AMMAN –– Jordan and the European Union (EU) on Wednesday signed grant agreements worth 103 million euros to support the budget and implement development projects.

According to a statement received by The Jordan Times, 25 million euros of the total amount will go to support schemes in the fields of water, democracy, governance and local communities development,

A total of 78 euros million, to be dispensed in the period between 2012 and 2114, will be allocated to support the budget and support the implementation of renewable energy, education and financial reform programmes, the statement indicated.

The EU will also provide the Kingdom with 74.6 million euros by the end of this year to support the budget as part of grant agreements signed between the two sides during this month.

Nearly 70 per cent of the grants given by the EU to Jordan during the period 2007-2011 went to support the state budget, while the total amount of money that went to budget through the ministry's agreements in 2011 reached $184 million or JD222 million, including the latest US grant, with a 30 per cent increase compared to last year.

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Jafar Hassan indicated after signing the agreements that the upcoming two years will witness the signing of grant agreements worth of 125 million euros to support media, trade, security, community development and other sectors.