L 161/54 Official Journal of the European Communities 26.6.1999 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1263/1999 of 21 June 1999 on the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 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), (1)  Whereas the common fisheries policy supports the general objectives of Article 33 of the Treaty; whereas, in particular, Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing a Community  system  for  fisheries  and aquaculture (), contributes towards achieving a balance  between  conservation and  the management of resources, on the one hand, and fishing effort and the stable and rational exploitation of those resources, on the other; (2)  Whereas structural measures in fisheries and aquaculture should contribute to the attainment of the objectives of the common fisheries policy and those of Article 100 of the Treaty; (3)  Whereas the incorporation of such structural measures into the operational framework of the Structural Funds in 1993 improved the synergy of Community operations and enabled a more coherent contribution to be made to the strengthening of economic and social cohesion; (1) OJ C 176, 9.6.1998, p. 44. (?) Opinion delivered on 6 May 1999 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3) OJ C 407, 28.12.1998, p. 74. (y OJ L 389, 31.12.1992, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1181/98 (OJ L 164, 9.6.1998, p. 3). (4)  Whereas Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds(®) institutes a comprehensive  review of the operational arrangements for the structural policies to take effect from 1 January 2000; whereas such structural measures will form part of the means and tasks referred to in Article 2 of the said Regulation; whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 2080/93 of 20 July 1993 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (®) should therefore be repealed and replaced by a new Regulation providing in particular for arrangements that will ensure a transition which avoids any interruption of the structural measures, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 1. The structural measures implemented with Community financial assistance under this Regulation in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and the industry processing and marketing their products (hereinafter referred to as ‘the sector’) shall support the general objectives of Articles 33 and 100 of the Treaty and the objectives set out in Regulations (EEC) No 3760/92 and (EC) No 1260/1999. 2.  The tasks of the measures referred to in paragraph 1 shall be: (a) to contribute to achieving a sustainable balance between fishery resources and their exploitation; (b) to strengthen the competitiveness of structures and the development of economically viable enterprises in the sector; (°) See page 1 of this Official Journal. () OJ L 193, 31.7.1993, p. 1.