In effect, the IPA replaces the earlier programmes of PHARE (pre-accession instrument to assist the applicant countries of central Europe), ISPA (instrument for structural policies for pre-accession), SAPARD (special accession programme for agriculture and rural development), and CARDS (instrument for providing "development support" to third countries), as well as pre-accession instruments for Turkey.
Jednom kada stupi na snagu, IPA će zameniti ranije programe poput PHARE (pretprijemni instrument pomoći zemljama kandidatima srednje Evrope), ISPA (instrument za strukturnu politiku u pretprijemnom periodu), SAPARD (specijalni prijemni program za poljoprivredu i razvoj ruralnih područja) i CARDS (instrument za "pomoć u razvoju" trećim zemljama), kao i pretprijemne instrumente za Tursku.