EUROPE AGREEMENT
EUROPE AGREEMENT
establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Bulgaria, of the other part
THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM,
THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK,
THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,
THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC,
THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN,
THE FRENCH REPUBLIC, IRELAND, THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,
THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG,
THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS,
THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC,
THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND,
Contracting Parties to the Treaty establishing the EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, the Treaty establishing the EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY, and the Treaty establishing the EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY, hereinafter referred to as 'Member States', and
The EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, the EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY and the EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY, hereinafter referred to as 'the Community',
of the one part, and
THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA, hereinafter referred to as 'Bulgaria', of the other part,
CONSIDERING the importance of the traditional links existing between the Community, its Member States and Bulgaria and the common values that they share,
RECOGNIZING that the Community and Bulgaria wish to strengthen these links and to establish close and long lasting relations, based on mutual interest and reciprocity, which would allow Bulgaria to take part in the process of European integration, thus strengthening and widening the relations established in the past notably by the Agreement on Trade and Commercial and Economic Cooperation, signed on 8 May 1990,
CONSIDERING the opportunities for a relationship of a new quality offered by the emergence of a new democracy in Bulgaria,
CONSIDERING the commitment of the Community and its Member States and of Bulgaria to strengthening the political and economic freedoms which constitute the very basis of the association,
RECOGNIZING the fundamental character of the democratic changes in Bulgaria, taking place in a peaceful manner and aimed at building a new political and economic system, based on the rule of law and human rights, political pluralism, and a pluralist multi-party system involving free and democratic elections and the creation of the legislative and economic conditions, necessary for the development of a market economy, as well as the need to continue and complete that process with the assistance of the Community,
CONSIDERING the firm commitment of the Community and its Member States and of Bulgaria to the rule of law and human rights, including those of persons belonging to minorities, and to the full implementation of all other principles and provisons contained in the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), the concluding documents of Vienna and Madrid, the Charter of Paris for a new Europe, as well as to the principles and provisions of the European Energy Charter,
WILLING to promote improved contacts among their citizens as well as the free flow of information and ideas, as agreed by the Parties in the framework of the CSCE,
CONSCIOUS of the importance of this Agreement to establishing and enhancing in Europe a system of stability based on cooperation, with the Community as one of the cornerstones,
BELIEVING that a link should be made between full implementation of association, on the one hand, and continuation of the actual accomplishment of Bulgaria's political, economic and legal reforms on the other hand, as well as the introduction of the factors necessary for cooperation and the actual rapprochement between the Parties' systems, notably in the light of the conclusions of the CSCE Bonn Conference,
DESIROUS of establishing regular political dialogue on bilateral and international issues of mutual interest to enhance and complete the association,
TAKING ACCOUNT of the Community's willingness to provide decisive support for the completion of the transition towards a market economy in Bulgaria and to help Bulgaria cope with the economic and social consequences of structural readjustment,
TAKING ACCOUNT furthermore of the Community's willingness to set up instruments of cooperation and economic, technical and financial assistance on a global and multiannual basis,
CONSIDERING the commitment of the Community and Bulgaria to free trade, and in particular in respect of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade principles,
BEARING in mind the economic and social disparities between the Community and Bulgaria and thus recognizing that the objectives of this association should be reached through appropriate provisions of this Agreement,
CONVINCED that this Agreement will create a new climate for their economic relations and in particular for the development of trade and investment, instruments which are indispensable for economic restructuring and technological modernization of the Bulgarian economy,
DESIROUS of establishing cultural cooperation and developing exchanges of information,
RECOGNIZING the fact that Bulgaria's ultimate objective is to become a member of the Community, and that this association, in the view of the Parties, will help Bulgaria to achieve this objective,
HAVE DECIDED to conclude this Agreement and to this end have designated as their plenipotentiaries,
THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM:
Robert URBAIN, Minister for Foreign Trade and European Affairs;
THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK:
Juergen USTRUM MULLER, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs;
THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY:
Klaus KINKEL, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs;
THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC:
Michel PAPACONSTANTINOU, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN:
Javier SOLANA, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
THE FRENCH REPUBLIC:
Elisabeth GUIGOU, Minister responsible for European Affairs;
IRELAND:
Dick SPRING, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC:
Valdo SPINI, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs;
THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG:
Jacques POOS, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS:
P. KOOIJMANS, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC:
J. M. DURAO BARROSO, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND:
Douglas HURD, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs;
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY AND THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY:
Niels HELVEG PETERSEN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark, President-in-Office of the Council of the European Communities;
Sir Leon BRITTAN,
Member of the Commission of the European Communities;
Hans VAN DEN BROEK,
Member of the Commission of the European Communities;
THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA:
Luben BEROV,
Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs;
WHO, having exchanged their full powers, formed in good and due form,
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
