1. IDENTIFICATION Support to the EU-Morocco Mobility Partnership CRIS number: Total cost Total estimated cost: EUR 5,771,000

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1 ANNEX 1 of the Commission Implementing Decision on the AAP 2013 Part 2 for the Thematic Programme for cooperation with third countries in the areas of Migration and Asylum Action Fiche for Support to the EU-Morocco Mobility Partnership 1. IDENTIFICATION Title/Number Support to the EU-Morocco Mobility Partnership CRIS number: Total cost Total estimated cost: EUR 5,771,000 Aid method / Method of implementation Total amount of EU budget contribution EUR 5,000,000 This action is co-financed in joint co-financing by: Germany, Federal Ministry of Economic cooperation and development - for an amount of EUR 500,000; France, Ministry of Foreign Affairs - for an amount of EUR 146,000. Netherlands for an amount of EUR 125,000 Project Approach Indirect centralised management with France Expertise Internationale (FEI) DAC-code Sector Population policy and administrative management 2. RATIONALE AND CONTEXT 2.1. Summary of the action and its objectives The Action aims at supporting the implementation of the EU-Morocco Mobility Partnership with a specific focus on consolidating the achievements attained so far in the area of migration and development in Morocco through a comprehensive approach and enhanced alignment with national policies and strategies. The specific objectives of the Action are: To capitalise on the actions carried out so far in Morocco in the field of migration and to scale up the most promising ones. To provide the relevant Moroccan authorities with a better knowledge of the features of the main Moroccan communities in Europe and to support the design and implementation of programs aimed at mobilising their human, social and financial capital for the development of Morocco 1

2 2.2. Context To reinforce the capacity of the relevant Moroccan authorities to manage labour migration through enhanced cooperation with EU partners To reinforce the capacity of the relevant Moroccan authorities, both at national and local level, to support the socio-economic reintegration of returnees Country context Economic and social situation and poverty analysis With a population of around 30 million, Morocco is one of the most populous countries of the Mediterranean region. GDP per capita stood at EUR 3000 in 2009, which puts Morocco below the average of the other countries of the region. Over the period Morocco recorded an average growth of 4.9%, representing nearly twice the average rate of the 1990s (2.5%). The implementation of strategic reforms helped preserve the fundamentals of the economy despite the successive international crises that occurred over the past three years. Between 2001 and 2008, the poverty rate fell from 15% to 9%, and the number of people in precarious situations declined from 22% to 17%, though with significant disparities. In some rural areas, the poverty rate is 14.5%. Despite the progress made, a lot still remains to be done to ensure job creation and reduce poverty sustainably. According to the 2011 UNDP Report on human development, Morocco ranks only 130th, showing a significant delay compared to the other countries of the region. Among the most acute factors of fragility affecting the country s social fabric are the persistence of pockets of poverty and high level of youth unemployment. The unequal distribution of wealth among the regions is evident in the high concentration of poverty and vulnerability in some regions whose health and education indicators fall far below the national average. This situation is compounded by high youth unemployment, whose persistence reflects the dysfunctioning of the labour market and failure to adapt training to employment and constitutes a challenge to the country s development National development policy The current agenda of EU-Morocco relations is spelled out in an Action Plan under the European Neighbourhood Policy. The adoption in 2008 of the joint document on the enhancement of bilateral relations/ Advanced Status marked the beginning of a new stage in the EU-Morocco relations. The new Action Plan for the implementation of the Advanced Status merges the old Action plan and the joint document on the Advanced Status. The new Action Plan spells out the principles and objectives of the EU/Morocco relationship and details the reforms and actions Morocco has committed to undertake in the coming years. The Action Plan also provides for EU technical and financial support to these reforms. 2

3 The main areas of reforms to which Morocco has committed itself are: the consolidation of the rule of law, democracy and human rights, economic growth, employment and social cohesion, poverty reduction, environment protection, long term sustainable development. The new Action Plan also envisages a step-by step approximation with the acquis communautaire in view of gradually integrating the Moroccan economy into the EU internal market and to encourage trade, investment and growth. The new Action Plan will feed the programming, implementation and follow up of the EU cooperation Sector context: policies and challenges Bilateral cooperation on migration between Morocco and the main European destination countries is well developed. The Arab spring and events in the Southern Mediterranean in 2011 highlighted, nevertheless, the need for a more coherent and comprehensive migration policy for the EU. The Commission presented a range of policy proposals and operational measures on migration, mobility, integration and international protection in its Communications of 4 and 24 May Those proposals were fully endorsed by the European Council in June and since then the EU has taken action by launching dialogues on migration, mobility and security with Tunisia and Morocco in October 2011 with a view to establishing Mobility Partnerships. Mobility Partnerships encompass the four pillars of the Global Approach to Migration and Mobility namely legal migration and mobility, irregular migration and trafficking in human beings, international protection and asylum policy, and maximising the development impact of migration - and include a package of capacity building measures addressing the partner country's relevant institutions. The Mobility Partnership is conceived as a long-term cooperation framework in line with the Global Approach to Migration and Mobility and with Moroccan migration policy, and is based on political dialogue and cooperation, which will evolve over time on the basis of the existing relationship between Morocco and the EU. The conclusion of a Mobility Partnership is envisaged as an objective of the Morocco s Action Plan for the implementation of the Advanced Status. After over one year of dialogue and negotiations, the Mobility Partnership between the EU, 9 of its Member States (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom and Sweden) and Morocco has been signed on 7th June Morocco is the first country in the region to sign a Mobility Partnership, which makes it a pioneer in the South Neighbourhood. Morocco has quite a long history of policies and interventions in the area of migration and development. The Ministry charged with the Moroccan community 1 COM(2011) 292/3: Communication on A dialogue for migration, mobility and security with the Southern Mediterranean countries. 2 European Council Conclusions, 23/24 June

4 residing abroad, created in the 1990s, has launched numerous initiatives aimed at strengthening the ties of Moroccans abroad with their country of origin. Morocco s new Constitution, adopted in 2011, includes several references to migrants and stipulates that the participation of migrants must be guaranteed in all the institutions of good governance and participatory democracy. In 2011, Moroccans residing abroad (as registered by the consulate services) were over 3.4 million 3. The great majority (84 %) of Moroccan emigrants live in Europe, mainly in France (32 %), Spain (20%), and Italy (12%). In 2011, Morocco received remittances from abroad for over MAD(dirham) 58 billion 4, which represents approximately 7 per cent of gross domestic product. The dramatic increase of remittances in the last 20 years (transfers passed from 16 billion dirham in 1990 to 58 billion in 2011) shows the crucial role played by Moroccans abroad for the economy of the country. The 46% of these transfers come from France. Only around 8% of this capital is used for investments. Since the 1990s, Morocco has also evolved into an important transit and immigration country, receiving flows of migration mainly from Sub-Saharan countries. Sub- Saharan migrants generally attempt to cross to Europe illegally but many of them also tend to stay in Morocco to improve their living conditions. Morocco seems to be currently confronted with an increase of flows of returnees (both from Europe and from Libya) whose socio-economic reintegration might be a challenge for the country. However, there are no comprehensive and consolidated data on this phenomenon. The European Training Foundation (ETF) survey Migration et competences, le role des competences dans le phenomene migratoire au Maroc (February 2013) highlights that the large majority of return migration occurs through informal channels without any institutional assistance, only 7% of the respondents were aware of programs aimed at accompanying the return process Lessons learnt The effectiveness of Mobility Partnerships (MP) as a mechanism to provide a coherent EU response to migration challenges has been assessed in the first evaluation report of the European Union - Republic of Moldova Mobility Partnership. The report, that covers the period from the launch of the MP (June 2008) until the end of 2011, delivers a first comprehensive assessment of the political and technical aspect of the MP with Moldova. The evaluation shows that substantial progress has been achieved in the field of migration and mobility since the initiation of the MP in 2008, including in terms of intra EU coordination and inter-institutional coordination of the relevant Moldovan institutions. In the last 10 years, over 30 projects have been carried out in Morocco solely through EU funding (B6776, Aeneas, Thematic Programme for migration and asylum, 3 Source: Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate for consular and social affairs, and Haut Commissariat au Plan 4 Office des changes 4

5 ENPI). At least an equivalent number has been funded by other donors. The contribution of migration to the development of Morocco has represented from the earliest stages a focal area of intervention. Numerous studies have been conducted in the framework of these projects. A pool of know-how and knowledge has been created but never fully exploited nor capitalised. Recent initiatives, such as the project Faciliter la création d'entreprises au Maroc grâce à la mobilisation de la diaspora marocaine installée en Europe - FACE, have achieved very positive results in the field of business creation through diaspora involvement. Nevertheless, this kind of initiative shows significant weaknesses in terms of sustainability, due to a lack of ownership within the Moroccan institutional framework (as shown for example by the ROM report MR ). There are still significant challenges linked to the cross-cutting nature of migration issues and the difficulty to act within a migration-related inter-institutional policy framework. There is a high awareness of the impact of migration on Morocco's socio-economic development; however the institutional response to it, that could promote mainstreaming in public policies, is still to be defined Complementary actions A significant number of projects in the area of migration are currently on going in Morocco, either financed by Morocco itself, international organisations, EU member states or the EU. The most relevant EU-projects are listed below. Synergies among the different interventions implemented in Morocco will be promoted by the Action itself and in particular by the mapping exercise (specific objective 1). Morocco is addressed, among other target countries, by the targeted initiative Interrelations between public policies, migration and development of partner countries: case studies and policy recommendations implemented by the OECD Development centre. The overall objective of the project, started at the beginning of 2013, is to enhance partner countries capacity to incorporate the migration dimension into the design and implementation of their development strategies and other public policies through a better understanding of the implications of public policies on migration issues. The consultations with national stakeholders that will be organised in the framework of this project will contribute to the reflections on the linkages between migration and other public policies, mainstreaming and interinstitutional coordination. Synergies will also be ensured between the activities carried out under result 1 and the Inventory of migrant support measures from skills and employment perspective launched by ETF. As far as the field of diaspora investment is concerned, the project «Soutenir la création d activité et l emploi au Maghreb - La migration au service du développement économique local» funded through the Thematic Programme for migration and asylum, aims at providing accompanying measures for business startup in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. 5

6 As far as the strengthening of employment agencies capacities is concerned, the Action will ensure synergies and build upon the results of the following interventions: On-going institutional twinning for the benefit of the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) targeting its human resources management and its provision of services related to labour intermediation (due to come to an end in June 2014). On-going projet DCI-MIGR/2011/ «Professionnaliser les Services Publics de l Emploi de pays d Afrique du Nord en matière de gestion des flux migratoires en partageant et développant, notamment par la mise en place d un parcours pilote de migration, l expérience du projet MEDA/MAROC Appui Institutionnel à la Circulation des Personnes». As far as support to return and reintegration is concerned, the Return fund supported a number of projects implemented by EU Member States in Morocco such as the projects NIRVA and REMIDA, aimed at providing assistance for voluntary return of migrants from Italy. Among the multi country projects covering Morocco the most relevant for the Action are: The project «Appui et Conseil aux Administrations Publiques africaines responsables des initiatives sur la Migration et le Développement dans la route migratoire de l Afrique de l Ouest - MeDAO». Euromed Migration III fostering cooperation on migratory issues between the ENPI South partner countries and EU Member States and among ENPI South partner countries themselves on promotion of legal migration, synergies between migration and development and fight against irregular migration Donor coordination Donor coordination will take place at several levels: i) The project will be implemented by a consortium of EU Member States, which will ensure close coordination with their own operations and reduce fragmentation. ii) In the framework of the Mobility Partnership the Parties will meet at least twice a year in order to determine issues of common interest, to monitor the implementation of the partnership and, where necessary, to reconsider its priorities. iii) The possibility to establish a so called cooperation platform to coordinate at an operational level, including by incorporating other relevant partners and actors present in Morocco, is envisaged in the text of the political declaration of the MP. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION 3.1. Objectives The overall objective of the Action is to support the implementation of the EU- Morocco Mobility Partnership with a specific focus on consolidating the 6

7 achievements attained so far in the area of migration and development in Morocco through a comprehensive approach and enhanced alignment with national policies and strategies. Specific objectives: To capitalise on the actions carried out so far in Morocco in the field of migration and to scale up the most promising ones. To provide the relevant Moroccan authorities with a better knowledge of the features of the main Moroccan communities in Europe and to support the design and implementation of programs aimed at mobilising their human, social and financial capital for the development of Morocco To reinforce the capacity of the relevant Moroccan authorities to manage labour migration through enhanced cooperation with EU partners To reinforce the capacity of the relevant Moroccan authorities, both at national and local level, to support the socio-economic reintegration of returnees Expected results and main activities The expected results of the project are as follows: Result 1: the migration and development related actions carried out in Morocco in the last 10 years are capitalised and scaled-up The activities developed under this result will include: Mapping and analysis A methodology is elaborated for the mapping and analysis of the migration and development related actions implemented in Morocco in the last 10 years by Moroccan authorities, international organisations, donors, non-governmental organisations, or other stakeholders, focusing on the following areas: - Support to return and reintegration - Productive use of remittances and of savings - Business start-up for migrants and/or returnees - Financial literacy - Prevention of irregular migration in regions of origin, awareness raising campaigns - Mobilizing migrants skills and competences - Local development projects involving diaspora associations - Labour migration and skills development 7

8 - Preventing brain drain The mapping and analysis are conducted with the purpose of gathering evidence-based information on the effectiveness, impact and sustainability of the actions analysed. The Moroccan institutional stakeholders involved, as beneficiaries or as partners, in the implementation of a given action will be associated in the analysis and evaluation process. The preliminary findings of the mapping will be presented and discussed with the Moroccan relevant authorities within the framework of specific meetings. These meetings will contribute to enriching the analysis. Sharing and dissemination The most relevant outputs of these projects are made accessible to all the stakeholders and the public, in a format to be agreed with the relevant Moroccan authorities (e.g.: a web portal, an additional page on a Moroccan Ministry's website, or a comprehensive list with interlinks to be disseminated to the stakeholders). This tool should include all relevant studies, researches, pedagogical kits and tools, and other outputs delivered in the framework of the mapped initiatives related to migration and development. The findings of the analysis will be presented and discussed within a multi-stakeholder workshop, organised to foster the exchange of information and brainstorming on migration and development initiatives in Morocco. The workshop will address the challenges of interinstitutional and inter-donors coordination in this domain as well as the alignment of the mapped initiatives with the national and local development plans. On this occasion, the outputs' dissemination tool (see above) will be presented and its further maintenance discussed, in order to ensure its sustainability. Scaling-up The most promising actions corresponding to the above mentioned strands of intervention are jointly identified. Co-funding is provided in order to replicate or scale up a number of jointly selected projects/initiatives. Projects/initiatives eligible for being scaled up must meet the following criteria: - Initiatives having delivered tangible results - Initiatives endorsed by the Moroccan national or local authorities and in line with national or local policies/strategies - Initiatives promoting inter-institutional coordination and/or an integrated approach in the management of migration related issues - Complementarity with on-going or planned projects funded by the EU or EU Member States The Action will co-fund the selected initiatives up to the 80%. Result 2: the features and trends of the main Moroccan communities in Europe are better known; a targeted diaspora mobilization program is put in place 8

9 The activities developed under this result will include: Building upon the lessons drawn from previous reports such as the OECD/AFD Connecting with Emigrants - A global profile of diaspora and other similar studies, a methodology for the mapping of the main Moroccan communities residing in Europe is elaborated in association with the relevant Moroccan institutions (Ministry Charged with the Moroccan Community Residing Abroad, Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad, Hassan II Foundation, Haut Commissariat au Plan, etc). A quantitative and qualitative mapping of the Moroccan communities is conducted in France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Sweden. Specific attention will be paid to aspects such as the socio-economic profile and skills of diaspora members. In the light of the findings of the mapping, technical assistance is provided to the Ministry Charged with the Moroccan Community Residing Abroad to design and implement targeted programs aimed at mobilizing the human, social and financial capital of Moroccan communities settled in at least two EU Member States. Complementarity and synergies will be ensured with the actions under Result 1. Recommendations are elaborated in cooperation with to the relevant Moroccan authorities addressing gaps and constraints of the Moroccan regulatory and institutional framework with the purpose of facilitating the mobilisation of Moroccans residing abroad. Result 3: the capacity of the relevant Moroccan authorities to manage labour migration is strengthened through enhanced cooperation with EU partners The activities developed under this result will include: Peer-to-peer exchange and cooperation activities will be organised between Moroccan and EU Member States institutions in charge of employment and labour migration with the following purposes: - exchange information on opportunities of legal migration and labour market trends - set up pilot labour migration schemes, including through temporary and circular migration, on a voluntary basis, - design and disseminate information tools for the general public - exchange on challenges and good practises related to the access of foreign workers to the labour market and protection of their rights - set up a single tool (database, web portal, handbook on legal migration) where the activities proposed by the different Members States are integrated and consolidated in order to reinforce the European dimension of this component. Result 4: the capacity of the relevant Moroccan authorities and of civil society organisations to provide support to returnees is reinforced The activities developed under this result will include: 9

10 Gaps and needs assessment addressing the current situation of services provided to returnees by public bodies and civil society organisations (social, medical support, micro credit facilities, vocational training). Support to the setting up of a referral network of public and private stakeholders responsible for and/or linked to return and reintegration activities and policies. Support to the design of a comprehensive strategy for the effective reintegration of returnees, encompassing separate sets of measures targeting the different typologies of returnees (skilled, unskilled, women, children) and including mechanisms of recognition of migrants skills and competences. Coaching and training provided to the relevant authorities. Support to the design and dissemination of information tools on available support for prospective and recent returnees. Support to reintegration projects of returnees from Europe (as long as complementary with the measures supported through the Return Fund) and from third countries. Cross-cutting methodological remark related to the four results: an approach aimed at highlighting the interconnections between the objectives of the Action and other policy areas and at encouraging the coordination between different Moroccan institutions will be applied throughout the whole implementation process and constitutes a horizontal component of the Action objectives. Sequencing among the actions: The findings of the mapping under result 1 will inform the design of the programs aimed at mobilizing the Moroccan communities in Europe (second part of result 2) and will contribute to the gaps and needs assessment as well as to the design of a strategy to support return and reintegration under result 4. The mapping under result 2 will take place simultaneously with the mapping under result 1. The great majority of activities under result 3 can be implemented independently from the others Risks and assumptions A crucial condition for the success of the project is that all the parties involved play a proactive role. More specifically, the success of the action depends on the successful mitigation of the following risks: Risks Level Risk management/strategy measures Insufficient interest/commitment shown by Moroccan stakeholders to participate in the programme, to share policyrelated information and plans, to integrate the recommendations proposed into their respective policies High The relevant Moroccan authorities will be consulted throughout the process of elaboration of the terms of reference and will be actively involved in the key decision making steps. 10

11 Insufficient interest/commitment shown by Moroccan stakeholders to adopt an inter-institutional approach Frustration as far as the avenues for legal migration to Europe are concerned Complexity of factors and diversity of national specificities hinder the design of a targeted strategy to mobilise Moroccan diaspora s capital Medium High Medium The need to adopt an integrated approach in addressing migration issues will not be presented as a theoretical assumption but will stem as a factual consideration from the activities themselves. The involvement of EU Member States as partners will allow fine tuning of bilateral cooperation on the pre-conditions for labour matching between Morocco and EU. Furthermore, building upon the experience of currently on-going projects, pilot schemes of labour matching will be set up on a voluntary basis. The methodology for the mapping will be thoroughly conceived and designed taking into account not only the Moroccan priorities but also the elements that are necessary to gather and analyse in order to design and implement the subsequent strategy. Differentiation among the different diaspora communities shouldn t be excluded Cross-cutting issues The project will address cross-cutting issues such as good governance, gender and human rights Stakeholders The main institutional stakeholders involved in Migration and development issues are: Institution Involvement with Migration and Development Ministry Charged with the Moroccan Development and implementation of government Community Residing Abroad policy relating to the Moroccan community resident (MCMRE) abroad Council of the Moroccan Community 1) Evaluation of Morocco s policies relating to Abroad (CCME) Moroccans residing abroad and provide recommendations. 2) Explore migratory challenges and contribute to the establishment of relations between Morocco and 11

12 countries of destination. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ministry of Labour and Professional Education National Agency for employment and skills promotion (ANAPEC) Ministry of Interior - Regional Centre for Investment (CRI) Management of consular and diplomatic relations with countries of destination, and negotiation of agreements pertaining to migration Elaboration, implementation, and evaluation of labour migration policy relating to emigrants and immigrants International branch with intermediation role for job opportunities abroad Facilitation of foreign investment and the creation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Morocco The main institutional beneficiaries of the Action will be the Ministry charged with Moroccan Community residing abroad and, to a lesser extent, the CCME (result 2 and result 4) and the National Agency for employment and skills promotion (result 3). Activities related to result 1 will benefit all the institutions involved in migration issues and will promote the adoption of an integrated approach to migration issues. The final beneficiaries will be the Moroccan diaspora settled in Europe (result 2), prospective migrants (result 3) and returnees from Europe as well as from third countries (result 4). 4. IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES 4.1. Financing agreement In order to implement this action, it is not foreseen to conclude a financing agreement with the partner country, referred to in Article 184(2)(b) of the Financial Regulation or in Article 17 of Annex IV to the Cotonou Agreement Indicative operational implementation period The indicative operational implementation period of this action, during which the activities described in sections 3.2. and 4.3. will be carried out, is 36 months, subject to modifications to be agreed by the responsible authorising officer in the relevant agreements Implementation components and modules Indirect centralised management with a Member State agency This action with the objective of supporting the implementation of the UE-Morocco Mobility Partnership will be implemented in indirect centralised management with the France Expertise Internationale (FEI) in accordance with Article 54(2)(c) of Financial Regulation 1605/2002. FEI will perform its tasks in association with the following Member States: Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Belgium. The partnership will remain open to all EU Member States wishing to join. 12

13 This modality of implementation is justified because of the nature itself of the Mobility Partnership. The latter is a multilateral framework of cooperation between the EU, 9 of its Member States (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom and Sweden) and Morocco on migration issues. Given the primacy of State competences on migration issues and the high political relevance of the Mobility Partnership, it is the most appropriate to entrust the implementation of the project to the same group of EU Member States that are Parties to the Mobility Partnership. The objective criteria for choosing FEI as the lead implementing partner have been the following: - Consultation involving all EU Member States Parties to the MP with Morocco: in March 2013, the European Commission invited all EU Member States signatories of the MP with Morocco to participate in this project and to indicate their level of desired involvement. An ad hoc meeting has been held back to back to the High level working group on migration and asylum on the 14 th of March Following this meeting France confirmed its strong interest in participating in the implementation of the Action and designated FEI to act as a leader of a consortium of EU Member States. Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Belgium expressed their interested to contribute to the Action as partners of the consortium. - Consolidated experience in development cooperation: FEI has a consolidated experience of implementation of development cooperation operations - mainly in the field of governance, MDGs, post-crisis operations - including as a leader of multistakeholders consortia. - Compliance with criteria provided by Financial Regulation to manage EU funds: FEI has been positively assessed and found compliant with the requirements of Article 60 of the applicable Financial Regulation in a view of carrying out budget implementation tasks through a delegation agreement. FEI may entrust the implementation of specific activities related to a given component of the project to another member of the consortium whose procedures and systems are assessed and comply with international standards and may make use of specific expertise provided by the other members of the consortium or by other institutions. Appropriate provisions will be included in the terms of reference. FEI will provide the European Commission with full information on the implementation of the Action. The European Commission will remain fully engaged in the policy dialogue, planning, monitoring, annual reviewing, reporting and evaluation process. A project Steering Committee, with the European Commission as a member, will be established to provide overall strategic guidance, take decisions, assess and, if necessary, adapt activities. The Steering Committee will meet at least twice a year. The Action planning documents, such as work plans and detailed timetables, methodological documents, experts CVs as well as the Action s outputs will be subject to the European Commission approval before presentation to the Steering Committee. The change of method of implementation constitutes a substantial change except where the Commission "re-centralises" or reduces the level of budgetimplementation tasks previously entrusted to the agency. 13

14 4.4. Indicative budget Module Indirect centralised management Specific Objective Indirect centralised management Specific Objective Indirect centralised management Specific Objective Indirect centralised management Specific Objective 4 Amount in EUR thousands Third party contribution in EUR thousands , , , , Evaluation and audit 50 7, Communication and visibility ,13 Totals Performance monitoring The performance of the implementation of the Action will be measured notably on the basis of the following indicators, which will be further specified in the terms of reference: - improved understanding by the Moroccan authorities and other stakeholders of the success stories and shortfalls of the actions implemented in the last ten years in Morocco - enhanced capacity of the Moroccan authorities in elaborating public policies and strategies to optimise the positive impact of migration; including by mainstreaming migration in public policies, strengthening inter-ministerial coordination, and better capitalise upon donors assistance - enhanced capacity of other stakeholders, in particular EU Member States and their respective cooperation agencies, to contribute to the policy objectives of Morocco in the field of migration and development and labour migration - Number of migration related actions implemented in Morocco in the last 10 years mapped, analysed and disseminated - Number of up scaled actions with co-funding from the Action - Quantitative and qualitative data on Moroccan diaspora in Europe gathered and analysed 14

15 - Improved delivery of strategies and programmes aiming to mobilise diaspora s capital resulting from mappings results - Improved cooperation on labour migration management between Moroccan and EU Member States relevant authorities - Improved delivery of the national and local measures aiming to accompany reintegration of returnees - Number of reintegration projects supported through the Action 4.6. Evaluation and audit An external mid-term and final evaluation and audit may take place, and will be catered for under the project budget. Additional external evaluations and audits might also be carried out by independent consultants recruited directly by the Commission in accordance with EU rules and procedures and in line with specifically established terms of reference Communication and visibility Proper communication and visibility of the action will be ensured via dissemination of project achievements and results in line with the Communication and Visibility Manual for European Union External Actions

16 ANNEX 2 Action Fiche for the Regional Development and Protection Programme for refugees and host communities in the Middle East (Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq) of the Commission Implementing Decision on the Annual Action Programme 2013 part 2 Thematic Programme of Cooperation with Third Countries in the Areas of Migration and Asylum to be financed from the general budget of the European Union 5. IDENTIFICATION Title/Number Total cost Regional Development and Protection Programme for refugees and host communities in the Middle East (Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq) CRIS number: DCI-MIGR 2013/ Total estimated cost: EUR 13.7 million Aid method / Method of implementation Total amount of EU budget contribution EUR 10 million This action is co-financed in joint co-financing by: - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark for an amount of EUR 2.7 million; - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands for an amount of EUR Home Office of the United Kingdom for an amount of EUR Project Approach Indirect centralised management through a delegation agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark DAC-code Sector Population Policy 6. RATIONALE AND CONTEXT 6.1. Summary of the action and its objectives The Action will be implemented in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq and will benefit not only Syrian refugees but also refugees of other origins in the region as well as host communities. The Action s overall objectives are: 1) To ensure that refugees are fully able to avail themselves of a durable solution as well as to encourage the ability of refugees to access basic rights; 2) To support socio-economic development in host countries that will benefit both the host populations and refugees. 16

17 6.2. Context Regional context Economic and social situation and poverty analysis Lebanon The Lebanese economy has been increasingly impacted by the Syria events since While the synthetic indicator of economic activity published by the Central Bank has remained stable and the IMF has foreseen a 2% GDP growth, albeit together with a 6.5% inflation rate in 2012 and a negative balance of payments, the Lebanese economy has been affected by the demise of the tourism sector, the drop in investment and negative pressures on net exports. On the other hand, a wide, lucrative and mostly informal activity has developed in the peripheral regions of the country to respond to the housing needs of the Syrian refugees, thereby significantly increasing prices for low-cost housing. The strong demand from the Syrian market and, on the Lebanese market, from the increasing number of Syrian refugees has contributed to both growth and inflation. 6. The 2012 Human Development Index positions Lebanon 72 out of 186 countries 7. Public debt remains among the highest in the world at 136% of GDP in In addition, 28 % of the population live with less than 4 dollars per person per day and 8 % live under the extreme poverty line with 2 dollars or less per day. The Ministry of Social Affairs with the World Bank continued to work on a National Poverty Targeting Programme - the first national programme specifically targeting poverty in Lebanon. The Social Ministry estimated that households (or about 84,000 people) had been identified to benefit from the programme. No progress in overall reforms on social protection can be reported 8. Jordan Jordan experienced sustained growth averaging 6.5% for almost a decade between 2000 and 2009 propelled by a growing global economy and flourishing Gulf Cooperation Council economies. However, following the global financial crisis Jordan's growth dipped from 5.5% in 2009 to 2.3% in Growth has been on a slow progressive recovery since: GDP growth is estimated at 3% in In addition, growing spending commitments, coupled with the increased energy bill and increased costs of hosting Syrian refugees since 2011, have put additional strain on the Government s finances. Against this background, the Government of Jordan has demonstrated commitment to the macroeconomic policy targets agreed with the IMF 9. In the past decades, Jordan made substantial progress in terms of human development. This is based on consistent levels of spending on human development like education, health, pensions, social safety nets (more than 25% of the GDP). The 2012 Human Development Index 10 positions Jordan at 100 out of 186 countries and above the average of other countries in the lower middle-income group. In terms of poverty reduction, the related Millennium Development Goal is considered achieved Background information provided by the EU Delegation to Lebanon UNDP (2013) Human Development Report Background information provided by the EU Delegation to Lebanon Background information provided by the EU Delegation to Jordan UNDP (2013) Human Development Report 17

18 However, income inequality and the widening poverty gap remain a concern. The combination of global economic slowdown and regional unrest led to diminished growth in Jordan, to which Government responded by expanded spending, raising public debt levels (77 % of GDP at the end of 2012). As a result, Jordan is faced with financial challenges that include its mounting debt, high fiscal and external deficits, strained public finances, declining external receipts and expected foreign aid 11. Iraq In Iraq, economic diversification, promotion of a private sector-led growth and reforms are hampered by an inefficient oversized public administration and challenged by a fast growing and dominant oil sector. Achievements in terms of democracy and rule of law remain fragile. Strengthening of state institutions and promoting reforms to support the economic diversification, the delivery of better services, and the improvement of social protection are the main development challenges for Iraq 12. Three decades of war and sanctions and post-conflict violence have seriously damaged the societal cohesion and depleted the human capacities available in all sectors. The 2012 Human Development Index (HDI) ranks Iraq 131 out of , with 22.9% of its population living below the national poverty line. 14 Poor performance as regards essential services delivery and investment in human and physical capital has triggered growing discontent among the Iraqi population. A deterioration of several MDG's is reported. In particular, 23% of the population living below USD 2.2 per day is a root cause for widespread malnutrition among children and women, primary school net enrolment remains insufficient with only 68% of rural girls enrolled, high and rising youth unemployment (30%) is exacerbated by low education and skills levels Regional development policy Jordan The key strategic development directions of Jordan are defined in the National Agenda ( ) 15 formulated by the National Agenda Steering Committee in In particular, the Agenda s main objectives are to enhance public participation in the decision making process and strengthen the role of the civil society institutions, guarantee the rule of law, safeguard public safety and national security, build trust between citizens and institutions and adopt principles of transparency and good governance, strengthen principles of social justice and equal opportunity, develop human and economic resources, upgrade the production base and expand development benefits. In order to achieve these objectives, the National Agenda Steering Committee has structured the development of initiatives around eight themes: political development and inclusion, justice and legislation, investment development, financial services and fiscal reform, employment support and vocational training, social welfare, education, infrastructure. In 2013, the Government of Jordan adopted a new Poverty Strategy Plan ( ) 16 which Background information provided by the EU Delegation to Jordan EU-Iraq Development Cooperation Programming Ibid. Transparency International (2012) Corruption Perceptions Index Government of Jordan, National Agenda ( ) Government of Jordan, Jordan Poverty Reduction Strategy ( ) 18

19 presents a detailed roadmap to implement the poverty reduction components of the National Agenda. Lebanon Lebanon has continuously worked with international partners, such as the EU, UNDP, World Bank, on development and poverty reduction interventions, but the volatile political framework of the country has not allowed for a consistent implementation of an overall development strategy. In September 2012, the Government of Lebanon adopted the 'Economic and Social Reform Action Plan ' focusing on public debt management, private sector development, local development, infrastructure rehabilitation and institutional and administrative reform. Yet implementation has been limited so far. In addition, the EU and Lebanon have negotiated a new ENP Action Plan , endorsed in October 2012 by the EU- Lebanon Association Council, which addresses sustainable development and economic and social reforms 17. Iraq The Government of Iraq decided to reconsider the current National Development Policy and to develop a new National Development Plan (NDP) to cover the years 2013 to The development of the new NDP, led by the Ministry of Planning, is on-going and faces numerous challenges and constraints such as the lack of involvement of civil society and the Kurdish Regional Government in the drafting process and the tight timeframe which could compromise the quality of its outcome. Overall, the new NDP will serve as the overarching framework for government reconstruction and development policy, as a reference by which civil society may hold the government accountable, and as a basis for donor coordination and harmonization Sector context: policies and challenges Refugee crisis in the region Events unfolding in Syria since 2011 have been affecting the stability in the region, and in particular that of its immediate neighbours 19. As of 29 July 2013, the estimated total number of Syrian refugees registered or awaiting registration in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and North Africa is 1,863, It is estimated that the number of Syrian refugees in need of assistance across the region may reach 3.45 million by the end of In Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan, it is believed that the actual number of Syrians may be higher, as some families and individuals may not have been able or wished to make their presence known. In addition, in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq there are refugees of other origins, in particular, from Iraq, Palestine, Turkey, Iran, Sudan, Egypt, Yemen and Somalia. Although Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq have a long tradition of providing protection and assistance to large numbers of refugees and other people of concern, based on established religious solidarity, long-standing traditions of hospitality and ethnic Background information provided by the EU Delegation to Jordan EU-Iraq Development Cooperation Programming United Nations (2013) Syria Regional Response Plan (January to December 2013) UNHCR, Syria Refugee Regional Response, Information Sharing Portal, available at accessed on 19 May 2013 United Nations (2013) Syria Regional Response Plan (January to December 2013) 19

20 linkages, they are not signatory members to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol and have no domestic legislative frameworks securing the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers. Issues related to asylum continue to be governed by national laws on foreigners or memoranda of understanding with UNHCR. Despite assistance from a range of donors there are still gaps and needs as regards the host countries capacities for providing appropriate protection to all refugees. While most people in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq show tolerance and hospitality to the people of concern to UNHCR, the countries public services, such as health and education, infrastructure systems such as water supply, and key sectors, such as housing, have come under strain. This generosity has undeniably come at a heavy price for the many refugee-hosting communities, as well as for the infrastructure and resources of the countries concerned. Therefore, the displacement of refugees to the region continues to pose a heavy burden on host governments and communities. In particular, it appears that the presence of urban refugees, who constitute approximately 70 and 100 per cent of the refugee population in Jordan and Lebanon respectively, are putting a strain on the education, health, water and sanitation systems as well as housing markets of those countries, leading to steep rent increases for both refugees and locals 22. As a result, tensions between host and refugee communities are rising 23. In Jordan, as of 29 July 2013, the total estimated number of Syrian refugees registered or awaiting registration is 505, In addition, there are refugees of other origins, in particular 29,421 Iraqis and 2,144 from other nationalities, including Sudan, Somalia, Egypt, Palestine and Yemen 25. Since the beginning of the Syrian unrest, the Government has reaffirmed its open border policy, providing de facto temporary protection to Syrian refugees, crossing legally and illegally into its territory. However, in reality, most refugees from Syria entered the country through unofficial border crossings and, as a result, their identity documents are retained upon arrival by the Jordanian authorities and their freedom of movement is curtailed. The vast majority of Syrian refugees live in urban areas and are only able to regain freedom of movement if they are sponsored by a Jordanian. Cases of refoulement of Palestinians refugees from Syria have been reported. It must be mentioned, though, that the government's official policy concerning the Palestinians from Syria is that they are not allowed to enter Jordan Ibid. International Rescue Committee (2013) Syria: A Regional Crisis ECHO Crisis Report Syria Crisis Sitrep n. 20 UNHCR, Syria Refugee Regional Response, Information Sharing Portal, available at accessed on 29 July 2013 UNHCR (2012) Middle East Statistical Report, 31 December