EU adopts Annual Programme for Kosovo

Summary: April 25, 2003: European Commission adopts Annual Programme for Kosovo (Brussels)

The European Commission has adopted its Annual Programme for Kosovo. In 2003, within the Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation (CARDS) Programme, a total of € 53 million will be spent in assisting Kosovo to provide humanitarian emergency assistance, to finance and manage sustainable reconstruction by revitalising economic activity, institution building and social development. Since 1991, the European Union has been the largest assistance donor to the Western Balkans.

Kosovo - Priorities Within The Programme In 2003 (€ 53 million):

Economic Reconstruction, regeneration and reform (€ 30 million)

Support for coal production and power generation (€ 9 million)

Procure priority spare parts and equipment for the coal mines, the coal separation plants and the KEK maintenance and repair service centre so as to further support continued improvement in coal production, and thus potential power output.

Institutional support for environmental management (€ 4.5 million)

Improve environmental conditions in Kosovo through support for the development and implementation of key environmental legislation and effective water resource management.

Economic and other stabilisation initiatives for minority communities and return areas (€ 4 million)

Assist the integration of minority communities into mainstream economic development and improve the conditions for sustainable returns.

Institutional support to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (€ 2.5 million)

Support the development and implementation of policies, regulatory frameworks and pilot actions in a number of priority areas, including the development of an enabling environment for foreign and local investment, the economic development of disadvantaged geographical areas with high unemployment, and the development of suitable industrial space.

Installation of essential computerised operations and maintenance management systems within KEK (€ 2.5 million)

Introduce computer operated maintenance management systems in such areas as warehouse management, plant condition monitoring and outage planning.

Establishment of skills development programmes in KEK (€ 2.5 million)

Establish and develop within KEK's (Kosovo Electricity Corporation) Human Resource Division of a training department that has the institutional capacity, including training skills and infrastructure, to deliver quality training packages.

Advisory and support services for the rural economy (€ 2.2 million)

Support the development of the rural economy and improve food security through the strengthening of advisory support services to farmers and agri-business enterprises.

Further development of Kosovo's irrigation system (€ 2.2 million)

Support institutional capacity building measures for the effective management and sustainability of Kosovo's irrigation system, and thereby consolidate previous EC investments focused on rehabilitating the irrigation infrastructure.

Further support for seed regulatory services (€ 0.6 million)

The project will further build the regulatory, supervision and quality assurance capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and agriculture institutes to support the production, distribution and marketing of seed / planting materials to EU standards.

Good Governance and Institution Building (€ 12 million)

Institutional support to police & judiciary (€ 5 million)

Enhance the rule of law and tackle local and regional crime through support for the development of a modern Kosovo Police Service, particularly the border police element, and increasing the efficiency and capacity of court administration.

Support to the Assembly of Kosovo (€ 2 million)

Assist the Assembly to fulfil its constitutional mandate and effectively manage the legislative process in line with the acquis communautaire and best practice approaches.

Public administration reform support at the central level (€ 2 million)

Develop institutional capacity in public administration and finance functions within the Provisional Institution of Self Government and UNMIK, in such areas as legislative drafting, policy implementation and the transfer of responsibilities.

Technical Assistance in Customs and Taxation (€2 million)

Assist the managers of the customs and taxation services in the implementation of a long-term modernisation and development strategy, with the aim of achieving the cohesive management of the customs and taxation functions.

Support for decentralisation to the municipal level (€ 1 million)

Support the implementation of government policies at the municipal level, increase inter-municipal co-operation, and improve dialogue between the municipal and central levels through strengthening the administrative and resource capacity of the Association of Municipalities.

Social Development and Civil Society (€ 5 million)

Employment regeneration (€ 3 million)

Strengthen the Ministry of Labour & Social Welfare's institutional capacity to support the development and implementation of appropriate policies for an effective employment support service.

Tempus (€ 1 million)

The Tempus III programme will continue to develop joint inter-university projects and individual mobility.

Institutional support to Civil Society Organisations (€ 1 million)

Further build the institutional capacity of Civil Society Organisations to develop strategies, implement sustainable programmes, and create operational linkages with local government that aim to improve the socio-economic situation in Kosovo.

Other (€ 2 million)

General Technical Assistance Facility and Programme Reserve.

The Western Balkans - Background information

Since Kosovo came under UN administration in 1999 by UN Security Council Resolution 1244, the EU has been playing a prominent role in the reconstruction of Kosovo. The European Union 's presence in the country takes three major forms which are emergency assistance of the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), the European Agency for Reconstruction financing sustainable reconstruction and development programmes under the political guidance of the European Commission and the EU pillar of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), in which the EU helps revitalising economic activity in Kosovo.

In 1999, the European Union developed a framework policy for relations with the countries of the Western Balkans - the Stabilisation and Association process (SAP) - with the aim promoting stability in the region whilst facilitating closer association with the EU. The CARDS Programme supports the Balkan countries in this process. For the period 2000 - 2006, € 4.650 billion have been programmed to assist the five countries in progressing towards European Integration. The priorities and actions of the Annual CARDS Programmes are identified in the EC's 2002 - 2006 Strategy Papers for the region and reflect those areas in which the EU has a particular knowledge and comparative advantage as a donor and thus a particular contribution to make. Country Strategy Papers were introduced in 2001 as part of a wider programme of Commission reforms in the field of External Assistance. Their purpose is to improve the coherence of the policy toward third countries. CSPs and Annual Programmes are developed in collaboration with national governments, Member States, other donors, and where possible, with representatives of civil society.

Since 1991, the European Commission itself has committed a total € 6.1 billion of EC funding to Balkans, not counting bilateral contributions by EU Member States.

For more information please refer to:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/cards/index_en.htm

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/see/fry/kosovo/index.htm

http://www.ear.eu.int/

Ref: EC03-099EN
EU source: European Commission
UN forum:
Date: 25/4/2003

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