balkans
Reconciliation is crucial to anchor peace firmly and to ensure lasting stability and prosperity in the region. In
line with the Western Balkans Strategy, the EU supports good solutions to difficult issues through regional
cooperation and rebuilding good neighbourly relations.
In  this  context,  the  RHP  will  provide  housing  to  more  than  34 000  vulnerable  people  in  Bosnia  and
Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. It is an excellent example of EU commitment to addressing
the  consequences  of  the  conflicts  in  the  1990s.  The  programme  changes  people’s  lives.  People  who  have
lived for 20 years in poor and often dire conditions now enjoy decent homes and can reintegrate into their
former communities or build new lives elsewhere.
To  support  this,  in  2018  the EU  contributed  an  additional  EUR 40  million  to  the  RHP. This  brings  the  total
support for the RHP to EUR 287 million, the EU being the largest  contributor with EUR 234 million or over
80 % of all contributions.
By the end of 2018, the RHP has already provided 12 000 people in need with quality, durable homes. It has
also given additional assistance to improve the lives of these rehoused people, including making sure they
can access services (health, education, etc.) and benefit from rights (pensions, allowances, documentation,
etc.). In addition, the programme has supported more than 30 000 jobs and given 1 000 contracts to local
companies.  Moreover,  it  has  improved  the  skills  of  workers  and  collaborated  with  local  businesses  and
administrations to deliver better services.

Family house built with the support of the RHP, allowing an internally displaced family to return
to their native village in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In view of political developments, the Commission has worked with and further supported both civil society
and  independent  media  to  counter  the  risks  of  shrinking  space  and  to  strengthen  accountability  and
transparency  in  the  region.  The  Civil  Society  Facility  continued  providing  support  to  around  45  regional
networks of CSOs, covering almost all the main sectors of the EU acquis communautaire.
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1.3.17. SDG 17 Partnerships for the goals
Introduction
Successful sustainable development requires partnerships between governments, the private sector
and  civil  society.  For  the  EU  and  its  Member  States,  work  at  country  and  global  level  is  only
deliverable if the means of implementation with multi-stakeholder partnerships is strengthened at
all levels, as highlighted in the new European Consensus on Development.
Overview and trends
To strengthen the financial capacities of partner countries, EU support for DRM includes tax policy
reform,  support  for  tax  administrations  and  international  cooperation  on  tax  matters  in
collaboration  with  institutions  such  as  the  IMF,  the  OECD  and  the  World  Bank.  Nevertheless,
bilateral  cooperation  with  partner  countries  remains  the  EU’s  primary  channel,  especially  with
regard to budget support.
In  collaboration  with  the  IMF,  54  Tax  Administration  Diagnostic  Tool  (TADAT)  evaluations  were
completed  between  2016  and  2018.  These  assessments  triggered  the  preparation  of  new  tax
reforms in partner countries, such as Morocco and Tunisia, and delivered excellent results in terms
of  revenue  collection  in  countries  like  Albania,  Cambodia  (where,  for  instance,  EU  cooperation
helped  increase  domestic  revenues  from  15.2 %  of  GDP  in  2014  to  18 %  in  2017)  or  Georgia.
Moreover,  the  Commission  continued  to  engage  with  European  financial  institutions  and  regional
development  banks  on  a  range  of  topics,  including  mobilisation  of  domestic  resources,  public
financial management, private sector, blending platforms, Africa and the Neighbourhood.
On  debt  issues,  although  borrowing  is  an  important  part  of  any  government’s  financing  strategy,
unsustainable debt  accumulation calls into question overall macroeconomic stability and access to
further  financing,  and  it  often  reverses  development  progress.  The  debt  portfolio  of  developing
countries is becoming significantly more complex as expanding private sector lending, international
and domestic bond issuance and non-traditional financing products (e.g. collaterals) introduce new
risks  related  to  currency,  refinancing  and  interest  rates.  At  the  same  time,  around  40 %  of  low-
income  countries  are  at  high  risk  of,  or  are  already  in,  debt  distress.  In  this  context,  debt
management capacity and transparency are becoming increasingly important.
The  Commission  is  supporting  international  efforts  to  enhance  debt  management  capacities.  This
includes  accurately  recording  and  reporting  debt  data  as  well  as  developing  medium-term  debt
management  strategies  to  minimise  the  risks  and  the  cost  of  financing.  The  budget  support
programmes  provide  the  framework  in  which  to  engage  in  regular  dialogue  on  macroeconomic
stability  and  fiscal  sustainability.  In  2018,  the  EU  supported  implementation  of  the  Operational
Guidelines on Sustainable Financing, which aim to enhance debt transparency of both creditors and
debtors.  Also  in  2018,  the  Debt  Management  Facility  Stakeholders  Forum  took  place  in  Brussels,
bringing  together  policymakers  and  debt  managers  from  developing  countries  and  international
organisations to address emerging debt challenges.
When it comes to capacity-building support in 2018, the EU took a leading role in the activities of the
GPEDC  and  continued  to  represent  Member  States  on  the  steering  committee  of  the  partnership.
The EU focused on implementing initiatives to strengthen partnerships at country level, developing
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principles  and  practical  guidance  to  ensure  the  development  effectiveness  of  private  sector
engagement and supporting the engagement of civil society in national and global policy processes.
In addition, the EU played a key role in the 2018 GPEDC monitoring round with regard to updating
the  methodology  to  incorporate  the  SDGs  and  supporting  the  implementation  of  the  monitoring
exercise itself, and through active participation of EU delegations at country level.
On  policy  and  institutional  coherence,  joint  programming  of  development  assistance  from  the  EU
and  its  Member  States  has  been  a  major  tool  to  address  development  effectiveness  issues.  Joint
monitoring and results frameworks conceived by the EU and its Member States have been included
in  an  increasing  number  of  Joint  Programming  Documents,  such  as  those  launched  in  Kenya  and
Senegal in 2018. This is pertinent for the 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Agenda for Action, both
of which call for increased policy coherence.
On strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships, the EU has been at the forefront of working with
partners  to  mobilise  and  share  knowledge,  expertise,  technology  and  resources  in  support  of  the
SDGs.  The  EU  and  its  Member  States  are  committed  to  working  better  together  by  jointly
programming, implementing and monitoring their cooperation at country level.
To  promote  cooperation  and  alliance  building  on  global  issues  of  mutual  interest,  the  EU  is  also
partnering with middle-income countries – strategic partners in particular – on a peer-to-peer basis,
for  example  through  the  Partnership  Instrument,  in  line  with  the  aims  of  SDG 17.  Actions  cover
policies  such  as  the  international  dimension  of  the  Europe  2020  Strategy  and  boosting  trade,
investment  and  business  opportunities  for  EU  companies.  This  engagement  also  establishes
partnerships on fighting climate  change; for example, ‘Support to the implementation of  the Paris
Agreement  with  major  economies’  encourages  G20  partner  countries  to  implement  their  climate
change mitigation and adaptation policies successfully.
Development dialogue with non-EU development partners in 2018 was essential, such as the High-
Level  EU–Japan  Development  Policy  Dialogue  and  the  Development  Policy  Dialogue  with  South
Korea.
To  support  civil  society  and  local  authorities,  the  Commission  held  three  Policy  Forums  on
Development: unique multi-stakeholder partnerships that aim to improve SDG implementation. The
Commission  also  organised  a  Partnership  Forum  with  networks  of  CSOs  and  associations  of  local
authorities  that  signed  Framework  Partnership  Agreements  with  the  Commission  and  with  the
International  Trade  Union  Confederation  and  the  International  Organisation  of  Employers  at  the
same time. Additionally, the Commission launched a dialogue with foundations and held a meeting
with diaspora groups on investment and entrepreneurship in order to strengthen their contribution
to the achievement of the SDGs.
The  EU  continued  to  be  actively  engaged  in  development-related  UN  processes,  including  the
High-Level  Political  Forum  and  the  Financing  for  Development  Forum,  as  well  as  with  the
announcement  of  the  renewed  EU–UN  Partnership  in  Development.  The  EU  continued  its  strong
support  of  the  UN  Reforms  (development  system,  management  and  security)  led  by  the
Secretary-General.
The  Commission  played  an  influential  role  in  major  OECD DAC  events  throughout  2018.  The  EU’s
views were well reflected in decisions taken on OECD DAC institutional reform, innovative financing
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for  sustainable  development  and  harmonisation  of  reporting  practices,  including  a  new  SDG
reporting field.
A key feature in 2018 was the further strengthening of the partnerships with international financial
institutions.  The  European  Commission  ensured  high-level  participation  at  the  World  Bank  Group
(WBG)  and  IMF  spring  and  annual  meetings  and  prepared  for  the  second  Deep  Dive  high-level
meeting. It also organised the 15th annual dialogue between the EU Member States on the board of
the WBG and the EU institutions to increase EU coordination.
The Commission actively worked in the G20 Development Working Group on reducing inequalities
and leaving no one behind. Support for the Canadian G7 presidency helped make tangible progress
on gender equality and women’s empowerment,  food security, education, health, climate  change,
clean energy, financial stability and peace and security. The EU also played an active role in the G7
accountability  process  and  working  group  through  the  Charlevoix  Progress  Report  on  ‘Women’s
economic  empowerment  as  a  driver  for  innovation,  shared  prosperity  and  sustainable
development’.
Since  2003,  the  EU  has  been  a  member  of  the  multi-contributor  joint  competency  development
network  Learn4dev,  which  remains  a  strong  partner  in  sharing  best  practice  on  learning  and
knowledge management.
Taking into account the rapidly changing development landscape, in 2018 agile learning and the idea
of creating a common entry point connecting the existing contributors’ learning platforms were at
the  centre  of  discussions.  As  the  network’s  most  important  event  of  the  year,  the  2018  annual
meeting – hosted by the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin – was an occasion not only
to strengthen connections within the network, but also to work with new partners and stakeholders
on creating learning scenarios.
Case studies
A pilot joint action for the nutrition sector in Ethiopia
In  Ethiopia,  EU+  joint  programming (57)  launched  a  pilot  joint  action  for  the  nutrition  sector.  This  action
developed  a  coherent  and  cohesive  response  to  Ethiopia’s  key  development  challenge  of  reducing  child
stunting.  The  EU+  Joint  Strategy  on  Nutrition,  which  was  launched  in  2016,  has  led  to  increased
transparency,  complementarity,  coherence  and  predictability  of  support  for  the  nutrition  sector.  It  has
helped  to  identify  where  EU+  resources  could  be  allocated  more  strategically  and  effectively  to  achieve
better gains in maternal and child nutrition. Nutrition is now also better integrated into other sectors, such
as education and agriculture, to address the underlying and basic causes of malnutrition more effectively.
For  example,  recognising  that  the  education  sector  plays  an  essential  role  in  reducing  malnutrition  in  a
sustainable,  long-term  and  equitable  manner,  the  EU+  worked  to  increase  enrolment  and  retention  of
pupils, and particularly to improve female adolescent access to education up to secondary level. Ethiopian
women  in  particular  are  benefiting  from  the  EU+  Joint  Strategy  because  it  puts  them  at  the  centre  of
nutrition-related interventions, both in rural and in urban settings, promoting gender equality and women’s
decision-making.


57 EU joint programming means the joint planning of cooperation by the EU and one or more of its Member States. EU+ joint programming
involves the EU, one or more of its Member States and other like-minded countries, in this case 20 Member States and Norway.
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Indicators on domestic resource mobilisation
In  West  Africa,  eight  countries  included  indicators  on  domestic  resource  mobilisation  in  their  budget
support  programmes  (Benin,  Burkina  Faso,  Côte  d’Ivoire,  Guinea,  Mali,  Niger,  Sierra  Leone  and  Togo).
Reforms have generally focused on the assessment of tax expenditures and improving the efficiency of value
added tax systems. Since 2016, these countries have had an average increase of 1.4 % of GDP in government
revenues.  Although  revenue  collection  has  various  determinants,  this  shows  a  clear  correlation  between
greater engagement on domestic resource mobilisation and tangible progress in partner countries (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Revenue as a percentage of GDP in West Africa (2014–2016)

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2. Results reporting and alignment to SDGs
2.1.
The  EU  International  Cooperation  and  Development  Results  Framework  and
the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II) Performance Framework
In recent years, European Commission services have stepped up efforts to foster a culture of results-
based  management  and  strengthen  related  reporting  systems,  enhancing  accountability,
transparency  and  visibility  of  EU  aid (58).  This  includes  the  publishing  of  the  EU  International
Cooperation  and  Development  Results  Framework  (EU RF)  in  2015 (59)  and  a  revised  version  in
2018 (60). Results reporting against the revised framework is the focus of the present chapter, with
two sections based on the fifth round of results reporting against EU RF indicators.
In addition, selected results for aid to the Western Balkans and Turkey region, financed by the IPA II,
are  presented  for  the  first  time  in  this  report.  These  are  from  the  first  results  reporting  exercise
based on the IPA II Performance Framework (IPA II PF), which was carried out in parallel to the fifth
round of EU RF results reporting.
2.1.1.  Revision of the EU Results Framework and results reporting exercise
The  EU RF  was  revised  in  2018  because  European  and  international  development  policies  had
evolved since the first framework was produced in 2015. Notably, at the international level, the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development (61) was adopted by the UN, and the targets and indicators for
SDGs were agreed upon. At the European level, the new European Consensus on Development (62)
incorporates  the  2030  Agenda  paradigm  shift  into  the  EU’s  development  cooperation  policy  and
provides a common framework for development cooperation for the EU and its Member States.
With  these  changes  in  mind,  the  primary  aim  of  the  revision  was  to  align  the  EU RF  to  the  new
international  and  European  policy  frameworks,  building  on  the  lessons  learned  from  its
implementation since inception. The EU RF continues to be a tool used at corporate level to enhance
accountability, transparency and visibility of EU cooperation and development activities.
2.1.1.1. Reporting from ongoing interventions
The  function  of  the  results  framework  has  been  reinforced  and  extended  in  the  revised  EU RF  to
support decision-making and to promote learning. Key to this process, the reporting includes for the
first  time  a  sample  of  ongoing  operations.  This  represents  a  significant  step  towards  the
Commission’s aim of further increasing data coverage and obtaining more timely information.
2.1.1.2. Coverage and structure of the revised EU RF
In  line  with  the  principles  of  aid  effectiveness  and  effective  development  cooperation  that
emphasise  partnerships  and  country  ownership,  results  for  the  revised  EU RF  are  presented  on  a
contribution basis. That is, rather than results being based on the share of funding provided by the
EU, they represent the combined efforts of a variety of partners, including the EU, Member States,

58 COM(2011) 637 final, 30.08.2017.
59 SWD(2015) 80 final, 23.03.2015.
60 SWD(2018) 444 final, 11.10.2018.
61 UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/70/1.
62 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:42017Y0630(01)&from=EN.
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partner country governments and public institutions, local communities, contributors, international
and finance agencies, CSOs, non-profit entities and private companies.
The revised EU RF is structured around three levels of results.
Level 1  corresponds to development  progress in partner countries; that  is, the medium-  and long-
term development impact achieved in partnership and collaboration with others. Such progress is,
by nature, slow, and impacts reported at this level are not intended to assess the performance of EU
international  cooperation  directly,  but  rather  reflect  the  operational  context  in  which  EU  external
assistance  is  provided.  The  indicators  at  this  level  are  selected  as  far  as  possible  from  the  SDG
indicators.
Level 2 focuses on development outcomes and outputs to which EU-funded interventions contribute
in collaboration with partner governments and other funding providers. It is at this level that results
most  relevant  for  internal decision-making,  accountability,  communication  and lesson  learning  are
aggregated  at  the  corporate  level.  Indicators  from  the  first  EU RF  have  been  retained  where
relevant.
Level 3 focuses on the mainstreaming of policy priorities, as measured by budgetary commitments
directed at specific cross-cutting issues (e.g. human development, gender, nutrition). This is to avoid
duplication of reporting elsewhere and partial reporting. Level 3 focuses on finance data.
To increase coherence with international and European policy frameworks, the EU RF is now framed
around  the  SDGs  and  incorporates  results  statements  to  articulate  the  key  EU  international
cooperation objectives, as reflected in the Consensus.
As  with  the  first  EU RF,  a  methodology  note  is  available  for  each  of  the  indicators  in  the  revised
framework.  The  notes  provide  clear  definitions,  inclusion/exclusion  criteria,  etc.,  and  they  ensure
transparency as well as consistency in application of the indicators (63).
2.2.
Results-based management
The EU RF is one component of a broader system that supports results-based practices throughout
the whole intervention life cycle. This system has been continually strengthened in recent years to
deliver better on results-oriented development cooperation.
Internal  monitoring:  At  the  intervention  level,  the  logical  framework  matrix,  with  appropriate
indicators, is used for internal monitoring. To prepare the ground for solid monitoring, peer review is
carried  out  during  the  design  of  interventions,  supporting  the  formulation  of  robust  indicators,
baselines and targets.
Annual internal management reporting: Once a year, the heads of EU delegations across the world
identify  potential  difficulties  and  delays  in  the  implementation  cycle  of  ongoing  EU  development
cooperation  interventions.  This  reporting  helps  the  European  Commission  services  in  taking
appropriate corrective measures.
External  appraisal:  Internal  monitoring  is  supplemented  by  external  monitoring  (results-oriented
reviews), which is carried out to provide independent advice on improving project delivery.

63 The methodological notes can be found at the following Capacity4dev web page: https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/eu-rfi.
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

Results frameworks: The EU RF is the monitoring tool used to report aggregated results at corporate
level.  It  complements  other  monitoring  and  reporting  frameworks  that  were  developed  for  the
sectoral level or for specific initiatives; an example is the EUTF for Africa’s results framework.
Data used for reporting on the EU RF
Level 1 reports figures published by international data  sources (SDG indicators, World  Bank, etc.). Results
are  presented  by  region  where  figures  are  available.  In  some  cases,  poor  availability  of  data  means  that
regional  aggregates  are  not  possible.  Here,  results  are  presented  at  country  level  instead.  Whereas  the
previous  EU RF  covered  EU  partner  countries  only,  reporting  on  the  revised  framework  considers  all
countries included in reporting by international data sources.
Level 2 reports results from a set of EU-funded interventions, both ongoing and completed (64): those that
started  in  January  2014  or  later,  have  had  an  EU  contribution  of  EUR 750 000  or  more  and  were  under
implementation for at least 24 months at the time of project selection (June 2018).
The sample of ongoing interventions will be expanded over time, notably with the help of a new IT platform
which,  as  of  December  2018,  is  under  development.  This  staged  expansion  means  that,  as  with  previous
results reporting, the annual figures are not suitable for assessing trends over time. For example, increases
in figures reported may simply be due to expansion in the sample at different points in time. In addition, the
move to include ongoing interventions in the revised EU RF means that results reported this year are not
directly comparable with those reported in previous years.
To  illustrate  the  results  achieved  since  the  first  EU RF,  the  results  are  cumulated  over  time  for  indicators
that have had no definitional change; this is also done for indicators where definitional changes have led to
underestimation  (or  more  conservative  estimates)  of  totals  using  current  EU RF  definitions.  This
presentation is purely for illustrative purposes, and it is recognised that there are limitations to presenting
figures in this manner.
Level 3  reports  on  organisational  performance  based  on  financial  data  referring  to  the  calendar  year
2018 (65).

More  technical  details  on  all  levels  of  the  EU RF  and  detailed  results  tables  can  be  found  in  the
annexes.
2.3.
Overview of results for EU RF Level 2
With a focus on results that can be closely linked to EU-funded interventions, Level 2 of the EU RF
forms the core of results reporting.
The  total  expenditure  corresponding  to  the  interventions  included  in  the  latest  round  of  data
collection,  in  2018,  was  EUR 4.720  billion.  Figure 3  shows  the  expenditure  for  the  projects  and
programmes broken down by sector.


64  The interventions were financed using the following instruments: the EDF; the DCI; the programmable part of the IcSP under Article 5;
the EIDHR; the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation; the Instrument for Greenland; and the European Neighbourhood Instrument
(ENI).
65 The interventions were financed using the following instruments: the EDF; the DCI; the programmable part of the IcSP under Article 5;
the EIDHR; the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation; and the Instrument for Greenland.
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

Figure 3. Expenditure by sector for projects/programmes reporting results against EU RF indicators
(%)

NB:  Due  to  differing  reporting  structures,  Figure  3  does  not  cover  results  from  the  EUTF  for  Africa  and  the  EU–Africa
Infrastructure Trust Fund (ITF).
Please note the following.
a) Information is based on the OECD DAC sector codes assigned to each project and programme; clear one-to-one mapping
between the sectors, as defined by the OECD DAC and by the EU RF, is not always possible.
b)  There  are  some  OECD DAC  sectors  that  are  not  explicitly  covered  by  the  sectors  of  the  EU RF;  in  particular,  general
budget  support  (GBS)  has  its  own  OECD DAC  sector  code  but  is  not  covered  by  a  specific  sector  in  the  EU RF;  results
achieved through GBS programmes are reported under different EU RF sectors (mainly in health and in education).
c)  Unspecified  expenditure  includes,  among  other  types,  expenditure  on  urban  development,  actions  relating  to  debt,
programmes on culture and recreation, and ICT.

Table 1 shows the latest aggregated results for EU RF Level 2 indicators. Note that historical data are
not  available  for  EU RF  indicators  that  have  been  substantially  revised.  Note  also  that  there  is  no
entry for the EU RF indicator 2.22b ‘Marine areas under b) sustainable management with EU support
(km2)’. This indicator was introduced in the revision and, as of December 2018, the methodology is
still under development (closely following the ongoing work done by the UN on SDG indicator 14.2.1
‘Proportion  of  national  EEZs  managed  using  ecosystem-based  approaches’).  Furthermore,  EU  RF
indicator 2.9 ‘Number of individuals with access to electricity with EU support through a) new or b)
improved  access’  currently  only  reports  the  number  of  individuals  with  new  access,  due  to  data
limitations. Improved access will be reported in the forthcoming years.
Table 1. EU RF Level 2 – Latest aggregated results achieved with EU support, 2013–2018 (a)
2013–
No
EU RF indicator
2018 I
2013–2018
2017 (b)
Number  of  food-insecure  people  receiving  EU
2.1
14 159 000
12 038 000
26 197 000
assistance (d, e)
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

2013–
No
EU RF indicator
2018 I
2013–2018
2017 (b)
Number  of  women  of  reproductive  age,  adolescent
girls  and  children  under  five  reached  by  nutrition-
11 976 000
5 811 000
17 787 000
2.2
related interventions supported by the EU (e)
Food-insecure people
–
1 381 000
1 381 000
Number of smallholders reached with EU-supported
interventions  aimed  to  increase  their  sustainable
3 841 000
3 144 000
6 985 000
production,  access  to  markets  and/or  security  of
2.3
land (e, f)
Food-insecure people
–
828 000
828 000
Agricultural  and  pastoral  ecosystems  where
2.4
sustainable  management  practices  have  been
3 675 000
476 000
4 152 000
introduced with EU support (ha)
Number  of  one-year-olds  fully  immunised  with  EU
2.5
13 253 000
63 806 000
77 060 000
support
Number  of  women  of  reproductive  age  using
2.6
–
13 850 000
13 850 000
modern contraception methods with EU support (g)
Number  of  students  enrolled  in  education  with  EU
2.7a
47 763 000
10 041 000
55 438 000
support: a) primary education
Number  of  students  enrolled  in  education  with  EU
2.7b
21 087 000
1 767 000
22 803 000
support: b) secondary education
Number  of  individuals  with  access  to  improved
2.8
drinking water source and/or sanitation facility with
–
723 000
723 000
EU support (h)
Number  of  individuals  assessing  electricity  with  EU
2.9
support  through:  a)  new  access;  b)  improved
–
–16 853 000
access (i)

Renewable energy generation capacity installed with
2.10
–
–7 300
EU support (MW) (h)

2.11
Number of jobs supported/sustained by the EU (h)
–
67 000
67 000
Number  of  countries  supported  by  the  EU  to
2.12
–
46
46
strengthen investment climate
Number  of  beneficiaries  with  access  to  financial
2.13a
37 000
4 900
42 000
services with EU support: a) firms
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2013–
No
EU RF indicator
2018 I
2013–2018
2017 (b)
Number  of  beneficiaries  with  access  to  financial
2.13b
–
1 163 000
1 163 000
services with EU support: b) individuals (h)
Number  of  quality  schemes  adopted  by  economic
2.14
1 500
64
1 600
operators with EU support
Number  of  people  who  have  benefited  from
2.15
institution-
or
workplace-based
VET/skills
882 000
138 000
1 021 000
development interventions supported by the EU (j)
Total length of road supported by the EU through: a)
2.16
construction;  b)  rehabilitation;  c)  maintenance
43 000
22 000
65 000
(km) (k)
Number  of  migrants,  forcibly  displaced  people  or
2.17
individuals  from  host  communities  protected  or
–
1 500 000
1 500 000
assisted with EU support (l)
Number  of  migration  management  or  forced
2.18a
displacement
strategies
or
policies:
a)
–
24
24
developed/revised with EU support (m)
Number  of  migration  management  or  forced
2.18b
displacement  strategies  or  policies:  b)  under
–
19
19
implementation with EU support (l)
Number of countries and cities with climate change
and/or  disaster  risk  reduction  strategies:  a)
2.19
100
91
191
developed;  b)  under  implementation  with  EU
support (n)
Number  of  MSMEs  applying  SCP  practices  with  EU
2.20
27 000
6 500
33 000
support
Greenhouse gas emissions avoided with EU support
2.21
–
–
18 376 000
(tonnes CO2e) (h)
Marine  areas  under:  a)  protection  with  EU  support
2.22a
–
2 700
2 700
(km2) (h)
Areas  of  terrestrial  and  freshwater  ecosystems
2.23a
46 572 000
6 936 000
53 508 000
under: a) protection with EU support (ha) (o)
Areas  of  terrestrial  and  freshwater  ecosystems
2.23b
under: b) sustainable management with EU support
–
155 000
155 000
(ha) (h)
2.24
Number  of  countries  supported  by  the  EU  to
–
22
22
conduct  elections  and/or  improve  their  electoral
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

2013–
No
EU RF indicator
2018 I
2013–2018
2017 (b)
process (p)
Number  of  government  policies  developed  or
2.25
revised  with  civil  society  organisation  participation
–
93
93
through EU support (h)
Number  of  victims  of  human  rights  violations
2.26
directly  benefiting  from  assistance  funded  by  the
–
42 000
42 000
EU (q)
Number of people directly  benefiting  from legal aid
2.27
1 682 000
168 000
1 849 000
interventions supported by the EU
Number  of  individuals  directly  benefiting  from  EU-
supported  interventions  that  specifically  aim  to
2.28
2 789 000
285 000
3 074 000
support  civilian  post-conflict  peacebuilding  and/or
conflict prevention
Number  of  state  institutions  and  non-state  actors
supported  on  security,  border  management,
2.29
–
2 300
2 300
countering  violent  extremism,  conflict  prevention,
protection of civilian population and human rights (r)
Number  of  countries  supported  by  the  EU  to
2.30
strengthen  revenue  mobilisation,  public  financial
–
98
98
management and/or budget transparency (s)
a  Total  figures,  covering  2013  to  2018,  may  not  equal  the  sum  of  results  from  2013–2017  and  2018.  This  is  due  to
avoidance of double counting, because of rounding figures, or both.
b Refers to data collected from EU-funded interventions that ended between July 2013 and June 2017.
c Refers to data collected from EU-funded interventions that started from January 2014 onward and either ended between
July 2017 and June 2018 or were ongoing at the time of project selection (June 2018).
d The EU RF value is cumulated across years with the results for the indicator from the previous EU RF: ‘Number of food-
insecure people receiving assistance through social transfers supported by the EU’. The focus on social transfers means the
previous indicator has a narrower definition of food-insecure people.
e  The  number  reported  under  indicator 2.1  may  overlap  with  those  for  indicators  2.2  and/or  2.3.  Indeed,  food-insecure
people  may  also  be  reached  by  nutrition-related  interventions  covered  by  indicator 2.2  and/or  interventions  aimed  to
increase  smallholders’  sustainable  production,  access  to  markets  and/or  security  of  land  covered  by  EU RF 2.3.  For
indicators 2.2 and 2.3, the numbers of food-insecure people reached (based on the revised EU RF) are reported separately.
f  This  indicator  was  introduced  in  the  2018  revision  of  the  EU RF.  It  combines  parts  of  the  previous  EU RF  indicators
‘Number of people receiving rural advisory services’ and ‘Number of people who have secure tenure of land’ (values for
2013–2017: 3 841 000 and 815 000, respectively). For the purpose of reporting across years, the current value for the new
EU RF indicator is cumulated with the historical data for ‘Number of people receiving rural advisory services’.
g This indicator was introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF. In the previous EU RF, the related indicator ‘Number of
women using any method of contraception’ had a wider scope and reported a value of 57 302 000 for 2013–2017.
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h This indicator was introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF. No data were collected prior to the revision.
i This indicator was newly introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF. The value reported represents inferred access to
electricity for the overall reporting period 2013–2018. It currently does not include the number of individuals with access
to electricity with EU support through improved access, due to data limitations. Improved access will be reported in the
forthcoming years. As a result, the number of people with access to electricity (new or improved) through EU support is
expected to be significantly higher.
j Besides reporting on interventions covered by the EU RF, this indicator also includes 2018 figures reported through the
EUTF (window: Horn of Africa – excluding life skills, in line with the EU RF methodology).
k  The  2018  value  corresponds  to:  a)  250 km  constructed;  b)  300 km  rehabilitated;  and  c)  21 000 km  maintained.  It  is
cumulated with the indicator from the previous EU RF: ‘Total length of road constructed/rehabilitated/maintained (km)’.
l This indicator was introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF. Besides reporting on interventions covered by the EU RF,
the value also includes 2018 figures reported through the EUTF for Africa (windows: Horn of Africa; North Africa; Sahel and
Lake Chad).
m This indicator was introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF. Besides reporting on interventions covered by the EU RF,
the value also includes 2018 figures reported through the EUTF for Africa (window: North Africa).
n The 2018 value corresponds to: a) 60 strategies developed and b) 35 strategies implemented but does not equal the sum
of these figures as there is double counting.
o  The  value  for  2013–2017  is  from  a  related  indicator  in  the  previous  EU RF:  ‘Number  of  hectares  of  protected  areas
managed with EU support’.
p This indicator was introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF. In the previous EU RF, the related indicator ‘Number of
elections supported by the EU where the electoral process is perceived by independent observers as free and fair’ had a
different scope and reported a value of 38 elections for 2013–2017.
q This indicator was introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF. In the previous EU RF, the related indicator ‘Number of
human rights defenders who have received EU support’ had a different scope and reported a value of 138 000 for 2013–
2017.
r Besides reporting on interventions covered by the EU RF, this indicator also includes 2018 figures reported through the
EUTF for Africa (windows: Horn of Africa; Sahel and Lake Chad).
s This indicator was introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF. In the previous EU RF, the related indicator ‘Number of
countries  where  overall  public  financial  management  has  improved’  had  a  different  scope  and  reported  a  value  of  30
countries for 2013–2017.

2.4.
Results reported under the EU RF per SDG
In  this  section,  presentation  of  EU RF  results  is  structured  according  to  the  17  SDGs (66).  For  each
SDG in turn, a short update on progress is given, followed by the relevant results statement(s) from
the  new  European  Consensus  on  Development  and  the  latest  data  for  EU RF  indicators;  the  latter
include  results  for  each  of  the  three  EU RF  levels,  depending  on  availability  for  each  SDG.
Additionally,  results  achieved  at  Level 2  (outcomes  and  outputs  supported  by  the  EU)  are
complemented by selected examples from EU-funded interventions. These examples also highlight

66 The revised EU RF as presented in SWD(2018) 444 does not link Level 3 indicators to specific SDGs. For the purpose of this report, results
from each of the 10 Level 3 indicators are presented with reference to a specific SDG, even though they may actually contribute to more
than one of the goals.
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

priorities  which  are  not  captured  by  EU RF  indicators,  such  as  youth,  people  with  disabilities  and
digitalisation.
2.4.1.  SDG 1 No poverty
While  extreme  poverty  has  eased  considerably  since  1990,  pockets  of  the  worst  forms  of  poverty
persist.  Ending  poverty  requires  universal  social  protection  systems  aimed  at  safeguarding  all
individuals  –  women  and men,  boys  and  girls  –  throughout  the  life  cycle.  It  also  requires targeted
measures  to  reduce  vulnerability to  disasters  and  to  address  underserved  geographic  areas  within
each country (67).
Eradicate poverty, leave no one behind
EU RF indicator 1.1 Proportion of population below the international poverty line (2015)
Europe
Latin
Middle
Sub-
East Asia
and
America
East and
Northern
Southern
World
Saharan
and Pacific
Central
and the
North
America
Asia
Africa
Asia
Caribbean
Africa
10.0 %
2.3 %
1.5 %
4.1 %
5.0 %
–
41.1 %
16.2 %*
* This figure is based on data for 2013.
2.4.2.  SDG 2 Zero hunger
After  a  prolonged  decline,  world  hunger  appears  to  be  on  the  rise  again.  Conflict,  drought  and
disasters linked to climate change are among the key factors causing this reversal in progress (68).
Pursue an end to hunger and undernutrition and systematically integrate resilience in all actions
EU RF indicator 1.2 Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (2015)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
23.9 %
62.4 %
32.1 %
27.8 %
11.0 %
–
–
9.3 %

EU RF indicator 1.3 Prevalence of stunting among children under five years of age (2017)

67 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg1.
68 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg2.
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Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
22.2 %
32.6 %
16.3 %
32.4 %
13.2 %
9.6 %
–
–

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicators 2.1 and 2.2
12 038 000 food-insecure people received EU assistance
5 811 000  women  of  reproductive  age,  adolescent  girls  and  children  under  five  were  reached  by
nutrition-related interventions supported by the EU, among whom 1 381 000 were food-insecure
Along  with  other  international  contributors,  the  EU  is  supporting  Ethiopia’s  Productive  Safety  Net
Programme  (PSNP),  which  aims  to  reduce  vulnerability  to  food  insecurity  by  providing  economic
opportunities  and  building  resilience  to  crises.  The  fourth  phase  of  the  PSNP  started  in  mid-2015
with an integrated approach to social protection, food security and natural resources management.
The  programme  addressed  environmental  issues  and  climate  change,  focusing  on  increasing
resilience to shocks, reducing deforestation through land restoration and improving environmental
management.  In  addition,  the  programme  assisted  8 million  food-insecure  individuals  with  social
protection  intervention.  Of  these,  46 000  pregnant  and  lactating  women  and  children  under  five
were  provided  with  effective  support,  guidance  and  counselling  on  nutrition.  Furthermore,  those
who were unable to work (elderly people, those with disabilities, pregnant and lactating women  –
corresponding  to  17 %  of  the  beneficiaries)  received  direct  grants  throughout  the  year.  The  PSNP
also  implemented  a  livelihood  facilitation  component  with  the  aim  of  improving  the  livelihood
conditions of food-insecure people.
In  partnership  with  the  government  of  Nigeria  and  Unicef,  the  EU  launched  the  second  phase  of
‘Maternal,  Newborn,  Child  Health  and  Nutrition  Support’  in  three  states  of  northern  Nigeria.  The
intervention  serves  poor,  marginalised,  rural  women  and  under-fives  with  an  integrated  approach
covering:
▪  health
▪  HIV/AIDS
▪  nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene
▪  child protection
▪  social protection.
More than 2.5 million beneficiaries – pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under five –
were  assisted with nutrition supplements and healthcare. In addition,  the intervention focused on
building  capacities  in  order  to  institutionalise  birth  registration  services  within  the  healthcare
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

delivery systems. With EU support, since 2016, more than 2.1 million children have been registered
in the three target states, achieving the highest birth registration rates in Nigeria.
Mainstreaming of policy priorities: EU RF indicator 3.1
At  the  Nutrition  for  Growth  summit  in  London  on  8 June  2013,  during  the  United  Kingdom’s
presidency of the G8, the EU pledged to provide EUR 3.5 billion between 2014 and 2020 to reduce
stunting. So far, EUR 2.073 billion has been committed (2014–2018).
3.1 Amount of EU-funded international cooperation and development assistance directed at nutrition (EUR)

2014–
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Target
2018
229.9
309.6
892.9
376.3
264.2
2.07
Commitment
million
million
million
million
million (69)
billion
3.5 billion
(2014–
163.6
172.4
268.2
329.9
2020)
Payment
– (70)
–
million
million
million
million

Support sustainable agriculture and fisheries, especially for smallholders
EU RF indicator 1.4 Value added of agriculture as a percentage of GDP (2016) (71)
Europe
Latin
Middle
Sub-
East Asia
and
America
East and
Northern
Southern
World
Saharan
and Pacific
Central
and the
North
America
Asia
Africa
Asia
Caribbean
Africa
3.6 %
5.1 %
1.9 %
4.9 %
5.3 %
1.0 %
15.8 %
16.7 %

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicators 2.3 and 2.4
3 144 000 smallholders – 828 000 of whom were food-insecure – were reached with EU-supported
interventions aimed at increasing their sustainable production, access to markets and/or security of
land
476 000  hectares  of  agricultural  and  pastoral  ecosystems  were  managed  by  sustainable  land
management practices with EU support
The EU and the World Bank joined efforts to support the National Horticulture and Livestock Project
under  the  framework  of  the  Afghanistan  Reconstruction  Trust  Fund.  The  intervention  is

69 This is a preliminary figure.
70 The figure is not yet available.
71 The World Bank indicator for agriculture includes forestry, hunting and fishing as well as cultivation of crops and livestock production.
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European Commission Staff Working Document: Annual Report 2019

implemented  in  collaboration  with  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture,  Irrigation  and  Livestock.  The
development  objective  is  to  promote  the  adoption  of  improved  production  practices  by  target
farmers with gradual rollout of farmer-centric agricultural services systems and investment support.
It  is  aligned  with  the  National  Comprehensive  Agriculture  Production  and  Market  Development
Programme. The intervention has three components:
▪  horticultural production
▪  animal production and health
▪  implementation management and technical assistance support.
The activities are implemented in 208 districts in up to 34 target provinces. As of December 2018,
the  intervention  has  provided  614 000  smallholders  (228 000  women  and  386 000  men)  with
advisory services and training.

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The  EU  funded  the  ‘Energising  access  to  sustainable  energy’  programme,  focusing  specifically  on
promoting the resilience and livelihoods of the rural beneficiaries in seven Local Government Areas
in  Katsina  State,  Nigeria.  The  intervention  contributed  to  reducing  the  fuelwood  consumption  by
farming households and improving the fuelwood balance and farmers’ resilience to external shocks
through the following main actions:
▪  introduction  of  sustainable  agroforestry  systems  for  enhanced  crop  and  livestock
production,
▪  promotion of fuelwood-saving technologies for on-farm use (clean cooking stoves),
▪  improvement  of  the  management  of  wood  resources  through  on-farm  planting  and
regeneration of trees.
More than 55 000 pastoral farmers received training and advisory services and engaged in farmer-
managed  natural  regeneration  and  other  agroforestry  models,  covering  a  surface  of  147 000
hectares.
2.4.3.  SDG 3 Good health and well-being
Many  more  people  are  living  healthier  lives  in  2018  than  in  2008.  Nevertheless,  people  are  still
suffering  needlessly  from preventable  diseases,  and too  many  are  dying  prematurely.  Overcoming
disease  and  ill  health  will  require  concerted  and  sustained  efforts,  focusing  on  population  groups
and regions that have been neglected (72).
Build  strong,  good-quality  and  resilient  health  systems,  providing  equitable  access  to  health
services and universal health coverage
EU RF indicator 1.5 Universal Health Coverage index (2015)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
64
42
65
54
72
75
74
77

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.5
63 806 000 one-year-olds were fully immunised with EU support
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is an international organisation created in 2000 to bring together public
and private sectors with the shared goal of creating equal access to new and underused vaccines for
children living in the world’s poorest countries. The EU has been a contributor to Gavi since 2003.

72 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg3.
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In collaboration with WHO and Luxembourg, the EU launched the ‘Policy dialogue on national health
policies,  strategies  and  plans’  initiative  in  2011.  This  aims  at  building  country  capacities  for  the
development, negotiation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of robust and comprehensive
national health policies, strategies and plans, with the view of promoting universal coverage, people-
centred care and health in all policies. It aims at strengthening country processes, as well as (where
appropriate)  aid  effectiveness  in  line  with  the  principles  of  the  International  Health  Partnership.
Since its inception in 2011, other contributors have joined the initiative (Irish Aid, the Government of
Japan  and  the  French  Ministry  of  Europe  and  Foreign  Affairs),  and  the  partnership  has  expanded
steadily, reaching 65 member countries worldwide.

Universal  access  to  quality  and  affordable  comprehensive  sexual  and  reproductive  health
information and services, including access to family planning
EU RF indicator 1.6 Adolescent birth rate per 1 000 adolescents aged 15–19 years (2018)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
43.9
101.4
40.5
31.8
20.8
61.3
27.4
15.0

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.6
13 850 000 women of reproductive age were using modern contraception methods with EU support
In  Kenya,  the  EU  implemented  a  family  health  project  to  improve  maternal  and  child  health  and
sexual  and  reproductive  health,  as  well  as  to  raise  awareness  on  family  planning  and  nutrition
among communities in Manyatta and Nyalenda in Kisumu County, western Kenya. The intervention
had three main components:
▪  capacity  building  to  ensure  non-state  and  state  health  actors  meet  needs  relating  to
maternal,  newborn  and  child  health,  family  planning,  sexual  and  reproductive  health  and
nutrition,
▪  awareness-raising so that men, women and adolescents take part in health decision-making
and demand accountability and quality health services,
▪  empowerment  of  men,  women,  children  and  vulnerable  groups  in  order  to  increase
utilisation of services and take up health-conducive practices.
Over three years of implementation, the intervention has succeeded in establishing and/or restoring
health  facilities  and  community  health  units  offering  sexual,  reproductive,  maternal  and  newborn
health  and  nutrition  services.  It  also  provided  training  to  peer  educators  to  mobilise  community
members  and  marginalised  youths  in  participatory  education  on  health-conducive  behaviours  to
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counter retrogressive cultural practices regarding maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive
health  and  nutrition.  More  than  10 000  women  received  assistance  on  sexual  and  reproductive
health, family planning and modern contraception methods.
2.4.4.  SDG 4 Quality education
Over 50 % of children and adolescents worldwide are not meeting minimum proficiency standards in
reading  and  mathematics.  Refocused  efforts  are  needed  to  improve  the  quality  of  education.
Disparities in education along the lines of gender, urban–rural location and other dimensions still run
deep, and more investment is required in education infrastructure, particularly in the LDCs (73).
Support inclusive lifelong learning and equitable quality education
EU RF indicator 1.7 Literacy rate of 15–24-year-olds (2016)
Europe
Latin
Middle
Sub-
East Asia
and
America
East and
Northern
Southern
World
Saharan
and Pacific
Central
and the
North
America
Asia
Africa
Asia
Caribbean
Africa
91.4 %
98.7 %
99.8 %
98.4 %
90.8 %
–
75.3 %
88.3 %

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.7
10 041 000 students enrolled in primary education with EU support
1 767 000 students enrolled in secondary education with EU support
Through  a  budget  support  programme  to  the  Ministry  of  Education  in  Jordan,  the  EU  helped  to
provide quality education to Syrian pupils both in the refugee camps and the host communities. The
intervention covered several dimensions of the education sector, for example improving schools and
library  facilities  (equipment,  furniture,  stationery  and  books)  –  including  computer  and  science
education – and promoting the creation of community-based organisations in host communities and
camps to support quality education and reduce dropout rates. By the end of the programme (school
year 2016/17) more than 126 000 Syrian children received primary and secondary education free of
charge. As part of this intervention, six new schools were built. In addition, in 2015 the programme
introduced  the  biannual  measurement  of  education  quality  in  30  schools,  which  has  supported
moves to provide quality education to both Syrian and Jordanian students in host communities and
camp schools. This innovative approach has rallied all international contributors (from Australia to
the United Kingdom) to support the Ministry of Education.
Already before the 2013 conflict, the education sector in Central African Republic was facing many
challenges. The situation became even worse with successive crises in the country. In the aftermath
of the 2013 crisis, over one third of schools had been damaged or occupied by armed groups. As a
result, the quality of education suffered greatly. In 2016, the completion rate of primary education

73 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg4.
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was  around  48 %,  and  large  disparities  existed  between  girls  (40 %)  and  boys  (54 %).  The  EU
contributed  to  improving  the  school  system  and  guaranteeing  access  to  primary  school  for  more
than 191 000 pupils (90 000 girls and 101 000 boys), exceeding the target of 150 000 pupils. The EU
intervention applied a comprehensive approach, ensuring:
▪  capacity building of the Ministry of Education to ensure coherent policies and planning and a
reliable statistical system;
▪  improvement  of  the  learning  environment  and  restoration  of  school  facilities,  as  well  as
teacher training and creation of community centres to assist and protect children, especially
those most affected by the conflict.
Mainstreaming of policy priorities: EU RF indicator 3.2
The  EU RF  Level 3  indicator  related  to  support  for  human  development  can  be  linked  to  SDG 4.
Human development is about ensuring all people can live a life in dignity, out of poverty, with their
rights  protected and fulfilled.  In its  Communication on the Agenda for Change  –  COM(2011) 637 –
the  Commission  set  an  overall  benchmark  of  spending  20 %  of  the  cooperation  and  development
budget on social inclusion and human development (2014–2020). The new European Consensus on
Development  reiterates  this  target.  By  2018,  18.4 %  of  EU-funded  international  cooperation  and
development  assistance  was  committed  towards  supporting  human  development.  This  is  broken
down by sector in Figure 4.
3.2  Share  of  EU-funded  international  cooperation  and  development  assistance  directed  at  supporting
human development
2014–2018
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018 (74)
Target
(75)
15.8 %
21.0 %
13.7 %
17.1 %
23.3 %
18.4 %
20.0 %

Figure 4. Commitments towards human development by sector, 2018 (%)

Source: European Commission

74 As of 2018 the indicator now also considers gender, following revision of the EU RF.
75 As of 2018 the indicator now also considers gender, following revision of the EU RF.
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2.4.5.  SDG 5 Gender equality
Gender  equality  and  empowerment  of  women  and  girls  are  fundamental  human  rights  and  an
essential  precondition  for  equitable  and  inclusive  sustainable  development.  While  some  forms  of
discrimination against women and girls are  in decline,  gender inequality continues  to hold women
back  and deprives  them of basic rights  and opportunities. The level of gender equality achieved is
uneven  across  regions  and  within  countries.  Worldwide,  girls  and  women  continue  to  be
systematically left behind and discriminated against, and persistent violations of their rights occur on
a daily basis.
Empowering  women  requires  the  addressing  of  structural  issues  such  as  unfair  social  norms  and
attitudes,  as  well  as  developing  progressive  legal  frameworks  that  promote  equality  between
women and men. The EU is firmly committed to supporting gender equality and empowerment of
women  and  girls  worldwide.  It  works  towards  removal  of  obstacles  related  to  legislation,  social
norms  and  gender  stereotypes  to  ensure  voice  and  participation  for  girls  and  women,  to  increase
their agency in social, economic, political and civil life.
Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls
EU RF indicator 1.8 Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (2018)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
Western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
23.4 %
23.6 %
18.1 %
15.4 %
20.3 %
29.5 %
15.5 %
28.4 %

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries
The elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls is a priority across all areas of
EU  external  action,  as  stressed  in  the  Council  conclusions  on  the  implementation  of  GAP II  and
outlined  in  ‘Gender  equality  and  women’s  empowerment:  Transforming  lives  of  girls  and  women
through  EU  external  relations  2016–2020’.  GAP II  focuses  on  taking  action  and  transforming  lives
through the following pivotal areas:
▪  ensuring girls’ and women’s physical and psychological integrity,
▪  promoting the economic and social rights/empowerment of girls and women,
▪  strengthening girls’ and women’s voice and participation.
In  addition,  a  fourth  goal  emphasises  the  need  to  shift  institutional  culture  to  deliver  more
effectively on EU commitments.

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The EU uses a three-pronged approach to gender equality:
▪  policy and political dialogue
▪  gender mainstreaming
▪  targeted actions.
Special attention is given to mainstreaming gender equality across all policies and programmes as a
key contribution to the successful achievement of the SDGs (76). Due to the cross-cutting nature of
women’s  and  girls’  rights,  the  EU RF  does  not  contain  a  specific  indicator  to  report  on  gender
equality,  though  sex-disaggregated  data  are  collected  where  available.  In  line  with  GAP II,  all  EU
interventions  should  be  gender-mainstreamed  or  deliver  stand-alone  interventions  on  gender
equality. The examples below are selected results from stand-alone programmes targeting women
empowerment,  gender  equality  and  reduction  of  gender-based  discrimination.  Furthermore,
throughout  the  present  chapter,  examples  refer  to relevant  results  that  highlight  the work  the  EU
does,  relating  to  all  SDG  areas,  for  the  advancement  of  women’s  empowerment  and  to  reduce
inequalities between men and women.
Although  gender  discrimination  is  illegal  and  condemned  in  India,  many  practices,  such  as  female
feticide, child marriage, sexual and physical abuse of women and the general devaluation of girls are
commonplace in parts of the country. Moreover, girls and women are often afraid to report abuse,
such as harassment, sexual abuse, rape, dowry-related abuse, domestic violence and being forced to
undergo  sex-determination  tests  and  sex-selective  abortion.  They  fear  that  taking  legal  action  will
tarnish  their  image  in  society;  also,  they  feel  unsafe  taking  action  against  the  perpetrators  of
violence.  Mana  Bidda,  a  three-year  EU-funded  intervention,  aimed  to  eliminate  discriminatory
practices in Kadapa – the second-largest city in the south-eastern state of Andhra Pradesh – through
grass-roots education and legal help. The objective of this intervention was to reduce gender-based
discrimination and improve the quality of life of girls and women. Activities included:
▪  changing entrenched mindsets on gender roles;
▪  sensitising professionals on the topics of discrimination and female infanticide;
▪  improving the employability of girls and young women;
▪  advocacy  for  stringent  implementation  of  discrimination  laws  and  the  creation  of
workshops;
▪  centres and groups for women and children.
In  its  three  years  of  implementation,  the  intervention  provided  legal,  medical  and  psychological
support to one million girls and women.
In collaboration with several UN agencies, the EU implemented the Joint Rule of Law Programme in
the Federal Republic of Somalia. The initiative provided significant capacity building support to the
justice sector and contributed to the establishment of independent, accountable and efficient justice
institutions capable of addressing the needs of the people of Somalia and delivering justice for all.

76 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:42017Y0630(01)&from=EN.
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The  support  covered  several  areas  of  rule  of  law  and  paid  special  attention  to  gender-sensitive
issues. It contributed to:
▪  revising laws and policies to ensure inclusion of gender equality and protection of women’s
rights;
▪  advancing women’s legal rights by introducing gender-responsive legal aid services into the
framework of the national legal aid policy to ensure women’s full access to justice in both
criminal and civil cases;
▪  increasing capacity of legal staff (judges, prosecutors and defenders) in addressing cases of
sexual and gender-based violence and violation of women’s socioeconomic rights;
▪  strengthening capacities of legal aid centres and legal aid NGOs to better counsel women;
▪  increasing police knowledge on human rights, protection of civilians, access to legal aid and
prevention of sexual and gender-based violence.
During  its  three  years  of  implementation,  more  than  1 500  women  received  legal  aid  in  Puntland
State.
The EU is running more than 50 bilateral and regional programmes that have a gender perspective in
the  Eastern  Partnership  region.  The  bilateral  programmes  cover  a wide  range  of sectors, with the
most  common  areas  of  intervention  being  provision  of  access  to  finance  and  combating  violence
against  women.  In  addition,  several  programmes  focus  on  women’s  representation,  women’s
employment,  gender  stereotypes  in  education  and  women  in  business.  The  EU  is,  for  instance,
supporting  women-led  SMEs  across  the  Eastern  Partnership  region.  This  programme  helps  to
provide access to finance and the know-how needed for business growth. From 2015 to mid-2017,
more than EUR 36.3 million was provided to 6 partner banks in the region. More than  570 women
have benefited from access to know-how, including through 246 advisory projects in the region.
Mainstreaming of policy priorities: EU RF indicator 3.3
Scores are assigned for the inclusion of gender in the objectives of new EU actions: a score of G2 is
awarded  where  gender  is  the  principal  objective,  and  a  score  of  G1  is  given  where  gender  is  a
significant objective. GAP II (2016–2020) has a target of 85 % of new programmes to be awarded G1
or G2 status by 2020.
3.3  Proportion  of  EU-funded  cooperation  and  development  initiatives  promoting  gender  equality  and
women’s empowerment (77)
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2014–2018
Target
85 % of new actions
31.3 %
51.6 %
58.8 %
65.9 %
68.4 %
54.0 %
to score G1 or G2 by
2020

77 Level 3 of the EU RF focuses on budgetary commitments by the European Commission.
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Progress has been made towards achieving the 2020 target, although improvement was at a slower
pace  in  2018,  perhaps  because  the  quick  gains  were  made  initially.  Difficult  sectors,  such  as
environmental  protection,  urban  development  and  migration,  require  different  approaches  to
become fully inclusive for women and men. The same is true for complex new aid modalities, such as
blending operations and private sector partnerships. The work on preparing new guidance for these
new challenges contributes towards achievement of the 2020 target.
2.4.6.  SDG 6 Clean water and sanitation
Too many people still lack access to safely managed water supplies and sanitation facilities. Water
scarcity,  flooding  and  lack  of  proper  waste  water  management  also  hinder  social  and  economic
development. Increasing water efficiency and improving water management are critical to balancing
the competing and growing water demands from various sectors and users (78).
Improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene
EU RF indicator 1.9 Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services (2015)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
Urban:
46.2 %
–
61.2 %
88.8 %
76.9 %
95.8 %
95.5 %
85.1 %
Rural:
–
–
54.9 %
–
–
–
–
54.8 %
All:
23.7 %
–
57.1 %
–
65.4 %
–
94.2 %
71.2 %


78 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg6.
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EU RF indicator 1.10 Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services (2015)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
Urban:
–
44.7 %
–
50.4 %
26.6 %
63.6 %
87.4 %
43.2 %
Rural:
–
–
28.3 %
41.5 %
–
19.5 %
47.3 %
34.6 %
All:
–
32.8 %
–
55.3 %
22.4 %
50.7 %
77.9 %
39.3 %

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.8
723 000 individuals had access to improved drinking water source and/or sanitation facility with EU
support
Through  a  budget  support  programme,  the  EU  assisted  the  government  of  Bolivia  in  the
implementation of a national plan for water and sanitation. In 2015 and 2016, important progress
was made at policy level: several sector laws, regulations and manuals were issued on water quality
and  efficiency,  waste water  and  solid  waste.  In  addition,  institutional  capacity  was  addressed:  the
Ministry of Environment and Water information system was upgraded with a regionally established
platform.  The  intervention  also  enabled  the  installation  of  new  water  connections  in  peri-urban
areas, giving 188 000 individuals access to improved supplies of drinking water.
Under the framework of the EU Asia Investment Facility (AIF), a blending initiative in Bangladesh is
supporting  the  government’s  efforts  to  reduce  the  dependency  of  its  fast-growing  capital  city  on
rapidly  diminishing  underground  aquifers  by  shifting  to  surface  and  less  polluted  water  sources.
Under  the  same  initiative,  the  EU  is  facilitating  water  connection  and  supply  to  low-income
communities in Dhaka. The project aims to:
▪  support  the  efforts  of  Dhaka’s  public  water  and  sanitation  services  provider  to  extend  its
services to low-income communities;
▪  provide training and support to local communities to ensure bill payment and maintenance;
▪  strengthen  the  service  provider’s  internal  capacity  through  training  programmes  for
managers and assistance to develop a comprehensive financial model.
The  main  investment  is  directed  at  installation  of  water  supply  secondary  distribution  networks,
meters  and  semi-collective  water  points  in  areas  of  Dhaka.  In  2016–2017,  the  initiative  provided
access to improved sources of drinking water for 50 000 individuals.
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2.4.7.  SDG 7 Affordable and clean energy
Access  to  affordable,  reliable  and  modern  energy  for  all  has  come  one  step  closer  due  to  recent
progress  in  electrification  –  particularly  in  the  LDCs  –  and  improvements  in  industrial  energy
efficiency.  However,  national  priorities  and  policy  ambitions  still  need  to  be  addressed  to  put  the
world on track to meet the energy targets for 2030 (79).
Improved  access  to  energy  for  all  and  increased  energy  efficiency  and  renewable  energy
generation
EU RF indicator 1.11 Proportion of population with access to electricity (2016)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
Urban:
76.1 %
98.5 %
98.4 %
99.0 %
99.5 %
98.8 %
100 %
97.0 %
Rural:
22.8 %
85.1 %
80.3 %
94.7 %
91.1 %
46.5 %
100 %
76.0 %
All:
43.0 %
93.4 %
86.7 %
97.2 %
97.8 %
83.2 %
100 %
87.4 %


79 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg7.
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EU RF indicator 1.12 Renewable energy share of the total final energy consumption (2015)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
17.5 %
70.2 %
5.4 %
28.4 %
14.1 %
27.6 %
13.5 %
11.9 %

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicators 2.9 and 2.10
16 853 000 individuals accessing electricity with EU support through new or improved access
7 300 megawatts of renewable energy generation capacity installed with EU support
The  EU  provided  funds  to support  a  national  programme  for  the  dissemination  and  installation  of
biodigesters in rural and peri-urban areas of Senegal. A biodigester is a device that allows bacteria to
break down organic waste while, at the same time, producing biogas and a liquid effluent consisting
of organic fertiliser of very high quality. The aim of the national programme is to replace fuelwood
with  biogas  for  cooking  in  households  located  in  rural  and  peri-urban  areas  of  Senegal.  As  of
December  2018,  more  than  3 000  biodigesters  have  been  installed,  able  to  provide  renewable
energy to households and schools and biofertilisers to farmers and local producers.
The  ‘Renewable  energy  and  energy  efficiency’  programme  in  Jordan  concentrates  on
implementation of the renewable energy and energy efficiency national targets as per the National
Energy  Strategy  for  2007–2020.  This  programme  contributes  to  increasing  the  contribution  of
renewable energy in the total energy mix and improving energy efficiency in the public sector. In the
last year, 200 megawatts of renewable energy generation capacity was installed and connected to
the electricity grid.
2.4.8.  SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth
Globally,  labour  productivity  has  increased  and  the  unemployment  rate  has  decreased.  However,
more progress is needed to:
▪  increase employment opportunities (especially for young people);
▪  reduce  informal  employment  and  labour  market  inequality  (particularly  in  terms  of  the
gender pay gap);
▪  promote safe and secure working environments;
▪  improve access to financial services to ensure sustained and inclusive economic growth (80).
Promote an economic transformation that creates decent jobs and increases productive capacity

80 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg8.
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EU RF indicator 1.13 Annual growth rate of real GDP per capita (2016)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
1.3 %
−1.6 %
1.2 %
6.0 %
3.8 %
−2.7 %
0.6 %
1.3 %

EU RF indicator 1.14 Proportion of employed population below the international poverty line aged 15+ (2017)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
Total:
36.6 %
5.0 %
13.2 %
4.1 %
3.7 %
3.9 %
0.0 %
9.2 %
Female:
37.8 %
1.9 %
14.2 %
4.2 %
3.8 %
3.9 %
0.0 %
9.4 %
Male:
35.5 %
6.0 %
12.8 %
4.0 %
3.7 %
3.9 %
0.0 %
9.1 %

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.11
67 000 jobs were supported or sustained by the EU
In  India,  the  ‘Going  green’  project  worked  towards  improving  economic  competitiveness  of  the
Indian textiles industry and promoted the income and well-being of textile artisans in six districts in
the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The intervention had a significant focus on women and
generated  income  opportunities  that  brought  women  into  prominent  roles  in  their  communities.
The EU provided support to set up artisan organisations, common interest groups and cooperatives
with a view to:
▪  enabling financial inclusion;
▪  improving business performance;
▪  developing a collective voice to negotiate on pro-artisan policies;
▪  supporting the adoption of eco-friendly processes and technologies at community level.
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Textiles  artisans  and  SMEs  received  training  in  environment-friendly  practices  and  had  access  to
finance and services (particularly for women) to set up efficient eco-friendly businesses. Among the
achievements of this intervention, 1 850 jobs were secured (1 200 for women and 650 for men).
The  Deep  and  Comprehensive  Free  Trade  Areas  (DCFTAs)  between  the  EU  and  Georgia,  Moldova
and Ukraine help SMEs to take advantage of trade opportunities. A credit line offered by the EU and
the  EBRD  helps  SMEs  access  finance  for  investments  through  local  partner  financial  institutions.
Technical assistance is also offered to help businesses better define those investments and improve
their  international  competitiveness.  Investments  can  take  a  wide  range  of  forms,  from  upgrading
equipment  and  technologies  to  introducing  new  quality,  health  or  safety  standards.  Among  the
results achieved by this intervention, 9 000 direct jobs were supported.
Job creation and blending operations
Blending  operations  can  contribute  to  job  creation  through  large  infrastructure  projects  (i.e.  in
energy, transport and water sectors) that can generate direct employment during the construction
period,  facilitating  access  to  finance  for  MSME  creation  and  growth.  For  example,  the  blending
operations launched through the Neighbourhood Investment Facility successfully provided 168 loans
to SMEs in Georgia and Moldova, where a total of 9 450 jobs were sustained.
Improved  economic  governance,  business  environments,  contribute  to  scaling  up  private  and
public investments, including addressing the MSME financing gap
EU RF indicator 1.15 World Bank Doing Business distance to frontier score* (2017)
Europe
Latin
Middle
Sub-
East Asia
and
America
East and
Northern
Southern
World
Saharan
and Pacific
Central
and the
North
America
Asia
Africa
Asia
Caribbean
Africa
61.56
65.30
74.23
58.04
57.42
80.91
50.43
53.64
* The ‘distance to frontier’ score represents the distance of an economy from best performance observed (the frontier) on
the World Bank’s Doing Business topics (0 = lowest performance; 100 = frontier).

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicators 2.12 and 2.13
46 countries were supported by the EU to strengthen investment climate
4 900 firms had access to financial services with EU support
1 163 000 individuals had access to financial services with EU support
The EU supports the efforts of the government in Nepal to reduce poverty and to stimulate trade-
led economic growth. The EU intervention has a triple focus:
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▪  capacity  building  of  the  Ministry  of  Commerce  and  related  agencies  for  trade  policy
formulation and  implementation, intra-  and inter-ministry  coordination, trade negotiations
and trade promotion, as well as enhanced links and consultation with the private sector,
▪  development of a quality infrastructure and improved regulatory framework and food safety
system,  as  well  as  better  test  and  certification  services  in  the  private  sector  for  safer
products to consumers,
▪  development of value chains to increase production, employment, productivity and exports
of agriproducts, particularly coffee.
In  Rwanda  large  parts  of  the  population  rely  on  the  informal  economy  for  their  livelihoods,  and
women  and  young  people  especially  are  excluded  from  reasonably  paid  formal  employment.  The
programme  on  youth  employability  in  the  informal  sector  contributed  to  the elimination of  youth
poverty (among those aged 16–30) by:
▪  increasing their technical, financial and entrepreneurial skills;
▪  ensuring their access to information and financial and business services;
▪  facilitating their collaboration in voluntary savings and loans associations, cooperatives and
trade unions;
▪  enabling them to take steps towards the regularisation or formalisation of their activities.
The  intervention  provided  technical  training  (tailoring,  arts  and  crafts,  agriculture  production)  and
coaching  on  cooperative  formation  and  management.  Two  thousand  young  people  had  access  to
financial services (microfinance institutions, mobile financial services) with EU support.
The  ‘Women in business’ programme helps women-led SMEs to access the finance  and the know-
how  they  need  to  grow.  The  programme  combines  credit  lines  with  a  first-loss  risk  cover  and
technical assistance with business advisory consulting and coaching. The current EU contribution of
EUR 4.8 million leverages a total investment of EUR 54.3 million. Projects in Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Moldova  provide tailored support  to SMEs in rural regions, while  in  Georgia  a project  targets  civil
society engagement in implementation of the DCFTA. The intervention is designed to promote and
support  women’s  entrepreneurship  and,  more  broadly,  women’s  participation  in  business  in  the
Eastern  Partnership  countries  by  facilitating  access  to  finance  as  well  as  non-financial  business
development services. In the period 2016–2017, more than 2 300 women-led SMEs received loans
(total value EUR 21.6 million).

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Mainstreaming of policy priorities: EU RF indicator 3.5
3.5  Amount  of  the  EU-funded  international  cooperation  and  development  assistance  contributing  to
strengthening investment climate (EUR)
2018
Target
1. Investment climate – support to the six drivers: business environment, political stability,
macroeconomic stability, governance/rule of law, human development and innovation
Commitment
4.7 billion
Payment
3.4 billion
No target
2. Investment climate – support to key driver: business environment
Commitment
1.8 billion
Payment
1.1 billion

Investment climate covers a wide range of factors that determine whether an investment is likely to
happen  in  EU  partner  countries.  The  term  investment  climate  is  used  as  a  broad  concept  to  be
understood from the perspective of a prospective investor.
Promote trade and regional integration
EU RF indicator 1.16 Export of goods and services as a percentage of GDP (2016)
Europe
Latin
Middle
Sub-
East Asia
and
America
East and
Northern
Southern
World
Saharan
and Pacific
Central
and the
North
America
Asia
Africa
Asia
Caribbean
Africa
28.5 %
28.3 %
41.7 %
21.4 %
37.8 %
13.6 %
23.9 %
18.1 %

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.14
64 quality schemes were adopted by economic operators with EU support
Coffee cultivation started in Nepal in the late 1970s but has experienced considerable growth with
expanding internal and international markets: production is now 30 times greater than in 2008. The
EU assisted the National Tea and Coffee Development Board in drawing up a five-year strategic plan
to  improve  productivity,  quality,  marketing  and  exports.  The  EU  also  contributed  to  setting  out
standard  requirements  for  organic  green  coffee  (Arabica)  –  from  farming  the  product  and
standardising the production process to handling and packaging the beans – that were approved by
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the  Nepal  Bureau  of  Standards  and  Metrology.  The  standard  follows  the  principles  of  organic
production  and  processing  of  green  coffee  and  is  benchmarked  against  existing  international
standards, including Global Gap, National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia, Certified
Organic, Fairtrade, EU Organic Farming and others.
Mainstreaming of policy priorities: EU RF indicators 3.6, 3.7 and 3.8
An  important  milestone  in  the  implementation  of  the  EIP  was  reached  in  2018,  with  the  entire
guarantee fully allocated.
For  the  projects  approved  in  2018,  EU  grants  and  guarantees  are  expected  to  mobilise  around  11
times more in private and other public investments into green growth and decent jobs, empowering
local businesses, developing liveable and sustainable cities and infrastructure, empowering women
and  youth  and  protecting  the  environment.  For  each  euro  granted  by  the  EU,  the  financial
institutions concerned will invest approximately EUR 4, and the mobilisation of private financing will
leverage  over  EUR 5.  Expanding  the  use  of  innovative  financial  instruments,  such  as  the  EFSD
guarantee, multiplies the private financing that can be mobilised for development objectives.

3.6  Leverage  of  EU  blending  and  guarantee  operations  financed  by  the  EU  international  cooperation  and
development assistance

2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2018*
Target
Blending
15.5
14.1
9.4
11.7
9.55
a)
Investment
11.1
leverage ratio
Guarantees
–
–
–
–
12.1
b)  Total  eligible
financial
Blending
9.2
9.5
3.7
7.6
4.8
No
institution
4.2
target
financing
leverage ratio
Guarantees
–
–
–
–
3.62
c)
Private  Blending
2.3
2.2
0.7
0.9
2.46
financing
5.4
leverage ratio
Guarantees
–
–
–
–
7.39
* Leverage indicator combining blending and guarantees (for instruments managed by the European Commission).

In 2014, on adopting the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, the EU committed to maintain at least
its  current  level  of  support  to  trade  facilitation  over  a  five-year  period  (2014–2019),  primarily
through  regular  EU  aid  channels.  Starting  from  the  signature  of  the  agreement,  this  amounts  to
EUR 400  million  over  five  years,  or  over  one  third  of  developing  countries’  estimated  needs.  The
amounts committed and payments made up to 2018 are shown below (indicator 3.7) along with the
proportion contributing to aid for trade directed at the LDCs (indicator 3.8).

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3.7  Amount  of  EU-funded  international  cooperation  and  development  assistance  contributing  to  trade
facilitation (EUR) (81)
2014–

2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Target
2018
57.0
96.2
40.1
204.2
Commitment
9.6 million  1.3 million
Maintain the
million
million
million
million
current level
of
33.6
39.4
10.2
54.2
210.1
Payment
73 million
commitment
million
million
million
million
million

3.8 Proportion of EU-funded international cooperation and development assistance contributing to aid for
trade directed at the LDCs
2018
Target
36.1 %
No target

Meet  the  specific  needs  of  youth,  particularly  young  women  and  girls,  by  increasing  quality
employment and entrepreneurship opportunities
EU RF indicator 1.17 Proportion of youth (aged 15–24 years) not in education, employment or training (2016)


81 This corresponds to interventions using the DAC Purpose Code 33120, not including broader interventions, encoded under different DAC
Purpose Codes, which comprise trade facilitation components.
106

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EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.15
138 000  people  have  benefited  from  institution-  or  workplace-based  VET/skills  development
interventions supported by the EU
The EU has supported young people in  Syria  by promoting equitable access to quality learning for
vulnerable  children  and  adolescents  who  are  internally  displaced  or  are  out  of  school.  With  the
support  of  the  EU,  a  total  of  13 000  young  people  benefited  from  institution-  or  workplace-based
VET/skills development interventions, and more than 1 000 young people were supported with seed
funding  to  implement  their  social  and  business  entrepreneurship  projects  in  Damascus  and  Rural
Damascus.
In India, the EU financed the ‘Increasing equitable access to livelihoods and employment for people
with disabilities’ programme. This initiative applied a targeted approach and assessed the needs and
skill  sets  of  identified  persons  with  disabilities  on  a  one-to-one  basis.  Regular  counselling  was
provided to persons with disabilities and parents lacking confidence in their abilities to guide their
children in relation to available employment or livelihood opportunities. Sign language interpreters
and/or translators were arranged at all stages, especially during needs assessment, training periods,
job  interviews  and  round  table  meetings  with  local  banks  and  finance  institutions.  Persons  with
disabilities  were  supported  with  referral  services,  assistive  devices/technologies,  seed  money  and
self-employment kits. The training providers and job providers were sensitised through training on
disability  equality,  accessibility  and  inclusion.  During  the  first  two  years  of  implementation,  more
than 3 500 persons with disabilities (1 300 women and 2 200 men) successfully completed vocational
training.  Of  those  trained,  a  total  of  2 400  persons  with  disabilities  (74 %)  were  supported  with
placements  and  obtained  wage  employment  (1 270  men  and  460  women)  or  undertook  self-
employment (390 men and 280 women).
2.4.9.  SDG 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Steady progress has been made in the manufacturing industry. To achieve inclusive and sustainable
industrialisation, competitive  economic forces  need to be  unleashed to generate  employment and
income, facilitate international trade and enable the efficient use of resources (82).
Support  the  development  of  sustainable,  low-emission,  interconnected  and  secure  mobility  and
transport networks
EU RF indicator 1.18 Passenger and freight volumes on roads (tonne-kilometres, billions) (2016)
Northern
Central
Latin
Sub-
Eastern and
Europe and
Africa and
and
America and
World
Saharan
south-
Oceania
northern
western
southern
the
Africa
eastern Asia
America
Asia
Asia
Caribbean

82 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg9.
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Freight:
379
1 272
2 629
7 983
1 554
246
7 017
21 079
Passenger:
942
2 648
17 557
8 191
5 267
356
11 770
46 730

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.16
22 000 km of road was supported by the EU through construction, rehabilitation and maintenance
According to the World Bank (83), the total road network in Mali is 22 000 km long, comprises mostly
earth  roads  and  is  used  most  by  trucks.  The  EU  has  contributed  to  maintenance  of  more  than
12 000 km  of  roads  in  the  country  (4 600 km  paved,  8 000 km  dirt).  During  four  years  of  support,
more than 1 600 jobs were created.
2.4.10. SDG 10 Reduced inequalities
Efforts have been made in some countries to reduce income inequality, to increase zero-tariff access
for exports from the LDCs and developing countries and to provide additional assistance to the LDCs
and  SIDS.  However,  progress  will  need  to  accelerate  to  address  growing  disparities  within  and
between countries (84).
Reduce inequality of outcomes and promote equal opportunities for all
EU RF indicator 1.19 Growth rates of household expenditure or income per capita among the bottom 40 % of
the population (2014–2016)

83 https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/dataset/mali-roads.
84 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg10.
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EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.17
1.5 million migrants, forcibly displaced people or individuals from host communities were protected
or assisted with EU support – including 100 000 supported through EUTF for Africa projects
In partnership with Unesco, the EU implemented a project to guarantee ‘Access to quality inclusive
primary  and  secondary  education  for  refugees  and  IDPs  in  conflict  affected  areas  of  Iraq’.  The
intervention is making big efforts to build positive relations with government and non-government
stakeholders and to enhance interaction with both the Ministry of Education in the Kurdistan Region
of Iraq and the Ministry of Education of the Federal Government. Schools in project focus areas are
struggling  to  provide  an  appropriate  context  for  learning.  School  buildings  are  generally  in  poor
condition and require renovation. This particularly applies to schools in areas where there has been
active conflict, which may have been targeted or used by armed groups. In addition, many schools
experience  teacher  shortages,  especially  qualified  Syrian  refugee  teachers.  The  implementation
partners identified 50 focus schools and provided support to more than 26 000 refugees, IDPs and
returnees in refugee camps and host communities. A wide range of activities was implemented to
support  education.  To  support  student  enrolment,  there  have  been  back-to-school  awareness
activities,  school-based  events  and  engagement  with  traditional  and  political  community  leaders,
students  and  families.  In  addition,  schools  have  been  restored  and  furniture  has  been  provided.
Water, sanitation and hygiene facilities have been improved, learning materials and textbooks have
been provided and 290 teachers  have  been trained in learner-centred pedagogy, teaching in crisis
contexts and psychosocial support for children who have experienced traumatic events.
In  the  framework  of  a  broader  programme  on  improving  labour  migration  management  and
governance  in  Ethiopia,  the  EU  and  ILO  supported  the  Ethiopian  government  in  its  efforts  to
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efficiently  and  effectively  assist  returned  migrant  workers  to  access  productive  employment  and
decent work. The intervention focused on individualised and rights-based reintegration assistance to
returnees, with a focus on vulnerable local communities (unemployed youth, people with disability,
women in vulnerable situations). In addition, the intervention helped service providers offer efficient
services  to  returnees  and  strengthen  the  country’s  system  for  reintegration.  Returnees  were
accompanied through short-term vocational skills development activities to enable them to identify
their areas of interest and viable business fields in their locality. The ILO, in close collaboration with
regional  technical  and  vocational  education  and  training  (TVET)  colleges,  provided  standardised
technical  skills training  to prepare  returnees  to  establish  sustainable  livelihoods  in  different  fields,
including:
▪  poultry farming
▪  beekeeping
▪  animal husbandry
▪  dairy production
▪  metalwork
▪  block production/construction
▪  food preparation
▪  horticulture
▪  furniture making and garment production.
In  addition,  training  was  provided  for  those  training  future  returnees  in  entrepreneurship  and
motivational  skills.  During  three  years  of  implementation,  the  intervention  reached  more  than
13 000 returnees and members of vulnerable local communities.

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Step  up  efforts  to  mitigate  the  impact  of  forced  displacement  and  to  promote  the  better
management of migration in partner countries in all its aspects
EU RF  indicator  1.20  Number  of  refugees  and  asylum  seekers  of  concern  to  the  United  Nations  High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) by situation (mid-2018)
Latin
Middle
Asia (excl.
Sub-
Europe
America
East and
Northern
World
Middle
Oceania
Saharan
(with
and the
North
America
East)
Africa
Turkey)
Caribbean
Africa
Total
refugees*:
3 536 000
58 000
324 000
2 710 000
381 000
5 722 000
5 743 000
18 474 000
Asylum
seekers:
108 000
36 000
118 000
219 000
725 000
494 000
1 255 000
2 955 000
*Total includes refugees and those in refugee-like situations.

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.18
24 migration management or forced displacement strategies or policies were developed or revised
with EU support
19 migration management or forced displacement strategies or policies were under implementation
with EU support
The  Regional  Development  and  Protection  Programme  (RDPP)  for  Syrian  refugees  and  host
communities  in  Iraq,  Jordan  and  Lebanon  was  a  multi-contributor  initiative  led  by  the  EU  and
implemented between July 2014 and September 2018. Through a partnership approach, supporting
host  governments,  civil  society,  NGOs  and  UN  agencies,  the  initiative  combined  development  and
humanitarian  approaches  to  provide  longer-term  solutions  for  refugees  and  host  communities  in
Iraq,  Jordan  and Lebanon.  The  RDPP  succeeded  in  establishing  an  evidence  base  on  the  impact  of
hosting  refugees,  the  effect  of  displacement  on  living  conditions  and  interlinkage  between
protection and livelihoods. The programme contributed to improving the capacity of local actors to
uphold and protect the rights of vulnerable populations, especially in relation to sexual and gender-
based  violence  and  child  labour  issues.  The  RDPP  also  helped  refugees  and  host  community
members prepare to enter the labour market, through various methodologies. Lastly, the advocacy
efforts of RDPP partners contributed to some positive policy changes in Jordan and Lebanon.
In collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the EU is supporting the ‘Global
action to prevent and address trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants’ in 13 countries
across  Africa,  Asia,  eastern  Europe  and  Latin  America.  So  far,  the  initiative  has  assisted  seven
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countries  to  develop,  amend  or  implement  legislation  on  trafficking  in  persons  and  smuggling  of
migrants.
2.4.11. SDG 11 Sustainable cities and communities
Many  cities  around  the  world  are  facing  acute  challenges  in  managing  rapid  urbanisation.  These
include  ensuring adequate housing and infrastructure  to support growing populations, confronting
the environmental impact of urban sprawl and reducing vulnerability to disasters (85).
Build cities’ resilience to shocks and harness opportunities for low-emission and climate-resilient
economies
EU RF  indicator 1.21  Direct  economic  loss  in  relation  to  global  GDP,  damage  to  critical  infrastructure  and
number of disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters

The map shows direct economic loss in relation to global GDP only.

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.19
91  countries  and  cities  developed/implemented  climate  change  and/or  disaster  risk  reduction
strategies with EU support
A  budget  support  programme  in  Bolivia  supported  efforts  to  build  institutional  capacity  for
enhancing resilience to climate change at local and municipal levels. Comprehensive diagnostics of
climate  change  situations  were  funded  in  the  35  targeted  municipalities,  and  climate  change
adaptation plans were developed. In addition, six municipalities established ‘Municipal Units for Risk
Management’  (Unidad  Municipal  de  Gestión  de  Riesgos)  which,  as  of  December  2018,  are  fully

85 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg11.
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operational.  The  institutionalisation  of  these  units  is  the  first  step  towards  implementation  of  a
comprehensive climate change strategy at municipal level.
In  the  north  of  Lebanon,  the  EU  helped  local  authorities  in  selected  municipalities  to  integrate
energy efficiency within strategic development and planning and adopt policies to set MEPS for the
construction sector. Another objective of the intervention was to empower local authorities in one
of the poorest and most underserved areas in Lebanon to improve their annual energy expenditures
and help them design and implement innovative strategies for energy saving both in public buildings
and at the household level. As an example of the measures adopted, energy-saving lighting installed
in the targeted municipalities achieved a 15 % reduction on local authorities’ annual budgets.
2.4.12. SDG 12 Responsible consumption and production
Decoupling economic growth from resource use is one of the most critical and complex challenges
facing humanity today. Doing so effectively will require policies that create a conducive environment
for  such  change,  appropriate  social  and  physical  infrastructure  and  markets,  and  a  profound
transformation of business practices along global value chains (86).
Promote resource efficiency and SCP
EU RF  indicator 1.22  Domestic  material  consumption  per  capita  (tonnes)  (2017)  and  domestic  material
consumption by GDP (kg per constant 2010 USD) (2016)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
Per capita:
4.07999
11.42825
5.76382
18.60690
10.56362
28.01260
15.20531
11.67906
By GDP:
2.50204
1.34036
2.84341
2.06498
1.14701
0.65573
0.42223
1.11821

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.20
6 500 MSMEs applied SCP practices with EU support
With the regional intervention ‘AL-Invest 5.0’, the EU aims to boost the competitiveness of MSMEs
in Latin America, the private sector being both beneficiary and implementing partner. Implemented
in 18 countries and involving more than 110 business intermediary organisations from Europe and
Latin America, AL-Invest 5.0 is the  fifth phase  (2015–2020) of the flagship programme  AL-Invest in
support of PSD in the region. Previous phases have promoted the internationalisation of thousands
of Latin American MSMEs. The initiative helps companies to strengthen their internal organisational
capacity  and  adopt  a  culture  of  continuous  improvement  and  innovation,  promoting  processes  of

86 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg12.
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integration,  social  inclusion,  decent  employment  opportunities,  gender  entrepreneurship  and
equality of interest. Encouraging association as a means of inclusion, it has set up a platform to allow
better  coordination  and  exchange  of  experiences  and  best  practices.  So  far,  more  than  29 000
MSMEs  have  benefited  from  this  intervention,  and  among  the  many  activities  carried  out,  AL-
Invest 5.0  also  made  particular  efforts  to  support  companies  to  incorporate  good  environmental
management (e.g. waste and water management, reduction of carbon footprint, energy efficiency,
cleaner production). Since its inception, the intervention has trained and coached staff at more than
3 900  MSMEs,  of  which  500  have  implemented  SCP  practices.  AL-Invest  is  contributing  to  the
creation  of  a  network  of  Latin  American  and  European  MSMEs  and  intermediary  organisations  to
ensure the continuation of joint working towards sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
2.4.13. SDG 13 Climate action
With global average surface temperature at 1.1 °C above the pre-industrial period, 2017 was one of
the three warmest years on record. Analysis by the World Meteorological Organization shows that
the  five-year  average  global  temperature  from  2013  to  2017  was  also  the  highest  on  record.  The
world  continues  to  experience  rising  sea  levels,  extreme  weather  conditions  and  increasing
concentrations of greenhouse gases. This calls for urgent and accelerated action by countries as they
implement their commitments to the Paris Agreement on climate change (87).
Implement the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement on climate change through coordinated and
coherent  actions  that  promote  resilience,  reduce  climate  risk  and  contribute  to  reducing
greenhouse gas emissions
EU RF indicator 1.23 CO2 emissions per unit of value added (kg of CO2 per constant 2010 USD) (2016)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
0.3
0.2
0.26
0.28
0.37
0.19
0.33
0.25

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.21
18 376 000 tonnes of CO2e greenhouse gas emissions avoided with EU support
In  China,  the  EU  supported  the  national  Strategy  on  green  development  through  the  intervention
‘Scaling up energy efficiency and cleaner production in small and medium-sized enterprises through
integrated  solutions  and  green  credit’.  The  objective  was  to  help  SMEs  in  Shaanxi  region  achieve
significant  pollutant  discharge  reduction,  energy  saving  and  mitigation  of  carbon  emissions  by
improving  their  capacity  to  access  green  credit  and  to  implement  high-  and  medium-cost  energy
efficiency  and  clean  production  measures.  Staff  at  more  than  560  SMEs  were  trained  in  energy

87 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg13.
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efficiency and clean production, and 20 financial institutions received training on green credit  and
risk  management  concerning  SMEs.  The  intervention  succeeded  in  building  a  network  of  local
policymakers, SMEs, financial institutions and service providers that will bring long-term benefits to
all stakeholders. The intervention contributed by helping produce a reduction of 682 000 tonnes of
annual CO2e emissions.
In  Ethiopia,  the  EU  is  funding  the  national  biogas  initiative  –  the  ‘Biogas  dissemination  scale-up
programme’ – aimed at improving the living standards of rural Ethiopians and promoting the use of
clean  and  renewable  biogas.  This  action  supports  government  efforts  to  emphasise  the  role  of
renewable energy in the socioeconomic development and transformation of the country through the
provision of a sustainable, reliable, affordable and quality energy service for productive sectors and
citizens. As of December 2018, about 88 % of the energy used by Ethiopian households is provided
by  biomass,  mostly  wood  fuel  and  agricultural  residues  for  cooking.  Further,  the  country  has  the
most  cattle  in  the  African  continent,  representing  huge  potential  for  biomass  production  and
exploitation. Therefore, scaling up the transition to biogas as a renewable and clean energy option –
especially for rural areas and small towns – is a key government goal and an economic opportunity
for the private sector to seize.  In the first year of implementation, the intervention installed 1 100
biodigesters that contributed to 3 300 tonnes of annual CO2e emission reduced.
Blending facilities in climate action
The majority of EU blending projects are in the energy and transport sectors, where climate change
adaptation is mainstreamed. A specific climate change window is set up to attract more public and
private financing for low-carbon and climate-resilient investments. Blending operations can support
energy efficiency projects, as well as small-scale renewable energy investments, by providing loans
to financial institutions and helping financial intermediaries improve their capacity to appraise and
finance projects related to energy efficiency and renewable energy.
2.4.14. SDG 14 Life below water
Advancing  the  sustainable  use  and  conservation  of  the  oceans  continues  to  require  effective
strategies  and  management  to  combat  the  adverse  effects  of  overfishing,  growing  ocean
acidification  and  worsening  coastal  eutrophication.  Expansion  of  protected  areas  for  marine
biodiversity,  intensification  of  research  capacity  and  increases  in  ocean  science  funding  remain
critically important to the preservation of marine resources (88).

88 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg14.
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Promote the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems and the sustainable management of
ocean resources
EU RF indicator 1.24 Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas (2017)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
15.9 %
19.2 %
1.2 %
0.4 %
3.6 %
13.1 %
–
13.7 %

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.22
2 700 km2 marine areas were under protection with EU support
In  the  Caribbean,  the  EU  is  supporting  civil  society  and  micro  and  small  enterprises  to  conserve
marine  and  coastal  biodiversity  while  developing  sustainable  and  resilient  livelihoods.  The
intervention ‘Powering innovations in civil society and enterprises for sustainability in the Caribbean’
focuses on five interlinked components:
▪  capacity building of civil society,
▪  documenting cases of innovation,
▪  a regional innovation programme for biodiversity conservation and resilience,
▪  developing and strengthening SMEs through capacity building and mentoring to sustainably
use marine and coastal resources to deliver economic, environmental and social co-benefits,
as well as to ‘climate-proof’ enterprises,
▪  a  strategy  for  advocacy,  strengthening  the  voice  of  civil  society  at  local,  national  and/or
regional levels to ensure better decision-making in governance and management of marine
and coastal resources.
Having  started  in  2017,  the  intervention  now  provides  support  to  six  Marine  Protected  Areas  and
marine  managed  areas  in  Antigua  and  Barbuda,  Grenada,  Haiti,  Jamaica,  Saint  Lucia  and  Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines.
2.4.15. SDG 15 Life on land
Protection of forest and terrestrial ecosystems is on the rise, and forest loss has slowed. That said,
other  facets  of  terrestrial  conservation  continue  to  demand  accelerated  action  to  protect
biodiversity, land productivity and genetic resources and to curtail the loss of species (89).

89 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg15.
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Support the conservation and sustainable management and use of natural resources, biodiversity
and ecosystems
EU RF indicator 1.25 Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered
by protected area (2018)
Northern
Central
Eastern
Latin
Europe
Sub-
Africa and
and
and south-
America
and
World
Saharan
Oceania
western
southern
eastern
and the
northern
Africa
Asia
Asia
Asia
Caribbean
America
Terrestrial:
42.0 %
21.8 %
29.0 %
43.0 %
39.1 %
36.6 %
62.9 %
46.7 %
Freshwater:
45.6 %
18.7 %
21.9 %
37.9 %
39.9 %
31.4 %
55.2 %
43.5 %

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.23
6 936 000 hectares of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems were under protection with EU support
155 000  hectares  of  terrestrial  and  freshwater  ecosystems  were  under  sustainable  management
with EU support
In  Tanzania,  the  EU  worked  with  the  Belgian  Development  Agency  on  wetland  management  and
institutional  strengthening  of  the  Tanzania  Wildlife  Management  Authority.  The  intervention
succeeded  in  introducing  sustainable  management  practices  over  an  area  of  135 000  hectares.  It
also helped to establish two wildlife management areas and five village-based forest reserves.
In  Cambodia,  the  EU  worked  with  local  NGOs on  fisheries  resources  to  improve  the  livelihoods of
fishers  and  communities  in  Mekong  and  Tonlé  Sap.  The  intervention  established  platforms  for
regular dialogue between fishing communities and NGOs to increase the impact of advocacy and law
enforcement  in  the  fisheries  sector.  By  working  with  local  communities,  NGOs  identified  some
important lessons learned.
▪  Good cooperation with competent national and subnational authorities and expert officials
is beneficial for intervention success.
▪  The  participation  of  network  members  and  communities  in  management  of  fisheries
resources is key to creating ownership and improving sustainability.
▪  The  development  of  alternative  livelihoods,  through  the  provision  of  small  grants  and
establishment  and  strengthening  of  self-help  groups,  helps  mitigate  pressure  on  fisheries
resources.
The intervention also established two fish conservation areas with a total size of 160 hectares.
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Mainstreaming of policy priorities: EU RF indicator 3.4
The EU has made the commitment to step up its contribution to averting global biodiversity loss by
2020  (as  part  of  the  EU  Strategic  Plan  for  Biodiversity  2011–2020).  The  DCI  Regulation  contains  a
commitment to contribute to the objective of addressing at least 20 % of the EU budget to a low-
carbon and climate-resilient society (2014–2020).
3.4  Amount  and  share  of  the  EU-funded  international  cooperation  and  development  assistance
contributing  to:  a)  protecting  biodiversity,  b)  climate  change  (adaptation  and  mitigation),  c)  combating
desertification and d) protecting the environment (Aid to Environment)
The figures below show the share of EU-funded international cooperation and development assistance.
2014–

2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Target
2018
a) protecting
2.5 %
4.3 %
3.6 %
7.7 %
6.9 %
5.2 %
biodiversity
DCI Regulation
b) climate change
commitment to
(adaptation and
11.4 %
12.6 %
24.1 %
24.7 %
24.0 %
20.3 %
contribute to the
mitigation)
objective of
addressing at least
c) combating
20 % of the EU
–
–
–
–
4.1 %
4.1 %
desertification (90)
budget to a low-
carbon and climate-
d) protecting the
resilient society
environment (Aid
–
–
–
–
29.0 %
29.0 %
(2014–2020)
to
Environment) (91)

2.4.16. SDG 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
Many regions of the world continue to suffer untold horrors as a result of armed conflict or other
forms of violence that occur within societies and at the domestic level. Advances in promoting the
rule  of  law  and  access  to  justice  are  uneven.  However,  progress  is  being  made  in  terms  of
regulations to promote public access to information, albeit slowly, and in strengthening institutions
upholding human rights at the national level (92).

90 Disaggregation according to combating desertification was introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF.
91 Disaggregation by Aid to Environment was introduced in the 2018 revision of the EU RF.
92 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg16.
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Support accountable and transparent institutions, inclusive, transparent and credible elections
and a pluralist democratic system
EU RF indicator 1.26 Voice and Accountability score (as measured by the World Bank Worldwide Governance
Indicators)

EU RF indicator 1.27 Government Effectiveness score (as measured by the World Bank Worldwide Governance
Indicators)

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.24
22 countries were supported by the EU to conduct elections and/or improve their electoral process
In Zambia, the EU supported the implementation of elections held on 11 August 2016. Actions were
taken to improve, systematise and professionally engage Zambian CSOs in civic and voter education
and domestic observation, with the aim of supporting independent election results and increasing
women’s representation in elected positions at national and local levels. Communication and public
outreach campaigns played a key role in this election.
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EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.25
93 government policies were developed or revised with CSO participation through EU support
The EU helped civil societies  in highly vulnerable areas of the  eastern  and central Indian states  in
their work on indigenous people’s access to and management of their natural resources: water, land
and  forests.  The  programme  ‘Building  grassroots  civil  society  for  effectiveness  and  transparency’
supported 50 CSOs to strengthen internal governance, organisation and technical capacity to protect
and  advocate  better  for  the  interests  of  rural  and  tribal  communities.  Through  dialogue  with  the
government,  public  consultations  and  hearings,  meetings  and  media  involvement,  in  2017  CSOs
participated in the adoption of an act (passed in one of the states, Madhya Pradesh) that protects
the  rights  of  landless  people,  particularly  women.  CSOs  have  also  strongly  contributed  to  a  water
security  bill  that  stresses  water  conservation  by  maintaining  water  resources  and  their  ecological,
biological  and  hydrological  diversity,  while  empowering  citizens  by  ensuring  them  the  right  and
access to clean drinking water. Madhya Pradesh has also assured a Right to Water act. The CSOs are
engaging with central government to formulate a national water security act, which is to be followed
by all states.
Continued promotion of the universal values of human rights for all, including support for enabling
space for civil society
EU RF indicator 1.28 Existence of independent national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris
Principles (‘A’ accredited)

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EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.26
42 000 victims of human rights violations directly benefited from assistance funded by the EU
The registration of birth is fundamental to the realisation of a number of rights and practical needs.
In  the  region  of  Nugal  in  Puntland,  Somalia,  obtaining  a  birth  certificate  is  hampered  by  poor
registration services. Without a certificate, an individual may be denied access to crucial government
services  in  adulthood.  Possession  of  birth  certificates  can  ease  access  for  marginalised  children  to
education, health and other social services.  As at the end of 2018, the EU has supported inclusion
and protection for marginalised individuals by providing 5 500 children with a birth certificate.
Support provision of fair justice, including access to legal assistance
EU RF  indicator 1.29  Rule  of  Law  score  (as  measured  by  the  World  Bank  Worldwide  Governance  Indicators)
(2017)

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.27
168 000 people directly benefited from legal aid interventions supported by the EU
In  Gambia,  a  civic  awareness  campaign  has  been  implemented  to  inform  the  public  on  civil  rights
and access to conflict resolution/dispute settlement mechanisms. These mechanisms include justice-
related services provided by courts, customary dispute resolution resources, administrative agencies
and  NGOs.  In  order  to  reach  as  many  people  as  possible  across  a  large  number  of  communities,
awareness-raising activities included:
▪  face-to-face meetings with village communities,
▪  plays performed in local languages,
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▪  live music performances,
▪  participation in local radio talk shows,
▪  training sessions on law enforcement,
▪  programmes to promote the rights of women and children.
There was even a nationwide football tournament with ‘Access to justice is your right’ as its theme,
officiated by the Gambia Football Federation; this drew thousands of young spectators. Merchandise
such as caps and T-shirts also played an important role in raising visibility of the campaign. In total,
with the support of the EU, the civic awareness campaign reached 32 000 people (19 000 men and
13 000 women).
Improved  human  security  and  democratic  governance  of  the  security  sector,  paying  special
attention to countries in situation of fragility or affected by conflict
EU RF indicator 1.30 Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100 000 population (2015)

EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.28
285 000  individuals  directly  benefited  from  EU-supported  interventions  that  specifically  aim  to
support civilian post-conflict peacebuilding and/or conflict prevention
The EU is assisting Lebanon in its effort to implement a mine action strategy to reduce the threat of
cluster  munitions  and  increase  access  to  cleared  land.  The  aims  are  to  support  the  handover  of
cleared areas to local populations and to prioritise  socioeconomic development  in south Lebanon.
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Socioeconomic development is hindered by the presence, as a result of past conflicts, of minefields
and contamination by cluster bombs and other dangerous objects. This restricts access to land and
productive  resources  and  prevents  the  construction  of  services,  such  as  schools,  parks  and  other
infrastructures  that  could benefit local communities. In addition, land contamination causes  direct
and indirect damage to valuable agricultural land in an area where land use is crucial for livelihoods.
As of 2018, cleared land has been used for economic activities  (e.g. agriculture) rather than social
activities. More than 32 000 individuals have benefited from the improvement of safety conditions:
600  individuals  (300  men  and  300  women)  are  direct  beneficiaries,  and  31 400  individuals  are
indirect beneficiaries.
Investing  in  young  people  and  strengthening  youth  engagement  can  be  an  important  force  in
tackling  the  rise  of  violent  extremism.  In  order  to  target  the  root  causes  of  the  radicalisation  of
young people from Jordanian and Syrian refugee communities, the EU supported skills development
for  young  people  through  basic  life  skills  training  in  the  northern  and  southern  parts  of  Jordan.
Young people received greater exposure to the labour market and improved their ability to network,
communicate  and  debate.  Through  40  professional  skills  training  sessions,  5 500  young  men  and
women  were  provided  support  and  capacity  building  in  the  governorates  of  East  Ammam,  Irbid,
Maan, Mafraq and Zarqa.
EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.29
2 300  state  institutions  and  non-state  actors  were  supported  on  security,  border  management,
countering violent extremism, conflict prevention, protection of civilian population and human rights
– including 710 supported through EUTF for Africa projects
Persons  living  in  extreme  poverty  and  with  vulnerabilities  (including  disability,  HIV/AIDs  and
illiteracy) often do not benefit from economic and democratic development in the countries where
they live. In this context, an intervention in Mozambique aimed at improving resilience and inclusion
and  reducing  poverty  among  marginalised  groups,  in  particular  women  and  men  with  disabilities.
This  supported  CSOs,  including  those  serving  disabled  persons,  to  contribute  to  the  effective
implementation  of  the  national  Strategy  on  basic  social  security  (covering  health,  education  and
productive  social  action  programmes)  and  to  develop  other  drivers  of  resilience  by  empowering
individuals and their representative organisations to become agents of change. In this regard, the EU
supported 16 CSOs in their engagement with authorities and service providers to develop resilience
of marginalised groups and improve their access to social protection services.

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Mainstreaming of policy priorities: EU RF indicator 3.9
3.9  Amount  of  EU-funded  international  cooperation  and development  assistance  directed  at  fragile  states
(billion EUR)

2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2014–2018
Target
No
Commitment
1.424
2.831
4.970
3.879
2.977
16.082
target
No
Payment
2.495
2.274
3.208
3.494
3.330
14.802
target

2.4.17. SDG 17 Partnerships for the goals
SDG 17 seeks to strengthen global partnerships to support and achieve the ambitious targets of the
2030  Agenda,  bringing  together  national  governments,  the  international  community,  civil  society,
the  private  sector  and other  actors.  Despite  advances  in  certain  areas, more  needs  to  be  done  to
accelerate progress. All stakeholders will have to refocus and intensify their efforts in areas where
progress has been slow (93).
Strengthened  domestic  and  other  revenue  mobilisation,  public  expenditure  management  and
increased efficiency and effectiveness of public expenditure in partner countries (94)
EU contributions to development progress in partner countries: EU RF indicator 2.30
98  countries  were  supported  by  the  EU  to  strengthen  revenue  mobilisation,  public  financial
management and/or budget transparency
Since  its  approval  in  August  2018,  the  National Development Plan 2018–2022  constitutes  the  new
framework of the development policy of Togo. Prepared with the support of the EU and the UNDP,
the Plan has three strategic axes aiming to:
▪  improve the business climate;
▪  promote private investment to finance the country’s structural reforms;
▪  promote job creation and sustainable economic development.
Through a budget support programme, the EU is helping Togo to improve the strategic allocation of
resources, the management and transparency of public finances and the coherence of strategic and
budget programming.
In Egypt, the  programme  ‘Enhancing domestic resource mobilisation in Egypt  through a better tax
and exchange of information system’ aims at increasing domestic resource mobilisation in order to

93 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg17.
94 No data are available for the related Level 1 indicator 1.31 ‘Total government revenue as a proportion of GDP, by source’. Publication of
data for this indicator on the SDG database is expected in summer 2019.
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foster sustainable economic growth and income distribution by improving the design of tax policies
and  international  tax  cooperation.  Among  the  results  of  the  programme,  the  updated  Egyptian
Transfer Pricing Guidelines deserve mention: they introduced, among other innovations, an advance
pricing  agreement  system,  guidance  on  risk  assessment  and  the  analytical  processes  for  transfer
pricing  analyses,  in-line  with  OECD  and  G20  Base  Erosion  and  Profit  Shifting  Actions  8–10.
Furthermore, communication has been strengthened thanks to the EU–Egypt Dialogue on Economic
and Financial Matters and the active participation of the EU in the Compact with Africa policy matrix,
which will serve as a bridge to sustain reform momentum.
Mainstreaming of policy priorities: EU RF indicator 3.10
3.10 Amount of EU-funded international cooperation and development qualifying as ODA (billion EUR)
2018
Commitment
8.008
Payment
6.572

2.5.
The Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II) Performance Framework
EU aid to the Western Balkans and Turkey (WBT) region (95) is focused on the IPA II. In view of the
specific nature of the assistance provided in this region, a separate results framework – the IPA II PF
– was developed, modelled on the EU RF. In 2018, data on aid to the WBT region were produced in
the  first  results reporting exercise  against the IPA II PF, carried out in parallel to the  fifth round of
EU RF results reporting.
2.5.1.  Reporting from ongoing interventions
The  results  reporting  exercise  is  designed  to  support  performance  reporting  but  also  aims  to
improve  decision-making  and  promote  learning.  Reporting  in  the  WBT  region  followed  a  similar
approach  to  that  of  other  regions  in  that  it  included  a  sample  of  ongoing  operations  as  well  as
recently closed interventions. This is consistent with the Commission’s aim of further increasing data
coverage and obtaining more timely information.
2.5.2.  Coverage and structure of the IPA II PF
The  adoption  of  partnerships  and  the  importance  of  ownership  at  country  level  are  important
elements of cooperation around IPA II. For this reason, the results from the IPA II PF are presented
on  a  contribution  basis,  which  means  that  they  represent  the  combined  efforts  of  a  variety  of
partners including the EU.
For the WBT region, the results reporting exercise was conducted using the same approach as in the
other regions. Performance data were collected and matched to the IPA II PF. The IPA II PF also uses
the  same  hierarchical  approach  as  the  EU RF,  where  Level 1  is  designed  for  reporting  on  overall
progress  in  the  partner  countries  and  Level 2  is  used  for  reporting  on  partner  country  results
supported by the EU. The IPA II PF reporting does not include a third level because indicators related

95 The WBT region covers Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.
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to  organisational  performance  are  covered  in  other  reports,  such  as  the  ‘Annual  activity  report’.
Another  key  difference  in  this  region  is  that  the  IPA II PF  levels  are  aligned  to  IPA II  strategic
objectives.
As this is the first full results reporting exercise in the region, the data are limited to Level 2 of the
IPA II PF. The  data  captured cover  a set of interventions funded by the EU through IPA I and IPA II
with a contribution above EUR 500 000. The projects are ongoing and completed interventions that
started  since  January  2014  and  were  under  implementation  for  at  least  12 months  at  the  time  of
project selection (June 2018).
2.5.3.  Results-based management
As for other regions, the IPA II PF is part of a broader system supporting results-based management
through the whole project cycle. The system includes:
▪  internal monitoring to define a robust intervention logic,
▪  annual  internal  management  reporting  to  identify  potential  difficulties  and  relevant
corrective measures,
▪  external monitoring (results-oriented monitoring reviews) to provide independent advice on
improving project implementation.
2.5.4.  Overview of key results reported for the IPA II PF
The  total  EU  allocation  of  the  interventions  that  reported  against  the  IPA II PF  indicators  was
EUR 105 million. Of this amount, 66 % was allocated in the government and civil society sector and
22 % in the SME development sector. Table 2 contains the key results reported for 2018.
Table 2. IPA II PF Level 2 – Aggregated results achieved with EU support
Results for
No
IPA II PF indicator
2018
Number  of  legal/administrative  acts/measures  (incl.  at  Constitutional  level)  i)
adopted  or  ii)  implemented  with  EU  support  with  the  objective  of  increasing
2.3
9
independence  and  impartiality  and/or  accountability  and/or  professionalism
and/or competency and/or efficiency of the national justice system
Number of a) judges, b) prosecutors and c) lawyers and justice sector staff trained
2.4
1 661
with EU support on European standards and EU acquis communautaire
2.11
Number of initiatives led by civil society and supported by the EU
968
Number  of  public  policies  developed  or  revised  with  internal  and  external
2.12
530
consultations with EU support
Number  of  EU-funded  assistance  interventions  reporting  improvement  of
2.16
compliance  of  border  and  security  systems  with  EU/Schengen  acquis
3
communautaire
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Number  of  public  policies  to  strengthen  revenue  mobilisation,  public  financial
2.18
management  and/or  budget  transparency  a)  developed  or  b)  under
24
implementation with EU support
Number of beneficiaries with access to financial services with EU support:
1 466
2.21
a) firms
a) 1 410
b) individuals (households)
b) 56
2.23
Number of jobs supported/sustained by the EU
2 388
Number  of  public  policies  promoting  social  inclusion  a)  developed/revised  or  b)
2.24
12
under implementation with EU support
Number  of  public  policies  promoting  digitalisation  a)  developed/revised  or  b)
2.31
10
under implementation with EU support
Number  of  smallholders  reached  with  EU-supported  interventions  aimed  to
2.32
608
increase their sustainable production, access to market and/or security of land

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3. Implementation: Geographical overview
3.1.
African continent, sub-Saharan Africa and all ACP programmes
3.1.1.  Sub-Saharan Africa
3.1.1.1. Introduction: Policy developments
EU–ACP relations
During  2018,  EU–ACP  cooperation  continued  actively  on  the  basis  of  the  Cotonou  Agreement,
including  highlight  events  such  as  the  EU–ACP  Joint  Ministerial  Council  in  Lomé,  Togo,  and  two
meetings of the EU–ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Belgium and Benin.
In view of the expiry of the Cotonou Agreement in 2020, negotiations for a renewed agreement with
the ACP countries were launched in September 2018. The new agreement will consist of a common
foundation  and  three  regional  partnerships  with  the  ACP.  The  common  foundation  with  all  ACP
countries will be based on shared values and interests and aim at facilitating increased cooperation
at the international level. It will be complemented by the three tailored regional partnerships, which
will represent the core of the new agreement.
Africa–EU partnership
Following  the  successful  fifth  AU–EU  Summit,  held  in  November  2017  in  Abidjan,  Côte  d’Ivoire,
implementation of the Abidjan Declaration, adopted at the summit, progressed during 2018 with its
four priorities:
▪  investing in people – education, science, technology and skills development;
▪  strengthening resilience, peace, security and governance;
▪  migration and mobility;
▪  mobilising investments for African structural sustainable transformation.
In  particular,  a  Memorandum  of  Understanding  on  Peace,  Security  and  Governance  was  signed
between HR/VP Mogherini and AU Chairperson Faki in  May 2018. President Juncker also launched
the  Africa–Europe  Alliance  for  Sustainable  Investment  and  Jobs  in  September  2018.  The  Alliance
envisages  a  coherent  economic  strategy  that  focuses  on  Africa’s  economic  potential  and  the
mobilisation  of  the  private  sector  and  aims  at  boosting  investment  and  job  creation  in  Africa.  It  is
fully  in  line  with  Africa’s  Agenda  2063  and  the  African  Continental  Free  Trade  Area.  The  EU
contributes  by  supporting  and  de-risking  investment,  and  this  complements  action  on  the  African
side to strengthen the business climate. The EIP – the Alliance’s financial backbone – is on track to
deliver EUR 44 billion in leveraged investments in Africa and the Neighbourhood.
Peace  and  security  remained  at  the  heart  of  AU–EU  cooperation  in  2018.  At  the  Abidjan  Summit,
leaders  agreed  on  the  principle  of  developing  a  framework  document  which  will  consolidate  the
peace and security partnership on a more structured basis. In January 2018, ministers declared that
cooperation in the field of peace and security during all phases of the conflict cycle is a central pillar
of  the  AU–EU  partnership  as  new  threats  to  international  and  regional  peace  and  security  –  in
particular,  the  spread  of  terrorism,  piracy,  radicalisation,  violent  extremism,  the  illegal  arms  trade
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and organised crime – affect the stability of both continents. These threats require concerted efforts
in  accordance  with  international  law,  including  international  human  rights  law.  The  AU–EU
Memorandum of Understanding on Peace, Security and Governance, signed in May 2018, puts the
institutional partnership on a solid and structured footing, taking into account the complexity of the
emerging threats and the need to address their root causes.
Both  organisations  reiterated  their  commitment  to  the  implementation  of  the  African  Peace  and
Security Architecture (APSA). In May, the 2017–2018 action programme of the African Peace Facility
(APF) was approved with a commitment of EUR 535 million, and EU Member States have agreed to
replenish the APF for the period 2019–2020. This instrument provides substantial financial support
to African-led peace operations, such as the G5 Sahel Joint Force, the AU Mission in Somalia and the
Ecowas  Mission  in  Gambia,  among  others.  Under  its  Early  Response  Mechanism,  the  APF  helped
ensure  stability  and  prevent  violence.  Examples  include  the  Intergovernmental  Authority  on
Development-led  High-Level  Revitalization  Forum  in  South  Sudan  and  the  South  African
Development  Community  Preventive  Mission  in  the  Kingdom  of  Lesotho  (Sapmil).  The  APF  is  also
helping  to  reinforce  the  APSA  support  programme  over the  period 2016–2019  (more  than  EUR 28
million).  This  covers  activities  related  to  conflict  prevention  and  early  warning,  crisis  management
and  conflict  resolution,  including  the  African  standby  force  and  mediation,  post-conflict
reconstruction  and  development  and  strategic  issues,  directly  benefiting  the  AU  Commission  and
eight  regional  economic  communities/regional  mechanisms  in  the  process.  AU–EU  cooperation
supports  full  operationalisation  of  the  APSA,  including  the  links  with  the  AGA,  in  line  with  the  AU
reform process.
The 14th AU–EU Human Rights Dialogue took place on 12 October 2018 in Brussels at the EEAS, co-
chaired  by  the  EU  Special  Representative  for  Human  Rights,  Stavros  Lambrinidis,  and  AU
Commissioner  for  Political  Affairs,  Minata  Cessouma  Samate.  The  dialogue  assessed  progress
achieved and identified new deliverables. It was built on the momentum of the important fifth AU–
EU Summit in November 2017. The issues discussed included the following:
▪  human rights developments in the EU and in Africa,
▪  the death penalty,
▪  torture,
▪  business and human rights,
▪  multilateral cooperation and the International Criminal Court (ICC),
▪  EOMs,
▪  gender issues,
▪  trafficking,
▪  youth participation in African and European politics.
The dialogue was preceded by a two-day seminar on the theme of ‘Youth rights to participation in
Africa and Europe’, which brought together 40 civil society representatives from Europe and Africa.
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There were commitments made on a number of deliverables and areas for follow-up, including:
▪  organising  a  conference  on  torture  and  encouraging  more  African  countries  to  join  the
Global Alliance on Torture;
▪  promoting  strong  African  participation  in  the  2019  World  Congress  Against  the  Death
Penalty;
▪  ensuring robust follow-up activities to EU EOMs;
▪  organising a launch event for the African pillar of the EU–UN Spotlight Initiative;
▪  increasing  engagement  with  youth  representatives  (African,  European  and  diaspora  youth
networks,  platforms  and  organisations)  and  the  AU–EU  Youth  Cooperation  Hub  to  include
more young people in development projects.
On  electoral  observation,  building  on  the  EU–AU–UN  language  agreed  at  the  Conference  on
Electoral  Observation  the  previous  day,  commitments  were  made  to  explore  the  possibility  of
personnel exchange between EU and AU missions and joint visits to countries to present EU and AU
mission reports and recommendations.
3.1.1.2. Working better together: Development effectiveness and donor coordination
The  EU  and  its  Member  States  are  committed  to  working  jointly  in  the  framework  of  the  new
European  Consensus  on  Development  at  country  level  to  implement  the  2030  Agenda  for
Sustainable  Development  in  sub-Saharan  Africa,  as  a  strategic  engagement  process  framed  by  the
SDGs and in support of the partner country’s National Development Plan.
In  2018,  10  Joint  Programming  Documents  were  in  place  in  sub-Saharan  Africa:  Comoros  (2015–
2020),  Côte  d’Ivoire  (2017–2020),  Ethiopia  (2017–2020),  Ghana  (2017–2020),  Kenya  (2018–2022),
Mali  (2014–2018),  Rwanda  (2014–2018),  Senegal  (2018–2023),  Togo  (2014–2020)  and  Uganda
(2015–2019).  Moreover,  the  process  was  well  advanced  in  Central  African  Republic.  In  Ghana,
Kenya  and  Senegal,  the  launch  of  the  joint  strategies  was  accompanied  by  the  signing  of  a  joint
declaration with the respective governments. Of the 11 joint strategies, 5 had joint monitoring and
results frameworks (Comoros, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Senegal). In addition, there was an active
joint programming process in eight more countries: four with a joint analysis (Benin, Burkina Faso,
Niger  and  Zambia)  and  four  with  drafted  roadmaps  for  joint  programming  (Burundi,  Cameroon,
Madagascar  and  Mozambique).  Apart  from  the  EU  and  different  Member  States,  the  EIB  and
associated countries like Switzerland or Norway are part of several joint programming approaches.
In  the  context  of  the  Africa–Europe  Alliance  for  Sustainable  Investment  and  Jobs,  country-tailored
Jobs  and  Growth  Compacts  –  elaborated  in  order  to  translate  EU  key  priorities  into  action  on  the
ground  –  are  also discussed among Member States, governments, private sector and international
financial institutions to ensure coherence.
The EUTF for Bêkou is another example of close partner coordination; its strategic board comprises
EU Member States and other partner representatives, who together define the strategic orientation
of the trust fund in cooperation with the Central African authorities.
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The EUTF for Africa has remained a key implementing instrument for addressing the main challenges
of the Horn of Africa, North Africa and Sahel and Lake Chad regions. It complements traditional EU
development instruments, humanitarian aid and existing political dialogues. Through its governance
structure, the EUTF has continued to offer a framework for dialogue, collaboration and coordination
among  contributors  and  partner  countries. The  EUTF  for  Africa  has  been  instrumental  in  fostering
regional cooperation and facilitating contributor coordination in the Sahel region through the Sahel
Alliance. In coordination with other EU initiatives in support of the G5 Sahel and its Joint Force, the
EUTF for Africa has continued to support the Sahel Security College. In the Horn of Africa, the EUTF
has continued to promote coordination and invest significant resources in the implementation of the
Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), a UNHCR-led initiative, strongly supported by
the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the World Bank and the EU. Moreover,  Uganda
and Sudan are pilot countries for the Humanitarian–Development Nexus, which aims to strengthen
the coordinated action between humanitarian and development efforts. In Somalia, the Partnership
Forum  helped  mobilise  the  international  community  to  forge  a  consensus  on  stabilising  and
promoting  the  development  of  this  country,  resulting  in,  among  other  things,  the  EU’s  first-ever
budget support programme there (EUR 103 million).
The  EU  is  an  active  participant  in  the  Cooperating  Partner’s  Group  for  PSD,  where  national  and
regional policies and actions are discussed; this group was set up by the Common Market for Eastern
and  Southern  Africa  (Comesa)  Secretariat  to  organise  cooperating  partner  meetings  each  year
alongside the annual policy meetings. For the East African Community (EAC), as of December 2018,
overall partner coordination is taking place through regular coordination mechanisms spearheaded
by the EU.
3.1.1.3 Working towards the SDGs
The  EU  subscribes  to the  2030  Agenda  and  its  17  SDGs.  Its  external  and  development  policies  are
essential  to  support  progress  towards  achieving  them.  The  EU  continues  its  efforts  to  boost
sustainable and inclusive growth in and with its partner countries and to contribute to prosperous,
peaceful,  inclusive  and  environmentally  sustainable  societies  in  sub-Saharan  Africa.  Identifying
priorities  under  the  framework  of  the  SDGs  is  a  key  exercise  in  order  to  develop  partnerships
directed to both the countries’ and the EU’s interests across the region.
In  West  Africa,  the  EU  has  been  proactive  in  achieving  progress  with  regard  to  economic  growth
(SDG 8)  and  any  strategy  to  achieve  it  (diversification,  regional  integration,  infrastructure
investment), which is a key interest to almost all the 17 countries located in that region. Aside from
this, education (SDG 4), industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9) and access to affordable and
clean energy (SDG 7) were also part of the cooperation implemented in the region.
For  the  East  Africa/Horn  of  Africa  region,  the  EU  has  maintained  its  efforts  in  achieving  economic
growth (SDG 8) in almost all the 11 countries. Besides this, actions have also been implemented in
relation to peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16). Hunger eradication (SDG 2) and education
access (SDG 4) also remain key challenges for which the EU’s added value is instrumental.
In Central Africa, actions in the field of peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16) were key for
almost  all  the  countries  in  the  region.  In  addition,  economic  growth  (SDG 8)  and  access  to  health
services  (SDG 3)  have  been  main  priorities  in  the  area.  Therefore,  support  in  progressing  towards
these SDGs has been, and will remain, part of the EU partnership with Central African countries.
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Finally,  in  southern  Africa,  EU  actions  focused  on  progressing  towards  economic  growth  (SDG 8),
peace,  justice  and  strong  institutions  (SDG 16)  and  access  to  health  and  food  nutrition  (SDG 3)  in
response to the region’s most pressing challenges.
Through the Pan-African Masters Consortium on Interpretation and Translation (Pamcit) project, the
EU  helps  to  train  highly  qualified  interpreters  and  translators  in  Africa  to  meet  emerging  needs.
Pamcit covers the period of December 2015 to November 2019 and is financed by the EU (EUR 3.6
million  as  part  of  the  pan-African  programme)  in  cooperation  with  the  UN  in  Nairobi.  Pamcit  has
established a network of universities in Africa to act as centres of excellence to train interpreters and
translators  at master’s  level.  As of December 2018,  it  has  five  partner  universities  –  in  Cameroon,
Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique and Senegal – covering the main regions of the continent.
In  view  of  the  progress  achieved,  the  EU  remains  committed  to  the  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable
Development  and  to  work  together  with  partner  countries  to  end  all  forms  of  poverty,  fighting
inequalities and tackling climate change while also ensuring that no one is left behind.
3.1.1.4 Implementation
Bilateral cooperation including budget support
For all sub-Saharan Africa, the objective has been to implement the 2030 Agenda by optimising all
EU  instruments  in  a  coherent  manner.  The  year 2018  saw  the  adoption of the  new  Africa–Europe
Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs with four interconnected strands of action:
▪  strategic investment and job creation,
▪  investing in education and matching skills and jobs,
▪  improving the business environment and investment climate across the continent,
▪  strengthening economic integration and trade, within Africa and between Africa and the EU
(SDGs 8, 9, 10).
Cross-cutting themes such as inequality (SDG 10), gender (SDG 5) and resilience building have been
mainstreamed throughout. Programmes for private investment have been identified under the EIP
and  the  EFSD,  and  implementation  of  Economic  Partnership  Agreements  (EPAs)  has  continued
through dialogue and support programmes.
The  SDGs  are  also  reflected  in  bilateral  programmes  in  sub-Saharan  Africa:  in  Central  African
Republic,  despite  its  fragility,  there  was  positive  progress,  and  the  EU  approved  further  budget
support  to  contribute  to  the  reform  of  the  security  sector  (SDG 16).  The  EUTF  for  Bêkou  will
continue  to  support  the  health  system,  rural  development,  economic  recovery  and  social
cohesion/reconciliation  (SDGs 3,  8,  9,  16).  In  the  Democratic  Republic  of  the  Congo,  Commission
support  to  independent  observation  of elections  by local  civil  society  ensured a  more  transparent
and inclusive process and the Commission contributed to the response to the Ebola crisis (SDGs 3,
16).  In  Cameroon,  a  new  programme  enhancing  economic  competitiveness  will  contribute  to  job
creation, economic growth and implementation of the EPA (SDG 8). In Zambia, the EU has set up an
innovative  financial  instrument,  ElectriFI  (EUR 40  million),  designed  to  unlock  additional  financing
from  private  investors  to  boost  innovative  energy  services  (SDG 7).  With  the  GCCA,  climate-smart
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agricultural practices and technologies improve the resilience of communities (SDG 13), in particular
in countries such as Malawi that are experiencing extreme weather events.
West African countries have taken successful first steps in renewable energy. Isolated rural areas are
particularly targeted in countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Mali and Senegal (SDG 7). The
EU continued to commit funds to agriculture and food security in West African countries. In 2018, a
total of EUR 158 million was approved for Chad (receiving the greatest share: EUR 130 million), Mali
and Senegal and for other projects in Mauritania and Nigeria (SDGs 1, 2). More than EUR 653 million
has  been  disbursed  through  budget  support  in  West  and  East  Africa  (including  by  the  EUTF  for
Africa). The first two EU SDG contracts have been adopted in Ghana and Senegal. In Côte d’Ivoire, a
top-up to the Good Governance and Development Contract was adopted (SDGs 8, 9, 10). Under the
EUTF in the Horn of Africa, the EU also launched its first-ever budget support to Somalia (EUR 103
million) as a response to the country’s positive reform track record. It aims to support federalism in
the  country as well as a much-needed currency reform, and to enable the government to provide
basic  services  to  its  population  (SDGs 1,  2).  In  Mali,  the  EU  continues  to  implement  an  integrated
approach to security development, combining support to long-term reforms and actions to provide
basic services (SDGs 6, 16). In Ethiopia, an innovative ‘job compact’ budget support programme was
launched, focusing on industrialisation, decent work and refugees (SDGs 8, 9, 10).
Regional cooperation (including continental Africa)
The ‘West Africa competitiveness II’ programme supports the development of selected value chains
with  the  highest  job  and  export  potential  and  will  contribute  to  the  overall  business  climate  in
selected countries  in the  region  (SDGs 8, 9, 10). In eastern and southern Africa, impetus has been
given  to  economic  integration  through  the  launch  of  the  ‘Markup’  programme  (EUR 35  million),
aiming  to  improve  market  access  for  EAC  countries  (SDGs 8,  9,  10,  17).  The  region  has  benefited
from the EU-funded development of regional road corridors in Somalia (EUR 42 million). In the Great
Lakes,  EUR 8  million  was  allocated  to  the  development  of  cross-border  infrastructure  to  help
stabilise the region. This action complements ‘Secure cross-border social, economic and commercial
activities  in the  Great  Lakes  Region’  (EUR 20 million),  focusing  on  improving  installations  and  joint
management of the border posts (SDGs 8, 9, 10, 17). The 2018 ‘Pan-African Programme’ (EUR 155.7
million)  focuses  on  education,  knowledge  and  skills  development  for  youth.  The  ‘Intra-Africa
academic  mobility  scheme’  has  been  extended  for  a  third  phase  (EUR 20  million).  In  the  area  of
knowledge development, support for Africa Connect continues (EUR 30 million) (SDG 4).
In  2018  EU–Africa  cooperation  on  science,  technology  and  innovation  grew  stronger  with  the
development and consolidation of existing initiatives and the launch of new ones.
▪  Progress was achieved in the EU–Africa Research and Innovation Partnership on Food and
Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture with the launch of 27 new projects, including
more than 160 African and European partners.
▪  In  the context of the  AU–EU  Research  and  Innovation Partnership  on  Climate  Change  and
Sustainable  Energy,  the  first  steps  were  taken  towards  the  development  of  a  future  joint
European–African programme on renewable energy technologies.
▪  Close  cooperation  continued  within  the  framework  of  the  second  EDCTP  programme  and
other  key  multilateral  initiatives,  such  as  the  Global  Alliance  for  Chronic  Diseases.  The
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Commission  also  contributed  to  the  development  of  the  Global  Antimicrobial  Resistance
Research and Development Hub, launched on 22 May 2018.
▪  Further  to  President  Juncker’s  proposal  for  a  new  Africa–Europe  Alliance  for  Sustainable
Investment  and  Jobs,  a  new  initiative,  the  ‘Africa–Europe  innovation  partnership’,  was
launched with a view to linking the EU and Africa’s innovation ecosystems through synergies
with ongoing actions.
▪  ‘All Atlantic Ocean’ research cooperation grew stronger, with an agreement signed by the
Commission  and  Cabo  Verde  in  November  2018  to  foster  marine  research  and  innovation
cooperation between the two partners.
Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) overview
The EUR 30 million ‘Cross-regional wildlife conservation’ programme in eastern and southern Africa
and the Indian Ocean supports anti-trafficking efforts by enforcing wildlife law and CBC in selected
transboundary  ecosystems  (SDG 17).  The  EU  is  also  supporting  Comesa’s  ‘Regional  enterprise
competitiveness  and  access  to  markets’  programme  (EUR 10  million)  and  its  ‘Trade  facilitation’
programmes (EUR 63 million), with a focus on small-scale cross-border trade (SDGs 8, 9, 10). In 2018,
a new programme on border management of the Economic Community of Central African States was
approved (SDG 16). New investment projects will contribute to improving connectivity, such as the
cross-border transport infrastructure (SDG 9) and electrical interconnection between Cameroon and
Chad  (SDG 7).  An  expansion  of  the  ‘Forest  ecosystems  in  Central  Africa’  (Ecofac)  programme  was
also approved (SDG 15).
3.1.1.5. Humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection:  Responding  to  the  emergency  needs  of  people
affected by conflicts and disasters
Overall humanitarian aid delivered to sub-Saharan Africa in 2018 amounted to EUR 659 million and
benefited more than 100 million people.
DG ECHO increased its funding of EUR 272.9 million in response to the new Sahel crisis arising from
the  agro-pastoral  lean  season,  tackling  an  unprecedented  increase  in  severe  acute  malnutrition
cases in Chad as well as the conflict in the area where the borders of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger
meet. Adequate response was also provided for the north-east Nigeria crisis and other urgent crises
(cholera and Lassa fever outbreak, Cameroon’s Anglophone refugees and flooding). Support for the
Nexus process was reinforced along with efforts to help other contributors cope with crises, leading,
for instance, to the increase of funding (EUR 19.4 million) to Central African Republic.
In eastern Africa and in the Great Lakes region, the EU contributed a total of EUR 366.8 million to
respond to new and deteriorating situations linked both to increased conflicts and climate-induced
shocks  in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan. Adequate response  was also provided to  the
increased  influx  of  refugees  in  all  these  countries  and  in  Uganda,  including  through  the  Nexus
process  with  the  EU  and  its  Member  States.  In  the  Great  Lakes,  in  addition  to  conflict  triggering
large-scale internal displacement and a very dire food security situation, the Democratic Republic of
the Congo was confronted with two subsequent Ebola epidemics, one of which is still ongoing (as of
December 2018).
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3.1.1.6. Crisis response and preparedness
With  over  15  new  crisis  response  programmes  launched  in  sub-Saharan  Africa  in  2018,  the  IcSP
contributes to the EU’s response to the numerous crises in the region.
In Central African Republic, the IcSP is supporting the peace process through the deployment of a
senior  adviser  to  the  president  and  government,  to  build  their  negotiation  team’s  mediation  and
negotiation  capacities  and  support  the  design  of  the  process,  and  three  new  crisis  response
initiatives working with different actors engaged in the peace negotiations. With four IcSP actions,
including  two  CBSD  initiatives,  the  IcSP  also  provided  considerable  support  to  the  security  sector,
including for the gradual deployment of the national armed forces and the internal security services
and for strengthening trust and collaboration between communities and security forces. In addition,
other  IcSP  actions  focused  on  supporting  stabilisation  of  communities  most  at  risk  and  the
investigations of the Special Criminal Court.
In  Sahel  and  Lake  Chad,  the  IcSP  is  supporting  efforts  in  the  fields  of  SSR,  prevention  of  violent
extremism,  migration  and  border  management,  dialogue  and  mediation  across  the  region.  This
includes: direct support to the Comité  de  Suivi de l’Accord in Mali; programmes  to strengthen the
capacities  of  security  actors  in  Burkina  Faso,  Chad,  Mali  and  Nigeria  to  improve  law  enforcement,
better  anticipate  and  manage  crises  and  protect  civilians;  and  initiatives  on  the  demobilisation,
judicial treatment and reintegration of former Boko Haram combatants and associates in Cameroon,
Niger and Nigeria. In Mali, a CBSD action will improve security of the airport in Mopti and support
the provision of basic services with a view to restoring the presence of the state in central Mali.
In  coastal  West  Africa,  the  implementation  of  new  IcSP  programmes,  adopted  in  2017,  started  in
Côte  d’Ivoire  and  Guinea,  notably  to  tackle  the  growing  risk  of  radicalisation  and  support  the
authorities to better anticipate and respond to security risks. The IcSP is also engaged in initiatives
aiming to tackle conflicts and insecurity stemming from the exploitation of minerals and trafficking,
including  in  relation  to  the  Kimberley  Process,  in  a  regional  programme  supporting  civil  society
capacities to anticipate and prevent electoral violence.
In  response  to  the  ongoing  humanitarian  crisis  and  the  deteriorating  security  situation  in  the
Democratic  Republic  of  the  Congo,  new  IcSP  actions  were  launched  in  2018  in  relation  to  the
elections and the crisis in the Kasaï region.
In  Kenya,  IcSP  supports  peacebuilding  initiatives,  promoting  participation,  and  leadership  in
particular,  of  young  people  and  women  and  preventing  the  spread  of  violent  extremism  and
radicalisation.
In Madagascar, the IcSP helps prevent election violence and promote political stability throughout
the  preparation  and  holding  of  elections.  The  IcSP  was  also  engaged  in  Zimbabwe  for  the  2018
elections.
In Somalia, the IcSP continues to support consolidation of the Somali security architecture and was
instrumental  in  materialising  EU  support  for  the  Somali  Transition  Plan,  approved  by  the  Somali
Partnership Forum in December 2017, specifically targeting capacity building of the security sector
and  stabilisation  activities.  A  first  CBSD  action  will  enhance  the  joint  operational  capacity  of  the
Ministry of Defence and the Somali National Army to secure their headquarters in Mogadishu and to
provide them with equipment, capacity building and training.
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3.1.2.  South Africa
3.1.2.1. Introduction: Policy developments
In his first year in office, President Ramaphosa consistently focused on the economy and  the  fight
against corruption. The year 2018 has seen President Ramaphosa focusing on restoring international
and  domestic  confidence,  avoiding  further  downgrades  and  setting  out  to  tackle  important
drawbacks affecting South Africa’s economy – for instance, restructuring government departments,
civil  service  and  state-owned  enterprises,  ensuring  proper  policy  implementation  to  foster
investment  (notably  in  infrastructure)  and  delivering  on  health  and  education  –  all  in  a  very
constrained macroeconomic environment.
The  Job  Summit  and  Investment  Forum  held  in  South  Africa  in  2018  confirmed  President
Ramaphosa’s  commitment  to  boost  inclusive  growth,  attract  investment  and  create  jobs  within  a
context  of  global  uncertainty.  The  first  technical  economic  recession  since  2009,  slower  global
economic  growth,  high  levels  of  unemployment  and worrisome  debt  levels complicate  the task of
revamping the economy, adding pressure on the president ahead of elections in 2019. The president
reconfirmed  the  National Development  Plan  as  the  key  guiding  document  for  transformation.  The
ANC will guide the policies of this administration via the recommendations agreed at the ANC 54th
National Electoral Conference, the ANC National Executive Committee Statement on the occasion of
the 107th anniversary of the party and the ANC electoral manifesto.
Throughout 2018, South Africa and the EU continued working together on science, technology and
innovation. This fruitful collaboration was recognised at the highest level by the seventh EU–South
Africa Summit in November 2018, when all major thematic priorities of EU research and innovation
cooperation  were  acknowledged  (marine  science,  bioeconomy,  nanotechnology  and  research
infrastructures) and many more were welcomed as targeted cooperation areas for the future (open
science, ICT and innovation). Ongoing national challenges, such as a number of specific trade policy
issues,  were  discussed  frankly  but  did  not  detract  from  the  good  atmosphere  and  rapport
established between the EU presidents and President Ramaphosa.
A  joint  summit  statement  was  also  successfully  concluded,  emphasising  the  importance  of
multilateralism and rules-based international order and including references to the WTO, Iran and
human  rights  as  well  as  the  Chemical  Weapons  Convention.  Furthermore,  President  Ramaphosa
outlined his position on land reform and withdrawal from the ICC. Global challenges, including the
international aspects of migration, were also discussed.
3.1.2.2. Implementation, including development effectiveness, SDG focus and perspectives
Improving  aid  and  development  effectiveness  in  South  Africa  is  central  to  the  EU’s  development
cooperation. Country ownership is ensured by the alignment of individual project designs with the
National Development Plan 2030 and other results frameworks. Project design and implementation
aim  at  inclusive  development  partnerships  that  include,  notably,  complementarity  of  government
action  with  CSOs  and  the  private  sector,  for  example  with  the  EUR 30  million  ‘Education  for
employability’ programme that was signed in 2018. Joint programming is not pursued in South Africa
due  to  the  very  limited  number  of  EU  Member  States  (three)  with  a  formal  development
cooperation  programme  with  the  South  African  government  and  the  limited  number  of
development partners involved in official development aid given the size of the country’s economy.
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However,  regular  coordination  does  take  place.  The  EU  delegation  in  Pretoria  leads  the  EU
development  cooperation  counsellor  meetings  and  participates  in  several  partner  working  groups
(e.g.  on  gender,  justice  and  agriculture)  in  which  aid  effectiveness  principles  are  promoted,  in
particular transparency and shared responsibility.
South Africa’s national plans and strategies are well aligned with the SDGs. The EU-funded actions
under  the  multi-annual  indicative  programme  2014–2020  are  systematically  linked  to  the
corresponding SDGs. This was the case in particular in 2018 with two newly approved programmes.
The ‘Gender equality and women empowerment in South Africa’ programme contributes primarily
to  the  progressive  achievement  of  SDG 5  (gender  equality)  but  also  promotes  progress  towards
SDGs 8  (sustainable  growth  and  employment)  and  10  (inequality).  As  for  the  ‘Support  programme
for  the  transformation  of  the  wine  and  spirits  sector  in  South  Africa’,  it  contributes  primarily  to
SDGs 1  (end  poverty)  and  10  (inequality)  but  also  promotes  progress  towards  SDGs 2  (sustainable
agriculture), 6 (water and sanitation) and 8 (sustainable growth and employment).
Beyond  these  two  new  programmes,  the  EU-funded  cooperation  with  South  Africa  focuses  on
several SDGs. For example, the EU supports more inclusive, equitable and quality education (SDG 4)
and employment prospects for South African youth. In particular, the EU is the only contributor in
South Africa involved in inclusive education for people with disabilities. This is an urgent issue that
South  Africa  must  address  as  a  signatory  of  the  UN  Convention  on  the  Rights  of  Persons  with
Disabilities,  since,  in  practice,  0.5  million  learners  with  special  needs  are  excluded  from  schools.
Similarly,  EU-funded  cooperation  continued  to  play  a  key  role  in  2018  on  SDG 3  (health).  With
technical assistance seed funding provided by the WHO, the EU helps the South African government
spearhead the path towards universal health coverage. As of 31 December 2018, less than 15 % of
citizens are covered by private medical insurance and are therefore exposed to an unregulated and
expensive  private  healthcare  system;  the  other  85 %  of  the  population  is  not  covered  by  any
financial protection, relying on suboptimal public healthcare facilities. Reform aims to offer everyone
a  similar  basic  package,  funded  by  compulsory  contributions  and  other  general  funds  raised  by
taxation, giving access to a service provided by qualified and regulated public providers. Specific EU-
funded  actions  included  the  preparatory  work  towards  the  first  Presidential  Health  Summit  in
October 2018 and constant support to the several commissions working on the implementation of
reform.
3.2.
Latin America and the Caribbean
3.2.1.  Latin America
3.2.1.1. Introduction: Policy developments
The  year  2018  saw  progress  in  materialising  EU  partnerships  in  Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean
through political and trade agreements: with Mercosur (South American trade bloc), negotiations on
the  political  and  cooperation  pillars  of  the  bi-regional  Association  Agreement  were  virtually
concluded  (continuing  differences  on  some  trade  issues  prevented  a  complete  conclusion);  with
Mexico, negotiations reached political conclusion making it possible to envisage completion of the
modernised  Global  Agreement  in  2019;  with  Chile,  significant  headway  was  also  made  on
negotiating a modernised Association Agreement.
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Of  broader  relevance  to  the  future  of  EU–Caribbean  relations,  negotiations  for  a  new  Partnership
Agreement with ACP states were launched in July. The first ministerial-level joint council under the
new Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with  Cuba  took  place  in Brussels in July,  laying
the  ground  for  further  enhanced  cooperation  and  dialogues  in  different  areas,  including  human
rights.
In 2018, the EU continued to play an active role  in the  peace  process in  Colombia, supporting the
implementation of the peace agreement through the Colombia Trust Fund. The results of the second
year of implementation by Ecuador of the Multi-Party Trade Agreement, which the country joined in
2017, were very positive.
Political polarisation increased and the socioeconomic situation deteriorated in  Venezuela. The EU
pursued  its  support  for  peaceful  democratic  solutions  based  on  meaningful  dialogue  while  also
increasing  pressure  on  the  regime  via  carefully  designed  restrictive  measures.  Meanwhile,  the  EU
stepped  up  its  assistance  to  address  the  most  urgent  needs  of  the  population  and  of  Venezuelan
migrants fleeing the country.
In  Central  America,  protests  erupted  in  Nicaragua  in  April,  triggering  a  major  crisis.  The  EU
continuously reiterated its support for dialogue, including on justice and democracy, accountability
for  all  crimes  and  electoral  reforms.  Instability  also  increased  in  Guatemala  with  renewed  strong
attacks  on  the  UN-established  International  Commission  against  Impunity  (CICIG).  Honduras
continued to suffer from lingering problems linked to its complex electoral process.
At the regional level, while the third EU–Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)
Summit was postponed due to internal differences over the Venezuela crisis, the second EU–CELAC
Foreign Ministers meeting, held in Brussels on 16–17 July 2018, testified to the importance given to
bi-regional  partnership  and  confirmed  the  wish  to  continue  deepening  relations.  The  meeting
adopted  the  declaration  ‘Building  bridges  and  strengthening  our  partnership  to  face  global
challenges’. Initiatives were announced in a number of areas such as citizen security, climate change
and bi-regional cooperation on productivity and culture.
On  the  margins  of  the  July  EU–CELAC  meeting,  the  foreign  ministers  of  the  EU  and  the  Pacific
Alliance  agreed  to  strengthen  relations  and cooperation  between the  blocs and  to  prepare  a  joint
declaration to that effect, providing a political framework for cooperation and dialogue on areas of
shared interests.
The EU–Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Foundation – created in 2010 by the Heads of State and
Government of the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean as a tool to strengthen and promote the
bi-regional relationship – made important progress in becoming an international organisation.
The EU started preparing for collaboration with the EU–LAC Foundation, setting out the EU’s vision
for a stronger modernised partnership. Set for adoption in the first semester of 2019, the EU aims to
provide strategic direction for the diverse set of policies and instruments for Latin America and the
Caribbean.
In 2018, good progress was made in establishing the EU–CELAC Common Research Area, focusing on
aligning the framework conditions for research and prioritising support for implementing the SDGs
on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  Work  focused  on  managing  research  infrastructures,  boosting
cooperation  on  the  transformation  of  biowaste,  promoting  research  for  sustainable  cities  and
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facilitating the exchange of scientists between the two regions. In addition, calls under the Horizon
2020  framework  programme  on  research  related  to  cancer,  energy,  migration  and  transport  have
led to projects that include partners from Latin America.
3.2.1.2. Working better together, development effectiveness and partner coordination
In  the  new  European  Consensus  on  Development,  the  EU  committed  to  be  a  force  for  the
implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable  Development.  Together with  the  EU Member
States, the Union emphasises the importance of having strong partnerships at country level that will
improve the impact of European development assistance and achieve the SDGs.
The  ‘Working  better  together’  approach  is  about  a  European  commitment  to  programme,
implement  and  monitor  EU  development  cooperation  in  a  more  coordinated  way  based  on  each
partner country’s National Development Plan. This approach, with joint programming at its core, is
being tailored to the Latin American context, where a strategic engagement process accommodates
partner  countries’  shrinking dependence on development financing.  Four partner countries  have  a
Joint Programming Document: Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Paraguay.
Within  the  framework  of  the  Partnership  Instrument,  specific  facilities  have  been  designed  to
strengthen  EU  relations  and  support  sectoral  dialogues  with  Brazil  and  Mexico,  enhancing  EU
strategic partnerships in the region.
3.2.1.3. Working towards the SDGs
The multi-annual programmes for Latin America are forward-looking and fit in to the ‘five Ps’ of the
Consensus while also advancing implementation of the SDGs in the region.
The  EU  is  well  placed  through  its  bilateral  and  regional  programmes  to  assist  the  countries  and
regional  organisations  in  working  towards  the  SDGs.  Dialogue  was  stepped  up  at  all  levels,  from
subregional to EU–CELAC level.
EU programmes contributed to achieving results in the areas of gender, decent jobs and the green
economy,  reducing  inequalities,  climate  change  adaptation  and  mitigation,  sustainable  energy,
peace  and  security  and  capacity  development  in  the  public  sector,  especially  in  public  financial
management.
The Partnership Instrument has supported Commission services’ external projection of priorities that
contribute to the SDGs:
▪  energy union and climate change,
▪  justice and fundamental rights,
▪  being a strong global actor,
▪  jobs, growth and investment,
▪  a digital single market,
▪  migration.
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3.2.1.4. Implementation
Bilateral implementation, including budget support
The  EUTF  for  Colombia  supports  implementation  of  the  peace  agreement  with  the  Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC). This amounted to EUR 119 million at the end of
2018. It focuses on integrated rural development that will bring major economic, political and social
benefits, including for the stability of neighbouring countries and the wider region, and on the social
and economic reincorporation of former FARC combatants.
The Commission responded to the crisis that has gripped Nicaragua, supporting the population with
adoption of programmes in the area of food production (BOOST) and improvement of the capital’s
drinking water supply.
In  Guatemala,  the  EU  continues  to  fund  CICIG  to  allow  for  the  continuation  of  investigations  and
prosecution  of  crime  in  the  country.  Other  programmes  approved  in  2018  relate  to  the  public
healthcare system (EUR 20 million) and the promotion of decent employment opportunities (EUR 15
million).
For Honduras, two new programmes have been adopted: one to strengthen the national system for
human rights (EUR 8 million) and the other to provide budget support for the national employment
policy (EUR 60.4 million). In Bolivia, new programmes were adopted in support of the justice system
(EUR 3 million) related to basic sanitation and improvement of cities’ water supplies (EUR 35 million,
which  includes  a  budget  support  component).  In  Ecuador,  the  EU  is  contributing  to  the  economic
reactivation  of  areas  affected  by  the  2016  earthquake  (EUR 26  million)  and  supports  the
comprehensive development of the northern border with Colombia (EUR 18.9 million).
Regional cooperation and CBC overview
Environment/climate change is a major area of intervention. Activities include blending operations
under the LAIF and the ‘EUROCLIMA+’ flagship programme.
‘EUROCLIMA+’  focuses  on  helping  Latin  American  countries  implement  their  climate  change
adaptation and mitigation objectives and is implemented by seven agencies, comprising five from EU
Member  States  (the  AFD  and  Expertise  France;  the  German  Corporation  for  International
Cooperation (GIZ); the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and
the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (Fiiapp) and
two  UN  entities  (the  Economic  Commission  for  Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean  (ECLAC)  and  UN
Environment).  Important  outcomes  have  been  the  reformulation  of  NDCs  for  Ecuador  and  the
climate  change  law  in  Chile.  The  programme  also  supported  the  Forum  of  CELAC  environment
ministers that took place in Buenos Aires in October 2018.
With  regard  to  the  Security–Development  Nexus,  a  new  programme,  ‘Eurofront’  (EUR 15  million),
was  approved  to  foster  intra-Latin  American  cooperation  in  the  area  of  integrated  border
management. This took the form of four land-crossing posts, involving seven countries, and support
for the fight against human and migrant trafficking.
The  ‘El PAcCTO’  programme  (Europe–Latin  America  Assistance  Programme  against  Transnational
Organised Crime) is well established. The year 2018 saw the signing of the Ameripol Convention by
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five  countries  (Argentina,  Bolivia,  Brazil,  Ecuador  and  Panama,  with  the  Dominican  Republic  and
Paraguay  as  candidates),  with  Argentina  and  Brazil  reinforcing  police  cooperation  against
international  organised  crime.  El PAcCTO  is  the  EU  response  in  support  of  the  dialogue  on  citizen
security within the region and with the EU Member States.
‘Copolad II’,  the  regional  programme  on  drugs  policies,  represents  a  unique  platform  for  dialogue
between 31 countries and institutions from the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean. It had good
results in 2018, reducing demand for drugs and creating National Observatories.
With regard to supporting inclusive and  sustainable growth, several regional programmes  (like  AL-
Invest)  targeted  MSMEs  as  a  catalyser  for  poverty  reduction.  With  regard  to  supporting  good
governance,  accountability  and  social  equity,  ‘EUROsociAL+’  is  addressing  social  inclusion  in  the
region through programmes on good governance, social policies and gender.
The ‘Regional facility for international cooperation and partnership’ (Adelante) is a pilot programme
on triangular cooperation in Latin America. Adelante supports the scaling-up of good practices at all
levels,  clearly  linked  with  the  achievement  of  the  SDGs.  Limited  financing  (EUR 10  million)  has
managed  to  mobilise  54  organisations  from  18  countries  in  the  region  in  sectors  ranging  from
agriculture to judicial reform.
The  ‘Regional  facility  for  development  in  transition’  programme  (EUR 9.5  million),  which  is  being
implemented jointly and is co-financed with the OECD and ECLAC, aims to effectively respond to the
development challenges arising for countries transitioning to higher levels of income.
Blending operations have continued to feature high on the cooperation agenda through a policy of
engagement  with  financial  institutions.  Six  operations  within  the  LAIF  were  approved  in  2018
(EUR 659 million), encompassing three regional projects in Central America and Mercosur and three
bilateral projects in Colombia, Cuba and Ecuador.
The Partnership Instrument has been active in the region at different levels and through the Policy
Support Facility and the TAIEX instrument. Actions relate to areas of key interest to the EU, ranging
from sustainable trade, promoting business cooperation on low-carbon technologies and the digital
economy  to  sustainable  mining,  safe  and  climate-friendly  aviation,  gender  and  corporate  social
responsibility.
Case studies
EUTF for Colombia
Context
The  EUTF  for  Colombia,  officially  launched  in  December  2016,  has  a  total  budget  of  EUR 119  million,
including contributions from 19 EU Member States and Chile.
Objectives
The  objective  is  to  support  the  Colombian  government  in  the  implementation  of  the  peace  agreement  in
the  short  and  medium  term,  with  a  special  focus  on  rural  and  productive  development  in  specific
geographic areas as well as on reintegration of ex-combatants.
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Impact
By  the  end  of  2018,  16  projects  were  ongoing  with  a  contribution  of  EUR 56.5  million.  This  established  a
solid presence in the territories covering 73 municipalities and all temporary reincorporation zones, where
former combatants are transitioning to civilian life.
In the areas where the fund is operating, implementing partners report that projects are helping to rebuild
trust  between  former  FARC  combatants  and  surrounding  communities  as  well  as  in  the  overall  peace
process.  A  genuine  social  reintegration  and  reconciliation  process  is  taking  place,  which  includes  working
with ex-combatants, the military and municipalities. Altogether, the trust fund is contributing to rebuilding
and increasing trust in the state.
Trust fund projects have produced results quickly, be it in terms of productive infrastructure (7 fish-farming
facilities;  poultry-  and  pork-processing  infrastructure;  pineapple-processing  facility  for  ex-combatants),
training  (61  women  were  certified  in  rural  journalism  and  peacebuilding;  scholarships  were  awarded  to
rural youth) or increased access to market (projects have started exporting coffee to Europe and Australia
and  bananas  to  the  United  States;  peasant  markets  –  mercados  campesinos  –  have  been  established  or
revamped; and food security activities have begun to yield results).

El PAcCTO
Context
As of December 2018, Latin America is the most violent region in the world; illegal trafficking controlled by
organised crime groups takes place on a large scale. In that context, citizen security is one of the priorities of
the  EU–CELAC  political  dialogue  and  Action  Plan.  With  a  EUR 23  million  budget, El PAcCTO  is  a  translation
into practice of the Security–Development  Nexus as one of the main areas of EU-funded cooperation. For
the  first  time  in  Latin  America,  a  regional  programme  covers  the  entire  criminal  chain.  The  programme
supports  the  rule  of  law  in  the  18  Latin  American  countries.  It  started  operating  in  May  2017,  and  its
technical activities began in February 2018 and will last until 2022.
Objectives
El PAcCTO is a  technical  assistance programme  conceived  to share good practices between the EU and its
Member States and Latin American countries. It favours exchanges between peers, which is a  key issue in
regional or international cooperation. El PAcCTO supports its beneficiary institutions through concrete cases
and aims to address the main issues in the fight against organised crime.
The  programme’s  three  main  components  are  police  cooperation,  judicial  cooperation  and  penitentiary
systems,  which  together  cover  the  five  issues  of  money  laundering,  corruption,  cybercrime,  gender  issues
and  human  rights.  The  programme  works  with  more  than  70  public  institutions  in  the  Latin  American
countries, mostly ministries, general prosecutors’ offices and supreme courts. El PAcCTO is demand-driven
and results-oriented.
Impact
CBC is at the core of El PAcCTO. In 2018, the programme supported the creation of a Latin American Police
Cooperation  Centre  at  the  border  between  Panama  and  Costa  Rica,  based  on  the  EU  model  of  Police
Customs Cooperation Centres. This centre is now operational and will continue to develop in 2019.
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The signature of the Buenos Aires Agreement for the creation of Ameripol was a major achievement in 2018.
Ameripol will foster the exchange of information and intelligence among prosecutors and law enforcement
agencies, enabling complex investigations in the region. Moreover, thanks to EU support, Europol has shown
great  interest  in  strengthening  its  partnership  with  Ameripol  in  Latin  America.  Collaboration,  exchange  of
expertise between Ameripol and Europol are expected to start in 2019.
One concrete action targeted internet child pornography and led to the arrests of suspects in Latin America
and  Europe.  The  operation  also  enabled  the  identification  of  problems  and  solutions  related  to  criminal
investigation and prosecution in cybercrime matters.

3.2.1.5. Humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection:  Responding  to  the  emergency  needs  of  people
affected by conflicts and disasters
Venezuela
The  year  2018  saw  a  critical  deterioration  in  the  overall  living  conditions  of  the  population  in
Venezuela due to a sharpening socioeconomic and political crisis. Lack of medicines, combined with
a drastic reduction in the health system’s capacity, resulted in a growing number of people lacking
treatment  for  chronic  diseases  or  emergency  medical  care.  Several  large  outbreaks  of  infectious
diseases  occurred,  including  measles,  diphtheria  and  malaria,  as  a  result  of  the  discontinuation  of
preventive  programmes,  deterioration  of  sanitary  conditions  and  decreased  vaccination  coverage.
Malnutrition  rates  exceeded  emergency  thresholds  in  many  areas.  By the  end of 2018, more  than
3.2  million  people  had  left  the  country,  concentrating  in  Brazil,  Colombia,  Ecuador  and  Peru  in
particular. The EU allocated EUR 32 million to help the affected populations in Venezuela and in the
region,  targeting  provision  of  health  and  nutritional  services,  water  and  sanitation,  protection,
education in emergencies and support to host communities.
Colombia
In  2018,  humanitarian  needs  were  on  the  rise  in  Colombia’s  forgotten  humanitarian  crisis.  Access
and  respect  for  international  humanitarian  law  became  even  more  challenging  in  some  areas.
Conflict  and  violence  perpetrated  against  civilians  by  old  and  new  armed  groups  seeking  to  gain
territorial  control  caused  new  population  displacement  with  spillover  effects  in  the  region.  More
than  150 000  people  were  displaced  in  2018,  and  1  million  suffered  confinement  and  mobility
restrictions. By the end of the year, there were around 300 000 Colombian refugees in neighbouring
countries.  In  addition,  the  escalation  of  the  multidimensional  crisis  in  Venezuela  forced  large
numbers  of  people  to  flee  to  Colombia,  escaping  insecurity  and/or  looking  for  basic  assistance.
Colombia is also highly prone to natural disasters. Conflict-affected municipalities are particularly at
risk and provide only limited access to emergency responders. The EU allocated EUR 8 million to help
people  affected  by  conflicts  and  natural  disasters  in  Colombia,  targeting  protection,  healthcare,
water  and  sanitation  for  the  most  vulnerable  groups  and  education  in  emergency  and  disaster
preparedness.
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3.2.1.6. Crisis response and preparedness
The  IcSP  remained  engaged  in  Colombia  throughout  2018.  Following  rejection  of  the  agreement
between  the  Colombian  government  and  FARC  at  the  end  of  2016,  there  was  great  uncertainty
regarding  continuation  of  the  peace  process.  In  this  context,  the  IcSP  contributed  by  providing
essential  and  timely  support  to  the  tripartite  monitoring  and  verification  mission  responsible  for
monitoring  and  verifying  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  the  ceasefire  and  the  disarmament  of  FARC.
IcSP support was instrumental in providing training to the Colombian military and police personnel
charged  with  ensuring  the  security  of  the  zones  in  which  FARC  members  had  concentrated  to
demobilise and where they would later hand in their weapons.
The  IcSP  also  contributed to  the  EU  response  to  the  political  and migratory  crisis  in  Venezuela  by
supporting  conflict-prevention  efforts  between  Venezuelan  nationals  relocated  in  northern  Brazil
(Roraima  and  Amazonas)  and  the  border  areas  of  Colombia  and  local  communities.  These  actions
focused  on  the  prevention  of  sexual  and  gender-based  violence  and  the  supply  of  basic  services,
promoting  peaceful  coexistence  and  fighting  xenophobia  through  communication  campaigns  and
other information activities. The IcSP also supported actions with the aim of generating conditions
for  a  peaceful  end  to  the  conflict  by  increasing  cohesion  among  the  various  political  actors  and
preparing a structured format for any future negotiations.
In Nicaragua, the IcSP supported international tools to monitor and supervise possible human rights
violations  during  the  confrontations  that  took  place  in  2018.  The  IcSP  also  supported  domestic
human rights organisations in their effort to assist victims of political repression.
3.2.2.  The Caribbean
3.2.2.1. Introduction (policy developments)
In  2018,  preparations  for  the  Caribbean  dimension  of  the  post-Cotonou  framework  were  made.
Negotiations for a new Partnership Agreement with ACP states were launched in July, and the first
round  was  completed  in  December.  In  this  context,  informal  consultations  with  the  Caribbean
countries  on  the  future  of  EU–Caribbean  relations  continued,  and  members  agreed  that  the  new
agreement,  to  be  negotiated  early  in  2019,  would  include  both  a  common  part  and  regional
components.
A series of meetings between the EU and its Caribbean partners further enhanced relations. The first
EU–Cuba  ministerial-level  joint  council  under  the  new  PDCA  (Political  Dialogue  and  Cooperation
Agreement),  co-chaired  by  HR/VP  Mogherini,  took  place  in  Brussels  in  July,  laying  the  ground  for
continued cooperation. An EU–Cariforum ministerial meeting, also co-chaired by HR/VP Mogherini,
was  held  in  July  in  Brussels,  contributing  to  ever  closer  EU–Caribbean  links.  Senior-level  EU–
Cariforum political dialogue took place in Saint Lucia on 21 November 2018. The fourth meeting of
the EU–Cariforum Joint Strategy Working Group was held on 16 May 2018 in Brussels.
The year was also marked by continuation of the response to the devastating effects of hurricanes
Irma and Maria in several countries and territories of the region. This was based on a ‘Linking relief,
rehabilitation and development’ approach and backed by an overall assistance package of EUR 300
million.
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In  Cuba,  the  top  leadership  of  the  country  was  renewed  when  former  President  Castro  stepped
down at the end of his mandate, as promised.
EU  cooperation  with  Haiti  continued  to  receive  attention  throughout  2018.  As  the  only  LDC
remaining  in  the  Caribbean,  Haiti  is  the  largest  recipient  of  EU  assistance  (the  EDF  alone  will
contribute  more  than  EUR 450  million  over  the  period  2014–2020).  Haiti’s  serious  economic
problems  have  been  compounded  by  political  instability,  weak  institutions  and  vulnerability  to
natural disasters. In 2018, the Commission continued implementation of the joint response plan to
support the government’s rehabilitation efforts in the wake of hurricane Matthew in 2016. Despite
some  positive  developments,  the  root  causes  of  political  instability  remain  unchanged,  and
significant structural reforms (electoral system, constitution and judiciary), together with reinforcing
the fight against corruption, remain necessary and urgent.
In  2018,  cooperation  on  tax  good  governance  and  on  Anti-Money  Laundering  and  Countering  the
Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) remained high on the agenda to ensure compliance, avoid listing
and ensuring de-listing.
3.2.2.2. Working better together, development effectiveness and partner coordination
The Secretariat for the Caribbean Community (Caricom) is the main body for the Caribbean Member
States  that  coordinates  international,  regional  and  national  institutions  in  achieving  the objectives
on aid effectiveness. In 2018, the EU participated in several steering committee meetings, technical
task forces and technical committees to help enhance sector coordination at regional level.
In  the  eastern  Caribbean, partner  coordination  is mainly  organised  through  the  Eastern  Caribbean
Development Partners Group, which is the UN-led coordination mechanism.
Strong  regional  coordination  is  taking  place  in  the  area  of  renewable  energy,  climate  change  and
disaster risk management. On energy, the start of operations of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable
Energy  and  Energy  Efficiency  triggered  funding  from  the  EU,  EU  Member  States  and  the  UN
Industrial Development Organization. On climate change, the Caribbean Community Climate Change
Centre and the Organisation for Eastern Caribbean States were the main drivers of exchanges. The
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency facilitated dialogue with the contributors during
the  hurricane  season.  Focused  on  the  National  Resilience  Strategy  and  the  Climate  Resilient
Execution  Agency,  coordination  was  equally  important  in  Dominica  for  reconstruction  after
hurricane Maria.
The  joint  programming  processes  in  the  Caribbean  were  stalled  by  the  particular  condition  of  the
SIDS,  the  political  situation  and  natural  catastrophes.  The  EU,  France,  Germany  and  Spain  have
agreed  on  a  roadmap  for  building  their  joint  development  cooperation  for  Haiti.  There  is
commitment  to  re-engage  discussions,  including  with  Switzerland,  on  bringing  a  coordinated
European response to the multiple challenges faced in the country.
3.2.2.3. Working towards the SDGs
The Caribbean countries are typically small economies with limited resources and capacity. Overall,
the  countries  in the  region registered progress in meeting the SDGs.  However, given that some of
the  goals  are  not  always  a  priority  in  budget  allocation,  a  more  integrated  approach  is  needed  to
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make  progress  in,  for  example:  SDG 9  Industry,  innovation  and  infrastructure;  SDG 12  Responsible
consumption and production; and SDG 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions.
The EU, through bilateral and regional programmes, helps partner countries achieve results in areas
of particular importance for the region, such as the green economy, climate change and sustainable
energy. The Caribbean subregion is one of the most vulnerable worldwide when it comes to climate
change and its impacts, including frequent natural disasters.
A  good  example  is  the  budget  support  provided  on  renewable  energy  in  Barbados,  Dominica  and
Saint Kitts and Nevis. Joint analysis of progress included indicators and targets under the SDGs. EU
support  has  contributed  to  achieving  targets  on  access  to  energy  and  CO2  emissions  (SDGs 7,  13).
Since  2012,  more  than  EUR 62.2  million  has  been  provided  through  the  Caribbean  Investment
Facility (CIF) on renewable energy, mobilising a total investment of EUR 779 million.
The devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria has triggered efforts to improve the resilience
of infrastructure to such events. ‘Resilience’ is a common theme in the policy dialogue with almost
all of the Caribbean countries and overseas countries and territories (OCTs – see Chapter 3.6) and is
included in individual country strategies across the region. The ‘Build back better’ approach is at the
core of EU cooperation in the region and was the basis for the additional EUR 300 million that the EU
allocated  after  hurricanes  Irma  and  Maria  to  support  humanitarian  assistance,  recovery  and
reconstruction and long-term resilience building. The main SDGs targeted have been 6, 7, 9, 11 and
13.
The region has marked progress towards the SDGs related to climate change (SDGs 12, 13, 14, 15)
with  the  implementation  of  the  regional  climate  change  strategic  framework  and  the  overarching
strategic plan for the Caribbean Community 2015–2019. These initiatives are supported through the
regional programmes, both for the OCTs and the Caribbean countries.
As for gender, the Caribbean still faces significant inequality and serious levels of domestic violence.
The  EU  is  highly  engaged  through  dialogue  and  the  promotion  of  women  in  non-traditional  roles.
This has been the case in Guyana, where women’s engagement in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics careers has been promoted within the Sea Defence Budget Support.
3.2.2.4. Implementation
Bilateral implementation, including budget support
In 2018, implementation of the Humanitarian–Development Nexus to help the region cope with the
aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria was key to restoring people’s livelihoods and infrastructure.
One  year  after  the  hurricanes,  the  EU  pledge  (EUR 300  million)  has  mobilised  a  range  of  tools,
resources and services to stimulate reconstruction and facilitate recovery.
Building upon the Commission’s relief intervention, programmes for reducing structural vulnerability
have  been  put  in  place  in  Anguilla,  Antigua  and  Barbuda,  British  Virgin  Islands,  Cuba,  Dominica,
Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Martin. Funds were mobilised (EUR 8.6 million) under
the Shock Absorption Mechanism to support economic and social recovery in Dominica. Three new
operations  of  the  CIF  have  been  committed  to  enable  Caribbean  economic  infrastructure  and  the
fragile  coastal ecosystems to withstand  recurrent  extreme  natural events. The operations  concern
housing and reconstruction in the  Dominican Republic, renewable energy and energy efficiency in
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Barbados  and  sustainable  agriculture  and  competitiveness  in  Suriname.  The  ‘Global  public  goods
and challenges’ programme has been instrumental in complementing the reconstruction efforts and
building  resilience  in  countries  such  as  Cuba,  the  Dominican  Republic,  Haiti  and  Trinidad  and
Tobago.
Support  has  been  provided  on  environment  and  climate  change,  renewable  energy  and  energy
efficiency  in  Belize  (EUR 14  million),  Dominica  (EUR 2.62 million)  and  Saint  Kitts  and  Nevis  (EUR 5
million) as well as Barbados, Cuba, Guyana, Jamaica, Saba and St Eustatius (around EUR 95 million
altogether).  In  Cuba,  a  new  programme  of  EUR 20  million  has  been  put  in  place  in  the  area  of
sustainable agriculture. The programme will help the government make agriculture more resilient to
climate change and, ultimately, reduce dependency on imported food. In the  Dominican Republic,
funds  have  been  allocated  in  support  of  public  finance  management  (EUR 21.25  million).  A  new
budget  support  programme  was  launched  in  Montserrat  to  support  growth.  The  budget  support
programmes in the education sector in Anguilla and Turks and Caicos were topped up after the 2017
hurricanes.
Regional cooperation including CBC overview
At  regional  level,  recovery  from  the  hurricanes  has  been  seen  as  an  opportunity  to  mainstream
resilience  in  all  sectors  of  the  economy  against  the  increased  occurrences  and  impacts  of  natural
disasters. The EU has continued strengthening Caribbean regional cooperation with the adoption of
seven  new  programmes  under  the  Caribbean  Regional  Indicative  Programme,  including  Caribbean
Investment  Fund  contributions  (EUR 160  million).  Nine  interventions  are  being  implemented  to
enhance  regional  economic  integration,  climate  change  and  disaster  risk  management  and  to
improve citizen security and border management.
Two programmes were launched to enhance preparedness for and reduce risk from disaster and to
strengthen  capacity  in  the  Caribbean  to  withstand  recurrent  natural  disasters:  the  ‘Caribbean
regional resilience building facility’ (EUR 27.7 million) programme and the OCTs regional programme
for ‘Resilience, sustainable energy and marine biodiversity’ (EUR 40 million).
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Case studies
EU CIF
Context
The EU CIF, launched in 2012, has a total budget of EUR 135 million under the 11th EDF Caribbean Regional
Programme.
Objectives
The objective is to contribute to regional integration, economic growth and poverty reduction in the region
through  mobilisation  of  financial  resources  for  investment  projects  in  strategic  infrastructure  and  for  the
development of SMEs.
Impact
By the end of 2018, the CIF has contributed to six operations with total grants of EUR 58 million, triggering
EUR 595 million of investment from international financial institutions and other investors and representing
a global leverage ratio of EUR 10.3 of investments per EUR 1 of CIF contribution.
A major advantage of the CIF is that it lowers borrowing costs for the Caribbean islands, most of which do
not  qualify  for  concessional  funding  due  to  their  current  middle–high  income  status.  The  CIF  has  thus
enabled  significant  investment  operations  in  Barbados,  the  Dominican  Republic,  Jamaica  and  Suriname  in
sectors that are key for deepening the economic, social and territorial cohesion of the Caribbean region.
Energy  is  the  sector  that  has  benefited  most  from  CIF  support,  which  contributed  to  steering  EU  climate
change actions and moving closer towards the goals of the Paris Agreement in terms of clean energy and
greenhouse gas emissions in the Caribbean region. In Jamaica, the retrofitting of public hospital buildings is
providing  annual  savings  of  EUR 2  million  and  8 900  tonnes  of  CO2  emissions.  The  facility  enabled  the
development  and use of clean energies through a  regional geothermal project  in the islands of Dominica,
Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Another  example  is  the  support  provided  to  the  Dominican  Republic  after  the  devastation  by  hurricane
Matthew  to  cope  with  early  recovery,  reconstruction  and  the  improvement  of  livelihoods.  More  than  1
million  people  affected  by  the  hurricane  will  have  access  to  essential  services  (markets,  hospitals  and
schools),  and  more  than  6 000  people  –  displaced  or  living  in  the  most  vulnerable  situations  –  will  be
provided with housing.
The huge development potential of CIF investment projects in the Caribbean makes it a valuable tool to be
expanded in the future.

Support for economic modernisation in Cuba
Context
Since Castro took power in 2008, the Cuban government has embarked on economic and social reforms. The
framework for that process has been the lineamientos adopted in 2011 and updated in 2016. EU support for
achieving the objectives of the  lineamientos and the National Development Plan is articulated through the
‘Support to economic modernisation’ instrument, an innovative programme based on collaboration.
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After the first programme started in 2014, ‘Support to economic modernisation’ in Cuba was expanded with
a follow-up version in January 2017. This second phase had an initial budget of EUR 7.9 million, including a
contribution of EUR 225 000  from Cuba. The programme was a  success, and the budget  was subsequently
increased to EUR 10.2 million.
Objectives
The main objectives are to complement  the ongoing process of economic  modernisation in Cuba with the
sharing of best practices and the implementation of measures for modernising public administration in areas
of mutual interest.
At the request of Cuban institutions, the second phase of the programme will focus on the following:
▪  fiscal policy,
▪  statistics,
▪  local and urban development,
▪  economic planning and modelling,
▪  production chains,
▪  business development,
▪  foreign trade,
▪  pharma-economy,
▪  foreign investment.
Impact
This  programme  allows  for  the  exchange  of  EU  experts  or  officials  and  Cuban  public  administrations  to
support the ongoing socioeconomic modernisation process, forge alliances between the technicians of the
respective  public  functions  and  produce  positive  results  for  development.  It  has  been  improving  the
effectiveness and equity of the tax collection process (including the extension to different provinces of  the
Integrated Management System for Fiscal Administration) and the quality of information provided to citizens
(through  the  set-up  of  an  interactive  web  application).  It  has  also  been  promoting  the  use  of  modern
management methods.
The key factors in the programme’s success have been:
•  the ownership and piloting by Cuban institutions;
•  a high degree of flexibility, enabling rapid adaptation and response to new emerging scenarios;
▪  quality standards, ensured by optimal use of the resources invested by the different actors.

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3.2.2.5. Humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection:  Responding  to  the  emergency  needs  of  people
affected by conflicts and disasters
Haiti food crisis
Haiti faced critical food and nutritional insecurity in 2018 with more than 1.3 million people in acute
food  crisis.  The  food  situation  of  the  most  vulnerable  households  was  particularly  worrying  in  the
areas  stricken  by  hurricanes  Matthew  and  Irma.  Prevalence  of  acute  malnutrition  among  children
under  the  age  of  five  remained  high  through  the  year.  In  2018,  the  EU  provided  humanitarian
assistance amounting to EUR 15.6 million in response to acute food insecurity and to the earthquake
and to better prepare for other natural disasters. As result of this action, the EU covered the food
and nutrition needs of some 165 000 people, around 15 000 of whom were provided with non-food
items following the earthquake. Some 20 000 people have benefited from disaster-related initiatives
such  as  water,  sanitation  and  hygiene  preparedness,  rapid-response  capacities,  disaster-resistant
shelter building and drought preparedness.
3.2.2.6. Crisis response and preparedness
In the  Caribbean, the  IcSP remained engaged in the tensions at  the border between  Haiti  and the
Dominican  Republic.  As  the  migratory  crisis  fuels  tensions  between  the  two  countries,  the  IcSP
action is supporting a set of interconnected community-oriented and rights-based interventions for
at-risk populations in both countries.
3.3.
Asia, Central Asia, Middle East/Gulf and Pacific
3.3.1.  Asia
3.3.1.1. Introduction: Policy developments
On 19 September, the HR/VP and the Commission adopted a Joint Communication on Europe–Asia
connectivity that sets out the EU’s vision for a new and comprehensive strategy to better connect
the  two  continents.  With  sustainable,  comprehensive  rules-based  connectivity  at  its  core,  the
Communication will help to guide EU external action in this field and is part of the implementation of
its Global Strategy.
The eighth ASEM Summit was held on 18–19 October in Brussels, where the ASEM leaders adopted a
shorter,  more  focused  statement  covering  central  themes  under  ASEM’s  three-pillar  structure:  i)
political, ii) economic, and iii) social–cultural and connectivity.
A  new  EU–Pakistan  Strategic  Engagement  Plan  (SEP)  is  expected  to  succeed  the  Five-Year
Engagement Plan for 2012–2017. The SEP aims to strengthen cooperation in the following areas:
▪  peace and security;
▪  democracy, rule of law, good governance and human rights;
▪  migration and mobility;
▪  trade and investment;
▪  sustainable development, including energy;
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▪  education and culture;
▪  science and technology.
The SEP is expected to be signed and launched at the next EU–Pakistan Strategic Dialogue.
The  Council  adopted  Foreign  Affairs  Council  conclusions  on  Afghanistan  in  November  2018,
reconfirming the long-term commitment of the EU and Member States to promoting peace, stability
and prosperity in Afghanistan and to support its sustainable development. The first EU–Afghanistan
Joint Committee took place in February 2018. At the Geneva Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan
in November, the HR/VP made a five-point offer to support peace in Afghanistan.
The 20th EU–China Summit took place in Beijing on 16 July 2018. It was a successful summit with in-
depth  exchanges  on  a  wide  spectrum  of  issues.  It  delivered  a  strong  message  of  joint  support  for
multilateralism  and  the  rules-based  international  trading  system.  A  wide-ranging  and  substantive
Joint Statement was adopted, with concrete points on foreign policy and security issues, trade and
investment and global challenges as well as an extensive annex on climate change and clean energy
cooperation, supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
On 20 November, the HR/VP and the Commission adopted a Joint Communication that sets out the
EU’s vision for a strategy to strengthen cooperation and partnership with India. The Foreign Affairs
Council endorsed the Joint Communication in December.
EU–ASEAN relations continued to advance, building on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of
official  relations  in  2017.  In  August,  HR/VP  Mogherini  attended  the  annual  ASEAN–EU  Post-
Ministerial Conference with ASEAN foreign ministers in Singapore. She also participated in the 24th
ASEAN Regional Forum. The informal EU–ASEAN Leaders Meeting, the first since 2014, took place in
October  in  Brussels,  demonstrating  the  strong  common  interest  in  deepening  EU–ASEAN
cooperation  and  building  on  increasingly  successful  economic  relations  towards  a  reinforced
partnership encompassing a broad agenda on connectivity and security.
In  2018,  the  Foreign  Affairs  Council  adopted  conclusions  on  Myanmar  on  28 February  and
10 December  with  a  focus  on  key  issues  such  as  access  for  humanitarian  aid, cooperation  with  all
relevant UN mandates, ending violence and the need to address the root causes of the crisis and to
prepare  conditions  for safe,  voluntary,  dignified  and  sustainable  return  of  Rohingya  refugees  from
Bangladesh to their places of origin.
In  February  2018,  the  Foreign  Affairs  Council  adopted  conclusions  on  Cambodia  in  which  it
expressed concerns about political developments in the country and the continuing deterioration of
democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The  EU  signed  three  important  agreements  with  Singapore  in  2018,  notably  the  Partnership  and
Cooperation  Agreement,  the  Free  Trade  Agreement  (FTA)  and  the  Investment  Protection
Agreement. These agreements will significantly upgrade the bilateral EU–Singapore relationship and
further strengthen the EU presence in south-east Asia.
Moreover, in 2018 the EU signed the FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement with Vietnam.
The  EU–Japan  Summit  in  July  saw  the  signing  of  the  EU–Japan  SPA  as  well  as  the  ambitious
Economic  Partnership  Agreement.  This  paved  the  way  for  closer  political  cooperation  based  on
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shared  values,  human  rights,  democracy  and  rule  of  law  as  well  as  implementation  of  the  most
ambitious free trade deal that the EU has concluded, as of December 2018.
The  EU  political  agreements  with  Australia  (the  EU–Australia  Framework  Agreement)  and  New
Zealand (the EU–New Zealand Partnership Agreement for Relations and Cooperation) started being
applied provisionally. The negotiations on FTAs were also launched with both countries in 2018.
3.3.1.2. Working better together, development effectiveness and partner coordination
The European Commission has made considerable contributions to the drafting of the EU’s strategy
to  better  connect  Europe  and  Asia,  promoting  a  European  concept  of  sustainable,  comprehensive
and  rules-based  connectivity  that  contributes  to  prosperity,  safety  and  resilience  of  people  and
societies  in  Europe  and  Asia.  The  strategy  covers  transport,  energy,  digital  and  people-to-people
dimensions, and it outlines an implementation approach that aims to improve networks, strengthen
partnerships and sustain financing for investment.
New  regional  programmes  adopted  in  2018  with  the  World  Bank,  the  IMF,  the  OECD  and  Unicef
provide  tools,  platforms  and  technical  assistance  for  delegations  to  complement  their  bilateral
programmes  and  substantive  capacities  with  initiatives  in  key  cross-cutting  areas.  In  the  ASEAN
region, the new Enhanced Regional EU–ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI) has already played an
important  role  in  enhancing  the  coherence  and  impact  of  EU  policy  engagement  with  ASEAN  in
several  priority  areas.  Four  dialogue  streams  have  been  launched  as  part  of  the  programme,  in
collaboration  with  other  Commission  services,  covering  circular  economy,  natural  capital,  clean
energy and fisheries.
In  an  effort  to  boost  the  EU’s  capacity  to  engage  in  substantive  policy  dialogue  and  enhance
relations  with  partner  countries  in  the  region,  several  new  programmes  were  adopted  in  2018  in
countries that are no longer eligible for bilateral development cooperation. These include activities
based  on  triangular  cooperation  and  collaboration  through  the  Partnerships  and  Policy  Dialogue
Facility.
Major  progress  has  been made  in  engaging  with  China,  with Commissioner Mimica  being  the  first
European  political  representative  to  meet  with  the  Chairperson  of  the  newly  formed  China
International  Development  Cooperation  Agency.  With  India,  the  groundwork  has  been  laid  to
resume the EU–India development partnership within the context of the 2030 Agenda ahead of the
Director-General’s visit, planned for January 2019.
Throughout  Asia,  budget  support  continued  to  be  the  preferred  aid  modality  in  2018.  Budget
support  enables  intensified  policy  dialogue  accompanied  by  capacity-building  support,  while  being
fully  in  line  with  aid  effectiveness  principles  that  promote  country  ownership  and  the  use  of
domestic systems. The EU works with other partners to engage with governments in the region.
In  2018,  the  European  Commission  also  continued  to  support  investments  through  blending  and
other measures  (such  as  capacity  building  and  policy  dialogue).  These efforts  continue  to  position
the  Commission  as  a  catalyst  for  investments  in  the field  of  climate  change  and  the  environment,
SME  development  and  social  infrastructure.  The  Commission  is  also  exploring  ways  to  foster
investments in fragile states such as Afghanistan and Iraq. To increase engagement with the private
sector  in  search  of  investment  vehicles  with  a  development  impact,  the  Commission  has  also
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approached  investment  fund  managers  and  European  development  finance  institutions  such  as
Proparco and Cofides.
In  the  Asian  countries  in  which  the  European  Commission  has  bilateral  development  cooperation
programmes, different levels (global, regional, sectoral, government-led or not, European) of partner
coordination  have  been  established  to  ensure  aid  effectiveness.  More  integrated  and  effective
European cooperation is in place in Cambodia (96) and Laos (97), where development counsellors of
the EU and the Member States, together with Switzerland, meet regularly on the basis of their Joint
Programming Documents. In addition, the European group in Nepal agreed on a joint analysis of the
European development cooperation approach. For the next programming period, joint programming
should also be (re)considered for Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as in south Asia
(Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan).
3.3.1.3. Working towards the SDGs
The SDGs continued to be at the heart of the European Commission’s initiatives in the region.
In  the  Communication  on  Migration  adopted  by  the  Commission  in  June  2016 (98),  Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Iraq and Pakistan were identified as priority countries. EU development cooperation in
these  countries  includes  a  strategic  focus  on  sectors  that  provide  a  balanced  approach,  targeting
poverty  and  inclusive  growth,  thereby  addressing  root  causes  of  fragility  and  migration.  Examples
are job creation through PSD, income generation, community development projects and TVET.
The  Commission  further  contributed  to  GAP II,  including  delivering  on  the  gender  top-ups
established  for  Afghanistan  and  Myanmar,  effectively  mainstreaming  gender  equality  in  2018  for
the Asia–Pacific region, following up on the Spotlight Initiative and systematically addressing gender
equality in the framework of its growing budget support portfolio.
In  2018,  the  Partnership  Instrument  continues  to  contribute  to  EU  action  by  articulating  and
implementing  the  external  dimension  of  internal  policies  and  connecting  different  policy  areas.
Actions  in  Asia  at  bilateral  and  regional  levels  support  work  towards  different  SDGs.  They  cover
challenges  of  global  concern,  such  as  climate  change  and  environmental  protection,  and  the
international  dimension  of  the  Europe  2020  strategy  for  smart,  sustainable  and  inclusive  jobs  and
growth, improving access to markets and boosting trade, investment and business opportunities for
EU  companies  (with  particular  emphasis  on  SMEs)  and  public  diplomacy.  In  the  framework  of  the
Partnership Instrument, several projects contribute to the achievement of various SDGs.
3.3.1.4. Implementation
In south Asia, a number of new projects related to education, justice reform, parliamentary reform,
public  financial  management,  sustainable  livelihoods  and  rural  development  were  adopted,  all
aligned with national priorities.
For  Afghanistan,  the  Ministerial  Conference  of  November  2018  in  Geneva  was  an  important
stocktaking  exercise.  Commissioner  Mimica  and  Afghan  Minister  of  Finance  Quayoumi  signed

96  The  participating  members  in  the  European  Development  Cooperation  Strategy  for  Cambodia  are  the  EU,  Belgium,  Czechia,  Finland,
France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
97 The participating members in European joint programming for Lao People’s Democratic Republic are the EU, Finland, France, Germany,
Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
98 COM(2016) 385 final, 07.06.2016.
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financing  agreements  for  four  programmes  worth  EUR 465  million  adopted  in  2018  to  support
elections, police reform, health and nutrition services and a second budget support operation in the
form of a State and Resilience Building Contract (SRBC), which enables sustainable and predictable
implementation of reforms by the Afghan government and enhanced dialogue with the EU.
Regarding migration, the Commission has developed a major operation to improve the reintegration
of  returnees  in  Afghanistan,  Bangladesh  and  Pakistan  by  mobilising  approximately  EUR 92 million
for the period 2016–2020. Following an additional commitment of EUR 196 million in 2017 under the
‘Addressing  migration  and  forced  displacement  challenges  in  Asia  and  the  Middle  East:  A
comprehensive  regional  EU  response’  programme,  efforts  in  2018  concentrated  on  the
implementation  of  these  funds,  with  EUR 250  million  contracted  and  most  projects  reaching
substantial  annual  targets  and  achievements.  In  Bangladesh,  a  new  EUR 15  million  project  was
adopted  and  signed  with  Unicef,  following  on  from  the  2017  EU  pledge  to  support  Rohingya
refugees.
In south-east Asia, large bilateral development cooperation programmes are in place in  Cambodia,
Laos,  Myanmar,  the  Philippines  and  Vietnam  to  support  job  creation,  agriculture/nutrition,
resilience  against  climate  change,  sustainable  energy,  investments  in  education,  good  governance
and peacebuilding.
The  AIF  contributes  to  the  realisation  of  projects  aiming  to  improve  connectivity,  reduce
unemployment  and  poverty  and  to  help  partner  economies  advance  in  sustainable  and  resilient
ways. The overall objective is promotion of SDG-related investments through the leverage of funds
from  public  and  private  investors.  In  2018,  six  projects  (EUR 43.60  million)  covering  Cambodia,
China, India, Myanmar and Vietnam were approved for grant financing, with the AFD acting as main
implementing partner.
3.3.1.5. Humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection:  Responding  to  the  emergency  needs  of  people
affected by conflicts and disasters
Rohingya crisis
In  2018,  the  EU  substantially  scaled  up  the  humanitarian  response  to  the  Rohingya  crisis  in
Bangladesh.  Following  the  massive  displacement  from  Rakhine  State  in  Myanmar  of  August  2017,
more  than  EUR 40  million  were  granted  through  the  EU  budget  to  provide  protection,  food
assistance,  health  services  and  water  and  sanitation  facilities  to  one  million  Rohingya  and  host
communities in the Cox’s Bazar region in Bangladesh. In addition, the EU opened an office in Cox’s
Bazar with a team of humanitarian experts to facilitate the provision of relief assistance to those in
need.
Bhutan Disaster Risk Reduction
In 2018, the EU provided humanitarian assistance amounting to EUR 2 million to help Bhutan better
prepare for natural disasters. Bhutan achieved astonishing results with this contribution, thanks also
to  the  high  level  of  ownership  shown  by  the  government.  Disaster  management  and  contingency
plans  were  integrated  at  all  levels  of  the  education  system  through  training  manuals,  interactive
teaching and learning materials for school safety, including for schools with special education needs
programmes and monastic institutions. As a result, children, their parents and extended families are
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now better prepared for disasters. Disaster risk reduction is now an integral part of the new teacher
curriculum.
3.3.1.6. Crisis response and preparedness
In 2018, the IcSP played a part in responses to the most acute crises in Asia, including Afghanistan
and  the  Rohingya  crisis,  and  continued  to  be  engaged  in  conflict  prevention  and  peacebuilding  in
places at risk of instability.
In  Afghanistan,  three  crucial  actions  started  in  2018,  focusing  on  the  peace  process  between  the
government and the armed group Hezb-i-Islami as well as police reform and the electoral process.
The  Afghanistan  Peace  Support  Initiative  is  supporting  an  inclusive  Afghan-led  and  -owned  peace
process  by  facilitating  progress  in  the  peace  agreement  between  the  Government  of  the  Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan and Hezb-i-Islami, promoting it as a model for agreements with other armed
groups.  Building  on  the  experiences  and  lessons  learned  from  the  former  EU  Police  mission,  the
police  reform  action  enables  the  Afghan  National  Police  to  perform  its  tasks  more  effectively  and
efficiently,  specifically  in  its  civilian  policing  mandate  with  the  aim  of  supporting  a  government-
owned  agenda  for  institutional  reform  and  professionalisation.  Another  action  focuses  on
sustainability and electoral integrity in Afghanistan in the context of elections in 2018 and 2019. The
IcSP also continues to support women’s active and meaningful participation in local, provincial and
national peace processes, encouraging a culture of peace at both national and local levels.
New  actions made  operational  under  the  IcSP crisis response  component  in  Asia  during  2018  also
include  two  initiatives  related  to  the  Rohingya  crisis.  A  first  action  supports  registration  of  the
Rohingya population in Bangladesh and catering for their immediate needs while also helping them
prepare  to  return  to  Myanmar  once  conditions  are  met.  A  second  action,  also  implemented  in
Bangladesh, focuses on young people as agents of change for peace in Rohingya refugee camps.
With experience gained from important IcSP activity since 2010, the EU has become a key actor in
supporting the peace process in the Philippines. New initiatives were launched in 2018 to monitor
implementation of the ceasefire and peace process agreements.
A new programme is also pursuing peacebuilding efforts in Kashmir through the promotion of Cross-
Line of Control confidence-building measures and political dialogue. It will encourage political actors
in  New  Delhi  and  Islamabad  to  re-engage  over  Kashmir  and  provide  them  with  insights  about
Kashmiri perspectives on the key sociopolitical issues where concrete outcomes are viable.
In  addition,  in  2018  the  IcSP  continued  implementation  of  two  actions  in  Pakistan,  one  providing
support to returnees and their communities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the other
focusing  on  strengthening  the  capacities  of  the  established  federal  and  Khyber  Pakhtunkhwa
provincial  counterterrorism  and  criminal  justice  institutions.  By  supporting  establishment  of  a
credible peace architecture, the latter action also has a role in the long-standing conflict situation in
southern Thailand.
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3.3.2.  Central Asia
3.3.2.1. Introduction: Policy developments
The year 2018 witnessed a fast-changing dynamic in Central Asia, driven by political and economic
reform  in  Uzbekistan.  The  new  momentum  in  regional  cooperation  was  illustrated  by  the  Astana
informal  Summit  of  Central  Asian  leaders  on  15 March.  In  August,  a  Summit  of  the  International
Fund for Saving the Aral Sea took place in Turkmenistan and the Convention on the Legal Status of
the Caspian Sea was signed in Kazakhstan. Development of connectivity initiatives in the region was
high on the agenda and created new challenges, but also opportunities. Central Asian countries also
displayed  a  more  active  interest  towards  Afghanistan,  as  demonstrated  in  March  at  the  Tashkent
Conference  chaired  by  HR/VP  Mogherini  and  reiterated  during  the  Geneva  Conference  on
Afghanistan in November. The annual EU–Central Asia High-Level Political and Security Dialogue was
organised in Turkmenistan in July, and the annual EU–Central Asia Ministerial Meeting took place in
Brussels in November.
In 2018, the region continued to recover from the previous fall of raw material prices and economic
slowdowns in Russia and China. Remittances from migrant workers increased again. Enhanced CBC
and  facilitation  measures  led  to  an  upturn  in  regional  trade  and  people-to-people  exchanges.  The
Roghun  hydropower  dam  started  its  initial  operations  in  Tajikistan  with  water,  energy  and
environmental issues remaining sensitive and a potential trigger for instability. The EU led the way in
preparations for the remediation of uranium legacy sites in  Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Security concerns include the  potential return of Central Asian fighters and their families  from the
Middle East and continued instability in Afghanistan.
The EU is seen by its Central Asian partners as a global standard-setter and leading supporter of their
reform  and  modernisation  processes  –  which  the  EU  delivers  through  its  ODA  –  and  the  new-
generation Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (EPCAs), providing a broad platform
for  regulatory  convergence.  Kazakhstan  signed  an  EPCA  in  2015,  and  EPCA  negotiations  with
Uzbekistan  were launched in November 2018 as negotiations with  Kyrgyzstan were reaching their
final phase. Tajikistan also expressed interest in an EPCA and in becoming a beneficiary under the
EU’s  GSP+  (Generalised  System  of  Preferences)  category.  Central  Asian  countries  have  also
expressed growing interest in the EU’s experience of promoting sustainable connectivity as per the
new EU strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia, released in October.
In  2018  the  EU  cooperated  further  with  Central  Asia  on  research  and  innovation  with  a  view  to
tackling more effectively the region’s environmental and societal challenges and enhancing people-
to-people connectivity. Through the EU–Central Asia Network on Water Science and Technology, the
EU  promotes  scientific  cooperation  with  Central  Asia  and  strengthens  the  exchange  of  experience
and  know-how  in  innovative  solutions  for  water  management.  Central  Asian  universities  and
research  organisations  benefit  from  researcher  mobility  through  the  Horizon  2020  Marie
Skłodowska-Curie actions, as well as cooperating in research and innovation projects in the areas of
health, research infrastructure and migration.
Throughout 2018, in regional and bilateral dialogue formats, the EU has been confirming its interest
in  stepping  up  engagement  with  Central  Asia  so  that  the  region  develops  as  a  peaceful,  resilient,
prosperous and more closely interconnected economic and political space. In 2018, the EU launched
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wide-ranging consultations on a new strategy on Central Asia to update the original strategy dating
from 2007.
3.3.2.2. Working better together, development effectiveness and partner coordination
As  regards  Central  Asia,  the  relaxation  of  political  and  economic  restrictions,  as  well  as  the
constructive  regional dialogue  following the recent changes  in  Uzbekistan, continued in 2018. The
Commission stepped up its dialogue with the latter to initiate its first  budget support programme,
expected for 2019, and a trade programme aimed at supporting Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.
In  June  2018 the  EU’s  profile  as  a key  development partner  for the region  was  given  a  boost  as  a
result  of  Commissioner  Mimica’s  mission  to  Tajikistan,  where  he  attended  the  International  High-
Level  Conference  on  International  Decade  for  Action,  ‘Water  for  Sustainable  Development’,  and
discussed ways of improving the macroeconomic situation.
The  14th  EU–Central  Asia  Foreign  Affairs  Ministerial  Meeting  took  place  in  Brussels  in  November
2018,  and  both  HR/VP  Mogherini  and  Deputy  Director-General  K.  Doens  from  the  European
Commission attended. At this meeting, Central Asian countries confirmed their continued interest in
further enhancing regional cooperation and engagement with the international community on key
development issues.
3.3.2.3. Working towards the SDGs
SDGs are being addressed in the region through bilateral and regional programmes. The Commission
increased  its  efforts  to  tackle  climate  change  in  the  region  and  supported  the  water  and  energy
sectors,  livestock  development  and  education  reform,  including  women’s  education.  It  also
contributed to peace, stability and economic development.
3.3.2.4. Implementation
The  Commission  has  increased  its  efforts  to  tackle  climate  change  in  the  region.  This  includes
adopting a new EUR 47 million programme to promote SCP (Switch Asia and Central Asia). Through
this programme,  the existing  Switch Asia engagement  is being extended to Central Asia, while the
overall  programme  structure  has  been  revised  into  a  more  coherent  and  mutually  reinforcing
approach with a focus on consolidating policy dialogue and leveraging additional investments.
New  bilateral  programmes  were  also  adopted  for  Uzbekistan  and  Kyrgyzstan.  Livestock
development  is  supported  with  EUR 15  million  in  Uzbekistan  while  EUR 10  million  is  allocated  for
improved  public  service  delivery  in  rural  areas.  Concerning  budget  support,  education  reform  in
Kyrgyzstan is to be boosted by EUR 11.66 million.
Under  the  Regional Indicative Programme  for Central Asia, four new programmes  totalling EUR 88
million were adopted in 2018. The EU supports regional cooperation among Central Asian countries
in  key  areas  such  as  water,  environment  and  climate  change,  disaster  risk  reduction,  and  border
management.
Positive  dynamics  in  the  regional  cooperation  between  Central  Asia  and  Afghanistan  are  an
important  element  contributing  to  peace,  stability  and  economic  development.  A  number  of  EU-
financed  projects,  such  as  ‘Advancing  Afghan  Trade’  or  the  cross-border  ‘Afghanistan–Tajikistan
project  on  supporting  cooperation  and  opportunities  for  regional  economic  development’,  have
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contributed in 2018 to strengthening such cooperation. Afghanistan will also be involved in the next
phase of the ‘Border management in Central Asia’ project, under preparation as of December 2018.
A  project  promoting  trilateral  cooperation  on  education  for  Afghan  women  in  Kazakhstan  and
Uzbekistan is being designed in 2018.
Central  Asia  benefits  from  EU  investment  contributions  of  around  EUR 30  million  for  bilateral
projects,  mainly  through  the  Investment  Facility  for  Central  Asia  (IFCA).  Support  focuses  on  the
energy and water sectors. The EBRD is the most important partner, benefiting from nearly 90 % of
the value of signed contracts.
3.3.2.5. Humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection:  Responding  to  the  emergency  needs  of  people
affected by conflicts and disasters
Afghanistan’s protracted crisis
As the Afghan conflict goes into its 17th year, Afghan people face multiple humanitarian challenges
with an increasing number of civilian casualties, protracted displacement and the destruction of the
already poor infrastructure for basic services. In addition, the country is suffering a severe drought
for the fifth year in a row. As a result, some 600 000 people have been displaced internally and are in
need  of  humanitarian  assistance.  More  than  13  million  people  face  a  situation  of  food  insecurity.
About 850 000 deportees came back from Iran and Pakistan in 2018, many of them with nowhere to
go and in need of assistance.
Despite the shrinking humanitarian space and very challenging security conditions, the EU continued
to  provide  life-saving  assistance  in  Afghanistan,  especially  in  the  most  remote  and  underserved
areas. A total of EUR 46 million was granted through the EU budget for relief operations. As a result
of  this  action,  the  EU  provided  nutritional  aid  and  food  assistance  to  approximately  1.5  million
beneficiaries. More than two million beneficiaries received water, sanitation and health support. At
least 25 000 deportees from Iran received direct support upon their arrival in Afghanistan.
3.3.2.6. Crisis response and preparedness
The  IcSP  continues  to  contribute  to  regional  stability  in  Central  Asia  and,  in  particular,  support
actions  intended  to  counter  terrorism  and  violent  extremism,  to  prevent  conflict  over  natural
resources and to help youth in post-conflict areas. While no new initiatives were announced in 2018,
the implementation of programmes at regional and country levels continues.
On a regional basis, the IcSP is supporting professional, conflict-sensitive reporting among journalists
in Central Asia. This programme strengthens critical thinking among young men and women through
visualisation  of  the  stories  of  people  affected  by  destructive  radical  and  extremist  narratives  and
deeds,  explaining  in  various  innovative  media  formats  the  vulnerability  to  and  consequences  of
violent extremism and radicalisation as well as the preventive measures required to address these
areas.
The IcSP also provides support for judicial and social actions promoting enduring stability and peace
in Central Asia. Launched in 2018, this regional action focuses on fighting discrimination and includes
a  strong  capacity-building  component  for  lawyers,  human  rights  defenders  and  law  enforcement
agencies.  The  action  also  provides  evidence-based  research,  advocacy  and  strategic  litigation
actions,  free  legal  aid,  internships  and multicultural education.  The  action  is  implemented  in close
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coordination with the OSCE and UN agencies, notably with parallel support from the United Nations
Peacebuilding Fund.
In  Kyrgyzstan,  three  IcSP  actions  continued  support  for  civil  society  initiatives  that  promote
constructive  dialogue  on  religion  and  democracy,  prevent  violent  extremism  and  foster  a  more
cohesive society.
3.3.3.  Middle East/Gulf region
3.3.3.1. Introduction: Policy developments
Iraq
The  EU  continued  its  long-term  support  to  Iraq,  notably  through  humanitarian  and  resilience
interventions. This resulted in enhanced support for stabilisation, including demining, reconciliation
efforts  and  development  assistance  in  key  sectors,  such  as  primary  and  secondary  education  and
local governance. Such activities were encompassed in January 2018 by the new EU strategy for Iraq,
as  endorsed  by  Council  conclusions.  In  February,  HR/VP  Mogherini  co-chaired  the  International
Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq, held in Kuwait. On this occasion the EU pledged EUR 400
million  for  humanitarian,  stabilisation  and  development  assistance  focusing  on  the  human
dimension of reconstruction. On 12 May, elections were held for the Council of Representatives, and
the EU deployed an Election Experts Mission to Baghdad to provide independent recommendations
on the electoral process. Even though the territorial defeat of Da’esh was announced in December
2017, it still remains a major threat in Iraq. With its EU Advisory Mission Iraq, launched in October
2017  and  reinforced  until  April  2020,  the  EU  provides  strategic  advice  and  expertise  to  the  Iraqi
authorities for the coherent implementation of the civilian dimension of the ‘Iraqi SSR’ programme.
The EU continued to firmly condemn all human rights violations committed in the country, calling for
perpetrators to be brought to justice while maintaining its opposition to the death penalty.
The GCC
The  EU  continued  to  support  mediation  efforts  to  solve  the  diplomatic  stalemate  in  cooperation
which  developed  in  June  2017  between  Qatar  on  the  one  hand  and  Bahrain,  Egypt,  Saudi  Arabia
and the United Arab Emirates on the other. Against this background, the EU further strengthened
cooperation with the GCC Secretariat and with all GCC Member States individually.
Bilateral  dialogue  with  Qatar  and  Oman  led  to  the  signature  of  non-legally  binding  cooperation
arrangements between the EEAS and the respective foreign affairs ministries to increase exchange
between officials and efforts to promote concrete cooperation initiatives.
Discussions  with  Kuwait  focused  on  implementation  of  the  Cooperation  Arrangement  signed  in
2016, with the  holding  of the  first  Senior Officials Meeting in Brussels in November,  co-chaired by
EEAS  Secretary-General  Schmid  and  Deputy  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  of  the  State  of  Kuwait
Aljarallah. The meeting saw both sides engage in a strategic review of bilateral relations, and it was
also an opportunity to explore areas for closer sectoral cooperation.
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Yemen
As the conflict continued in Yemen, becoming the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, the EU strongly
backed  the  UN-led  peace  process  and  the  work  of  the  UN  envoy.  For  this  purpose,  Council
conclusions  were  adopted  in  June  2018,  calling  again  on  all  parties  to  cease  hostilities  and
advocating for a political solution to the crisis. Since the start of the conflict, the EU has mobilised
more than EUR 314 million, is one of the main humanitarian contributors in Yemen and continues to
lead advocacy efforts to ensure full humanitarian access. Furthermore, in coordination with the UN
and other partners, it has convened several awareness-raising initiatives on the conflict, promoted
trust building among the parties involved and formed comprehensive reflections on the future of the
country.
The  Stockholm  Agreement  in  December  was  a  substantial  achievement  and  the  result  of  the  first
political consultation among the parties since 2016. It was also the culmination of intense diplomatic
efforts  by  the  international  community,  notably  the  EU,  which  remains  a  driving  force  for  its
implementation.
3.3.3.2. Working better together, development effectiveness and partner coordination
A seminar on the ‘Humanitarian and Development Nexus in Iraq and the EU response’ was held in
Brussels in January 2018. It focused on operationalisation of the Humanitarian–Development Nexus
and was  a significant step towards stronger coordination between EU services, EU Member States
and key international partners. A joint follow-up workshop was held in December 2018 in Baghdad
to  share  views  with  key  partners  and  EU  Member  States  on  the  humanitarian  and  development
needs  in  the  country,  key  challenges  ahead  and  priorities  for  future  interventions,  including  the
future role of the EU in Iraq. A similar discussion took place in Amman in two different sessions with
Member  States  and  UN/international  NGOs  on  Yemen.  On  both  occasions,  EU  Member  States
welcomed this kind of exchange and expressed willingness to foster more coordinated (if not joint)
EU programming.
Outreach towards Arab partners and the GCC countries has continued in 2018 with visits to and from
Gulf-based  international  financial  institutions.  There  is  interest  on  both  sides  to  find  avenues  for
concrete  partnerships  in  several  sectors  and  geographic  areas  (mainly  the  Horn  of  Africa,  Iraq,
Yemen and, to a lesser extent,  Asia and Central Asia). In September 2018, a technical mission was
deployed to the Gulf to explore possibilities for partnerships in the greater Red Sea region. The initial
feedback was positive and close follow-up is planned for 2019.
In  2018,  EU  collaboration  with  GCC  countries  continued  in  the  area  of  research  and  innovation.
Important activities were pursued in the context of the GCC Clean Energy Network as well as others
aiming  to:  i)  set  up  co-funding  mechanisms  in  Qatar  and  Kuwait  to  support  local  researchers  in
applying  to  Horizon  2020  calls,  and  ii)  improve  reciprocal  access  to  third-country  research
programmes (e.g. those of the Qatar Foundation).
3.3.3.3. Working towards the SDGs
The  Commission’s  activities  in  the  region  comprise  a  series  of  multi-sector  and  multi-stakeholder
measures  focusing  on  enhancing  food  security,  improving  livelihoods,  creating  jobs  and  improving
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access to economic opportunities,  integrating service  delivery and building capacity on sustainable
migration policies and management.
3.3.3.4. Implementation
In response to the challenges in Iraq’s recent past, the European Commission pledged an additional
EUR 400  million  at  the  Reconstruction  for  Iraq  conference  held  in  Kuwait  in  February  2018.  This
pledge is intended for humanitarian, stabilisation and development assistance to support the human
dimension of reconstruction. The package includes:
▪  continued  support  for  management  of  explosive  hazards  and  demining  activities  in  most
conflict-affected areas;
▪  assistance to help recovery and stability through local development;
▪  interventions aiming to promote sustainable job creation.
With  an  ongoing  envelope  of  EUR 244  million,  the  EU  is  among  the  leading  development
contributors in Yemen. So far, the Commission’s sizeable development assistance has supported the
resilience  of  the  Yemeni  population  and  helped  prevent  state  institutions  from  collapsing.  This
approach was reinforced in 2018 with the adoption of a new set of measures aiming to preserve the
social  fabric,  increase  livelihood  opportunities  and  improve  food  and  nutrition  security.  Of  a  total
EUR 244 million, EUR 71 million was committed for these measures.
3.3.3.5. Humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection:  Responding  to  the  emergency  needs  of  people
affected by conflicts and disasters
The Syria conflict, in its eighth year in 2018, continued to cause mass displacement, casualties and
tremendous  suffering  among  the  civilian  population,  with  more  than  13  million  people  in  need  of
humanitarian assistance inside the country.
The  conflict  is  characterised  by  indiscriminate  use  of  weapons  in  densely  populated  areas,
besiegement  and  starvation  of  populations,  deliberate  targeting  of  civilians  and  civilian
infrastructure  as  well  as  humanitarian  aid  workers,  sexual  and  gender-based  violence,  forced
displacements,  arbitrary  arrests  and  forced  detention,  summary  executions,  widespread
contamination  of  explosive  remnants  of  war,  recruitment  and  use  of  child  soldiers  and  severe
restrictions of humanitarian access.
The  Commission  continued  to  deliver  life-saving  assistance  and  support  to  millions  of  people
throughout the country from all humanitarian hubs, including across conflict lines and international
border  crossings.  This  assistance  contributed  to  the  vital  delivery  of  food,  medicine,  water  and
shelter  items  for millions of  Syrians  directly  affected  and/or  internally  displaced  by the conflict.  In
neighbouring  Lebanon,  EU  humanitarian  funding  has  contributed  to  cash  assistance  for  the  most
vulnerable refugees, secondary healthcare for life-saving cases, non-formal education and shelter –
including water, hygiene and sanitation – to improve the living conditions of the vulnerable families
most affected by displacement. In Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, the Commission supports the
most  vulnerable  refugees  through,  among  other  things,  cash  assistance,  as  this  is  considered  the
most  cost-efficient  and  dignified  mode  of  delivery.  In  2018,  and  in  accordance  with  the
commitments  of  the  second  Brussels  Conference  on  Supporting  Syria  and  the  Region,  the  EU
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committed EUR 260 million to support Syrians both inside the country and in neighbouring countries
(in addition to contributions through the EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey).
For  most  of  2018,  the  situation  in  Yemen  remained  characterised  by  ongoing  conflict,  directly
affecting civilians and with blatant violations of international humanitarian law. Yemen is the largest
humanitarian  crisis  worldwide  (Humanitarian  System-Wide  Emergency  –  Level  3  crisis) (99).  At  the
end of 2018, according to the UN, 22.2 million people are in need of humanitarian and/or protection
assistance. The conflict and its disproportionate economic consequences on civilians are driving the
largest  food  security  emergency  in  the  world.  As  of  December  2018,  20  million  people  are  food-
insecure, 9.6 million of whom are one step away from famine.
During 2018, the Commission made significant efforts to scale up its response to the Yemen crisis,
both in the north and the south of the country, reaching a total allocation of EUR 127.5 million. With
these funds, the Commission supports life-saving interventions to conflict-affected populations and
to people suffering from food insecurity, poor nutrition and ill health. Protection, logistics, education
in emergency and advocacy are mainstreamed or supported by stand-alone projects. Over 14 million
vulnerable people have been reached through this assistance.
In  Iraq,  where  the  large-scale  military  campaign  has  ended  and  ISIS  is  defeated  territorially,
humanitarian assistance remains crucial to assist the most vulnerable people in retaken areas as well
as  those  displaced  and  in  detention.  As  of  December  2018,  there  are  still  limited  investments  in
areas  of  return  with  recovery  and  rehabilitation  activities.  The  UN  estimates  that  as  many  as  6.7
million people are still in need of humanitarian aid and over 1.8 million are internally displaced (in
addition  to  252 000  Syrian  refugees) (100).  A  total  of  EUR 40  million  has  been  committed  for
humanitarian  assistance  in  Iraq.  At  the  same  time,  Commission  services  and  contributors  are
working  in  the  framework  of  the  Humanitarian–Development  Nexus  to  support  more  sustainable
solutions for the livelihoods of war-affected populations.
In  Palestine,  the  humanitarian  situation  deteriorated  further  during  the  year,  particularly  in  Gaza,
where  two  million  people  continue  to  live  in  an  enclave  with  limited  access  to  essential  services
having been badly  affected by the  consequences of the Great  March of Return. The  Commission’s
support  focused  mostly  on  strengthening  the  health  sector,  which  was  overburdened  by  the
thousands of injuries, in particular gunshot wounds. In the West Bank, the Commission continues to
protect the most vulnerable people (approximately 8 000) living in a coercive environment and who
are at risk of forcible displacement.
3.3.3.6. Crisis response and preparedness
With EUR 33 million allocated in 2018 under the IcSP, the  Syria crisis has constituted a priority for
stabilisation engagement with exceptional assistance measures conducted both inside Syria and the
neighbouring  countries  affected  by  the  conflict.  In  2018,  four  new  IcSP  exceptional  assistance
measures were adopted in this context.

99  The  IASC  Principals  have  agreed  that  major  sudden-onset  humanitarian  crises  triggered  by  natural  disasters  or  conflict  that  require
system-wide mobilisation (Level 3 or L3 emergencies) are to be subject to a humanitarian system-wide emergency activation to ensure a
more  effective  response  to  the  humanitarian  needs  of  affected  populations.  This  measure  will  only  be  applied  for  exceptional
circumstances  where  the  gravity  justifies  mobilisation  beyond  normally  expected  levels,  while  recognising  the  complementarity  of
humanitarian systems.
100 Sources: https://www.unocha.org/iraq; https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/syria/location/5.
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In Syria, the Syria Peace Process Support Initiative, co-funded by Germany, has provided a multitrack
and  flexible  support  to  the  Geneva  peace  process  on  the  basis  of  UN  Security  Council  Resolution
(UNSCR)  2254.  The  peace  initiative  has  been  instrumental  in  helping  Syrian  civil  society  engage  in
political  transition,  stabilisation  and  rehabilitation  of  the  country,  notably  through  support  to  the
Civil Society Support Room and the Women’s Advisory Board. Provision of support for education in
opposition-held areas continues, while monitoring developments on the ground closely (notably, in
Idlib).  In  April  2018,  a  EUR 10  million  exceptional  assistance  measure  was  adopted  to  foster  mine
action in areas liberated from Da’esh by the Global Coalition and Ar-Raqqa city and Governorate and
part of Deir Ez-Zor Governorate. Last but not least, the IcSP is helping to promote accountability for
crimes  committed  during  the  Syrian  conflict  through  the  International,  Impartial  and  Independent
Mechanism.
In  Lebanon,  two  IcSP  activities  were  adopted  in  the  wake  of  the  Rome II  Ministerial  Meeting,  in
March 2018, in support of the armed forces and internal security forces. Since June 2018, the EU has
been offering a mix  of  expertise  and equipment  to secure Beirut–Rafic  Hariri  International  Airport
against illicit trafficking and the threat of terrorism. In December 2018, CBSD was mobilised for the
first time in the EU Neighbourhood, with the aim of consolidating the presence of the Lebanese state
south of Litani River. The intervention will cover infrastructure works (headquarters) to allow for the
deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces’ ‘Model Regiment’ in Unifil’s area of operations, in line
with UNSCR 1701.
In Jordan, the IcSP supported efforts to counter violent extremism by helping to decrease the risk of
terrorist organisations exploiting social media networks by targeting young people. This was done by
advancing Media and Information Literacy (MIL) as a holistic response to prevent  hate and violent
extremism. The  action  strengthened the capacities of  public  institutions (universities  and  schools),
media  and  education  professionals  and  CSOs  to  tackle  violent  extremism  through  MIL  in  four
governorates: Irbid, Ma’an, Mafraq and Zarqa.
In Iraq, the IcSP helped to provide space for local conflict resolution and prevention and to reduce
local sources of violence through dialogue  among community leaders and resolution of grievances
between  local  actors  and  the  Iraqi  government,  thus  contributing  to  a  broader  reconciliation
initiative. Actions of this nature also contribute to the stabilisation of Iraq by addressing the multiple
factors that might cause violence at the community level, including the return of young people that
joined armed groups in the fight against ISIS. The IcSP also continued to support Iraq in the areas of
SSR and rule of law, reinforcing the Iraqi intelligence community’s ability to coordinate and merge
information in a manner compliant with human rights and the rule of law.
In Yemen, the IcSP is supporting a system of city profiling designed to collect and present statistical
data  at  city  and  neighbourhood  levels  in  order  to  identify  areas  of  greatest  need  and  concern.
Furthermore, a Track II mediation initiative is ongoing to provide financial, technical and operational
support to peacebuilding processes in the country (101).

101  While  Track  I  diplomacy  refers  to  official  contacts  between  government  representatives,  Track  II  diplomacy  is  more  informal:  it  is
carried out between unofficial contacts such as non-governmental actors to find common ground as a complement to official contacts.
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3.3.4.  The Pacific
3.3.4.1. Introduction: Policy developments
Climate change continues to be the single greatest threat to the Pacific region, challenging progress
towards achieving the SDGs. Building on the alliance forged for concluding the Paris Agreement on
climate,  the  EU  and  Pacific  countries  continued  to  cooperate  towards  implementation  of  the
agreement.  In  particular,  the  EU  supported  Fiji  throughout  its  presidency  until  handing  it  over  to
Poland at COP24 in Katowice, highlighting the plight caused by climate change in the Pacific.
Ocean governance, the marine environment and the fight against IUU fishing were at the centre of
high-level discussions held during the 2018 Our Ocean Conference in Bali.
With the existing Economic Partnership Agreement delivering economic advantages to participating
countries  Fiji  and Papua New Guinea,  Samoa  acceded to the  agreement and the  Solomon Islands
concluded negotiating its market access offer to accede next.
With Pacific Island countries being hit frequently by extreme weather events (such as cyclone Gita in
Tonga in February 2018), disaster preparedness and building resilience in communities affected by
climate change continue to be among the most urgent tasks to be tackled in the region.
With  the  official  launch  on  the  side-lines  of  the  UN  General  Assembly  in  September,  negotiations
between the EU and ACP have started with a view to concluding a Cotonou follow-up agreement as
of 2020.
In  2018,  the  EU  held  high-level  meetings  with  East  Timor,  Fiji,  Kiribati,  Nauru  and  Palau,  during
which  issues  such  as  human  rights  and  democracy, rule  of  law,  tax  good  governance,  cooperation
towards achieving the SDGs and increased cooperation in international forums were addressed. The
EU  also  encouraged  partners  to  ratify  and  implement  UN  conventions  on  human  rights  and  the
Rome Statute of the ICC, where appropriate.
3.3.4.2. Working better together, development effectiveness and donor coordination
The  joint  launch  of  the  Pacific  Initiative  on  Biodiversity,  Climate  Change  and  Resilience  with
Australia,  France  and  New  Zealand  in  the  margins  of  the  One  Planet  Conference  in  New  York  in
September 2018 offered new possibilities to increase the engagement of the EU, its Member States
and like-minded partners to promote ocean governance  and the ‘blue economy’ within the Pacific
region.
Representatives  of  the  Commission  attended  the  post-forum  dialogue  of  the  49th  Pacific  Islands
Forum  Leaders  Meeting  in  Nauru  on  behalf  of  Commissioner  Mimica  in  September  2018.  The
signature  of  the  EUR 45  million  Pacific–European  Union  Marine  Partnership  (PEUMP)  delegation
agreements with the Forum Fisheries Agency, the Pacific Community, the Secretariat of the Pacific
Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the University of South Pacific took place. Still at the
post-forum  dialogue,  a  EUR 2  million  top-up  to  the  ongoing  sector  reform  performance  contract
(budget  support)  with  the  Kingdom  of  Tonga  (for  reconstruction  after  tropical  cyclone  Gita)  was
signed in the presence of the EU Member States and Tonga’s Prime Minister.
At  a  side  event  of  the  COP24  in  December  2018  in  Katowice,  Poland,  the  ‘Pacific  initiative  for
biodiversity, climate change and resilience’ was presented. So far, this initiative has received support
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from the EU, Australia, Canada, France and New Zealand (more than EUR 27 million). The AFD will be
responsible  for  implementation  and  will  work  closely  with  the  relevant  Council  of  the  Regional
Organisations in the Pacific agencies, in particular the Pacific Community and the SPREP. The aim is
to increase Pacific countries’ capacities to adapt to the effects of climate change, to protect, restore
and enhance its unique biodiversity and to increase countries’ resilience.
3.3.4.3. Working towards the SDGs
The Commission addresses a wide range of SDGs in the area. Root causes of gender inequality and
violence against women are tackled through education, prevention of violence and access to support
services  for  victims  of  violence.  Strong  support  is  given  to  develop  resilience  against  the  negative
effects of climate change and to the integration of climate finance into national budgets. Initiatives
are also implemented to support sustainable energy services.
3.3.4.4. Implementation
The implementation of the EUR 13 million programme ‘Tackling root causes of gender inequality and
violence  against  women  and  girls  in  the  Pacific’  was  launched  with  the  signature  of  the  financing
agreement  at  the  Pacific  Islands  Forum  Leaders’  Meeting  in  Apia  in  late  2017.  In  2018,  the
implementation  of  the  programme  started  in  earnest,  with  the  signature  in May of  a  contribution
agreement with UN Women. Concrete results on the ground have been achieved in 2018, addressing
gender  equality  in  formal  and  informal  education,  promoting  the  prevention  of  violence  against
women and girls at community level and providing concrete support for governments and CSOs to
ensure  access  to  support  services  for  survivors  of  violence.  The  Pacific  Initiative  preceded  and
spearheaded  other  EU  global  initiatives  on  gender  equality,  including  EU  participation  in  the
Spotlight Initiative.
In 2018, allocation of support for regional investment projects was increased from EUR 44 million to
EUR 77 million. The aim is to promote sustainable investments, including through country allocations
for Papua New Guinea (EUR 15 million) and the Solomon Islands (EUR 18 million). Furthermore, the
regional  ‘Annual  action  programme  2018’,  which  includes  a  ‘Waste management  (PacWaste Plus)’
programme (EUR 17 million) and a ‘Public financial management (PFM) and governance’ programme
(EUR 11 million), was adopted in 2018. PacWaste Plus facilitates sector policy dialogues to promote
circular  economies.  The  ‘PFM  and  governance’  programme  complements  existing  budget  support
operations within EU bilateral cooperation. It also provides for capacity building to better integrate
and monitor climate finance into national budgets, which is expected to increase significantly in the
future.
In the Pacific, support activities for the ‘Blue economy and conservation’  programme are provided
through  the  ‘Pacific  EU  marine  partnership  programme’  to  increase  the  Pacific  Island  states’
resilience  against  the  negative  effects  of  climate  change.  In  an  effort  to  enhance  regional
integration,  synergies  are  sought  with  the  regional  OCTs  programme,  supporting  environment,
sustainable  management  of  natural  resources,  biodiversity  and  climate  change.  Common
coordination  mechanisms  include,  for  example,  the  selection  of  common  implementing  partners,
such as the SPREP or the Pacific Community.
In  2018,  the  Partnership  Instrument  continued  to  contribute  to  EU  external  action  in  Australia,
notably by enhancing the understanding and visibility of the EU and its role on the world scene by
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means of the ‘EU–Australia leadership forum’ project. The overall objectives of the contract are to
deepen  and  broaden  the  EU–Australia  partnership,  using  the  EU–AUS  Framework  Agreement  as  a
reference  point,  and  to  ensure  that  other  opportunities  for  engagement  are  further  expanded,
including  broadening  of  the  political,  research  and  innovation,  economic  and  trade  investment
relationships.
In New Zealand, 2018 saw the signature of the Partnership Instrument-funded contract ‘Conducting
legal  analysis  of  New  Zealand’s  measures  and  legislation  related  to  trade  and  investment  issues’,
aiming to strengthen the EU’s negotiating position in the context of the upcoming EU–New Zealand
FTA negotiations.
The  amount of  EUR 20 million  has  been  committed  to  the  Investment  Facility  for  the  Pacific  (IFP).
Private-sector-oriented  opportunities  with  those  international  financing  institutions  eligible  under
the Commission’s blending facility (IFP or DCI) criteria are very limited. As of December 2018, only
the  EIB  and  the  Asian  Development  Bank  are  active  in  the  region.  In  2018,  two  projects  were
approved at the October DCI board meeting: the ‘Pacific micro, small and medium enterprise finance
project’ (EUR 12 million) will be implemented by the ADB to stimulate economic growth in four small
Pacific  Island  countries;  and  a  contribution  of  EUR 8  million  to  the  ElectriFI  country  window
dedicated to the Pacific Islands’ renewable energy market.
3.3.4.5. Humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection:  Responding  to  the  emergency  needs  of  people
affected by conflicts and disasters
In  2018,  EU  humanitarian  intervention  in  the  Pacific  was  limited  to  the  provision  of  emergency
response  in  major  disasters  when  local  authorities  were  overwhelmed;  for  instance,  in  Tonga  for
tropical  cyclone  Gita  and  in  Vanuatu  for  the  evacuation  of  the  island  of  Ambae  after  the  Manaro
Voui volcano erupted.
3.4.
Enlargement
3.4.1.  Introduction
The  IPA II  aims  to  help  beneficiaries  adopt  and  implement  the  political,  institutional,  legal,
administrative,  social  and  economic  reforms  required  to  comply  with  EU  values  and  to  align
progressively  with  the  Union’s  rules,  standards,  policies  and  practices,  with  a  view  to  becoming
members.  As  of  December  2018,  the  beneficiaries  are  Albania,  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina,  Kosovo,
Montenegro,  North  Macedonia,  Serbia  and  Turkey  (the  ‘IPA  beneficiaries’).  In  the  period  2014–
2020, the envelope for supporting preparation for accession as well as regional support and CBC will
reach about EUR 12.8 billion.
In 2018, under IPA II, the Commission adopted eight annual action programmes, including one multi-
country  programme  (total  value  of  about  EUR 797  million).  In  addition,  three  multi-annual
programmes  to  support  TAIEX,  connectivity  as well as  civil society  and media were  adopted  (total
value of about EUR 349 million). The Commission’s financial assistance in 2018 focused on regional
political  priorities,  in  particular  the  fundamentals  of  enlargement,  such  as  the  rule  of  law  and
democratic governance, economic growth and jobs, as well as other important priorities such as the
connectivity agenda, security and education. The programmes adopted in 2018 were in line with the
enlargement  strategy  and  the  ‘fundamentals  first’  approach,  and  they  reflected  the  priorities
stemming  from  the  State  of  the  Union  address  and  the  Western  Balkans  Strategy.  Additional
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financial  support  was  also  provided  for  multi-annual  programmes  in  the  areas  of  regional
development, rural development, employment, education and social inclusion.
The Commission also continued to support regional integration and good neighbour relations. Nine
CBC programmes in the Western Balkans and a CBC technical assistance programme were adopted
in 2018.
Continuing with the Western Balkans countries, their participation in the Framework Programme for
Research  and  Innovation  –  Horizon  2020  –  has  been  particularly  successful  in  2018.  Numbers  of
participants from the region and competitive funding received (some EUR 23 million per year) have
steadily  increased  and  are  generating  a  tangible  impact  on  the  national  research  and  innovation
landscape.
In 2018, implementation of the sector approach continued. Indeed, since the beginning of IPA II in
2014,  the  sector  approach  has  produced  strong  improvement  in  the  programming  process,
especially  in  linking  policy  dialogue  (among  the  institutions  involved  and  between  the  EU  and
beneficiaries)  and  financial  assistance.  Its  outcomes  are  visible  in  terms  of  institutional
improvements in various IPA beneficiaries.
A  total  of  EUR 400.4  million  has  been  committed  in  the  period  2014–2018  under  sector  reform
performance contracts with four IPA beneficiaries – Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia – with
a focus on PAR.
In  addition  to  Montenegro,  North  Macedonia  and  Turkey,  in  2018  the  European  Commission
entrusted  Albania  and  Serbia  with  budget  implementation  tasks  for  the  execution  of  several
measures  under  rural  development  programmes.  This  allowed  calls  for  project  proposals  to  be
launched, for the individual projects to be implemented in 2019.
The  focus  on  and  efforts  towards  performance  and  results-based  management  under  IPA II  has
continued in 2018, in particular through training for IPA II beneficiaries on performance frameworks,
linking programming to monitoring and evaluation.
3.4.2.  IPA priorities
The  priorities  of  the  pre-accession  assistance  derive  from  IPA  regulation  –  specific  objectives  and
thematic  priorities  –  and  are  aligned  with  the  core  principles  of  the  Enlargement  Policy.  For
enlargement to become a reality, a firm commitment to the principle of ‘fundamentals first’ remains
essential.  Structural  shortcomings  persist,  notably  in  the  key  areas  of  the  rule  of  law  and  the
economy.  Accession  candidates  must  deliver  on  the  rule  of  law,  justice  reform,  the  fight  against
corruption  and  organised  crime,  security,  fundamental  rights,  democratic  institutions  and  PAR  as
well  as  on  economic  development  and  competitiveness.  In  line  with  these  priorities,  EU  pre-
accession assistance remains focused on supporting fundamental reforms.
In  February  2018,  the  Commission  adopted  the  Communication  on  ‘A  credible  enlargement
perspective  for  and  enhanced  engagement  with  the  Western  Balkans’,  which  puts  forward  a
comprehensive  Action  Plan  to  Support  the  Transformation  of  the  Western  Balkans  and  sets  out
flagship initiatives in six areas:
▪  the rule of law,
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▪  security and migration,
▪  socioeconomic development,
▪  connectivity,
▪  a digital agenda,
▪  reconciliation and good neighbourly relations.
At the EU–Western Balkans Summit in May 2018, EU leaders agreed on the Sofia Declaration and the
Sofia Priority Agenda, outlining measures for enhanced cooperation with the region, drawing largely
on the Commission’s Strategy and Action Plan.
The EU continued work for improved connectivity both within the Western Balkans and between the
Western  Balkans  and  the  EU.  The  EU  supports  concrete  investments  in  the  Western  Balkans’  six
transport and energy networks, with the purpose of creating a regional environment conducive to
economic  growth  and  job  creation.  EU  assistance  is  also  directed  at  fostering  good  relations  with
neighbours in the region to help overcome the legacy of the past.
In  the  case  of  Turkey,  the  Commission  decided  to  reduce  the  indicative  allocation  for  the  period
2018–2020 due to backsliding on key reforms and doubt over absorption capacity: that is, the ability
of Turkey to use EU funding swiftly, efficiently and to the full, in a timely manner. At the same time,
and in line with the orientations of the European Council, funds were reoriented towards the rule of
law, fundamental rights and civil society.
Finally, by assisting enlargement countries in tackling migration challenges, the EU continued to play
a pivotal role in driving forward policies and programmes aimed at stemming the influx of irregular
migrants to the EU.
3.4.3.  Implementation
Bilateral cooperation, including budget support
Albania
The EU is the main contributor in Albania, providing an indicative EUR 639.5 million of assistance to
support  reforms  in  the  period  2014–2020.  In  2018,  key  priorities  for  financial  assistance  included
PFM,  PAR,  justice  reform,  home  affairs,  employment  and  skills,  and  transport.  In  the  same  year,
Albania  received  entrustment  of  budget  implementation  tasks  for  rural  development  measures
under  the  2014–2020  multi-annual  programme,  which  allowed  the  actual  implementation  of  the
programme to start.

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In the area of PFM, a sector reform performance contract contributed in particular to:
▪  implementation of the revised budget law in compliance with fiscal rules;
▪  approval of new public investment management guidelines;
▪  a budget consultation process with CSOs and the general public;
▪  appointment of all members of the public procurement review body;
▪  progress in the area of external audit, including a new strategy for 2018–2022.
In the area of PAR, a sector reform performance contract supported implementation of the strategy
and has already shown measurable results in areas such as electronic services to citizens, civil service
recruitment and better regulation.
The  Commission  supported  implementation  of  justice  reform  also  through  the  deployment  of  an
international  monitoring  operation  to  re-evaluate  (vet)  Albanian  judges  and  prosecutors.  Core
monitoring  activities  are  conducted  by  a  team  of  international  observers  (seven  from  EU Member
States and one from the United States), who are embedded in every step of the work done by the
domestic  vetting  institutions.  The  vetting  process  has  produced  concrete  results:  more  than  200
investigation dossiers have been processed, and around 100 decisions have been taken. On average,
for every magistrate confirmed in office, one is relieved of their duty.
In  2018,  the  EU  extended  the  ‘Euralius’  project  for  the  consolidation  of  the  justice  system,  thus
further  supporting  justice  reform,  helping  secure  the  effective  implementation  of  the  legislative
changes and reinforcing the new institutions created further to the justice reform. A sector reform
performance contract was also approved to support implementation of the justice strategy.
In the home affairs sector, the project for the consolidation of law enforcement agencies, ‘Pameca’,
supported the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the state police and General Prosecutor’s Office in their
fight  against  organised  crime  and  drug  trafficking.  It  also  responded  to  local  community  needs  in
terms of public security and border management challenges relating to flow of migrants and asylum
seekers.
In  the  area  of  employment  and  skills,  a  sector  reform  performance  contract  supported
implementation  of  the  Albania  Strategy  for  Employment  and  Skills  (2014–2020).  It  addressed  in
particular the promotion of youth employment (especially entrepreneurship programmes targeting
young people), the establishment of multifunctional training centres and the reorganisation of VET
providers, resulting in an overall increase in VET enrolment and investment in teacher training.
In  the  transport  sector,  a  sector  reform  performance  contract  supported  implementation  of  the
Albanian  transport  strategy,  focusing  on  road  maintenance.  The  programme  supported  reform
measures  for  road  transport  in  the  areas  of  public  procurement,  technical  and  financial
management, road safety, sustainability and maintenance.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The EU is the main contributor in Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing an indicative EUR 552.1 million
of assistance for the period 2014–2020 to support reforms.
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In  2018,  intensified  policy  dialogue  resulted  in  the  formal  adoption  of  a  country-wide  rural
development  strategy,  triggering  for  the  first  time  an  allocation  of  EUR 30  million  for  agriculture
under  IPA II,  and  the  adoption  of  a  country-wide  strategy  on  energy,  allowing  for  possible  further
support.  These  are  significant  positive  developments  considering  the  difficulties  in  planning
assistance  arising  from  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina’s  institutional  and  political  complexities.  The
finalisation  of  these  strategies  has  allowed  resumption  of  the  full  financial  envelope  initially
intended for Bosnia and Herzegovina, as approved in August 2018.
As regards the rule of law sector, during 2018, continuous EU support for development of a modern
judiciary  in  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  with  a  focus  on the  use  of  ICT  and  performance management
has helped in providing better, faster and more transparent services to citizens.
Thanks  to  EU  support,  the  High  Judicial  and  Prosecutorial  Council  adopted  new  rules  in  2018  to
improve the appointment procedures and performance appraisal of judges and prosecutors as well
as their integrity and professional training.
The judiciary’s capacity for processing cases of war crimes is being strengthened with IPA assistance
supporting  the  salaries  and  material  costs  of  courts  and  prosecutor  offices  all  across  Bosnia  and
Herzegovina. The EU has also provided grants to the International Commission on Missing Persons,
contributing  to  addressing  the  persisting  challenges  of  transitional  justice.  An EU-funded  Twinning
project is further supporting the fight against money laundering and the implementation of Financial
Action Task Force recommendations, including on the financing of terrorist activities.
In view of inadequate infrastructure for the efficient operation of courts and prosecutor offices, EU
funds are provided for the (re)construction of judicial and prosecutorial premises. As of December
2018,  20  judicial  institutions  all  over  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  have  been  constructed,  modernised
and renovated.
Moreover, following the significant influx of migrants since the beginning of 2018, the EU is helping
Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  cope  with  increased  migratory  flows,  notably  by  assisting  migrants  and
asylum  seekers  in  meeting  their  basic  needs  (shelters,  health,  education  services,  etc.)  and
strengthening border and migration management capacities.
In the area of democracy and governance, support is being provided to strengthen the  role of the
four  parliaments  in  the  process  of  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina’s  accession  to  the  EU  and  in  the
implementation  of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Agreement.  Additional  assistance  has  been
provided  to  improve  overall  internal  financial  control,  especially  in  relation  to  the  public
procurement and statistics systems. The EU has supported reform in civil service human resources
management  by  developing  guidelines  and  practices  for  job  classification,  job  description  and
recruitment procedures.
In the area of competitiveness and innovation, ongoing EU-funded activities aim to strengthen local
economic development, improve local employment partnerships and increase the competitiveness
of SMEs (e.g. by facilitating access to finance, fostering development of SMEs, transferring best EU
practices  via  implementation  of  the  Small  Business  Act  for  Europe,  etc.).  These  activities
complement broader financial instruments available at the regional level.
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Kosovo
The  EU  is  the  main  contributor  in  Kosovo,  providing  an  indicative  EUR 602.1  million  of  aid  for  the
period 2014–2020 to support reforms.
There are two sector reform performance contracts on PAR and on PFM, both subject to structured
policy dialogue involving relevant ministries, the prime minister’s office and relevant parliamentary
committees. Stakeholders have been involved to ensure the adoption of key legislation with a view
to strengthening merit-based recruitment, accountability, transparency and efficiency.
Case study
Further support to education in public safety in Kosovo
Sustainable economic growth requires good-quality jobs. The Twinning project with partners from Finland
and  Estonia  (EUR 1.4  million  financed  under  IPA)  began  in  February  2016  and  is  due  for  completion  in
January 2019. This project is relevant to SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth.
Context
The Kosovo Academy for Public Safety is the only institution delivering training to the staff of public safety
agents,  including  police,  customs  and  correctional  and  probation  services,  thus  having  a  direct  impact  on
the professionalism and quality of these services in Kosovo.
Objectives
The objective is to strengthen the rule of law by improving the education of public safety agents or, more
specifically,  to  provide  high-quality  public  safety  and  security  education,  research  and  development  in
Kosovo.
Impact
The following are some of the outcomes achieved.
▪  Modern  vocational  curricula,  in  line  with  European  best  practices,  for  all  public  safety  agencies
have been developed and implemented to train the first intake of more than 450 students.
▪  A  Bachelor’s  Programme  in  Public  Security  has  been  accredited  with  85  students  and,  as  of
December 2018, 260 enrolled.
▪  Sustainable vocational training structures have been developed.
▪  An e-learning platform and seven e-learning modules have been developed.
▪  A  student  counselling  system  has  been  developed  to  ensure  a  student-centred  approach  and  to
prevent dropout.

The Republic of North Macedonia
The  EU  is  the  main  contributor  to  the  Republic  of  North  Macedonia,  providing  an  indicative
EUR 608.9 million of assistance for the period 2014–2020 to support reforms.
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In 2018, the country agreed to draw up the first-ever sector reform performance contract (EUR 16.5
million), aiming to improve active labour market measures and boost youth employment. The ‘Public
financial  management  reform  programme  2018–2021’,  key  for  effective  implementation  of  the
contract,  has  been  adopted.  The  programme  also  contributes  to  increasing  transparency  and
accountability and involving external stakeholders in policymaking.
Montenegro
The  EU  is  the  main  contributor  in  Montenegro,  providing  an  indicative  EUR 279.1  million  of
assistance to support reforms in the period 2014–2020.
In  2018,  IPA II  funds  focused  on  the  key  area  of  rule  of  law  and  fundamental  rights  to  address  a
range of judicial, customs-focused and rights-centred initiatives. Complementing this, the agriculture
and rural development sector was also supported with a major new programme. Additionally, during
2018,  a  programme  focused  on  health,  social  issues  and  education  was  added  to  the  national
portfolio (EUR 36.2 million).
In  2018,  existing  programmes  continued  in  a  range  of  sectors,  including  environment,  agriculture
and transport. Sector reform performance contracts in integrated border management and PAR had
an important impact during 2018 to support reforms in the country.
Additional  support  was  also  provided  as  part of the  EUR 15.3  million  ‘Education,  employment  and
social  policies’  programme,  launched  in  2018.  In  parallel  with  this  important  initiative,
implementation  of  a  number  of  other  social  programmes  continued,  aiming  to  address  the
integration of Roma and other vulnerable groups.
Case study
Support for the implementation of Chapters 23 and 24 action plans
An  ongoing  project  in  the  rule  of  law  and  fundamental  rights  sector  contributes  to  SDG 16.  It  aims  to
support  the  country  in  its  work  to  prevent  and  counter  corruption.  It  focuses  on  supporting  the
implementation of integrity measures in relevant institutions and the work of the Agency for the Prevention
of  Corruption.  Objectives  include  enhanced  efficiency  of  the  judicial  system  and  more  effective
enforcement  of  legislation  concerning  the  fight  against  organised  crime  and  corruption,  including:
improving  the  effectiveness  of  financial  investigations;  coordination  among  the  state  prosecutor’s  office,
police, court authorities, customs administration and tax administration; and the improved enforcement of
integrity plans.

Serbia
The EU is the main donor in Serbia, providing an indicative EUR 1.54 billion of assistance to support
reforms in the period 2014–2020.
In 2018, assistance  focused on four key sectors. In the  area of  democracy and governance, under
the  European  Integration  Facility,  specific  actions  supported  legislative  harmonisation  with  the  EU
acquis communautaire and the strengthening of Serbia’s institutional capacities in different areas. In
addition,  the  development  of  reliable  statistics  aimed  to  increase  the  availability,  quality,
comparability  and  timeliness  of  high-quality  and  policy-relevant  statistical  data.  In  the  area  of
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environment, climate  action  and  energy,  the  aim  is  to  raise  environmental  standards  in  Serbia  in
terms  of  air  and  water  quality  through  the  construction  of  a  wastewater  treatment  plant,  the
improvement of district heating systems through switching to renewable energy sources and a pilot
project to support energy efficiency. In the area of competitiveness and innovation, the focus is on
improving access to finance for SMEs, enabling them to innovate, initiate research and development
and invest in meeting EU standards. In addition, a specific action will contribute to developing the
tourist industry, in line with Serbia’s tourism strategy, as an engine of economic development in the
lower  Danube  area.  Finally,  in  the  crucial  area  of  education,  employment  and  social  policies,  the
focus will be on the social inclusion of marginalised people through housing, jobs, health, education
and social services.
Although the 2014–2018 programmes are still at an early stage, there are already some measurable
achievements. The sector reform performance contracts introduced under IPA II have contributed to
the  achievement  of  tangible  results  in  the  key  areas  of  PAR  and  PFM,  integrated  border
management  and  education.  The  assistance  with  governance-  and  accession-related  priorities  has
opened dialogue with Serbia in economic and monetary policy and statistics. The support directed at
improving competitiveness has improved access to finance for SMEs and enhanced innovation.
In terms of connectivity, in transport, the first phase of the modernisation of the railway line from
Nis  to  Dimitrovgrad  (on  the  border  with  Bulgaria)  is  planned  to  commence  in  the  second  half  of
2019. In energy, work on the important Trans-Balkan corridor electricity project has continued with
the completion of Section I between Serbia and Romania, helping establish a power corridor that will
connect the electricity transmission systems of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia to
Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Romania.
In 2018, Serbia received entrustment of budget implementation tasks for some rural development
measures under the 2014–2020 multi-annual programme, which allowed the actual implementation
of the programme to start.
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Case study
Sector reform contract on education
This  sector  reform  contract  (EUR 27.4  million)  aims  to  support  implementation  of  key  reforms  in  the
education  sector.  It  focuses  on  improving  the  quality  of  teaching  processes  and  of  minority  education,
increasing  the  inclusion  of  Roma  and  improving  the  relevance  of  the  education  system  for  the  labour
market. There are four main achievements from the first year of implementation.
▪  Training for teachers in elementary and high schools has begun so they can change the approach
towards a curriculum based on expected learning results. This reform is significant and will last for
a  long time, but  the first  steps are the most  important: the training creates professionals for the
future  who  can  teach  the  next  generations  more  efficiently.  Serbia’s  education  system  needs  to
change: children should not be taught based on a predetermined list of topics, but with the aim of
achieving some clear results.
▪  The availability of minority-language textbooks has increased, and training for teachers in minority
languages has improved. Languages represent a  measure of wealth for a country, and Serbia has
improved  this  wealth  with  textbooks  now  available  in  eight  minority  languages,  giving  children
from these groups a quality education in their mother tongue.
▪  The most  vulnerable groups in society need specific support: 300 state-financed scholarships for
Roma  secondary  students  were  made  available  in  the  budget  for  the  school  year  2017/18.  This
support has proven very successful in the past, especially when it targets Roma girls, so the aim is
to make it a continuous feature.
▪  The EU is about growth and jobs: the project has supported the creation of a social partnership
linking education and the labour market. A new law on the National Qualifications Framework has
been adopted, allowing Serbia to align with the EU system and standards and to help the education
sector improve and adapt to new labour market needs.

Turkey
Regarding  IPA  assistance,  the  Commission  decided  in  August  2018  to  revise  downwards  the
indicative allocation of pre-accession funds for Turkey by EUR 759 million (EUR 253 million per year
and an overall 40 % reduction) for 2018–2020 in light of poor absorption capacity and backsliding on
key reforms. This followed the presidency conclusions of December 2016 calling for a reorientation
of  pre-accession  funding  towards  the  rule  of  law,  fundamental  rights  and  civil  society,  and  the
discussions on Turkey at the October 2017 European Council.
At  the  same  time,  the  Commission  reoriented  the  share  of  funding  allocated  to  political  reforms,
rising from 38.4 %  of funds in 2014–2017  to 44.7 %  in 2018–2020. This strengthened the focus on
democracy,  rule  of  law  and  governance  as  well  as  support  to  civil  society  and  people-to-people
contact. Structural fund-type programmes, designed to underpin the efforts of IPA beneficiaries at
an advanced stage of their pre-accession preparation, were sharply reduced.
The  2018  allocation  for  Turkey  amounted  to  EUR 386.8  million,  of  which  EUR 98.4  million  was
allocated to:
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▪  support activities on fundamental rights, home affairs and energy;
▪  co-finance  for  Turkey’s  participation  in  the  ‘Erasmus+’  programme  in  order  to  continue
enhancing people-to-people contacts between Turkey and the EU;
▪  promote civil society dialogue and the EU acquis communautaire through the ‘Jean Monnet
scholarship programme’.
EUR 12.4  million  was  allocated  to  support  civil  society.  EUR 145  million  was  allocated  to  support
reforms in the  climate,  disaster risk management, emergency response  capacities,  civil protection,
transport,  gender  equality  and  social  inclusion  sectors,  including  minorities  and  people  with
disabilities,  as  well  as  support  for  youth  and  vocational  training.  Finally,  EUR 131  million  was
allocated to agriculture and rural development.

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Case study
The Facility for Refugees in Turkey
The EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey became operational in February 2016. It has a total budget of EUR 6
billion,  including  EUR 3  billion  from  the  EU  budget  and  EUR 3  billion  from  Member  States  in  the  form  of
externally assigned revenues. The first tranche of EUR 3 billion was mobilised in the 2016 and 2017 budget
years, and the second tranche of EUR 3 billion will be mobilised in the 2018 and 2019 budget years. The first
tranche has been fully committed and contracted, with 72 projects rolled out and showing tangible results.
More  than  EUR 2  billion  of  the  first  tranche  has  been  disbursed,  with  the  balance  to  be  disbursed  in  the
course  of  implementation  of  facility  projects  by  mid-2021.  Of  the  second  tranche,  EUR 450  million  was
contracted  by  the  end  of  2018  for  a  project  that  continues  to  provide  access  to  education  for  Syrian
refugees and for protection interventions.
The  facility  is  implemented  as  humanitarian  and  development  assistance.  Under  the  first  tranche  of  the
humanitarian  strand,  45  projects  were  contracted  with  19  partners,  covering  basic  needs,  protection,
education and health. The EU addressed the needs of particularly vulnerable refugees via the ‘Emergency
social safety net’, benefiting 1.5 million of the most vulnerable. The ‘Conditional cash transfer for education’
programme was launched in 2017 and is the largest programme on education in emergencies ever financed
by  the  EU,  facilitating  access  for  refugees  to  formal  education  systems.  As  of  October  2018,  more  than
410 000 children have attended school, and their families have also received financial support through this
programme.  Under  the  second  tranche,  as  of  December  2018,  EUR 50  million  of  humanitarian  assistance
has been contracted.
Under the first tranche of the development strand, 27 projects have been contracted, focusing on longer-
term livelihoods and socioeconomic and educational prospects of refugees. In education, a EUR 300 million
grant  –  implemented  in  cooperation  with  the  Ministry  of  National  Education  –  has  supported  the
integration  of  Syrian  children  into  the  Turkish  education  system,  providing  access  to  education  for  more
than  600 000  children.  This  support  continues  under  the  second  tranche  through  a  new  EUR 400  million
project  with  the  Ministry  of  National  Education.  In  addition,  regarding  health,  the  facility  is  delivering
EUR 300  million  in  aid  to  ensure  refugees  can  access  healthcare  services,  with  over  4  million  primary
healthcare  consultations  completed  and  over  500 000  Syrian  refugee  children  vaccinated  as  of  December
2018. Furthermore, 143 migrant health centres are now operational, with over 2 000 staff employed. Under
the  second  tranche,  the  facility  will  continue  to  provide  assistance  in  health,  education,  municipal
infrastructure  and  socioeconomic  support,  with  a  special  focus  on  creating  livelihood  opportunities  for
refugees in Turkey.
Further  information  on  the  Facility  for  Refugees  can  be  found  at:  https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-
enlargement/news_corner/migration.

Regional cooperation
Continued efforts have accompanied bilateral assistance to strengthen regional cooperation. During
2018,  the  Commission  continued  to work  closely  with  partners  to  improve  cooperation  within  the
region  and  with  the  EU,  connecting  infrastructure,  economies  and  people.  The  priorities  have
featured prominently in the summits (both the EU–Western Balkans Summit in Sofia in May, with its
Declaration  and  Priority  Agenda,  and  the  Western  Balkans  Summit  in  London  in  July,  with  its
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declarations  on  security  matters  and  on  missing  persons)  and  the  relevant  ministerial-level
meetings.
The regional cooperation agenda is designed to increase dialogue on practical matters and reform
measures  in  the  Western  Balkans  among  prime  ministers  and  ministers  of  transport,  energy  and
foreign affairs. Results in 2018 included the Headquarters Agreement with Serbia on the seat of the
Secretariat of the Transport Community Treaty in Belgrade, and the launch of the new digital agenda
for the region. Support was provided for the implementation of the Regional Economic Area Multi-
Annual Action Plan, and negotiations have started on the mutual recognition of qualifications and on
a regional roaming agreement.
Regional cooperation continued to focus on the connectivity agenda. A major outcome was achieved
at  the  Western  Balkans  Summit,  in  which  a  substantial  connectivity  package  was  delivered,
comprising  11  transport  projects  totalling  EUR 190 million  in  grants  and  leveraging  investments  of
EUR 1  billion  from  partner  international  financial  institutions  in  the  WBIF.  With  IPA  support,
important results of EU interventions here include development of the core transport network and
PECI, including associated connectivity reform measures. EU-funded ‘Connecta’ technical assistance
also  initiated  implementation  of  four  regional  measures  designed  to  improve  road  safety  and
maintenance, install an ‘intelligent’ transport system and improve road border crossings.
Reconciliation is a cornerstone for lasting peace in this area. At regional level, the Commission has
pursued  a  strong  agenda  for  promoting  and  supporting  reconciliation  and  good  neighbourly
relations. Towards the end of 2018, the Commission delivered concrete actions to help narrow the
impunity gap, tackling the issue of missing persons, promoting the dissemination of truth, fostering
cultural  cooperation  through  a  more  comprehensive  and  integrated  approach  to  these  issues  and
engaging  with  different  key  partners  in  the  region  and  at  international  level.  Several  steps  were
taken to help strengthen cultural ties across the region, including the ‘Creative Europe’ programme,
to  counter  nationalistic  narratives  and  build  vibrant  democracies  by  supporting  civil  society  and
media.  The  Commission  also  provided  political  and  financial  support  to  the  Regional  Youth
Cooperation Office, inspired by the model of the Franco-German Youth Office created after World
War II.  Continued  support  for  housing  care  solutions  for  refugees  and  displaced  persons  in  the
region  was  also  provided  such  that,  by  the  end  of  2018  and  thanks  to  the  RHP,  close  to  4 000
housing  units  were  delivered  to  the  most  vulnerable  refugees  and  displaced  families  from  the
conflict in the 1990s.
There has been extensive follow-up of the counterterrorism agenda in the Western Balkans with the
adoption of the Joint Action Plan on Counter-Terrorism for the Western Balkans.
CBC
The  sixth  flagship  initiative  of  the  Western  Balkans  Strategy  –  ‘Supporting  reconciliation  and  good
neighbourly  relations’  –  is  the  common  thread  of  the  CBC  programmes  in  the  Western  Balkans,
rebuilding the links broken in the 1990s.
In  2018, operations  (grant  contracts)  started  being  implemented  in  six out  of the  nine  2014–2020
CBC programmes among Western Balkans beneficiaries. The thematic priorities include:
▪  promoting employment, labour mobility and social and cultural inclusion across borders;
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▪  protecting the environment and promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation, and
risk prevention and management;
▪  encouraging tourism and cultural and natural heritage;
▪  investing in young people, education and skills;
▪  enhancing competitiveness, the business environment and the development of SMEs, trade
and investment.
Despite  relatively  limited  resources  (EUR 30.2  million  IPA II  as  of  December  2018),  these
programmes and projects have managed to trigger real change for local communities, including for
vulnerable  groups  (minorities,  young  people,  persons  with  disabilities,  etc.).  For  example,  they
provide opportunities for self-employment for persons with disabilities or acquisition of high-value
ICT knowledge for young people. As almost the only external actions realised in the peripheral areas
targeted,  these  programmes  are  highly  visible  and  help  build  positive  relations  between  the  local
population and the EU.
IPA CBC programmes are not only bilateral programmes that connect local communities across the
border;  they  even  manage  to  connect  countries.  One  very  successful  example  is  ‘Via  Dinarica’,  in
which  stakeholders  from  five  countries  of  the  region  pursuing  a  common  purpose  have  shaped  a
new tourist attraction for mountain trekkers in the spirit of a natural pilgrimage. The ‘Extension of
ViP DinaricA’ project, contracted in February 2018 under the IPA CBC programme Albania–Kosovo,
will run until February 2020.
Turkey  has  a  bilateral  CBC  programme  with  Bulgaria  to  support  economic,  social  and  territorial
development in their common border areas, and it continues its involvement in the ‘Black Sea basin
programme’.
Furthermore, IPA CBC is a unique tool for building capacities of both national and local authorities
for the future management of EU structural funds upon accession.
3.4.4.  Humanitarian aid and civil protection: Responding to the emergency needs of people
affected by conflicts and disasters
In Turkey, the largest host country of registered refugees, humanitarian activities are implemented
as  part  of  the  Facility  for  Refugees.  The  EU  humanitarian  funding  to  support  refugees  in  Turkey
through the facility was EUR 1.4 billion between 2016 and 2017, with a further EUR 50 million under
the  second  tranche  of  the  facility  in  2018.  This  brings  the  total  humanitarian  funding  already
allocated under  the  facility to EUR 1.45 billion.  In 2018, the EU continued to address  the needs of
refugees  with  high  socioeconomic  vulnerability  via  the  ‘emergency  social  safety  net’.  This  is  a
humanitarian  social  assistance  programme  consisting  of  a  debit  card  that  delivers  monthly,
unrestricted,  multipurpose  cash  directly  to  vulnerable  refugees.  As  of  December  2018,  over  1.5
million refugees have benefited from monthly cash transfers through the  programme. The EU also
continued  to  facilitate  access  for  refugee  populations  to  formal  education  systems  by  reducing
barriers and providing the means for at-risk children to be able to go to school. Launched in 2017,
the ‘conditional cash transfer for education’ programme is the largest ever programme financed by
the  EU  on  education  in  emergencies.  As  of  December  2018,  the  families  of  over  410 000  children
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attending  school  have  received  financial  support  through  the  ‘conditional  cash  transfer  for
education’  programme.  These  projects  are  complemented  by  a  number of other  humanitarian  aid
projects  addressing  protection  issues,  providing  non-formal  education  and  specialised  healthcare
services.
Since the beginning of the refugee crisis, the European Commission has been assisting the refugees
and migrants transiting through the Western Balkans. In 2018, while the emergency response came
to its end, in September the existing humanitarian projects in Serbia were handed over to the EUTF
for Syria. Following the emergence of a new migratory route in May 2018, the Council of Ministers
of  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  officially  requested  assistance  from  the  EU.  The  European  Commission
launched  a  timely  response  to  the  small-scale  emergency.  The  assistance,  amounting  globally  to
EUR 9.2 million, included EUR 2 million of humanitarian funding. It covered provision of emergency
shelter, food, water and sanitation, health and protection services and has reached the vast majority
of 24 000 refugees and migrants transiting through Bosnia and Herzegovina.
3.4.5.  Crisis response and preparedness
In  2018,  engagement  under  the  IcSP  in  the  Western  Balkans  focused  on  the  implementation  of
measures  announced  in  2017  to  target  crucial  issues  for  the  stability  of  the  region,  such  as
supporting  confidence-building  measures  between  communities  or,  notably,  promoting  the  EU-
facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.
In September 2018, three interventions were successfully launched to promote the normalisation of
relations between Belgrade and Pristina. The interventions aim to bring the EU-facilitated dialogue
closer to society and to strengthen it through broader and more active involvement of citizens. The
hope  is  that  more  and  better  information  on  the  dialogue  and  how  it  positively  impacts  people’s
everyday lives will lead to greater acceptance of and, ultimately, support for advancing the dialogue.
CSOs, chambers of commerce, media and opinion leaders and experts from both sides will reflect on
how  they can shape  the  course of the  dialogue  and bring the issues  to the attention of the wider
public.  Joint  media  initiatives  and  exchanges  may  result  in  more  balanced  and  less  one-sided
portrayals.
In  Kosovo,  the  ‘Inter-community  dialogue  through  inclusive  cultural  heritage  preservation’
programme  seeks  to  improve  inter-community  tolerance  and  respect  for  cultural  identity  and
heritage of the ‘other’ in Kosovo. Following a previous phase (2017–2018), 18 cultural and religious
sites  have  been rehabilitated. The  renovation works also represented an occasion for members of
different  multi-ethnic  communities  to  strengthen  bonds  through  joint  activities.  This  second
intervention,  started  in  May  2018,  has  a  wider  geographical  scope  and  aims  to  bring  the
communities  together  to  work  on  intangible  cultural  heritage  (such  as  traditions,  performing  arts,
cuisine, crafts, etc.). Women and young people play a central role in the activities.
The IcSP has also played a significant part in decreasing the threat of uncontrolled explosions posed
by  chemically  unstable  and  highly  hazardous  ammunition  and  remnants  of  war  in  Bosnia  and
Herzegovina. The ‘EU star’ programme also aims to transfer the knowledge and experience gained
from the programme and its contractors to local personnel, thereby developing self-reliance in the
country  to  destroy  unexploded  ordnance  (2017–2019).  In  line  with  the  Ottawa  Mine  Ban  Treaty
(1997),  the  IcSP  will  continue  its  efforts  to  clear  as  yet  uncovered  mines  from  Bosnia  and
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Herzegovina. Efforts to map the remaining contaminated areas – in partnership with the Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Centre – will pave the way for a full decontamination. These programmes
are implemented in close coordination with Operation Althea (formally the European Union Force in
Bosnia-Herzegovina).  In  addition,  another  Commission  action  aims  to  ensure  access  to  justice  for
witnesses  and  victims  by  strengthening  existing,  and  establishing  new,  witness  support  networks
across the country.
In Turkey, engagement under the IcSP remains significant, in large part as a response to the regional
consequences of the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Following completion of a first action to provide the
Turkish  Coast  Guard  with  six  boats  to  conduct  search  and  rescue  operations  as  a  response  to  the
migration  crisis  in  February  2018,  a  second  action  was  adopted  in  September  2018  and  should
provide nine additional search and rescue vessels.
In  parallel,  support  for  counterterrorism  and  the  prevention  of  violent  extremism  is  ongoing,  in
particular  through  training  provided  by the  European  Union  Agency  for  Law  Enforcement Training
(CEPOL)  in  collaboration  with  the  Turkish  National  Police  Institute,  as  well  as  research  and  policy
recommendations on how best to address common threats represented by foreign terrorist fighters.
The  IcSP  also  finances  mediation  activities,  bringing  together  representatives  from  various  Turkish
political parties to discuss political solutions around the ‘Kurdish issue’.
3.4.6.  Working better together, contributor effectiveness and donor coordination
In  Albania,  following  the  revised  structure  of  the  government,  contributor  coordination  was
transferred to the Ministry of Finance and Economy at the end of 2017. However, the EU delegation
provided  support  throughout  the  year  because  the  ministry  was  unable  to  manage  contributor
coordination  for  most  of  2018  due  to  fragmentation  of  roles  and  mandates  across  departments
specifically related to coordination and overview of foreign aid and reform implementation. In 2019
it will place greater emphasis on the ministry taking charge of this function in a more structured and
efficient  way.  More  regular  contributor  coordination  meetings  took  place  with  the  government  in
the  field  of  PAR,  PFM,  justice,  agriculture,  and  employment  and  VET,  including  the  monitoring  of
sector reform performance contracts.
In  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina,  contributor  coordination  is  shared  among  different  bodies.  While  IPA
assistance is coordinated by the Directorate for European Integration, international aid is generally
coordinated  through  the  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  Ministry  of  Finance  and  Treasury.  In  specific
sectors, such as agriculture and rural development, the state-level sector Ministry for Foreign Trade
and  Economic  Relations  is  recognised  among  contributors  as  a  lead  institution  in  contributor
coordination for the sector. In the course of 2018, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, supported
by Switzerland and the United States Agency for International Development, undertook assessment
of  the  contributor  assistance  mechanism  in  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina, with  the  aim  of  improving  it.
The  assessment  findings  and  recommendations  are  expected  in  the  first  quarter  of  2019.  The  EU
delegation contributed to the  exercise  by improving the overall contributor coordination in Bosnia
and Herzegovina, ensuring a significant degree of coherence with EU Member States in a number of
sectors.  This  was  strengthened  through  two  general  aid  coordination  meetings  with  EU  Member
States and other key partners, including international organisations, as well as a number of sectoral
and bilateral meetings.
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In  Kosovo,  given  the  volume  of  financial  assistance  and  the  number  of  contributors,  coordination
among  all  involved  stakeholders  remains  essential  in  order  to  ensure  efficient  use  of  EU  funding,
especially  in  sectors  such  as  rule  of  law  and  fundamental  rights.  Close  cooperation  with  Member
States,  international  financial  institutions  and  other  bilateral  contributors  resulted  in  several
agreements between the EU  and other partners in different  fields, optimising the use of expertise
available.
In  the  Republic  of  North  Macedonia,  the  responsibility  for  contributor  coordination  lies  with  the
Secretariat for European Affairs. Contributor coordination is an inherent part of the sector approach
to managing IPA financial assistance. Nine sector working groups have been established, serving as
platforms  for  discussing  sector  priorities  and  implementation,  and  involving  national  authorities,
contributors  and  civil  society.  The  programming  of  IPA  assistance  is  fully  embedded  in  the  sector
working groups, ensuring the relevance, efficiency and visibility of EU funding. Another element for
improving  aid  efficiency  and  contributor  coordination  is  ensured  by  the  government.  Particularly
important  is  the  instrumental  role  played  by  the  National  Investment  Committee  in  planning  big
infrastructure  projects  of  regional  importance.  In  2018,  the  single  project  pipeline  was  reassessed
and  updated  and  will  enhance  contributors’  coordination  in  ensuring  regional  connectivity  and
protection of the environment.
In Montenegro, the PAR sector reform performance contract, which as of December 2018 is in its
first  year  of  implementation,  is  a  good  example  of  the  importance  of  contributor  cooperation.
Financed  under  the  2017  Action  Programme  (EUR 15  million),  the  programme  focuses  on  the
implementation of the country’s PAR Strategy 2016–2020. This key national strategy is centred on
optimising  the  number  of  civil  servants,  enhancing  human  resources  management,  improving  the
quality  of  public  service  delivery  through  simplification  of  procedures  and  increasing  the
transparency  of  public  services.  In  the  programme’s  context,  dialogue  among  bilateral  and
international  partners  was  extended,  and  an  updated  contributor  matrix  is  now  helping  to  avoid
overlaps  and,  importantly,  maximise  synergies.  At  a  more  technical  level,  an  EU-led  coordination
structure  also  exists  among  stakeholders  involved  in  ongoing  projects  in  the  rule  of  law  sector.
Furthermore,  the  Ministry  of  Justice  is  also  strengthening  its  efforts  to  organise  an  efficient
contributor coordination system for actions implemented in this sector. Equally, in the social sector,
further  cooperation  between  the  EU,  the  authorities  and  other  contributors  is  underway.  More
globally,  the  EU  is  encouraging  the  government  of  Montenegro  to  work  towards  creation  of  an
overarching government-led contributor coordination mechanism.
In  Serbia,  reforms  are  geared  towards  EU  accession  as  well  as  to  the  2030  Agenda  goals,  and
priorities are programmed accordingly. All major development partners are programming along the
same strategic framework. Further, IPA II programming is based on the sector reform strategies and
in  full  consultation  and  coordination  with  development  partners,  ensuring  full  coherence  and
complementarity of the  support. The  government plays an active  role  in contributor coordination.
Ten sector working groups have been set up to coordinate contributors in Serbia. The EU delegation
is the lead contributor for justice, home affairs, PAR, transport, agriculture and rural development,
as well as the sector relevant to civil society. Other development partners are leading in the areas of
environment  and  climate  change,  energy,  competitiveness  and  human  resource  development,
together with the participation of the EU.
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In Turkey, the  EU  delegation regularly organised consultations and coordination meetings with EU
Member  States,  other  contributors  and  key  partners,  including  international  financial  institutions,
UN agencies, civil society and private sector organisations, on the programming and implementation
of  EU  assistance.  The  Facility  for  Refugees  coordinates  with  the  Turkish  government  and  most  of
these partners. International financial institutions are very active with loan programmes, particularly
in  energy,  PSD,  transport  and  the  environment.  The  Council  of  Europe,  OECD  SIGMA,  several  UN
agencies  and  other  specialised  international  organisations  are  also  active  in  Turkey,  working  on
judicial  reform,  fundamental  rights,  migration  and  border  management,  employment  and  social
policies. However, there is no regular contributor coordination led by the Turkish authorities, despite
attempts  through  some  initiatives  (the  Regional  Refugee  and  Resilience  Plan  (3RP),  etc).  Regular
meetings  chaired  by  the  Turkish  side  would  be  beneficial  for  exchange  of  information,  sharing  of
experience, avoidance of double funding and support for the sector approach. On the Turkish side,
the  Ministry  for  Foreign  Affairs  is  in  charge  of  coordination  for  IPA,  and  the  Office  of  the  Vice-
President is coordinating for the Facility for Refugees. In parallel, for investment-related loans, the
Turkish Ministry of Treasury and Finance has been playing a key role.
At  regional  level,  the  WBIF  is  the  main  tool  for  contributor  coordination  and  acts  as  a  blending
platform  that  ensures  optimal  division  of  labour.  The  WBIF  supports  socioeconomic  development
and  EU  accession  across  the  Western  Balkans  region  through  the  provision of  technical  assistance
and  investment  grants  for  strategic  projects  in  the  fields  of environment, energy,  transport,  social
and digital infrastructure and PSD. The WBIF seeks to maximise the impact of its grant financing by
joining  forces  with  financial  institutions  providing  loans  to  the  projects  it  supports.  Moreover,  it
ensures  the  effective  coordination  of  the  key  actors  in  the  field,  both  in  terms  of  projects  and
policies.  Finally,  it  promotes  an  integrated  priority  investment  pipeline  from  the  beneficiaries. The
WBIF receives allocations from IPA I and IPA II as well as grants and loans from international financial
institutions.
3.4.7.  Working towards the SDGs
Commission  assistance  in  the  WBT  contributes  to  several  SDGs.  Given  strong  IPA  focus  on  rule  of
law, human rights, institution building, legal approximation and public sector reforms, SDG 16 is by
far  the  goal  most  targeted  by  IPA  assistance.  At  the  same  time,  substantial  IPA  support  for
infrastructures,  both  at  bilateral  and  regional  levels,  contributes  to  clean  water  and  sanitation
(SDG 6)  in  the  case  of  Albania,  affordable  and  clean  energy  (SDG 7)  in  the  case  of  Bosnia  and
Herzegovina,  Serbia  and  Turkey,  and  environment  and  climate  action  (SDG 13)  in  Serbia.  Sector
support  programmes  in  favour  of  health,  education,  employment  and  social  policies  are  also
financed  in  several  beneficiaries,  thus  contributing  to  SDG 4  (education),  SDG 8  (decent  work  and
economic growth) and SDG 10 (reduced inequality).

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Case studies
Support for the water sector in Albania
The  programme  has  contributed  to  most  SDG 6  targets.  The  assistance  has  included  a  series  of
infrastructure projects to build wastewater collection and treatment facilities, including technical assistance
to improve policy development. This has largely contributed to the following targets:
▪  6.1 Drinking water,
▪  6.3 Water quality and wastewater,
▪  6.5 Water resources management,
▪  6a International cooperation and capacity building,
▪  6b Stakeholder participation.
An  additional  action  has  been  approved  in  the  water  sector  in  2018  which  will  further  contribute  to  the
achievement of SDG 6 targets and, specifically, 6.1 Drinking water. As a result, the National Baseline Report
on SDG alignment classified alignment with Albania’s national development policy framework for SDG 6 as
‘moderate’ (55 %).

In  2018  the  Commission  implemented,  in  cooperation  with  ETF,  a  diagnosis  assessment  of  the  vocational
and training sector (VET) strategy in Montenegro. It focused on the governance and financing issues, aiming
at  an  analytical  report  that  serves  as  a  basis  for  national  policy  discussions  (and  possible  future  improved
strategies).  To  that  end,  a  diagnostic  tool  was  developed,  to  assess  the  credibility  of  the  VET  strategies  in
NEAR  countries.  This  tool  supports  ministries  in  better  defining  priorities,  maintaining  an  overview  and  in
monitoring reform. This in turn links to PAR processes and EU financial assistance, and supports assessments
made in the context of the VET sector budget support operations.

3.5.
European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI)
3.5.1.  European Neighbourhood East
3.5.1.1. Introduction: Priorities and policy developments
During 2018, the EU continued to develop its relations bilaterally under the ENP and multilaterally
under the Eastern Partnership dimensions – both firmly based on common values, mutual interests,
shared  ownership,  responsibility,  differentiation  and  mutual  accountability  –  to  deliver  tangible
results to citizens. The Eastern Partnership continued to be mutually beneficial for the EU as well as
the six partner countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. In addition,
the EU focused on the implementation of joint commitments undertaken at the Eastern Partnership
Summit  of  November  2017  and  on  showcasing  the  tangible  results  the  Eastern  Partnership  policy
brings to the citizens of partner countries.
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The EU also continued to play an active role in bilateral relations with the six countries. Against the
backdrop of political change and a peaceful protest movement that led to the election of parliament
and appointment of a new prime minister, EU relations with Armenia have focused on preparation
and  implementation  of  a  roadmap  to  anticipate  legislation  in  the  Comprehensive  and  Enhanced
Partnership  Agreement.  The  year 2018  was  also marked  by  continuous efforts  to  negotiate  a  new
agreement  with  Azerbaijan  to  replace  the  1996  version  and  by  the  endorsement  of  Partnership
Priorities.  Critical engagement  with  Belarus  continued,  also  in  the  context of ongoing  negotiations
over Partnership Priorities. The final Partnership Priorities document will be the first jointly agreed,
broad political framework for an EU–Belarus relationship. Finally, with regard to Georgia, Moldova
and  Ukraine,  the  EU  continued  to  support  implementation  of  the  ambitious  Association
Agreements/DCFTAs. With the EU, Georgia jointly agreed priority actions for future cooperation in
line  with the Association Agenda and the ‘20 Deliverables for 2020’. In addition, the EU expressed
the expectation that Moldovan authorities would take action regarding the electoral framework and
the  judicial  system  as  well  as  action  against  corruption  ahead  of  the  parliamentary  elections
scheduled for February 2019. Following the non-transparent invalidation of the mayoral elections in
the  capital  Chisinau  (June  2018),  EU  assistance  to  Moldova  was  recalibrated  and  refocused  on
projects directly benefiting citizens and supporting civil society. Ukraine continued to make progress
on  its  reform  agenda  with  the  help  of  EU  financial  and  technical  assistance  based  on  the  guiding
framework in place.
The  work  of  the  multilateral  dimension  continued  to  focus  on  sectoral  cooperation,  achieving
tangible  results  and  delivering  substantial  changes  in  four  key  priorities,  as  captured  in  the  ‘20
Deliverables for 2020’ document (102):
▪  strengthening institutions and good governance;
▪  economic development and market opportunities;
▪  connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate change;
▪  mobility and people-to-people contacts.
Since  the  2017  Eastern  Partnership  Summit,  good  progress  has  been  noted  across  all  areas,
particularly in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) (103) and the fields of trade, economy,
digital  connectivity,  energy  efficiency,  energy  security  and  young  people.  However,  challenges
remain in the areas of rule of law, shrinking space for civil society and independent media.
3.5.1.2  Implementation
Bilateral cooperation, including budget support
Armenia
The year 2018 marked a significant political change in Armenia following the protests in April–May
2018 (widely described as a ‘velvet revolution’) which resulted in a peaceful change of government
with  Prime  Minister  Pashinyan  leading.  The  new  government  engaged  in  a  series  of  reforms,

102 https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/20_deliverables_for_2020.pdf.
103 The Trans-European Transport Network is a European Commission policy for the implementation and development of a Europe-wide
network of roads, railway lines, inland waterways, maritime shipping routes, ports, airports and rail–road terminals.
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committing  itself  to  strengthening  democracy  and  the  rule  of  law,  fighting  against  corruption,
improving  transparency  of  the  justice  system  and  organising  free  and  fair  snap  parliamentary
elections.  The  government  also  adhered  to  the  EU–Armenia  Comprehensive  and  Enhanced
Partnership  Agreement,  which  entered  into  force  provisionally  on  1 June  2018.  Together  with  the
government, the EU is considering whether to  enhance  strategic policy engagement in light of the
government’s  ambitious  reform  agenda  and  whether  to  accelerate  and  upgrade  bilateral
cooperation.
The  parliamentary  elections  on  9 December  were  won  by  Prime  Minister  Pashinyan’s  ‘My  Step’
alliance.  The  EU  supported  the  elections  with  a  substantial  package  of  EUR 2.4  million,  comprising
technical  assistance  (IT  hardware  and  live  streaming  from  the  polling  stations)  and  democracy  and  civic
participation actions in the context of holding free and fair elections. The EU will also support reforms of
electoral  law in line with  the OSCE Office for Democratic  Institutions and  Human Rights  and the  Venice
Commission’s recommendations.
In 2018, the EU was the largest contributor in Armenia, having a substantial portfolio focused on supporting
the  reform  agenda,  the  focal  regions  (Shirak,  Lori  and  Tavush),  PSD  and  infrastructure  investments
(blending). Two new actions were approved to support growth in northern regions to include sectors such
as agriculture, tourism and creative industries (EU4Armenia: Regional Development) and civic participation,
including  support  for  the  organisation  of  elections  (EU4Citizens:  Deepening  Democracy).  Blended  grants
with loans have generated additional investments in energy, water infrastructure and irrigation as wel  as
the agriculture and transport sectors.
The  EU  has  further  actively  engaged  in  high-level  and  technical  discussions  on  protecting  human
rights, supporting the implementation of a human rights budget support programme on improving
the  electoral  system,  combating  torture  and  discrimination,  promoting  gender  equality  and
protecting children’s rights.
In September 2018, the EU and the Ministry of Justice together launched a justice policy dialogue with the
aim of supporting the ongoing review of the 2019–2024 Strategy for Judicial and Legal Reforms and Action
Plan  and  comprehensive  reforms  in  this  area.  As  of  December  2018,  discussions  are  ongoing  about  EU
support for more comprehensive reforms through further assessment and functional review of the justice
system.
Regarding sector reform performance contracts, in 2018 the ‘Support for the implementation of the
ENP  Action  Plan  and  preparations  for  the  future  AA’  programme  was  completed.  As  of  December
2018, there are four ongoing programmes with a total multi-annual value of EUR 62 million:
▪  ‘Human rights protection support’,
▪  ‘Public finance policy reform’,
▪  ‘Better service delivery through a more efficient and responsive public administration’,
▪  ‘Better qualifications for better jobs (VET)’.
The government expressed interest in future programmes supporting reforms in the areas of justice,
education and law enforcement.
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Azerbaijan
For Azerbaijan, negotiations on a new agreement continued throughout 2018. Partnership Priorities,
a strategic document outlining the basis for cooperation and the Single Support Framework for EU
support  to  Azerbaijan  in  2018–2020  were  adopted.  In  this  context,  the  EU  continued  support  in
three main areas: economic diversification, human capital and regional development. In the area of
human  capital,  the  EU  approved  a  new  programme  on  Education  for  Employment,  which  aims  to
support the creation of employment opportunities, especially within SMEs, by strengthening labour-
market-oriented education and training systems.
The  EU  also  continued  to  support  the  government’s  reform  agenda  in  areas  such  as  energy
management,  environmental  policy,  the  probation  system,  cybersecurity  and  e-government,
including  through  active  use  of  the  TAIEX  instrument.  In  collaboration  with  the  Council of  Europe,
the EU supported justice reform, application of the European Convention on Human Rights and the
fight against corruption and money laundering.
Twinning  has  remained  a  successful  tool  in  supporting  the  government’s  efforts  to  modernise  its
administration and to start aligning with European standards and practices in selected sectors, such
as environment, the civil service, higher education and the pension system. The findings of the EU–
Azerbaijan Business Climate Survey 2018 are helpful in guiding cooperation between the two sides in
trade and related areas.
Belarus
Since the EU lifted most of the restrictive measures against Belarus, and the February 2016 Council
conclusions recognised an opportunity for EU–Belarus relations to develop more positively, the EU
has  stepped  up  its  financial  assistance  to  the  country,  supporting  four  broad  measures  to  help
develop the country’s economy in line with the jointly agreed ‘20 Deliverables for 2020’. This aims
to:
▪  support  business  and  economic  development  by  helping  to  simplify  business  procedures
and  attract  investment  and  trade,  and  support  for  structural  reforms  in  the  state-owned
enterprise sector;
▪  promote good governance to foster an enabling, resilient and democratic environment and
enhance capacities in quality reporting of non-state media;
▪  improve connectivity to enhance the efficiency of energy and other resources at central and
local levels in Brest and Grodno;
▪  increase  mobility  and  expand  people-to-people  contacts,  to  give  professionals  more
opportunity to establish contacts with their peers in EU Member States.
In  2018,  negotiations  on  the  EU–Belarus  Partnership  Priorities,  a  strategic  document  outlining  the
basis for cooperation and the first document of its kind between the EU and Belarus, continued.
Belarus has been eligible since 2016 to access EIB lending and a facilitated EBRD approach. The first
EIB loans were signed on 20 November (EUR 84 million), co-financed by the EBRD, for the upgrade of
the wastewater treatment facility in the capital, Minsk. The EIB will also finance investment projects
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and the working capital needs of private companies, in particular SMEs (EUR 75 million). Under the
Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) – a multi-contributor trust fund
managed by the EBRD – a contribution agreement has been signed for EUR 5.2 million, and the first
project will be construction of a new landfill site in Pukhovichi.
Georgia
The EU and Georgia have consolidated their relations in 2018. A high-level meeting among members
of the European Commission and the Georgian government took place in Brussels on 21 November
2018.  In  line  with  the  Association  Agenda  and  the  ‘20  Deliverables  for  2020’,  priority  actions  for
future cooperation have been agreed.
The Single Support Framework 2017–2020, indicating priorities for EU financial support, contributes
to  the  implementation  of  the  Association  Agreement  and  key  structural  and  institutional  reforms.
Georgia’s five-point reform programme demonstrates its ambition to strengthen relations with the
EU.
Overall, the implementation of commitments stemming from the Association Agreement, including
its  DCFTA,  has  continued  within  agreed  timelines.  The  EU  is  supporting  Georgia  to  reap  the  full
benefits of economic integration through the implementation of the DCFTA. As of December 2018,
562 businesses had received financial support through loans (for a total investment value of EUR 105
million), supporting over 21 000 new  jobs and creating over 7 600 new jobs. In 2018, in their first
year of operation, the DCFTA Information Centres in four regions reached out to 1 500 SMEs.
Thanks  to  progressive  alignment  of  technical  regulations  to  EU  standards,  Georgia  continues  to
strengthen  its  participation  in  international  value  chains.  Preliminary  data  for  2018  confirm  the
importance of the EU as a trade partner for Georgia – in 2017 it accounted for 24 % of overall trade.
The  opening  of  the  EU  market  to  new  animal-origin  products  from  Georgia  was  an  important
milestone. Nevertheless, additional efforts are needed to stimulate exports and improve the trade
balance between the EU and Georgia.
Georgia has made progress in reforming the justice sector, with considerable EU support. Access to
justice  is  facilitated  through  the  government’s  Legal  Aid  Service,  which  provides  services  to  more
than  45 000  people  annually,  both  in  the  capital  and  via  19  offices  around  the  country.  However,
important  challenges  remain  to  consolidate  the  progress  achieved  and  safeguard  the  rule  of  law.
Reforms  to  the  judiciary  are  expected  to  continue,  with  special  attention  to  transparency  and
accountability in the process of appointing judges.
Between 28 March 2017 (when the visa-free regime came into force) and 1 September 2018, around
300 000  Georgian  citizens  with  a  biometric  passport  enjoyed  short-term  visa-free  travel  to  the
Schengen area. The country has continued implementing overall visa benchmarks and, in particular,
taking measures to tackle irregular migration. Nevertheless, there was still an increase of unfounded
asylum requests in a number of EU Member States.
The  first  European  School  outside  the  EU  was  opened  in  Tbilisi  in  September  2018  as  a  clear
recognition of Georgia’s vision and strong commitment to education reform. EU support in this area
focuses  on  establishing  closer  links  between  the  education  system  and  the  labour  market,  notably
through increased mobility for students, teachers, researchers, academic staff and young people.
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The  programmes  approved  under  the  2018  bilateral  allocation  (EUR 134  million,  including  a  EUR 40
million  top-up  from  the  ‘Umbrella’  programme)  will  support  the  implementation  of  the  Association
Agreement,  including  Georgia’s  increased  participation  in  ‘Erasmus+’  as  well  as  actions  on  strategic
communication. A PFM programme will reinforce economic governance and democratic accountability
in Georgia, while a holistic programme on security, accountability and combating crime will strengthen
good  governance,  the  rule  of  law  and  citizen  security.  Blending  operations  will  support  energy
efficiency in public buildings as well as projects on solid waste, water supply in the Adjara region and
lending of local currency.
In 2018 there were six ongoing budget support programmes (EUR 302 million, including the technical
assistance  component)  on  justice,  DCFTA  and  SMEs,  PAR,  European  Neighbourhood  Programme  for
Agriculture and Rural Development (phases II and III) and skills development and matching for labour
market needs.
Moldova
The  invalidation  of  the  mayoral  elections  in  Chisinau  in  June  2018  –  won  by  opposition  leader
Năstase – was regarded as non-transparent by the EU and other international actors. The adoption
of  a  fiscal  reform  package  that  led  a  capital  amnesty  component  raised  concerns  at  the  IMF  and
among  other  international  partners  about  money  laundering.  The  package  was  amended  in
November 2018 in line with IMF recommendations, but some shortcomings remain. As of December
2018,  those  responsible  for  the  2014  major  bank  fraud  have  not  yet  been  brought  to  justice,
preventing  any  significant  progress  in  the  recovery  of  assets.  Reform  of  the  justice  sector  has  not
advanced significantly, and the  use of pre-trial detention and non-transparent judicial proceedings
remain  common.  The  media  landscape  remains  characterised  by  the  concentration  of  media
ownership and monopolisation of the advertising market.
In  light  of  these  developments,  the  EU  has  decided  to  substantially  recalibrate  and  reduce  its
financial assistance, focusing on and redirecting its support to projects that have a direct impact on
Moldovan citizens.
The annual action programme for 2018 focused on:
▪  supporting inclusive economic empowerment of focal regions Ungheni and Cahul;
▪  contributing to confidence-building measures between the two banks of the Nistru River;
▪  strengthening the rule of law and anti-corruption mechanisms;
▪  supporting implementation of the Association Agreement in Moldova through EU horizontal
programmes (e.g. ‘Erasmus+’ and Horizon 2020) and a dedicated programme on gender.
On  the  economic  and  financial  side,  Moldova  has  continued  to  make  some  progress  in  the
implementation  of  reforms  in  line  with  the  Association  Agreement/DCFTA  (AA/DCFTA).  Monetary
and  fiscal  policies  have  been  consolidated,  and  some  structural  reforms  are  being  implemented,
notably in the banking sector. However, challenges in the domain of rule of law continue to affect
the overall business and investment climate.
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The EU continued to consolidate its position as Moldova’s main trading partner, accounting for 56 %
of  its  total  trade  (68 %  of  total  exports  and  49 %  of  total  imports).  The  agricultural  sector  has
benefited the most from the DCFTA since its entry into force, with a 44 % growth in exports.
EU  assistance  has  also  helped  to  achieve  tangible  improvements  in  the  lives  of  citizens.  Several
projects completed in 2018 contributed to energy efficiency in public buildings including schools and
kindergartens (biomass project), improved road infrastructure (building of the Ungheni bypass) and
youth  and  educational  exchanges  (‘Erasmus+’).  In  December  2018,  the  Palanca  border  crossing
point, operated jointly by customs and border guards from Moldova and Ukraine, began operation
following  EU  investment.  The  EU  has  supported  settlement  of  the  Transnistrian  conflict,
strengthening  the  stability  of  a  country  directly  bordering  the  EU.  In  addition,  EU-supported
confidence-building  measures  have  successfully  increased  dialogue  between  Chisinau  and  Tiraspol
through  joint  initiatives  involving  local  authorities,  CSOs  and  other  stakeholders  from  both  sides.
More  than  71 000  people  on  both  sides  of  the  Dniester  River  benefit  directly  from  the  supported
social infrastructure projects (health and community centres, water treatment plants, etc.).
Regarding  budget  support  for  Moldova  in  2018,  seven  programmes  (total  multi-annual  value
EUR 257  million)  were  in  place  on  energy,  visa  liberalisation,  VET,  trade  (DCFTA),  public  finance
policy reforms, rural development and police reform in addition to Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA)
(total  value  EUR 100  million).  Due  to  democratic  backsliding,  as  of  December  2018  all  payments
under the MFA and EU budget support programmes have been put on hold.
Ukraine
The overall environment for the implementation of EU assistance to Ukraine remained favourable in
2018, even though reform progress slowed down in some areas. Progress was also observed in the
area of government-led contributor coordination with the first National Donor Coordination Forum,
chaired by Prime Minister Groysman, which took place in December 2018.
Support  for  the  implementation  of  the  AA/DCFTA  continued  to  be  high  on  the  political  dialogue
agenda  in  2018.  The  EU  continued  to  implement  a  comprehensive  programme  of  financial  and
technical  assistance  in  support  of  Ukraine’s  ambitious  reform  agenda  with  the  AA/DCFTA  as  the
main guiding framework.
Territorial  reorganisation  and  decentralisation  of  competencies  continues  to  be  one  of  the  most
successful reforms in Ukraine. The ‘U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine local empowerment, accountability
and  development’  programme  helps  to  establish  multilevel  governance  that  is  transparent,
accountable and responsive to the needs of the population. The programme is a joint effort of the
EU,  Denmark,  Estonia,  Germany, Poland  and  Sweden  (total  budget EUR 102 million).  ‘U-LEAD with
Europe’ covers two main components: capacity building at all levels and establishment of up to 600
new  administrative  service  centres  in  newly  amalgamated  municipalities  (hromadas).  There  is
particularly close coordination with other international contributors.
The  EU  Anti-Corruption  Initiative  consolidated  its  support  for  the  newly  created  specialised  anti-
corruption bodies and, notably, was instrumental in Ukraine’s adoption of a law establishing a new
High Anti-Corruption Court, including the recruitment of judges.
Reform of the judiciary continued in 2018 with an intensive accompanying policy dialogue focusing
on the establishment of the new Supreme Court. Together with other international partners, the EU
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provided  advice  and  support  for the  selection of  new  judges.  With  regard to  rule  of  law,  the  new
‘PRAVO’  programme  has  supported  establishment  of  a  new  unit  to  fight  organised  crime,  among
other things, and continues to support the Ministry of Justice on improving strategic planning and
enforcing reforms.
The  EU  continues  to  sustain  an  intensive  policy  dialogue  with  the  government  on  PAR  at  various
levels.  Following  an  OECD  SIGMA  baseline  measurement  of  Ukraine’s  public  administration,  a
revised PAR Strategy and Action Plan until 2021 was adopted in December 2018. A formal high-level
policy  dialogue  took  place  in  April  to  assess  progress  on  implementation  of  the  PAR  strategy  and
jointly define key challenges for 2018.
Considering  that  PFM  is  a  priority  area  for  EU–Ukraine  relations,  a  EUR 50  million  financing
agreement on PFM was signed in 2018 to:
▪  support effective and sustainable economic management;
▪  boost trade and help create an attractive business climate;
▪  improve delivery of public services;
▪  ensure efficient use of partner contributions;
▪  help attain development goals.
As  part  of  its  continuing  efforts  to  mitigate  the  effects  of  the  conflict  in  eastern  Ukraine,  the  EU
launched  the  Special  Measure  for  the  East  (EUR 50  million).  This  aims  to  reinforce  social  and
economic resilience in the government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk through a variety of
interventions, including the following:
▪  extended support for local governance,
▪  economic development,
▪  social cohesion and community security,
▪  healthcare reform,
▪  support for disrupted university courses and reforms in vocational education,
▪  access to finance for SMEs,
▪  support for agricultural development.
Energy efficiency is one of the Ukrainian government’s top priorities. Increased energy savings will
promote energy independency and reduce the burden of increasing prices both on the state budget
and for households. In 2018, the EU started implementing the first phase of the ‘Energy Efficiency’
support  programme  for  Ukraine  (EE4U,  EUR 50 million),  designed  to  support  the  Energy  Efficiency
Fund  in  making  investments  for  individual  households  or  groups  of  households  (homeowner
associations).
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On  the  Ukrainian  side,  the  Energy  Efficiency  Fund  was  finally  established  during  the  summer.  In
November  2018,  a  Commission  decision  was  adopted  to  finance  the  second  phase  of  the  EE4U
(EUR 54 million).
Education,  including  VET,  is  another  top  priority  for  the  Ukrainian  government.  The  government’s
ownership of initiating cooperation in this sector offered an excellent opportunity to have a parallel
and  significant  impact  also  on  the  education  and  labour  sector  and  on  overall  economic
development.
In  2018,  the  ‘Better  skills  for  modern  Ukraine  –  EU4Skills’  programme  was  adopted,  helping  to
modernise  the  VET  system  and  make  skills  development  demand-driven  and  responsive  to  labour
market  needs.  This  intervention  also  complements  other  ongoing  EU-supported  reforms,  such  as
PSD, decentralisation and PAR.
Regarding budget support, there were three ongoing programmes (total multi-annual value EUR 185
million) during 2018 to support PAR, regional policy and energy strategy.
Regional cooperation
The year 2018 was characterised, among other things, by implementation of the ‘20 Deliverables for
2020’. This demonstrated the concrete vision and commitment by all partners to improve the lives of
all  citizens  in  line  with  the  four  key  priority  areas  of  economic  development,  connectivity,  good
governance and people-to-people contact.
Concerning market opportunities and economic development, more than 40 regional and bilateral
programmes  under  the  ‘EU4Business’  initiative  continued  as  the  key  collective  tool  to  deliver
concrete support for development of SMEs, complementing national reform plans. In the context of
the DCFTAs established between the EU and Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, the EU has put in place
the  DCFTA  Facility  for  SMEs  in  collaboration  with  the  EBRD,  EIB  and  KfW.  The  facility  will  receive
approximately EUR 200 million in grants from the EU budget to unlock at least EUR 2 billion of new
SME investments in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, to be financed largely by new loans supported
by the facility. Recent developments include the launch of the Local Currency Partnership Initiative
(European Fund for Southeast Europe), the launch of EIB Local Currency Phase 2 and the approval of
EIB DCFTA Guarantee  Facility Phase 2. These programmes  aim to improve  access  to local currency
finance for SMEs in Eastern Partnership countries.
In the area of connectivity, to develop the digital economy, the Eastern Partnership countries have
affirmed  their  commitment  to  reduce  roaming  tariffs  within  a  set  date.  To  this  end,  they  have
adopted a joint roadmap towards the signature of a regional roaming agreement among the Eastern
Partners  by  2020.  In  addition,  support  for  policy  work  in  six  priority  topics  (electronic
communications and infrastructure, trust and security, eTrade, digital skills, ICT innovation and start-
up  ecosystems  and  eHealth)  is  streamlined  through  the  ‘EU4Digital’  initiative  and  the  related
technical assistance programmes. Finally, through the EU blending facility, the NIP, grant funding will
leverage  loans  from  partner  international  financial  institutions  for  investments  in  broadband.  The
EIP  also  provides  EUR 1.5  billion  of  financial  guarantees  to  attract  private  sector  investments  in  a
number of areas, including Digital for Development. A first portfolio of digital projects will focus on
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de-risking investments in ‘last mile’ infrastructure (104), digital services infrastructure and innovative
instruments to support the scaling-up of digital start-ups.
Continuing  in  the  area  of  connectivity,  regarding  energy  efficiency,  in  2018  regional  cooperation
focused  on  the  four  deliverable  priorities.  Milestones  included  implementing  new  regional
programmes to promote evidence-based policymaking and efficient water resource management, as
well as adopting extension of the TEN-T into the Neighbourhood East region. The Energy Efficiency
Financial  Institutions  Group  established  a  multi-contributor  Energy  Efficiency  Fund  in  Ukraine  and
the first-ever large-scale energy efficiency programme for public buildings in Georgia. The year 2018
was also a success for the EU’s largest climate and energy initiative in the Eastern Partnership with
the  number  of  Covenant  of  Mayors signatories  growing  to more  than 390  since  2014,  the  highest
number among all NEAR regions.
In  the  area  of  good  governance,  to  strengthen  the  rule  of  law,  anti-corruption  mechanisms  and
justice  sector  reform  for  the  Eastern  Partnership  countries,  the  EU  continued  its  long-standing
cooperation  with  the  Council  of  Europe  under  the  Programmatic  Cooperation  Framework.  The
programme was renamed ‘Partnership for good governance’ in 2017 to better reflect the priorities
of  the  Eastern  Partnership.  Protecting  and  promoting  human  rights,  ensuring  justice,  combating
threats  to  the  rule  of  law,  addressing  the  challenges  of  the  information  society  and  promoting
democratic  governance  are  all at  the  core of the joint  EU–Council of Europe efforts in the Eastern
Partnership countries  –  efforts that are  already showing some concrete results on the ground. For
example,  investment  in  legal  reform on  conflicts  of interest  and  asset  declarations  has  resulted  in
the  establishment  of  e-Asset  declaration  systems  for  high-level  officials  in  Armenia,  Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine. When the data submitted by relevant institutions are effectively verified and
failure  to  submit  is  sanctioned,  these  new  systems  become  powerful  tools  to  detect  and  prevent
conflicts of interest. They can also help to show close links between politics and business. Moreover,
under  the  ‘Eastern  Partnership  police  cooperation  programme’,  further  support  was  provided  to
reinforce  Eastern  Partnership  countries’  capabilities  in  terms  of  combating  serious  and  organised
crime as well as to foster cooperation on police issues related to cross-border crime.
In the areas of mobility and people-to-people contacts, increased emphasis has been put on youth
partnerships, education and employment opportunities. This was highlighted by the November 2017
Eastern Partnership Summit, which endorsed as one of the ‘20 Deliverables for 2020’ a new  Youth
and Education Package (EUR 340 million) with the aim of creating the necessary conditions for young
people to study, work and participate fully in society and fulfil their potential. One core element of
the  Package  is  the  ‘EU4Youth’  programme  (total  EU  funding  EUR 30  million  2016–2022),  which
strives  to  improve  youth  employment  prospects  –  notably  for  disadvantaged  young  people  –  by
fostering their entrepreneurial potential and helping them develop indispensable skills for the labour
market. The programme encompasses 84 small capacity-building projects (Civil Society Fellowships
and  Partnerships  for  Entrepreneurship)  and  6  large  projects  addressing  challenges  for  youth
entrepreneurship  and  disadvantaged  young  people,  already  benefiting  more  than  6 000  young
people. The second phase of ‘EU4Youth’ was adopted in December 2018. This invites new proposals
on  social  entrepreneurship,  new  capacity-building  projects  and  activities  supporting  establishment
of  the  Youth  Engagement  Roadmaps.  The  European  School  in  Tbilisi  has  been  operational  since

104 ‘Last mile’ telecommunications technology carries signals the short distance from the network to and from homes or businesses.
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September  2018,  with  30  diploma  students  from  all  partner  countries.  A  scholarship  scheme
covering tuition and boarding costs  is in place for approximately 30–35 new  students per year for
2018–2021.  The  pre-feasibility  studies  for  the  second  phase  are  underway.  Education  and  youth
cooperation have been further supported by ‘Erasmus+’ with over 1 500 bilateral projects among EU
and  Eastern Partnership  higher  education  institutions,  25 000  individuals  participating  in  academic
exchanges, 30 000 young people involved in youth exchanges, mobility and volunteering and 1 700
schools involved in eTwinning Plus. The participation of countries in Creative Europe (for Armenia,
Georgia,  Moldova  and  Ukraine),  Europe’s  Competitiveness  of  Enterprises  and  Small  and  Medium-
sized  Enterprises  and  Horizon  2020,  including  the  Marie  Skłodowska-Curie  actions,  opens  new
cooperation  opportunities  for  administrations,  businesses,  cultural  and  audiovisual  operators,
researchers and other professionals. Additionally, the network of 500 Young European Ambassadors
from EU Member States and the 6 partner countries contributed to raising the profile of the EU in
the region.
CBC overview: Neighbourhood East and South
CBC  is  an  important  element  of  EU  policy  towards  its  eastern  and  southern  neighbours,  adding
cohesion  and  territorial  cooperation  to  EU  relations.  The  year  2018  marked  the  initial
implementation  of  the  package  of  15  ENI  CBC  programmes  (13  of  which  are  in  the  east)  for  the
period  2014–2020  (totalling  around  EUR 1  billion).  By  the  end  of  the  year,  17  of  the  18  financing
agreements  signed  with  participating  partner  countries  in  the  European  Neighbourhood  East
entered  into  force.  In  addition,  the  designation  of  managing  authorities  located  in  the  respective
participating Member States was completed for nine programmes. The projects to be implemented
under  these  programmes  aim  at  supporting  sustainable  economic  development  along  the  EU’s
external  borders,  thus  reducing  differences  in  living standards  and  addressing  common  challenges
across these borders. For each of these programmes, the participating countries have selected up to
four thematic objectives, such as SME development, culture and environment and climate change. In
2018, all programmes launched their first and even second and third calls for proposals for regular
projects, while the EU approved 54 direct-award large infrastructure projects.
3.5.1.3 Humanitarian aid and civil protection: Responding to the emergency needs of people affected
by conflicts and disasters
After  more  than  four  years  of  conflict,  the  humanitarian  situation  in  eastern  Ukraine  has
deteriorated as the protracted nature of the conflict has eroded the standard of living of those most
affected.  The  EU  is  one  of  the  largest  humanitarian  contributors  –  in  2018,  it  contributed  EUR 24
million. This has benefited 500 000 people living along both sides of the line of contact and in the
non-government-controlled  areas.  The  EU  has  been  delivering  much-needed  food  and  non-food
items, winterisation assistance, shelter repairs and water, sanitation and hygiene assistance, medical
assistance,  protection  and  livelihood  support.  Furthermore,  the  EU  has  been  at  the  forefront  of
advocacy  efforts  to  raise  the  visibility  of  this  forgotten  crisis  on  Europe’s  doorstep,  promoting
humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law and striving to enhance the situation of
IDPs.  While  supporting  the  Humanitarian–Development  Nexus  approach,  relevant  Commission
services have released a Joint Humanitarian–Development Framework for Ukraine 2017–2020.
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3.5.1.4. Crisis response and preparedness
In 2018, IcSP involvement in the crisis in  Ukraine continued. New interventions focused on further
supporting  the  OSCE  Special  Monitoring  Mission  (SMM),  providing  psychosocial  assistance  to
veterans and facilitating their reintegration in society as well as building capacity for protection of
civilians in eastern Ukraine. In addition, the IcSP is supporting civic engagement of adolescents and
young people in the conflict-affected areas, and it launched an innovative action on cybersecurity in
connection with the elections in Ukraine, to be implemented in 2019.
The IcSP has been supporting the OSCE SMM since 2014 and, as of December 2018, has supported
mission staff costs, the monitors themselves  and purchase of equipment such as unmanned aerial
vehicles, infrared cameras, etc. In addition, through a special agreement with the European Satellite
Centre, the mission receives satellite imagery, which has proven to be indispensable in monitoring
difficult  terrain.  Renewed  IcSP  support  for  the  SMM  will  help  it  reduce  tensions,  foster  peace,
stability and security, and ensure respect for OSCE principles and commitments.
The  IcSP  also  started  to  support  grass-roots  CSOs  to  increase  resilience  to conflict  and  strengthen
social cohesion. Working with local organisations and media, this action is bringing people together
across  various  divides  to  improve  perceptions of  the  ‘other’,  empowering communities  to  address
their  shared  issues.  A  new  programme  also  helps  the  authorities  develop  appropriate  policy
responses  targeting  ex-combatants.  Psychosocial  assistance  centres  established  under  a  previous
IcSP  action  are  providing  professional  support  to  the  target  group  and  their  families,  piloting
multidisciplinary  approaches  which  can  then  be  taken  up  by  state  services.  At  the  same  time,  ex-
combatants will be able to avail themselves of livelihood opportunities to aid their reintegration as
civilians.  Finally,  awareness  campaigns  and  incentive  schemes  will  encourage  ex-combatants  to
voluntarily  surrender  any  illegally  held  weapons,  which  represent  a  growing  threat  to  Ukrainian
society.
At  the  end  of  2018,  the  IcSP  launched  an  innovative  action  on  cybersecurity  in  relation  to  the
upcoming elections in Ukraine. This action, which will run in 2019, aims to strengthen the capacity of
a  number  of  crucial  participants  in  the  electoral  process  and  provide  cyber  hygiene  training  and
technical  cybersecurity  exercises  to  decision  makers  and  IT  specialists.  In  addition,  the  action  will
foster  the  exchange  of  best  practices  in  the  area  by  supporting  study  visits  and  peer  exchange
between electoral administrators and cyber experts in Ukraine and selected EU Member States.
In addition, implementation of a pilot action to reduce harm to civilians began in 2018, helping the
Ukrainian  government  initiate  the  necessary  reforms  in  policy  and  practice.  With  new  doctrines,
training and organisational structures to protect civilians and investigate, track and analyse harm to
civilians,  the  aim  is  to  help  the  Ukrainian  government  include  civilian  protection  at  every  stage  of
operations, including planning, execution, assessment and strategic and tactical revision.
The IcSP continues to be a major supporter of confidence-building and conflict-prevention actions in
the  south  Caucasus.  The  Confidence  Building  Early  Response  Mechanism  (Coberm)  has  been  a
particularly  successful  initiative,  and  in  Georgia  it  has  developed  into  an  EU  brand  standing  for
neutrality,  transparency  and  quality.  Similar  to  IcSP  engagement  in  Georgia,  the  other  protracted
conflict  in  the  region  in  which  the  IcSP  is  engaged  is  Nagorno-Karabakh,  where  the  ‘European
partnership  for  the  peaceful  settlement  of  the  conflict  over  Nagorno-Karabakh’  programme  is
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supporting  media  initiatives,  conflict-affected  groups  and  facilitation  of  a  negotiated  peaceful
settlement.
3.5.1.5. Working better together, contributor effectiveness and contributor coordination
Most  countries  in  the  European  Neighbourhood  East  have  been  engaged  in  joint  programming  in
2018, the pace and scope of which is determined by the country context.
In  Armenia,  the  joint  analysis  established  and  endorsed  in  2016  by  EU  Member  States  has  been
extended, updated and endorsed in 2018 by international organisations present in the country. The
extended  joint  analysis  focuses  on  23  sectors,  which  are  largely  in  line  with  the  priority  sectors
identified  in  the  governmental  Armenian  Development  Strategy.  The  joint  analysis  is  positively
perceived  by  EU  Member  States  and  the  Armenian  government,  and  it  was  used  as  a  basis  for
preparing  multi-annual  programming  of  EU  assistance  (Single  Support  Framework  2017–2020).  It
was  used  throughout  2018  for  EU  coordination  and,  more  generally,  for  the  reinforcement  of
contributor coordination.
In  Azerbaijan,  the  EU  supported  the  government’s  active  role  in  contributor  coordination  in  the
sectors of agriculture and education. The EU made efforts to align its cooperation with the national
reform agenda (Economic Reforms Roadmap adopted in December 2016). EU+ joint programming in
Azerbaijan  has  focused  on  VET,  in  which  a  number  of  partners,  including  EU  Member  States  and
other countries such as Norway and Switzerland, are active. In 2018, an EU+ joint analysis of the VET
sector was conducted.
In Belarus, regular exchanges on policy analysis and coordination continued with EU Member States
and  other  partners,  informed  by  the  joint  analysis  conducted  in  2016.  This  includes  an  annual
contributor coordination meeting that took place in Brussels in April 2018.
In  Georgia,  the  joint  programming  process  –  and,  notably,  the  joint  European  analysis  finalised  in
April  2017  –  guided  and  informed  the  choice  of  priority  areas  for  the  Single  Support  Framework
(2017–2020).  This  established  the  strategic  framework,  key  results  and  indicative  financial
allocations for EU bilateral cooperation with Georgia until 2020. The joint analysis continued to form
the basis for cooperation in 2018, facilitating closer synergies and avoiding duplication of aid efforts.
For  Moldova,  the  joint  programming  process  led  to  the  finalisation  of  a  Joint  Programming
Document  in  November  2017.  This  strategy,  involving  EU  institutions,  EU  Member  States  and
Switzerland,  was  presented  on  28 February  2018  to  the  Moldovan  government.  The  joint
programming process has enhanced the exchange of data among European partners and improved
the coherence of European policy dialogue in the country.
In Ukraine, the government has been taking an increasingly active role in contributor coordination.
This  is  driven  by  a  number  of  factors,  including  increased  capacity  of  line  ministries  to  engage  in
strategic planning and contributor coordination (as one of the results of the ongoing PAR), the prime
minister’s  decision  to  establish  a  high-level  ‘partnership  for  development’  forum  and  the
government’s adoption of medium-term budgeting. At the sectoral level, the adoption of a number
of  laws,  strategies  and  action  plans  at  various  times since  July  2017 significantly  enabled  strategic
dialogue  with partners  in different  areas (e.g. agriculture, energy, SME  development, transport, e-
governance,  environment,  PFM,  education,  health,  law  enforcement,  gender).  A  number  of  other
sectors already have effective contributor coordination mechanisms in place (e.g. decentralisation,
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energy efficiency, PAR, financial sector, etc.). At the ‘partnership for development’ forum, the prime
minister  set  out  his  priorities  for 2019  and  committed  to  convening  several more meetings of  the
forum  in  2019.  This  represents  a  significant  step  forward  in  establishing  an  effective  platform  for
high-level strategic coordination of external assistance, which had previously been largely absent.
Contributor  coordination  is  also  part  of  discussions  under  the  Eastern  Partnership  Platforms  and
Panels,  enabling  more  strategic  and  coordinated  support  for  the  partner  countries.  Efforts  were
made to improve coordination with international financial institutions as well as the UNDP, including
dedicated regional workshops held throughout 2018.
In 2018, the EU fostered its research and innovation cooperation with Eastern Partnership countries.
Various  activities  were  performed  through  the  Horizon  2020  Policy  Support  Facility  aiming  to
improve  the  framework  conditions  of  EU  scientific  cooperation  with  Moldova  and  Ukraine.  The
progress achieved was acknowledged in the respective Association Council statements.
3.5.1.6. Working towards SDGs
Principally  guided  by  the  revised  ENP  and  the  priorities  established  at  the  Eastern  Partnership
Summit  in  Riga  in  2015,  the  EU’s  relations  with  its  eastern  neighbours  are  well  aligned  with  and
support  the  implementation  of  key  global  policy  goals  set  by  the  UN  2030  SDGs  and  the  Paris
Agreement on climate change. Commitments made as part of these two documents have served as a
reference  for  shaping  the  ‘20  Deliverables  for  2020’,  which  were  endorsed  at  the  Eastern
Partnership Summit in November 2017. The thematic coverage of these deliverables corresponds to
the  SDGs  and  their  targets.  To  enable  implementation,  a  policy  dialogue  and  framework  for
monitoring progress were put in place. The aim is to mobilise technical expertise and involve senior
officials in a process that would accelerate actions in the next phase of the Eastern Partnership until
2020.
Peer-to-peer  instruments,  TAIEX  and  Twinning  also  actively  contributed  to  support  the  overall
reform process in line with EU political priorities.
3.5.2.  European Neighbourhood South
3.5.2.1. Introduction: ENI priorities and policy developments
The  EU  continued  to  design  and  support  initiatives  to  promote  political,  societal,  economic  and
security  resilience  of  the  European  Neighbourhood  South  countries  throughout  2018.  In  line  with
the  2015  ENP  review,  new  policy  and  cooperation  frameworks  were  adopted. The  EU  and  Tunisia
agreed  on  strategic  priorities  for  2018–2020,  focusing  on  inclusive  and  sustainable  socioeconomic
development,  democracy,  good  governance  and  human  rights,  mobility  and  migration  as  well  as
security  and  combating  terrorism.  Tunisia  benefited  again  from  a  significant  package  of  financial
assistance in 2018 (EUR 305 million), confirming EU willingness  to support key reforms in a critical
period  of  democratic  consolidation.  The  Single  Support  Framework  2018–2020  for  Algeria  was
adopted, focusing on economic governance and diversification, local development and participatory
democracy,  energy  and  climate-related  actions.  The  EU–Morocco  Action  Plan  implementing
advanced  status was  extended  for one  year.  The  EU–Jordan  Association  Council  agreed on  a  two-
year extension of the Partnership Priorities until the end of 2020. The first drafts of the Partnership
Priorities  with  Israel  and  Palestine  have  been  prepared  for  discussion  with  EU  Member  States  in
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early 2019. The action plans for both Israel and Palestine were prolonged for three years at the end
of 2018.
The  EU  intensified  dialogue  with  its  Neighbourhood  partners  on  migration,  both  at  bilateral  and
regional levels, following adoption of the June 2018 European Council conclusions. The EU continued
to mobilise all its tools, including the various trust funds and bilateral and regional programmes, in
order  to  improve  migration  and  border  management  in  the  region,  address  the  root  causes  of
irregular migration and protect and help those in need in Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.
Mitigating the impact of the protracted crisis in Syria remained a constant priority throughout 2018.
In April, the EU co-chaired with the UN the Brussels II Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria
and  the  Region,  which  reaffirmed  EU  support  for  the  Syrian  people  and  to  Syria’s  neighbouring
countries. The conference brought together 86 delegations including 57 states, 10 representatives of
regional  organisations  and  international  financial  institutions  and  19  UN  agencies.  More  than  250
NGOs,  including  from  Syria,  were  closely  associated  with  the  conference.  The  international
community  confirmed  EUR 3.9  billion  in  funding  to  support  humanitarian,  resilience  and
development activities in 2018 and EUR 3.2 billion from 2019 to 2020 in response to the Syrian crisis.
This  included  pledges  to  the  Syria  Humanitarian  Response  Plan,  the  3RP  and  the  International
Committee of the Red Cross Syria Crisis appeals. Since then, the EU has been tracking the conference
pledges  and  has  updated  the  international  community  and  its  partners  on  different  occasions.  A
record level of 140 % (USD 6 billion) of the amount pledged at Brussels II materialised into concrete
commitments on the ground. As part of the UN General Assembly in September 2018, the EU hosted
a ministerial meeting on the Syria crisis. HR/VP Mogherini and Commissioner Stylianides chaired the
meeting and attracted a high level of participation and engagement, especially by countries from the
region, the main contributors and EU Member States. With more than EUR 10.8 billion mobilised in
humanitarian  and  resilience  assistance,  the  EU,  collectively  with  EU  Member  States,  remains  the
main  contributor  for  Syrians  and  Syrian  refugee-hosting  communities,  notably  in  Jordan  and
Lebanon.
The EU continued to respond actively to ongoing crises and conflicts in the region, notably through
its  support  of  UN-led  peace  processes  in  Syria,  to  the  process  of  stabilisation  in  Iraq  and  to  the
search for a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
The  cluster  approach  –  putting  on  a  single  agenda  all  the  priority  topics  that  the  EU  discusses
bilaterally  with  partners  –  was  adopted  to  examine  security  in  a  number  of  European
Neighbourhood South countries, such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia.
The  EU  continued  its  firm  support  for  resolving  the  Israeli–Palestinian  conflict  with  a  two-state
solution.  It  appointed  Ms  Terstal  as  new  EU  Special  Representative  for  the  Middle  East  Peace
Process in September. In March the EU also organised a first international contributors conference
for the construction of a Central Desalination Plant in Gaza.
Through  the  EIP  and  the  EFSD,  which  includes  an  innovative  guarantee  fund  to  attract  additional
private  investment  by  reducing  risk,  the  EU  worked actively  to  partner with  international  financial
institutions and the private sector. On 18 December, the EU announced the signing of the first such
guarantee, the Nasira Risk-Sharing Facility, which will use EUR 75 million of EU funds to leverage up
to  EUR 750  million  of  investments  for  entrepreneurs  in  the  European  Neighbourhood  South  and
Africa. This is expected to create 800 000 jobs. The EU continued to push for increased contributor
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coordination  and  improved  and  coordinated  policy  dialogue  to  boost  key  economic  reforms  in
partner countries and enhance  the  impact of  aid. In this context, the EU led a first  joint  high-level
mission with leading international financial institutions in Tunisia in July.
3.5.2.2. Implementation
Bilateral cooperation, including budget support
Algeria
In  Algeria,  in  line  with  the  objective  of  the  new  Single  Support  Framework  2018–2020  adopted  in
May 2018, the EU  devoted its  efforts to diversification of the economy, still heavily dependent on
hydrocarbon  resources  as  of  December  2018.  The  2018  ‘Support  diversification  of  the  economy’
annual  action  programme  (EUR 45  million)  aims  to  support  Algeria’s  transition  to  a  green  and
circular economy and to reinforce the ongoing capacity-building programme for local development
actors (CapDel). At the end of 2018, the EU delegation’s portfolio of ongoing projects amounted to
EUR 247 million, while the portfolio of ongoing EU projects in the three Maghreb countries (Algeria,
Morocco and Tunisia) amounted to EUR 2.4 billion.
Egypt
In Egypt, a total amount of EUR 112 million was committed in 2018 to provide basic services to the
most vulnerable, promote the sustainable management of water and energy resources and support
the  private  sector  and  civil  society.  Part  of  this  support  will  leverage  additional  financing  from
European financial institutions (under  the EIP), in particular for wastewater, sanitation and energy
efficiency projects. The EU contribution of EUR 460.2 million in blending grants since 2008 has, as of
December 2018, succeeded in leveraging approximately EUR 8.85 billion in loans. Under the NIP in
2018,  a  EUR 45.8  million  programme  for  the  depollution  of  the  Kitchener  Drain  and  the
Mediterranean Sea was signed, a EUR 20 million wastewater treatment project for Alexandria West
was approved and a EUR 15 million agreement for the promotion of MSMEs across the country was
signed.
As  of  December  2018,  the  socioeconomic  situation  remains  fragile,  and  so  the  EU  remains
committed  to  mitigating  the  negative  effects  of  economic  reforms  on  vulnerable  populations.
Indeed, the EU continued a dialogue with Egyptian partners responsible for vulnerable groups (the
National  Council  for  Childhood/Motherhood  and  the  National  Council  on  Disability  Affairs)  and
education  (the  Ministry  of  Education)  to  promote  social  justice.  In  addition,  the  EU  supported
vocational  training  through  the  TVET II  programme,  focusing  on  improving  the  structure  and
performance  of  the  national  system.  In  January  2018,  the  EU  signed  a  EUR 27  million  financing
agreement  to  support  the  National  Population  Council  in  implementing  its  National  Population
Strategy  2015–2030,  addressing  the  important  challenges  that  the  rapidly  increasing  population
presents for sustainable development within the country.
Israel
Being  an  OECD  member  country,  Israel  received  project-based  technical  assistance  available  to
public bodies, mainly in the form of long-term Twinning programmes and short-term interventions
via TAIEX, which allows the exchange of EU public bodies’ best practices and acquis communautaire.
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In  2018,  support  via  the  Twinning  instrument  amounted  to  EUR 1.8  million  and  targeted  the
education and telecommunication sectors.
Covering both Palestine and Israel, the EU Peacebuilding Initiative aims to support and promote the
conditions for a sustainable resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict through positive civil society
projects. The delegations in Israel and Palestine manage the programme together.
Jordan
In Jordan, the EU supported the government’s efforts to unlock the growth potential of the country
and create jobs while, at the same time, protecting the most vulnerable. In line with the objectives
of  the  Investment  Conference  to  be  held  in  London in  February  2019,  a  significant  amount  of  the
bilateral  envelope  (EUR 89  million)  was  devoted  to  innovation-related  and  PSD  programmes.  In
addition,  the  EU  adopted  a  new  programme  to  support  the  country’s  integrated  border
management. The EU also supported the efforts of the Jordanian administration for modernisation
and  accountability  and  delivered  actions  supporting  the  establishment  of  an  e-voting  system  in
parliament, reinforcing the Independent Electoral Commission and accompanying the adoption of a
new Public Finance Management Reform Strategy 2018–2021. A new budget support programme –
aiming to establish a legal aid system and apply sanctions other than detention – was also launched
to help the Ministry of Justice advance its reform process. Additional actions were implemented to
improve the legal and institutional framework of the National Employment–Technical and Vocational
Education and Training (E–TVET)  sector and to reinforce  the capacities of both the TVET  providers
and the quality of assurance bodies.
Lebanon
At  the  ‘Conférence  économique  pour  le  développement,  par  les  réformes  et  avec  les  entreprises’
(CEDRE)  in  Paris  in  April  2018,  the  EU  supported  implementation  of  Lebanon’s  ‘Vision  for
Stabilisation,  Growth  and  Employment’.  The  EU  pledged  to  support  the  Capital  Investment  Plan
through  the  provision  of  technical  assistance  and  blending.  In  that  respect,  EUR 25  million  was
mobilised  in  2018  to  support  growth  and  job  creation  as  well  as  to  promote  innovation  and
entrepreneurship in support  of Lebanon’s transition to clean energy use. Given the environmental
challenges  facing  the  country,  the  EU  delegation  organised  several  environment-related  events  in
2018 to attract Lebanese green entrepreneurs and promote the preservation of clean air, land and
marine biodiversity. At the Rome II Conference in March 2018, the EU announced a EUR 50 million
package to further support the Lebanese security sector, underscoring its continued commitment to
security and stability. Delivering on the pledge, the EU continued to support overall stabilisation of
the country by launching a EUR 18 million programme promoting the rule of law, enhancing security
and countering terrorism. The EU also adopted a new programme to improve airport security.
Libya
The  security  situation  remains  a  challenging  factor  for  implementation  of  the  cooperation
programmes  in  Libya.  As  of  December  2018,  operations  continue  to  be  remotely  managed  from
Tunis,  where  the  delegation  is  temporarily  based.  Throughout  2018,  the  EU  focused  its  efforts  on
assisting  the  country’s  transition  towards  a  stable,  functioning  state  that  is  accountable  to  its
citizens,  in  line  with  UN  mediation  efforts.  The  2018  Special  Measure  in  favour  of  Libya  included
actions  towards  the  economy,  governance  and  CSOs  (EUR 17  million).  The  EU  also  supported  the
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improvement of the Libyan business environment and economic diversification, with a special focus
on young people and women’s employment.
Morocco
Although Morocco has made good progress in terms of economic development since 2015 with an
annual average growth in GDP of 4 %, considerable disparities in the redistribution of the benefits of
that  growth  at  territorial  level  and  in  society  remain,  particularly  with  regard  to  job  creation  for
young  people.  In  this  context,  the  EU  provided  a  comprehensive  package  of  EUR 182  million  to
encourage more inclusive socioeconomic development. It included support for:
▪  the decentralisation process, in order to accelerate the development of rural or mountain
areas;
▪  the integration of youth into society, especially those with the least opportunities;
▪  public administration through modern PFM tools and capacity building of personnel;
▪  development  of  the  private  sector,  green  investment  and  MSME  in  order  to  create  new
opportunities for job creation and sustainable development.
Morocco benefited from budget support amounting to EUR 160 million in 2018.
Palestine
Given  the  lack  of  political  horizons  for  the  peace  process  and  the  stalling  of  reconciliation  among
Palestinian factions, the EU reviewed its engagement in the MEPP in order to increase the efficiency
and effectiveness of its support. On financial cooperation issues, the review concluded that:
▪  the EU should focus more on building up the capacities and functions of a future state;
▪  it  should  increase  its  leverage  on  reforms  with  an  incentive-based  approach  to  the
Experimental  Programme  of  Automated  Management  and  Security  (Programme
d’Expérimentation d’une Gestion Automatisée et Sécurisée, Pegase) mechanism;
▪  over  time,  it  should  shift  its  emphasis  away  from  subsidies  towards  investment  in  the
productive economy;
▪  it  should  make  more  use  of  ‘triangulation’  by  including  the  Israeli  authorities  in  the
programmes.
These conclusions are being implemented as of December 2018.
EU  support  for  Palestine  continued  to  cover  a  wide  range  of  areas,  including  capacity  building,
democratic  governance  and  socioeconomic  development.  In  2018,  total  contributions  approached
EUR 350 million. Support targeted the provision of public services through the Pegase mechanism,
the  East  Jerusalem  health  programmes  and  a  programme  to  produce  self-sufficient  water  and
energy  services  in  which  the  EU  invests  in  long-term  water,  energy  and  sanitation  infrastructure
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across the territory (105). A cash transfer programme targeted the most vulnerable families and the
‘East  Jerusalem  programme’  addressed  the  worsening  socioeconomic  and  cultural  conditions  of
Palestinians living in the eastern part of the city. In order to tackle the unprecedented funding issue
of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the
EU  responded  rapidly,  committing  EUR 153  million  in  2018.  The  Commission  held  a  strategic
dialogue  with  UNRWA  and,  together  with  hosting  countries,  initiated  important  work  to  identify
ways  of  tackling  the  structural  deficit  and  ensuring  core  services  continue  to  be  provided  to
Palestinian refugees.
Syria
The EU remains at  the  forefront of contributors to Syrian refugees and host  communities through
the  activities  of  the  EU  Regional  Trust  Fund  in  Response  to  the  Syrian  Crisis  (EUTF  for  Syria).  The
EUTF for Syria aims at addressing longer-term resilience needs of the more than five million Syrian
refugees in the region as well as supporting their host communities and local administrations. With
contributions and pledges amounting to more than EUR 179 million in 2018, its total budget reached
EUR 1.65  billion.  As  of  December  2018,  the  EUTF  for  Syria  has  reached  1.9  million  beneficiaries
through projects ranging from health and education to economic opportunities and water, sanitation
and  hygiene.  Education  and  protection-related  actions  also  show  good  progress,  with  more  than
200 000 children and young people now having access to basic and higher education, psychosocial
support  and  protection  against  gender-based  violence.  In  addition,  4 684  local  organisations,
institutions  and  facilities,  mainly  educational  and  hospital  facilities  but  also  MSMEs,  received
support.
Inside  Syria,  EU  assistance  was  scaled  up  in  the  field  of  protection  and  area-based  approaches,
aiming  to  protect  space  for  local  civil  society  and  for  social  cohesion.  The  2018  Special  Measure
(EUR 31 million) aimed at preserving the prospects for an inclusive political transition by supporting
civic  participation  and  promoting  people’s  rights  as avenues  for  peace  and  stability.  These  actions
complemented the portfolio of projects funded under the ENI since 2011 in the following sectors:
▪  education,
▪  livelihoods,
▪  human rights,
▪  transitional justice and accountability,
▪  housing,
▪  land and property rights documentation,
▪  support for civil society,
▪  women’s empowerment.

105 This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual position of the
Member States on this issue.
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Severely  impacted  by  the  consequences  of  the  Syria  crisis,  the  EU  continued  to  stand  firmly  by
Jordan and Lebanon and support their stability and resilience.
Tunisia
Tunisia  is  one  of  the  major  bilateral  recipients  of  EU  support  in  the  region  with  around  EUR 300
million  in  grants  per  year  to  support  its  political  and  economic  transition.  As  of  December  2018,
Tunisia  remains  a  major  beneficiary  of  the  ‘Umbrella’  programme  that  allows  the  increase  of
European financial support to partners working towards democracy and regulating human rights. On
12 July  2018,  a  high-level  mission  of  European  and  international  financial  institutions,  led  by
Commissioner Hahn, went to Tunis to reiterate the international community’s support for Tunisia’s
reform efforts.
In line with the commitments taken in the 2016 Joint Communication ‘Strengthening EU support to
Tunisia’, the programmes launched in 2018 reflect the ambition of the EU to support the adoption of
reforms, support Tunisian civil society and accompany the country in its transition to democracy. The
new ‘Jeunesse en action’ programme (EUR 60 million) promotes better inclusion of Tunisian youth
(13–30 years old) in political, economic and social terms, particularly those from the most deprived
areas. Other newly adopted programmes aim to:
▪  reinforce the capacity of local administrations to stimulate development and provide better
access to basic local services (EUR 70 million);
▪  contribute to the reinforcement and restructuring of the economic environment, particularly
for start-ups and entrepreneurship (EUR 15 million).
Tunisia benefited from budget support amounting to EUR 65.6 million in 2018.
Migration
The  EU  continued  to  play  a  pivotal  role  in  driving  forward  policies  and  programmes  aimed  at
stemming  the  influx  of  irregular  migrants  to  the  EU.  In  that  sense,  EU  contributions  to  European
Neighbourhood South countries for tackling migration challenges and their root causes was crucial.
In  2018,  the  EUTF  for  Africa  continued  to  save  lives  and  tackle  the  root  causes  of  destabilisation,
forced displacement and irregular migration. Actions focused on the protection and support to those
in need, the fight against trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants and the return and
reintegration of migrants  to  their  countries of origin by  promoting  development  and  security.  The
EUTF for Africa further consolidated its achievements by approving 45 new actions and 13 ‘top-ups’
of ongoing actions, which brings the total number of approved actions to 187, for a total of EUR 3.6
billion.
The central Mediterranean route (106) remained the main challenge and focus of attention regarding
irregular migration in 2018. Overall, this year saw a fall of 80 % in irregular arrivals to Italy compared
to 2017. However, in 2018, the situation and migratory pressure along the route continued to be at
the centre of attention, in particular because conditions of migrants and refugees in Libya remains a

106 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/council-decision-overseas-association-2013-755_en.pdf.
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cause for great concern. Along the western Mediterranean route, there was a substantial increase in
irregular border crossings from Morocco to Spain.
Under  the  North  of  Africa  window  of  the  EUTF  for  Africa,  the  pace  of  implementation  of  actions
ensuring stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in North
of Africa countries continued with new programmes worth EUR 586.2 million approved in 2018.
Through a EUR 144 million package adopted in record time at the end of 2018, the EU stepped up its
efforts  to  fight  the  smuggling  of  migrants  and  human  trafficking  across  the  whole  of  the  western
Mediterranean  route  by  reinforcing  Morocco’s  border  management  capabilities.  The  programme
was funded by both the EUTF for Africa and budget support under the ENI.
In 2018, Libya was a key priority for the Commission, where the number of migrants was estimated
to be almost 700 000, among whom 57 546 were registered as refugees and asylum seekers by the
UN’s High Commissioner on Refugees. The EU stepped up cooperation with international partners,
including  in  the  framework  of  the  AU–EU–UN  Taskforce,  to  accelerate  action  in  Libya  in  order  to
provide life-saving assistance to those in need, enhance the resilience of host communities in Libyan
municipalities,  support  border  management  and  fight  the  vicious  economy  of  smugglers  and
traffickers.
Regional cooperation
In 2018, the EU continued to promote regional cooperation in the European Neighbourhood South
through  sector  policy  dialogue  with  regional  organisations  such  as  the  UfM,  the  League  of  Arab
States and the Council of Europe.
In the UfM context, a Trade Ministerial Meeting was held in March 2018, giving new impetus to the
dialogue on economic integration in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Cooperation was discussed on
specific  trade  issues,  such as  sanitary  and  phytosanitary  measures. Ministers  highlighted  the  close
link between promotion of trade and enhancing investment. The meeting contributed to increased
synergies in regional and bilateral cooperation.
The  EU  continued  to  support  dialogue  among  energy  regulators,  energy  efficiency  and  renewable
energies  agencies  (e.g.  the  Association  of  Mediterranean  Transmission  System  Operators;  the
Mediterranean  Association  of  National  Agencies  for  Energy  Management;  the  Regional  Center  for
Renewable  Energy  and  Energy  Efficiency;  the  Mediterranean  Energy  Observatory  (Observatoire
Méditerranéen de l’Energie)) and natural gas suppliers regarding the integration of energy markets,
the development of renewable energies, the promotion of energy efficiency and the facilitation of
regulatory  convergence.  Similarly,  regional  projects  in  the  transport  sector  provided  technical
assistance to the national authorities with the long-term objective of making transport in the region
safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly.
Ongoing  environment-related  projects  focus  on  developing  circular  economies,  meeting  the
objectives  of  the  Barcelona  Convention  on  biodiversity  and  depolluting  the  Mediterranean  Sea.
Commission services not only help national authorities to implement their domestic sustainable and
consumption  plans,  but  also  assist  individual  companies  that  have  invested  in  resource-efficient
processes.
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In  view  of  the  shrinking  space  for  CSOs  across  the  region,  engagement  with  civil  society  was
reinforced. The EU launched several region-wide actions on harnessing the efforts of young people
to contribute to peace. These actions also encouraged proactive participation of young people in the
preservation  of  cultural  heritage  through  skills  and  capacity  development  as  well  as  knowledge
transfer.  In  support  of  pro-democratic  CSOs,  movements  and  individuals,  a  new  programme  was
launched with the European Endowment for Democracy. The Civil Society Forum for the European
Neighbourhood South confirmed itself as a credible and inclusive platform for dialogue among CSOs,
EU institutions and regional entities, where regional policy agendas can be shared and debated. This
new ‘Hub for Dialogue’ is working towards increased ownership of the process by CSOs.
EU  assistance  in  the  European  Neighbourhood  South  continued  to  enhance  economic  governance
and  create  an  enabling  business  environment  by  fostering  responsible  investment  policies  and
regional  trade  integration,  approximating  EU  policies,  regulations  and  standards.  By  improving
access  to  finance,  mobilisation  of  funds  and  investments  for  the  region  made  a  big  difference  to
SMEs  and innovative  entrepreneurship in particular. Moreover, efforts  to attract  cooperation with
and support from the private sector helped to develop closer synergy with the EIP. The importance
of  blending  operations  through  the  NIP  was  reaffirmed  as  a  powerful  instrument  to  leverage
significant  additional  financial  resources  for  EU  objectives  and  as  a  tool  to  increase  collaboration
among  financing  institutions.  Finally,  the  EU  continued  to  fully  exploit  the  potential  of  economic
development for job creation, particularly for young people, and tackling the economic root causes
of migration.
3.5.2.3. Humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection:  Responding  to  the  emergency  needs  of  people
affected by conflicts and disasters
Libya:  The  EU  launched  a  Nexus  approach  in  the  health  sector  in  conjunction  with  the  WHO  and
other partners. There was enhanced coordination between the humanitarian aid instruments (EUR 9
million)  and  the  EU’s  own  instruments  through  the  development  of  a  matrix  to  delineate
responsibilities in line with the instruments’ respective mandates.
Algeria (Sahrawi crisis): The IcSP launched an 18-month project (EUR 800 000) to strengthen youth
resilience  and  counter  potential  radicalisation,  broadening  the  range  of  EU  instruments  (EUR 9
million  of  humanitarian  aid)  responding  to  this  protracted,  forgotten  crisis.  In  order  to  raise
awareness about this crisis and broaden the partner base, the EU organised a second joint mission
with EU Member States.
Tunisia: A second disaster risk reduction project was successfully launched, and a contribution was
made  to  the  peer  review  of  the  Tunisian  civil  protection  system  under  the  EU  Civil  Protection
Mechanism.  An  Administrative  Arrangement  between  Commission  services  and  the  Tunisian
National  Office of Civil Protection was signed. Good progress was made  on implementation of the
two  Administrative  Arrangements  with  southern  Neighbourhood  countries  (Algeria  in  2016  and
Tunisia  in  2018).  For  instance,  in  April  2018,  for  the  first  time,  a  subregional  exercise  was
implemented in Algeria by France, with the participation of Algeria, Italy, Poland, Spain and Tunisia
thanks to EU funding. This exercise aimed at improving international cooperation in simulation of a
devastating earthquake.
Neighbourhood  South Regional:  The ‘Prevention, preparedness  and response to natural and man-
made  disasters,  Region  South,  Phase III’  (PPRD  SOUTH III)  programme  started  in  February  2018.  It
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will  strengthen  prevention,  operational  assistance  and  response  capacities,  promote  volunteer
programmes and provide better communication tools to reach out to the population on emergency
procedures.
3.5.2.4. Crisis response and preparedness
As  of  December  2018,  the  European  Neighbourhood  South  remains  a  priority  for  stabilisation
engagement under the IcSP, with regard to the Iraq, Libya and Syria crises in particular. In 2018, 12
new IcSP exceptional assistance measures were adopted in this context. The IcSP addresses five key
priorities of the EU’s diplomatic agenda in the Middle East and North Africa.
In North Africa, IcSP interventions targeted the situation in  Libya where the re-establishment of a
state presence, the facilitation of community inputs to the national peace process, local mediation
initiatives  and  mine  action  are  at  the  core  of  EU  efforts  to  help  stabilise  the  country.  Similarly,
conflict  prevention  is  at  the  core  of  an  IcSP  intervention  in  Algeria,  adopted  in  March  2018,  to
support Sahrawi youth by promoting a culture of peace. In Tunisia, the IcSP will renew its support to
strengthen  intelligence  capacities  as  well  as  terrorism-related  investigations,  prosecutions,
adjudications  and  penitentiary  management  by  relevant  Tunisian  authorities  in  line  with
international standards.
The Syria crisis continued to be at the centre of IcSP crisis management efforts in the Middle East,
both  inside  Syria  and  in  neighbouring  countries,  including  Lebanon  and  Jordan.  IcSP  support  has
covered  a  wide  range  of  thematic  areas,  including  stabilisation  work  (demining),  delivery  of  non-
humanitarian  assistance  to  the  population  in  Syria  (education)  and  support  for dialogue  initiatives
(including  the  UN-brokered  peace  talks  in  Geneva),  transitional  justice  and  accountability.  In
Lebanon, IcSP interventions were designed to secure Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport against
illicit trafficking and the threat of terrorism and for deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces south
of the Litani River.
Further east, in Iraq, IcSP interventions aim to support stabilisation and the reduction of tensions by
helping  Iraq  draft,  among  other  things,  a  human-rights-compliant  counterterrorism  strategy
supporting  national  reconciliation  and  assisting  with  demining  in  areas  of  the  country  recently
liberated from Da’esh.
In the West Bank, the IcSP was further mobilised to improve human security through mine clearance
and to avert further crisis through ensuring UNRWA service continuity.
Actions  on  counterterrorism  and  the  prevention  of  violent  extremism  also  represent  a  major
endeavour  region-wide.  Besides  the  bilateral  actions  in  Iraq  and  Tunisia,  a  regional  initiative  with
CEPOL provided training to selected security agencies, while local initiatives to prevent radicalisation
were put in place in selected communities in the region.
3.5.2.5. Working better together, contributor effectiveness and contributor coordination
The year 2018 saw greater coordination of EU Member State actions. In Palestine in particular, the
EU  works  together  with  its  Member  States  under  the  umbrella  of  the  European  Joint  Strategy  in
support of Palestine (2017–2020). This was the first European joint strategy for Palestine endorsed
locally by Heads of Mission in December 2016 and approved by the Commission as the EU strategy in
December  2017. This three-year  strategy aligns with  the Palestinian  National  Policy  Agenda  2017–
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2022.  In  2018,  European  Development  Partners  started  to  hold  joint  policy  dialogue  with  the
Palestinian National Authority on the basis of the jointly designed Results-Oriented Framework. The
Joint Programming Document for Egypt received the support from the capitals and headquarters in
September 2018, with  the  objective  of  fostering  an enhanced  division  of  labour  and  coherence  of
European cooperation in Egypt.
In several other countries, in the absence of a global joint programming exercise, the EU led efforts
at sector level to enhance coordination and improve the exchange of information between the EU
and  its  Member  States.  For  example,  this  was  the  case  in  Morocco  in  the  sectors  of  governance,
migration and gender.
The EU also devoted substantial efforts to enhancing coordination with international, European and
Arab financial institutions working in the Neighbourhood South. High-level meetings with financing
partners were organised as part of the World Bank–IMF spring meetings in April 2018. In addition,
throughout  the  year,  EU  services  and  financing  institutions  met  frequently  at  technical  and
operational levels to increase the coherence of EU operations and, therefore, maximise their impact.
Gathering together the main multilateral finance institutions, the Luxembourg Group met in January
and  December.  On  12 July  2018,  Commissioner  Hahn  led  the  first  joint  high-level  mission  in  Tunis
with eight European and international financial institutions (AFD, AfDB, EBRD, EIB, IFC, IMF, KfW and
the World Bank) operating in the Neighbourhood South. The aim of the mission was to collectively
encourage key Tunisian stakeholders (government, parliament, representatives of civil society, trade
unions  and  the  private  sector)  to  reactivate  Tunisia’s  socioeconomic  reform  programme  and,
notably, to step up efforts to:
▪  stabilise public finances;
▪  stimulate PSD;
▪  alleviate social pressure.
Furthermore, the Southern Mediterranean Investment Coordination Initiative, by achieving synergy
among  the  EU,  the  Member  States  and  European  finance  institutions,  continued  to  inform  EU
activities in the Neighbourhood South relating to growth, facilitating investments and creating jobs.
Blending operations under the NIP proved again to be powerful instruments in leveraging significant
additional  financial  resources  for  EU  objectives  and  in  increasing  cooperation  with  financing
institutions. For example, the EU Initiative for Financial Inclusion, launched in 2016, raises the EU’s
profile and increases coordination with European finance institutions. Its Coordination Platform met
twice  in  2018  to  discuss  the  priorities  and  potential  for  providing  future  support  for  the  private
sector in the Neighbourhood South, with an emphasis  on access to finance. As of December 2018,
the  initiative  has  sustained  more  than  210 000  jobs  and  supported  the  creation  of  around  50 000
new jobs.
3.5.2.6. Working towards the SDGs
In 2018, by implementing the revised ENP, the EU continues to contribute to the pursuit of several
SDGs  in  the  European  Neighbourhood  South.  Its  primary  focus  is on  good  governance,  the  rule of
law and human rights (SDG 16) to help consolidate democracy in several countries, both through the
adoption of new policy and cooperation frameworks and through concrete cooperation programmes
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in  such  countries  as  Jordan,  Lebanon  and  Tunisia.  Support  for  decent  work  and  economic  growth
(SDG 8)  and  industry,  innovation  and  infrastructure  (SDG 9)  has  featured  prominently  in  EU
cooperation through bilateral (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon) and regional programmes aimed
at enhancing investments, developing the private sector and making the business environment more
attractive.  Support  for  affordable  and  clean  energy  (SDG 7)  and  climate  action  (SDG 13)  has  also
been provided both bilaterally (in Egypt, and in Lebanon to support the transition to clean energy)
and at regional level. In almost all countries in the region, the EU supports basic needs and inclusive
human development (health, SDG 3, and education, SDG 4), in particular for the most vulnerable, for
migrants and for refugees.
Regional cooperation
Access to professional, credible and pluralist media is an essential safeguard for a healthy democracy. In
the  framework  of  the  ‘OPEN  media  hub’
programme,  almost  2 000  media  professionals  in
the wider neighbourhood have been trained since
the start in 2016. The OPEN Media Hub has worked
with  471  media  outlets  (225  in  Neighbourhood
East  and  246  in  Neighbourhood  South),  and  280
have  signed  a  memorandum  of  understanding  for
deeper  engagement. This impressive outreach has
also  been  yielding  results  in  terms  of  improved
quality  of  content  and  professionalism.  The
regional  dimension  of  the  programme  has  been  equally  successful.  The  networks  created  over  time  have
been  fostered  through  numerous  networking  events,  study  tours  and  other  relevant  activities.  For
example, in 2018, the first International Conference on Journalism (Assises International du Journalisme) in
Tunis brought together more than 800 journalists from Neighbourhood South for lively discussions covering
a wide range of topics. With regard to migration specifically, synergy was sought  with another EU-funded
programme called ‘EMM4’, which takes the form of a Migration Media Award. This has yielded another set
of excellent networking opportunities for policymakers and for journalists representing all kinds of media,
celebrating journalistic excellence and promoting balanced reporting on migration.

3.6.
The OCTs
3.6.1.  Introduction
The  Overseas  Association Decision  (OAD) (107)  establishes  the  legal  framework  for  relations  among
the OCTs (108), the Member States to which they are linked and the EU. On the basis of the Treaty on
the Functioning of the European Union, the purpose of the association is to promote the economic
and social development of the OCTs, to establish close economic relations between them and the EU
as a whole and to promote EU values in the wider world.

107 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/council-decision-overseas-association-2013-755_en.pdf.
108 The OCTs depend constitutionally on four of the EU Member States: Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The 25
EU OCTs are: Anguilla, Aruba, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman
Islands,  Curaçao,  Falkland  Islands,  French  Polynesia,  French  Southern  and  Antarctic  Territories,  Greenland,  Montserrat,  New  Caledonia,
Pitcairn  Islands,  Saba,  Saint  Helena  and  Dependencies,  Saint  Martin,  Saint  Pierre  and  Miquelon,  Saint  Barthélemy,  St  Eustatius,  South
Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands and Wallis and Futuna.
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In this context, the EU provides financial support to the OCTs via the OAD, mainly through the EDF,
with EUR 364.5 million allocated under the 11th EDF–OCT for 2014–2020.

The 11th EDF–OCT resources available to the OCTs are split into the following allocations, based on
Annex 2 of the OAD:
▪  EUR 229.5  million  for  territorial  (bilateral)  allocations  to  16  OCTs,  in  accordance  with  the
criteria established in the Decision;
▪  EUR 100 million for regional cooperation and integration;
▪  EUR 21.5 million in Envelope B to finance humanitarian and emergency assistance;
▪  EUR 5  million  to  finance  interest  subsidies  and  technical  assistance  through  the  OCT
Investment Facility managed by the EIB;
▪  EUR 8.5 million for studies and technical assistance.
Regional programmes seek to foster cooperation among OCTs in the same region that share similar
challenges  and  priorities.  Partnerships  with  other  funding  sources,  including  other  EU  financial
instruments, are encouraged through cooperation with the neighbouring ACP and/or third countries
as well as the EU’s outermost regions.
In addition to territorial and regional programmes, an allocation for the ‘Thematic programme’ – an
‘all-OCTs’ programme – will foster inter-OCT cooperation.
Furthermore,  Greenland  is  funded  directly  by  the  EU  general  budget  based  on  the  Greenland
Decision (109),  allocating  EUR 217.8  million  to  cooperation  of  mutual  interest  for  the  period  2014–
2020.
Institutional political and policy dialogue is conducted regularly throughout the year according to the
governance  foreseen  in  the  OAD.  Therefore,  in 2018,  four  tripartite  meetings  were  held  (with  the
European Commission, relevant EU Member States and the OCTs), two Partnership Working Parties
were organised (covering trade issues, financial services and other subjects of common interest) and
the high-level OCT–EU Annual Forum took place in Brussels in February 2018.
3.6.2.  Implementation
Part Four of the OAD establishes a programming process specific to OCTs. Unlike the ACP countries,
programming is not based on National Indicative Programmes, but organised around elaboration of
a Programming Document with two components: the EU Response Strategy (Part A) and the Action
Document (Part B).
Only one decision is taken by the European Commission to approve OCT Programming Documents,
covering  both  the  strategic  orientations  and  the  detailed  programme  design.  OCTs  maintain  the

109 The European Council’s decision on relations between the EU on the one hand and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark on the
other (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014D0137&from=EN) allocates EUR 217.8 million for the period
2014–2020 to encourage cooperation between the Union and Greenland in an area of mutual interest.
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primary  responsibility  for  the  establishment  of  Programming  Documents,  ensuring  the  necessary
consultation of local stakeholders.
As  of  December  2018,  sectoral  priorities  have  now  been  made  for  all  territorial  and  regional
programmes under the 11th EDF or the EU budget. They are presented below, with the number of
OCTs that have chosen this sector as the priority for their bilateral programme:
▪  education (four OCTs)
▪  tourism (three OCTs)
▪  energy (two OCTs)
▪  connectivity (two OCTs)
▪  water/sanitation (one OCT)
▪  resilience (one OCT)
▪  youth (one OCT)
▪  digital development (one OCT)
▪  sustainable development (one OCT)
▪  employment (one OCT).
Budget support is the preferred implementation modality for territorial allocations in the OCTs. This
represents a positive shift away from the project modality previously used in several OCTs. Budget
support offers an efficient way of addressing cross-cutting, and long-term and structural challenges,
to focus on the results of national policies and maintain a constructive policy dialogue.
Bilateral cooperation, including budget support
With the adoption of the 11th EDF Programming Documents for both Montserrat and Saint Helena,
13 out of 17 OCTs with a territorial allocation including Greenland have finalised their programming,
as of December 2018.
In  2018,  under  the  11th  EDF,  EUR 65.62  million  was  disbursed,  and  EUR 96.2  million  in  total
(counting EU budget contributions to Greenland) was paid in favour of OCTs.
The Caribbean region
In  September  2017,  two  Category 5  hurricanes  impacted  several  Caribbean  OCTs,  bringing  life-
threatening winds, storm surges and heavy rainfall that resulted in widespread damage to housing
and basic infrastructure. The  most  severely affected OCTs were  Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands,
Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Montserrat, Saba and St Eustatius
were also badly affected.
Commission  services  worked  actively  together  with  OCT  authorities  to  ensure  that  11th  EDF
territorial  and  regional  programmes  were  adjusted  to  address  the  post-hurricane  situation  in  the
OCTs and to support them in their resilience efforts. In addition, the non-allocated Envelope B under
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the 11th EDF was mobilised in 2018 (EUR 15.04 million) for post-emergency assistance to the benefit
of Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Saint Martin and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In  2018,  sustainable  energy,  education,  economic  growth,  tourism,  employment,  digital
development,  connectivity  and  technical  assistance  were  the  key  areas  of  budget  support
programmes across the region.
Regarding sustainable energy, the disbursements of the budget support programmes in Saba and St
Eustatius  were  completed,  resulting  in  increased  resilience  of  the  sector,  renewable  energy
production and more stable grids.
In the education sector, progress was made through the (ongoing) budget support programmes of
Anguilla and Turks and Caicos, making primary and secondary education and TVET more relevant in
meeting the needs of both current and future labour markets.
As for economic growth, 2018 also saw the adoption of the 11th EDF Programming Document for
Montserrat  to  foster  development  in  areas  such  as  renewable  energy  and  tourism.  This  budget
support programme represents a continuation of the 10th EDF programme in support of the island’s
sustainable development plan.
The Pacific region
On tourism, both French Polynesia and the Pitcairn Islands made progress on their sectoral policy,
attracting tourists and generating employment. For the Pitcairn Islands, this programme represents
a  continuation  of  the  10th  EDF  budget  support  programme  on  tourism,  which  was  completed  in
2018.
In  the  employment  sector,  New  Caledonia  narrowed  unemployment  rates  through  efforts  on
technical and vocational training.
On digital development, Wallis and Futuna has made considerable progress on its digital strategy. At
a  time  when  digital  accessibility  is  essential  and  can  boost  the  whole  economy,  the  programme
supports  the  rollout  of  the  Tui-Samoa  broadband  cable  to  Wallis  and  Futuna  in  particular (110),
delivering high-speed broadband connectivity.
Other OCTs
Both the Falkland Islands and Saint Helena benefited from connectivity programmes under the 11th
EDF. In Saint Helena, the Programming Document was adopted in the course of 2018, and progress
was  made  on  implementation  of  the  digital  strategy.  In  the  Falkland  Islands,  the  first  steps  were
taken towards improving the delivery of transport- and connectivity-related infrastructure.
On tourism, Saint Pierre and Miquelon has seen improved accessibility for tourists such that in the
2018 peak season Saint Pierre was ‘booked out’.
Greenland
Greenland benefited from a contribution of EUR 30.36 million from the 2018 EU budget under the
2014–2020  programme,  focusing  on  education,  and  EUR 0.25  million  to  provide  technical

110  The  Tui-Samoa  submarine  cable  runs  between  Apia,  Samoa  and  Suva,  Fiji,  with  landing  stations  in  Savai’i,  Savusavu  and  Wallis  and
Futuna.
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assistance.  This  programme  is  helping  to  reform  the  elementary  school  system,  improve  the
management  skills  of  school  directors,  upgrade  the  skills  of  existing  teachers  and  update  the
country’s education strategy for 2019–2022.
Regional cooperation
In 2018, all three 11th EDF Regional OCT Programming Documents were adopted.
In  the  Pacific,  the  regional  programme  ‘Protege’  (Projet  régional  océanien  des  territoires  pour  la
gestion durable des écosystèmes, EUR 36 million), signed in February 2018, supports sustainable and
resilient  development  in  the  region  by  protecting  biodiversity  and  renewable  natural  resources.  It
builds  on  the  10th  EDF  regional  programme  ‘Integre’  (Initiative  des  territoires  pour  la  gestion
régionale de l’environnement, EUR 12 million), that  supported integrated coastal management and
reinforced regional cooperation on sustainable development.
For  the  Indian  Ocean,  the  regional  programme  (Programme  Régional  d’appui  dans  le  secteur  de
l’observation, de la gestion et de la préservation des écosystèmes terrestres et marins, EUR 4 million),
signed in February 2018, aims to improve the surveillance and observation of terrestrial and marine
ecosystems in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, restoring ecosystems and reinforcing impact
prevention mechanisms. The 10th EDF regional programme focused on the sustainable management
of the natural heritage of Mayotte and the Scattered Islands (EUR 3 million).
In  the  Caribbean,  the  ‘Resembid’  (Resilience,  Sustainable  Energy  and  Marine  Biodiversity  Regional
Programme,  EUR 40  million),  signed  in  October  2018,  will  strengthen  environmentally  sustainable
economic development by focusing on resilience, sustainable energy and marine biodiversity. It will
upgrade  the  outdated  infrastructure  and  increase  its  energy  efficiency,  improve  protection  and
sustainable  management  of  marine  biodiversity  and  increase  resilience  to  extreme  and  recurrent
natural  events.  Under  the  10th  EDF,  the  ongoing  Caribbean  regional  programme  also  supports
development of SMEs (EUR 15 million).
On the ongoing 10th EDF all-OCTs ‘Territorial strategies for innovation’ thematic programme, work
has  been  done  to  help  the  OCTs  diversify  their  economies  and  improve  their  competitiveness
through,  among  other  things,  nine  pilot  projects  in  Aruba,  Bonaire,  the  British  Virgin  Islands,
Curaçao, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon and St Eustatius.
Formulation  of  the  11th  EDF  all-OCTs  thematic  programme  also  made  progress  throughout  2018,
with sustainable  energy and climate  change being the  two focal sectors.  The  financing decision by
the Commission for the programme is expected for early 2019.
Finally, through an operating grant in 2018, Commission support helped the Overseas Countries and
Territories  Association  fulfil  its  mandate  by  facilitating  dialogue  between  the  EU  and  the  partners
and consolidating the partnership.

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4. Managing aid
4.1.
Monitoring systems
4.1.1.  New reporting system on SDGs
At the end of 2018, the DAC Working Party on Development Finance Statistics agreed to incorporate
SDG  reporting  in  DAC  financial  statistics.  A  full  set  of  data  will  be  available  in  2020,  and  this  will
feature in the 2020 Annual Report on 2019 figures as well as in OECD statistics. It was decided, on
practical  grounds,  that  EU  reporting  on  SDGs  will  be  done  at  goal  level  for  commitments  and
payments.  This  will  be  of  a  transversal  nature  and  allow  several  SDGs  to  be  allocated  to  a  single
project. The results will allow for aggregated statistics on how much was committed and disbursed
towards individual SDGs.
4.1.2.  Evaluation: Review of the work programme
Commission  evaluation  services  are  responsible  for  the  steering,  coordination,  monitoring  and
reporting  of  the  evaluation  function.  They  produce  timely,  high-quality  evaluation  results  for
decision-making  and  accountability.  They  manage  strategic  evaluations,  which  can  be  geographic,
thematic,  sectoral or based on instruments or budget support. They also  monitor and support the
evaluations carried out by other services that oversee projects and programmes.
In 2018, the evaluation services published 10 strategic evaluations, comprising:
▪  four thematic evaluations on PCD, SSR, social protection and sustainable energy;
▪  two regional evaluations on cooperation with eastern and southern Africa, the Indian Ocean
and West Africa;
▪  three  country-level  evaluations  on  EU  cooperation  with  Afghanistan,  Azerbaijan  and  Côte
d’Ivoire;
▪  one budget support evaluation on cooperation with Cambodia.
In December 2018, strategic evaluations were in progress under the following categories:
1)  Eleven thematic/instrument evaluations on:
a)  conflict prevention and peacebuilding;
b)  CSOs  and  local  authorities  (separately  for  sub-Saharan  Africa,  Asia–Pacific  and  Latin
America and the Caribbean and for enlargement and Neighbourhood countries);
c)  VET for sustainable and inclusive growth;
d)  state-building contracts;
e)  the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa;
f)  the sector approach under IPA II;
g)  the rule of law in enlargement and Neighbourhood countries;
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h)  twinning;
i)  EU information centres in enlargement and Neighbourhood countries;
j)  migration.
2)  Two regional-level evaluations in Central Africa and Latin America.
3)  Seven country-level evaluations, in:
a)  Armenia;
b)  Central African Republic;
c)  Croatia;
d)  Mali;
e)  Myanmar;
f)  Nicaragua;
g)  Serbia.
4)  Two budget support evaluations, in:
a)  El Salvador;
b)  Rwanda.
The next section presents a brief summary of each evaluation published in 2018.
4.1.2.1. Summary of strategic evaluations
Thematic evaluations
Evaluation of EU policy on PCD (2009–2016)
The  objective  here  was  to  provide  EU  institutions,  EU  Member  States,  CSOs,  academia  and  other
stakeholders with an independent assessment of the EU PCD actions, taking into account objectives
that were likely to affect developing countries. The evaluation focused on PCD mechanisms that the
EU has put in place to respond to challenges and commitments. It concluded that the EU takes a lead
role  on  PCD  internationally.  Although  the  EU  has  continued  to  improve  the  existing  policymaking
framework  by  introducing  successive  changes,  PCD  mechanisms  have  limited  efficiency.  The
evaluation  highlighted  that  the  effectiveness  of  the  EU  PCD  approach  could  be  improved.  It
concluded that impact assessments and inter-service consultations play a far more significant role in
promoting  PCD  in  the  policy  formulation  process  and  that  measuring  the  impact  of  PCD  remains
challenging.
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Evaluation of EU support for SSR in enlargement and Neighbourhood countries (2010–2016)
The evaluation was conducted to help strengthen democratic accountability and transparency and
improve  policy  and  practice  through  evidence-based  learning.  It  confirmed  that  the  EU  achieved
positive  effects  through  its  promotion  of  EU  values  and  interests  in  the  enlargement  and
Neighbourhood regions. A major strength of the EU’s financial support  for SSR lies  in the range of
funding  modalities  it  can  draw  on  to  provide  assistance.  Closer  linkage  with  the  bilateral
programmes  of  EU  Member  States  is  desirable  to  multiply  the  effects  of  EU  support  for  SSR.  The
evaluation also concluded that there are a number of areas where the 2016 Joint Communication on
an  EU-wide  strategic  framework  has  yet  to  become  fully  operationalised  and  is  still  struggling  to
achieve results. Producing successful results in SSR requires a long-term, strategic approach by the
EU  that  is  flexible  and  responsive  to  changing  beneficiary  contexts  and  needs  and  which
acknowledges  that  SSR  is  a  highly  technical  as  well  as  an  intrinsically  political  process.  During  the
time frame of the evaluation, the EU struggled to plan and implement interventions that consistently
met these foundational prerequisites for successful SSR engagement.
Evaluation of EU support for social protection in external action (2007–2013)
The  evaluation  assessed  the  extent  to  which  EU  support  for  social  protection  contributed  to
achieving its objectives. The geographical scope included all third regions and countries covered by
the  IPA  (including  Croatia  but  excluding  Iceland),  the  European  Neighbourhood  and  Partnership
Instrument/ENI (except Syria and Libya), DCI and EDF.
Although EU actions have contributed to tangible progress in the fight against social exclusion and
alleviation of poverty, effective country-level success has not yet been achieved. The sustainability of
many  effects/benefits  achieved  remains  fragile.  Implementation  modalities  have  been  used  in  a
reasonably effective  and efficient way. In particular, the use  of budget  support has contributed to
policy  reforms  while  supporting  the  implementation  of  specific  social  protection  schemes  with  a
range of partners. While there has been complementarity between the instruments used by the EU
to support social protection and the  EU has made  efforts to link  social protection interventions to
other interventions (e.g. humanitarian assistance, food security), the level of synergy achieved has
remained  limited.  Moreover,  the  use  of  global  thematic  programmes  to  support  social  protection
could be strengthened.
Evaluation of the EU’s sustainable energy cooperation (2011–2016)
This  evaluation  covers  11  initiatives  or  instruments  for  EU  sustainable  energy  support  to  partner
countries  in  three  main  intervention  areas:  policy  dialogue,  capacity  development  and  investment
support. The geographic focus was on sub-Saharan Africa and, to a more limited extent, Asia–Pacific
and  the  Caribbean.  The  evaluation  concluded  that  EU  sustainable  energy  cooperation  was  well
conceived and has led to results that have improved the policy environment and increased capacity
and prospects for sustainability. Although interventions were well aligned where national or regional
sector  frameworks  were  sound,  EU  support  was  relatively  unambitious  in  its  aim  to  bring  about
reform. The EU took a lead in establishing strong coordination of and added value to Member States’
efforts. Focus on promoting private sector engagement in the energy sector was well conceived but
was  hampered  by  lack  of  an  enabling  environment,  capacity  constraints  and  support  that  did  not
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match  local  private  sector  capacity.  The  evolution  from  grant  financing  of  investment  to  use  of
financial instruments was sound although not without its challenges.
Regional evaluations
Evaluation of cooperation with eastern and southern Africa and the Indian Ocean (2008–2015)
The  final  evaluation  concluded  that  important  results  were  obtained  in  all  three  priority  areas
(regional  integration,  peace  security  and  stability,  and  natural  resources  management),  although
resources  could  have  been  used  more  efficiently  and  progress  towards  reaching  objectives  and
sustainability  was  uneven.  The  EU’s  overall  strategic  interest  in  regional  integration  was  not
sufficiently operationalised at the level of political or policy dialogue, and political dialogue did not
address  contentious  issues.  Support  for  activities  beyond  the  core  role  of  the  Duly  Mandated
Regional  Organisations  (DMROs)  tended  to  dilute  their  raison  d’être.  Contributors  should  refocus
their  support  on  DMRO  core  business  and  on  the  areas  of  support  that  are  likely  to  yield  results.
Non-state actors, particularly  the private  sector, are important drivers for regional integration and
should be more involved in the future.
Evaluation of EU cooperation with the West Africa region (2008–2016)
This study covers all focal sectors of regional cooperation with 15 Member States, namely:
▪  regional peace, security and stability,
▪  regional economic integration,
▪  transport,
▪  energy,
▪  food and nutrition security,
▪  agriculture and resilience,
▪  natural resource management.
EU  regional  support  paved  the  way  for  developing  common  methodologies  for  use  by  all  West
African countries in fundamental areas such as PFM or the prevention of food and nutrition crises.
EU  support  facilitated  the  drafting  and  adoption  of  policies  that  were  essential  for  strengthening
regional  integration.  However,  the  sustainability  and  impacts  of  EU-funded  regional  cooperation
actions are  rather  low. The  main factors accounting for these  limited performances are superficial
ownership  by  the  various  West  African  stakeholders,  the  inaptitude  of  regional  organisations  to
discharge the duties entrusted to them by their Member States and shortcomings in the formulation
of the regional programmes supported by the EU.
Among others, one important recommendation is to support a revival of regional cooperation based
on a common vision of regional integration.
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Country evaluations
Evaluation of EU cooperation with Afghanistan (2007–2016)
The evaluation covers EU cooperation with Afghanistan during the period 2007–2016 and assesses
its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, coordination and complementarity as well as EU
added  value,  potential  negative  effects  and  gender  as  a  cross-cutting  issue.  The  evaluation  shows
that  the  gradual  streamlining  of  the  EU  portfolio  towards  fewer  and  larger  contracts  and  the
increased  proportion  of  funding  in  the  form  of  contributions  to  multi-contributor  trust  funds
(resulting in higher support on-budget) has had multiple benefits. It also highlights the importance of
continuing  to  use  a  mix of  on-budget  and  off-budget  interventions  and  of taking  into  account  the
absorption capacities of the government. A major added value of EU support has been its reliability
and continuity, which is widely appreciated by stakeholders and has led to tangible outcomes and
impacts. Another instance of EU added value has been the relative independence of its support from
geopolitical interests.
Evaluation of EU cooperation with Azerbaijan (2011–2016)
The portfolio of EU assistance projects in Azerbaijan had a strong emphasis on Twinning, TAIEX and
grants  to  CSOs  and  a  relatively  modest  reliance  on  technical  assistance  operations.  This
configuration  appears  to  have  suited  the  needs  and  preferences  of  Azerbaijani  institutions  (in  the
case  of  Twinning  and  TAIEX)  and  the  opportunity  to  pursue  EU  policy  objectives  regarding
democratisation and human rights (grants to CSOs). As of December 2018, under these conditions,
the balance among the various instruments could well be retained for the future.
The  three  focal  areas  (regional  and  rural  development,  justice  sector  reform,  and  education  and
skills development) should be kept by the Single Support Framework as they are well aligned with
both  country  needs  and  EU  objectives.  In  addition,  future  programming  could  consider  more
emphasis on the development of private sector activities outside agriculture, which is of importance
to support the strategic objective of economic diversification. Finally, measures should be devised to
strengthen  the  monitoring  of  CSO-implemented  actions  to  ensure  that,  apart  from  the  difficulties
originating  from  the  operating  environment,  activities  are  more  efficiently  implemented  and
documented.
Evaluation of cooperation with the Côte d’Ivoire (2007–2015)
This evaluation considers that, with EUR 629.5 million committed and EUR 531.5 million disbursed,
the  EU  has  been  able  to  use  its  uninterrupted  presence  during  the  2002–2011  conflict  and  its
diplomatic  position  to  support  successive  governments,  and  it  has  thus  contributed  to  the
reconstruction of the country.
However, contextual and institutional factors, including policy dialogue, have limited the relevance,
effectiveness and efficiency of cooperation. At sectoral level, the EU’s decision to move out of the
health sector overlooked the important challenges facing the country, whose inhabitants had a life
expectancy much lower than the average of sub-Saharan African countries in 2012.
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Thus, the evaluation recommends that, in future, the EU should take better account of the factors
affecting  fragility  and  the  challenges  of  persistent  social  and  regional  disparities  and  of  creating
shared and sustainable growth.
Budget support evaluations
Evaluation of EU budget support in Cambodia (2011–2016)
This  evaluation  provides  evidence  of  the  contribution  of  two  budget  support  operations  (the
‘Education  sector  policy  support  programme  2011–2013’  and  the  ‘Education  sector  reform
partnership  2014–2016/17’)  to  the  achievement  of  the  education  sector  goals  of  the  Cambodian
government.
The  evaluation  concludes  that  the  budget  support  programmes  were  effective  in  influencing  the
achievement  of  the  reforms  targeted  in  the  government’s  education  policy  (Education  Strategic
Plans)  and  that  these  reforms  contributed  to  improving  education  outcomes.  The  complexity  of
pivotal reforms, sector capacity constraints and insufficient scaling resulted in slower progress than
initially  planned  by  the  Cambodian  government,  but  this  progress  would  have  been  even  slower
without the budget support programmes.
4.1.3.  Lessons learned
This section provides key emerging lessons from some of the evaluations of EU cooperation finalised
in 2018 by Commission services.
Evaluation of EU policy on PCD (2009–2016)
The evaluation confirmed the EU’s political will on PCD, expressed as a common position of the EU
and its Member States. This constitutes a key element underpinning the sustainability of the EU PCD
approach.  The  evaluation  revealed  that  there  is  a  lack  of  clarity  among  institutional  stakeholders
concerning the extent of EU commitment to PCD. It highlighted that the EU PCD approach remains
relevant at the strategic level, but that at operational level it needs to be adapted to the new SDG
context. Measuring  the impact  of PCD remains challenging because of a lack  of suitable  baselines,
targets or indicators linked to PCD.
Evaluation of EU support for SSR in enlargement and Neighbourhood countries (2010–2016)
The evaluation found that EU actors have not systematically developed and agreed on a common set
of  SSR  objectives  for  each  IPA  and  ENP  beneficiary;  nor  have  they  routinely  engaged  in  shared
analysis  of  SSR  as  a  precursor  to  joint  planning  and  programming  in  the  pursuit  of  overall  agreed
objectives for SSR in each beneficiary. A lack of commitment on the part of key beneficiary political
elites has created a particular constraint on EU efforts to promote SSR and helps to explain why a
significant  number  of  EU-supported  reform  processes  have  not  advanced  significantly  beyond
procedural  compliance.  The  EU  can  become  more  strategically  focused  in  translating  beneficiary
needs and capacities into assistance that is consistent with EU political objectives. This includes:
▪  performing regular assessments of beneficiary needs and capacities;
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▪  routinely  assessing  beneficiary  political  and  capacity  constraints  on  EU  programming,
sequencing EU support to address such constraints and adopting an iterative approach to EU
support;
▪  being  clear  about  the  pathways  by  which  change  will  occur  by  developing  a  fine-grained
understanding of the individuals and institutions that need to be involved in reform efforts,
mapping  out  the  steps  that  are  essential  to  promote  change  and  avoiding the assumption
that technical activities by themselves can achieve high-level political objectives.
Evaluation of cooperation with eastern and southern Africa and the Indian Ocean (2008–2015)
EU regional support under EDF 10 and EDF 11 was aligned with and relevant to the formal regional
integration  agenda,  but  partners’  commitment  and  capacity  were  overestimated.  In  other  words,
this support underestimated the underlying assumptions and real incentives and interests affecting
the progress of regional integration in a complicated context with overlapping memberships of the
DMROs.  However,  weaknesses  were  addressed  in  the  EDF 10  mid-term  review.  The  EDF 11
adjustments  and  approach  heeded  these  lessons  and,  generally,  headed  in  the  right  direction.  In
particular,  the  EDF 11  Regional  Indicative  Programme  recognised  the  need  for  a  strong  dual
regional/national approach and for a stronger private sector role.
In areas that go beyond the DMROs’ role of facilitating regional solutions and where the DMROs are
not  the  natural  partners,  applying  the  subsidiarity  principle (111)  and  entrusting  implementation  to
specialist regional organisations has been shown to be effective.
Evaluation of EU cooperation with Afghanistan (2007–2015)
Regarding  sectoral  EU  support,  the  evaluation  finds  that  in  the  agriculture  and  rural  development
and health sectors, institutional capacities and policy frameworks have been improved and this has
positively  affected  service  delivery.  This,  in  turn,  has  contributed  to  improving  people’s  lives  by
enhancing  agricultural  productivity  and  incomes,  reducing  maternal  and  child  mortality  rates  and
improving  local  governance.  However,  in  the  democratisation  and  accountability  and  policing  and
rule  of  law  sectors,  EU-funded  interventions  have  produced  mixed  results,  with  improvements
associated mainly with capacity development and service delivery projects in the areas of budgeting
and  public  sector  management.  The  impact  of  interventions  that  aimed  at  increasing  civic
engagement and citizen participation in the democratic process has been limited.
The evaluators also conclude that a general shortcoming at the programme level is that monitoring
has  been  mainly  output  oriented  with  less  attention  paid  to  tracking  and  verifying  outcomes  and
impacts.
Evaluation of EU cooperation with Azerbaijan (2011–2016)
EU  assistance  to  Azerbaijan  was  well  aligned  with  national  priorities  and  EU  policy  objectives  and
able to adjust to changes in external conditions. The growing emphasis placed by the government on

111 Article 5(2) of the TEU: ‘Under the principle of subsidiarity, in areas which do not fall within its exclusive competence, the Union shall act
only if and in so far as the objectives of the proposed action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, either at central level or
at regional and local level, but can rather, by reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action, be better achieved at Union level.’
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the need to diversify the economy was met with a larger proportional allocation to socioeconomic
development and human capital development.
On  the  other  hand,  the  effectiveness  of  EU  assistance  initiatives  was  moderately  satisfactory.  In
certain  cases  (namely,  actions  implemented via  CSOs)  the  reduced  space  for civil  society  activities
played  a  significant  role.  In  general,  performance  was  better  in  the  case  of  actions  pursuing
objectives  with  a  high  ‘technical’  content  (e.g.  the  improvement  of  certain  procedures,  the
development of new tools), whereas initiatives with high-level policy and political implications (e.g.
the promotion of renewables) sometimes met with resistance and performed less well. Nonetheless,
the EU should continue providing support to CSOs, which remain essential partners in the pursuit of
strengthening democracy and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Evaluation of EU budget support in Cambodia (2011–2016)
Budget  support  was  found  to  help  reforms  progress,  but  this  was  mostly  when  reforms  were  also
government priorities. Progress on many education reforms only occurred or accelerated after 2013,
when a new minister was appointed and education became an explicit government policy. Similarly,
the evaluation found that the EU-led Capacity Development Partnership Fund was pivotal in moving
governance  reforms  forward,  but  only  if  these  reforms  were  also  driven  by  the  government.
However,  even  when  reforms  were  a  priority  for  the  government,  this  was  no  guarantee  that
progress  would  be  fast  or steady.  Regardless, this  progress  would  have  been even  slower without
the EU budget support programmes.
Budget support also contributed to more effective aid delivery by signalling that country systems can
be used and by anchoring the sector partnership and dialogue.
4.2.
Aid delivery modalities
4.2.1.  Budget support, PFM
Budget support remained an important instrument in the architecture of European external action;
in  2018  it  was  used  in  91  countries  or  territories  and  represented  about  35–40 %  of  EU  bilateral
ODA.
SRBCs  have  been  a  valuable  instrument  in  stabilising  post-conflict  and  fragile  situations.  They
continue  to  be  implemented  in  countries  like  Afghanistan,  Central  African  Republic  and  Gambia.
More than any other type of contract, SRBCs aim to support partner countries’ vital state functions
in delivering basic services to populations, thus contributing to addressing the causes of fragility and
to promoting stability and state building. The new SDG contracts, introduced by the updated budget
support  guidelines  in  2017,  have  started  taking  shape  in  countries  like  Ghana  and  Senegal.  The
largest sectors for the sector reform performance contracts are agriculture, education, energy and
health.  The  revised  budget  support  guidelines  also  led  to  a  simplification  of  processes,  notably
through more targeted reporting in the disbursement dossiers.
In  2018,  a  total  of  EUR 1.83  billion  was  newly  committed  and  EUR 1.67  billion  was  paid  through
budget  support.  Sector  reform  performance  contracts  remain  the  most  used  contracts  (73 %),
followed by SRBCs (17 %) and SDG contracts (10 %).
The 2018 OECD DAC Peer Review recognises the EU global leadership in development and points to
its innovative use of budget support, encouraging ownership and inclusiveness in partner countries.
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EU  budget  support  was  thus  seen  as  fostering  development  effectiveness.  The  OECD DAC  Peer
Review highlighted the innovativeness of the SRBCs in particular.
Example from budget support: Somalia
A  roadmap  and  an  SRBC  were  negotiated  with  Somalia  and  signed  in  mid-October  2018.  The  risks  in  this
country were recognised, but so too were the opportunities created by the tangible progress made by the
current  administration  in  the  implementation  of  a  security  and  economic  reform  agenda  and  a  more
inclusive  approach  to  politics.  PFM,  including  DRM,  have  been  areas  of  progress  since  2017,  in  particular
concerning  improvement  of  institutional  capacity  and  less  constrained  financing.  From  the  security
perspective,  the  SRBC  comes  at  a  crucial  time  of  planned  transition  from  the  AU  Mission  in  Somalia  to
Somali  security  forces.  The  SRBC  is  expected  to  support  the  reform  process,  create  a  comprehensive
platform  for  a  dialogue,  strengthen  intergovernmental  relations  and  reinforce  national  institutions  and
service delivery.

In 2018, a study on indicators used to define performance in budget support covered the 213 budget
support  programmes  started  between  January  2014  and  December  2017.  Besides  technical
conclusions, the  study also pinpointed features for further analysis. For example, the fact that,  on
average, only 70 % of variable tranches are disbursed seems to indicate the incentive nature of these
disbursements.  It  is  also  noteworthy  that  the  thematic  analysis  of  the  indicators  shows  a  clear
preponderance of SDG 16 (which includes PFM), SDG 2 (zero hunger) and SDG 4 (quality education).
Gender-responsive budgeting is gaining momentum as a way to address gender inequalities. As part
of the EU GAP II, gender analysis is systematically promoted through budget support operations and
support  to  PFM  reform  programmes.  In  2018,  dedicated  internal  analyses  and  studies  were
conducted  along  with  webinars  and  targeted  training;  there  were  also  public  debates  during  the
2018 European Development Days (EDDs). Additional guidance and training are being developed to
further encourage actions that reduce the gender gap and promote social justice.
In the enlargement and the eastern Neighbourhood regions, budget support has a strong emphasis
on  PARs,  which  is  starting  to  transform  the  national  legislative  and  regulatory  frameworks,  and
provide  guidance  and  better  quality  assurance  processes  for  more  streamlined  strategic  planning,
coordination,  monitoring  and  human  resources  management  across  administrations.  This
strengthens  the  conditions  for  budget  support  operations  in  general  and  effectively  embeds  the
sector reform performance contracts within the overall process for modernising public services.
Globally, EU budget support contributes to improving PFM systems – especially in relation to SDG 16
–  and,  more  specifically,  in  the  relevant  sector(s)  and  SDG(s)  covered  by  each  budget  support
programme.
The objectives of reforming PFM systems are to improve fiscal effectiveness and strategic allocation
of resources in line with policy objectives as well as to promote accountability and greater efficiency
in services delivery, particularly in the context of scarce resources. The EU has strengthened relevant
and  credible  PFM reform programmes with structured  and open  dialogue.  In  this  process,  partner
countries have  been  systematically accompanied by capacity-building measures. As an example, in
the  enlargement  countries,  the  ‘Strengthening  economic  governance  and  public  financial
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management’  programme  (EUR 8  million)  has  been  instrumental  in  improving  capacity  building  in
budget planning, public investment, medium-term expenditure frameworks, fiscal risks and DRM.
PFM  reforms  have  been  informed  by  a  number  of  assessments.  By  December  2018,  598  Public
Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) assessments had been conducted in more than 150
countries,  many  of  them  (co-)financed  by  the  EU.  For  the  period  2017–2021,  the  EU  contributed
EUR 5 million to the work of the PEFA Secretariat.
In  Cameroon,  as  the  EU  was  re-engaging  through  budget  support,  the  PEFA  provided  evidence  of
progress  since  2008  and  identified  some  ‘quick  wins’  (i.e.  visible  developments  with  immediate
benefits delivered shortly after projects began).
In  Togo,  the  combination  of  a  PEFA,  public  investment  management  and  debt  management
performance  assessment  was  instrumental  in  bringing  together  distinct  reform  processes  and
related support programmes from the EU, the IMF, the World Bank and the AfDB.
In Niger, the PEFA was used to draw up a new reform action plan and to revive  dialogue with the
authorities and among the various development partners, drawing lessons from the progress made
and issues pending since the previous assessment.
Between  2016  and  2018,  16  PIM  assessments  were  conducted  worldwide,  and  the  reports  have
been  used  as  the  basis  for  prioritised  and  sequenced  reform  action  plans  for  public  investment
systems.  In  2018,  the  Commission  provided  EUR 2  million  to  the  multi-contributor  Global
Procurement  Partnership,  administered  through  the  World  Bank,  to  improve  public  procurement
practices and governance. Notably, the partnership fund will support the Methodology for Assessing
Procurement  Systems,  providing  a  common  tool  for  analysing  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  of
public procurement systems. In the enlargement and Neighbourhood countries, pieces of legislation
are  being  aligned  with  EU  public  procurement  rules.  All  countries  in  the  Western  Balkans  were
assessed against the Principles of Public Administration in the area of public procurement.
The  Commission  is  cooperating  closely  with  the  IMF  through  the  Public  Finance  Management
Partnership  Programme  (PFM-PP),  contributing  EUR 5  million  in  2018.  The  programme  focuses  on
providing  support  to  fragile  and  low-income  countries,  with  an  emphasis  on  public  investment
management and fiscal risk management.
Within  the  Strategic  Partnership  Framework  with  the  IMF,  the  Commission  co-organised  and
supported the sixth Africa Fiscal Forum in Lusaka, Zambia, on 8–9 February 2018. Under the heading
‘Fiscal  policy  in  an  evolving  world’,  the  forum  brought  together  senior  officials  from  African
ministries of finance  to engage  on topical issues  related to DRM and efficient spending to achieve
the  SDGs,  with  a  focus  on  debt  sustainability.  The  annual  Africa  Fiscal  Forum  has  evolved  into  a
much-appreciated peer-learning network for common fiscal challenges.
The European Commission’s activities in the field of DRM and with respect to debt management are
more specifically highlighted in SDG 17.
4.2.2.  Using EU grants strategically via blending, including the European EIP
Demand for development funding has been increasing, not only to meet the SDGs but also to finance
capital-intensive  projects  (such  as  those  related  to  infrastructure),  to  spur  sustainable  growth  and
create  decent  jobs  through  support  to  SMEs  and  to  assist  partner  countries  in  climate  change
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adaptation  and  mitigation  measures.  In  many  partner  countries,  investors  –  public  or  private  –
cannot  access  such  funding  through  financial  markets  at  the  needed  scale  and  cost,  partly  due  to
market  failures  (e.g.  when  one  party  has  more  or  better  information  than  the  other,  or  costs  are
incurred by a party which did not choose to incur it), which often cause a gap between private and
social returns. Public support can bridge this gap and make projects happen. Partner countries are
also now looking at more complex projects – often multi-component and sometimes multi-sector –
that  contribute  to  poverty  alleviation,  are  sustainable  and  frequently  involve  the  use  of  frontier
technology. Such projects require tailored innovative financing instruments.
Blending  uses  limited  amounts  of  public  grants  to  mobilise  financing  from  partner  financial
institutions,  like  international  development  banks  and  the  private  sector,  for  projects  that  will  do
most to help countries develop. The strategic use of a limited grant element can result in projects
with low financial return but a high economic (i.e. societal) return. Blending projects aim to achieve
sustainable growth and reduce poverty.
The  EU  Blending  Framework  comprises  seven  regional  blending  facilities  (AIP (112),  NIP,  LAIF,  IFCA,
AIF,  CIF  and  IFP)  and  covers  all  regions  of  EU  external  cooperation.  From  the  creation  of  the  first
blending facilities in 2007, almost EUR 6 billion of EU grants have leveraged around EUR 48.5 billion
of loans by financial institutions and regional development banks for a total investment volume of
more  than  EUR 82.5  billion.  The  amounts  approved  in  2018  and  the  sectoral  breakdown  are
presented in Table 3 and Figure 5.

Table 3. EU contribution approved in 2018 (million EUR)
2018
NIP
315.7
AIP
372.3
ITF
18.2
LAIF
36.7
Thematic
198.6
IFCA
12.5
AIF
43.4
CIF
2.1
IFP
19.7
Total
1 019.2


112 AIP, replacing AITF.
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Figure 5. Sector breakdown for 2018 approvals

In addition, new thematic initiatives – ElectriFI and the Agricultural Finance Initiative (AgriFI) – have
been set up to catalyse private resources via risk sharing between the public and the private sectors.
Almost EUR 500 million has already been allocated to these initiatives.
In collaboration with the  private sector and development financiers,  ElectriFI  is a tool designed to
support  investments  that  provide  reliable,  affordable  and  sustainable  energy  services  to  people
living in underserved rural areas and/or areas with an unreliable power supply. The emphasis will be
on  decentralised  sustainable  energy  solutions,  but  grid-connected  projects  will  not  be  excluded.
Based on its international reputation, the initiative has received financial contributions from Power
Africa and Sweden, and Italy also wants to participate. Several partner countries have made requests
to  channel  some  of  their  bilateral  NIP/Regional  Indicative  Programme  funding  to  the  initiative,
thereby  creating  ElectriFI  ‘windows’.  First  movers  have  been  Benin,  Côte  d’Ivoire,  Nigeria  and
Zambia and the Pacific region for a total of EUR 93 million.
AgriFI  aims  to  increase  investment  in  smallholder  agriculture  and  agribusiness  MSMEs  to  achieve
inclusive and sustainable agricultural growth. A central feature of AgriFI is that the provision of EU
support will mobilise additional public and private investment, in particular through the provision of
risk capital, guarantees or other risk-sharing mechanisms. EU support will contribute to de-risking an
investment or to closing a financing gap.
Backed  up  by  technical  capacity  to  support  the  development  and  enhancement  of  business
development  and advisory services, AgriFI responds to a lack of suitable financing mechanisms for
farmers  and  agri-entrepreneurs,  particularly  MSMEs.  AgriFI  also  supports  the  design  and
implementation of value chain monitoring frameworks to assess the sustainability of particular value
chains  and  inform  investment  decisions  (using  the  VCA4D  tool).  Risk  capital  was  provided  for  the
Agri-Business  Capital  ABC  Fund  (with  IFAD)  in  2018,  in  addition  to  funding  already  agreed  in  late
2017  for  the  AgriFI  facility  (with  FMO)  and  the  African  Agriculture  Trade  and  Investment  Fund
(German development bank KfW).
These two initiatives aim to enhance private sector engagement with a focus on blending.
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4.3.
Improving ways of working
4.3.1.  Simplification of procedures
The  Commission’s  proposals  for  simplification  made  at  the  revision  of  the  Budget  Financial
Regulation  and  the  11th  EDF  Financial  Regulation  (11th  EDF FR)  were  adopted  in  the  new  Budget
Financial Regulation of 18 July 2018 and the new 11th EDF FR of 26 November 2018.
The  simplifications  have  been  applied  to  contractual  procedures  for  procurement,  grants  and
indirect management with partner organisations.
The new, simpler contractual framework relies more on partners’ existing rules and procedures and
builds on extended pillar assessments to determine whether protection of EU financial interests  is
equivalent.
For procurements and grants,  the Practical Guide  for European Union External Actions (PRAG) has
been revised and consolidates previous simplifications and recommendations for improvement.
Within the proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework, the Commission proposed that
most external financing instruments, including the 11th EDF, should in future be replaced by a single
instrument, the NDICI, designed to cover all external actions except those with a distinct legal basis.
The result is laid down in the Commission’s NDICI and Nuclear Safety proposal.
4.3.1.1. Indirect management
The  new Financial Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/1046) provides a number of simplifications to
facilitate better cooperation with partner organisations. From now on, the same set of contractual
provisions will apply in all cases where actions are implemented by pillar-assessed organisations (in
particular international organisations and Member State organisations) as there is no longer a need
to distinguish between direct and indirect management.
A  template  contribution  agreement  has  been  drafted,  replacing  the  current  ‘Pagoda’  templates.
Also, in line with the new Financial Regulation, the use of simplified cost options will be promoted.
For this purpose, a standardised assessment procedure is being developed to ensure coherent and
reliable application. Furthermore,  results-based financing has been introduced as an alternative  to
focusing solely on costs incurred.
The existing framework agreements with partner organisations will be updated in line with the new
Financial Regulation while looking for more opportunities for cross-reliance on audits.
4.3.1.2. Grants and procurement
The 2018 PRAG entered into force on 2 August 2018, the same date as the new Financial Regulation.
While  the  2018  PRAG  is  closely  related  to  the  new  Financial  Regulation,  it  introduces  other
important  innovations  and  accommodates  recommendations  for  improvement  from  the  EU
Ombudsman and several services within the Commission (Internal Audit Service, DEVCO, NEAR and
Foreign Policy Instruments).
The 2018 PRAG incorporates guidance regarding the promotion of good tax governance and contains
an update of the ethical clauses, introducing a clause on zero tolerance for sexual harassment and
exploitation accompanied by a reporting obligation for contractors and grant beneficiaries.
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4.4.
Communication, transparency and learning
4.4.1.  Communication
Communicating  the  results  and  achievements  of  EU  development  programmes  and  projects  and
raising awareness of the tangible difference they make to the lives of millions worldwide is crucial.
Throughout 2018, Commission services extended communication and outreach efforts to strengthen
EU  accountability  to  citizens,  increase  participation  at  the  leading  stakeholder  EDDs  and  develop
social media channels through engaging campaigns.
The 12th edition of the  EDDs took  place on 5–6 June  2018 in Brussels and was devoted to gender
equality and women’s empowerment. Almost 9 000 participants attended, representing the largest
attendance recorded and an increase of 12 % compared to the previous edition. Eight web-streamed
Kapuscinski Development Lectures were organised, as well as important events and activities at the
External  Cooperation  Information  Point  in  Brussels,  ensuring  great  audience  exposure  to
development policies.
A major highlight in 2018 was the launch of the EU–UN Spotlight Initiative regional programme for
Latin  America  during  the  UN  General  Assembly  week  in  September.  Thanks  to  an  effective  media
strategy  and  cooperation  with  the  UN,  an  online  audience  of  around  675  million  readers  was
reached.
A  dedicated  communication  network  was  created  in  2018  to  ensure  a  stronger  and  more  active
outreach to EU Member States. The digital platform ‘DIVA’ became fully operational in April, and in
late May an event promoting gender (SDG 5) was staged simultaneously. The resulting social media
video campaign was displayed more than 1.5 million times.
Innovation  in  Commission  services’  online  communication  continued  throughout  2018.  More  than
40 videos were produced, and social media channels include a particularly active Instagram account.
Four ‘Faces2Hearts’ bloggers toured Commission service projects around the world from January to
May, contributing to one of the most successful campaigns ever with 35 million people reached and
5 million people actively engaged. Commission services also increased live  coverage  of events and
offered more live chats than ever before (10 in 2018 versus 3 in 2017).
In  addition,  Commission  representation  at  the  39th  Rimini  Meeting  for  Friendship  among  Peoples
ensured high-level participation in one of the biggest popular public festivals in Italy.
Communicating the objectives and results of the European Neighbourhood and enlargement policies
continued to be a priority. The Commission worked closely with the EEAS Strategic Communication
Task Forces and the EU delegations/offices in the regions to improve its strategic communication on
these  policies.  Target  audiences  are  the  wider  public,  through  traditional  media  and  social  media
channels,  as  well  as  stakeholder  communities,  young  people  and  media  representatives  through
dedicated events, study visits and press trips. Communication activities were addressed at audiences
both  in  the  partner  regions  and  in  the  EU.  Information  on  the  EU  and  EU  assistance  in  individual
partner countries was increasingly based on thematic or country-specific campaigns to reinforce the
EU visibility and EU branding of its projects and outreach activities.
A number of major events were organised, such as: the EU–Western Balkans Media Days with over
300  media  professionals  participating;  joint  seminars  with  think  tanks  to  reach  out  to  stakeholder
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audiences; and a TAIEX seminar on strategic communication, which provided a platform to exchange
know-how  between  national  administrations  of  the  EU  Member  States  and  government
communicators  from  the  Western  Balkans.  Several  press  trips  were  organised  to  countries  in  the
region  and  journalists  from  there  were  invited  on  press  trips  to  Brussels.  With  regard  to  the
Neighbourhood  South  and  East,  activities  focused  on  the  implementation  of  the  two  regional
communication  programmes  through  joint  events,  the  Young  European  Ambassadors  scheme,
production of audiovisual material, social media campaigns, etc. This complements the activities to
address disinformation and misperceptions of the EU with positive messages and success stories of
people who benefited from EU assistance.
4.4.2.  Transparency
The Commission is firmly committed to aid transparency in line with the new European Consensus
on Development in which the EU and its Member States reaffirm their commitment to applying the
key  principles  of  development  effectiveness.  The  Commission  has  continued  to  improve  the
accountability  and  openness  of  aid  through  publishing  timely,  comprehensive  and  forward-looking
data  in  line  with  the  International  Aid  Transparency  Initiative  (IATI)  standard  and  the  OECD DAC
Creditor Reporting System (CRS) and Forward Spending Survey.
The Commission remains an active member of IATI. Data are published at least on a monthly basis;
an inter-service working group meets regularly to discuss and coordinate publication, and this group
has taken several measures to increase the quality and comprehensiveness of published data. These
include an upgrade to the 2.02 version of the IATI standard, increased coherence between the OECD
CRS and IATI reporting and publication of EUTF data, forward-looking data and results data. In the
2018  Aid  Transparency  Index,  all  Commission  services  assessed  fell  within  the  ‘good’  category  for
contributors. The  Commission has also been active  in raising awareness and promoting use of the
published data.
The Commission continues to advocate the benefits of IATI with Member States. A new version of
the  transparency  portal,  EU  Aid  Explorer,  has  been  developed  to  visualise  EU  aid  data.  The  new
version improves the user experience, achieves better coherence of data among EU institutions and
Member States and, therefore, increases the use of and applications for EU aid data.
4.4.3.  Learning
In  April  2018,  the  DEVCO  Academy  –  the  Commission’s  first  online  learning  platform  publicly
accessible  for  the  entire  development  community  –  was  officially  launched.  The  Academy
encompasses  e-learning  courses,  videos,  webinars  and  documents  to  enhance  public  and
professional  development  education  and  to  promote  standardised  development  cooperation
approaches and measures. The DEVCO Academy caters to a vast audience, including representatives
of  NGOs,  international  organisations,  donors,  stakeholders,  development  agencies,  digitalisation
experts,  universities,  Member  States,  and  youth  and  civil  society  interested  in  online  learning
opportunities and development cooperation.
Since  its  official  launch,  DEVCO  Academy  has  generated  more  than  400 000  site  visits  and  counts
more  than  5 000  enrolled  users  from  160  countries  on  all  continents.  In  2018,  DEVCO  Academy
hosted over 175 learning resources, of which more than 110 were interactive e-learning courses on
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relevant topics, such as on gender equality, human rights, democracy, resilience and sustainable
development.
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