2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COUNCILREGULATION(EC)No2666/2000
of5December 2000
on assistance for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1628/96 andamending Regulations (EEC) No 3906/89 and (EEC) No 1360/90 and Decisions 97/256/EC and
1999/311/EC
(OJL306,7.12.2000,p.1)
Amendedby:
OfficialJournal
No page date
►M1CouncilRegulation(EC)No2415/2001of10December2001 L327 3 12.12.2001
Correctedby:
►C1Corrigendum,OJL38,8.2.2001,p.51(2666/2000/EC)
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COUNCILREGULATION(EC)No2666/2000
of5December 2000
on assistance for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the
FederalRepublicofYugoslaviaandtheFormerYugoslavRepublicofMacedonia,repealingRegulation(EC)No1628/96andamendingRegulations (EEC) No 3906/89 and (EEC) No 1360/90 and Deci-
sions97/256/ECand1999/311/EC
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANUNION,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanCommunity,and
inparticularArticle308thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission,HavingregardtotheOpinionoftheEuropeanParliament(
1),
Whereas:
(1)The Community provides assistance for Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and
theFormerYugoslavRepublicofMacedonia.
(2)Most of this Community assistance is currently provided under
Council Regulation (EC) No 1628/96 of 25 July 1996 relating
toaidforBosniaandHerzegovina,Croatia,theFederalRepublicofYugoslaviaandtheFormerYugoslavRepublicofMacedonia(OBNOVA)(
2)andunderCouncilRegulation(EEC)No3906/89
of 18 December 1989 on economic aid to certain countries of
Central and Eastern Europe (PHARE)(3). This means that the
Community assistance is subject to different sets of procedures,whichencumbersmanagement.Intheinterestsofefficiencyitisthereforedesirabletoestablishasinglelegalframeworkforthisassistance, as requested by the European Council at its meetinginHelsinkion10and11December 1999.Itistherefore appro-
priate to repeal Regulation (EC) No 1628/96 and to amend
Regulation (EEC) No3906/89. However, in order to ensure thecontinuity of the activities of the European Agency for Recon-struction, the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1628/96 whichconcern the establishment and operation of the Agency shouldbe incorporated into a new Regulation, which should enter into
forceonthedateofthatrepeal.
(3)The European Council, meeting in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March2000, confirmed that its overall objective remained the fullest
possible integration of the countries of the region into the poli-tical and economic mainstream of Europe and that thestabilisation and association process was the centrepiece of itspolicyintheBalkans.
(4)The European Council, meeting in Feira on 19 and 20 June2000, recognised the countries concerned by the stabilisationand association process to be potential candidates for EUmembership.
(5)The existing Community assistance should be expanded andredirected to adjust it to the European Union's political objec-
tives for the region and, particularly, to contribute to the
stabilisation and association process and increase the responsi-bility of recipient countries and entities in relation to thatprocess.
(6)To that end Community assistance will be focused mainly onbuilding up an institutional, legislative, economic and social2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—2
(1) Opinion delivered on 15 November 2000(not yet published in the Official
Journal).
(2) OJL204,14.8.1996,p.1.Regulation aslastamended byRegulation (EC)
No2454/1999(OJL299,20.11.1999,p.1).
(3) OJ L 375, 23.12.1989, p. 11. Regulation as last amended by Regulation
(EC)No1266/1999(OJL161,26.6.1999,p.68).
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framework directed at the values and models subscribed to by
the European Union and on promoting a market economy, withdueregardforprioritiesagreedwiththepartnersconcerned.
(7)A precondition for receiving assistance is that the recipientsrespect democratic principles, the rule of law, human and
minority rights, fundamental freedoms and the principles of
internationallaw.
(8)The regional dimension of Community assistance should begiven special attention, with a view to stepping up regionalcooperation and supporting the European Union's role as adrivingforcewithintheStabilityPact.
(9)Inviewofthepoliticalsituationinsomeareasandthenatureofthe various entities that have responsibility for implementingassistancethere,itisdesirabletoprovidethattheassistancecan
be supplied in some cases directly to recipients other than the
State.
(10)To make Community assistance more effective and ensure it isproperly implemented, the Commission should adopt generalguidelines, in accordance with the management procedure laiddown in this Regulation, taking into account the objectives ofreformofexternalaid.
(11)To promote cooperation within the region, provision should bemade for the candidate countries and, on a case-by-case basis,thecountriescoveredbytheTACISandMEDAprogrammesto
participateinthetenderingproceduresandcontracts.
(12)Provision should be made for checks and for the protection ofthe Community's financial interests, inter alia by enabling the
Commission, including the European Fraud Prevention Office(OLAF), and the Court of Auditors to exercise their respectivepowerspursuanttoCouncilRegulation(Euratom,EC)No2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks andinspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect
the European Communities' financial interests against fraud and
otherirregularities(
1)andCouncilRegulation(EC,Euratom)No
2988/95of18December1995ontheprotectionoftheEuropeanCommunities'financialinterests(
2).
(13)The Community assistance should be governed by a strategyframework and by annual and multiannual programming, whichwillbeputtothemanagementcommitteesetupbythisRegula-
tion for an opinion. This will situate the assistance within a
medium-termoutlookandwillmakeitpossibletoensurethatitcomplements and remains consistent with that of the MemberStates.
(14)The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regula-tion should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures fortheexercise ofimplementing powersconferred onthe Commis-
sion(
3).
(15)In the case of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, provisionshould be made for the Commission to be able to delegate
implementation of assistance programmes to the EuropeanAgencyforReconstruction.
(16)InthelightofthescopeofthisRegulation, consequentchangeswill need to be made to Council Regulation (EEC) No3906/89of 18 December 1989 on economic aid to certain countries ofCentral and Eastern Europe (PHARE)(
4), to Council Decision
97/256/EC of 14 April 1997 granting a Community guarantee2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—3
(1) OJL292,15.11.1996,p.2.
(2) OJL312,23.12.1995,p.1.
(3) OJL184,17.7.1999,p.23.
(4) OJ L 375, 23.12.1989, p. 11. Regulation as last amended by Regulation
(EC)No1266/1999(OJL161,26.6.1999,p.68).
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totheEuropean Investment Bankagainst lossesunderloansfor
projects outside the Community (Central and Eastern Europeancountries, Mediterranean countries, Latin American and Asian
countries,SouthAfrica,theFormerYugoslavRepublicofMace-
donia and Bosnia and Herzegovina)(
1), to Council Decision
1999/311/EC adopting the third phase of the trans-Europeancooperation scheme for higher education (Tempus III) (2000 to2006)(
2) and to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1360/90 of 7
May1990establishingaEuropeanTrainingFoundation(3).
(17)The operations covered by this Regulation are part of the
Community's Western Balkans policy and are needed to imple-mentoneoftheCommunity'sobjectives.
(18)TheTreatydoesnotprovide,fortheadoptionofthisRegulation,powersotherthanthoseunderArticle308,
HASADOPTEDTHISREGULATION:
Article 1
1. The Community shall provide assistance, hereinafter referred to
as ‘Community assistance’, to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,Croatia, theFederal Republic ofYugoslaviaandtheFormerYugoslav
RepublicofMacedonia.
2. ThefollowingshallbedirectlyeligibleforCommunityassistance:
theState,entitiesunderUnitedNationsjurisdictionandadministration,federal, regional and local bodies, public and semi-public bodies, thesocialpartners,organisationsprovidingsupporttobusinesses,coopera-tives,mutualsocieties,associations,foundationsandnon-governmental
organisations.
3. Authorities established by the international community to act as
theciviladministrationinsomeareas,suchastheHighRepresentativeinBosniaandHerzegovinaandtheUnitedNationsInterimAdministra-tion Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), shall be duly consulted onimplementation of the Community assistance in their areas. Anyprogrammes or projects they implement shall be eligible for Commu-
nity assistance under this Regulation, except in the case of those
entities' running costs; where appropriate, such costs may draw on agrant provided under Council Regulation (EC) No 1080/2000 of 22May 2000 on support for the United Nations InterimMission inKosovo(UNMIK)andtheOfficeoftheHighRepresentativeinBosnia
andHerzegovina(OHR)(
4).
4. The financial reference amount for the implementation of this
programmefortheperiod2000to2006shallbeEUR4650million.
The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary
authoritywithinthelimitsofthefinancialperspective.
Article 2
1. The main purpose of the Community assistance is to support
participation bytherecipientcountriesinthestabilisation andassocia-tionprocess.
2. TheCommunityassistanceshall inter aliabefor:
(a) reconstruction,aidforthereturnofrefugeesanddisplacedpersons,
andstabilisationoftheregion;2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—4
(1) OJL 102,19.4.1997,p.33.Decision as last amended by Decision 98/729/
EC(OJL346,22.12.1998,p.54).
(2) OJL 120,8.5.1999,p.30.Decision as amended by Decision 2000/460/EC
(OJL183,22.7.2000,p.1).
(3) OJL131,23.5.1990,p.1.Regulation aslastamended byRegulation (EC)
No1572/98(OJL206,23.7.1998,p.1).
(4) OJL122,24.5.2000,p.27.
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(b) the creation of an institutional and legislative framework to
underpin democracy, the rule of law and human and minorityrights, reconciliation and the consolidation of civil society, the
independence of the media and the strengthening of legality and
ofmeasurestocombatorganisedcrime;
(c) sustainable economic development and market-economy-orientated
economicreform;
(d) social development, withparticular reference topoverty reduction,
gender equality, education, teaching and training, and environ-mentalrehabilitation;
(e) the development of closer relations among recipient countries,
between themand the European Union and between themand
countries which are candidates for accession to the European
Union, in coordination with other instruments for cross-border,transnational and regional transboundary cooperation with non-membercountries;
(f) fostering regional, transnational, cross-border and interregional
cooperation among the recipient countries, between them and theEuropean Union and between the recipient countries and other
countriesoftheregion.
3. The Community assistance shall be implemented by financing
investment and institution-building programmes in accordance with
the programming principles set out in the general guidelines adopted
by the Commission in accordance with the procedure referred to inArticle10(2).
Article 3
1. Save in exceptional, duly substantiated cases, Community assis-
tanceshallbeprovidedasfollows:
(a) a strategic framework (‘country strategic paper’), for the period
2000 to 2006, which shall serve to set long-termobjectives forassistance and priority fields of action in recipient countries. Forthispurpose,dueaccountshallbetakenofallrelevantassessments.The strategic framework shall be revised if exceptional events sorequireorinthelightoftheresultsoftheassessmentprovidedfor
inArticle12;
(b) on the basis of the strategic framework referred to in point (a),
multiannual indicative programmes shall be drawn up, for three-year periods, for each country receiving Community assistance.Theyshallreflect priorities setunderthestabilisationandassocia-tion process and priorities identified and agreed with the partnersconcerned. Such programmes shall describe the reforms to be
carriedoutbypartnersinprioritysectorsandincludeanassessment
of progress made in doing so. They shall give indicative amounts(overallandforeachprioritysector)andsetoutcriteriaforfundingthe programme concerned. They shall be updated each year asnecessary. They may be amended in the light of experience and
progress in implementing stabilisation and association agreements,
particularlyasregardsregionalcooperation;
(c) annual action programmes, based on the multiannual indicative
programmes referred to in point (b), shall be drawn up for eachcountry receiving Community assistance. They shall set out, asprecisely as possible, for a given operational year, the aims beingpursued, the fields of action and the budget provided. The annual
action programmes shall contain a detailed list of projects to be
financedandspecifytherelevantamounts.
2. The strategic framework, the multiannual indicative programmes
and the annual action programmes referred to in paragraph 1 shall be
adoptedinaccordancewiththeprocedurereferredtoinArticle10(2).
Anyamendmentsshallbeadoptedinaccordancewiththesameproce-
dure.2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—5
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Article 4
1. Where Community assistance for the ►M1Federal Republic of
YugoslaviaandfortheFormerYugoslavRepublicofMacedonia ◄is
implemented by the European Agency for Reconstruction, in accor-
dance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2667/2000 of 5 December2000ontheEuropeanAgencyforReconstruction(
1):
(a) the strategic framework, multiannual indicative programme and
annualactionprogrammereferredtoinArticle3coveringCommu-nity assistance implemented by the Agency shall be adopted inaccordance with the procedure referred to in Article 10(2). The
utmost account shall be taken of recommendations made by the
Agency's Governing Board, in accordance with Article 2(2) ofRegulation(EC)No2667/2000;
(b) the draft annual action programmes shall be submitted to the
Commission by the Agency's Director. The Governing Board of
theAgencyshallbeconsultedontheimplementationoftheannualactionprogramme,aslaiddowninArticle4ofRegulation(EC)No2667/2000.
2. The procedure laid down in Article 10(2) shall also be used to
adopt programmes of assistance for the ►
M1Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia and for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ◄
whicharenottobeimplemented bytheAgencyandarethereforenotincludedintheannualactionprogramme.
Article 5
1. Respect for the principles of democracy and the rule of law and
for human and minority rights and fundamental freedoms is an essen-tialelementfortheapplicationofthisRegulationandapreconditionofeligibility for Community assistance. If these principles are not
respected, the Council, acting by qualified majority on a proposal
fromtheCommission,maytakeappropriatemeasures.
2. Community assistance shall also be subject to the conditions
defined by the Council in its Conclusions of 29 April 1997, in parti-cular as regards the recipients' undertaking to carry out democratic,economicandinstitutionalreforms.
Article 6
1. Communityassistanceshallbeintheformofgrants.2. Community financing may be used to cover expenditure on
preparing, implementing, monitoring, checking andevaluating projects
andprogrammesandoninformation.
3. Community financing may be used for co-financing, which
should be sought whenever feasible. Co-financing of investmentprojects financed by guaranteed loans fromthe European Investm entBankmay,inexceptionalcases,taketheformofinterestratesubsidies.
4. Community financing maycoverthegrantpartofadhocexcep-
tionalfinancialassistancedecisionswhicharetakenbytheCouncilonthebasisofArticle308oftheTreaty.
5. Communityfinancingmaynotbeusedforpayingtaxes,dutiesor
chargesorforacquiringimmovableproperty.
Article 7
1. The Commission shall implement the Community assistance in
accordance with the Council Financial Regulation of 21 December1977applicabletothegeneralbudgetoftheEuropeanCommunities(
2).2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—6
(1) Seepage7ofthisOfficialJournal.
(2) OJL356,31.12.1977,p.1.
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2. In taking financing decisions under this Regulation and carrying
out the assessments referred to in Article 12, the Commission shallhave regardtothe principles ofsoundfinancial management, inparti-
cular economy and cost-effectiveness, as laid down in the Financial
Regulation.
3. Participation in invitations to tender and contracts shall be open
on equal terms to all natural and legal persons from Member States,States which are recipients under this Regulation and candidate coun-triesforaccessiontotheEuropeanUnion.
Participation by countries which are recipients under the TACIS and
MEDA programmes shall also be authorised by the Commission on a
case-by-casebasis.
4. Inthecaseofco-financing,theCommissionmayauthoriseparti-
cipation in invitations to tender and contracts by nationals of othercountriesonacase-by-casebasis.
5. The Commission shall provide information on invitations to
tender,procurement, contracts andfinancingagreements, aslaiddownintheAnnexhereto.
Article 8
1. Financing decisions and any agreements or contracts resulting
therefromshall expressly provide for m onitoring and financial controlbytheCommission,includingOLAF,andauditsbytheCourtofAudi-tors,ifnecessaryonthespot.
2. In addition, the Commission may carry out on-the-spot checks
and inspections in accordance with Regulation (Euratom, EC) No
2185/96. Measures taken by the Commission in accordance with theprocedurereferredtoinArticle10(2)shallprovideforadequateprotec-tion of the financial interests of the Community as required byRegulation(EC,Euratom)No2988/95.
Article 9
1. Financing decisions not covered by multiannual indicative
programmes and annual action programmes shall be individuallyadoptedbytheCommissioninaccordance withtheprocedurereferredtoinArticle10(2).
2. Decisions amending Decisions adopted in accordance with the
procedurereferredtoinArticle10(2)shallbeadoptedbytheCommis-
sion where they do not comprise substantial changes to the nature ofthe original programmes and actions and, as regards the financialelement,wheretheydonotexceed20%ofthetotalamountallocatedfor the programme or action in question, subject to a limit of EUR 4
million.TheCARDSCommitteereferredtoinArticle10shallbenoti-
fiedofallamendeddecisions.
Article 10
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a management committee,
hereinafterreferredtoas‘theCARDSCommittee’.
2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of
Decision1999/468/ECshallapply.
TheperiodlaiddowninArticle4(3)ofDecision1999/468/ECshallbe
setat45days.
3. TheCommitteeshalladoptitsrulesofprocedure.4. The Committee may examine anyother question concerning this
RegulationwhichissubmittedtoitbytheChairman,whetherornotatthe request of the representative of a Member State, and in particularany question relating to the programming or general implementationofmeasuresortoco-financing.2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—7
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Article 11
1. IntheinterestsofmakingtheCommunityassistancecohesiveand
more efficient and complementary, the Member States and the
Commissionshallexchangeanyrelevantinformationontheoperationstheyintendtoimplement.
2. In liaison with the Member States and on the basis of a regular
mutual exchange of information, including onthe spot,particularly as
regardsstrategypapers,multiannualindicativeprogrammesandannualaction programmes and the preparation of projects and monitoring oftheir implementation, the Commission shall ensure effective coordina-tion of the assistance efforts made by the Community, including theEIB, and by each Member State, in order to make their cooperation
programmes more consistent and complementary. In addition, it shall
encourage coordination and cooperation with international financialinstitutions,UnitedNationscooperationprogrammesandotherdonors.Practicalarrangementsforon-the-spotcoordinationshallbecoveredbyguidelinestobeapprovedbytheCARDSCommittee.
Article 12
Every year the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament
and the Council a progress report on the Community assistance. Thatreportshallcontaininformationontheactionfinancedduringtheyearandonthefindingsofmonitoringworkandshallgiveanassessmentof
the results achieved inthe implementation ofthe strategic framework,
the multiannual indicative programmes and the annual actionprogrammesreferredtoinArticle3(1).
Article 13
1. The Council shall review this Regulation before 31 December
2004.
2. For that purpose, not later than 30 June 2004, the Commission
shall submit to the Council an evaluation report, together with propo-salsforthefutureofthisRegulationandforanyamendmentsneeding
tobemadetoit.
Article 14
1. Regulation(EC)No1628/96isherebyrepealed.2. In the Annex to Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89, the names
‘Bosnia and Herzegovina’, ‘Albania’, ‘Croatia’, ‘the Former Yugoslav
RepublicofMacedonia’and‘Yugoslavia’shallbedeleted.
Article 15
Regulations(EEC)No3906/89and(EC)No1628/96shallnevertheless
remainapplicabletoprojectsandprogrammesforwhichtheprocedures
leading to the Commission financing decision have been started buthave not yet been completed at the time of entry into force of thisRegulation.
Article 16
ThefirstparagraphofArticle1ofRegulation(EEC)No1360/90shall
bereplacedbythefollowing:
‘ThisRegulationherebyestablishestheEuropeanTrainingFounda-
tion (hereinafter referred to as the “Foundation”), whose objectiveshallbetocontributetothedevelopmentofthevocationaltrainingsystemsof:
— the countries of Central and Eastern Europe designated as
eligible for economic aid by the Council in Regulation (EEC)No3906/89orinanysubsequentrelevantlegalact,
— the new independent States of the former Soviet Union and
Mongoliawhicharethebeneficiariesoftheprogrammetoassist2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—8
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economic reform and recovery pursuant to Regulation
(Euratom,EC)No1279/96oranysubsequentrelevantlegalact,
— the Mediterranean non-member countries and territories which
are the beneficiaries of the financial and technical measures toaccompany the reform of their economic and social structures
pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1488/96 or any subsequent
relevantlegalact,and
— thecountrieswhicharebeneficiariesunderRegulation(EC)No
2666/2000(*)oranysubsequentrelevantlegalact.
Those countries shall be hereinafter referred to as the “eligible
countries”.
(*) OJL306,7.12.2000,p.1.’
Article 17
ThesecondsubparagraphofArticle1a(5)ofDecision97/256/ECshall
bereplacedbythefollowing:
‘Financial decisions relating to this Decision shall be adopted in
accordance with the procedures laid down in Regulation (EC) No
2666/2000(*).
(*) OJL306,7.12.2000,p.1.’
Article 18
The first paragraph of Article 2 of Decision 99/311/EC shall be
replacedbythefollowing:
‘Tempus III concerns the countries which are beneficiaries under
Regulation(EC)No2666/2000(*)andthenewindependentStates
oftheformerSovietUnionandMongoliamentionedinRegulation(EC, Euratom) No 99/2000(**) (which replaces the old TACISprogramme).Thesecountriesarehereinafterreferredtoas“eligiblecountries”.
(*) OJL306,7.12.2000,p.1.
(**) OJL12,18.1.2000,p.1.’
Article 19
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in
theOfficial Journal of the European Communities .
Itshallapplyuntil31December2006.
ThisRegulation shallbebindinginitsentirety anddirectly applicable
inallMemberStates.2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—9
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ANNEX
Information on invitations to tender, procurement, contracts and financing
agreementsreferred toinArticle7(5)
1. TheCommission,actinginliaisonwiththeMemberStates,shallprovideall
interested businesses, organisations and institutions in the Community, at
their request, with the necessary documentation on the general aspects of
programmesreferredtointhisRegulationandtheconditionsforparticipation
inthoseprogrammes,makingappropriateuseoftheInternet.
2. TheCommissionshallnotifytheCARDSCommitteeand,whereappropriate,
the Governing Board of the European Agency for Reconstruction of the
financing decisions adopted, which shall contain specific details of the
contractsanticipated,includingtheirlikelyvalue,theprocedureforawarding
themandthedatesenvisagedforinvitationstotender.Thosespecificdetails
shallbereleasedontheInternet.
3. The results of invitations to tender, including information on numbers of
tenders received as at the contract award date and names and addresses of
successful tenderers, shall be published in the Official Journal of the
European Communities and released on the Internet. The Commission shall
supplytheCARDSCommitteeand,whereappropriate,theGoverningBoard
of the European Agency for Reconstruction, every three months, with
specific detailed information on contracts concluded in implementation of
programmesandprojectsreferredtointhisRegulation.
4. TheCommissionshallforwardfinancingagreementsorsimilardocumentsto
theCARDSCommitteeforinformation.2000R2666—EN—12.12.2001—001.001—10