European Agency for Reconstruction: extending assistance to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)

PURPOSE : Proposal for a Regulation on amending and repealing existing provisions on assistance for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. CONTENT : The European Community is committed to providing financial assistance for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), including in support of the Framework Agreement of 13 August 2001. The efficient and speedy delivery of Community assistance is required. In view of its location and experience, the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR) is best placed to implement Community assistance. It is proposed to extend the mandate of the EAR to include the implementation of assistance in FYROM. The Community assistance to be implemented by EAR includes that granted under the CARDS Council Regulation 2666/2000/EC, the PHARE Council Regulation 3906/89/EC (relating to Commission decisions taken prior to the adoption of the CARDS Regulation) and Council Regulation 381/2001/EC creating a Rapid Reaction Mechanism. The extension of the mandate of the EAR will be completed in two phases: -on 1 November 2001 the Commission will delegate to the EAR those programmes directly linked to the implementation of the Framework Agreement of 13 August 2001 -on 1 January 2002 the Commission will delegate other ongoing programmes. Regulation 1628/96/EC is repealed. The proposal also amends Regulation 1360/90/EEC and Decisions 97/256/EEC and 99/311/EC and Council Regulation 2667/2000/EC.�