The European Union is the world’s biggest donor providing more than half of all development aid worldwide. In order to cooperate with the EU successfully, and benefit from the funds, beneficiaries will have to comply with a multitude of regulations. EU financing instruments such as the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) necessitate extensive planning, reporting and a strictly result based management approach on the side of the beneficiaries to comply with all rules and prevent the withdrawal of funding.The Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) is the means by which the EU supports reforms in the 'enlargement countries' with financial and technical help to build up the capacities of the countries throughout the accession process. Current beneficiaries are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey.For the period 2007-2013 IPA had a budget of some € 11.5 billion; its successor, IPA II, will build on the results already achieved by dedicating € 11.7 billion for the period 2014-2020. They help the beneficiaries make political and economic reforms, preparing them for the rights and obligations that come with EU membership.