The EC has long-stand history in promoting ENR issues in developing countries and is committed to several environmental conventions. At the same time, one of the EU targets is to channel 50% of assistance through country systems by increasing the percentage of assistance provided through budget support or SWAP arrangements. In order for the EC to continue to support in an effective way the ENR in developing countries while respecting its political commitment, it is important that a sector approach be applied to its programmes related to that sector. The objective of the study is to develop a Reference Document which helps the EC as well as other donors to:

• Understand the main features and challenges of sector-wide approach in the ENR sector

• Assess ENR sector programmes

• Design and implement support to ENR sector programmes.

The main topics to be addressed are: characteristics of ENR, opportunities and constraints offered by a sector programme, ways to mainstream the main cross-cutting issues and to include poverty reduction issues into ENR sector policies and programmes