The national programme is the main program of the EU Belarus ITA. The rest of the available tools of foreign assistance and programs in their frameworks designed to complement it. The EU country strategy document towards Belarus has been developed taking into account the EC common EU foreign policy, aimed at expanding economic cooperation, solidarity, security and sustainable development, support for democratic processes and human rights in neighboring countries as well as existing political relations with the EU Belarus and in consultation with the Government of Belarus.
In the country strategy document of the EU towards Belarus formulated the main objective of the EU and Belarus in the sphere of technical assistance for 2007-2013.
The main objective of cooperation between the EU and Belarus in the field of ITA for 2007-2013:
«Support the needs of the population, the direct and indirect support
democratization and mitigation isolation
for Belarus and its people».
Based on this goal in the National Indicative Programme (NIP) for 2007-2011
were identified two priority areas of cooperation:
- social and economic development;
- democratic development and good governance, which are then were found in the further development of the NIP for 2012-2013;
- good governance and personal contacts between people (standards of good governance and contacts between people);
- modernization of the economy (the development of market economy, local and regional development. On the implementation of these priorities they planned 28.5 million euros.
The annual national programmes of action for Belarus developed jointly by the EC and Belarus on the basis of the above NPC. In the development of the annual action programmes used sectorally project (program) approach. The development process involved the specific recipients of the Belarusian ITA EU within the chosen sector support, as well as all other stakeholders. The participation of the European Commission carried out through the identification and technical experts of the EC mission to Belarus, who worked in close collaboration with interested republican bodies of state administration, public associations, representatives of international financial organizations in Belarus, the Coordination Office of the EU TACIS Program in Belarus, Belarusian other interested organizations and institutions. Seven national action programmes were developed in the period of 2007-2013.
The total budget of the national action programmes in the ENPI for Belarus
for 2007-2013 amounted to 71.4 million euros.
26-28 November 2013, a second identification EU mission in Belarus. The purpose of her mission was to develop a NAP for Belarus for 2014 within the framework of the European Neighbourhood.
EC jointly with the European External Action Service have formulated the overall objective of the NAP for Belarus for 2014 as "Improving social inclusion through the provision of equal opportunities and access to education and employment, as well as the modernization of the labor market."
According to the EC the main objectives of the NAP for 2014 are:
- improving the quality of vocational education and training in Belarus to increase the attractiveness of vocational training, along with higher education;
- provision of knowledge and skills of young people and adults according to the needs of the labor market.
Expected results:
- capacity building of officials, experts and those involved in vocational education and training;
- matching vocational education and training to labor market needs;
- the formation of qualifications based on standards of employment in all sectors of vocational education and training;
- promoting partnerships in the field of vocational education and cooperation with business;
- changes of key competencies in the curriculum;
- the development of educational approaches, result-oriented and competitive knowledge;
- providing a flexible long-term vocational training for adults;
- raising awareness for engaging stakeholders from all sectors of vocational education and training.
Indicative budget ENI NAP for 2014 is 15 million euros, which indirectly confirms the forecast that the volume of attracted in the national programme for the seven-year period ENI funds of approximately 107.3 million euros, or 15.3 million euros per year.
The work of experts of the EU and Belarus on the development cooperation priorities of the EU - Belarus ENI for 2014-2020 under the NP continues.