19. 4. 97 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 102/33 COUNCIL DECISION of 14 April 1997 granting a Community guarantee to the European Investment Bank against losses under loans for projects outside the Community (Central and Eastern Europe countries, Mediterranean countries, Latin American and Asian countries and South Africa) (97/256/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof, Having regard to the proposal of the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Par- liament (3, (1) Whereas the European Council meeting in Essen on 9 and 10 December 1994 defined the pre-accession strategy for the associated Central and Eastern Europe countries; (2) Whereas the European Council in Cannes on 26 and 27 June 1995 agreed to supplement the budgetary assistance granted to the Mediterranean countries by an increase in European Investment Bank (EIB) loans to contribute to the creation of a free-trade area and to the Euro-Mediterranean partnership; (3) Whereas the European Council meeting in Madrid on 15 and 16 December 1995 called on the Council and the Commission to implement the Declaration on the EBuro-Mediterrancan partnership and the work programme drawn up at the Barcelona Conference with the Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia, Turkey, Gaza-West Bank); whereas, at the same meeting, the European Council confirmed the importance of the EIB’s role as an instrument of cooperation between the Community and Latin America and called on the EIB to intensify its activ- ities in the region; whereas the European Council also noted with respect to enlargement that the continued activities of the EIB will allow an overall increase in the input for accession preparations; (4) Whereas the European Council meeting in Florence on 21 and 22 June 1996 welcomed the results of the Asia-Europe summit, which marked a turning-point in the relations between the two continents; (5) Whereas the Central and Eastern Europe countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic and Slovenia) are undertaking major poli- () OJ No C 13, 14. 1. 1996, p. 9. () OJ No C 115, 14. 4. 1997. tical and social reforms and have embarked on a fundamental restructuring of their economies; (6) Whereas the EIB is completing the current loan programmes for Central and Eastern Europe coun- tries pursuant to Decision 93/696/EC () and the lending that is governed by the IV Protocols and horizontal financial cooperation in the Mediter- ranean non-member countries as set out in Regula- tion (EEC) No 1763/92 (%) (7) Whereas the EIB has already completed the three- year lending programme in Latin American and Asian countries pursuant to Decision 93/115/EEC (%; whereas a new interim programme pursuant to De- cision 96/723/EC (*) will permit the EIB to continue its lending activities in those countries; (8) Whereas the Council approved on 4 October 1994 a () Cooperation Agreement between the Community and the Republic of South Africa that aims to promote harmonious, balanced and sustainable social and economic development; whereas the EIB will be completing in June 1997 the two-year lending programme in South Africa pursuant to Decision 95/207/EC (); Council Decision 93/696/EC of 13 December 1993 granting a Community guarantee to the European Investment Bank against losses under loans for projects in Central and Eastern European countries (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Li- thuania and Albania) (O] No L 321, 23. 12. 1993, p. 27). Council Regulation (EEC) No 1763/92 of 29 June 1992 con- cerning financial cooperation in respect of all Mediterranean non-member countries (O] No L 181, 1. 7. 1992, p. §) as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1735/94 (O] No L 182, 16. 7. 1994, p. 6). Council Decision 93/115/EEC of 15 February 1993 granting a Community guarantee to the European Investment Bank against losses under loans for projects of mutual interest in certain third countries (O] No L 45, 23. 2. 1993, p. 27). Council Decision 96/723/EC of 12 December 1996 granting a Community guarantee to the European Investment Bank against losses under loans for projects of mutual interest in Latin American and Asian countries with which the Com- munity has concluded cooperation agreements (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guate- mala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, El Salvador, Uruguay and Venezuela; Bangladesh, Brunei, China, India, Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philip- pines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam) (O] No L 329, 19. 12. 1996, p. 45). Council Decision 95/207/EC of 1 June 1995 granting a Com- munity guarantee to the European Investment Bank against losses under loans for projects in South Africa (O] No L 131, 15. 6. 1995, p. 31).