30.9.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 271/81 COMMISSION DECISION of 29 September 2006 conferring management of aid on implementing agencies for pre-accession measures in agriculture and rural development in Bulgaria in the pre-accession period (2006/657[EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to the Council Regulation (EC) No 1266/1999 of 21 June 1999 on co-ordinating aid to the applicant countries in the framework of the pre-accession strategy and amending Regulation (EEC) No 3906/1989 (1), and in particular Article 12(2) thereof, Having regard to the Council Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999 of 21 June 1999 on Community support for pre-accession measures for agriculture and rural development in the applicant countries of central and eastern Europe in the pre- accession period (%), and in particular Article 4(5) and (6) thereof, Whereas: (1) The Special Accession Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development for the Republic of Bulgaria (here- inafter ‘Sapard’) was approved by Commission Decision of 20 October 2000 (}), and amended by Commission Decision of 5 July 2006 in accordance with Article 4(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999. (20 The government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Commission, acting on behalf of the Community, signed on 18 December 2000 the Multiannual Financing Agreement laying down the technical, legal and administrative framework for the execution of the Sapard, amended by the Annual Financing Agreements for the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, () OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 68. (®» OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 87. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 2112/2005 (O] L 344, 27.12.2005, p. 23). () C(2000) 3058 final. signed on 12 February 2001, 19 February 2002, 4 April 2003, 23 July 2003, 14 April 2005 and 11 January 2006 respectively. (3) A Sapard-Agency has been appointed by the competent authority of the Republic of Bulgaria for the implemen- tation of some of the measures defined in the Sapard. The Ministry of Finance, National Fund Directorate, has been appointed for the financial functions it is due to perform in the framework of the implementation of the Sapard. (4 On the basis of a case-by-case analysis of the national and sectorial programme/project management capacity, financial control procedures and structures regarding public finance, as provided for in Article 12(2) of Regu- lation (EC) No 1266/1999, the Commission adopted the Decision 2001/380/EC of 14 May 2001 () and the Decision 2003/614/EC of 14 August 2003 (°) conferring management of aid on implementing agencies for pre- accession measures in agriculture and rural development in the Republic of Bulgaria in the pre-accession period with regard to certain measures provided for in the Sapard. (5)  The Commission has since undertaken a further analysis under Article 12(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1266/1999 in respect of measure 1.3 ‘Development of environmentally friendly agricultural practices and activities’, as provided for in the Sapard. The Commission considers that, also with regard to this measure, the Republic of Bulgaria complies with the provisions of Articles 4 to 6 and of the Annex to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2222/2000 of 7 June 2000 laying down financial rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999 on Community support for pre-accession measures for agriculture and rural development in the applicant countries of central and eastern Europe in the pre-accession period (®) and with the minimum conditions set out in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1266/1999. (4 O] L 102, 18.4.2002, p. 32. () O] L 213, 23.8.2003, p. 10. (6 OJ L 253, 7.10.2000, p. 5. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation 1052/2006 (O] L 189, 12.7.2006, p. 3).