24.3.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L 86/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 533/2004 of 22 March 2004 on the establishment of European partnerships in the framework of the stabilisation and associa- tion process THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular the first sentence of Article 181a(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (*), Whereas: 1 The Feira European Council on 19 and 20 June 2000 confirmed that its objective remains the fullest possible integration of the western Balkan countries into the poli- tical and economic mainstream of Europe and recog- nised that all the countries concerned are potential candidates for membership of the European Union. The Zagreb Declaration of the Summit on 24 November 2000 between the Heads of State or Government of the European Union and the countries covered by the stabili- sation and association process recognised that the prospect of accession is offered on the basis of fulfilment of the criteria defined at the Copenhagen European Council in June 1993 and the progress made in imple- menting the Stabilisation and Association Agreements, in particular those on regional cooperation. The Thessaloniki European Council of 19 and 20 June 2003 confirmed its determination fully and effectively to support the European perspective of the western Balkan countries, affirming that they will become an integral part of the European Union once they meet the estab- lished criteria. It endorsed the Council's conclusions of 16 June 2003, including the Annex entitled ‘The Thessa- loniki Agenda for the western Balkans: moving towards European integration’. The ‘Thessaloniki Agenda’ identi- fies ways and means of intensifying the stabilisation and association process, including the drawing-up of Euro- pean partnerships. Under the Thessaloniki Declaration of the EU-Western Balkans Summit of 21 June 2003, the ‘Thessaloniki Agenda’ is considered to be a shared agenda between the (") Opinion of 10 March 2004 (not yet published in the Official Journal). European Union and the western Balkan countries, which they commit themselves to implement. The enriched stabilisation and association process remains the overall framework for the European course of the western Balkan countries, all the way to their accession. The European partnerships for the western Balkan coun- tries will identify priorities for action in order to support efforts to move closer to the European Union while serving as a checklist against which to measure progress. They will be adapted to the countries' specific needs and respective stages of preparation, and to the specificities of the stabilisation and association process, including regional cooperation. Informal consultations will be held with the countries and, as appropriate, with the wider international community in preparing the European partnerships. The European partnerships, updated as necessary, are needed in order to assist the western Balkan countries in preparing for membership within a coherent framework and in developing plans with timetables of reforms and details in terms of measures of how they intend to address the requirements for further integration into the European Union. It would be appropriate for Community assistance to focus on the challenges to be defined within the frame- work of the European partnerships, which will provide guidance for financial assistance, and which will observe defined principles, priorities and conditions. Community assistance under the stabilisation and asso- ciation process to the western Balkan countries will be provided by the relevant financial instruments, and in particular by Council Regulation (EC) No 2666/2000 of 5 December 2000 on assistance for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (3); accordingly, this Regulation will have no financial impli- cations. () OJ L 306, 7.12.2000, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 2415/2001 (OJ L 327, 12.12.2001, p. 3).