REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Annual Report on the Implementation of the European Union's Instruments for Financing External Actions in 2016
Date: 2018-03-12
Institutions: Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, European Commission
Subjects: EU financial instrument, EU migration policy, climate change policy, conflict prevention, development aid, humanitarian aid, international cooperation, international security, peacekeeping, the EU's international role

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 12.3.2018 COM(2018) 123 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Annual Report on the Implementation of the European Union's Instruments for Financing External Actions in 2016  {SWD(2018) 64 final}  
 
 
1.  Global commitments 

In  2016,  the  European  Union  started  engaging  in  discussions  about  the  Future  of  Europe,  the 
implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable  Development  and 
its  17  Sustainable 
Development Goals (SDGs) agreed at the UN General Assembly in 2015, and it also laid out a Global 
Strategy for the EU's Foreign and Security Policy (Global Strategy). 

During 2016, the EU and its Member States remained the world's largest provider of development 
funding,  contributing  more  than  half  of  official  development  assistance  (ODA)  globally.  The 
European Commission alone disbursed  over EUR 10.3 billion in ODA on behalf of the EU with the 
aim  of  reducing  poverty  in  the  world,  ensuring  sustainable  economic,  social  and  environmental 
development,  and  promoting  democracy,  the  rule  of  law,  good  governance  and  the  respect  of 
human rights. 

In  response  to  the  many  human-made  and  natural  disasters  that  took  place  in  2016,  the  EU's 
humanitarian  aid  budget  in  2016  was  the  highest  ever,  at  EUR  2.3  billion  (including  EDF 
reinforcements) providing relief assistance including food, shelter, protection, healthcare and clean 
water to more than 120 million people in over 80 countries.  

Global Strategy for the EU's Foreign and Security Policy (Global Strategy)  

The  2016  Global  Strategy  aims  to  create  a  “Shared  Vision"  and  "Common  Action”  for  a  "stronger 
Europe".1 The strategy sets out core EU interests and principles, and provides a road map for a more 
credible, responsible and responsive EU in the world, which will guide EU actions for many years to 
come. The objectives of EU external action and the vision of the 2030 Agenda are fully consistent, 
and the SDGs will be a cross-cutting dimension for the implementation of the EU's Global Strategy. 

In  line  with  this  strategy,  the  EU  in  2016  focused  on  its  five  priority  policy  areas:  investing  in  the 
resilience  of  states  and  societies  to  the  East  and  South  of  Europe  and  providing  an  integrated 
the 
approach 
internal/external  policy  nexus,  with  special  attention  to  migration;  updating  existing  or  preparing 
new regional and thematic strategies; and stepping up public diplomacy efforts. 

to  conflicts  and  crises;  strengthening  security  and  defence;  reinforcing 

A Stronger Global Actor 

The EU works continuously for a peaceful world and has led and supported negotiations to reduce 
tensions  around  the  world.  In  2016  these  included  the  start  of  the  implementation  of  the  historic 
international  agreement  on  Iran’s  nuclear  programme  and  the  peace  agreement  between  the 
Government and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) movement in Colombia.  

Throughout the year, the EU also continued to play a leading role in international efforts addressing 
crises  in  Ukraine  and  working  with  its  international  partners  to  provide  support  in  Syria,  Iraq  and 
Libya against the activities of Da'esh. 
The Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP)2 is one of the instruments through which 
the EU can fulfil its role as a "Stronger Global Actor" by increasing the efficiency and coherence of 
the  Union's  actions  in  the  areas  of  crisis  response,  conflict  prevention,  peace-building  and  crisis 
preparedness, and in addressing global and trans-regional threats. 

Crisis response actions allow an immediate reaction to unforeseen events; a key asset to enable the 
EU  to  quickly  establish  political  projects  that  can  help  with  sensitive  diplomatic  processes  and 
conflict situations, and to create new avenues for dialogue and conflict resolution.  

This  Instrument  also  caters  for  the  need  to  provide  support  for  building  and  strengthening  the 
capacity of civil society and other organisations involved in peace-building.  

1 http://eeas.europa.eu/archives/docs/top_stories/pdf/eugs_review_web.pdf  
2 http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/fpi/documents/140311_icsp_reg_230_2014_en.pdf  

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The  EU  further  increased  third  countries'  resilience  and  preparedness  to  protect  their  strategic 
assets  when  threatened  by  a  range  of  potential  hybrid  attacks  from  terrorism  to  organised  crime 
and  Chemical,  Biological,  Radioactive  and  Nuclear  (CBRN)  risk  mitigation,  as  shown  by  the  Joint 
Communication on Countering Hybrid Threats3. 

New Consensus on Development  

In  September  2015,  the  international  community  responded  to  arising  new  trends  and  global 
challenges by adopting the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals4.   

In  response  to  this,  the  European  Commission  presented  in  2016  a  proposal  for  a  new  European 
Consensus  on  Development5,  which  aligns  EU  development  policy  with  the  2030  Agenda  while 
taking due account of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. 
The new European Consensus on Development, signed in June 2017, after trilateral discussions with 
the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council,  provides  a  shared  vision  and  framework  for  action  for 
development cooperation for the European Union and its Member States.   

It promotes a coherent approach to people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership (the "five Ps" 
of  the  2030  Agenda).  Poverty  eradication  remains  the  primary  objective,  while  integrating 
comprehensively  the  social,  economic  and  environmental  dimensions  of  sustainable  development. 
The  Consensus  on  Development  reaffirms  the  EU's  commitment  to  Policy  Coherence  for 
Development (PCD), which requires taking into account the objectives of development cooperation 
in  policies  which  are  likely  to  affect  developing  countries,  as  an  important  contribution  for  the 
achievement of the SDGs in partner countries. 

Post-Cotonou 

The current Cotonou Partnership Agreement between the EU and 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific 
(ACP) countries will expire in 2020. The agreement has been the largest, most comprehensive and 
longest-lasting  geographical  partnership  in  the  world.    It  has  helped  to  reduce  poverty,  increase 
stability and integrate the ACP countries into the global economy. 

Following  wide  consultation,  the  2016  Joint  Communication  "A  renewed  partnership  with  the 
countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific"6, set out the building blocks required to create a 
stronger,  renewed  political  partnership  with  the  ACP  countries  based  on  a  true  partnership  of 
equals and finding common solutions to common concerns. 

Gender 

Since its foundation, the EU has been committed to gender equality and women's and  girls’ rights 
and empowerment. The Gender Action Plan in External Relations 2016-20207 sets out an ambitious 
framework  for  action  to  support  inclusion  of  gender  perspectives  in  all  EU  programme  designs, 
policy  and  political  dialogues  with  partner  countries,  and  in  international  negotiations,  and  to 
strengthen  partnerships  with  all  relevant  stakeholders.  It  covers  four  main  pillars:  ensuring  the 
physical  and  psychological  integrity  of  girls  and  women,  including  through  fighting  all  forms  of 
violence  and  harmful  practices;  economic  and  social  empowerment;  strengthening  women’s  voice 
and participation; and shifting institutional culture.  

3 JOIN(2016) 18 final, 6.4.2016 
4 Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Resolution adopted by the UN 
General Assembly on 25 September 2015 (UNGA A/RES/70/1) 
5 Final text: OJ 2017/C 210/01, 30 June 2017 
6 JOIN(2016) 52 final, 22.11.2016 
7 SWD(2015) 182 final, 21.9.2015; Council conclusions 13183/15, 26.10.2015 

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In 2016 the groundwork for delivery was set up such as national analysis studies. 

Mainstreaming gender issues in Zambia 

Development cooperation with Zambia, specifically through the European Development Fund (EDF) 
portfolio,  demonstrates  good  practice  in  strengthening  gender  mainstreaming,  with  consistent 
attention to gender equality across the different programmes and activities. For example, attention 
to  women  traders  in  the  agriculture  sector,  a  focus  on  gender  issues  in  governance,  and  the 
integration of gender issues in the policy dialogue.  

Sustainable Energy and Climate Change 

The EU flagship initiative the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA+) updated its strategy to reflect 
the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the 2030 Agenda and organised a global learning event 
in  Brussels  in  September  attracting  over  250  participants  from  45  countries.  The  GCCA+  approved 
seven new  country actions in 2016, continuing its support to  the most vulnerable countries (Small 
Island  Developing  States  (SIDS)  and  least  developed  countries  (LDCs)).  In  total,  contributions  from 
the  EU  and  its  member  states  to  support  developing  countries  in  reducing  their  greenhouse  gas 
emissions  and  coping  with  the  impacts  of  climate  change  stood  at  EUR  20.2billion  in  2016  (out  of 
which EUR 2.7 billion from the EU budget and the European Development Fund, and EUR 1.9 billion 
from the European Investment Bank).8 
Under  the  Partnership  Instrument9,  the  EU  continued to  adopt  new  climate  actions  with  strategic 
partners  such as  China,  Brazil,  Mexico  and  South Korea.  These  actions  underpin the leading global 
role  of  the  EU  in  addressing  climate  change  and  supporting  the  transition  towards  low  carbon 
economies. 

Farmer field schools in Malawi 
To  tackle  climate  change  in  Malawi  and  promote  a  resilient  agriculture,  the  GCCA+  developed  the 
Farmer  Field  Schools  to  enhance  sustainable  agriculture.  Using  the  ‘learning  by  doing’  approach 
farmers  have  learnt  to  enhance  and  diversify  their  productivity;  reduced  land  degradation,  and 
integrated  social  activities  to  ensure  cohesion.  The  project  benefits  43  000  vulnerable  people  in  7 
200 households across four districts. 

The  European  Commission  is  working  to  improve  access  to  reliable  and  sustainable  sources  of 
energy  as  a  “green”  engine  for  growth.  Through  commitments  made  in  2016,  the  European 
Commission aims to improve access to energy for 40 million people globally (30 million in Africa), 
increase renewable energies by six and a half gigawatts (GW) globally and five GW in Africa, and save 
15 million tonnes globally (11 tonnes in Africa) of carbon dioxide emissions annually by 2020.  

Human Rights and Good Governance 

In 2016 the EU undertook human rights dialogues and consultations with 43 partner countries and 
regional  groupings  and  continued  supporting  human  rights  civil  society  organisations  and  human 
rights defenders. 

A  new  multi-sector  approach  was  introduced  to  fight  corruption.  This  will  further  strengthen 
connexions  across  a  wide  array  of  sectors  (justice,  public  administration  reform,  security  sector 
reform, improvement of the business environment and customs reform) and actors exercising some 

8 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/10/17/climate-finance-eu/  
9 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32014R0234  

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form  of  oversight  and  control  function  (civil  society,  media,  whistle-blowers,  Supreme  Audit 
Institutions, and Parliaments).  

Good governance in Benin 

International,  the  Good  Governance  and 
Based  on  recommendations  by  Transparency 
Development Contract for Benin launched by the European Commission in 2016 brings under one 
roof  support  to  Public  Financial  Management  (PFM),  justice  and  the  private  sector  to  help 
improve Benin's overall integrity mechanisms. 

Supporting  partner  countries  in  their  transformation  of  security  systems  is  a  key  element  for 
improving  governance.  Upholding  fundamental  freedoms  and  assessing  in  a  participatory  way  the 
security needs of different groups,  including the most vulnerable, are among the key objectives of 
the new EU-wide strategic framework to support Security Sector Reform (SSR)10.  

Financing for development 

In addition  to  sound policies,  major  investments  will  be needed to  meet  the SDGs,  in particular  in 
developing countries.  ODA in the form of grants remains essential, but must be complemented with 
other  tools  and  sources  of  finance  such  as  domestic  resource  mobilisation  or  private  investments. 
The implementation of the innovative action agenda agreed upon in 2015 at the Third International 
Conference  on  Financing  for  Development  in  Addis  Ababa11  that  addresses  all  sources  of  finance, 
and  covers  cooperation  on  a  range  of  issues  including  technology,  science,  innovation,  trade  and 
capacity building was taken forward in 2016. 
The  proposed  European External  Investment  Plan  (EIP)12  is  a  clear  illustration  of  the  EU’s  strong 
commitment to deliver on this agenda. The EIP enacts the agenda's new philosophy on broad means 
of implementation to achieve the SDGs. The new European Fund for Sustainable Development will 
be  the  EU's  main  tool  to  attract  private  and  public  investments  to  poor  and  fragile  countries.  It 
represents  a  new  integrated  way  of  working  with  the  EU’s  partner  countries,  Member  States, 
international  financial  institutions,  other  donors  and  the  private  sector  to  improve  investment  in 
Africa  and  the  EU  Neighbourhood  to  promote  decent  job  creation,  sustainable  development  and 
tackle the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement.  

10 JOIN(2016) 31 final, 5.7.2016 
11 https://www.un.org/esa/ffd/ffd3/ 
12 Commission Communication COM(2016) 581final; http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-
3006_en.htm 

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2.  Global impact  

Migration and mobility 

In 2016, the EU stepped up efforts to deliver on its commitments on migration and mobility in line 
with the 2015 European Agenda on Migration13. The European Commission services responded to 
the  immediate  situations  created  by  large-scale  influx  of  refugees  and  migrants,  while  also 
addressing the root causes of migration. Tackling the longer-term challenges – and opportunities – 
of migration and forced displacement is an integral part of the EU’s integrated development policy 
and cooperation.  

To address the challenges brought about by rising numbers of migrants and refugees, risking their 
lives to reach Europe,  the EU  took a series of measures. Following the EU-Turkey Statement of 18 
March 201614 and the effective closure of the Western Balkans route, migrant crossings and lives lost 
were significantly reduced. Despite those efforts, 2016 saw the greatest loss of lives so far in terms 
of migrants and refugees en route to Europe, with deaths on the Central Mediterranean route from 
Libya  rising  rapidly.  The  EU  increased  its  support  and  dialogue  with  all  stakeholders  active  on 
migration issues in Libya, with a view to improving the management of migration flows. 
The new results-oriented Partnership Framework15 was launched in June 2016, establishing a new 
EU approach on migration by reinforcing cooperation with its priority partner countries. Combining 
immediate  and  longer-term  measures,  the  framework  aims  to  save  lives,  combat  smuggling  and 
trafficking, and address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement.  

In  April  2016,  the  European  Commission  published  its  Communication  "Lives  in  Dignity:  from  Aid-
dependence  to  Self-reliance;  Forced  Displacement  and  Development"16,  reinforcing  the  EU's 
development-oriented  approach  on  forced  displacement.  This  policy  framework,  which  includes 
support  to  both  displaced  populations  and  host  communities,  represented  an  important  EU 
contribution  to  the  World  Humanitarian  Summit  that  took  place  in  May  2016  and  guides  the  EU’s 
financial assistance on forced displacement. 

In terms of financial assistance, and due to the rapidly evolving migration situation described above, 
the  EU  funding  was  quickly  mobilised,  including  the  EUR  3  billion  contribution  by  the  EU  and  its 
Member  States  coordinated  through  the  EU  Facility  for  Refugees  in  Turkey17,  and  the  EU  Regional 
Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis18. At the end of 2016, two EU Compacts with Jordan and 
Lebanon were also set-up, helping to provide education and employment for those displaced due to 
the Syrian crisis in their host communities. 

Better Migration Management Programme  
The Better Migration Management (BMM) Programme under the Horn of Africa window of the EU 
Trust Fund for Africa aims at better management of migration at the regional level. This is achieved 
through  capacity  building  programmes  and  the  provision of  equipment  to  government  institutions 
engaged  in  the  Khartoum  Process  (a  continuous  dialogue  for  enhanced  cooperation  on  migration 
and mobility). Support is provided to help generate and use statistical data on migration, investigate, 
prosecute and bring to trial cases of trafficking and smuggling, or to improve border management. 
Assistance is also provided to develop policies on trafficking and smuggling, ensure the protection of 

13 COM(2015) 240 final, 13.5.2015  
14 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/18-eu-turkey-statement/   
15 COM(2016) 385 final, 7.6.2016 
16 COM(2016) 234 final, 26.4.2016 
17 Commission Decision C(2015)9500  
18 Commission Decision C(2014)9614  

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victims, and raise awareness of the perils of irregular migration, as well as options for legal migration 
and mobility.  

Established  in  November  2015,  the EU  Emergency  Trust  Fund  for  stability  and  addressing  root 
causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa19 provides a new implementing tool to 
tackle the root causes of irregular migration. It allows the EU to be more coordinated, flexible and 
responsive to the real needs on the ground than ever before. In its first full year of operation, the 
Trust Fund for Africa enabled the approval of over 100 projects for over EUR 1.5 billion. 

Security and Development nexus 

The  EU’s  Instrument  contributing  to  Stability  and  Peace  (IcSP)  addresses  security  related  crisis 
response  needs  as  a  prerequisite  for  development  cooperation.  Actions  financed  under  the  IcSP 
promote  security  through  support  to  mediation,  peacebuilding,  immediate  delivery  of  peace 
dividends, combatting arms-trafficking, support to the security sector, and other related actions. 

In July 2016, an amendment to the IcSP was proposed to allow the EU to extend its assistance under 
IcSP  to  include  the  financing  of  capacity  building  for  security  and  development  (CBSD)  with  an 
increased  focus  on  the  security-development  nexus  in  the  design  of  its  programmes.20  The 
amendment  would  allow  the  EU  to  provide  training  and  mentoring,  non-lethal  equipment  and 
infrastructure improvements,  and  support,  under  exceptional  circumstances,  to  the  military  actors 
of partner countries in the context of a wider security sector reform process or capacity building in 
support of development and security for development. This is in line with the overarching objective 
of sustainable development and where there is a consensus between the European Union and the 
partner  country  concerned  that  this  approach  is  essential  for  preserving  or  re-establishing  the 
conditions  necessary  for  sustainable  development,  including  in  crises  and  fragile  and  destabilised 
contexts.  

Humanitarian aid and Development nexus 

The EU attaches great importance to the link between humanitarian aid, required as an immediate 
response  to  crisis  situations,  and  more  medium  and 
 The 
humanitarian aid-development nexus is complex and requires increased coordination. 

long-term  development  action. 

The  common  humanitarian  aid-development  agenda  has  long  been  referred  to  as Linking  Relief, 
Rehabilitation and Development (LRRD) and represents a major aim of international assistance.  The 
need to further invest in this approach was reaffirmed in the Council Conclusions of 12 May 2016 on 
the World Humanitarian Summit21. 

For  example,  to  address  the  challenge  of  the  post  Da’esh  stabilisation  in  Iraq  there  needs  to  be  a 
swift  coordinated  response.  For  this  reason,  the  European  Commission  has  coordinated 
humanitarian  and  development  actions  to  take  long  term  development  into  consideration  early  in 
the process and the European Commission services have jointly prepared a Comprehensive Plan of 
Action  integrating  all  activities  and  plans  in  a  LRRD  concept,  with  the  intention  of  further  close 
programming with Member States and other like-minded donors.   

19 Commission Decision C(2015)7293  
20 COM(2016)447 final/2 5.7.2016 
21 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/fac/2016/05/12/  

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3.  Accountability and results 

The European Commission regularly monitors and reports on the results of EU-funded actions across 
the world by means of the EU International Cooperation and Development Results Framework. 

The following  are  a  selection  of  global  results  attributable  to  EU-funded projects  and  programmes 
that ended between mid-2015 and mid-2016. 

EU action – Key Results in 2016 

Good Governance 

923  000  people  benefited  directly  from  legal  aid  programmes,  central  to  ensuring  equality  before 
the law by providing the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial. 

Conflict Prevention, Peace Building and Security 

314 000 people benefited directly from programmes that specifically aimed to support civilian post-
conflict peace building and/or conflict prevention. 

Sustainable Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition 

1  118  000  people  received  rural  advisory  services  to  add  value  to  their  produce  and  improve  the 
links between farmers and markets. 
Energy22 

1 103 000 people were provided with access to sustainable energy services. 

Education 

84 000 teachers were trained, providing a foundation for future learning and skills. 

Health 
165 000 000 insecticide-treated bed nets were distributed, to prevent the spread of malaria.23 

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change 

12  694  000  hectares  of  protected  areas  were  managed,  to  help  ensure  biological  diversity  and  to 
preserve natural heritage. 

Transport 

4  100  km  of  roads  were  constructed,  rehabilitated  or  maintained  to  provide  better  access  to 
transportation, particularly for the most disadvantaged groups. 

Employment and Social Protection 

198  000  people  benefited  from  Vocational  and  Educational  Training  (VET)/skills  development  and 
other  active  labour  market  programmes  intended  to  improve  employability,  productivity  and 
competitiveness in partner countries. 

Trade and Private Sector Development 

13 000 firms gained access to credit, to help them avoid risks and make investments. 

22 Does not include results from blending investments 
23 The EU ongoing support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria contributed to these results. 

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4.  Global reach 

In Africa 

In April 2016, the African Union Commission and European Commission met in Addis Ababa to 
discuss priority areas of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES)24 including migration, peace, security and 
sustainable growth.  

Strengthening  this  strategic  Africa-EU  Partnership  was  a  key  political  and  cooperation  priority  in 
2016 and the EU continued its efforts to boost sustainable and inclusive growth across Africa. The 
Joint Communication "A renewed partnership with the countries of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific"25 
outlined a vision that aims to transform the partnership into a stronger alliance that can effectively 
contribute  to  building  peaceful,  stable,  prosperous  and  resilient  states  and  societies  across  the 
continent. 

EU  cooperation  with  Africa  in  the  area  of  peace  and  security  significantly  increased  in  2016  with 
substantial  support  provided  under  the  African  Peace  Facility  (APF)  to  reinforce  the  African  Peace 
and  Security  Architecture  and  to  finance  African-led  Peace  Support  Operations,  such  as  the 
Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram (MNJTF). 

MIKES combat poaching 

The  Minimising  the  Illegal  Killing  of  Elephants  and  other 
Endangered Species (MIKES) project aims to generate reliable 
and 
impartial  data  on  the  status  and  threats  to  key 
endangered  species  in  Africa,  the  Caribbean  and  the  Pacific, 
help  improve  law  enforcement  to  combat  wildlife  poaching 
and  trafficking,  and  establish  an  emergency  response  system 
for sudden increases in illegal killing and trade.  

Photo credit: APN Michael Lorentz 

EU Trust Fund for Africa in Action: The Sahel and Lake Chad 
By the end of 2016, 65 projects amounting to EUR 918.5 million had been approved under the Sahel 
and Lake Chad window of the EU Trust Fund for Africa covering important countries of origin and 
transit  for  migration  including  Mali,  Niger,  Nigeria  and  Senegal.  Projects  include  enhancing  the 
resilience  of  the  most  vulnerable  groups  in  the  countries  of  origin,  fostering  youth  employment, 
private sector development and entrepreneurship, supporting the work of civil society in combating 
radicalisation,  as  well  as  food  and  nutrition  security,  health  and  education  services,  and  social 
protection.  

In the Enlargement region 

The European Commission continued  to implement its medium-term enlargement strategy, as set 
out  in  the  Communication  on  EU  Enlargement  policy  adopted  in  November  201626.  Strong  focus 
remains  on  the  principle  of  "fundamentals  first"  in  the  accession  process  within  which  the  rule  of 
law,  fundamental  rights,  strengthening  democratic  institutions,  including  public  administration 
reform, as well as economic development and competitiveness are core issues. 

24 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/regions/africa/continental-cooperation/joint-africa-eu-strategy_en  
25 JOIN(2016) 52 final, 22.11.2016 
26 COM(2016) 715, 9.11.2016 

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In the European Neighbourhood 
2016  saw  the  roll-out  of  the  revised  European  Neighbourhood  Policy  (ENP)27.  The  ENP  puts 
stabilisation in the EU’s neighbouring countries as an important EU political priority. Over the past 
year, the EU has intensified its relations with ENP countries by launching negotiations on Partnership 
Priorities both in the East and in the South. Relations with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova were taken 
forward through the continued implementation of the respective Association Agreements.  In 2016, 
the European Union continued its policy dialogue with the Union for the Mediterranean to promote 
regional cooperation in the South. 

The EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis was established in December 2014 to 
enable a coherent and integrated EU aid response to the crisis. The fund’s initial geographical focus 
was  on  Syria's  neighbouring  countries:  Jordan,  Lebanon  and  Turkey,  but  was  expanded  to  Iraq  in 
2015, and to the Western Balkans as other non-EU countries affected by the refugee crisis. 

By  the  end  of  2016,  the  EU  Regional  Trust  Fund  in  Response  to  the  Syrian  Crisis  had  mobilised       
EUR 932  million  in  agreed  contributions,  of  which  EUR  815  million  was  from  the  EU  Budget,  with 
contributions from Member States amounting to EUR 92 million and EUR 24 million from Turkey. 

The  EU  Regional  Trust  Fund  in  Response  to  the  Syrian  Crisis  in  Action:  Health,  livelihoods  and 
capacity building 

A  EUR 53  million  flagship programme in five  countries  with the Red Cross/  Red  Crescent  (RCRC) is 
benefitting  at  least  700  000  refugees  in  Turkey,  Lebanon,  Northern  Iraq,  Jordan  and  Egypt,  with 
targeted projects on livelihoods, health and capacity-building. 

In Asia, Central Asia and the Pacific 

In  2016,  the  Global  Strategy  gave  a  further  boost  to  the  EU’s  engagement  with  Asia.  The  Global 
Strategy recognises Europe's historical ties with Asia and the direct  connection between European 
prosperity  and  Asian  security.  Deepening  EU-Asia  security  cooperation,  including  on  counter-
terrorism, and improving EU-Asia connectivity are priority areas. 

The  EU  continued  its  efforts  to  increase  engagement  with  major  non-EU  providers  of  assistance 
against  the  backdrop  of  the  UN  2030  Agenda  and  during  2016  strategic  partnerships  were 
strengthened through successful summits with India, China and Japan.  

The  EU  sustained  support  to  state-building  and  reconciliation  in  Asia,  such  as  in  Afghanistan, 
Myanmar  and  Nepal.  The  EU  hosted  the  very  successful  Brussels  Conference  on  Afghanistan  in 
October 2016, with pledges of more than EUR 13 billion made. 

Combatting the effects of El Niño 

During 2016, almost EUR 550 million was provided to people suffering the devastating consequences 
of  the extreme  El Niño  weather  event in  that  year.  As  well as  addressing  the  immediate threat of 
hunger and drought, the funding also took measures to strengthen long-term resilience and increase 
food security.  

In Latin America and the Caribbean 

27 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1334_en.htm 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
In 2016 a peace agreement between the Colombian Government and the FARC put an end to the 
longest-ever internal conflict in the world's history. During 50 years of violence over 200 000 people 
have died and over five million more have been forced to flee their homes. 

The EU played a key role in brokering the agreement and in December a new European Trust Fund 
for Colombia was initiated, involving a record 19 Member States28. Building on previous successful 
Trust  Fund  models,  this  initiative  allows  for  the  pooling  of  resources,  expertise  and  actions,  and 
enables more targeted, coordinated and responsive actions to support the peace process and give 
new hope to the people of Colombia. 

Alternative Development in Peru 

In Peru, the Alternative Development Programme in Satipo (DAS) is a bilateral programme financed 
by the EU and the Peruvian Government in the Peruvian Amazon to help reduce poverty, promote 
social integration and prevent the illegal production of coca leaves. The programme supports local 
producers  to  cultivate  alternative  products,  such  as  coffee  and  cocoa,  and  has  already  facilitated 
their access to national and international markets, improving income levels.  This is complemented 
by a programme to allocate land titles, benefitting future generations of agricultural entrepreneurs.  

28 Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, 
Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, and Slovenia 

10