This document provides an overview of the European Union accession process for neighboring countries. It discusses the EU programs and instruments used to support potential candidate countries (IPA) and European Neighborhood Policy countries (ENPI). Key points covered include the transition from IPA to IPA II, project cycle management for EU programs, and examples of cross-border cooperation in Europe. Practical lessons from visits to the Saarland parliament and the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg are also summarized.