Document ID: 32000D0249

Council Decision
of 20 March 2000
on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with the Republic of Malta
(2000/249/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 555/2000 of 13 March 2000 on the implementation of operations in the framework of the pre-accession strategy for the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Malta(1),
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) The Luxembourg European Council stated that the Accession Partnership is a new instrument and the key feature of the enhanced pre-accession strategy.
(2) Regulation (EC) No 555/2000 complements Regulation (EC) No 622/98(2) which provides 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 country, as well as on subsequent significant adjustments applicable to them.
(3) Community assistance is conditional on the fulfilment of essential elements, and in particular 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.
(4) The 1999 Commission's regular report presented an objective analysis on the Republic of Malta's preparations for membership and identified a number of priority areas for further work.
(5) In order to prepare for membership, the Republic of Malta should prepare a national programme for the adoption of the acquis. This programme should set out a timetable for achieving the priorities and intermediate objectives established in the Accession Partnership,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
In accordance with Article 1(2) of Regulation (EC) No 555/2000 the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership for the Republic of Malta are set out in the Annex hereto, which forms an integral part of this Decision.
Article 2
The implementation of the Accession Partnership shall be examined in the Association Agreement bodies as appropriate and through the competent Council bodies to which the Commission shall report regularly.
Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Done at Brussels, 20 March 2000.

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