History of EIF

The history of EIF goes back to its predecessor program, the Integrated Framework (IF), which was first discussed at the first WTO Ministerial meeting in Singapore in December 1996. The IF was subsequently launched in October 1997 at the WTO's High Level Meeting on Integrated Initiatives for Least-Developed Countries' Trade Development held at the WTO in order to respond to the concerns of LDCs regarding their integration into the multilateral trading system. It was meant as a mechanism to increase effectiveness and efficiency of trade-related technical assistance to LDCs which focused on improving coordination between donors, beneficiary countries and providers of technical assistance.

The IF programme was revamped in 2001 and subsequently reviewed in 2005. The Development Committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank agreed at its meeting in 2005 to restructure the IF program and endow it with additional resources. A Task Force for the Enhanced Integrated Framework was subsequently created by the Steering Committee of the IF, which, on 29 June 2006 published its recommendations for changing the existing strategy and implementation modalities. The revitalized programme, now officially called Enhanced Integrated Framework, was launched on 1 January 2007 and began to be fully operational since July 2009 and has a renewed focus on results, accountability, stronger donor coordination and governance with LDCs in the driving seat