TC Reform in the European Neighbourhood

Marcus Cornaro, who heads the Directorate for the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument, wants to see Technical Cooperation reform integrated at every stage of the project cycle in the European neighbourhood.

To achieve this, twinning arrangements with experts from the civil service in European Member states with neighbouring partners has proved to be a key means of transferring know-how and best practice in the region, he said in an interview with capacity4dev.eu.

“If we do not understand the importance of building technical cooperation into the project cycle from the very start,” said Mr Cornaro, the reform “will not be sustainable, will not be shared and will not lead to results.”

To maximise results, Mr Cornaro advised task managers in delegations to deepen the dialogue with their partners.

“We need to communicate and better explain what their responsibility is in this process and I believe they will see the benefits and take the opportunity that it represents,” said Mr Cornaro.

To watch a video interview with Mr Cornaro, click on the image below.

Directorate A has launched a launched a road map or work plan to implement the Backbone Strategy for Technical Cooperation Reform in the ENP countries, which frame the European Union’s southern and east borders. And Mr Cornaro heads the directorate in charge.

From Morocco in the south west, arching through Azerbaijan in the east and as far north as Belarus, the European Union offers a privileged relationship with these 16 neighbouring countries.

Mr Cornaro describes that relationship as “everything but membership of the EU”. That is, the 16 participating countries can have access to the EU’s internal market and the chance to deepen their bi-lateral political and economic relations where there is common interest and shared values.

A key way in which Technical Cooperation has been implemented in the Neighbourhood is through the twinning of experts from Member States with partner ENP countries. This is helping our partners to become closer to the internal market in areas such as trade and customs, justice, health and consumer protection, environmental issues, transport and energy among others.

That Europe’s neighbours often have an interest in fostering stronger ties and bonds with the European Union often makes technical cooperation more effective.

“There is a bonus that being closer to Europe can help to make the assistance demand-led. So hence, it is a bit easier to distil the sense of ownership than in countries that are maybe further away,” said Mr Cornaro.

Going forward, Mr Cornaro hopes that within three years European neighbourhood partners will be better able to identify and define their own needs.

“I would hope they are better able to take responsibility for determining their specific needs and that they are better able to articulate and formulate them,” said Mr Cornaro. “This would be a success.”

A presentation on the Results-Orientation Monitoring Programme in the ENP countries, is available as an attachment to this article.