PURPOSE : to prolong the mandate of the European Agency for Reconstruction until 31 December 2006.

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Regulation 2068/2004/EC amending Regulation 2667/2000/EC on the European Agency for Reconstruction.

CONTENT : this Regulation prolongs the mandate of the European Agency for Reconstruction until 31 December 2006.

The Regulation also provides that the Commission may delegate to the Agency the execution of the Community assistance decided upon for Serbia and Montenegro (including Kosovo) and for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia under Regulation 1628/96/EC.

By 31 December 2005 the Commission shall report to the Council on the future of the mandate of the Agency. Any proposal to extend the mandate of the Agency beyond 31 December 2006 should be made by the Commission to the Council by 31 March 2006.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 6 December 2004.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Anders SAMUELSEN (ALDE, DK) and approved the Commission proposal with a few amendments. (Please see the document dated 26/10/04).

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Anders SAMUELSEN (ALDE, DK) and approved the Commission proposal with a few amendments. (Please see the document dated 26/10/04).

The committee adopted the report by Anders SAMUELSEN (ALDE, DK) approving the proposal under the consultation procedure, subject to a few amendments. MEPs said that South-east Europe was a key region for the EU and called for the Commission to submit a report to the Council by June 2005 clarifying the future of the Agency after 31 December 2006. They also wanted the Agency to be responsible for implementing assistance for the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community under the forthcoming Council regulation. Lastly, they called for the Commission to provide a detailed report by 31 December 2004 setting out clearly how tasks are divided up between the Agency's centres of operation and the Commission's delegation offices (now referred to as "deconcentrated" delegations) in the respective regions. The report should include an analysis of how well (or otherwise) the regulation was working for all the countries concerned and, in particular, for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in the light of its application for EU membership.

PURPOSE : to prolong the mandate of the European Agency for Reconstruction until 31 December 2006.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Regulation.

CONTENT : in this proposal, the Commission discusses the evaluations required under Council Regulation 2666/2000 (hereafter "the CARDS Regulation"), and Council Regulation 2667/2000/EC (hereafter "the Agency Regulation"). The latter applies until 31 December 2004.

These evaluations, which took place in the period May 2003-May 2004 (CARDS) and October 2003-May 2004 (EAR), were conducted by an international team which included experts from CARDS countries.

The external evaluation concludes that the Agency is working efficiently in the countries and territories in which it operates, and that the model is administratively sound and managerially responsive.

In view of this overall positive assessment of the activities of the Agency, and taking into account that the framework of the Community assistance, in line with the Community's financial perspectives, covers the period until 2006, it is important to ensure continuity in the implementation of Community assistance to the countries and territories covered by the Agency's mandate. The Commission proposes that the Agency Regulation should be extended until 31 December 2006.

This proposal is without prejudice to further reflection on specific actions which the Commission may deem appropriate at a later stage to address the recommendations made by the evaluators to improve the performance of the Agency.

Amendments are also proposed for the CARDS Regulation.

Finally, it should be noted that a Constitutional Charter was adopted in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) on 4 February 2003, renaming the country "Serbia and Montenegro". This change of name of the state is taken into account.

PURPOSE : to prolong the mandate of the European Agency for Reconstruction until 31 December 2006.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Regulation.

CONTENT : in this proposal, the Commission discusses the evaluations required under Council Regulation 2666/2000 (hereafter "the CARDS Regulation"), and Council Regulation 2667/2000/EC (hereafter "the Agency Regulation"). The latter applies until 31 December 2004.

These evaluations, which took place in the period May 2003-May 2004 (CARDS) and October 2003-May 2004 (EAR), were conducted by an international team which included experts from CARDS countries.

The external evaluation concludes that the Agency is working efficiently in the countries and territories in which it operates, and that the model is administratively sound and managerially responsive.

In view of this overall positive assessment of the activities of the Agency, and taking into account that the framework of the Community assistance, in line with the Community's financial perspectives, covers the period until 2006, it is important to ensure continuity in the implementation of Community assistance to the countries and territories covered by the Agency's mandate. The Commission proposes that the Agency Regulation should be extended until 31 December 2006.

This proposal is without prejudice to further reflection on specific actions which the Commission may deem appropriate at a later stage to address the recommendations made by the evaluators to improve the performance of the Agency.

Amendments are also proposed for the CARDS Regulation.

Finally, it should be noted that a Constitutional Charter was adopted in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) on 4 February 2003, renaming the country "Serbia and Montenegro". This change of name of the state is taken into account.