ЕКСТЕРНИ ПРОГРАМИ ПОМОЋИ ЕВРОПСКЕ УНИЈЕ

Divac-Šarić Ana (Институт „Михајло Пупин“, Београд), ana.saric@pupin.rs

All programmes of the European Union consist of various activities with the main goal to stimulate cooperation both within the EU, and between the member states and candidate countries, by serving as a political tool aimed at resolving issues of common interest within a certain period of time. There are three types of those programmes: structure funds and Cohesion fund, direct programmes of the EU, as well as external assistance programmes. The most important of all external assistance programmes are the Instruments for Pre-accession Assistance offered by the EU to candidates and potential candidates for EU membership. For the countries of the Western Balkans and, therefore, for the Republic of Serbia as well, these instruments were made available during the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003. Their undeniable importance is specifically evident in the process of harmonization with the EU laws and standards, as well as in comprehensive development of the Republic of Serbia, both before and during the opening of chapters in accession negotiations.

Кључне речи: IPA, instrument for pre-accession assistance, external assistance programmes, candidate countries, programmes of EU, Serbia, and EU