MEDA Figures

For the period 1995-1999 MEDA accounted for €3,435 million of the €4,422 million of budgetary resources allocated for financial cooperation between the EU and its Mediterranean Partners. For 2000-2006 MEDA is endowed with €5,350 million. In 2000, committed MEDA funds amounted to €879 million (in addition, €8.8 million were carried over to 2001).

These grants from the Community budget are accompanied by substantial lending from the European Investment Bank (EIB). For 1995-99, the EIB loans totalled €4,808 million; for 2000-2007, the EIB’s Euromed II lending mandate is €6,400 million. The Bank committed itself to contribute a further €1,000 million from its own resources and at its own risk over the same period for transnational projects.

During the period 1995-1999, some 86% of the resources allocated to MEDA were channelled bilaterally to the partner countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and the Palestinian Authority). The remaining 12% of the resources were devoted to regional activities: all 12 Mediterranean partners and the 15 EU Member States (together called the 27 Euro-Mediterranean partners) are eligible to benefit from these activities. Two per cent were set aside for technical assistance offices.

For the period 1995-1999, financial commitments went to four main types of operations:

• Support to structural adjustment: 15% of total commitments
   
• Support to economic transition and private sector development: 30% of total
   
• Classical development projects (mainly education, health, the environment, rural development): 41% of total
   
• Regional projects: 14% of total (including 2% technical assistance).