L 161/68 Official Journal of the European Communities 26.6.1999 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 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 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 (), (1) Whereas the Luxembourg European Council advocated a substantial increase in pre-accession aid so as to include, in addition to the PHARE programme, aid to agriculture and for structural measures; Whereas 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 (3) provides that those partnerships are to comprise a single framework for the priority areas and all available resources for pre-accession assistance; Whereas Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999 (*) set up an agricultural instrument for application mainly in areas such as modernising the structure of agricultural holdings, improving processing and distribution structures, developing inspection activities and rural development; Whereas the structural instrument created by Regulation (EC) No 1267/1999 (3), is intended to O] C 140, 5.5.1998, p. 26 and O] C 329, 27.10.1998, p. 13. Opinion delivered on 6 May 1999 (not yet published in the Official Journal). OJ L 85, 20.3.1998, p. 1. See page 87 of this Official Journal. See page 73 of this Official Journal. ) finance infrastructure environment fields; in the transport and Whereas the PHARE programme set up by Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89 (°), will in future focus on the essential priorities linked to adoption of the acquis communautaire, i.e. building up the administrative and institutional capacities of the applicant countries and financing investments designed to help them comply with Community law as soon as possible; Whereas it is important to ensure that Community operations under the three pre- accession instruments achieve optimum economic impact; Whereas paragraph 17 of the conclusions of the Luxembourg FEuropean Council on 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 the countries with the greatest need; Whereas the above instruments should remain distinct but there must be coordination between operations under them as well as with operations funded by the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Community’s other financial instruments and the other international financial institutions; Whereas it is necessary to provide for reciprocal information and cooperation between the Commission and the candidate countries for on the spot control and verification to ensure (®) OJ L 375, 23.12.1989, p. 11. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 753/96 (O] L 103, 26.4.1996, p. 5).