Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) “Mediterranean Sea
Basin Programme”
The Programme at a glance
ENI CBC Med, A HUB FOR COOPERATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
Home to some of the world’s
most ancient civilizations, hub for trade and transport, unique
hotspot for biodiversity, the Mediterranean faces a multitude of
common challenges, including climate change, pollution, youth
unemployment and social inequality.
Acting together to address these challenges and improve the
lives of men and women across the region is the impetus for the
2014-2020 ENI CBC “Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme”. ENI CBC
Med is the largest Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) initiative
implemented by the EU under the European Neighbourhood
Instrument (ENI).
The Programme brings together the coastal territories of 14 EU
and partner countries in view of fostering fair, equitable and
sustainable development on both sides of the EU’s external
borders.
Through calls for proposals, ENI CBC Med finances cooperation
projects for a more competitive, innovative, inclusive and
sustainable Mediterranean area.
OUR MISSION: ADDRESSING TOGETHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES
The general objective of the
Programme is to foster fair, equitable and sustainable economic,
social and territorial development, which may advance
cross-border integration and valorise participating countries’
territories and values. The strategy is based on the following
two overall objectives: ٠ Promote economic and social development ٠ Address common challenges in the environment
OUR BUDGET
The overall EU contribution of the Programme for the 2014-2020 period is
€ 209 million, out of which €188 for project financing. Nearly €20
million are dedicated to Technical Assistance in order to ensure the
timely, smooth and efficient implementation of the Programme.
The Programme contributes up to maximum 90% of the total eligible budget
costs of the projects, while a co-financing of minimum 10% must be
provided at project level. The Programme does not foresee any
pre-allocation of funds by country, meaning that projects are selected
only on the basis of their quality.
In order to encourage a real co-ownership of the Programme, at least 50%
of the project budget shall be dedicated to activities implemented in
Mediterranean Partner Countries.
CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION, AN ENGINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN AREA
Within the general context of the European
Neighbourhood Policy, cross-border cooperation (CBC) plays an essential
role by operating for the benefit of both sides of the EU’s external
borders and drawing on funding from both external and internal headings
of the European Union.
CBC is based on the principles of co-ownership, partnership and common
benefits: it contributes to the overall European Neighbourhood
Instrument objective of progress towards an area of shared prosperity
and good neighbourliness between EU Member States and partner countries.
Under the 2014-2020 period, the European Union has invested more than €1
billion to support 16 ENI CBC programmes between EU Member States and
neighbouring countries sharing a land border, a sea crossing or a sea
basin, from the Arctic to the Southern Mediterranean.
THE EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY
Through its European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), which has been revised in November
2015, the EU works with its Southern and Eastern Neighbours to
foster stabilisation, security and prosperity, in line with the
Global Strategy for the European Union's Foreign and Security
Policy.
14
Participating Countries
112
Territories involved
198
million people live
in the cooperation area
209
million euro.
EU contribution to the
Programme