1.In the implementation of this Regulation, coherence shall be ensured with all areas of the Union's external action as well as other relevant Union policies. To that end, measures financed under this Regulation, including those managed by the European Investment Bank (EIB), shall be based on the cooperation policy documents referred to in Article 3(1) and (2) as well as on the Union's specific interests, policy priorities and strategies. Such measures shall respect the commitments under multilateral agreements and international conventions to which the Union and partner countries are parties.
2.The Union, the Member States and the EIB shall ensure coherence between support provided under this Regulation and other support provided by the Union, the Member States and European financial institutions.
3.The Union and the Member States shall coordinate their respective support programmes with the aim of increasing effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of support and policy dialogue and preventing overlapping of funding, in line with the established principles for strengthening operational coordination in the field of external support and for harmonising policies and procedures. Coordination shall involve regular consultations and frequent exchanges of relevant information during the different phases of the support cycle, in particular at field level. Joint programming shall be implemented whenever possible and relevant. When this cannot be achieved, other arrangements, such as delegated cooperation and transfer arrangements, shall be considered with a view to ensuring the highest degree of coordination.
The Commission shall report on joint programming with Member States within the report referred to in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 236/2014, and shall include recommendations in cases where joint programming was not fully achieved.
4.The Union, in liaison with the Member States, shall take the necessary steps, including consultations at an early stage of the programming process, to ensure complementarity, proper coordination and cooperation with multilateral and regional organisations and entities, including European financial institutions, international financial institutions, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, private and political foundations and non-Union donors.
5.The documents referred to in Article 7(2) and (3) shall also, to the extent possible, refer to the activities of other Union donors.