The Seventh Framework Programme has defined a series of criteria for the identification of areas for such Article 169 initiatives: the relevance to Community objectives, the clear definition of the objective to be pursued and its relevance to the objectives of the Seventh Framework Programme, the presence of a pre-existing basis (existing or envisaged national research programmes), European added value, a critical mass with regard to the size and number of programmes involved and the similarity of activities they cover, and the effici ...[+++]ency of Article 169 of the Treaty as the most appropriate means for achieving the objectives.

The Seventh Framework Programme has defined a series of criteria for the identification of areas for such Article 169 initiatives: the relevance to Community objectives, the clear definition of the objective to be pursued and its relevance to the objectives of the Seventh Framework Programme, the presence of a pre-existing basis (existing or envisaged national research programmes), European added value, a critical mass with regard to the size and number of programmes involved and the similarity of activities they cover, and the effici ...[+++]ency of Article 169 of the Treaty as the most appropriate means for achieving the objectives.

2. For each programme phase, on the basis of guidelines for the priorities of the multiannual programmes and indicative financial allocations provided by the Commission and provided for by Article 12(1)(a), each Member State shall propose a draft multiannual programme which includes the following elements:

2. For each programme phase, on the basis of guidelines for the priorities of the multiannual programmes and indicative financial allocations provided by the Commission and provided for by Article 12(1)(a), each Member State shall propose a draft multiannual programme which includes the following elements:

It is also responsible for evaluating and selecting the programmes in line with a set of criteria such as: conformity with the programme's objectives, the European dimension of the project, scope for participation by the applicant countries, compatibility with work within the framework of the European Union's policy priorities on judicial cooperation in general and criminal matters, the extent to which the project complements other cooperation projects and the quality of the project in terms of its conception, organisation, presentation and expected results.

All three instruments are programmed on the basis of the Accession Partnerships and the National Programmes for the Adoption of the Acquis developed with the candidate countries for accession.