THE INSTRUMENT OF PRE­ACCESSION ASSISTANCE (IPA) OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 2007–2027

PEJOVIĆ Aleksandar Andrija (Nekadašnji ministar evropskih poslova, nacionalni koordinator za IPA i glavni pregovarač za pregovore sa EU Crne Gore), aleksandar.andrija@gmail.com

The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) has been used as the main framework for the EU financial assistance to candidates and potential candidates since 2007. Now, at the moment of preparation of the third financial perspective, which is to provide more financial means for the preparation for membership for the beneficiaries, it is necessary to consider the experience with the support that has been provided up to now within the enlargement policy of the EU. This paper provides an insight into the earliest pre-IPA programmes (PHARE, ISPA, SAPARD, OBNOVA, CARDS), and presents the reasons for the introduction of IPA, the proposed financial amounts, and the basic features of IPA through the previous, present and future financial perspectives. EU. The paper also points to the positive and negative experiences of using the financial support programmes available so far, as well as presents recommendations for the preparation and the best use of IPA III in the light of the fact that the enlargement process will take some time, therefore creating the need for the sustainable mid-term policies to be carefully thought about in the context of using the pre-accession support for the membership preparation as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Ključne reči: IPA, European Union, Western Balkans, pre-accession support, funds