Market Reports

European Union Enlargement Funding and Trade Opportunities

On the 1st of May this year, ten new countries joined the fifteen that currently make up the European Union, eight from Central and Eastern Europe: Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and two from the Mediterranean: Malta and Cyprus.

In preparation of this, certain EU funds had been made available to support the transition of these, the accession countries, from planned to market economies and to strengthen democracy to the point where they can fully integrate in to the EU. The three major funding programmes are PHARE, ISPA and SAPARD. Each fund, in place until 2006, has been made available to the enlargement country governments to invest in key areas. In the case of the PHARE fund, the largest of the pre-accession instruments, the areas eligible for funding include agriculture, transport and telecommunication infrastructure, private sector development and environment and nuclear safety. Although much of the PHARE programme money is to finance visits of EU public sector staff to the transition countries, there are opportunities for private companies.

ISPA, The Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession, is available to improve transport and environment infrastructure and has funded among other projects, the upgrade of national roads and assistance in complying with EU waste water directives.

SAPARD, Special Accession Programme for Agricultural and Rural Development is restricted to support for restructuring of the farm sector and offers finance for rural heritage programmes, forestry investment and training.

Monitoring Opportunities

At present all purchases by EU public bodies such as local and central government, over a certain value must be advertised in the S Supplement of the official European Journal. The same is true for utility companies. This ensures that contact opportunities are available to businesses throughout the single market. On joining the EU in May 2004, the accession countries are also now obliged to post tender opportunities in the journal.

The following useful websites, “Tenders Electronic Daily” and “Europe Aid” allows the user to search for published tender opportunities.

Tenders Electronic Daily
http://ted.publications.eu.int

Europe Aid
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/index_en.htm

The Euro Info Centre in Glasgow provides subscribers with automatic delivery of all relevant EU tender notices by email 5 days a week. With over 600 notices published each day, this saves both time and effort, only bringing to your attention the notices which are selected as relevant.

The Centre is at present offering a one month’s free trial service. If you are interested in taking up this opportunity then please telephone the Euro Info Centre on 0141 228 2797 or the Business Gateway Information Centre in Aberdeen on 01224 252122