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Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, Danish and Finnish foreign ministers state that the European Union‘s external financial instruments in the new Financial Perspective for 2014-2020 should correspond to the EU‘s foreign policy priorities. The main of these priorities  are relations with the neighbouring countries. 

In their joint letter to EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, signed on  31 January in Brussels, the ministers highlight the need for the European Neighbourhood Policy to be supported „by a strong financing instrument with a view to supporting on-going  reform process in neighbouring countries“.

According to the ministers, it is important to ensure, that the resources spent through European Neighbourhood Policy Initiative result in increased influence on the development in respective neighbourhood areas.

“The EU has a special role to play in our neighbouring area, contributing to overall European security, prosperity and democratic progress”, the letter reads.

European Neighbourhood Policy is the EU‘s policy, aimed at Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Mediterranean Sea states, it aspires to welfare, security and stability in the EU‘s neighbourhood by developing  privileged economic and political relations with neighbour countries.

The ministers‘ letter also discusses the principles  of a more effective application of the EU‘s external financial instruments.

According to the ministers, the main task is to ensure that the allocated resources are in line with the EU‘s fundamental values in order to concentrate in the areas where we can provide the greatest added value.

The ministers suggest that in the implementation phase more responsibility should be granted to the EU‘s representations in the third countries, and the EU member states should be more involved in the planning phase.

The letter notes that greater flexibility should be achieved in the use of the EU‘s budgetary instruments so that they are able to respond to international developments and crisis situations, notably within conflict prevention and peace building.

On 17 December last year, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy invited member states to contribute to the debate on how to structure the EU‘s external financial instruments in the future.