On 20th February 2008 Pierre Mirel, Director for Western Balkans in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Enlargement and Nikola Špirić, Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers signed IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance) Framework Agreement in Sarajevo. The Commission has allocated 440 M€ of support to BiH in its transition from a potential candidate country to a candidate country for the period 2007-2011 under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).
On the occasion of signing of the IPA Framework Agreement, Mr Mirel outlined that signing of this agreement is a proof that the EU would continuously provide financial assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mr Mirel expressed his satisfaction over the recent adoption of the pre-accession strategy recently by BH Council of Ministers which became a part of the official EU integration process in BiH.
Mr Mirel underlined that since the end of the war EU invested 1.9 billion € in BiH for reconstruction, state building, refugee return and for undertaking important reforms. Having in mind that within IPA process EU will provide 500 million € for the period of 2007-2011, Mr Mirel concluded: “We believe that this is clear sign and demonstration of EU confidence and future support of BiH. I hope that this Assistance will help your country to achieve the goals and needed reforms.”
In his address Chairmen of BH Council of Ministers Nikola Špirić expressed his satisfaction with the fact that BiH became eligible for IPA funds and added: «I am assured that, if we accelerate Euro-Integration process that the European Commission funds will be more generous. Therefore, it is up to us in BiH to do whatever it takes to achieve sound results.” Talking about needed optimism to support BH integration process, he concluded that “without concrete results there will be no optimism from Brussels. That is why I hope that the news from BiH will be better on a daily basis.”
About IPA
The IPA is the key tool of the Commission’s pre-accession assistance strategy. IPA will help transition countries meet the Accession Criteria (fulfil the political, economic and acquis-related criteria for membership, building up their administrative and judicial capacity) and prepare for the programming, management and implementation of EU Cohesion, Structural and Rural development Funds after accession. IPA is designed with five components to provide for targeted and effective assistance for each country according to its needs and evolution. These five components are: transition assistance and institution building; cross-border cooperation; regional development; human resources development; and rural development. Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently eligible for assistance to transition assistance and institution building and cross-border cooperation. Once the country has obtained the status of a candidate country the access to the other three components will be in principle opened to it.
The Framework Agreement (FwA) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Commission of the European Communities is an important step in the implementation of the Commission’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). It sets out the rules for co-operation between the Commission and the beneficiary country.
In particular, the Agreement lays down the provisions concerning the legal, administrative and technical framework for the implementation of the EU assistance. It also defines the operating structures that Bosnia and Herzegovina has to create to benefit from the entire Instrument, including Components III-V.
The assistance under IPA can only be granted, after the FwA has been concluded and entered into force. The FwA shall apply to all the IPA components and all projects funded by EU in a given country. Following the establishment of the FwA, in order to access the funds allocated under the IPA annual programmes, Bosnia and Herzegovina will also have to conclude the Financing Agreements on a yearly basis which provide more specific conditions for the delivery of the Community Assistance.
