Introduction

Prior to the accession to the European Union the candidate countries are obliged to adapt their national legal systems to the acquis communautaire. The implementation of the European Union legal rules contributes not only to the adjustment of national standards to those resulting from the European law provisions but also to the creation of a modern and efficient state.

One of the instruments enabling the support and building of effective and well functioning public institutions is a so-called twinning. This instrument was initiated by the European Commission in 1998 within the framework of the pre-accession strategy.

Nowadays, the twinning instrument is of a special significance in building a modern administration and state structures in the EU candidate countries and in new Member States. The Western Balkans and the states covered by the European Neighborhood Policy are also entitled to benefit from the twinning programme.