Chapter I, Article 3, Paragraph 2. · IPA III

Contents

2.IPA III shall have the following specific objectives:

(a)to strengthen the rule of law, democracy, the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including through promoting an independent judiciary, reinforced security and the fight against corruption and organised crime, compliance with international law, freedom of media and academic freedom and an enabling environment for civil society, to promote non-discrimination and tolerance, to ensure respect for the rights of persons belonging to minorities and the promotion of gender equality and to improve migration management, including border management and tackling irregular migration, as well as addressing forced displacement;

(b)to reinforce the effectiveness of public administration and to support transparency, structural reforms and good governance at all levels, including in the areas of public procurement and State aid;

(c)to shape the rules, standards, policies and practices of the beneficiaries listed in Annex I in alignment with those of the Union and to reinforce regional cooperation, reconciliation and good neighbourly relations, as well as people-to-people contacts and strategic communication;

(d)to strengthen economic and social development and cohesion, with particular attention to youth, including through quality education and employment policies, through supporting investment and private sector development, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as on agriculture and rural development;

(e)to reinforce environmental protection, to increase resilience to climate change, to accelerate the shift towards a low-carbon economy, to develop the digital economy and society and to strengthen sustainable connectivity in all its dimensions;

(f)to support territorial cohesion and cross-border cooperation across land and maritime borders, including transnational and interregional cooperation.