15. 10. 80 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 271/1 (Acts whose publication is obligato@) COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2615/80 of 7 October 1980 instituting a specific Community regional dcvelopment measure contributing to the development of certain French and Italian regions in the context of Community enlargement - THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 724/75 of 18 March 1975 establishing a European Regional Development Fund (*), as amended by Regulation (EEC) No 214/79 (*), and in partlcular Article 13 (3) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Com- mission (%), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (*), 1 Whereas Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 724/75 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Fund Regulation’) provided, independently of the national allocations of resources fixed by Article 2 (3) (a) of that Regulation, for participation by the Fund in financing specific Community regional development measures, which are in particular linked with Community policies and with measures adopted by the Community, in order to take better account of their regional dimension or to reduce their regional consequences; (') OJ No L 73, 21. 3. 1975, p. 1. (*) O] No L 35,9.2.1979, p. 1. () OJ No C 285, 15. 11. 1979, p. 3. () OJ No C 85, 8. 4. 1980, p. 24. () OJ No C 83, 2. 4. 1980, p. 4. ‘Whereas the Member States concerned have provided the Commission with information on regional problems likely to be the subject of a specific Community measure; Whereas the Fund’s resources are allocated having due regard to the relative severity of regional imbalances within the Community; Whereas the Treaty of Accession with the Hellenic Republic was signed on 28 May 1979 and whereas it is planned that this State will become a member of the Community as from 1 January 1981; whereas negotiations on accession started with Portugal and Spain respectively on 17 October 1978 and 5 February 1979; Whereas the southern regions of the Community could be affected by its enlargement, particularly because of increased competition in markets- for certain agricultural products and because of problems involved in adapting their economic fabric; Whereas, among these regions, the Mezzogiorno and the three French regions adjacent to Spain have an exceptionally high rate of employment in agriculture, with substantial dependence on Mediterranean agri- cultural production, and are otherwise characterized by weakness of their industrial fabric, by a high level of unemployment and a low level of activity; Whereas it is in the Community’s interest that the enlargement process should take place harmoniously; and it is therefore necessary, even before the accessions become effective, to undertake . vigorous structural measures in order that these regions may be able to adapt to enlargement; and it is appropriate that the Community should make a special contri- bution to measures to be undertaken to this end by