The programs are meant to support social and economic development in the regions on both sides of the EU’s external borders, EC said in a statement Friday.
“Cross-border cooperation plays a key role in avoiding the creation of new dividing lines. This new funding will further contribute to a more integrated and sustainable regional development in the neighboring border regions and to a more harmonious territorial cooperation on EU’s external borders.” said Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.
The participating countries have selected up to four priorities for each of the programs, such as SME development, culture, environment and climate change, fight against poverty, education and research, energy, accessibility, border management.
The new package will finance projects in 27 countries: Armenia, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Russia in the east; Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia; EU Member States (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden) as well as Norway and Turkey.
The funding comes under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI).