Agenda 2000: pre-accession, coordinating aid to the applicant countries

Following discussions with the Member States on coordinating operations under the two instruments for pre-accession aid (the agricultural instrument and ISPA) with PHARE, it became apparent that the majority wished the respective areas of intervention to be better defined and the coordination procedure to be simplified. The Commission therefore proposes an amended version of its proposal of 18 March 1998 to take account of these comments. The areas of intervention of the PHARE programme vis-à-vis the other two instruments have been clarified: PHARE is to focus its funds on the priorities linked to adoption of the acquis communautaire and investments (except for those covered by the two other instruments). The Commission also proposes amendments to the commitology procedure: the PHARE committee, rather than an additional committee, is to be responsible for coordination and coherence between operations as well as with those funded by the EIB. The Commission also proposes including in the amended text certain elements to decentralise the management of aid, in line with the opinion Parliament has already expressed on this matter. This decentralisation of management will be accompanied by an inspection and evaluation procedure. �