Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood

Responsibilities

The Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST) takes forward the EU's Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood policies. DG ENEST works closely with the European External Action Service and the line DGs in charge of thematic priorities.

In the enlargement area, DG ENEST assists those countries with a perspective to join the EU in meeting the criteria defined by the Treaty of European Union and the European Council. DG ENEST closely monitors the progress of enlargement countries and supports accession negotiations as required by the Council. The DG manages the bilateral relations of the Union with candidates and potential candidates on their path to the EU, with a strong focus on reforms related to the rule of law, economic governance and public administration reform. 

DG ENEST manages the bulk of the Union’s financial and technical assistance to the countries that are candidates or potential candidates for EU membership, as well as countries or peoples in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood, including Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus. The DG supports reform and democratic consolidation and promotes EU values, policies and interests in this region, strengthening prosperity, stability and security in and around Europe. 

This assistance is provided through several financing instruments: the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III), the Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), the Ukraine Facility, and the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. DG ENEST also manages three investment frameworks – the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD+), the Western Balkans Investment Framework, and the Ukraine Investment Framework, providing budgetary guarantees, financial instruments and blending.

Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood website

As part of the Commission's commitment to transparency, Commission staff holding management functions publish information on and minutes of all meetings they hold with interest representatives.