Minister of European Integration and National IPA Coordinator Jadranka Joksimović has sent to the EU Delegation the initial package of project proposals nominated to be financed within the first two programme years, 2021 and 2022, from the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance – IPA III.
The Minister has specified that she has sent a framework list of projects that will be discussed with representatives of the EU Delegation and the European Commission.
According to her, special attention has been placed on projects related to regional connectivity, environment, healthcare, education, and digitisation, which should contribute to providing a better living environment.
“It is important that we have made timely and extensive inter-ministerial consultations and that we are ready to start the preparation for the following IPA III perspective,” emphasised Joksimović.
The aforementioned package is the result of an extensive and detailed process of consultations and cooperation among all ministries and other relevant state authorities, said Joksimović.
“These proposals represent a starting point in the process of defining priorities for support in the negotiation process and reforms in key areas such as the rule of law and public administration, experiences and results gathered during the implementation of the current IPA II instrument, and new challenges all countries in the world face, such as the coronavirus epidemic,” stated the Minister.
She has added that, bearing in mind the announced changes in the allocation of EU funds, which will no longer be based only on national allocations but also on the competitiveness of projects, special attention has been devoted to the selection of project proposals that have appropriate relevance and preparedness for realisation.
“I would like to recall that recently, after a long process of negotiations, EU member states have achieved an agreement regarding the EU budget and the special Recovery Fund (the so-called Next Generation) for the period 2021–2027, where EUR 12.5 billion (according to the 2018 prices) has been allocated for IPA III for all beneficiaries, i.e. the entire Western Balkan region, which represents an increase compared to the current financial perspective,” said Joksimović.
According to her, it is also expected that the EU will publish an economic and investment plan for the Western Balkans in autumn, which, together with IPA III, will create additional possibilities for tackling the effects of the pandemic and strengthening of the Serbian economy’s resilience and Serbia’s approximation to the EU, and for which Serbia has also prepared significant projects that have a regional component.
Source: Tanjug
