The Interreg – IPA CBC Romania – Serbia Programme has been prepared in line with the Regulation (EU) No 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II) (hereafter referred to as the “IPA Regulation”), Regulation (EU) No 236/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 laying down common rules and procedures for the implementation of the Union’s instruments for financing external action, Commission implementing regulation (EU) No 447/2014 of 2 May 2014 on the specific rules for implementing Regulation (EU) No 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession assistance (IPA II) (hereafter referred to as the “IPA Implementing Regulation”). The Programme is the result of a co-operative effort by the Romanian and Serbian national, regional and local authorities.

The Interreg – IPA CBC Romania – Serbia Programme 2014-2020 has been approved by the European Commission on 6 August 2015 and focuses on the development of the border area through improvement of the accessibility to the labor market and promoting employment, environment protection and tourism. The Romania-Republic of Serbia IPA Cross-border Cooperation for 2007-2013 programming period, the 2003 Phare External Border Initiative Programme for Romania and the Neighborhood Programme Romania- Serbia & Montenegro 2004-2006 paved the way for the new integrated cross-border instrument to be implemented at EU external borders as of 2007, therefore conditions for cross-border cooperation are already in place and this IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme can concentrate on its strategic goal of achieving a more balanced sustainable socio-economic development of the Romania-Republic of Serbia border area.