Tampere, 27/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has almost finalised the programming of its financial support under the “neighbourhood policy” (ENP) and is set to publish its detailed forecasts, most likely on Wednesday, in the form of a communication to the Council. The total announced, for the period 2007-2013, will be in the region of 12 billion EUR, to cover also the partner countries of the Mediterranean zone and the European East, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia Azerbaijan, Belarus and also Russia, although aid to the latter will be reduced by almost half. In fact, the figures already agreed upon concern only the programming period limited to 3 years (2007-2010). This programming is already at an advanced stage and missions have visited the countries covered by the new financial instrument and set in concert with the respective governments the areas of cooperation to be supported financially. For the next three years, the sum total programmed relates to 5.825 billion EUR, including 3.231 billion for the EuroMed zone and 1.392 billion for the Eastern European neighbours.
This way of sharing out the money will remedy the impression of an imbalance in favour of Eastern Europe, often highlighted by the Mediterranean partners. But progress compared to the previous financial exercise (MEDA, which is due to finish at the end of 2006) is considerable: 284% for Armenia, 261% extra for Moldova, 213% for Georgia, 163% for Belarus, 121% for Azerbaijan but 72% for Ukraine and 51% less for Russia. In the Mediterranean zone, the two largest increase percentages relate to Lebanon and Jordan (over 47% each), Morocco 14.1%, Egypt 6.5%; Algeria 2.5%, but Tunisia's share remains unchanged (just 0.4% increase) and figures are down considerably in the case of Syria (13.9% increase). For Palestine, the global figure forecast over three years will be 632 million EUR and Israel 8 million EUR. Even Libya, which is not a member of the Barcelona process or a signatory of the association agreement, will be reserved 8 million EUR, probably for actions in the field of immigration, and also to help to resolve the dispute relating to the infecting of children with AIDS, which has been blamed on Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor. The EU has offered to take on all costs occasioned to the families of the victims, even though it pleads the innocence of the suspects. Of these figures, the share reserved for Mediterranean regional cooperation will stand at 997.3 million EUR and 201.9 million for Eastern European cooperation. (fb)