The Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance is the sole pre-accession instrument developed in order to provide financial assistance to beneficiary countries, both potential candidate and candidate countries and support them in their transition from potential candidate to candidate country status and through to membership of the European Union.

The overall objectives of IPA are: strengthening of democratic institutions and the rule of law, enforcement and protection of human and minority rights, gender equality and anti-discrimination, public administration reform, implementation of a decentralised management of EU funds, implementation of economic reform, and development of civil society, reconciliation and cooperation in the region.

Pursuant to the European Commission Decision on the Conferral of Management Powers, the relevant bodies in the Republic of Serbia satisfying the set requirements have been granted the powers for managing EU pre-accession assistance programmes.

Setting up the system for Decentralized Management of EU funds is an important step towards the Republic of Serbia’s accession to the European Union. Through this process the Serbian public administration is preparing for the usage of Structural and Cohesion Funds of EU.

IPA I

Component I: Transition Assistance and Institution Building

The Transition Assistance and Institution Building component (TAIB) is designed to support the administrative and judicial capacity building of the public institutions, support economic development and social cohesion and ability to assume obligations of the accession process.

The assistance provided under the TAIB component may take the form of:

• training and information exchange in particular through twinning, twinning light and TAIEX;
• technical assistance;
• investments;
• grant schemes;
• project preparation facilities;
• implementation of finance facilities in cooperation with financial institutions;
• budgetary support;
• participation in the Community programmes.

Component II: Cross-Border Co-operation

Operating on the local level in the border areas, the Cross-Border Co-operation (CBC) programmes support the population on both sides of the border to promote sustainable economic and social development, working together to address common challenges (e.g. environment, natural and cultural heritage, public health, prevention of and fight against organised crime, etc.), ensure efficient and secure borders and promote joint small scale actions involving local participants from the border regions.

Actions funded under this component are generally implemented through grant schemes.

IPA II

(a) Compliance with the principle of good public administration and economic governance.
(b) Establishing and promoting from an early stage the proper functioning of the institutions necessary in order to secure the rule of law.
(c) Strengthening the capacities of civil society organisations and social partners’ organisations, including professional associations,
(d) Investment in education, skills and lifelong learning.
(e) Fostering employment and supporting labour mobility.
(f) Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty.
(g) Promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures
(h) Improving the private-sector environment and competitiveness of enterprises, including smart specialisation, as key drivers of growth, job creation and cohesion
(i) Strengthening research, technological development and innovation
(j) Contributing to the security and safety of food supply and the maintenance of diversified and viable farming systems in vibrant rural communities and the countryside
(k) Increasing the ability of the agri-food sector to cope with competitive pressure and market forces as well as to progressively align with the Union rules and standards, while pursuing economic, social and environmental goals in balanced territorial development of rural areas.
(l) Protecting and improving the quality of the environment, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, increasing resilience to climate change and promoting climate action governance and information.
(m) Promoting reconciliation, peace-building and confidence-building measures.

Thematic priorities for assistance for territorial cooperation:
(a) promoting employment, labour mobility and social and cultural inclusion across borders
(b) protecting the environment and promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation, risk prevention and management through
(c) promoting sustainable transport and improving public infrastructures
(d) encouraging tourism and cultural and natural heritage
(e) investing in youth, education and skills through
f) promoting local and regional governance and enhancing the planning and administrative capacity of local and regional authorities;
(g) enhancing competitiveness, the business environment and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, trade and investment
(h) strengthening research, technological development, innovation and information and communication technologies.