Council Regulation (EC) No 390/2001 of 26 February 2001 on assistance to Turkey in the framework of the pre-accession strategy, and in particular on the establishment of an Accession Partnership
Date: 2001-02-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU aid, EU financial instrument, EU programme, Türkiye, accession to the European Union, agreement (EU)

28.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

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(Acts whose publication is obligatory)

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 390/2001

of 26 February 2001

on assistance to Turkey in the framework of the pre-accession strategy, and in particular on the
establishment of an Accession Partnership

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

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

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

The conditions to be fulfilled by applicant States wishing
to join the European Union were set out at the European
Council meeting in Copenhagen in June 1993.

The Heads of State and Government meeting at the
European Council in Helsinki from 10 to 11 December
1999 reaffirmed the inclusive nature of the accession
process, which now comprises 13 candidate States
within a single framework.

The European Council in Helsinki stated that Turkey is a
candidate State destined to join the Union on the basis
of the same criteria applied to other candidate States and
that building on the existing European strategy, Turkey,
like other candidate States, will benefit from a pre-acces-
sion strategy to stimulate and support its reforms.

The European Council in Helsinki stated that an Acces-
sion Partnership will be drawn up for Turkey on the
basis of previous European Council conclusions while
containing priorities on which accession preparations
the political and
must concentrate in the light of
economic criteria and the obligations of a Member State.

It would be appropriate for European Community assis-
tance within the framework of the Accession Partnership
to focus on the aforementioned political and economic
criteria and be guided by defined principles, priorities,
intermediate objectives and conditions.

The Heads of State and Government meeting at the
European Council in Feira from 19 to 20 June 2000
invited the Commission to present as soon as possible

(1) Opinion delivered on 14 February 2001 (not yet published in the

Official Journal).

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

(12)

(13)

proposals for a single financial framework for assistance
to Turkey, as well as for an Accession Partnership.

The Partnership, and in particular its intermediate objec-
tives, should assist Turkey in preparing for membership
within a framework of economic and social convergence
and in developing its national programme for the taking
up of the acquis as well as a relevant timetable for its
implementation.

It is essential to manage the available financial resources
carefully and in line with the priorities arising out of the
Accession Partnership for Turkey and the Commission's
regular reports.

Community assistance under the pre-accession strategy
should be provided by applying to Turkey the aid
programmes adopted in accordance with the provisions
of the Treaties and therefore this Regulation will have no
financial

implications.

Community assistance is conditional upon respect of the
commitments contained in the EC-Turkey Agreements,
the Accession Partnership and upon progress towards
fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria.

The programming of the financial resources making up
Community assistance will be decided in accordance
with the procedures set out in the Regulations relating
to
or
the
programmes.

corresponding

instruments

financial

The role played by the bodies set up under the EC-
Turkey Agreements is central to ensuring the proper
implementation and follow-up of this Accession Partner-
ship.

Establishing the Accession Partnership is likely to help
achieve the Community's objectives. The Treaty does not
provide, for the adoption of this Regulation, powers
other than those of Article 308,

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Official Journal of the European Communities

28.2.2001

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

As part of the European Union's pre-accession strategy for
Turkey, an Accession Partnership shall be established for
Turkey. The Accession Partnership shall provide a single frame-
work covering:

— the priorities, as defined in the analysis of the situation in
Turkey, on which preparations for accession must concen-
trate in view of the political and economic criteria and the
obligations incumbent upon a Member State of the Euro-
pean Union as defined by the European Council,

— the financial resources for assisting Turkey to implement
the priorities identified during the pre-accession period.

Article 2

Acting on a proposal from the Commission, the Council shall
decide by qualified majority on the principles, priorities, inter-
mediate 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.

assistance provided for in the programmes adopted in accord-
ance with the provisions of the Treaty.

On the basis of decisions taken by the Council pursuant to
Article 2, the programming of the financial resources granted
in the framework of the Accession Partnership shall be estab-
lished in accordance with the procedures set out in the Regula-
tions relating to the corresponding financial
instruments or
programmes.

Article 4

Where an element that is essential for continuing to grant
in particular when the
pre-accession assistance is lacking,
commitments contained in the EC-Turkey Agreements are not
respected and/or progress towards fulfilment of the Copen-
hagen criteria is insufficient, the Council, acting by a qualified
majority on a proposal from the Commission, may take appro-
priate steps with regard to pre-accession assistance granted to
Turkey.

Article 5

Article 3

This Regulation shall have no financial implications. Under the
pre-accession strategy, the Community assistance shall be the

This Regulation shall enter
into force on the third day
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 26 February 2001.

For the Council

The President

A. LINDH