The Thessaloniki European Council of 19 and 20 June 2003 endorsed the introduction of the partnerships as a means to materialise the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries.

Regulation (EC) No 533/2004 provides that the Council is to decide on the principles, priorities and conditions to be contained in the partnerships, as well as any subsequent adjustments. It states also that the follow-up to the partnerships will be ensured through the mechanisms established under the Stabilisation and Association Process, notably by the annual progress reports.

The European Council of 17 December 2005 granted the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia candidate country status. Therefore, a proposal has been made to amend Regulation 533/2004 to change the name of the partnership for this country from ‘European Partnership’ to ‘Accession Partnership’.

The Commission's Paper on enlargement strategy and main challenges 2006-2007 indicated that the partnerships would be updated at the end of 2007.

It is therefore appropriate to adopt an Accession Partnership which updates the current partnership in order to identify renewed priorities for further work, on the basis of the findings of the 2007 Progress Report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's preparations for further integration with the European Union.

In order to prepare for further integration with the European Union, the competent authorities in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia should develop a plan with a timetable and specific measures to address the priorities of this Accession Partnership.

Decision 2006/57/EC should therefore be repealed,