Brussels, 27/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - Iceland and Montenegro will very shortly benefit from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) after the European Commission submitted its proposal to the European Parliament and Council on Wednesday 20 July. This move follows on from the European Council decisions of 17 June and 16-17 December 2010 granting applicant country status to Iceland and Montenegro respectively. In its proposal for the amendment of Regulation (CE) No 1085/2006 establishing the IPA, the Commission recommends transferring Iceland and Montenegro from the list of potential candidate countries to the list of candidate countries.
The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance offers assistance to countries engaged in the accession process to the European Union for the period 2007-2013. The aim of the IPA is, therefore, to enhance the efficiency and coherence of aid by means of a single framework in order to strengthen institutional capacity, cross-border cooperation, economic and social development and rural development. Pre-accession assistance supports the stabilisation and association process of candidate countries and potential candidate countries while respecting their specific features and the processes in which they are engaged. (O.L./transl.rt)