04/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - The management of the “CARDS” programme by the European Commission was “largely successful in contributing to the stabilisation and reconstruction” of the beneficiary countries of the Western Balkans (Albania, Serbia and Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). These are the conclusions of the report adopted on Thursday 4 October by the European Court of Auditors, although it goes on to note that “less good” results were achieved regarding plans to improve administrative capacity. The application of the regulation on the CARDS programme ended in 2006 and the new pre-accession aid instrument entered into force in 2007. (lc)