OREANDA-NEWS. December 23, 2015. The European Union (EU) has renewed its support to institutional twinning projects with Israel to foster cooperation between EU and Israeli peer institutions. The programme is financed with €2 million from the European Neighbourhood Instrument under the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy.

Through these Twining and TAIEX projects the EU seeks to develop and increasingly close relationship with Israel, aimed at furthering the existing significant level of economic integration and deepening political cooperation.

In particular, this support is intended to promote legislative approximation (including with regard to participation in EU programmes) and brings together public sector expertise from Israel and EU Member States with the aim of enhancing co-operative activities between the administrations.

Twinning has thus far been a successful tool to promote mutual exchange between peer administrations of the EU and Israel, as shown by the high success rate of the projects as well as great interest of Member States in participating.

Ongoing twinning projects include one with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on veterinary diagnostics and another with the Ministry of Environmental Protection on the improvement and modernisation of environmental regulatory and management tools for Israeli industry.

Other sectors to benefit from the programme include energy, transport, social affairs, health, consumer protection and public services.

For more information:

EU Delegation to Israel: http://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/israel/index_en.htm

EU support to Israel: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/neighbourhood/countries/israel/index_en.htm

EU Neighbourhood Info Centre: http://www.enpi-info.eu/