Financing Instrument for Cooperation with Industrialised and Other High-income Countries and Territories

Period: 2007-2013
Budget: EUR 172 million

The instrument for cooperation with industrialised and other high-income countries and territories (ICI) aims to strengthen the Community's relationships with other developed countries.

The rational behind is to develop long lasting political and trading ties, which is especially important in an increasingly globalised era and strengthen the EU's role as a global player.

Objectives:
The ICI programme supports economic, financial and technical cooperation with industrialised and other high-income countries with the aim to develop the Community's relations with these countries and to foster the Community's interests.

Actions undertaken within the frame of ICI should contribute to develop and consolidate the principles of democracy, the rule of law, good governance, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In order to promote cooperation with other developed countries, the EU has concluded a vide range of cooperation agreements covering subjects that are of mutual interest.

Following cooperation actions are financed by the ICI:

• Promotion of cooperation, partnership and joint undertakings between economic, academic and scientific actors in the EU and the partner countries

• Stimulation of bilateral trade, investment flows and economic partnership

• Promotion of dialogues between political, economic and social actors and NGOs

• Promotion of people-to-people links, education and training programmes and intellectual exchanges and enhancement of mutual understanding between cultures and civilisations

• Promotion of cooperative projects in the areas of research, science and technology, energy, transportation and environmental matters

• The enhancement of awareness about and understanding of the European Union and of its visibility in partner countries

• Support for specific initiatives, including research work, studies, pilot schemes or joint projects

Implementation
The Commission draws up multi-annual cooperation programmes on the basis of which annual action programmes are adopted. The annual action programmes describe the operations to be financed, the amount and gives an indicative timetable.

Funding is available through grant agreements (including scholarships), procurement contracts, employment contracts and financing agreements.

The following 17 countries are eligible for funding under the ICI:
Australia, Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Hong-Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Macao, New Zealand, Oman, Quatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, United States.