EU neighborhood and international development services

What EY can do for you

Important foreign policy areas for the European Union (EU) include international cooperation and development, as well as its neighborhood and enlargement policy for its eastern and southern neighbors.

When it comes to these areas, EY professionals provide technical assistance, and consulting, consultancy and assurance services to both the European Commission, national governments and project beneficiaries.

EY member firms have offices in all countries that benefit from the EU’s external development policy. EY teams have a detailed understanding of these beneficiary countries and have witnessed first-hand how aid, along with private investment and good governance, can transform economies.

EY services include:

• Public Finance Management (PFM) to improve planning and budgetary and financial performance, and meet public transparency and accountability requirements.
• Assurance services to help the EU’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development monitor spending of its EuropeAid funds by beneficiaries. Services include financial audits, expenditure verification, pillar assessments, verification missions and other audit-related assignments.
• EU funds management to help beneficiaries optimize their use of funds and achieve expected results.
• Private sector development to complement the European Commission’s efforts to develop small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as their umbrella organizations.
• Consulting services to help countries in the process of joining the European Union prepare for the adoption of EU legislation and develop relationships with EU institutions and member states.
• Digital transformation services for developing countries, and eastern and southern neighbors, including e-governance, e-commerce, digital financial services and responsible development, and use of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
• Entrepreneurship development services to promote innovation in various fields (research and development, finance, links with universities and clusters) by advising entrepreneurs on financial business plans, positioning, expansion strategies and operational structures, and equipping them with the skills needed to grow their companies. 
• Sustainable infrastructure development services helping beneficiary countries develop and promote resilient infrastructure, renewable energy and sustainable environment projects.