Partnerships in the framework of the stabilisation and association process

PURPOSE: i) to formally give the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia “Association Partnership” status as opposed to “European Partnership” status and ii) to take account of Montenegro’s independence.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.

CONTENT: in December 2005, the European Council decided to grant the status of candidate country to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. As a consequence, the name of the partnership of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, established on the basis of Council Regulation (EC) No 533/2004, should be changed from ‘European Partnership’ into ‘Accession Partnership’, in order to align this with the name of the Partnerships with the two other candidate countries, Croatia and Turkey (CNS/2003/0267). This is in line with the wording of the 2005 Strategy Paper on enlargement. The proposal also includes an amendment to take into account the independence of Montenegro.