Central and Eastern Europe

Even before the state reform of 1993, which gave extensive foreign competences to Flanders, the Flemish Government had considered Central and Eastern Europe as a priority area within Flanders’ foreign policy.

Initially a large geographic and thematic field of action was covered. European programmes like Tacis and Phare served as a good example for the development of the Flemish cooperation programme in Central and Eastern Europe. After the state reform the Flemish Government signed treaties with Poland and Hungary in 1994, with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 1996, with Romania in 1997, with Slovenia in 1998, with Bulgaria in 2001, with Slovakia and the Czech Republic in 2002 and finally with Croatia in 2006. The implementation of these cooperation agreements in Central and Eastern Europe took the form of projects, for which Flemish promoters (institutions, organizations, companies, …) could receive a financial contribution from the Flemish authorities for setting up a project with partners in this region.

From 2001 onwards the policy was focused on ten partner countries with which an agreement had been signed: Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. With the accession of eight of these partner countries to the EU on May 1, 2004 the need for Flemish support was reduced as they could apply for European funds. This was taken into account when the budget for the year 2004 was set up. However, for the first time, Flemish promoters could file projects for cooperation with the neighbouring countries of the European Union. A budget of 350,000 euros was allocated to this new programme.

Due to the accession of eight Central European countries to the European Union, the Flemish Government decided on April 29, 2005 to thoroughly revise its policy. Now a difference was made between on the one hand the cooperation with the new member states and on the other hand the pre-accession support for candidate member states Croatia and – up to and including 2007 – Bulgaria and Romania. Also projects in the EU’s neighbouring countries can be considered for support. From 2008 onwards also projects in the countries on the Western Balkans can be considered for support.

The new policy is based on three pillars:

  • Pillar I: Flanders will try to build on previously established contacts and networks and concentrate on those sectors where it has a comparative advantage. In this context the Flemish democratic social model, a dynamic knowledge society and a model for administrative policy, can be propagated and transmitted through projects that lead towards a win-win situation. In 2008 a budget of 1,170,000 euros will be spent on activities in the new member states.
  • Pillar II: the pre-accession support should contribute to the countries' accession process to the EU and facilitate their successful integration into the European Union. The available budget in 2008 amounts to 500,000 euros for Croatia, 250,000 euros for Macedonia and 750,000 euros for the other countries on the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia-Kosovo).
  • Pillar III: also with the countries called 'new neighbours' Flanders will try to set up cooperation wherever it is possible and meaningful. This cooperation will take the form of capacity building, institutional, democratic and economical backing, conflict prevention and community structuring. In 2008 the Flemish authorities wish again to limit the cooperation to Ukraine. For the financing of projects under pillar III a budget of 250,000 euros is available

More information via:
Department of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs divison
Boudewijnlaan 30
1000 Brussel
E: projecten-bcoe@vlaanderen.be
T: +32 2 553 59 20