28.12.1999 Official Journal of the European Communities L 335/35 COUNCIL DECISION of 6 December 1999 on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with the Republic of Estonia (1999/855/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 622/98 of 16 March 1998 on assistance to the applicant States in the frame- work of the pre-accession strategy, and in particular on the establishment of Accession Partnerships (1), and in particular to Article 2 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas: (1)  the Luxembourg European Council stated that the Accession Partnership is a new instrument and the key feature of the enhanced pre-accession strategy; (2)  Regulation (EC) No 622/98 sets out that the Council is to decide, by a qualified majority and following a proposal from the Commission, on the principles, prior- ities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the individual Accession Partnerships, as they are submitted to each applicant State, as well as on subse- quent significant adjustments applicable to them; (3)  Community assistance is conditional on the fulfillment of essential elements, and in particular on the respect of the commitments contained in the Europe Agreements and on progress towards fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria; where an essential element is lacking, the Council, acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission, may take appropriate steps with regard to any pre-accession assistance; (4)  the Luxembourg European Council decided that the implementation of the Accession Partnership and progress in adopting the acquis will be examined in the Europe Agreement bodies; (5)  the 1999 Commission's Regular Report presented an objective analysis on the Republic of Estonia's prepara- () O] L 85, 20.3.1998, p. 1. tions for membership and identified a number of priority areas for further work; (6)  in order to prepare for membership, the Republic of Estonia should update its national programme for the adoption of the acquis; this programme should set out a timetable for achieving the priorities and intermediate objectives established in the Accession Partnership, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 In accordance with Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 622/98, the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership for the Republic of Estonia are set out in the Annex hereto, which forms an integral part of this Decision. Article 2 The implementation of the Accession Partnership shall be examined in the Europe Agreement bodies and by the appro- priate Council bodies to which the Commission shall report regularly. Article 3 This Decision shall take effect on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communi- ties. Done at Brussels, 6 December 1999. For the Council The President T. HALONEN