The Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) concerns the programming period 2021-2027. The European Commission introduced this instrument together with the new EU multiannual financial framework.

IPA III is introduced with adoption of the Regulation on Establishing the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance and the Regulation on Implementing Rules and Principles for IPA III[1] by the European Union, and is coherent to other funds, programmes and instruments of the Union, primarily the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument. IPA III is organized into 5 windows. Each window is comprised of several thematic priorities, as follows:

Window 1: Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights and Democracy Window 2: Good Governance, Acquis Alignment, Good Neighbourly Relations and Strategic Communication
  • Judiciary;
  • Fight against corruption;
  • Fight against organized crime;
  • Migration and border management;
  • Fundamental rights;
  • Democracy;
  • Civil society.
  • Good governance;
  • Administrative capacity and acquis alignment;
  • Good neighbourly relations and reconciliation;
  • Strategic communication, monitoring, evaluation and audit.
Window 3: Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity Window 4: Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth
  • Environment and climate change;
  • Transport, digital economy and energy.

 
  • Education, employment, social protection and inclusion policies, and health;
  • Private sector development, trade, research and innovation;
  • Agriculture and rural development;
  • Fisheries.
Window 5: Territorial and Cross-Border Cooperation
This window is comprised of a separate list of thematic priorities given in Annex 2 to the IPA III Regulation.[2] Modalities for implementation of this component include:

  • cross-border cooperation with IPA countries;
  • participation in micro region strategies.

TABLE 1: IPA III windows and thematic priorities

IPA III does not include specific financial allocations per beneficiary country. Actually, countries will have to compete for the total of 14.162 billion euros available on the basis of their capacity and project proposals. However, IPA III introduces the principle of fair share in order to ensure certain balance and proportionality in distribution of IPA III funds among beneficiary countries.

IPA III programming is pursued in two stages.

  • Relevance assessment. In this stage, the country develops summary action fishes with elaboration of proposed projects. The European Commission assesses these fishes in terms of their relevance.
  • Maturity assessment. This stage implies development of action documents, but only for projects that have passed the relevance assessment, followed by detailed elaboration.

CHART. IPA III programming cycle

In the second half of 2020, under coordination from the Secretariat for European Affairs, sector working groups developed and presented the European Commission with 22 action fishes, of which 10 for the year 2021 and 12 for the year 2022.

2021 Action Fishes
Indicative title of the action Indicative budget Co-financing ratio
EU MK
1.    EU for Efficient Judiciary and Enhanced Prevention of Corruption

2.    Civil Society Facility

3.    EU for Modern Administration

4.   EU for Good Governance

5.    EU Integration Facility

6.   EU for Environmental Standards

7.    EU for Clean Air

8.   EU for Prespa

9.   Preparation of European Transport Corridors Projects

10. EU for Green Growth

 10 million euros

3 million euros

10 million euros

9 million euros

5 million euros

12 million euros

14 million euros

23.7 million euros

9.5 million euros

27.5 million euros

 85%

/

100%

89%

100%

83%

86%

76%

100%

73%

 15%

/

0%

11%

0%

17%

14%

24%

0%

27%
2022 Action Fiches
Indicative title of the action  Indicative budget Co-financing ratio
EU MK
1.    Private Sector Development[3]

2.    EU in Support of the Fight against Organized Crime

3.    EU for Improved Border Management, Migration and Asylum Policy

4.   Civil Society Facility

5.    EU Integration Facility

6.   Union Programmes

7.    EU for Modern Waste Water Systems

8.   EU for Safe Roads

9.   EU for Quality Employment and Equal Opportunities

10. EU for Health

11.  EU for Trade Facilitation

12.  EU for Development of Agriculture

 9.2 million euros

5.2 million euros

7.8 million euros

3 million euros

10 million euros

15.4 million euros

53 million euros

20 million euros

6.6 million euros

5.9 million euros

8.1 million euros

6 million euros

 87%

88%

90%

/

100%

50%

50%

50%

91%

85%

72%

83%

 13%

12%

10%

/

0%

50%

50%

50%

9%

15%

28%

17%

TABLE 2. 2021 and 2022 action fiches for IPA III

Find the newest documents regarding IPA III:

[1] Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) COM/2018/465 final.
[2] COM/2018/465
[3] Sector fiche with remaining funds under Component I from IPA I for the years 2012 and 2013.