Global Europe — the EU Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2021/947 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument — Global Europe

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

The regulation sets up the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument — Global Europe (NDICI-Global Europe). It is designed to uphold and promote European Union (EU) values, principles and fundamental interests worldwide in order to pursue the objectives and principles of the EU’s external action, to give the EU the flexibility to respond more quickly to new crises and challenges, to increase the effectiveness and visibility of the EU’s external policies and to strengthen their coordination with internal policies. It aims to:

• contribute to the reduction and, in the long term, the eradication of poverty;
• consolidate, support and promote democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights;
• promote sustainable development and the fight against climate change;
• address irregular migration and forced displacement, including their root causes;
• contribute to the promotion of multilateralism and the achievement of the international commitments and objectives that the EU has agreed to, in particular the sustainable development goals (SDGs), the 2030 agenda and the Paris Agreement;
• promote stronger partnerships with non-EU countries, including with the European neighbourhood, based on mutual interests and ownership, with a view to fostering stabilisation, good governance and resilience.

KEY POINTS

Single instrument

The regulation creates a single instrument, bringing together 10 separate instruments from the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework (MFF) and the European Development Fund, which was previously outside the EU budget.

Objectives

The regulation has a number of specific objectives:

• to support and foster dialogue and cooperation with non-EU countries and regions in the European neighbourhood, in sub-Saharan Africa, in Asia and the Pacific, and in the Americas and the Caribbean;
• to develop special strengthened partnerships and enhanced political cooperation with the European neighbourhood;
• at global level:
  • to protect, promote and advance human rights, including gender equality and the protection of human rights defenders,
  • to support civil-society organisations,
  • to further stability and peace and prevent conflict, thereby contributing to the protection of civilians,
  • to address other global challenges such as climate change, the protection of biodiversity and the environment, and migration and mobility;
• to respond rapidly to:
  • situations of crisis, instability and conflict — including those which may result from migratory flows and forced displacement — and hybrid threats,
  • challenges to resilience, including natural and man-made disasters, and the linking of humanitarian aid and development action and the needs and priorities of the EU common foreign and security policy.

Structure

The instrument is organised around 3 pillars.

• Geographical — promoting partnerships through cooperation with partner countries and focusing on issues such as:
  • good governance;
  • inclusive growth;
  • climate and environment objectives;
  • poverty eradication; and
  • conflict prevention.
• Thematic — funding actions linked to the sustainable development goals at the global level and focusing on issues such as human rights and democracy, civil society, stability and peace, along with global challenges such as:
  • health;
  • education and training;
  • women and children;
  • culture;
  • migration; and
  • climate change.
• Rapid response.

Priorities

The instrument has a number of targets, including:

• having at least 93% of the expenditure under the Instrument fulfil the criteria for official development assistance, established by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD);
• focusing at least 20% of official development assistance expenditure on human development;
• dedicating 30% to fighting climate change;
• indicatively dedicating 10% to migration-related activities,
• ensuring that at least 85% of actions have gender equality as a principal or significant objective, of which at least 5% should have gender equality as a principal objective.

Investment framework

The instrument contains an investment framework, a basis for financing external action from the geographical pillar to raise additional funds for sustainable development from the public and private sector. It consists of:

• the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+); and
• the external action guarantee.

Budget

The financing of the instrument covers 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2027, the duration of the MFF. It has a budget of €79.462 billion, which is broken down as follows:

• geographical programmes: €60.388 billion
• thematic programmes: €6.358 billion
• rapid reaction operations: €3.182 billion

with an additional €9.534 cushion for emerging challenges and priorities.

Supplementing act

Regulation (EU) 2021/947 was supplemented by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1530 of 12 July 2021.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 January 2021.

BACKGROUND

• Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2021 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument — Global Europe, amending and repealing Decision No 466/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 and Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 480/2009 (OJ L 209, 14.6.2021, pp. 1-78)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2021/947 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

last update 02.08.2021