COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 10.02.1998 
COM(1998) 74 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
ON THE COMMUNITY POSITION 
CONCERNING 
THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COOPERATION COUNCIL 
ESTABLISHED BY THE COOPERATION AGREEMENT 
BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY 
AND THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
1. Article 33 of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the 
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia foresees the establishment of a Cooperation 
Council composed of representatives of the Community, on the one hand, and of 
representatives of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, on the other hand. 
Its role consists in providing a forum for consultation between the Contracting 
Parties and it has the power, for the purpose of attaining the objectives set out in the 
Agreement, to take decisions in the cases provided for in the Agreement. It may also 
formulate any resolutions, recommendations or opinions which it considers desirable 
for the attainment of the common objectives and the smooth functioning of the 
Agreement. 
2. According to Article 33, paragraph 3 of the Cooperation Agreement, the Cooperation 
Council shall establish its own rules of procedure. Article 3 (2) of the Council 
Decision 97/831 /EC of 27 November 1997 on the conclusion of the Cooperation 
Agreement provides that the position to be adopted by the Community in the 
Cooperation Council shall be determined by the Council, on a proposal from the 
Commission. In accordance with this provision, the annexed draft rules of procedure 
are proposed for adoption as Community position, by means of a decision by the 
Council. 
3. The Cooperation Agreement with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 
follows to a large extent the model of the 1993 Cooperation Agreement with 
Slovenia. The Cooperation Council is, however, the only joint body provided for by 
that Agreement, whereas the Cooperation Agreement with Slovenia established a 
Cooperation Council and a Cooperation Committee. The Cooperation Council with 
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia shall in general have the functions of 
Joint or Cooperation Committees established by other cooperation agreements 
concluded by the Community. 
4. The draft proposal has been based on the rules of procedure for the Joint Committee 
with Albania, adjusted in the light of the above mentioned Council Decision, in 
particular with regard to the publication of the Cooperation Council's decisions . It 
also provides more detailed rules on working parties and on expenses. 
5. The Council is requested to adopt the annexed Commission proposal on a 
Community position in relation to the rules of procedure of the Cooperation Council 
with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. 
ol 
PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION 
ON A COMMUNITY POSITION 
CONCERNING 
THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COOPERATION COUNCIL 
ESTABLISHED BY THE COOPERATION AGREEMENT 
BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY 
AND THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 
Having regard to the Council Decision 97/831/EC of 27 November 19971 on the 
conclusion of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and" the 
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and in particular Article 3 thereof, 
Having regard to the Commission proposal2, 
Whereas a Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has been signed on 29 April 1997, 
Whereas Article 33 of the Cooperation Agreement establishes a Cooperation Council, 
Whereas Article 33 of the said Agreement further provides that the Cooperation Council 
shall adopt its own rules of procedure, 
Whereas Article 36 of the said Agreement further provides that the Cooperation Council 
may decide to set up working parties, the composition, duties and functioning of which 
shall be determined in the rules of procedures, 
Whereas the Community should therefore define its position to be adopted in the 
Cooperation Council with regard to these Rules of Procedure, 
HEREBY DECIDES AS FOLLOWS: 
The position to be adopted by the Community within the Cooperation Council 
established by virtue of Article 33 of the Cooperation Agreement between the European 
Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in relation to the rules of 
procedure of the said Cooperation Council shall be based on the draft rules of procedure 
annexed to the present decision. Minor modifications of the said draft rules of procedure 
may be accepted without further decision by the Council. 
Done at Brussels, 
'OJL348, 18.12.1997, p. 1 
2 OJC79, 12.03.1997, p.l 
Decision n° 1 of the Cooperation Council 
concerning the Rules of Procedure of the Cooperation Council established by the 
Cooperation Agreement between the European Community 
and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 
THE COOPERATION COUNCIL, 
Having regard to the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community of 
the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, and 
in particular Articles 33 to 36 thereof, 
Whereas that Agreement entered into force on 1 January 1998. 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING RULES OF PROCEDURES: 
Article 1 
CHAIRMANSHIP 
The office of Chairman of the Cooperation Council shall be held alternately for 
periods of twelve months by a representative of the former Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia and a representative of the European Community, hereinafter referred to 
as the "Community". However, the first period shall begin on the date of the first 
Cooperation Council and end on 31 December of the same year. 
MEETINGS 
1. Each session of the Cooperation Council shall be held at a time and place 
agreed by both Parties in the Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia alternately. 
2. The Cooperation Council shall meet once a year. Additional meetings may be 
held if both Parties so agree, at the request of either Party. 
3. Unless otherwise agreed the sessions of the Cooperation Council shall not be 
public. 
^ 
Article 3 
DELEGATIONS 
Prior to each session, the Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia shall agree on the level of representation of the Cooperation Council. They 
shall also inform each other of the intended composition of their respective 
delegations. 
Article 4 
SECRETARIAT, COMMUNICATIONS 
An official of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and an official of the 
Commission of the European Communities shall act jointly as Secretaries of the 
Cooperation Council. 
All communications to and from the Chairman shall be forwarded to these Secretaries. 
ArtkkJ. 
AGENDA 
1. The Chairman and the Secretaries shall draw up the provisional agenda for 
each session. 
The provisional agenda shall consist of those items in respect of which a request for 
inclusion has reached the Secretaries not less than 21 days before the beginning of the 
session. 
The only items which may appear on the provisional agenda shall be those in respect 
of which the relevant documentation has been forwarded to the Secretaries referred to 
in Article 4 not later than the date of dispatch of this agenda. 
The agenda shall be adopted by the Cooperation Council at the beginning of each 
session. Where both Parties agree, items which do not appear on the provisional 
agenda may be included. 
2. The Chairman may, in agreement with the two parties, shorten the time limits 
laid down in Paragraph 1 to take account of the requirements of a particular case. 
r 
ArticieJ* 
MINUTES 
Minutes shall be taken for each session and shall include the summing up of the 
proceedings by the Chairman. Upon adoption by the Cooperation Council, the 
minutes shall be signed by the Chairman and the Secretaries and one original copy 
filed by each of the Parties. 
Article 7 
WORKING PARTIES 
1. The Cooperation Council may establish working parties on specific subjects to 
assist it in carrying out its duties. They shall be composed of representatives of both 
Parties. 
2. The working parties shall work under the authority of the Cooperation Council 
which shall determine their objectives and the scope of their activities . They shall not 
take decisions but can make recommandations to the Cooperation Council to which 
they shall report after each one of their meetings. 
3. The Cooperation Council can at any time modify the terms of reference of the 
working parties and terminate their existence. 
ArtidsJ* 
AMENDMENTS 
The Cooperation Council may make such amendments to the Rules of Procedure as it 
may find appropriate to facilitate the efficient performance of its tasks, without 
prejudice to Articles 33-36 of the Cooperation Agreement. 
Articje_2 
ACTS 
Decisions adopted by the Cooperation Council within the meaning of Article 33 (1) 
shall be signed by the Chairman and the Secretaries. 
Decisions, Resolutions, Recommendations or Opinions of the Cooperation Council 
formulated within the meaning of Article 33 (2) of the Cooperation Agreement shall 
be followed by a serial number, by the place and date of their adoption and by a 
description of their subject. 
Decisions taken by the Cooperation Council shall be published by the Parties in their 
respective official gazettes. The Cooperation Council may decide on the publication 
of any other of its acts. 
Article 10 
LANGUAGES 
The official languages of the Cooperation Council shall be the official languages of 
the Parties. 
The Cooperation Council shall normally base its deliberations on documentation 
prepared in these languages. 
Article 11 
EXPENSES 
The Community, on the one hand, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 
on the other, shall defray the expenses that they incur as a result of their participation 
in meetings of the Cooperation Council and of working parties in respect of staff, 
travelling and subsistence expenses and also of postal and telecommunications costs. 
Expenditure in connection with interpretation at meetings, translation and 
reproduction of documents shall be borne by the Community, with the exception of 
expenditure in connection with interpretation or translation into or from the official 
language of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which shall be borne by the 
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. 
Other expenditure relating to the material organization of meetings shall be borne by 
the Party which hosts the meetings. 
n-
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
1. TITLE OF OPERATION 
Rules of Procedure of the Cooperation Council established by the Cooperation 
Agreement between the European Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia (FYROM): Establishment of a Cooperation Council and, where appropriate, 
of special working parties. 
2. BUDGET HEADING INVOLVED 
A-701 : Mission expenses 
(exA-130) 
A-7031 : Meetings of committees 
(exA-2510) 
In accordance with Article 3 of Council decision 97/831/EC mentioned below, the 
Council may decide that the Presidency of the Council shall represent the Community in 
the Cooperation Council. In that case, budget heading A-7031 will not be involved and 
relevant meeting costs will be chargeable to the Council budget. 
3. LEGAL BASIS 
Articles 33-36 of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and 
FYROM. Council decision 97/831/EC of 27 November 1997 on the conclusion of that 
Agreement, and in particular Article 3 thereof. 
4. DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION 
4.1 General objective 
Implementation of the institutional provisions of the Cooperation Agreement 
4.2 Period covered and arrangements for renewal 
unlimited 
5. CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE OR REVENUE 
5.1 Compulsory/Non-compulsory expenditure 
Non-compulsory expenditure. 
5.2 Differentiated/Non-differentiated appropriations 
Non-differentiated appropriations. 
53 Type of revenue involved 
No revenues. 
t 
6. TYPE OF EXPENDITURE OR REVENUE 
100% subsidy (missions by officials, organisation of conferences, interpretation, 
translation, reproduction of documents) 
7. FINANCIAL IMPACT 
7.1 Method of calculating total cost of operation (relation between individual 
and total costs) 
See section 10. No operational expenditure involved. 
7.2 Itemised breakdown of cost 
Commitment appropriations ECU million (at current prices) 
Breakdown 
Total yearn n+1 n + 2 n + 3 n + 4 n + 5 
and 
subs, yrs Total 
13 Operational expenditure for studies, experts etc. included in Part B of the budget 
Commitment appropriations ECU million (at current prices) 
- Studies 
- Meetings of experts 
- Conferences and 
congresses 
- Information and 
publications 
Total yearn n+1 n + 2 n + 3 n + 4 n + 5 and 
subs, yrs Total 
7.4 Schedule of commitment and payment appropriations 
ECU million 
Commitment 
appropriations 
Payment 
appropriations 
yearn 
n+1 
n + 2 
n + 3 
n + 4 
n + 5 
and subs, yrs 
Total yearn n+1 n + 2 n + 3 n + 4 n + 5 and 
subs, yrs Total 
8 FRAUD PREVENTION MEASURES 
Checks by the responsible officials. 
9 ELEMENTS OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS 
9.1 Specific and quantified objectives; target population 
The institutionalised dialogue between the European Community and FYROM 
will be an essential prerequisite for achieving the aims of the Cooperation 
Agreement, namely the promotion of trade and investment flows, economic and 
social development in the country and close cooperation across a wide number of 
policy fields. 
Targeted are economic operators and the general public in FYROM. 
9.2 Grounds for the operation 
Coordinated approach by the European Community to cooperation with 
FYROM. Approach is similar to that of Cooperation Agreements with other 
countries in the region (for example: Albania). 
93 Monitoring and evaluation of the operation 
Periodic stock-taking between the Commission and FYROM authorities. 
10 ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE (SECTION III, PART A OF THE BUDGET) 
Actual mobilization of the necessary administrative resources will depend on the 
Commission's annual decision on the allocation of resources, taking into account the 
number of staff and additional amounts authorized by the budgetary authority. 
10.1 Effect on the number of posts 
Type of post 
Officials or 
temporary 
staff A 
B 
C 
Other resources 
Total Staff to be assigned to 
managing the operation 
Permanent 
posts 
0.25 
0.25 
0 
0,5 Temporary 
posts 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 Source 
Existing 
resources in 
the DG or 
department 
concerned 
0,25 
0.25 
0 
0,5 Additional 
resources 
0 
0 
0 Duration 
/o 
10.2 Overall financial impact of existing human resources 
ECU 
Amounts Method of calculation 
Officials 54.000 0.5 men/year x 108.000 = 54.000 
Temporary staff 0 
Other resources (indicate budget heading) 0 
Total 1 54.0000 | 
103 Other administrative expenditure as a result of the operation 
ECU 
Budget heading Amounts Method of calculation 
Cooperation Council 
A-701 10.000 Involvement of 10 officials from the Commission (1 /year 
(ex A-130) alternated Skopje/Brussels) 
(mission expenses) Skopje: 10 officials x 1.000 = 10.000 
Brussels: 
Working Parties 
9.000 3 working parties (2/year alternated Skopje/Brussels) 
Skopje: 3 officials x 3 working parties x 1.000 = 9.000 
Total 19.000 
{Cooperation Council 
A-7031 Pm-
(ex A-2510) {Working Parties 
(meetingof Committees) 
N.B. The necessary resources for missions by Commission officials will be obtained through 
redeployment of existing resources. Travel costs for Council representatives participating in 
meetings of the Cooperation Council and working parties are paid by the Council Secretariat 
General. If the Presidency of the Council represents the Community in the Cooperation Council, 
Commission budget heading A-7031 will not be involved and relevant meeting costs will be 
chargeable to the Council budget. 
L/ 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(98) 74 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 11 02 06 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-080-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-31031-X 
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