The Commission shall draw up regional and horizontal programmes, in full coherence and coordination with national programmes, on the basis of the relevant multi-annual indicative planning documents and in consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

The regional and horizontal programmes shall be designed to promote regional cooperation and to strengthen multi-country exchanges in the beneficiary countries, and to support initiatives encouraging beneficiary countries to cooperate in areas of common interest.

The regional programme shall cover beneficiary countries in the Western Balkans. The programme shall in particular target reconciliation, reconstruction and political cooperation in the Region, with a view to supporting the implementation of the Stability Pact for South East Europe.

Horizontal programmes shall cover some or all beneficiary countries in areas of common interest where assistance can be implemented more effectively and economically through such programmes than through national programmes.

Under the regional and horizontal programmes, assistance may be granted in areas such as project preparation facility, support to civil society, customs, support for small and medium-scale enterprises, municipal finance facilities and municipal infrastructure, statistics, nuclear safety, information and communication.