No L 171/14 Official Journal of the Buropean Communities 6. 7. 94 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1628/94 of 4 July 1994 concerning the implementation of a programme for cross-border cooperation between countries in central and eastern Europe and Member States of the Community in the framework of the Phare programme THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89 of 18 December 1989 on economic aid to certain coun- tries of central and eastern Europe ('), as last amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1764/93 (3, and in parti- cular Article 8 thereof, Whereas the Council has repeatedly stressed the need to reinforce cooperation and stimulate integration of the countries of central and eastern Europe and the European Community ; ' Whereas the European Council, meeting in Copenhagen in June 1993, agreed that the associated countries of central and eastern Europe that so desire, shall become members of the European Union as soon as they are able to assume the obligations of membership by satisfying the economic and political conditions required ; Whereas the closer cooperation between border regions can contribute to the transformation process in countries of central and eastern Europe and stimulate economic activities in peripheral regions, contributing to the general economic development of the countries concerned ; Whereas such cooperation can also contribute to the inte- gration process started under the Europe Agreements and to the implementation of new possibilities of cooperation provided under the trade and cooperation agreements ; Whereas the cross-border cooperation between the Community and countries of central and eastern Europe can also contribute to the establishment and development of trans-European networks in the areas of transport, tele- communications and energy infrastructure ; Whereas it is important that these local cross-border actions are fully integrated in the national development policy in the respective countries; Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 (%), as modified by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/93 (%), and Article 3 (2) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4254/88 (), as modified by Council Regulation (EEC) No () OJ No L 375, 23. 12. 1989, p. 11. () OJ No L 162, 3. 7. 1993, p. 1. () OJ No L 374, 31. 12. 1988, p. 1. () OJ No L 193, 31. 7. 1993, p. 24. () OJ No L 374, 31. 12. 1988, p. 15. 2083/93 (), defines the procedures for the approval of Community initiatives, (in particular Interreg) financed by - the Structural Funds within the European Community ; Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89 lays down rules and conditions for the granting of economic aid to certain countries of central and eastern Europe and this frame- work can be used to accommodate the implementation of a cross border cooperation programme Whereas the initiatives formulated by the respective local authorities and other economic agents of the regions on either side of the border between the Community and countries of central and eastern Europe have to be taken into account and special efforts should be made to stimu- late the identification and formulation of joint programmes ; Whereas the present Regulation is in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Economic Restructuring in certain countries of central and eastern Europe, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 Within the overall framework of the Phare Programme as defined by Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89, the following rules -shall apply for financing actions of a structural nature in border regions of countries of central and eastern Europe sharing a common border with the Community. These actions will be implemented taking into account the Community structural policies, and Interreg II in particular. Article 2 1. The countries in central and eastern Europe to which these actions refer, are all Phare beneficiaries ‘which have a common border with a Member State of the European Union. 2. The border regions concerned will be fixed by each country concerned in agreement with the Commission, bearing in mind the need of coherence with Interreg II. () OJ No L 193, 31. 7. 1993, p. 34.