17/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 14 July, the EU Council adopted without debate the regulation creating a new pre-accession aid instrument for the period 2007-2013, after the opinion given by the European Parliament on 6 July (EUROPE 9229). With a budget of €11.468 billion (current prices) over seven years; this instrument will, as of 1 January 2007, replace the five existing instruments (PHARE, ISPA, SAPARD, Turkey pre-accession instrument and CARDS). It will provide financial assistance...