Azerbaijan, Baku, August 10 / Trend , I.Khalilova /
The European Commission submitted to the Government of Azerbaijan the final version of the financial memorandum for the indicative program of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) in 2009 with a budget of €20 million, coordination bureau executive director of EU technical aid programs to Azerbaijan (Tacis) Rufat Mammadov said on August 10.
The memorandum is expected to be signed in 2010, Mammadov said.
He said that the program will support reforms in the agriculture via the Public budget of Azerbaijan.
Of the allocated €20 million, €12 million is envisaged for the program to support rural development and agriculture, €6 million will be provided to improve governance capacity in Azerbaijan within a plan signed in 2006 between the Government of Azerbaijan and the EU, and the execution of Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in 1996.
These funds (€20 million) are allocated to Azerbaijan under the policy of the European Neighborhood and Partnership, providing annual assistance to Azerbaijan and the other 16 partners, located on the eastern and southern border of the EU.
Through the instrument of sectoral support for Public budget, the EU allocated funds to Azerbaijan for the implementation of reforms in the justice system and the energy sector.
In addition to partnership, Azerbaijan receives support under democracy and human rights, and other programs.
The ENP budget envisaged for Azerbaijan, for 2007-2010, totals €92mln.
The priority directions of the ENP action plan for Azerbaijan (2007-2013), adopted in Brussels in November 2006, are -strengthening of democracy in the country, improvement of business and investment climate, support for sustainable economic development, adjusting the economic legislation and management practices, strengthening of cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan in the energy and transport sectors, regional cooperation and cooperation in border governance.
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