
Article 1 
European Partnerships shall be established to cover Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia including Kosovo as defined by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999 (hereinafter referred to as the partners). The European Partnerships shall provide a framework covering the priorities resulting from the analysis of the partners’ different situations, on which preparations for further integration into the European Union must concentrate in the light of the criteria defined by the European Council, and the progress made in implementing the stabilisation and association process including Stabilisation and Association Agreements, where appropriate, and in particular regional cooperation.
Article 1a 
As part of the stabilisation and association process, Accession Partnerships for Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia shall be established. The Accession Partnerships shall provide a framework covering the priorities resulting from the analysis of the situation in each country, on which preparations for accession must concentrate in the light of the Copenhagen criteria defined by the European Council and the progress made in implementing the stabilisation and association process, including the Stabilisation and Association Agreements concluded with those countries, and in particular regional cooperation.
Article 2 
The Council shall decide by qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission, the principles, priorities and conditions to be contained in the European partnerships, as well as any subsequent adjustments.
Article 3 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.