- JASPERS, a partnership between the EIB and European Commission to provide advisory services to EU funds beneficiaries, has supported more than 2 300 projects in 33 countries since being established in 2005
- The 2024 Stakeholders’ Meeting discussed topics such as enhancing resilience to climate change, supporting a just transition and bolstering the convergence of living standards across regions
- The extension of JASPERS’ activities to Ukraine and Moldova was confirmed
On 14 November 2024, JASPERS – the Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions – held its annual stakeholders meeting in Brussels. Since its creation in 2005, JASPERS has completed more than 2 300 assignments in 33 beneficiary countries and is a key provider of advisory services by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Commission. To date, JASPERS’ work has enabled investments worth over €356 billion in water, sustainable transport, climate action, environmental protection, innovation, healthcare, energy and other important areas.
At the event, the EIB and European Commission signed a contribution agreement for JASPERS for the period 2025-2027. This agreement keeps JASPERS’ combined support inside and outside the European Union at a stable level for the next three years and confirms the eligibility of Ukraine and Moldova for JASPERS’ services as announced in June 2024. Last year, the EIB and European Commission had already agreed to triple advisory services for the Western Balkans and potentially Türkiye.
EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris said: “JASPERS is the single largest advisory initiative of EU Cohesion Policy. Its expert support has allowed public authorities across the EU and beyond to get projects off the ground for the benefit of citizens. We are looking forward to continuing to provide JASPERS advisory services in the coming years and stepping up our support to the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova.”
More than 200 representatives from JASPERS beneficiary countries attended the in-person and online event. The topics covered by the meeting included lessons learned and how they can inform future cohesion policies. The meeting discussed important sectors of focus for JASPERS’ work such as resilience to climate change, a just transition, innovation, housing, mobility and sustainable cities. Several successful projects were presented such as Poland’s flood-preparedness strategy, Bulgaria’s research, innovation and digitalisation initiatives and the development of urban transport hubs (key connection points where various modes of transport – rail, road, air and maritime – converge) in Spain.
About JASPERS
JASPERS, a partnership funded by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) and delivered by EIB Advisory, advises on strategies and projects that contribute to a greener, more connected, and more innovative Europe. It offers free assistance to national, regional and local authorities, as well as other beneficiaries of EU funds, in EU, pre-accession, and Eastern partnership countries. The JASPERS team is composed of over 120 staff within the EIB and covers a wide range of sectoral expertise. Its support covers the entire project cycle, from planning to execution as well as technical capacity building and knowledge transfer. It helps beneficiaries align their projects with the highest EU standards, improving their chances of securing EU funding and potential EIB lending.