Overview
The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) is the European Union’s primary financial mechanism supporting candidate and potential candidate countries in their accession process. Since 2007, IPA has provided Serbia with significant funding to facilitate political, economic, and institutional reforms, enhance administrative capacities, and align with EU standards. The IPA framework has evolved through three financial periods, each adapting to the changing needs of Serbia’s EU integration process:
IPA I (2007-2013)
IPA I was structured into five key components, focusing on:
- Transition Assistance and Institution Building
- Cross-Border Cooperation
- Regional Development
- Human Resources Development
- Rural Development
Serbia, as a potential candidate at the time, had access to the first two components, with eligibility expanding as its EU status progressed.
IPA II (2014-2020)
With a more strategic sectoral approach, IPA II focused on the following policy areas:
- Reforms in preparation for Union membership and related institution and capacity building
- Socio-economic and regional development
- Employment, social policies, education, promotion of gender equality, and human resources development
- Agriculture and rural development
- Regional and territorial cooperation
IPA III (2021-2027)
Building upon the foundations of IPA I and II, the current IPA III (2021-2027) framework continues to support Serbia’s EU integration process. The general objective of IPA III is to support beneficiaries in implementing political, institutional, economic, and social reforms necessary for their alignment with EU values and rules and for achieving EU membership. Additionally, the regulation proposal includes a list of specific objectives grouped into five categories (so-called Windows):
- Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights, and Democracy
- Good Governance, Alignment with the EU Acquis, Strategic Communication, and Good Neighbourly Relations
- Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity
- Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth
- Territorial and Cross-Border Cooperation
