Proposal for a Council Decision on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with the Czech Republic
Date: 2001-11-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Czechia, European Union, accession to the European Union, aid system, cooperation policy

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 13.11.2001
COM(2001) 653 final

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the
Accession Partnership with the Czech Republic

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

At  its  meeting  in  Luxembourg  in  December  1997,  the  European  Council  decided  that  the
Accession  Partnership  would  be  the  key  feature  of  the  enhanced  pre-accession  strategy,
mobilising all forms of assistance to the candidate countries within a single framework. In this
manner, the Community targets its assistance towards the specific needs of each candidate so
as to provide support for overcoming particular problems with a view to accession.

The first Accession Partnership for the Czech Republic was decided in March  1998.  In  line
with the provisions laid down in Regulation (EC) No. 622/981 (article 2), the Partnership was
updated a first time in December 1999, taking into account further developments in the Czech
Republic.Based on the analysis of the Commission's 2001 Regular Report on progress made
by the Czech Republic towards accession, the Commission considers that the time has come
for a further revision of the priorities and intermediate objectives identified in the Accession
Partnership.The  present  proposal  for  such  a  revision  draws  on  the  findings  of  the
Commission's  2001  Regular  Report  on  progress  made  by  the  Czech  Republic  towards
accession.

The attached decision does not have financial implications.

In view of the above, the Commission invites the Council to adopt the attached decision.

1 

OJ L 85, 20.3.1998, p. 1

2

                                                
Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the
Accession Partnership with the Czech Republic

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 622/98 of 16 March 1998 on assistance to the
applicant  States  in  the  framework  of  the  pre-accession  strategy,  and  in  particular  on  the
establishment of Accession Partnerships,2 and in particular to Article 2 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

The  Luxembourg  European  Council  stated  that  the  Accession  Partnership  is  a  new
instrument and the key feature of the enhanced pre-accession strategy;

Regulation  (EC)  No  622/98  sets  out  that  the  Council  is  to  decide,  by  a  qualified
majority and following a proposal from the Commission, on the principles, priorities,
intermediate  objectives  and  conditions  contained  in  the  individual  Accession
Partnerships,  as  they  are  submitted  to  each  applicant State, as  well  as  on  subsequent
significant adjustments applicable to them;

Community  assistance  is  conditional  on  the  fulfilment  of  essential  elements,  and  in
particular on the respect of the commitments contained in the Europe Agreements and
on progress towards fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria; where an essential element
is  lacking,  the  Council,  acting  by  a  qualified  majority  on  a  proposal  from  the
Commission, may take appropriate steps with regard to any pre-accession assistance;

The Luxembourg European Council decided that the implementation of the Accession
Partnership  and  progress  in  adopting  the  acquis  will  be  examined  in  the  Europe
Agreement bodies;

The 2001  Commission's  Regular  Report  presents  an  objective  analysis  on  the  Czech
Republic's preparations for  membership and identifies a  number  of  priority  areas  for
further work;

In order to prepare for membership, the Czech Republic should continue to update its
national  programme  for  the  adoption  of  the  acquis;  this  programme  should  set  out  a

2 

OJ L 85, 20.3.1998, p. 1

3

                                                
timetable  for  achieving  the  priorities  and  intermediate  objectives  established  in  the
Accession Partnership;

(7) 

The  Czech  Republic  needs  to  ensure  that  the  appropriate  legal  and  administrative
structures  needed  for  the  programming,  co-ordination,  management,  control  and
evaluation of EC pre-accession funds are in place;

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

In  accordance  with  Article  2  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  622/98,  the  principles,  priorities,
intermediate  objectives  and  conditions  in  the  Accession  Partnership  for  the  Czech  Republic
are set out in the Annex hereto, which forms an integral part of this Decision.

The implementation of the Accession Partnership shall be examined in the Europe Agreement
bodies and by the appropriate Council bodies to which the Commission shall report regularly.

Article 2

Article 3

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

Done at Brussels,

For the Council
The President

4

ANNEX

1. 

INTRODUCTION

At  its  meeting  in  Luxembourg  in  December  1997,  the  European  Council  decided  that  the
Accession  Partnership  would  be  the  key  feature  of  the  enhanced  pre-accession  strategy,
mobilising al forms of assistance to the candidate countries within a single framework. In this
manner, the Community targets its assistance towards the specific needs of each candidate so
as to provide support for overcoming particular problems with a view to accession.

The  first  Accession  Partnership  for  the  Czech  Republic  was  decided  in  March  1998.  As
provided  for  in  Regulation  (EC)  No.  622/98  (article  2),  the  Accession  Partnership  was
updated a first time in December 1999, taking into account further developments in the Czech
Republic.  The  present  revision  is  based  on  a  proposal  by  the  Commission  following
consultation with the Czech Republic, and  draws on  the  analysis  of  the  Commission's  2001
Regular Report on progress made by the Czech Republic towards accession.

2. 

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the Accession Partnership is to set out in a single framework the priority areas
for further work identified in the Commission’s 2001 Regular Reports on the progress made
by  the  Czech  Republic  towards  membership  of  the  Union,  the  financial  means  available  to
help  the  Czech  Republic  implement  these  priorities  and  the  conditions  which  will  apply  to
that  assistance.  The  Accession  Partnership  provides  the  basis  for  a  number  of  policy
instruments  which  will  be  used  to  help  the  candidate  States  in  their  preparations  for
membership.  These  include  inter  alia  the  updated  National  Programme  for  the  Adoption  of
the Acquis prepared by the Czech Republic, the pre-accession fiscal surveillance procedure,
the Pre-accession Economic Programme, the Pre-accession pact on organised crime as well as
the  National  Development  Plans,  the  Rural  Developments  Plans,  a  national  employment
strategy in line with the European Employment Strategy, and sectoral plans necessary for the
participation  in  the  Structural  Funds  after  membership  and  for  the  implementation  of  ISPA
and  SAPARD  before  accession.  Each  of  these  instruments  is  different  in  nature  and  is
prepared  and  implemented  according  to  specific  procedures  and  may  be  supported  by  pre-
accession aid. They are not an integral part of this Partnership but the priorities they contain
will be compatible with it.

3. 

PRINCIPLES

The main priority areas identified for each candidate State relate to their ability to take on the
obligations of meeting the Copenhagen criteria which state that membership requires:

(cid:1) 

(cid:1) 

(cid:1) 

that the candidate State has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the
rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;

the  existence  of  a  functioning  market  economy,  as  well  as  the  capacity  to  cope  with
competitive pressure and market forces within the Union;

the ability to take on the obligations of  membership, including  adherence to  the  aims of
political, economic and monetary union.

5

At its meeting in Madrid in 1995, the European Council stressed the need  for the candidate
States to adjust their administrative structures to ensure harmonious operation of Community
policies  after  accession  and  at  Luxembourg,  in  1997,  it  stressed  that  incorporation  of  the
acquis into legislation is necessary, but not in itself sufficient; it is necessary to ensure that it
is  actually  applied.  The  Feira  and  Gothenburg  European  Councils  in  2000  and  2001
respectively confirmed the vital importance of the applicant countries’ capacity to implement
and  enforce  the  acquis,  and  added  that  this  required  important  efforts  by  the  applicants  in
strengthening and reforming their administrative and judicial structures.

4. 

PRIORITIES AND INTERMEDIATE OBJECTIVES

The Commission’s Regular Reports have highlighted, besides the progress already made, the
extent of the efforts which still have to be made in certain areas by candidate States to prepare
for  accession.  This  situation  requires  the  definition  of  intermediate  stages  in  terms  of
priorities,  each  to  be  accompanied  by  precise  objectives  to  be  set  in  collaboration  with  the
states  concerned,  the  achievement  of  which  will  condition  the  degree  of  assistance  granted
and the progress of the negotiations under way with the Czech Republic. The priorities listed
in  the  revised  Accession  Partnership  have  been  selected  on  the  basis  that  it  is  realistic  to
expect that the Czech Republic can complete or take them substantially forward over the next
two  years  (2002  –2003).  Within  this  list,  issues  that  require  particularly  urgent  action  have
been highlighted as such. The progress made in meeting the priorities of the 1999 Accession
Partnership  is  assessed  in  the  2001  Regular  Report.  This  assessment  has  been  used  in
formulating the priorities for the current Partnership.

The  Czech  Republic  submitted  an  updated  version  of  its  National  programme  for  the
Adoption  of  the  Acquis  (NPAA)  on25  June  2001.  The  NPAA  sets  out  a  timetable  for
achieving priorities and intermediate objectives, based on the 1999 Accession Partnership, as
well as necessary administrative structures and financial resources.

The Accession Partnership indicates the priority areas for the Czech Republic’s membership
preparations. The Czech Republic will nevertheless have to address all issues identified in the
2001 Regular Report. It is also important that the Czech Republic fulfils the commitments of
legislative  approximation  and  the  implementation  of  the  acquis  in  accordance  with  the
commitments  made  under  the  Europe  Agreement,  and  in  the  context  of  the  negotiation
process. It should be recalled that incorporation of the acquis into legislation is not in  itself
sufficient; it will also be necessary to ensure that it is actually applied to the same standards as
those which apply within the Union. In all of the areas listed below there is a need for credible
and effective implementation and enforcement of the acquis.

Drawing  on  the  analysis  of  the  Commission’s  Regular  Report,  the  following  priorities  and
intermediate  objectives  have  been  identified  for  the  Czech  Republic.  These  priorities  are
presented in accordance with the structure of the Regular Report.3

Political criteria

Democracy and rule of law

–  In  need  of  particularly  urgent  action:  complete  the  reform  of  public  administration  at
national level by establishing a legal framework which provides for stability, independence

3 

The order of presentation is that used in the 2000 Regular Report.

6

                                                
and  professionalism;  continue  to  strengthen  training,  including  with  regard  to  acquis
related issues.

–  Complete 

the  reform  of 

legal,  organisational,
administrative,  training  and  budgetary  aspects,  with  a  view  to  ensuring  effective
application  of  the  law,  including  EC  legislation,  and  ensuring  independence  of  the
judiciary.

taking  account  of 

judiciary, 

the 

–  Pursue efforts to more effectively fight against corruption and economic crime.

 Human rights and the protection of minorities

–  Ensure that an effective system for redressing police misconduct is established.

–  Continue efforts, at national, regional and municipal level, to improve the condition of the
Roma  minority.  Efforts  should  address  employment  opportunities,  access  to  education,
including  appropriate  measures  to  integrate  Roma  children  into  mainstream  schools,
measures to fight discrimination in society and access to housing. In particular, implement
tasks contained in the government policy for Roma integration of June 2000.

Economic criteria

 -

 -

In need of particularly urgent action: Implement a restructuring plan for the steel sector
in line with EC requirements and implement viability plans in the steel enterprises.

Improve  the  business  environment  by:  (i)  improving  the  operation  of  the  commercial
register,  (ii)  improving  bankruptcy  legislation  and  its  implementation,  and  (iii)  resolving
the bad loan problem in a transparent and economically efficient way.

 - Complete privatisation in the enterprise sector and pursue the programme of liberalisation

of utilities.

 - Proceed in enterprise restructuring, in particular through the Revitalisation Programme and
the Czech Consolidation Agency, and provide appropriate support to SME development.

- Continue fiscal reforms, including health care and pension system financing reforms.

 Ability to assume the obligations of membership

Free movement of goods

–  Complete alignment and effective implementation in the areas of foodstuffs; sectoral and
horizontal  legislation.  Complete  implementation  of  remaining  New  Approach  Directives
and the adoption of European standards.

–  Ensure  the  effectiveness  of  implementing  structures,  complete  reinforcement  of  market
surveillance  and  conformity  assessment.  Set  up  a  body  for  exchanging  information  and
notification on technical requirements.

–  Complete alignment in the area of public procurement; abolish national preference clause
for  public  procurement  by  introducing  access  for  all  Community  companies  to  award
procedures in the Czech Republic.

7

(cid:2)  Proceed  with  screening  of  legislation  in  the  non-harmonised  area  to  ensure  that  it  is  in
compliance  with  Articles  28-30  of  the  EC  Treaty  and  complete  administrative
arrangements for the future monitoring in this area.

Free movement of persons

–  With  respect  to  professional  qualifications  obtained  before  harmonisation,  the  Czech
Republic  should  give  priority  to  introducing  measures  to  ensure  that  all  its  professionals
can, from accession, meet the requirements laid down by the directives.

–  Complete alignment of mutual recognition of professional qualifications and diplomas and
further develop required administrative structures, education and training programmes.

–  Reinforce the administrative structures for the co-ordination of social security.

Free movement of services

–  Complete  alignment  in  the  areas  of  insurance,  data  protection  and  information  society

legislation.

–  Reinforce supervision of financial services.

–  Ensure the effectiveness of the Office for Personal Data Protection.

Free movement of capital

–  Continue efforts to abolish existing anonymous accounts.

–  Ensure compliance with the Recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force.

 Company law

 -  Strengthen enforcement of intellectual property rights in particular by Police and Customs
authorities and improve co-operation among them. Increase efforts to fight against piracy
and  counterfeiting;  intensify  training  for  enforcement  bodies  including  judges  and
prosecutors.

 Competition policy

 -  Ensure  enforcement  of  the  rules  in  antitrust  and  State  aid  fields  (including  the
implementation  of  the  regional  aid  guidelines);  improve  transparency  and  flow  of
information especially with regard to State aid; increase awareness of the rules amongst all
market participants and aid grantors; intensify the training of the judiciary in the specific
fields of anti-trust and State aid.

 Agriculture

–  Up-grade  the  capacity  of  agricultural  administration  and  complete  preparations  for  the
enforcement  and  practical  application  of  the  management  mechanisms  of  the  Common
Agricultural  Policy  (CAP),  in  particular  market  information  systems  (including  price
reporting),  the  Integrated  Administration  and  Control  System,  the  Paying  Agency,  the
Farm Accountancy Data Network and carcass classification.

8

 - Reinforce 

the  administrative  structures  needed  for 

implementation,
management,  monitoring,  control  and  evaluation  of  EC  funded  rural  development
programs.

the  design, 

- Complete the system of animal identification; continue alignment with the veterinary and
phytosanitary acquis and upgrade inspection arrangements; continue the upgrading of food
processing establishments, in particular meat and dairy plants, so that they are in a position
to respect EC food safety standards.

 Transport

-  Complete legislative alignment and strengthen administrative capacity in road transport (in
particular on technical and safety standards, vehicle taxation and rules on road transport of
dangerous goods) as well as in railway transport with a view to the implementation of the
revised  railway  acquis,  including  rules  on  interoperability  of  railways  and  public  service
operations.

–  Complete  legislative  alignment  on  air  transport  (particularly  air  safety  -  setting  up  of  an

independent aviation accident investigation authority - and air traffic management).

 Taxation

–  Ensure due alignment with the tax acquis, including the transitional VAT system.

–  In need of particular urgent action: Alignment of VAT, and excise duty rates, to that of
the Community acquis, as well as closure of duty-free shops at land borders with the EU.

–  Ensure  that  existing  and  future  legislation  complies  with  the  principles  of  the  Code  of

Conduct for Business Taxation.

–  Strengthen  administrative  capacity,  including  control  and  enforcement  procedures,

administrative co-operation and mutual assistance.

–  In  need  of  particularly  urgent  action:  Develop  IT  systems  so  as  to  allow  for  the

exchange of computerised data with the Community and its Member States.

 Economic and Monetary Union

–  In need of particularly urgent action: ensure alignment of the Act on the Czech National

Bank with the acquis to consolidate its independence.

 Statistics

–  Further  improve  the  quality  and  coverage  of  statistics;  ensure  adequate  resources  are

available to further strengthen statistical capacities, including at regional level.

 Social policy and employment

–  Complete alignment of the EC legislation, in particular in the field of equal treatment for
women  and  men  and  health  and  safety  acquis,  and  increase  enforcement  efforts  of  the
whole social legal acquis. Strengthen relevant institutional structures,  in particular  labour
inspectorates. Continue adopting legislation in line with the anti-discrimination acquis and
prepare for its implementation.

9

–  Ensure transposition of the public health acquis and further develop measures in the area of
surveillance and control of communicable diseases and health monitoring and information.

–  Continue to support social partners’ capacity building efforts, in particular with a view to
their  future  role  in  the  elaboration  of  EU  employment  and  social  policy,  including  the
European Social Fund, notably through autonomous bipartite social dialogue.

–  Prepare a national strategy, including data collection, with a view to future participation in

the European strategy on social inclusion.

 Energy

-  Prepare for the internal energy market, notably through completion of alignment with the
electricity  and  gas  directives;  eliminate  remaining  price  distortions;  strengthen  the
independence and resources of regulatory bodies.

- Continue  aligning  with  oil  stock  requirements  and  make  progress  in  ensuring  the  actual
constitution  of  the  stocks,  including  the  necessary  investments,  towards  the  level  of  90
days.

-

Improve  energy  efficiency,  enhance  the  use  of  renewable  energy  sources  and  strengthen
the relevant institutions in this area.

–  Implement the recommendations contained in the Council report on “Nuclear Safety in the

Context of Enlargement” with due regard to the priorities assigned in the report.

–  Continue  to  ensure  a  high  level  of  nuclear  safety  at  the  Dukovany  and  Temelin  Nuclear

Power Plants.

 Telecommunications and information technologies

–  Complete  transposition  and  implementation  of  the  acquis  including  in  particular  cost

orientation, asymmetry and local loop unbundling.

–  Ensure independence of the National Regulatory Authority for telecommunications.

–  Ensure  effective  functioning  of  the  liberalised  market  through  effective  interconnection

pricing.

–  Secure the widespread availability of carrier selection facilities.

 Culture and audio-visual policy

–  Strengthen  the  administrative  capacity  of  the  Council  of  the  Czech  Republic  for

Broadcasting.

 Regional policy and co-ordination of structural instruments

–  In  need  of  particularly  urgent  action:  define  attribution  of  legal  and  budgetary
competencies  between  the  central  and  regional  levels,  and  define  the  framework  for  the
implementation of the Structural Funds.

–  Continue to develop, rationalise and streamline the National Development Plan and define
the implementation structures of the final plan; develop project and programme generation

10

and  implementation  capacity  at  central  and  regional  level;  continue  development  of
monitoring and evaluation capacity; ensure availability of all relevant statistical data.

–  Define the  bodies  in  charge of the  implementation  of  Structural  Funds  and  the  Cohesion
Fund,  in  particular  the  Managing  and  Paying  authorities;  establish  a  clear  division  of
responsibilities  and  improve  the  administrative  capacity,  in  particular  in  terms  of
recruitment and training; ensure effective inter-ministerial co-ordination.

–  Align with the specific financial management and control procedures for future Structural

and Cohesion Funds under the relevant EC Regulations.

–  Develop  the  technical  preparation  of  projects  eligible  for  Structural  and  Cohesion  Funds

assistance (project pipeline).

 Environment

–  Complete  transposition  of  the  acquis,  with  particular  emphasis  on  integrated  pollution
prevention  and  control  and  on  amendments  to  the  legislation  non-complying  with  the
acquis in particular in the waste and water sector.

–  Complete  implementation  of  the  acquis,  in  particular  as  regards  environmental  impact
assessment,  water  intended  for  human  consumption,  nitrates  (designation  of  vulnerable
zones,  action  plans)  and  dangerous  substances  (inventories,  pollution  reduction
programmes), nature protection (list of sites  of  Community importance, special  protected
areas) and integrated pollution prevention control (institutions, integrated permits).

–  Continue  strengthening  the  administrative,  monitoring  and  enforcement  capacity  at
national, regional and local level. Particular attention needs to be paid to clear distribution
of competencies, to improve co-operation between responsible authorities, to training and
to strengthening the investment planning capacity.

–  Continue  integration  of  environmental  protection  requirements  into  the  definition  and
implementation  of  all  other  sectoral  policies  with  a  view  to  promoting  sustainable
development.

 Consumers and health protection

–  Complete  legislative  alignment  and  ensure  the  effectiveness  of  administrative  structures,

including market surveillance.

 Justice and Home Affairs

–  Ensure due implementation of the Schengen Action Plan.

–  Continue  preparation  for  future  participation  in  the  Schengen  Information  System  by

developing national databases and registers.

–  Strengthen  border  control  management;  improve  co-ordination  between  organisations

responsible for border management; improve the controls at the “green” borders.

–  Further  improve  the  system  for  granting  of  visas  to  take  full  account  of  migration  risks;

improve co-operation between all police units dealing with migration.

11

–  Ensure implementation of the new Aliens Act; ensure the involvement of  an independent

body as the second instance in the asylum procedure.

–  Ensure  effective  implementation  of  the  new  strategy  for  combating  organised  crime;
establish  a  framework  for  co-operation  between  different  law  enforcement  agencies,
especially  concerning  the  fight  against  financial  crime  and  corruption,  in  particular
concerning money-laundering, and as regards trafficking in human beings; provide further
training for the police concerning organised crime and drugs; introduce modern equipment,
such as an integrated computer-based investigation system.

–  Take the necessary steps to ensure implementation of Community instruments in the area

of judicial co-operation in civil matters.

–  Take the necessary steps to align the legislation with the Convention on the Protection of

the Communities’ Financial Interests and its Protocols.

Customs union

–  In need of particularly urgent action: continue the implementation of the IT strategy of
the Czech customs administration. Develop IT systems so as to allow for the exchange of
computerised data between the EC and the Czech Republic.

–  Continue  efforts  to  strengthen  customs  ethics,  combat  fraud  and  corruption,  protect
copyrights  and  industrial  property  rights,  fight  against  economic  crime  and  organised
crime.

–  Continue efforts to reduce waiting time at the border.

External relations

–  Take  the  measures  necessary  to  ensure  that  any  international  treaties  or  agreements
including  bilateral  investment  treaties  incompatible  with  the  acquis  are  renegotiated  or
terminated by accession.

 Financial control

–  Complete the legislative framework for public internal financial control.

–  Implement the concept of managerial accountability.

–  Set up an internal audit service with adequate functional independence directly under the

highest management level in spending centres.

–  Set  up  a  central  unit  in  the  Ministry  of  Finance  to  deal  with  co-ordination  and
harmonisation of the methodology for financial management and control and internal audit
throughout the government.

–  Strengthen the fight against fraud and adopt the appropriate legislative framework to this

effect.

–  Agree  on  the  framework  for  co-operation  with  OLAF  for  the  protection  of  the
Communities’ financial interests and effectively start co-operating with OLAF through the
central contact point.

12

–  Continue efforts to ensure the correct  use, control, monitoring  and evaluation  of EC  pre-
accession  funding  as  a  key  indicator  of  the  Czech  Republic's  ability  to  implement  the
financial control acquis.

5. 

PROGRAMMING

For  the  period  2000-2006,  in  addition  to  Phare,  financial  assistance  to  the  Czech  Republic
comprises support for pre-accession measures for agriculture and rural development through
the  pre-accession  instrument  SAPARD  (Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  1268/99,  OJ  L  161,
26.6.1999,  p.87);  and  support  for  infrastructure  projects  in  the  fields  of  environment  and
transport through the structural instrument ISPA (Council Regulation (EC) No 1267/99, OJ L
161, 26.6.1999, p.  73),  which  gives  priority  to measures similar to the cohesion fund in the
pre-accession period. Under these national allocations, the Czech Republic can also fund part
of  its  participation  in  community  programmes  including  the  Research  and  Technological
Development  Framework  Programmes  and  programmes  in  the  areas  of  Education  and
Enterprise.  In  addition  the  Czech  Republic  will  have  access  to  funding  from  multi-country
and  horizontal  programmes  directly  related  to  the  acquis.  Joint  financing  by  the  applicant
States is systematically required for all investment projects. Since 1998 the Commission has
worked  with  the  European  Investment  Bank  and  the  International  Financial  Institutions,  in
particular the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank, with
a view to facilitating the co-financing of projects relating to pre-accession priorities.

6. 

CONDITIONALITY

Community  assistance  for  financing  projects  through  the  three  pre-accession  instruments
Phare,  ISPA  and  SAPARD  is  conditional  on  respect  by  the  Czech  Republic  of  its
commitments under the Europe Agreement, further steps towards satisfying the Copenhagen
criteria and in particular progress in meeting the specific priorities of this revised Accession
Partnership. Failure to respect these general conditions could lead to a decision by the Council
on  the  suspension  of  financial  assistance  on  the  basis  of  Article  4  of  Regulation  (EC)  No
622/98.

7. 

MONITORING

The  implementation  of  the  Accession  Partnership  is  monitored  in  the  framework  of  the
Europe Agreement.  As  underlined  by  the  European  Council  in  Luxembourg,  it  is  important
that the institutions of the Europe Agreement continue to be the framework within which the
adoption  and  implementation  of  the  acquis  can  be  examined.  The  relevant  sections  of  the
Accession  Partnership  are  discussed  in  the  appropriate  sub-committee.  The  Association
the
Committee  discusses  overall  developments,  progress  and  problems 
Partnership’s priorities and intermediate objectives as well as more specific issues referred to
it from the sub-committees.

in  meeting 

The  PHARE  Management  Committee  ensures  that  actions  financed  under  all  three  pre-
accession instruments, PHARE, ISPA, and SAPARD, are compatible with each other as well
as  with  the  Accession  Partnerships  as  laid  down  in  the  Co-ordinating  Regulation  (Council
Regulation (EC) No 1266/99, OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 68).

The  Accession  Partnership  will  continue  to  be  amended  as  necessary  in  accordance  with
Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 622/98.

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