Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to the Treaty of Accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, and in particular Article 2(3) thereof,

Having regard to the Act of Accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, and in particular Articles 32(5) and 33(5) thereof,

Whereas:

Council Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999^f1 introduced Community support for pre-accession measures for agriculture and rural development in the applicant countries of central and eastern Europe in the pre-accession period (Sapard programme). That programme comprises a series of measures to be supported after accession by Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations^f2 or Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds^f3. To facilitate the transition between these two types of support, the period during which commitments can be made to beneficiaries under the Sapard programme should be specified.

The conditions under which projects approved under Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999 but which can no longer be financed under that Regulation can be transferred to rural development programming should be specified.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on Agricultural Structures and Rural Development,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: