EPTATF aims to enhance the quality and development impact of EIB operations in the Eastern Partnership Countries. It is a multi-donor, multi-sector trust fund established by the Bank in December 2010 in response to the need for specific technical advisory support to its lending activities in the Eastern Partnership Countries. In addition to direct project related support, the Trust Fund provides institutional support and capacity building via the Eastern Partnership Internship Programme  and the Eastern Partnership Secondment Programme. 

The EPTATF fills critical gaps for the development and implementation of investment projects by providing financing for:

• pre-feasibility, feasibility and other studies for the preparation of investment projects
• institutional and legal assessments
• environmental and social impact assessments
• project management and/or promoter support throughout the project implementation process
• upstream studies to identify investment needs and priorities as well as horizontal activities addressing institutional issues and capacity building.

EPTATF is a flexible mechanism, capable of providing rapid support towards meeting evolving needs and capacity development requirements in the Eastern Partnership Countries. Established and managed by the EIB, the Fund benefits from the Bank’s extensive experience and expertise in appraisal and advisory work.

Governance: EPTATF Contributors Committee (CC)

The Contributors Committee serves as an advisory and decision-making body for the EPTATF, by providing guidance on the Fund’s strategy and orientations, and by approving financing proposals. 

The Committee consists of representatives of the EU Members States that have signed a Contribution Instrument with the Bank. A representative of the European Commission also attends meetings as observers.

Click here to view its Rules relating to the Establishment and administration and Procedure as well as the list of members of the EPTATF CC.

Eligibility for EPTATF financing

Countries currently eligible for EPTATF support are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus (since 2017), Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The Fund may also finance cross-border or regional studies or programmes which are of priority for the countries concerned.

Priority Sectors

• Local private sector development, particularly supporting small and medium sized enterprises;
• Development of social and economic infrastructure, including: transport, energy, water, environmental infrastructure and information and communication technology and
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Complementarity and Coordination

EPTATF aims at strengthening the Bank’s lending activities in the Eastern Partnership Countries. It complements existing blending mechanisms and financing instruments and acts in line with the strategic orientations set by the EIB and endorsed by the Fund’s Contributors. Operations are developed in close coordination with the partner countries concerned and in coherence with their strategies and plans.

Contributors

Austria, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have already contributed a pledged amount of EUR 39.3m (as at 30 June 2018) to the Trust Fund. Participation enables contributing countries to provide strategic input to the EIB in its response to new challenges in the Eastern Partnership Countries and to enhance the impact of this response.

Operations

As of June 2018, the EPTATF approved 26 operations for a total value of EUR 32.1m. Click here to view the list of EPTATF approved operations.

Identification of TA needs

Requirements for advisory work and other appropriate TA support are identified through dialogue with public and/or private sector promoters and the authorities of the partner countries, in cooperation and/or co-financing with the European Commission and other international financial institutions. Financing requests for TA operations are approved by the EPTATF Contributors on proposal by the Bank.

Tendering procedures

Operations for technical advisory services are subject to a tendering procedure. Depending on who is procuring the consultancy services, the procurement follows either the European Commission’s “Practical Guide to contract procedures for EC external actions” (EuropeAid cooperation office) or the EIB Guide to Procurement. The Bank then monitors implementation in close cooperation with the promoter concerned and other relevant stakeholders.

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