6.6.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L 148/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 955/2002 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 May 2002 extending and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1659/98 on decentralised cooperation THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 179(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: (1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1659/98 of 17 July 1998 on decentralised cooperation (*) is applicable until 31 December 2001. (2)  The importance of a decentralised approach to develop- ment cooperation has now also been emphasised in the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000. (3)  Regulation (EC) No 1659/98 lays down, for its entire duration, a financial framework constituting the prime reference, within the meaning of point 33 of the Interin- stitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the Euro- pean Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure (*), for the budgetary authority during the annual budgetary procedure. (4)  The measures necessary for the implementation of Regu- lation (EC) No 1659/98 should be adopted in accord- ance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (°). (5)  The establishment of a future strategic framework for decentralised cooperation will require an assessment of the operations financed by the Community under Regu- lation (EC) No 1659/98 in particular and a wide-ranging debate on decentralised cooperation in general. () O] C 51 E 26.2.2002, p. 316. (%) Opinion of the European Parliament of 14 March 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Decision of the Council of 25 April 2002. () O] L 213, 30.7.1998, p. 6. () O] C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1. () O] L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. (6)  Regulation (EC) No 1659/98 should be extended until 31 December 2003 and the financial allocation and reference period indicated in Article 4(1) adjusted. (7)  Regulation (EC) No 1659/98 should be amended accord- ingly, HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Regulation (EC) No 1659/98 is hereby amended as follows: 1. Article 3 shall be replaced by the following: ‘Article 3 The cooperation partners eligible for financial support under this Regulation shall be decentralised cooperation agents in the Community or the developing countries, namely: local authorities, non-governmental organisations, organisations of indigenous peoples, local traders' associa- tions and local citizens' groups, cooperatives, trade unions, women's and youth organisations, teaching, cultural and research organisations and institutions, churches and any non-governmental associations likely to contribute to devel- opment.’ 2. Article 4(1) shall be replaced by the following: ‘1. The financial framework for the implementation of this Regulation for the period 1999 to 2003 is hereby set at EUR 24 million. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective. 3. Article 8 shall be replaced by the following: ‘Article 8 1.  The Commission shall be assisted by the geographi- cally determined Committee competent for development (hereinafter referred to as “the Committee”).