No L 112/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 5. 93 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 29 April 1993 adopting the second phase of the trans-European cooperation scheme for higher education (Tempus II) (1994 to 1998) (93/246/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article - 235 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (%), Having regard to the opinion of the European Par- liament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas on 18 December 1989 the Council adopted Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89 on economic aid to the Republic of Hungary and the Polish People’s Republic (%), which provides for aid to support the process of economic and social reform in central and eastern European coun- tries in areas including training; Whereas experience gained in the management of the Phare programme of aid to central and eastern Europe points to the need to adapt and further diversify forms of assistance according to national needs and priorities for reform of the higher education systems concerned and of the structure of higher education establishments and to adopt where possible a multiannual approach to the programming of aid ; () O] No C 311, 27. 12. 1992, p. 1. () O] No C 115, 26. 4. 1993. () OJ No C 73, 15. 3. 1993. p. 1. (9 OJ No L 375, 23. 12. 1989, p. 11. Regulation, as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2334/92 (O] No L 227, 11. 8. 1992, ). p-1 Whereas the countries of central and eastern Europe have recognized the importance of higher education in the context of aid measures for their current process of economic and social reform and have accorded priority to the development of the university sector through social reform and have accorded priority to the development of the university sector through cooperation with the Community ; Whereas Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia signed Europe Agreements on 16 December 1991 with the Community which specify that the Tempus scheme provides a framework for cooperation in the field of education and training ; Whereas cooperation in higher education reinforces and consolidates the whole network of relations between the different peoples of Europe, promotes common cultural values, allows fruitful exchanges of ideals and facilitates multinational activities in the scientific, socio-economic, artistic and commercial spheres ; Whereas action at the level of the Community can add a dimension to the attainment of the objectives of Tempus which cannot be achieved by individual Member States ; Whereas the experience and expertise gained within the Community in the areas particularly of inter-university cooperation and student exchange as well as of industry- university cooperation have been drawn on to develop - cooperation and mobility between the Community and the countries of central and eastern Europe in the field of higher education as well as to promote mutually benefi- cial contacts in the field of education and training;