1.6.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L 144[47 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 27 May 2002 concerning the conclusion of the Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an association between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Malta, to associate Malta to the fifth framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration (1998 to (2002/410/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 170(2) thereof in conjunction with the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) and the first subparagraph of Article 300(3) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Whereas: (1) The Agreement establishing an association between the European Economic Community and Malta (}), entered into force on 1 April 1971. (2)  The conclusions of the Luxembourg European Council of 12 to 13 December 1997 confirmed the possibility of associating candidate countries to the Community's framework programme in the field of research and tech- nological development as one of the instruments of the pre-accession strategy to be applied to those countries. (3) By Decision No 182/1999/EC (¥, the European Parlia- ment and the Council adopted the fifth framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (1998 to 2002). (4)  The Helsinki European Council of 10 to 11 December 1999 decided to convene a bilateral intergovernmental conference in February 2000 on Malta's accession to the European Union. () O] C 103 E, 30.4.2002, p. 208. (*) Opinion delivered on 9 April 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] L 61, 14.3.1971, p. 2. () O] L 26, 1.2.1999, p. 1. (5)  On 3 April 2000, Malta formally informed the Commis- sion that it wished such an association with the fifth framework programme from 1 January 2001. (6) By its Decision of 17 October 2000, the Council author- ised the Commission to negotiate on behalf of the Euro- pean Community an Additional Protocol to the Associa- tion Agreement, to associate Malta to the fifth frame- work programme (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Addi- tional Protocol’). (7) By Decision 2001/516/EC (°), the Council authorised, subject to its subsequent conclusion, the signature of the Additional Protocol resulting from these negotiations and its entry into force, on a provisional basis, on 1 March 2001. (8)  The Additional Protocol was signed on 20 June 2001 in Brussels. (9  The Additional Protocol should be approved, and its definitive entry into force notified to the Maltese author- ities, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 The Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an asso- ciation between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Malta, to associate Malta to the fifth framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration (1998 to 2002), is hereby approved on behalf of the Community. () O] L 186, 7.7.2001, p. 34.