[{"bbox": [82, 103, 1147, 212], "category": "Text", "text": "justice, strong institutions). The foreseen support is further in line with the Commission priorities for 2019-2024⁵ of ‘Migration and Mobility’, ‘Sustainable Growth and Jobs’ and ‘Digitalisation’. By paying special attention to the most marginalised within Iraq, the programme is also in line with the *Agenda for Change*⁶, and its commitments to 'build the foundations for growth and ensure that it is inclusive'."}, {"bbox": [82, 237, 1147, 660], "category": "Text", "text": "This Action contributes to the EU-Iraq migration dialogue. At the same time, through its objective on job creation and the formalisation of the labour market, this Action will contribute to the TEI on ‘Sustainable and inclusive socio-economic perspectives for Iraq’ with Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden as participating EU Member States. This Action’s intervention for reform of the Iraqi labour market and for labour protection, is linked to specific objective two of the TEI regarding the *formalisation of the labour market, labour governance and labour insurance for decent jobs*⁷. The TEI and therefore the Action’s contribution to the TEI can provide essential added value and respond to Iraq’s interest in European best practice at the macro and micro socio-economic levels. The commitment of the EU’s contribution to the TEI foreseen under this Action will be complemented by other contributions from Team Europe partners. It is subject to the formal confirmation of each respective partners’ meaningful contribution as early as possible. In the event that the TEIs and/or these contributions do not materialise the EU action may continue outside a TEI framework. The foreseen support also responds to the EU’s commitments to assisting Iraq in regional challenges, such as those made in the context of the Conferences on *Supporting the Future of Syria and the region* in 2020 and 2021, where the EU pledged respectively EUR 30 million and EUR 45 million⁸. The EU therefore continues with the humanitarian-peace-development nexus approach (triple nexus) through this new support. Finally, this Action contributes to the support to COVID-19 recovery, which the EU has been providing since mid-2020."}, {"bbox": [82, 689, 424, 716], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## Public Policy of the partner country"}, {"bbox": [82, 715, 1147, 1087], "category": "Text", "text": "This Action is further based on Iraq's **National Development Plan 2018 - 2022** (NDP) to the extent that this makes sense considering that the NDP was prepared at a time when immediate stabilisation, reconstruction and a large-scale civilian displacement of 6 million persons were at the forefront of concerns. Iraq has since made progress following the territorial defeat of Da'esh and embarked on a trajectory of stabilisation and reconstruction. Structural challenges identified in the NDP that continue to hamper the development process include low efficiency of institutional performance, a bloated public sector, administrative and financial corruption, and a myriad of economic shortcomings such as the deterioration of the investment climate, a lack of access to finance, the distortion of sectoral structure, trade imbalance, and an imbalanced budget structure. The NDP is complemented by a number of **sector strategies**, including the Decent Work Country Programme 2019-2023. The NDP ensures the mainstreaming of gender strategies into national policies and the inclusion of programmes aimed at protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. In October 2020, the transitional Government of Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi put forward a White Paper for Structural Reform that provides an ambitious strategy for the transformation of the Iraqi economy. The Iraqi Economic Contact Group set up by the G7 in 2020 and currently co-chaired by the EU pro-actively encourages and monitors the implementation of the White Paper."}, {"bbox": [82, 1112, 1147, 1220], "category": "Text", "text": "In terms of the above mentioned national policy framework, the Action specifically supports the implementation of the National Migration Strategy (2020)⁹ and the National Returns Plans (2021) that sets the national policy framework for the reintegration of displaced populations, as well as the draft National Refugee law. At sectorial level, the Action supports the implementation of the White Paper on Economic Development 2020-2023; Decent Work Country"}, {"bbox": [72, 1259, 1158, 1327], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁵ Green Alliances and Partnerships in line with the European Green Deal; Alliances for Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital; Alliances for Sustainable Growth and Jobs; Partnerships for Migration and Mobility; Partnerships for Human Development, Peace and Governance. More information on: https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/our-work_en"}, {"bbox": [72, 1326, 783, 1348], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52011DC0637&from=en."}, {"bbox": [72, 1348, 1158, 1414], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ Specific objectives of the TEI: 1) Private sector development for the creation of jobs including in agriculture / agri-value chains; 2) Formalisation of the labour market, labour governance and labour insurance for decent jobs; 3) Institution building / economic governance for the enabling environment for business / investment; 4) European investment in a so-far underserved industrial and consumer market."}, {"bbox": [72, 1415, 1158, 1526], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ As laid out in the co-chairs declaration, the participants expressed their commitment “to maintain a high level of support to Iraq in responding to the humanitarian needs resulting from years of conflict, widespread internal displacement and disrupted access to social services, as well as specifically from the Syrian conflict” as well as to “supporting resilience efforts as well as supporting host countries to address the impact of the protracted crisis. These efforts will aim to secure quality education for all children and livelihood opportunities for refugees and affected communities as well as promote basic public services and economic growth for the benefit of all”."}, {"bbox": [72, 1526, 1158, 1638], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ The National Migration Strategy was prepared and endorsed with EU support in 2020 as the national policy framework to implement the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) in Iraq based on Iraq’s Migration Profile. The National Migration Strategy recognizes the EU-Iraq PCA as a key document and adopts a whole-of-government approach to migration management. It pursues four inter-linked objectives, notably to 1) develop migration governance and legal frameworks, including for improving migrants’ access to rights; 2) strengthen use and reporting of migration data; 3) fully integrate return, readmission and reintegration; 4) manage migration as a source of sustainable development."}, {"bbox": [1051, 1663, 1158, 1687], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 30"}]