The Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) is an instrument of the European Commission, which supports public administrations with regard to the approximation, application and enforcement of EU legislation as well as sharing of EU best practices. The instrument was set up in 1996.

TAIEX is largely needs-driven and delivers appropriate tailor-made expertise to address issues at short notice in four ways:

• Workshops: The overall objective is to present and explain EU legislation and legislation related issues to up to 90 officials from individual or several Beneficiary Countries. TAIEX Workshop is best used for obtaining basic information on provisions of EU legislation in the selected domain and for raising awareness about EU legislation implementation “models” applied in various EU member states. The multi-country format also provides an excellent opportunity for networking and exchanging experience between Beneficiary Countries. Usually 5-6 TAIEX experts are involved in these workshops.

• Expert missions: The overall objective is to provide an in-depth advice to a beneficiary administration on the transposition, implementation or enforcement of a specific part of EU legislation. The Expert Mission is best used to provide advice when reforms of a certain public administration domain are in the implementation stage. Up to 3 EU Member States experts can be engaged in each such mission. The expert mission is a useful tool for drafting action plans, concept papers, providing advice on draft legal acts, giving recommendations on suitable institutional structures, etc.

• Assessment Mission: The overall objective is to receive a peer evaluation of the country’s progress in converging with Community Acquis as well as in recognised international best practices and standards, when appropriate. The support is provided mainly by means of analytical peer reports and recommendations elaborated by Member State experts in the selected field of competence. Such missions may provide a key contribution to the monitoring and evaluation measures undertaken to implement the ENP Armenia Action Plan, and other Partnership Documents. Up to 3 EU Member State experts can be engaged in each mission. To request TAIEX assessment mission TAIEX expert mission application form is used.

• Study visits: The overall objective is to provide officials from Beneficiary country with the expertise on practical issues related to implementation and/or enforcement of the EU legislation. The TAIEX Study visit is best used for receiving experience on the organisational structures of relevant Member State institutions, learning internal rules, procedures used and getting information on administrative processes applied. The Study Visit is justified if and when the Beneficiary Administration has already initiated the process of harmonisation of a public administration sector with EU legal framework and there is a need to learn practical issues of its implementation and/or enforcement. Up to 3 officials from Beneficiary Agency can be engaged in each study tour.

It is possible to apply for several TAIEX assistance operations simultaneously submitting appropriately filled-in application forms in one package.

TAIEX became available for Armenia as well as other Neighbouring countries in 2006 within the frames of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument. Since then, approximately 150 TAIEX projects have been approved and implemented.

There are no specific calls for proposals for TAIEX applications. The beneficiary agencies interested in implementing a project can introduce requests for TAIEX assistance throughout the whole year. TAIEX assistance is open to։

• Civil servants working in central public administrations;

• Judiciary and law enforcement authorities;

• Parliaments and civil servants working in Parliaments and Legislative Councils;

• Representatives of social partners, trade unions and employers’ associations.

PAO supports interested agencies from the application preparation stage to the project closing stage. More precisely, PAO provides consulting on which TAIEX assistance tool is the most appropriate to fulfil the exact needs, supports in the elaboration of applications, conducts screening and quality control of the applications before their submission, coordinates information sharing between all parties, follows-up the implementation, conducts general monitoring and reporting of TAIEX operations.

More information

TAIEX website

TAIEX manual

Application forms