L 120/30 Official Journal of the European Communities 8.5.1999 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 29 April 1999 adopting the third phase of the trans-European cooperation scheme for higher education (Tempus III) (2000-2006) (1999/311/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 from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (*), (1)  Whereas the European Council meeting in Stras- bourg on 8 and 9 December 1989 called on the Council to adopt, on the basis of a proposal from the Commission, measures aimed at enabling the central and eastern European countries to take part in programmes in the areas of education and/or training similar to the existing Community programmes; (2 Whereas on 18 December 1989 the Council adopted Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89 on economic aid to the Republic of Hungary and the Polish People’s Republic () (PHARE programme), which provides for aid to support the process of economic and social reform in central and eastern European countries in areas including training; () OJ C 270, 29.8.1998, p. 9, and OJ C 87, 29.3.1999, p. 102. () O] C 98, 9.4.1999. () OJ C 40, 152.1999, p. 23. () OJ C S1, 222.1999, p. 86. () OJ L 375, 23.12.1989, p. 11. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 753/96 (O] L 103, 264.1996, p. 5). 0] 0] 0J whereas on 25 June 1996 the Council adopted Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 1279/96 concerning the provision of assistance to economic reform and recovery in the new independent States and Mongolia (°) (TACIS programme); Whereas on 29 April 1993 by Decision 93/ 246/EEC the Council adopted the second phase of the trans-European cooperation scheme for higher education (Tempus II) for a period of four years from 1 July 1994 (); whereas that Decision was amended on 21 November 1996 by Decision 96/ 663/EC (}) to extend to six years the duration of this programme (1994-2000); Whereas the countries of central and eastern Europe, the new independent States of the former Soviet Union and Mongolia, which are beneficiaries of the PHARE and TACIS programmes, consider higher education and training to be key areas for the process of economic and social reform; Whereas cooperation on higher education strengthens and deepens the whole fabric of rela- tions existing between the peoples of Europe, brings out common cultural values, allows fruitful exchanges of views to take place and facilitates multinational activities in the scientific, cultural, artistic, economic and social spheres; L 165, 4.7.1996, p. 1. L 112, 6.5.1993, p. 34. L 306, 28.11.1996, p. 36.