Multiannual Indicative Programme

[Lajuana Paling]

Programmingis the process through which the EU defines its medium and long-term international cooperation priorities. Global Europe programming started in November 2020 and was concluded in December 2021 following the adoption by the European Commission of country, regional, ERASMUS+ and thematic multi-annual indicative programmes (MIPs).

The EU has defined its priority areas and specific objectives for the period 2021-2027 with each partner country and region. This inclusive process is achieved through dialogue with partner countries, EU Member States, civil society organisations, women and youth organisations, local authorities, private sector, the UN and other donors and key stakeholders. MIPs also contain indicative financial allocations as well as results and indicators (with baseline and targets) to measure EU intervention effectiveness.

All country and regional MIPs for Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific and the Americas and the Caribbean, adopted by the European Commission are public documents and can be consulted below. Finally ERASMUS+ MIP and thematic MIPs financed by Global Europe are also made available below.

(*) Key achievements in the table state which period they relate to. Many come from the implementation of the predecessor programmes under the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework. This is expected and is due to the multiannual life cycle of EU programmes and the projects they finance, where results often follow only after completion of the programmes.

The programme groups together several EU budget instruments from the 20142020 multiannual financial framework , including the Development Cooperation Instrument and the European Neighbourhood Instrument. In addition, sub-Saharan African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries formerly covered under the off-budget European Development Fund are now also covered by the EU budget. Having such a comprehensive instrument allows the EU to carry out better, more coordinated external action and to deliver better results. The transition between the 2014-2020 and the 2021-2027 EFIs and the aspects mentioned above will be analysed as part of the Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) of NDICI-Global Europe and the other EFIs, to be adopted in the first semester 2024. This MTE will address the efficiency, effectiveness, impact, sustainability and the continued relevance of the objectives of the Instrument, as well as the added value of integrating previously separated instruments into a streamlined instrument.

* Top-ups pursuant to Article 5 of the multiannual financial framework regulation are excluded from financial programming in this comparison. Financial programming excludes macrofinancial assistance loans provisioning.

In 2023, NDICI-GE implementation was in full speed, with a good level of implementation of the geographic and thematic multiannual indicative programmes (MIPs) and the signature of the first guarantee agreements under the EFSD+ open architecture scheme. The implementation of Team Europe Initiatives moved forward in 2023, with 166 Team Europe Initiatives either finalising their design or having started their implementation.

The Mid-Term Review of the programming was formally launched in June 2023. Services assessed the level of implementation of their respective MIPs (including achievement of the different targets), the geopolitical context and impact of recent crises, with a focus on potential for new Global Gateway initiatives.

In 2023, the European Commission continued working with partner countries to tackle climate change, contributing to mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk reduction via the development and implementation of Team Europe Initiatives as part of the implementation of the Global Gateway, by increasing our contribution to the Global Methane Pledge and to Global Climate Funds, as well as continuing to assist partner countries in implementing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The year 2023 was also marked by the decision taken at the COP28 UN Climate Conference on the operationalisation of Funding Arrangements including a fund to address loss and damage resulting from climate change impacts in vulnerable developing countries, to which the EC has pledged contributions. Finally, 2023 was marked by the first UN conference on water since 1977, featuring the launch of an ambitious Action Agenda to which the EU significantly contributed.

Energy transition remains a priority for the EU, as is securing access to key critical raw materials for the energy transition. In 2023, the Commission played an important role in convincing partner countries to join the global pledge on renewable energy and energy efficiency, endorsed during COP28 by 120 countries. Moreover, the Commission continued to support partner countries in promoting renewable energy, including renewable hydrogen, the development of transmission and distribution grids and energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy, as well as participating in the Just Energy Transition Partnerships. Developing renewable energy sources, including renewable hydrogen, is a triple win for energy security and for decarbonisation of economies for the benefit of our planet, as well as developing competitive and clean industries and markets contributing to growth and jobs, for mutual benefits for the EU and its partner countries.

Critical raw materials are essential for the deployment of the technologies that enable the green and digital transitions. The Commission was directly involved in the discussions around the external dimension of the Critical Raw Materials Act expected to be adopted in 2024. Securing sustainable supply of raw materials, renewable hydrogen and batteries will be decisive to develop the resilience of industries in partner countries. Strategic partnerships on raw materials value chains were concluded with Argentina, Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Greenland and Zambia, in addition to Canada, Kazakhstan, Namibia and Ukraine.

In 2023, 27 new Global Gateway Flagships in human development have been approved, and education and skills are an important feature of most GG Flagships. At the same time, gender equality continues to be mainstreamed across GG flagships. 2023 also marked the launch of the Global Gateway CSO/Local Authorities Platform.

Following through with the Global Health Strategy adopted a the end of 2022, several initiatives in the field of health were adopted including on global pandemic preparedness through the Pandemic Fund, Africa regional TEIs with a focus on Manufacturing and Vaccines (MAV+), strengthening health systems and health security through a One Health approach and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights actions.

The increasing number of politically estranged contexts and countries further reinforces the case for implementing a robust humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus approach, and supporting the realisation of Nexus Collaborative Frameworks, based on joint analyses of conflict and the root causes of fragility and crises, while embracing a multi-dimensional and integrated approach tailored to the individual context of each country. In this regard, the Commission has supported a stronger and more focused approach to conflict-sensitivity, as prescribed by Article 12(2)(b) of the NDICI-Global Europe regulation, through the implementation of conflict analyses and the EU conflict Early Warning system for fragile and conflict affected countries, as well as conflict sensitivity assessments for specific programmes with partner countries.

In 2023, the Commission strongly contributed to ensure that the overall NDICI-Global Europe spending target on migration was met in 2023 through migration and forced displacement actions launched at national, regional and global level. At a global level, the Commission contributed to the successful International Conference on a Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling, hosted by the Commission President. The Commission pledged at the 2nd Global Forum on Refugees, including through the launch of new global actions aimed at improving the data and evidence on internal displacement. In the framework of the EU Presidency of the platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), the Commission has contributed to better protecting people displaced across borders and internally in the context of disasters and climate change.

In 2023, the Inequality-Marker was launched and used for the first time, allowing an enhanced understanding, tracking, and benchmarking of the impact of action supported across all sectors in relation to inequalities, including in the midterm review of the MIPs. Likewise, the thematic flagship programme linking social protection and public finance management was finalized feeding into the new generation of social protection programmes. Additionally, flagship initiatives contracted under the NDICI Civil Society Thematic Programme in 2023 include the EU System for Enabling Environment (EU SEE) and the New Financial Framework Partnership Agreements with Global CSO networks. The Commission also launched a regional initiative in Asia to manage opportunities and risks related to labour rights and protection in the context of the megatrends affecting the Future of Work (climate change, demography, digital transition, shifting in societal attitudes).

Migration remains high on the political agenda of the EU, its Member States and partner countries in the in the North of Africa. While the EU Trust Fund for Africa cannot make new funding available, through its ongoing operations it remains an important tool in supporting partner countries on legal migration and labour mobility, border management and the fight against trafficking of human beings and smuggling of migrants as well as protection and social cohesion. In 2023, EUR 318 million were committed under the regional Annual Action Plan covering the North of Africa with a focus on voluntary returns to countries of origin, strengthening the capacities of Egypt and Tunisia in border management, fighting trafficking and smuggling networks as well as ensuring protection of migrants and social cohesion across the region. Increasing instability in the Sahel region and the continued impact of the war in Ukraine to name just a few factors, pressure on migratory routes and for migration management in partner countries are likely to increase. In this context, the Commission will continue providing support under a comprehensive approach to migration.

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