An enabling condition is a prerequisite that must be met before European funds can start being drawn in a given area. It includes, for example, the existence of an approved sectoral strategy, a functioning waste management plan, a transport plan, or the introduction of certain public procurement and non-discrimination rules. If the condition is not met, the Commission does not reimburse expenditure under the relevant priority, even though the allocation formally exists. This is often the real reason why calls go unissued for years in some areas, while drawdown proceeds smoothly in others. It helps applicants estimate when it makes sense to prepare a project: if the strategy for a given area is still being drafted, a call is unlikely to appear in the coming months. The state of fulfilment of these conditions is published in the programme documents and in the implementation reports, so it can be checked in advance.
See also: Programme priority, Schedule of calls, Mid-term review.
