Programme of Community aid to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Phare)
The Phare programme was launched in 1989 following the collapse of the communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe. It was intended to help these countries rebuild their economies. Originally, it concerned only Poland and Hungary but it has gradually been extended to cover ten Central and Eastern European countries today (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia).
At the same time, Phare is the main financial instrument for the pre-accession strategy for the ten Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) which have applied for membership of the European Union. Since 1994, Phare's tasks have been adapted to the priorities and needs of each CEEC.
The revamped Phare programme with a budget of over EUR 10 billion for the period 2000-2006 now has two specific priorities, namely:
•institution building;
•investment financing.
Following the proposals put forward by the Commission in its Agenda 2000 communication in July 1997, new forms of pre-accession aid have been added to that already provided by Phare. These are:
•structural measures to bring the level of environmental protection and of transport infrastructure development in the applicant countries closer to that of the European Union (Ispa);
•aid to agriculture (Sapard). Phare's budget for 2002 was EUR 1.664 billion.
See:
•
Agenda 2000•
Applicant countries•
Enlargement•
Pre-accession aid•
Pre-accession strategy
