1st Among Equals? The Instrument for Stability and Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding in the EU’s New Financial Perspective

Since it became operational in 2007 the Instrument for Stability (IfS) has become a valuable, useful and unique instrument furthering EU external action goals in a vastly superior way than its predecessor, the Rapid Reaction Mechanism (RRM). Drawing on recent evaluations and studies ECDPM seeks to provide evidence based insight to be taken into account when negotiating the future regulations in relation to the IfS specifically and Global Europe “Heading IV” more generally.

The IfS is an exceptional instrument under the EU’s multi-annual financial framework’s Heading IV. Its very nature is that “assistance under (…) shall be provided only to the extent that an adequate and effective response cannot be provided under those [other] instruments [of Heading IV]” (EC:2011a, EU:2006).