13/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - The EU Council decision to sign a Framework-Agreement with Cyprus establishing the general principles of the country's participation in Community programmes was published in the Official Journal L34. The European Commission has been handed the task of drawing up the arrangements and conditions applicable to Cyprus' participation in each particular programme, including the financial contribution to be paid by Nicosia. It will nevertheless be assisted in this task by "a special committee appointed by the Council" and will have to report to the Fifteen on the implementation of the agreement, every three years. This agreement, the text of which is published in the annex, is applicable for an "indefinite period". It comes within the framework of the specific pre-accession strategy for Cyprus, enabling it in principle to participate in most Community programmes and agencies open to the candidate countries from Central and eastern Europe, as long as they contribute financially.