No L 325/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 14, 12. 96 COUNCIL DECISION of 6 December 1996 concerning the adoption of the guidelines for the indicative programmes concerning financial and technical measures to accompany the reform of economic and social structures in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership (MEDA) (96/706/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1488/96 of 23 July 1996 on financial and technical measures to accompany the reform of economic and social structures in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership (MEDA) ("), and in particular Article 9 (1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas it is necessary for the Commission to take into account the findings and recommendations of reports from the Court of Auditors on cooperation with the Medi- terranean partners; Whereas Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1488/96 provides that the Council shall, on a proposal from the Commission, adopt guidelines for the indicative programmes which are to define the main objectives of cooperation with the Mediterranean partners; Whereas the Commission submitted a Communication on 8 March 1995 entitled ‘Strengthening the Mediter- ranean policy of the European Union: proposals for the implementation of a Euro-Mediterranean partnership’; Whereas, in the Barcelona Declaration, the Euro- Mediterranean partnership has been adopted to meet the challenges facing the region, () OJ No L 189, 30. 7. 1996, p. 1. HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 The guidelines for the indicative programmes concerning financial and technical measures to accompany the reform of economic and social structures in the frame- work of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership (MEDA in- dicative programmes), as shown in the Annex to this De- cision, are hereby adopted. Article 2 These guidelines shall be reviewed in conjunction with Regulation (EC) No 1488/96, as provided for in Article 15 (6) thereof. Article 3 This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall take effect on the date of its publication. Done at Brussels, 6 December 1996. For the Council The President D. SPRING