26.6.1999 Official Journal of the European Communities L 161/87 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1268/1999 of 21 June 1999 on Community support for pre-accession measures for agriculture and rural development in the applicant countries of central and eastern Europe in the pre-accession period THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 308 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), (1) Whereas the conclusions of the European Council of 12 and 13 December 1997 provide for an enhanced pre-accession strategy for the applicant countries of central and eastern Europe and a specific pre-accession strategy for Cyprus; (2) Whereas the conclusions of the European Council provide that the aid provided for in this Regulation be granted for the time being to the 10 applicant countries of central and eastern Europe; (3) Whereas the Community has decided to provide special assistance in the form of pre-accession aid for the countries applying for accession in order to carry out action to support the current economic and social reform process in those countries and to prepare and facilitate the integration of their economies into the Community economys; (1) OJ C 175, 9.6.1998, p. 7 and 0J C27,2.2.1999, p. 18. (3) Opinion delivered on 6 May 1999 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3) OJ C 101, 12.4.1999. (*y OJ C 93, 6.4.1999. (4) Whereas assistance from the Community support for pre-accession measures for agriculture and rural development in the applicant countries of central and eastern Europe in the pre-accession period together with assistance from the Community under Council Regulation 1267/ 1999 of 21 June 1999 establishing an Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-accession (°) should be coordinated within the framework of Council Regulation 1266/1999 of 21 June 1999 on coordinating aid to the applicant countries in the framework of the pre-accession strategy and amending Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89 (°) and be subject to the conditional provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 622/98 of 16 March 1998 on assistance to the applicant countries in the framework of the pre-accession strategy, and in particular on the establishment of Accession Partnerships (7); (5) Whereas paragraph 17 of the conclusions of the Luxembourg European Council of 12 and 13 December 1997 provides that financial support to the countries involved in the enlargement process will be based, in the allocation of aid, on the principle of equal treatment, independently of the time of accession, with particular attention being paid to countries with the greatest need; (6) Whereas the Community pre-accession aid has to be decided in particular to resolve priority problems in adapting the economies of the applicant countries in a sustainable manner and facilitating the implementation by them of the acquis communautaire, focusing in particular on the common agricultural policy (CAP); (7) Whereas pre-accession aid for agriculture should follow the priorities of the reformed CAP; whereas such aid should be applied to priority areas to be defined for each country, such as the (°) See page 73 of this Official Journal. (6) See page 68 of this Official Journal. (7)y OJL 85,20.3.1998, p. 3.