Financing

Financing of the Assistance and Cooperation Programme

The Assistance and Cooperation Programme under the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents is financed to a large degree through contributions by Parties to the Convention supporting the implementation of the workplan under the Convention and in particular of the Assistance and Cooperation Programme. In addition to general contributions to the Convention’s trust fund which are pledged at the meeting of the Conference in advance of the adoption of the workplan, the programme is financed through specific earmarked contributions by donor countries to projects carried out in its framework, such as for example the Danube Delta project or the Project on strengthening industrial safety in Central Asia through the implementation of and accession to the Convention. 
In line with the Sustainable Financial Mechanism adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its seventh meeting in 2012 (see Annex I of CoP-7 meeting report), “contributions by stakeholders other than Parties can be an important part of funding workplan activities, particularly under the Assistance Programme. To this end, ECE member countries, the European Commission, international organizations and industry are encouraged to provide their support. Information is to be exchanged with them on mutual needs and interests, as well as reciprocal benefits from organizing joint activities. Where possible, long-term partnerships in areas of mutual interest with co-funding schemes for joint activities should be concluded.
 

Possible additional financing sources

Additional financing to ensure the implementation of needs-driven activities in the framework of the Convention’s Assistance and Cooperation Programme needs to be considered, in particular in the pursuit of enhanced sustainability of the programme, predictability and longer-term availability of financing. EU financing sources merit particular consideration in this regard. As set out by the Sustainable Financial Mechanism, “a crucial role in ensuring additional contributions, especially coming from the European Commission’s dedicated funds, can be played by Parties or ECE member countries according to the rules on application eligibility.” This concerns in particular beneficiary countries to the Assistance and Cooperation Programme which can apply for dedicated financing sources (e.g. TAIEX).
 

European Union Funding sources

TAIEX
The Technical Assistance and Information Exchange instrument (TAIEX) of the European Union supports partner countries with regard to the approximation, application and enforcement of EU legislation. It is largely demand driven and facilitates the delivery of appropriate tailor-made expertise to address issues at short notice.
The TAIEX mandate to provide assistance covers the following countries beneficiaries to the Assistance and Cooperation Programme: North Macedonia; Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
TAIEF
The Environmental Technical assistance and Information Exchange Facility (TAIEF), offers short-term peer-to-peer assistance to support environmental Policy development and implementation in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. TAIEF, which is modelled on the TAIEX instrument offers rapid mobilisation of experts from EU member state administrations to contribute to workshops or seminars, or to provide short-term targeted assistance on environmental challenges. Study visits to an EU country can also be applied for. Among the beneficiaries of the Assistance and Cooperation Programme, Kazakhstan is eligible for TAIEF support. For full list of TAIEF beneficiaries, please consult the following website -  http://ec.europa.eu/environment/international_issues/taief/index_en.htm
Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance
The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) is the financial instrument for the European Union (EU) pre-accession process.
Current beneficiaries are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia.
Environment and Climate Regional Accession Network
The Environment and Climate Regional Accession Network (ECRAN), financed by EU and managed by the European Commission, assists the beneficiaries in exchange of information and experience related to preparation for EU accession.
ECRAN is strengthening regional cooperation between the EU candidate countries and potential candidates in the fields of environment and climate action and assists their progress in the transposition and implementation of the EU environmental and climate acquis. 
ECRAN covers 7 countries beneficiaries of the Assistance and Cooperation Programme: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia.
EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) 
The EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) can support activities in the area of prevention of, preparedness for, and response to disasters including technological disasters. Calls for proposal to which beneficiary countries to the Assistance and Cooperation Programme and UNECE could potentially apply (in accordance with the eligibility criteria specified for each call) are regularly posted on the following website - Calls for proposals (europa.eu).
European Commission Directorate-General International Partnerships 
The Commission's Directorate-General International Partnerships is responsible for designing European development policy.
The EU and Central Asia cooperation covers all the five countries in the region – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
More information about possible funding can be found on the following website - Online Services - Online Services - Programmes de coopération extérieure - Commission européenne (europa.eu).
The European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), which supports the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), is aimed at advancing further towards good relationships and cooperation between the EU and its neighbours, i.a. to the East: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
The LIFE Programme
The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental and climate policy and legislation by co-financing projects with European added value.
More information about possible funding can be found on the following website - http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/index.htm

Environment and Security Initiative (EnvSec)

The Environment and Security Initiative was established in 2003 by OSCE, UNDP, and UNEP. From 2006 onwards the Initiative is strengthened by two new members – UNECE and REC.
The ENVSEC Management Board is the key decision-making body of the Initiative, which is composed of representatives from each of the partner organizations, who chair it in turn annually. It provides direction to the Initiative on overall strategy, regional priorities, the ENVSEC work programme and budget. The Management Board derives guidance on key strategic, policy, and regional issues and on support for the implementation of activities from biennial Environment and Security Conferences comprising all participating countries and other stakeholders, and biannual Donors’ Fora with participation of both active and potential donors’ organizations.
Day-to-day activities of the ENVSEC Initiative are coordinated by the ENVSEC Secretariat. The four Regional Desk Officers are responsible for development, monitoring and reporting on implementation of regional work programmes and information-sharing among different actors, through Regional Coordination Meetings organized once a year. 
To ensure active participation of beneficiary countries in planning and monitoring of ENVSEC programmes and projects, the countries are asked to provide complementary expertise in the form of dedicated staff – National Focal Points, usually representing national Ministries of Environment and Foreign Affairs. 
Several projects and capacity-building activities under the Assistance and Cooperation Programme have already been financed through the Environment and Security Initiative, most notably the training session on on-site inspection of hazardous industrial sites for Croatia, Serbia and North Macedonia (Split, Croatia, 2012) and the subsequent national follow-up projects on safety reports and the national workshop on the implementation of the Convention in Montenegro (Podgorica, 2014).