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Brussels, July 3 (Interfax) - The European Commission is allocating 40 million euro to finance several programs in different spheres in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The programs will be regional in nature, a European Commission report circulated in Brussels on Friday says. The assistance package will fund several programs in different areas such as the strengthening of culture policies and civil society, support of small and medium sized business networks, border management, air quality control and disaster preparedness.

Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner commented, "I am pleased about the allocation of this assistance package of 40 million euros to multi-country projects in the partner countries at our eastern borders."

The 40 million euros package was approved in the 2009 budget in the framework of the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument.