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The MEDA programme
The MEDA programme is the main financial instrument of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. MEDA comes from MEsures D'Accompagnement (French for accompanying measures). The programme's regional dimension deals with problems common to Mediterranean Partners and emphasises the Partners' complementary nature. There is also a bilateral dimension (e.g. Country Association Agreements).
The MEDA programme provides financial support to the Union's Mediterranean policy as defined in the Barcelona Declaration of 1995. The main aims are to support economic transition, to develop better socio-economic balance, to foster regional integration and to gradually create a euro-Mediterranean free trade area. Going far beyond traditional development aid, MEDA is comparable to the PHARE and TACIS programmes in that it makes economic transition and free trade the central issue of EU financial cooperation with the Mediterranean region. The programme applies to states, their local and regional authorities as well as actors of their civil society. Policy issues and programming of aid are the responsibility of the External Relations DG, while the EuropeAid Cooperation Office manages projects from identification to evaluation. The beneficiaries of support measures includes not only states and regions but also local authorities, regional organisations, public agencies, local or traditional communities, organisations supporting business, private operators, cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, foundations and non-governmental organisations. Invitations to tender and contract are open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons in the Member States and the Mediterranean partners. It is important to realise that about 10% of MEDA funds are used for regional projects or programmes, while almost 90% are spent on National projects based on National Indicative Programmes. MEDA-Water and SMAP are examples of regional cooperation programmes. Since 2004 the Mediterranean Partners have been included in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).