Instrument for pre-accession assistance - IPA

The Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) is a new instrument for pre-accession assistance for the period 2007 – 2013, which will replace the currently available programmes CARDS, Phare, ISPA, and SAPARD. The main objectives of the IPA programme include assistance to candidate countries and to potential candidate countries in their harmonisation and implementation of the acquis communautaire as well as in preparing for the use of the Structural Funds. The Republic of Croatia will be the beneficiary of the IPA programme from 2007 until the moment of its accession to the EU. Its financial value in the period till 2013 is € 1.073 billion.

The IPA programme consists of the following five components:

1. Assistance in transition and institution building (299.400.000 €)
2. Cross border cooperation (106.600.000 €)
3. Regional development (378.600.000 €)
4. Human resources development (104.000.000 €)
5. Rural development (184.400.000 €).

Croatian Employment Service will within Component I Assistance in transition and institution building implement (IPA TAIB) following projects:

1. Croatian Employment Service Labour Market Training Centre (1 000.000 €)
2. Preparation of Croatian Employment Service for Joining the EURES Network (230.000 €).

Within Component II Cross border cooperation (IPA CBC), CES Regional offices develop and implement projects in cooperation with neighbouring EU member states and EU candidate countries.

Within Component IV Human resources development (IPA HRD), CES has developed following projects:

1. Local Partnership for Employment - Phase 3 (4.500.000 €)
2. Youth in the Labour Market (2.946.000 €)
3. Fostering Effective Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Labour Market (2.235.000 €)
4. Women in the Labour Market (3.000.000 €)
5. CES Services for Clients: Improving Lifelong Career Guidance and ICT Support (3.730.000 €)
6. Developing Investment Plan of the Croatian Employment Service (195.000 €)