Article 4 Areas of cooperationX1F1

Union financing shall support cooperation actions in accordance with Article 1 and shall be consistent with the overall purpose, scope, objectives and general principles of this Regulation. Union financing shall cover actions that, in principle, do not fulfil the ODA criteria, and which may include a regional dimension, in the following areas of cooperation:

1. (1)

   the promotion of cooperation, partnerships and joint undertakings between economic, social, cultural, academic and scientific actors in the Union and partner countries;

2. (2)

   the stimulation of bilateral trade, investment flows and economic partnerships, including a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises;

3. (3)

   the promotion of dialogue between political, economic, social and cultural actors and other non-governmental organisations in relevant sectors in the Union and partner countries;

4. (4)

   the promotion of people-to-people links, education and training programmes and intellectual exchanges and the enhancement of mutual understanding between cultures, particularly at the family level, including measures to ensure and increase Union participation in Erasmus Mundus and participation in European education fairs;

5. (5)

   the promotion of cooperative projects in areas such as research, science and technology, sports and culture, energy (in particular renewable energy), transport, environmental matters (including climate change), customs, financial, legal and human rights issues, and any other matter of mutual interest between the Union and partner countries;

6. (6)

   the enhancement of awareness about and understanding of the Union and of its visibility in partner countries;

7. (7)

   support for specific initiatives, including research work, studies, pilot schemes or joint projects destined to respond in an effective and flexible manner to cooperation objectives arising from developments in the Union’s bilateral relationships with partner countries or aiming to provide impetus to the further deepening and broadening of bilateral relationships with them.