TAIEX is the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange instrument of the European Commission. TAIEX supports public administrations with regard to the approximation, application and enforcement of EU legislation as well as facilitating the sharing of EU best practices. It is largely needs-driven and delivers appropriate tailor-made expertise to address issues at short notice in three ways:  workshops, expert missions and study visits. 

In recent years, TAIEX assistance has also become available to countries covered by development policies and the Partnership Instrument worldwide, and to EU Member States to support key structural reforms and better regional and environment policies. Since the start of their operations, TAIEX and its longer–term sibling, Twinning, contributed to promote democracy and stability, the rule of law and good governance, as well as economic development and prosperity in the Neighbourhood and Enlargement regions by strengthening capacity and supporting the work of public administrations.

The publication presents TAIEX and Twinning 2019 activities in numbers and highlights some of their success stories. It also shows Twinning’s long-term positive impact. In 2019, 1020 TAIEX activities and 169 Twinning projects brought the best of EU countries’ expertise to partner public administrations.

As a foreword, Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement says: “For years, TAIEX and Twinning have supported the EU in exporting its standards and values to the EU neighbourhood, and have promoted strong ownership, mutual exchanges, and fruitful cooperation with our neighbours. This task will be no less important in the years ahead, as changes in climate, geopolitics and digital technologies reshape the world order.“