The screening reports reflect the European Commission’s evaluation of the candidate state’s readiness to adopt and implement the acquis communautaire and may recommend the opening of substantive negotiations for individual chapters. If the European Commission considers that the candidate country is not ready to open negotiation for a specific chapter, it will recommend the setting up of benchmarks (minimum requirements) which need to be met before the negotiations for a respective chapter can be opened. The information gathered in these meetings serves as a basis for Member States to decide on the opening of accession negotiations on individual chapters.
Screening, or analytical examination of the acquis, is the stage preparatory to accession negotiations. It is vital since it forms the basis for the bilateral negotiations between the European Union and the various candidate countries. The screening process is carried out jointly by the Commission and each of the candidate countries, allowing the latter to familiarise themselves with the acquis and demonstrate their capacity to put it into effect. A further purpose of screening is to identify those areas of the acquis in which progress is needed if the candidate countries' legislation is to be compatible with the Community rules. These areas are divided into chapters, which are negotiated individually. A screening exercise may be carried out during the accession negotiations if the acquis has to be updated.
In 1985, five EU countries (France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) agreed to abolish all checks on people travelling between them. This created a territory without internal borders, which became known as the Schengen area. (Schengen is the town in Luxembourg where the agreement was signed).The Schengen countries introduced a common visa policy for the whole area and agreed to establish effective controls at its external borders. Checks at the internal borders may be carried out for a limited period if public order or national security makes this necessary.Little by little, the Schengen area has been extended to include every EU country plus Iceland and Norway, and the agreement has become an integral part of the EU treaties. However, Ireland and the United Kingdom do not take part in the arrangements relating to border controls and visas. More on this subject. You do not need a visa for travelling within the Schengen area if you are a citizen of one of the Schengen countries. If you have a visa for entering any Schengen country it automatically allows you to travel freely throughout the Schengen area, except Ireland and the United Kingdom.
was established in July 2000 to ensure internal coordination and harmonisation in the preparation of Turkey for EU membership.
Used to obtain consultancy, studies, expertise and training for the pre-accession programme.
This state institution carries out a key role in planning and deciding on infrastructure investments in the country. The SPO focuses on coordinating and planning rather than implementation.
This means discussion, negotiation and joint action between the European social partners and discussions between these social partners and the EU institutions.For further details, see EU Portal.
This is jargon for the two sides of industry – i.e. employers and workers. At EU level they are represented by three main organisations: The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), representing workers; The Union of Industries of the European Community (UNICE), representing private sector employers; The European Centre for Public Enterprise (CEEP), representing public sector employers. The European Commission consults them when drawing up proposals for social and employment legislation. For further details, see EU Portal.
These constitute the fourth column of the logical framework, showing the general objectives, the project objective, information on whether desired results have been achieved (as described in the objectively verifiable indicators), and from where and in which form this information can be obtained.
Individuals, groups of individuals, institutions, establishment or companies that are concerned with or related to a project/programme are defined as “stakeholders”. Stakeholders are directly or indirectly and positively or negatively affected by the activities and outputs (results) of a project/programme, and they themselves may affect that process. Different sub-groups among the stakeholders should be taken into consideration.
This process determines all those stakeholder groups that can be positively or negatively affected by a proposed project, the interest areas of these groups, their problems, their potential and other characteristics; it also analyses these elements.
Funds allocated by the European Union for two related purposes: support for the poorer regions of Europe and support for integrating European infrastructure.
Within which the funding and overall management of several Operational Programmes takes place (7 year lifecycle).
The “subsidiarity principle” means that EU decisions must be taken as closely as possible to the citizen. In other words, the Union does not take action (except on matters for which it alone is responsible) unless EU action is more effective than action taken at national, regional or local level.
Meetings of the European Council are sometimes referred to as European (or EU) 'summit' meetings, because they bring together the EU's heads of state or government. Some countries are represented by their Prime Minister, others by their President, some by both. It depends on their Constitution.
Used to obtain equipment and material needed for the execution of projects. They concern design, manufacture, delivery, assembly and commissioning of goods, together with other possible tasks such as maintenance, repairs, installation, and training and after sales service.
SAPARD helped countries applying for EU membership to prepare for the Common Agricultural Policy and other measures related to agricultural structures and rural development: The same objective is now pursued through Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance for Rural Development IPARD.
This method analyses the strong and weak aspects/features of an institution and the opportunities and threats it faces. SWOT Analysis is a tool, which can be used in all phases of a project cycle.
These are associated organisations who are involved in the action, such that they play a real role but may not receive funding from the grant. In many grant schemes, public institutions may be involved in projects but the costs they incur are not eligible for funding from the grant.
This literally means 'at a level above national governments' – as distinct from 'intergovernmental' which means 'between governments'. Many EU decisions are taken at 'supranational' level in the sense that they involve the EU institutions, to which EU countries have delegated some decision-making powers. Do not confuse this term with 'transnational' .
The probability/possibility of the continuation of the benefits gained from a project after external support (help) is terminated.
See, “Quality Factors”.
