EU EnlargementPre-accession instruments

During the period 2000-2006 financial assistance from the EU to the candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe will be provided through the three main pre-accession instruments, PHARE, ISPA and SAPARD. The 10 candidate countries eligible for the pre-accession aid are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia (pre-accession assistance to Cyprus, Malta and Turkey is provided through different pre-accession instruments). The total amount available to all applicant countries from CEE is EUR 21.8 billion or a little over EUR 3 billion per year, half of which is allocated to Phare.

PHARE is the main channel of support of the EU to countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Its support is concentrated in two areas of adoption of the acquis; Investment Support and Institutional Building. Approximately 30% of Phare funds are used for institutional building.

ISPA (Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession) i...