Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 533/2004
Date: 2005-11-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Croatia, accession to the European Union, association agreement (EU), cooperation policy, economic stabilisation

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 9.11.2005 
COM(2005) 563 final 

2005/0226 (CNS) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 

amending Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

This proposal to change the name of the partnership of Croatia from ‘European Partnership’ 
into ‘Accession Partnership’ is launched in order to align the name of the Croatian Partnership 
with the name of the Turkey Partnership, as both are candidate countries which have started 
accession  negotiations.  In  order  to  make  the  instrument  of  the  Partnerships  more 
understandable, it is appropriate to have the same name for the Partnerships for both countries 
which are now in the same stage of their accession process. This is in line with the wording of 
the 2005 Strategy Paper on enlargement.  

The  regulation  contains  the  proposals  for  the  changes  in  the  relevant  regulation.  The 
Commission therefore invites the Council to adopt the attached proposed regulation. 

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2005/0226 (CNS) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 

amending Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular 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) 

Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  533/2004  of  22  March  20043  provides  that  European 
partnerships will be established in the framework of the stabilisation and association 
process for all the Western Balkan countries. 

The European Council decided at its meeting in Brussels on 17 and 18 June 2004 that 
Croatia  shall  be  a  candidate  country  for  membership  of  the  European  Union.  On  3 
October 2005, accession negotiations have started with Croatia. 

It  is  therefore  appropriate  to  provide  that  instead  of  a  European  Partnership,  the 
European Union shall implement in its relations with Croatia an Accession Partnership 
and to amend Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 accordingly, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Council Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 is hereby amended as follows: 

Article 1 

1) In the title, the word « European » is deleted. 

2) In Article 1, the word « Croatia » is deleted. 

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2 
3 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ L 86, 24.3.2004, p. 1. 

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3) The following Article 1a is inserted: 

« Article 1a 

As  part  of  the  stabilisation  and  association  process,  an  Accession  Partnership  for 
Croatia  shall  be  established.  The  Accession  Partnership  shall  provide  a  framework 
covering  the  priorities  resulting  from  the  analysis  of  the  situation  in  Croatia,  on 
which  preparations  for  accession  must  concentrate  in  the  light  of  the  Copenhagen 
criteria defined by the European Council and the progress made in implementing the 
stabilisation  and  association  process,  including  the  Stabilisation  and  Association 
Agreement4, and in particular regional cooperation. » 

4) In Article 2, the word « European » is deleted. 

Article 2 

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

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

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

4 

OJ L26, 28.1.2005, p. 3. 

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