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Whereas:

(1) The Luxembourg European Council on 12 and 13 December 1997 confirmed that the Republic of Turkey was eligible to accede to the European Union.

(2) On 4 March 1998 the Commission submitted to the Council a communication entitled the European strategy for Turkey: the Commission's initial operational proposals to prepare Turkey for accession.

(3) The Cardiff European Council on 15 and 16 June 1998 welcomed the Commission's communication as a platform for developing relations between the European Union and Turkey on a sound and evolutionary basis.

(4) The Commission was requested by the Cardiff European Council to table any proposals which would be required to implement the European strategy.

(5) The Cardiff European Council pointed out that the European strategy would require financial support.

(6) The conclusions of the Council meeting of 13 September 1999 referred to financial assistance for Turkey.

(7) Since the EC-Turkey customs union came into force on 31 December 1995, Turkey has been pushing ahead with economic reform.

(8) The Helsinki European Council of 10 and 11 December 1999 stated that Turkey was a candidate State destined to join the Union on the basis of the same criteria as applied to the other candidate States.

(9) The provisions of this Regulation are based on respect for democratic principles, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms and respect for international law, which underpin the policies of the European Community and its Member States.

(10) The Community attaches great importance to the need for Turkey to improve and promote its democratic practices and respect for fundamental human rights, and more closely involve civil society in that process.

(11) The European Parliament has adopted a number of Resolutions on the importance of respect for human rights in Turkey to the development of close ties between that country and the European Union, in particular those of 13 December 1995 on the human rights situation in Turkey(3), 17 September 1998 on the Commission reports on developments in relations with Turkey since the entry into force of the customs union(4), 3 December 1998 on the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the further development of relations with Turkey and on the communication from the Commission to the Council entitled "European strategy for Turkey: the Commission's initial operational proposals"(5) and 6 October 1999 on the state of relations between Turkey and the European Union.

(12) 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(6), is included in this Regulation for the entire duration of the programme, as part of the multiannual financial framework of the Mediterranean allocations, without thereby affecting the powers of the budgetary authority as they are defined by the Treaty.

(13) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(7).

(14) The Treaty does not provide for powers other than those of Article 308 for the adoption of this Regulation, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: