Proposal for a Council Decision outlining the general approach for the reallocation of resources under Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999 on Community support for pre-accession measures for agricultural and rural development in the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the pre-accession period
Date: 2004-04-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Bulgaria, EU aid, Romania, accession to the European Union, aid to agriculture, enlargement of the Union, rural development

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 29.4.2004 
COM(2004) 330 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

outlining the general approach for the reallocation of resources under Regulation (EC) 
No 1268/1999 on Community support for pre-accession measures for agricultural and 
rural development in the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe  
in the pre-accession period 

(presented by the Commission) 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

The Copenhagen European Council in December 2002 finalised the accession negotiations for 
eight  countries  (Czech  Republic,  Estonia,  Hungary,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Poland,  Slovakia  and 
Slovenia) currently benefiting from assistance under Council Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999 
on  Community  support  for  pre-accession  measures  for  agricultural  and  rural  development 
(SAPARD). These countries will become members of the European Union on 1 May 2004. 

Consequently, only Bulgaria and Romania will benefit from SAPARD allocations during the 
period 2004–2006. 

Furthermore, the Copenhagen European Council, by endorsing the roadmaps for Bulgaria and 
Romania, as proposed by the Commission [COM(2002) 624 final], has agreed to increase the 
financial  resources  for  pre-accession  assistance  and  to  fix  the  ratio  for  the  division  of 
allocation between these two countries at a rate of 70% for Romania and 30% for Bulgaria.. 

As regards the increase of the financial resources, the European Parliament and the Council 
decided  on  19  May  2003 
the  financial  perspectives  for  enlargement 
(Decision 2003/429/CE1).  The  adjusted  financial  perspectives  contain  an  annex  where,  inter 
alia,  a  general  envelope  on  commitment  appropriations  for  the  three  pre-accession 
instruments  is  established  for  the  years  2004,  2005  and  2006  whereby  Heading  7  covers 
SAPARD, ISPA and PHARE instruments. 

to  adjust 

In relation to the division of the financial allocation between Romania and Bulgaria there is 
still a need to adopt a legally binding act. In the case of SAPARD this act shall be adopted in 
accordance  with  the  second  subparagraph  of  Article  15  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  1268/1999, 
which  provides  that:  "The  Council  acting  by  qualified  majority  on  a  proposal  from  the 
Commission, shall take a decision outlining the general approach for reallocation." 

Therefore,  the  Council  is  requested  to  adopt  the  attached  proposal  for  a  Council  Decision 
outlining the general approach for the reallocation of the available financial resources for the 
SAPARD  instrument  between  Romania  to  Bulgaria,  as  provided  for  by  Article  15  of 
Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999. 

1 

OJ L 147, 14.6.2003, p. 25. 

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Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

outlining the general approach for the reallocation of resources under Regulation (EC) 
No 1268/1999 on Community support for pre-accession measures for agricultural and 
rural development in the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe  
in the pre-accession period 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having  regard  to  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  1268/1999  of  21  June  1999  on  Community 
support  for  pre-accession  measures  for  agricultural  and  rural  development  in  the  applicant 
countries  of  central  and  eastern  Europe  in  the  pre-accession  period2,  and  in  particular  the 
second subparagraph of Article 15 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

The Copenhagen European Council of 12 and 13 December 2002 endorsed the results 
of  the  negotiations,  which  will  result  in  the  accession  to  the  Community  in  2004  of 
eight  countries  currently  benefiting  from  the  provisions  of  Regulation  (EC) 
No 1268/1999.  Consequently,  in  the  period  from  2004  to  2006  only  Bulgaria  and 
Romania will continue to benefit from commitments under that Regulation. 

By  endorsing  the  roadmaps  for  Bulgaria  and  Romania,  as  proposed  by  the 
Commission, the Copenhagen European Council agreed to fix the ratio for the division 
of allocation at 30/70 respectively under the PHARE programme set up under Council 
Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89 of 18 December 1989 on economic aid to the Republic 
of  Hungary  and  the  Polish  People's  Republic3,  the  special  accession  programme  for 
agriculture and rural development  (SAPARD) set  up  under Council Regulation (EC) 
No 1268/1999 and the Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-accession (ISPA), set 
up under Council Regulation (EC) No 1267/19994. 

(3) 

That ratio takes account of the need and capacity for absorbing assistance referred to 
in the first paragraph of Article 15 as well as the .criteria for the financial allocation to 
each applicant country as stipulated in Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999. 

2 

3 

4 

OJ  L  161,  26.6.1999,  p.  87.  Regulation  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  696/2003  (OJ L 99, 
17.4.2003, p. 24). 
OJ  L  375,  23.12.1989,  p.  11.  Regulation  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  807/2003  (OJ L 122, 
16.5.2003, p. 36). 
OJ  L  161,  26.6.1999,  p.  73.  Regulation  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  2500/2001  (OJ L 342, 
27.12.2001, p. 1). 

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(4) 

The  Council,  in  accordance  with  Article  15  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  1268/1999,  shall 
adopt the general approach for reallocation of the available financial resources for the 
SAPARD  instrument  between  the  remaining  beneficiary  countries,  namely  Romania 
and Bulgaria, 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Sole Article 

For  the  period  from  2004  to  2006  inclusive,  the  division  of  available  resources  between 
Romania and Bulgaria under this instrument shall be established at a rate of 70% to Romania 
and 30% for Bulgaria. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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