COUNCIL DECISION
of 18 February 2008
on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and repealing Decision 2006/57/EC
(2008/212/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 of 22 March 2004 on the establishment of partnerships in the framework of the stabilisation and association process (1), as amended, and in particular Article 2 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1)
The Thessaloniki European Council of 19 and 20 June 2003 endorsed the introduction of the partnerships as a means to materialise the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries.
(2)
Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 provides that the Council is to decide on the principles, priorities and conditions to be contained in the partnerships, as well as any subsequent adjustments. It states also that the follow-up to the partnerships will be ensured through the mechanisms established under the Stabilisation and Association Process, notably by the annual progress reports.
(3)
The European Council of 17 December 2005 granted the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia candidate country status. Therefore, a proposal has been made to amend Regulation 533/2004 to change the name of the partnership for this country from ‘European Partnership’ to ‘Accession Partnership’.
(4)
On 30 January 2006 the Council adopted the second Accession Partnership with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (2), following the proposal from the Commission of November 2005.
(5)
The Commission's Paper on enlargement strategy and main challenges 2006-2007 indicated that the partnerships would be updated at the end of 2007.
(6)
On 17 July 2006 the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 (3) establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), which renews the framework for financial assistance to pre-accession countries.
(7)
It is therefore appropriate to adopt an Accession Partnership which updates the current partnership in order to identify renewed priorities for further work, on the basis of the findings of the 2007 Progress Report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's preparations for further integration with the European Union.
(8)
In order to prepare for further integration with the European Union, the competent authorities in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia should develop a plan with a timetable and specific measures to address the priorities of this Accession Partnership.
(9)
Decision 2006/57/EC should therefore be repealed,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
The principles, priorities and conditions in the Accession Partnership with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are set out in the Annex.
Article 2
The implementation of the Accession Partnership shall be examined through the mechanisms established under the stabilisation and association process, notably the annual progress reports presented by the Commission.
Article 3
Decision 2006/57/EC shall be repealed.
Article 4
This Decision shall take effect on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 18 February 2008.