| dc.description.abstract | The aim of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) is to support beneficiary countries' efforts towards membership, in their preparations to take over the EU acquis, strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law, reform public administration, carry out economic reforms, respect human rights, promote gender equality, support the development of civil society and advance regional cooperation as well as reconciliation and reconstruction, and contribute to sustainable development and poverty reduction in these countries. The global objective of EU financial assistance to Iceland is therefore to support its efforts towards compliance with the EU acquis, in order to become fully prepared to take on the obligations of membership of the European Union. Assistance to Iceland, as a developed, high-income country having transposed an important part of the acquis in the context of the European Economic Area Agreement (EEA), should focus on adoption and implementation of the remaining acquis with a view to membership, supporting the country in its efforts to progressively align and fully enforce the acquis by accession. Assistance should therefore be targeted at supporting a wide range of institution-building measures. |
