REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 2022 Annual Report on the implementation of the European Union's External Action Instruments in 2021
Date: 2022-11-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for International Partnerships, European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, EU migration policy, climate change policy, common foreign and security policy, coronavirus disease, digitisation, epidemic, international cooperation, peacekeeping, sustainable development, the EU's international role

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 8.11.2022  COM(2022) 578 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 2022 Annual Report     on the implementation of the European Union's External Action Instruments   in 2021 {SWD(2022) 353 final}  
 
 
Table of Contents 
GLOBAL COMMITMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 2 

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 2 

EU: a strong global actor ..................................................................................................................... 3 

Fostering sustainable development .................................................................................................... 4 

Team Europe initiatives: responding to the COVID-19 global crisis ................................................... 4 

Global Gateway ................................................................................................................................... 5 

GLOBAL PRIORITIES ................................................................................................................................. 5 

Human development .......................................................................................................................... 5 

Green Deal .......................................................................................................................................... 6 

Digitalisation, science, technology and innovation ............................................................................ 7 

Sustainable growth and jobs ............................................................................................................... 7 

Migration ............................................................................................................................................ 8 

Governance, peace and security ......................................................................................................... 8 

GLOBAL REACH........................................................................................................................................ 9 

Sub-Saharan Africa .............................................................................................................................. 9 

Asia and the Pacific ............................................................................................................................. 9 

Americas and the Caribbean ............................................................................................................. 10 

European Neighbourhood ................................................................................................................ 10 

Enlargement ...................................................................................................................................... 11 

Overseas countries and territories (OCTs) ........................................................................................ 11 

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GLOBAL COMMITMENTS 

Introduction 

In  2021,  the  COVID-19  pandemic  continued  to  have  a  significant  impact  on  the  European  Union’s 
external  relations.  Through  a  ‘Team  Europe’  approach,  the  EU,  its  Member  States  and  European 
financial  institutions  helped  lead  the  global  fightback  against  COVID-19  including  sharing  over  380 
million  vaccine  doses  with  partner  countries.  This  united  EU  response  again  demonstrated  the 
adaptability, flexibility and power of its external action instruments, and the value of its international 
partnerships. 

This  report  outlines  key  elements  of  the  EU’s  financial  support  for  international  cooperation  and 
development, humanitarian aid, foreign policy and enlargement in 20211. 

2021 was a year of transition, as the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027 introduced a 
new Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI-
Global Europe)2, integrating most existing external financing instruments and endowed with an initial 
budget of EUR 79.5 billion.  

The EU continued to champion a long-term agenda aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals 
(SDGs). Using the ‘Team Europe’ approach, a portfolio of initiatives was developed to increase the 
impact and effectiveness of EU action to tackle pressing challenges such as growing global inequalities, 
the digital divide and the environmental emergency. 

In 2021, the  EU  strengthened  relations with  its bordering countries  and regions  and  reaffirmed  its 
support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans. The Commission started to implement 
a revised enlargement methodology, reflected in the Commission’s 2021 Enlargement Package3. 

The  European  Commission  and  the  High  Representative  also  adopted  a  new  Agenda  for  the 
Mediterranean4  to  renew  the  partnership  with  its  Southern  Neighbourhood  including  a  dedicated 
economic and investment plan to support long-term socio-economic recovery. 

The sixth Eastern Partnership Summit set out a shared vision for the future and endorsed a renewed 
agenda  focusing  on  recovery,  resilience  and  reform,  as  outlined  in  the  proposal  presented  by  the 
Commission and the High Representative in July 2021. 

On 15 April 2021, the EU and members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States 
(OACPS)  initialled  a  new  20-year  partnership  framework:  the  ‘post-Cotonou’  agreement.  In 
preparation for the 2022 Summit with the African Union (AU), the EU worked on strengthening and 
deepening cooperation with Africa.  

Following the takeover  by the  Taliban in Afghanistan, the  EU announced a support package worth 
EUR 1 billion  to  address  urgent  needs across the country and region.  During the  EU-India Leaders’ 
Meeting of 8 May 2021, the EU and India launched a comprehensive Connectivity Partnership. 

The EU also updated its Arctic policy. During the 2021 International Ocean Governance Forum, the EU 
presented recommendations on ocean sustainability. 

1 For details see the Staff Working Document accompanying this annual report Part I, Introduction. 
2 Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of 9 June 2021. 
3 2021 Enlargement package (europa.eu). 
4 JOIN(2021) 2 final of 9 February 2021. 

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In early 2021, the Commission proposed to further strengthen the EU’s global humanitarian impact5 
and expedite the delivery of humanitarian aid by supporting humanitarian partners, expanding the 
donor base and addressing the root causes of crises through a ‘Team Europe’ approach. 

The promotion and protection of peace in the world is a cornerstone of EU external action. The off-
budget European Peace Facility6, established in early 2021, aims to preserve peace, prevent conflicts 
and strengthen international security. 

The  EU  also  demonstrated  its  commitment  to  democratisation  and  human  rights  by  deploying  six 
election observation missions (The Gambia, Honduras, Iraq, Kosovo*, Venezuela, Zambia), as well as 
follow-up missions in more than ten countries.  

At the very end of the year, President von der Leyen launched the Global Gateway strategy7, a major 
investment programme anchored in the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement, to boost sustainable 
connectivity around the world. 

EU: a strong global actor 

The EU remains one of the few actors with a global presence and a comprehensive policy toolbox able 
to support our partners around the world. The EU and its Member States are committed to taking 
account  of  sustainable  development  objectives  in  all  external  policies  and  in  internal  policies  that 
affect partner countries. 

Trade policy is one of the tools through which the EU can exercise its role as a strong global actor while 
supporting its trading partners. Openness, sustainability, and assertiveness constitute the three pillars 
of EU trade strategy. The Trade Policy Review adopted in 20218 outlines how trade, in synergy with 
other policies, can support economic recovery while promoting the green and digital transition and a 
more sustainable and fairer globalisation. 

The EU and its Member States remain the leading provider of official development assistance (ODA) 
worldwide, with EUR 70.2 billion provided in 20219 (EUR 67.3 billion in 2020), representing 43 % of 
global ODA10 and 0.49 % of EU gross national income (0.50 % in 2020)11. 

The EU sees rules-based multilateralism as the cornerstone of peaceful international relations, with 
the United Nations (UN) at its core. In 2021, the Commission and the High Representative put forward 
a new strategy12 to strengthen the EU’s contribution to rules-based multilateralism, laying out the EU’s 
ambitions for the multilateral system. 

Throughout 2021, the EU supported humanitarian organisations across a wide range of crisis-affected 
countries and regions, and deployed humanitarian operations in more than 80 countries. The larger 

5 COM(2021) 110 final of 10 March 2021. 
6 https://ec.europa.eu/fpi/what-we-do/european-peace-facility_en  
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ 
Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. 
7 JOIN(2021) 30 final of 1 December 2021. 
8 COM(2021) 66 final of 18 February 2021.  
9 Based on preliminary 2021 data from the OECD, published in spring 2022. 
10 ‘Global ODA’ is defined here as including the ODA reported by the EU collectively and all other donor countries. 
11 This ratio slightly decreased as the nominal increase in ODA was not commensurate with the high nominal 
increase of GNI due to the economic recovery. 
12 JOIN(2021) 3 final of 17 February 2021. 

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part  of  EU  humanitarian  funding  addresses  needs  arising  from  protracted  crises,  mainly  driven  by 
conflict and compounded by COVID-19 and climate change.  

The  EU,  together  with  its  Member  States,  remains  the  world’s  leading  donor  of  humanitarian 
assistance. In 2021, the EU alone allocated over EUR 2.1 billion to humanitarian aid. 

The EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated 114 times in 2021, for a wide range of disasters. It 
facilitated  the  delivery  of  numerous  items  of  critical  personal  protective  and  medical  equipment, 
including almost 30 million COVID-19 vaccine doses. Some 95 air operations were also organised to 
evacuate EU citizens and persons under the EU’s duty of care from Afghanistan. 

Fostering sustainable development 

The  severe  economic  crisis  initiated  by  the  pandemic  affected  progress  towards  the  Sustainable 
Development Goals (SDGs). The EU believes that the global recovery must be green, digital, inclusive, 
just, sustainable, and geared towards the SDGs and committed to building back a better future for all, 
based on the 2030 Agenda.  

In 2021, the EU refocused the European Semester financial coordination exercise on the SDGs and 
integrated them into the revision of the Better Regulation framework, so they are reflected across all 
Commission policymaking.  

The EU further developed its financial instruments and aid provision to deliver on commitments to 
sustainable development,  in line  with the Council Conclusions  from 10 June 2021  on the European 
financial architecture for development (EFAD). Following the adoption of the NDICI-Global Europe, the 
European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) was initiated. Out of the total capacity of 
the EU External Action Guarantee (up to EUR 53.45 billion), close to EUR 40 billion will be available to 
reduce investment risk in sustainable development in partner countries. 

In  2021,  the  EU  also  adopted  and  started  implementation  of  the  Instrument  of  Pre-Accession 
Assistance  (IPA  III),  endowed  with  an  initial  budget  of  EUR  14.5  billion  during  2021-2027  for  the 
Western Balkans and Turkey. The economic investment plan and its Green Agenda for the Western 
Balkans  is supported  by  EUR 9 billion from IPA III, which  can leverage  an additional  EUR  20 billion 
investment in the region. 

To foster the sustainable dimension of the EU’s trade agreements, in 2021 the Commission launched 
a  review  of  the  15-Point  Action  Plan.  This  review  included  an  open  public  consultation  and  an 
independent comparative study on trade and sustainable development practices in third countries’ 
trade agreements, which confirmed the EU as key frontrunner in promoting sustainability via trade 
agreements. 

Team Europe initiatives: responding to the COVID-19 global crisis 

By the end of 2021, the EU and its Member States had disbursed EUR 47.7 billion in financial support 
for over 140 partner countries to address the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This helped 
address humanitarian needs, improve health, water and sanitation systems, and mitigate the socio-
economic consequences of the pandemic. By the end of 2021, the total Team Europe support package 
pledged was EUR 53.7 billion.  

Equitable access to vaccination is key to defeating COVID-19 globally. The EU not only secured enough 
vaccine doses  for all EU Member States,  but also exported or shared over 1.7 billion doses  to 165 
partner countries. The EU and its Member States played a leading role in setting up the COVAX Facility, 

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the only global initiative supporting fair distribution of vaccines, and contributed over EUR 3 billion to 
it13. By the end of 2021, the EU and its Member States were the largest donor of COVID-19 vaccines in 
the world. 

EUR  1  billion  has  been  pledged  for  a  Team  Europe  initiative  supporting  local  and  regional 
manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa, for Africa. 

The EU strengthened international cooperation against the pandemic during 2021, including through 
the  Access  to  COVID-19  Tools  Accelerator  (ACT-A)  initiative  and  the  G20+  Global  Health  Summit, 
where leaders signed the Rome Declaration on preparing for and preventing future pandemics. 

Global Gateway 

In December, the EU launched a new strategy, Global Gateway14, to mobilise investment totalling up 
to EUR 300 billion over 2021-2027. In line with the EU’s geopolitical ambitions and commitment to the 
2030  Agenda,  the  Global  Gateway  strategy  aims  to  boost  smart,  clean  and  secure  links  in  digital, 
energy and transport, and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world to 
underpin  a  lasting  global  recovery  while  promoting  universal  values  and  high  standards,  good 
governance and transparency. 

Through  a  ‘Team  Europe’  approach,  the  Global  Gateway  brings  together  resources  from  the  EU 
budget, Member States, European financial institutions and national development finance institutions 
and will actively seek to mobilise private sector finance and expertise to support access to sustainable 
finance.  

GLOBAL PRIORITIES 

Human development 

In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to disrupt societies in multiple ways, leading to increasing 
inequalities. The EU strengthened and adapted its collaboration with global health, education, youth 
and  gender  equality  initiatives  while  reorienting  EU  support  to  partner  countries  to  alleviate  the 
impact of COVID-19 on human development. 

In addition to supporting the COVAX Facility, the EU also continued its leading support to GAVI’s core 
work of building immunisations systems and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, 
to limit the pandemic’s damage to life-saving interventions targeting these killer diseases. 

As the pandemic continued to disrupt education, the Commission decided to increase funding to this 
priority to at least 10 % of the total international partnerships budget for 2021-2027. In 2021, the EU 
increased its contribution to the Global Partnership for Education by nearly 50 %, to EUR 700 million 
until 2027 helping 175 million boys and girls to learn and get a further 88 million children in school. 
The Erasmus+  programme  also  saw  increased  funding  including  a  3.5  times  boost  for  Sub-Saharan 
Africa during 2021-2027. 

Implementation of the Gender Action Plan III (GAP III) showed the EU’s commitment to making gender 
equality and empowerment of women and girls a priority. 

13 As of June 2021.  
14 JOIN(2021) 30 final of 1 December 2021. 

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The EU committed to ensuring that at least 85 % of all new external actions have gender equality 
and women’s and girls’ empowerment as a significant or principal objective by 2025 – the figure 
has already reached 70 %15. 

Furthermore, the EU enhanced youth engagement in recovery efforts by setting up Youth Sounding 
Boards at global level and in several partner countries (such as Zimbabwe and Nigeria) to give young 
people a voice on EU policies and action.  

Green Deal 

In  2021,  the  EU  continued  to  be  a  global  leader  in  tackling  climate  change  and  environmental 
challenges,  standing  at  the  forefront  of  international  efforts  to  promote  sustainable  and  inclusive 
development in line with the European Green Deal. The EU has set an ambitious spending target of 30 
% of the Global Europe budget in 2021-2027 to contribute to climate objectives, with EUR 4 billion 
added following President von der Leyen’s State of the Union address. 

The  Council  Conclusions  of  25 January 2021  on  climate  and  energy  diplomacy16  stressed  that  EU 
energy diplomacy should accelerate the global energy transition and promote energy efficiency and 
renewable technologies. The EU also called for a worldwide phase-out of coal in energy production 
and  the  launch  of  international  initiatives  to  reduce  methane  emissions.  In  February  2021,  the 
Commission adopted a new strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change scaling up the EU’s ambition 
on adaptation with partner countries17. 

In this light, the EU made a strong contribution to the success of the 2021 COP26 Climate Conference 
in Glasgow, including through EU support to the Just Transition Partnership with South Africa and a 
EUR 1 billion contribution to the Global Forest financial pledge. 

By the end of 2021, EU-supported actions in partner countries had contributed to new renewable 
energy capacity of 18 GW and over 22 million people accessing sustainable energy services. 

The Western Balkans partners adopted an ambitious action plan to implement the Green Agenda for 
the Western Balkans, in line with the European Green Deal.  

In 2021, the new European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation was adopted18 
with a budget of EUR 300 million for 2021-2027 to promote nuclear safety worldwide.  

In 2021, the EU allocated EUR 75 million of the humanitarian aid budget to disaster preparedness, 
including potential impacts of climate change. The Communication on Humanitarian Action, published 
in March 2021, looks to step up EU activities addressing the humanitarian impacts of climate change 
and  environmental  degradation  and  to  further  mainstream  disaster  preparedness  in  EU-funded 
humanitarian actions. 

In  2021,  the  EU  also  contributed  to  the  success  of  the  UN  Food  Systems  and  Tokyo  Nutrition  for 
Growth (N4G) Summits.  At N4G, the EU pledged EUR 2.5 billion for 2021-2024 (EUR 1.4 billion for 
development and EUR 1.1 billion for humanitarian aid) to address malnutrition. Furthermore, in 2021 

15 Data for 2021 are still preliminary. 
16 Council Conclusions 5263/21 of 25 January 2021.  
17 https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/adaptation-climate-change/eu-adaptation-strategy_en  
18 Council Regulation 2021/948 of 27 May 2021. 

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the  EU  pledged  EUR 140 million  to  support  the  Consultative  Group  on  International  Agricultural 
Research, the largest global network on agricultural research for development. 

2021 was also an important year for biodiversity, with a commitment to doubling external funds and 
the launch of NaturAfrica, an initiative  to protect biodiversity while  improving livelihoods.  Country 
programmes were developed to support Africa’s Great Green Wall initiative. The EU also launched its 
Forest Partnerships at the COP26 Conference. 

To promote sustainable and integrated water management, the EU developed Team Europe initiatives 
on transboundary water management for Africa and on water, energy and climate in Central Asia. 

The  EU  is  committed  to  pursuing  international  cooperation  on  sustainable  consumption  and 
production, including the circular economy. It  continued  to implement  SWITCH to Green,  the  EU’s 
flagship initiative.  

Digitalisation, science, technology and innovation 

In 2021, the EU defined its policy objectives for the Digital Global Gateway. To foster a ‘Team Europe’ 
approach a working group was established under the global Digital for Development (D4D) Hub. The 
hub operates through regional branches to establish digital partnerships and boost joint investments. 
The Latin America and the Caribbean Branch launched on 14 December 2021. 

In June 2021 the EU’s BELLA programme celebrated the landing of a fibre-optic cable linking the EU 
and Latin America and the Caribbean to provide secure, high-capacity data connections for over 12 
000 educational and research institutions in both regions. 

2021 saw increased visibility of EU space programmes, including their key role in the green transition. 
Three technical assistance facilities (TAFs) dedicated to space and Earth observation will strengthen 
the use of space technologies in support of partner countries and EU policies.  

2021  also  saw  the  launch  of  the  ACP-EU  EUR  60  million  programme  to  strengthen  research  and 
innovation capacity in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries19.  

In October 2021, the EU launched its Western Balkans Agenda for Innovation, Research, Education, 
Culture, Youth and Sport20.  

Sustainable growth and jobs 

During 2021, the EU acted to improve the business and investment environment, increase financial 
inclusion  and  access  to  financial  services,  and  promote  trade  and  trade  facilitation  for  sustainable 
development  and  value  chains.  It  promoted  decent  work  by  improving  social,  labour  and 
environmental sustainability, by overcoming gender inequality and barriers to women’s  and youth 
economic empowerment and by improving vocational and educational training policies and systems. 

EUR  3  million  was  committed  to  extend  the  EU  expert  facility  on  employment,  labour  and  social 
protection (SOCIEUX+) that provides short-term, peer-to-peer technical assistance to Western Balkan 
countries.  

A  Team  Europe  initiative was  launched to help  young businesses  and entrepreneurs  in Africa to 
address the challenge of access to medium- and long-term finance. 

19 ACP-EU Research and Innovation Programme (europa.eu) 
20 https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/831554  

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A EUR 15 million pilot project in 11 African countries aims to align skills training provision with the 
opportunities and needs of investment programmes.  

The 2021 Aid for Trade Progress Report21, published in October, confirmed the EU and its Member 
States as the main donors (38 %) of global aid for trade.  

Migration  

In 2021, focus was on the implementation of the external dimension of the EU Pact on Migration and 
Asylum, fuelled by events in Afghanistan and Belarus and a worrying trend to use migration flows for 
political  leverage.  Attention  also  focused  on  continued  irregular  and  unsafe  migration  flows  and 
various forced displacement situations in the EU Neighbourhood, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Middle 
East and the Americas. 

Throughout 2021, the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian crisis addressed the vital needs 
of Syrian refugees and host communities in neighbouring countries, reaching more than 8.4 million 
people. A strategic support package of EUR 5.7 billion was agreed for refugees and host communities 
in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria covering the period 2020-2024. 

To cover needs in North Africa previously funded under EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, measures 
amounting to EUR 165 million were adopted under NDICI-Global Europe, while a new multi-country 
programme on migration was being developed. 

In  Sub-Saharan  Africa,  measures  amounting  to  EUR  234  million  were  adopted  under  the  regional 
multiannual  indicative  programme  (MIP)  to  address,  in  partnership  with  UNHCR,  the  forced 
displacement challenges of the region and to continue, with IOM, the implementation of the Joint 
Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration. 

In  the  Western  Balkans,  the  second  phase  of  regional  support  to  protection-sensitive  migration 
management ended in December 2021, building capacity in all areas of migration management.  

In Asia, a package of special measures for Afghan regional displacement (EUR 79 million) was adopted 
at  the  end  of  2021,  as  well  as  an  action  (EUR  75  million)  supporting  Iraq  in  assisting  its  internally 
displaced people and the Syrian refugees hosted on its territory. 

Governance, peace and security 

In 2021, the EU launched its Team Europe Democracy initiative to better coordinate support to rule 
of law, accountability and governance projects in partner countries around the world. 

In December 2021, President von der Leyen attended the first Summit for Democracy and announced 
the Commission’s new Global Europe Human Rights and Democracy programme. 

EU  engagement  with  civil  society  organisations  remained  strong.  The  new  Civil  Society  Thematic 
programme under NDICI-Global Europe, worth EUR 1.5 billion, will promote an enabling environment 
for civil society organisations. In addition, non-governmental actors in enlargement partner countries 
in the Western Balkans and Turkey can draw on the new Civil Society Facility and Media programme 
under IPA III with a total funding of EUR 218 million for the 2021-2023 period.  

Governance, peace and security continue to be important components of the joint documents that 
set out political priorities between the EU and most European Neighbourhood Policy countries and 

21 https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2841/018990 

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enlargement  countries.  The  IPA  III  continued  to  support  the  judiciary  and  the  law  enforcement 
community to step up the fight against organised crime.  

The adoption in March 2021 of the European Peace Facility22 opened new possibilities to support inter 
alia  the  military  and  defence  capabilities  of  partner  countries.  The  aim  is  to  promote  domestic 
resilience and peace and enhance the capacity and interoperability of armed forces to contribute to 
common security and defence policy military missions and operations.  

GLOBAL REACH 

Sub-Saharan Africa  

During 2021, important political and policy dialogues paved the way towards the 2022 Summit with 
the African Union (AU). EU and AU Ministers of foreign affairs met in Kigali in October 2021, outlining 
four key priority areas: strengthened joint response to COVID-19; strategies to accelerate post-COVID-
19 recovery, green and digital transitions; peace, security and governance; and migration and mobility. 
In  June  2021,  the  AU  and  the  European  Commission  co-hosted  the  fourth  AU-EU  agricultural 
ministerial conference. 

On  16 April,  the  Council  endorsed  a  new  EU  integrated  strategy  for  the  Sahel  with  a  more 
comprehensive  approach  focused  on  strengthened  governance,  development  and  mutual 
accountability.  A  new  Horn  of  Africa  strategy  was  adopted  on  10 May  to  deepen  the  EU  strategic 
relationship with the region. 

In 2021 the EU provided around EUR 730 million of humanitarian aid in the region focusing on food 
security, COVID-19 response, disaster prevention and preparedness, and providing basic support to 
displaced people and populations affected by conflict. EUR 85.5 million was allocated to the crisis in 
Ethiopia and EUR 81.3 million to address the consequences of the conflict in South Sudan.  

In 2021, 44 country multiannual indicative programmes were adopted with African partners for the 
period 2021-2027. The total initial budget allocated by NDICI-Global Europe to Sub-Saharan Africa 
is EUR 29.18 billion including a EUR 10.2 billion regional programme, which will respond to multi-
country priorities.   

Asia and the Pacific  

2021 saw the launch of the EU’s new policy framework for the region. The EU strategy for cooperation 
in the Indo-Pacific23 marked increased engagement.  

The 13th Summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting took place virtually on 25-26 November 2021, under the 
theme ‘Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth’. 

An EU-Japan Summit saw the signature of a green alliance to protect the environment, fight climate 
change and achieve green growth.  

In  Bangladesh,  the  EU  continued  its  engagement  on  the  humanitarian  challenge  caused  by  the 
Rohingya crisis.  

22 Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/509 of 22 March 2021.  
23 JOIN(2021) 24 final of 16 September 2021.   

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Launched  at  the  COP26  Conference  in  November  2021,  the  Team  Europe  initiative  Green  Blue 
alliance  for  the  Pacific  and  Timor-Leste  promotes  equal  societies,  fundamental  values,  human 
development, and peace and security across 18 partner countries and OCTs. 

The  Council  Conclusions  on  Afghanistan  adopted  in  September  2021  laid  down  benchmarks  for 
engagement with the Taliban authorities, calling for humanitarian access, safe passage, and respect 
for  human  rights  –  especially  the  rights  of  women  and  girls,  and  minorities,  counter-terrorism 
commitments and inclusive governance.  

2021 also saw a resumption of the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council partnership. 

Americas and the Caribbean 

EU relations with the region intensified in 2021. The President of the European Council participated in 
the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit. On 2 December 2021, EU 
and LAC leaders met, resuming high-level bi-regional dialogue after a break of six years. The discussion 
confirmed  a  common  agenda  focused  on  a  sustainable,  digital  and  inclusive  recovery  from  the 
pandemic. 

Progress  was  achieved  on  ratifying  the  Central  American  Association  Agreement,  while  work 
continued with Mercosur and Chile on the conclusion of EU association agreements, as well as with 
Mexico on the modernisation of the Global Agreement. 

The  EU  renewed  and  reinforced  its  sanctions  regime  against  Nicaragua  in  reaction  to  political 
repression and election fraud. 

The  EU  also  continued  to  support  the  protection  and  integration  of  migrants  and  refugees  from 
Venezuela, including to their host countries.  

In  2021,  the  EU  mobilised  EUR  17  million  to  mitigate  acute  food  insecurity  in  Haiti  and  protect 
victims of violence. The EU also invested in disaster preparedness and swiftly mobilised emergency 
funding following the 14 August earthquake. 

European Neighbourhood 

During  2021,  the  EU  continued  to  develop  its  relations  with  eastern  partners  both  bilaterally  and 
regionally under the European Neighbourhood Policy and Eastern Partnership frameworks. 

The  EU  maintained  an  active  dialogue  at  the  highest  political  level,  including  a  summit  in  Kyiv  in 
October. 

A new agenda for the Eastern Partnership was endorsed at the Partnership Summit in December 2021. 
The associated economic and investment plan is worth EUR 2.3 billion and aims to leverage further 
investments of up to EUR 17 billion. 

Flagship initiatives identified under each partner country’s plan, will kick-start implementation. While 
the  Belarus  regime  has  decided  to  suspend  its  participation  in  the  Eastern  Partnership,  the  EU 
continues to support citizens and civil society in the country. 

A ministerial conference in November saw EU and Southern Neighbourhood partners confirm their 
commitment  to  the  new  Agenda  for  the  Mediterranean24  including  a  dedicated  economic  and 
investment plan. 

24 JOIN(2021) 2 final of 9 February 2021. 

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The EU continued to provide assistance to Syria and neighbouring refugee-hosting countries. The fifth 
Brussels Conference in March generated pledges worth EUR 5.3 billion. 

The  EU  also  continued  to  support  efforts  to  stabilise  Libya.  Operation  EUNAVFOR  MED  IRINI 
guaranteed  the  implementation  of  the  UN  arms  embargo,  while  the  EU  Integrated  Border 
Management  Assistance  Mission  Libya  built  up  the  Libyan  authorities’  capacities  in  border 
management, law enforcement and criminal justice.  

Enlargement 

In October 2021, the Commission’s enlargement package reviewed the situation in the candidate and 
potential candidate accession countries and provided a clear roadmap to accelerate reforms in line 
with the revised enlargement methodology based on the principle of own merits. In December, four 
EU accession negotiation  chapters on the  green  agenda and  sustainable  connectivity were opened 
with  Serbia,  while  an  intergovernmental  conference  provided  additional  political  steer  for 
Montenegro to further progress on its EU accession path. 

This was accompanied by the initial implementation of the EUR 9 billion economic investment plan 
(EIP) and Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. The plan aims at bridging the socio-economic gap 
between the region and the EU, bolstering economic recovery and the green and digital transition, 
and  associating  the  region  with  key  EU  initiatives  to  bring  tangible  benefits  to  citizens  of  these 
countries.  

This relies on the successful roll-out of the IPA III, adopted in 2021. More than EUR 4.1 billion was 
committed in the first IPA III programming exercise, 75 % of which contributes directly to the EIP. 

Unequivocal  support  to  the  European  perspective  of  the  Western  Balkans  and  commitment  to 
enhanced cooperation with the region was also reflected in two summits: the Berlin Process Summit 
in Berlin (July), and the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brdo (October). 

The  EU  and  its  Western  Balkans  partners  continued  to  implement  the  EUR  3.3  billion  package  of 
financial assistance adopted in 2020 to combat COVID-19 and its socio-economic impacts, as well as 
support  vaccination  campaigns.  The  region  has  received  more  than  6.5  million  doses  of  COVID-19 
vaccines from the EU and its Member States, in addition to the 1.5 million purchased early through 
the COVAX initiative.  

In 2021, the Facility for Refugees in Turkey provided some 1.8 million refugees with basic humanitarian 
needs  support  and  695  000  refugee  children  with  educational  support.  Millions  also  benefit  from 
healthcare and protection services. Under the development element of the facility, EUR 560 million 
was allocated to ensure continued education support to refugees in Turkey and migration and border 
management.  

Overseas countries and territories (OCTs) 

The OCTs maintain special constitutional links with three Member States: Denmark, France and the 
Netherlands. The new Decision on the Overseas Association including Greenland25 updated the legal 
framework  of  the  EU-OCT  partnership,  placing  cooperation  within  the  same  instrument.  The  EU 
earmarked financial support of EUR 500 million to the OCTs for 2021-2027. 

25 Council Decision (EU) 2021/1764 of 5 October 2021. 

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Three regional programmes will foster cooperation among OCTs in the Caribbean, Pacific and Indian 
Ocean regions. 

During 2021-2027, the EU will help New Caledonia (EUR 30.9 million), Sint Maarten (EUR 7.7 million) 
and  Saba  (EUR 4.1 million)  develop  the  necessary  policy,  legal  framework  and  infrastructure  to 
implement a clean energy transition. 

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