Council Decision
of 28 January 2002
on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with Cyprus
(2002/84/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 555/2000 of 13 March 2000 on the implementation of operations in the framework of the pre-accession strategy for the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Malta(1),
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) The Luxembourg European Council stated that the Accession Partnership is a new instrument and the key feature of the enhanced pre-accession strategy.
(2) Regulation (EC) No 555/2000 complements Regulation (EC) No 622/98(2) which sets out that the Council is to decide, by a qualified majority and following a proposal from the Commission, on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the individual Accession Partnerships, as they are submitted to each applicant State, as well as on subsequent significant adjustments applicable to them.
(3) Community assistance is conditional on the fulfilment of essential elements, and in particular on the respect of the commitments contained in the Association Agreement and on progress towards fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria. Where an essential element is lacking, the Council, acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission, may take appropriate steps with regard to any pre-accession assistance.
(4) The 2001 Commission's regular report presents an objective analysis on Cyprus's preparations for membership and identifies a number of priority areas for further work.
(5) In order to prepare for membership, Cyprus should continue to update its national programme for the adoption of the acquis. This programme should set out a timetable for achieving the priorities and intermediate objectives established in the Accession Partnership.
(6) Cyprus needs to ensure that the appropriate legal and administrative structures needed for the programming, coordination, management, control and evaluation of Community pre-accession funds are in place.
(7) The European Council at Helsinki underlined that a political settlement will facilitate the accession of Cyprus to the European Union. If no settlement has been reached by the completion of accession negotiations, the Council's Decision on accession will be made without the above being a precondition. In this the Council will take into account all relevant factors,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
In accordance with Article 1(2) of Regulation (EC) No 555/2000, the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions in the Accession Partnership for Cyprus are set out in the Annex hereto, which forms an integral part of this Decision.
Article 2
The implementation of the Accession Partnership shall be examined in the Association Agreement bodies, and by the appropriate Council bodies to which the Commission shall report regularly.
Article 3
This Decision shall take effect on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Done at Brussels, 28 January 2002.