Council decision
of 19 May 2003
on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with Turkey
(2003/398/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 390/2001 of 26 February 2001 on assistance to Turkey in the framework of the preaccession strategy, and in particular on the establishment of an Accession Partnership(1), and in particular Article 2 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) The Copenhagen European Council recalled its decision in 1999 in Helsinki that Turkey is a candidate State destined to join the Union on the basis of the same criteria as applied to the other candidate States. It strongly welcomes the important steps taken by Turkey towards meeting the Copenhagen criteria, in particular through the recent legislative packages and the subsequent legislative measures which cover a large number of key priorities specified in the Accession Partnership.
(2) The Copenhagen Council decided that in order to assist Turkey towards EU membership, the accession strategy for Turkey should be strengthened and the Commission was invited to submit a proposal for a revised Accession Partnership.
(3) Regulation (EC) No 390/2001 provides 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 Accession Partnership, as it will be submitted to Turkey, as well as on subsequent significant adjustments applicable to it.
(4) Community assistance is conditional on the fulfilment of essential elements, and in particular 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 preaccession assistance.
(5) The EC-Turkey Association Council decided that the implementation of the Accession Partnership for Turkey will be monitored by the Association Agreement bodies as appropriate.
(6) The Commission's 2002 regular report presented an objective analysis on Turkey's preparations for membership and identified a number of priority areas for further work.
(7) In order to prepare for membership, Turkey should prepare a 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,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
In accordance with Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 390/2001, the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions in the Accession Partnership for Turkey 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 and monitored in the Association Agreement bodies and by the appropriate Council bodies on the basis of the regular report by the Commission to the Council.
Article 3
This decision shall take effect on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 19 May 2003.