PURPOSE: to present a proposal for a Council and Commission Decision on the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part.
CONTENT: the Stabilisation and Association Agreement is a new type of Agreement created for the countries of the Stabilisation and Associaton process of the Western Balkan Region, and focuses on the following elements:
- the inclusion of political dialogue with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM);
- provisions on enhanced regional co-operation, including the perspective of establishing free trade areas between the countries of the region;
- the perspective of the establishment of a free-trade area between the Community and the FYROM within 10 years after the entry into force of the Agreement;
- provisions on the movement of workers, freedom of establishment, supply of services, current payments and movement of capital;
- the commitment by the FYROM to approximate its legislation to that of the EC, notably in key areas of the internal market;
- provisions on co-operation with the FYROM in a wide range of fields, including justice and home affairs;
- provision for the establishment of an Association and Stabilisation Council which supervises the implementation of the agreement, of a Stabilisation and Association Committee and of an Association and Stabilisation Parliamentary Committee.
In conclusion, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement will replace the Co-operation Agreement between the European Community and the FYROM.�