Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)

PURPOSE: to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.

CONTENT: on 16 July 2009, Iceland presented its application to the Council to become a member of the European Union. The General Affairs Council in its session on 27 July 2009, recalling the renewed consensus on enlargement expressed in the  conclusions of the European Council of 14/15 December 2006, and particularly the principle that each applicant country is assessed on its own merits, decided to implement the procedure laid down in Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union. Accordingly, the Commission was invited to submit to the Council its opinion on Iceland's application. Pending the presentation of the Commission's opinion to the Council, Iceland can be considered as a potential candidate country.

It is therefore necessary to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) in order to enable Iceland to benefit from the assistance provided under the umbrella of IPA for the potential candidate countries.

The proposed amendments are as follows:

• the first amendment is introduced in Annex II and foresees including Iceland in the list of potential candidate countries;
• secondly, an amendment is introduced in Article 4. This Article stipulates that assistance under the regulation is provided in accordance with the general policy framework for pre-accession defined by the European and Accession Partnerships and taking due account of the Reports and the Strategy Paper comprised in the annual Enlargement package of the Commission. Considering that the European and Accession Partnerships have been designed particularly for the Western Balkans and Turkey to provide guidance for EU integration and harmonisation with acquis, and the fact that Iceland is integrated in the European Economic Area, it is necessary to introduce a minor amendment to Article 4, notably by adding a paragraph which specifies that support to Iceland is provided only on the basis of the Reports and Strategy Paper comprised in the annual Enlargement package of the Commission. This amendment will exclude the application of the European and Accession Partnerships to Iceland.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: not applicable.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: not applicable.