OREANDA-NEWS. December 23, 2015. European Commission has approved four new projects with a combined budget of €11.23 million to enhance the EU's cooperation with India, China and Brazil as well as the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region on matters of common interest. These projects were adopted under the Partnership Instrument and bring the overall contribution in support of the EU's strategic interests to € 102.7 million this year.

Building on the outcome of the EU-CELAC (Community of Latin America and Caribbean states) Summit in June 2015, a new initiative will be introduced: the LAC Regional Facility for International Cooperation and Partnership will, with €3 million over 36 months, boost relations and promote alliance-building between the EU and its Latin American partners in areas of mutual interest. This Facility is complemented by €12 million funded by the Development Cooperation Instrument aimed at poverty reduction by supporting South-South and multilateral development cooperation in the LAC region.

In the framework of the EU-Brazil strategic partnership, a new facility to reinforce Sectorial Political Dialogues will be put in place. With a budget of €4 million over three years, this facility will aim to strengthen relations between the EU and Brazil by fostering sector dialogues on priority themes of mutual interest and implementing actions that will boost the different bilateral agreements.

In the context of the EU's Digital Single Market strategy and to support its external dimension, the EU is dedicating €2.4 million to cooperation with India on Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-related standardisation, policy and legislation. This action will improve and reinforce the EU ICT sector market in India. The project will help boost trade, investment and business opportunities for European companies, while eliminating barriers to market access and investment, by means of regulatory cooperation and exchange of statistical data and metadata.

The fourth new project will support the stepping up of EU engagement in China through people-to-people contacts: EU Policy and Outreach Partnership in China (€1.8 million) is a Public Diplomacy tool which aims at giving the EU a stronger voice and at reinforcing its capacity to engage with local publics and stakeholders. Funds from this action will also provide for the training of Chinese and Mongolian interpreters, also in view of ASEM11 which will take place in Ulaanbaatar in 2016.

About the Partnership Instrument

The Partnership Instrument[1] funds projects that enable the European Union to take part in shaping global change and promote its fundamental values. It is one of several instruments included in the EU's budget for 2014-2020 allocated for the financing of the EU's External Action. Through the Partnership Instrument, the EU cooperates with partners around the world to advance its strategic interests to tackle global challenges. The Partnership Instrument funds activities that carry EU agendas with partner countries forward, translating political commitments into concrete measures.

For more information:

Service for Foreign Policy Instruments

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[1] Regulation (EU) no 236/2014 of 11 March 2014, OJ L 77,15.3.2015,p.95