30.12.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 357/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2820/98 of 21 December 1998 applying a multiannual scheme of generalised tariff preferences for the period 1 July 1999 to 31 December 2001 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (), (1) Whereas, in accordance with its offer made within the context of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), the European Community opened generalised tariff preferences, commencing in 1971, in respect of certain agricultural and  industrial  products  from developing countries; whereas the initial 10-year period of application of the system of preferences ended on 31 December 1980; whereas a second 10-year period ended on 31 December 1990; whereas the scheme was kept in being, unchanged, until 31 December 1994 when the Community made a new 10-year offer (1995-2004); Whereas the positive role played by the system in the past in improving access for the developing countries to the markets of preference-giving countries is accepted and justifies its continued existence for a time, in step with other priority measures, including the multilateral liberalisation of trade; Whereas in a communication to the Council dated 1 June 1994 the Commission set out its recommendations for guidelines for a further 10-year period of application of its scheme of generalised preferences for the period 1995-2004; (1) O] C 362, 24.11.1998, p. 1. Whereas these ten-year guidelines were confirmed in 1995 by the adoption of the first scheme for the 10-year period, opened by Council Regulation (EC) No 3281/94 of 19 December 1994 applying a four-year scheme of generalised tariff preferences (1995-1998) in respect of certain industrial products originating in developing countries (%) and Council Regulation (EC) No 1256/96 of 20 June 1996 applying multiannual schemes of generalised tariff preferences from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1999 in respect of certain agricultural products originating in developing countries (3); Whereas the Treaty on European Union has lent a fresh impetus to Community development policy as an aspect of the Union’s external policy, by setting a priority objective to the sustainable economic and social development of the developing countries and their smooth and gradual integration into the world economy; Whereas the Community scheme of generalised preferences should therefore continue in its development-oriented  approach, focusing in priority on the countries which have most need of it, i. e. the poorest countries; whereas the scheme should be complementary to World Trade Organisation (WTO) instruments and should foster the integration of developing countries into the world economy and the multilateral trading system; whereas the giving of preferences should () OJ L 348, 31.12.1994, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 602/98 (O] L 80, 18.3.1993, p. 1). (®) OJ L 160, 29.6.1996, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 602/98 (O] L 80, 18.3.1998, p. 1).