While Country Strategy Papers (CSPs)are the main strategic tools for programming, national indicative programmes (NIPs) are a management tool to identify and define actions for attaining the objectives set down in the CSP. Each CSP is accompanied by an NIP. The NIP may be an integral part of the overall CSP document and acts as the executive plan of action for the strategy laid out in the document. The NIP covers a period of several years (from 3 to 5 years depending on the applicable regulation/agreement).

The NIP specifies:

• Priorities within and across sectors;
• Financial envelopes including, where appropriate, the indicative timing and size of each instalment of Community contributions;
• Specific objectives and expected results for each area of co-operation including key domains for conditionalities and main performance and a limited number of key outcome indicators. These indicators must relate to developments that are measurable in the short/medium-term. If there is a poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) process underway, the indicators must correspond to those developed in that framework;
• How cross-cutting themes are taken into consideration;
• Programmes to be implemented in pursuit of the objectives defined in the CSP, intended beneficiaries and the type of assistance to be provided (e.g. macro-economic support, technical assistance, training, investment, supply of equipment, etc).

Furthermore, “project ideas” may be formulated and general criteria for their realisation defined (such as geographical area, most suitable partners, suitable duration of projects).

For clarity and overview, the NIP should also indicate resources that will be made available from other EC instruments (e.g. funds from horizontal budget lines and grant resources managed by the European Investment Bank such as the European Development Fund Investment Facility).

It is worth noting that, under the Cotonou Agreement, there exists a legal obligation for ACP countries to give the NIP an operational content. This operational content falls under the responsibility of the EuropeAid Co-operation Office.