- Accession partnerships are a pre-accession strategy instrument which determines the candidate countries' particular needs on which pre-accession assistance should be targeted (Photo: http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de)
In 1998, the Central and Eastern European applicant countries extended their European agreements into accession partnerships.
- a single framework for priority areas for further work identified in the Commission's regular reports.
- the financial means available to help the countries to implement the EU priorities.
- the conditions for EU assistance.
In this connection the European Parliament has to give its assent to important agreements involving a specific institutional framework or important budget implications.