Union assistance shall be implemented, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 236/2014, through:
geographic programmes;
thematic programmes, composed of:
a ‘Global Public Goods and Challenges’ programme, and
a ‘Civil Society Organisations and Local Authorities’ programme, and
a Pan-African programme.
1.Union cooperation activities under this Article shall be implemented for activities of a national, regional, trans-regional and continental nature.
2.A geographic programme shall encompass cooperation in appropriate areas of activity:
(a)regionally with partner countries referred to in point (a) of Article 1(1), in particular with a view to easing the impact of graduation in partner countries showing high and growing inequalities; or
(b)bilaterally:
with partner countries that are not upper middle income countries on the OECD/DAC list of developing countries, or do not have a gross domestic product greater than one per cent of global gross domestic product;
in exceptional cases, including with a view to phasing out development grant aid, bilateral cooperation may also be undertaken with a limited number of partner countries when duly justified in accordance with Article 3(2). Phasing-out shall take place in close coordination with other donors. Ending that type of cooperation shall, where appropriate, be accompanied by a policy dialogue with the countries concerned, focusing on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable groups.
3.In order to attain the objectives laid down in Article 2, geographic programmes shall be drawn from the areas of cooperation contained in the European Consensus and subsequent agreed modifications thereto as well as from the following areas of cooperation:
(a)human rights, democracy and good governance:
human rights, democracy and the rule of law;
gender equality, empowerment of and equal opportunities for women;
public sector management at central and local level;
tax policy and administration;
fight against corruption;
civil society and local authorities;
the promotion and protection of the rights of children;
(b)inclusive and sustainable growth for human development:
health, education, social protection, employment and culture;
business environment, regional integration and world markets;
sustainable agriculture; food and nutrition security;
sustainable energy;
natural resources management, including land, forestry and water;
climate change and environment;
(c)other areas of significance for development:
migration and asylum;
linking humanitarian relief and development cooperation;
resilience and disaster risk reduction;
development and security, including conflict prevention.
4.Further details of the areas of cooperation referred to in paragraph 3 are set out in Annex I.
5.Within each bilateral programme, the Union shall, in principle, concentrate its assistance on a maximum of three sectors, to be agreed with the partner country concerned where possible.
1.Actions undertaken through thematic programmes shall add value to, and be complementary to and coherent with, actions funded under geographic programmes.
2.At least one of the following conditions shall apply to the programming of thematic actions:
(a)Union policy objectives under this Regulation cannot be achieved in an appropriate or effective manner through geographic programmes, including, where appropriate, where there is no geographic programme or where it has been suspended or where there is no agreement on the action with the partner country concerned;
(b)the actions address global initiatives supporting internationally agreed development goals or global public goods and challenges;
(c)the actions have a multi-regional, multi-country and/or cross-cutting nature;
(d)the actions implement innovative policies or initiatives with the objective of informing future actions;
(e)the actions reflect a Union policy priority or an international obligation or commitment of the Union relevant to development cooperation.
3.Unless otherwise provided for in this Regulation, thematic actions shall directly benefit countries or territories specified in point (b) of Article 1(1) and shall be carried out in those countries or territories. Such actions may be carried out outside those countries or territories when it is the most effective way of achieving the objectives of the programme concerned.
1.The objective of Union assistance under the ‘Global Public Goods and Challenges’ programme shall be to support actions in areas to be drawn from:
(a)environment and climate change;
(b)sustainable energy;
(c)human development, including decent work, social justice and culture;
(d)food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture; and
(e)migration and asylum.
2.Further details of the areas of cooperation referred to in paragraph 1 are set out in Part A of Annex II.
1.The objective of Union assistance under the ‘Civil Society Organisations and Local Authorities’ programme shall be to strengthen civil society organisations and local authorities in partner countries and, where provided for in this Regulation, in the Union and in the beneficiaries eligible under Regulation (EU) No 231/2014.
The actions to be financed shall be primarily carried out by civil society organisations and local authorities. Where appropriate, in order to ensure their effectiveness, actions may be carried out by other actors for the benefit of the civil society organisations and the local authorities concerned.
2.Further details of the areas of cooperation under this Article are set out in Part B of Annex II.
1.The objective of Union assistance under the Pan-African programme shall be to support the strategic partnership between Africa and the Union, and subsequent modifications and additions thereto, to cover activities of a trans-regional, continental or global nature in and with Africa.
2.The Pan-African programme shall be complementary to and consistent with other programmes under this Regulation, as well as other Union's instruments for financing external action, in particular the European Development Fund and the European Neighbourhood Instrument.
3.Further details of the areas of cooperation under this Article are set out in Annex III.