Accession partnership

The accession partnerships concluded by the Council in 1998 with each of the applicant countries (with the exception of Cyprus, Malta and Turkey), bring together in one document the aid provided by the European Community to each applicant country and set priorities for each sector in transposing Community law (the acquis).

Following the accession partnership, each country drew up a detailed programme for the adoption of the Community acquis so as to organise the implementation of these priorities, committing itself to a timetable and indicating the human and financial resources needed to achieve it. These programmes and the accession partnerships are adjusted over time by the Commission and the country concerned.

The accession partnerships have served as a support for other pre-accession instruments, including the joint assessment of medium-term economic policy priorities, the pact on organised crime, the national development plans and other sectoral programmes necessary for participation in the Structural Funds after accession and for the implementation of ISPA (Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession) and SAPARD (Special Accession Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development). They have also been the starting point for the development of action plans to improve administrative and judicial capacities in the applicant countries.

See:

•Applicant countries
•Community acquis
•Incorporation of the Community acquis
•Pre-accession aid
•Pre-accession pact on organised crime
•Programme of Community aid to countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Phare)

Agreements between the EU and each country applying to join the EU, which set a framework for the countries to adopt or move closer to EU policies and work alongside the EU to achieve this objective. (See enlargement)