Establishment of Global Europe fund, repealing Decision No 466/2014/EU of theEuropean Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and Council Regulation (EC,Euratom) No 480/2009
TheNeighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, also known as theNDICI-GE or simplyGlobal Europe, is aEuropean Union financial instrument through which the EU invests indevelopment,improving governance, and fightingclimate change in non-EU states.
The NDICI-GE is part of the widerGlobal Gateway strategy.
Negotiations for the establishment of the NDICI-GE were concluded in December 2020, and the structure of the instrument was approved by theCouncil of the European Union.[3] In March 2021, it was endorsed in principle by theEuropean Parliament.[4] The regulation legally authorising the NDICI was approved by the Council and Parliament on 9 June; it came into force on 14 June, but applied retroactively to 1 January 2021.[1]
Since its adoption, the NDICI-GE is the EU's main financial instrument for development and foreign aid.[5][6] Previously, EU external spending on development was channelled through multiple separate financial instruments.[7]
The European Commission conducted a mid-term evaluation of the NDICI-GE in 2024. It concluded that the instrument had proven "fit for purpose", but noted that, despite improvements over previous funding mechanisms it was still insufficiently flexible to respond to unexpected global events.[8]
€2.73bn is for "global challenges", including health, education, empowerment of women and children, migration andforced displacement, andfood security
The "rapid response pillar": €3.18bn
Available to respond to emerging crises, humanitarian needs and "the EU's foreign policy needs and priorities"[6]
€9.53bn in unallocated funds, to top up other areas of the Instrument as necessary over its lifetime
10% of the total budget is "dedicated particularly to actions supporting management and governance of migration and forced displacement".[1] States in receipt of funding can unlock additional funds above those allocated to them in the initial budget if they are able to demonstrate progress incooperating with the EU to reduceirregular migration into Europe.[7]
The NDICI-GE has been criticised bycivil society groups for the "lack of transparency" in how its funds are allocated.[9]Oxfam has alleged that it "prioritise[s] the EU’s domestic migration concerns over development objectives".[10]
