Proposal for a Council Regulation on the establishment of European Partnerships in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association process
Date: 2003-11-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European integration, Western Balkans, aid policy, cooperation policy, legal basis

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 13.11.2003
COM(2003) 684 final

2003/0267 (CNS)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

on the establishment of European Partnerships in the framework of the Stabilisation
and Association process

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The European  Council, which met in Feira  in June 2000, concluded that its objective is the
fullest  possible  integration  of  the  countries  of  the  Western  Balkans  into  the  political  and
economic mainstream of Europe and recognised the countries as potential candidates for EU
membership.  The  Copenhagen  European  Council  in  December  2002  reaffirmed  this
perspective, while the Brussels European Council in March 2003 concluded that “the future of
the Western Balkans is within the EU”.

The  Thessaloniki  European  Council  of  19  and  20  June  2003  reiterated  its  determination  to
fully  and  effectively  support the  European perspective  of  the  Western  Balkan  countries  and
stated that “the Western Balkans countries will become an integral part of the EU, once they
meet the established criteria”. It endorsed the Council’s Conclusions of 16 June 2003 on the
Western  Balkans  including  the  annex  “The  Thessaloniki  Agenda  for  the  Western  Balkans:
moving  towards  European  integration”,  which  aims  at  further  intensifying  the  relations
between the European Union and the Western Balkans, building also on practices used in the
enlargement process, inter alia through the introduction of European Partnerships.

Inspired by the Accession Partnerships for the candidate countries, European Partnerships will
be drawn up for the countries participating in the Stabilisation and Association process (SAp),
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and
Serbia and Montenegro including Kosovo as defined by the United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999. The priorities of the European Partnerships will be based on
the Commission’s political, economic and strategic priorities in the light of the assessments in
the Annual  Reports,  with due consideration to the  criteria  defined  by  the  European  Council
and  to  issues  particular  to  the  Western  Balkans.  The  European  Partnerships  will  identify
priorities for action in supporting efforts to move closer to the European Union and serve as a
checklist  against  which  to  measure  progress.  They  will  reflect  the  particular  stage  of
development of each country, be  tailored to their specific  needs and  be drawn up following
contacts with  the countries  concerned. The Commission has  been invited to submit the first
set of European Partnerships to Council for approval with the next SAp Annual Reports (end
of March 2004), following the procedure established for the Accession Partnerships.

The countries  would  be  expected to respond to  the  European  Partnerships  by  preparing  and
implementing plans with a timetable and details of how they intend to address the European
Partnership’s  priorities  in  terms  of  financial  and  human  resources.  The  progress  in
implementing  the  priorities  will  be  monitored  regularly  by  the  Commission,  notably  in  the
Annual Reports and through the structures set up under the SAp.

This proposal establishes the legal base to draw up European Partnerships for the countries of
the Western Balkans to be adopted by the Council by qualified majority. The priorities of the
European  Partnerships  will  also  be  adopted  by  the  Council  by  qualified  majority.  The
proposed  framework  regulation  has  no  financial  implications.  Community  assistance  will
continue to be the assistance provided for under existing financial instrument(s), in particular
Council Regulation (EC) No 2666/2000 of 5 December 2000 (CARDS).

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2003/aaaa (CNS)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

on the establishment of European Partnerships in the framework of the Stabilisation
and Association process

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first
sentence of Article 181a (2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission1,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament2,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

The  Feira  European  Council  on  19  and  20  June  2000  confirmed  that  its  objective
remains  the  fullest  possible  integration  of  the  Western  Balkan  countries  into  the
political  and  economic  mainstream  of  Europe  and  recognised  that  all  the  countries
concerned are potential candidates for membership of the European Union.

The  Zagreb  Declaration  of  the  Summit  on  24  November  2000  between  the  heads  of
State  or  government  of  the  European  Union  and  the  countries  covered  by  the
Stabilisation  and  Association  process  recognised  that  the  prospect  of  accession  is
offered on the basis of fulfilment of the criteria defined at the Copenhagen European
Council  in  June  1993  and  the  progress  made  in  implementing  the  Stabilisation  and
Association Agreements, in particular those on regional co-operation.

The  Thessaloniki  European  Council  of  19  and  20  June  2003  confirmed  its
determination  to  fully  and  effectively  support  the  European  perspective  of  the
countries  of  the  Western  Balkans.  It  endorsed  the  Council’s  conclusions  of  16  June
2003, including the annex entitled “The Thessaloniki Agenda for the Western Balkans:
moving  towards  European  integration”.  The  “Thessaloniki  Agenda”  identifies  ways
and  means  of  intensifying  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  process,  including  the
drawing-up of European Partnerships.

Under  the  Thessaloniki  Declaration  of  the  EU-Western  Balkans  Summit  of  21  June
2003,  the  “Thessaloniki  Agenda”  is  considered  to  be  a  shared  agenda  between  the
European Union and the Western Balkan countries which they commit themselves to
implement.

1

2

OJ C , , p. .
OJ C , , p. .

3

                                                
(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

The European Partnerships for the Western Balkan countries will identify priorities for
action in order to support efforts to move closer to the European Union while serving
as  a  checklist  against  which  to  measure  progress.  They  will  be  adapted  to  the
countries’ specific needs and respective stages of preparation, and to the specificities
of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  process,  including  regional  co-operation.  The
Stabilisation and Association process remains the general framework of approach for
the Western Balkan countries until accession.

The  European  Partnerships,  updated  as  necessary,  are  needed  in  order  to  assist  the
Western Balkan  countries in  preparing  for  membership within a coherent  framework
and in developing plans with timetables and details in terms of measures of how they
intend to address the requirements for further integration into the European Union.

It  would  be  appropriate  for  Community  assistance  to  focus  on  the  challenges  to  be
defined  within  the  framework  of  the  European  Partnerships,  which  will  provide
guidance for financial assistance, and which will observe defined principles, priorities,
and conditions.

Community assistance under the Stabilisation and Association process to the Western
Balkan  countries  will  be  provided  by  the  relevant  financial  instruments,  and  in
particular  by  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2666/20003;  accordingly,  this  Regulation
will have no financial implications.

The programming of the financial resources making up Community assistance should
be based on the priorities of the European Partnerships and decided in accordance with
the procedures set out in the relevant financial instruments.

(10) Revisions  of  the  European  Partnerships  priorities  may  have  a  significant  political
impact on relations with the Western Balkan countries. It is therefore appropriate for
the  Council  to  adopt  the  principles,  priorities,  and  conditions  applicable  to  each
European Partnership.

(11)

The  Annual  Reports  on  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  process  are  central  to
ensuring the proper implementation and follow-up of these European Partnerships as
is  the  role  played  by  other  mechanisms  established  under  the  Stabilisation  and
Association process.

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

European  Partnerships  shall  be  established  to  cover  the  Republic  of  Albania,  Bosnia  and
Herzegovina,  the  Republic  of  Croatia,  the  Former  Yugoslav  Republic  of  Macedonia  and
Serbia and Montenegro including Kosovo as defined by the United Nations Security Council
Resolution  1244  of  10  June  1999,  (hereinafter  referred  to  as  ‘the  Partners’).  The  European
Partnerships shall provide a framework covering the priorities resulting from the analysis of
Partners’ different situations, on which preparations for further integration into the European
Union must concentrate in the light of the criteria defined by the European Council, and the
progress  made  in  implementing  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  process  including

3

OJ L 306, 7.12.2000, p. 1.

4

                                                
Stabilisation  and  Association  Agreements  where  appropriate,  and  in  particular  regional  co-
operation.

Article 2

The  Council  shall  decide  by  qualified  majority  on  a  proposal  from  the  Commission,  the
principles, priorities, and conditions to be contained in the European Partnerships, as well as
any subsequent adjustments.

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

Article 3

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

Done at Brussels,

For the Council
The President

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