18.1.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L12/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC, EURATOM) No 99/2000 of 29 December 1999 concerning the provision of assistance to the partner States in Eastern Europe and Central Asia 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 Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 203 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, Whereas 1) Pursuant to the European Council in Dublin and in Rome in 1990, the Community introduced a technical assistance programme in favour of economic reform and recovery in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Repub- lics; Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 1279/96 of 25 June 1996 concerning the provision of assistance to economic reform and recovery in the New Independent States and Mongolia () laid down the conditions for the provision of such assistance and envisaged such an operation from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1999; Such assistance has already generated significant impact on reform in the partner States in Eastern Europe and Central Asia listed in Annex I (the partner States); A financial reference amount within the meaning of point 34 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improve- ment of the budgetary procedure (%) is included in this Regulation for its entire duration, without thereby affecting the powers of the budgetary authority as they are defined by the Treaty; Such assistance will be fully effective only in the context of progress towards free and open democratic societies that respect human rights, minority rights and the rights 37, 11.2.1999, p. 8. 0] C O] L 165, 4.7.1996, p. 1. 0] C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1. (11) (12) (13) (14) of the indigenous people, and towards market-oriented economic systems; Further assistance is required to promote nuclear safety in the partner States; The continued provision of assistance will contribute to the attainment of shared objectives, notably in the context of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreements and Economic Cooperation Agreements concluded with the partner States; Where applicable provisions of assistance under this Regulation will take due account of the Common Strat- egies adopted by the European Council; It is appropriate to establish priorities for this assistance which are determined, inter alia, by the common inter- ests of the Community and the partner States; The assistance should take into account the differing needs and priorities of the principal regions covered by this Regulation; Experience has shown that Community assistance will be all the more effective when it is concentrated on a restricted number of areas within each partner State; The development of inter-State economic links and trade flows conducive to economic reform and restructuring should be encouraged; Regional and subregional cooperation, particularly in relation to the Northern Dimension and in the Black Sea region, should be encouraged; Cross-border cooperation, particularly in the context of borders between the partner States and the European Union, between the partner States and Central and Eastern Europe, and between the partner States them- selves, should be encouraged;