# EUR-Lex - 52013PC0848 - EN

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# 52013PC0848

**Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the conclusion of a Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States and the Kingdom of Morocco /* COM/2013/0848 final - 2013/0414 (NLE) */**

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Morocco has
know-how in space technology and applications. It would like to develop the use
of satellite radionavigation on its territory and in the surrounding region
(western Mediterranean and West Africa), focusing on applications specific to
this region.

Moroccan and European firms have had
industrial cooperation links in the space sector for several years, providing a
solid foundation on which to build and extend cooperation in this field which
is of great importance for both parties.

Contacts concerning the participation of Morocco in the GALILEO programme were established on 24 March 2004 at a meeting between the
Moroccan Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and the Commission’s
Director-General for Energy and Transport. Following a round of bilateral
consultations, on 13 October, the Minister wrote a second letter to the
Director-General confirming Morocco’s desire to conclude a cooperation
agreement with the European Community concerning the civil satellite
radionavigation system.

The European Commission, on the basis of a
negotiating mandate from the Council, adopted on 21 April 2005, conducted
negotiations and initialled the agreement with the Moroccan authorities on 8
November 2005. The agreement was signed on 12 December 2006, pursuant to a
Council Decision authorising signature of 27 November 2006.

The sectors for cooperation in satellite
navigation and timing envisaged by the agreement are scientific research,
industrial manufacturing, training, application, service and market
development, trade, radio-spectrum issues, integrity issues, standardisation
and certification. The agreement is expected to reinforce the joint activities
in these sectors to the benefit of the citizens, industries and the cientific
communities of the parties. It must be noted that the agreement does not have
any financial impact on the Budget of the European Union.

Morocco, being a
country that is part of the European Neighbourhood, is entitled to association
to the new Framework Programme for research and innovation (Horizon 2020).
Moreover, it has concluded an Agreement on Scientific and Technical cooperation
with the EU. This provides Morocco with a good potential to contribute to
GNSS-related research in the context of the EU research and innovation
programmes.

Taking into account the agreement, the EU
and Morocco are in the process of signing a Letter of Intent on cooperation in
the area of GNSS, confirming their intention to promote their cooperation in
this domain and the intensive use of the services provided by the European GNSS
Programmes in the Mediterranean region.

The signatory Member States of the European
Union have completed their respective internal procedures related to the entry
into force of the agreement.

Bulgaria and Romania are to become parties to the agreement by the conclusion of a protocol in accordance with
Art 6(2) of the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania and the adjustments to the treaties on which the European
Union is founded.

Croatia is to become a party to the
agreement by the conclusion of a protocol in accordance with Art 6(2) of the
Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Republic of Croatia and the
adjustments to the Treaty on European Union, the Treaty on the Functioning of
the European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy
Community.

The Council is requested to adopt the
following proposal for a Decision on the conclusion of the agreement on behalf
of the European Union after the consent of the European Parliament.

2013/0414 (NLE)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the conclusion of a Cooperation
Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the
European Community and its Member States and the Kingdom of Morocco

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 172 in
conjunction with 218(6)(a) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the
European Commission,

Having regard to the consent of the
European Parliament[1],

Whereas:

(1)
On 21 April 2005, the
Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with Morocco for the conclusion of a Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation
Satellite System (GNSS).

(2)
In accordance with Council Decision 10717/06 of
27 November 2006, the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) (hereafter referred to as 'the
Agreement') between the European Community and its Member States and the
Kingdom of Morocco, was signed on 12 December 2006.

(3)
This Agreement allows for closer cooperation
with Morocco in the area of satellite navigation. It will implement a number of
elements of the European satellite navigation programmes.

(4)
The Agreement should be approved on behalf of
the European Union.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States and the Kingdom of Morocco is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

The text of the Agreement is attached to
this Decision

Article 2

The President of the Council shall
designate the person empowered, on behalf of the Union to give the
notification, provided for in Article 18(1) of the Agreement, in order to
express the consent of the European Union to be bound by the Agreement and
shall make the following notification:

'As a consequence of the entry into force
of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, the European Union has replaced and
succeeded the European Community and from that date exercises all rights and
assumes all obligations of the European Community. Therefore, references to
“the European Community” in the text of the Agreement are to be read as to “the
European Union”'.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the
day of its adoption. It shall be published in the Official Journal of the
European Union.

Done at Brussels,

For
the Council

The
President

[1]               Consent given on [...201.].