2000/788/EC: Council Decision of 4 December 2000 amending Decision 2000/24/EC so as to establish a European Investment Bank special action programme in support of the consolidation and intensification of the EC-Turkey customs union
Date: 2000-12-04
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EIB loan, European Investment Bank, Türkiye, action programme, credit guarantee, customs union

14.12.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 314/27

COUNCIL DECISION

of 4 December 2000

amending Decision 2000/24/EC so as to establish a European Investment Bank special action
programme in support of the consolidation and intensification of the EC-Turkey customs union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(4)

(2000/788/EC)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 308 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

(5)

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

The Council on 23 December 1963 adopted Decision
64/732/EEC on the establishment of an Association
Agreement between the EEC and Turkey (2). The Addi-
tional Protocol effective since 1 January 1973 and
annexed to the Association Agreement (3) set down the
conditions, arrangements and timetables for the progres-
sive establishment of the Customs Union within a period
of 22 years.

The Luxembourg European Council on 12 and 13
December 1997 called for a strategy to be drawn up to
prepare Turkey for accession by bringing it closer to the
European Union in every field. On 4 March 1998 the
Commission submitted to the Council a communication
entitled ‘the European Strategy for Turkey’, which put
forward a work programme to consolidate and add
substance to the Customs Union and step up coopera-
tion in other areas significant for the further develop-
ment of relations with Turkey.

The Cardiff European Council on 15 and 16 June 1998
welcomed the European Strategy for Turkey as a plat-
form for developing relations between the European
Union and Turkey on a sound and evolutionary basis.
Recalling the need for financial support for the European
Strategy, the European Council noted the Commission's
intention to reflect on ways and means of underpinning
the implementation of the strategy, and to table appro-
priate proposals to this effect.

(1) Opinion delivered on 15 November 2000 (not yet published in the

Official Journal).

(2) OJ 217, 29.12.1964, p. 3685/64.
(3) OJ L 293, 29.12.1972, p. 4.

The Helsinki European Council of 10 and 11 December
1999 decided that Turkey was a candidate state destined
to join the Union on the basis of the same criteria as
applied to the other candidate states.

In line with the European Strategy for Turkey and the
new status of Turkey as candidate state following the
Helsinki European Council, this Decision should estab-
lish an EIB special action programme supporting the
consolidation and intensification of
the EC-Turkey
Customs Union. It should facilitate progress in areas that
still merit attention as regards the implementation and
effective application of certain legislation of relevance
for the Customs Union as identified by the regular
reports by the Commission on Turkey's progress
towards accession and in relevant areas identified by the
European Strategy for Turkey.

This Decision, together with Turkey's expected eligibility
under the EIB's Pre-Accession Facility, fully delivers the
Union commitment on special EIB lending in Turkey in
the context of the Customs Union.

The EIB's intervention under this Decision should be
coherent with the other EIB facilities available in Turkey
and support investments assisting the competitiveness of
industry in Turkey, in particular the SME sector; invest-
ments in infrastructure, covering transport, energy and
telecom improving the links between the EU and
investments supporting direct
Turkish infrastructure,
investment activities by Community companies
in
Turkey; and where EIB loan finance is an appropriate
instrument, investments for technical installations facili-
tating the functioning of the Customs Union.

(6)

(7)

(8)

Decision 2000/24/EC (4) grants the EIB a Community
guarantee against losses under loans for projects outside
the Community (Central and Eastern Europe, Mediterra-
nean countries, Latin America and Asia and the Republic
of South Africa).

(4) OJ L 9, 13.1.2000, p. 24. Decision as amended by Decision 2000/

688/EC (OJ L 285, 7.11.2000, p. 20).

L 314/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

14.12.2000

(9)

(10)

(11)

The said Decision grants recourse to the guarantee fund
for external actions established by Regulation (EC,
Euratom) No 2728/94 (1).

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Community guarantee covering the general EIB
external lending mandate laid down in Decision 2000/
24/EC should be extended to cover an EIB special action
programme supporting the consolidation and intensifi-
cation of
the EC-Turkey Customs Union. The said
Decision should therefore be amended accordingly.

underpin

The provisions of this Decision are linked to respect for
democratic principles, the rule of law, human rights and
fundamental freedoms and respect for international law,
which
European
Community and its Member States. The Community
attaches great importance to the need for Turkey to
improve and promote its democratic practices and
respect for fundamental human rights, and more closely
involve civil society in that process.

policies

the

the

of

The second sentence of the second subparagraph of the first
paragraph of Article 1 of Decision 2000/24/EC is hereby
amended as follows:

(a) in the introductory part,

‘EUR 18 660 million’ shall be

replaced by ‘EUR 19 110 million’;

(b) after the fourth indent, the following indent shall be added:
‘— Special action supporting the consolidation and intensi-

fication of the EC-Turkey Customs Union:

EUR 450 million,’.

Article 2

This Decision shall take effect on the day of its publication in
the Official Journal of the European Communities.

Done at Brussels, 4 December 2000.

(12)

The Treaty provides for no powers other than those
under Article 308 thereof,
this
Decision,

for the adoption of

For the Council

The President

H. VÉDRINE

(1) OJ L 293, 12.11.1994, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation

(EC, Euratom) No 1149/1999 (OJ L 139, 2.6.1999, p. 1).