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1. The Union Mechanism shall be open to the participation of:

(a) European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries which are members of the European Economic Area (EEA), in accordance with the conditions laid down in the EEA Agreement, and other European countries when agreements and procedures so provide;

(b) acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in Union programmes established in the respective Framework Agreements and Association Council Decisions, or similar agreements.

1a. Participation in the Union Mechanism shall include participation in its activities in accordance with the objectives, requirements, criteria, procedures and deadlines provided for in this Decision, and shall be in accordance with the specific conditions laid down in the agreements between the Union and the participating state.

2. Financial assistance referred to in Article 20 and points (a), (b), (f) and (h) of Article 21(1) may also be granted to candidate countries and potential candidates not participating in the Union Mechanism, as well as to countries that are part of the ENP, to the extent that that financial assistance complements funding available under a future Union legislative act relating to the establishment of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA II) and a future Union legislative act relating to the establishment of a European Neighbourhood Instrument.

3. International or regional organisations, or countries that are part of the European Neighbourhood Policy may cooperate in activities under the Union Mechanism where relevant bilateral or multilateral agreements between those organisations or countries and the Union so allow.