# Official Journal L 444/2020

| | ISSN 1977-0677 |
| --- | --- |
| Official Journal
  of the European Union | L 444 |
| | |
| English edition | Legislation | Volume 6331 December 2020 |

ISSN 1977-0677

Official Journal

of the European Union

L 444

English edition

Legislation

Volume 6331 December 2020

---

| Contents | | II   Non-legislative acts | page |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS |
| | * | Notice to the reader | 1 |
| | * | Council Decision (EU) 2020/2252 of 29 December 2020 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and on provisional application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, and of the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information | 2 |
| | * | Council Decision (Euratom) 2020/2253 of 29 December 2020 approving the conclusion, by the European Commission, of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Atomic Energy Community for Cooperation on the Safe and Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy and the conclusion, by the European Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part | 11 |
| | * | TRADE AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY, OF THE ONE PART, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, OF THE OTHER PART | 14 |
| | * | AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND CONCERNING SECURITY PROCEDURES FOR EXCHANGING AND PROTECTING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION | 1463 |
| | * | Declarations referred to in the Council Decision on the signing on behalf of the Union, and on a provisional application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and of the Agreement concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information | 1475 |
| | * | EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - Notification by the Union | 1486 |

Contents

II   Non-legislative acts

page

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS

*

Notice to the reader

1

*

Council Decision (EU) 2020/2252 of 29 December 2020 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and on provisional application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, and of the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information

2

*

Council Decision (Euratom) 2020/2253 of 29 December 2020 approving the conclusion, by the European Commission, of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Atomic Energy Community for Cooperation on the Safe and Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy and the conclusion, by the European Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part

11

*

TRADE AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY, OF THE ONE PART, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, OF THE OTHER PART

14

*

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND CONCERNING SECURITY PROCEDURES FOR EXCHANGING AND PROTECTING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION

1463

*

Declarations referred to in the Council Decision on the signing on behalf of the Union, and on a provisional application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and of the Agreement concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information

1475

*

EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - Notification by the Union

1486

| EN | Acts whose titles are printed in light type are those relating to day-to-day management of agricultural matters, and are generally valid for a limited period.
  The titles of all other Acts are printed in bold type and preceded by an asterisk. |
| --- | --- |

EN

Acts whose titles are printed in light type are those relating to day-to-day management of agricultural matters, and are generally valid for a limited period.

The titles of all other Acts are printed in bold type and preceded by an asterisk.

---

II Non-legislative acts

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS

| 31.12.2020 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 444/1 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

31.12.2020

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 444/1

---

Notice to the reader

Due to the very late completion of the negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom, on 24 December 2020, and, as a consequence, the very late availability of all the language versions of the Agreements, on 27 December 2020, it has not been materially possible to proceed to the final legal-linguistic revision in all 24 language versions of the texts of the Agreements before their signature by the Parties and their publication in the Official Journal. Given the urgency of the situation, with the transition period provided for by the Withdrawal Agreement of 1 February 2020 ending on 31 December 2020, it has been however considered in the interest of both the European Union and the United Kingdom to sign and publish the texts of the Agreements as they resulted from the negotiations, without prior legal-linguistic revision. As a result, the texts published here may contain technical errors and inaccuracies that will be corrected in the coming months.

As provided for in Article FINPROV.9 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, Article 21 of the Agreement concerning Security Procedures for Exchanging and Protecting Classified Information and Article 25 of the Agreement for Cooperation on the Safe and Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, the versions of those Agreements in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish languages will be subject to final legal-linguistic revision and the authentic and definitive texts resulting from such legal-linguistic revision will replace ab initio the signed versions of the Agreements.

These authentic and definitive texts of the Agreements will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union in due time by 30 April 2021.

---

| 31.12.2020 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 444/2 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

31.12.2020

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 444/2

---

COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2020/2252

of 29 December 2020

on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and on provisional application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, and of the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 217, in conjunction with Article 218(5) and the second subparagraph of Article 218(8) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

| (1) | On 29 March 2017, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the ‘United Kingdom’) notified the European Council pursuant to Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) of its intention to withdraw from the Union and from the European Atomic Energy Community. |
| --- | --- |

(1)

On 29 March 2017, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the ‘United Kingdom’) notified the European Council pursuant to Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) of its intention to withdraw from the Union and from the European Atomic Energy Community.

| (2) | On 30 January 2020, the Council adopted Decision (EU) 2020/135 on the conclusion of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (1) (the ‘Withdrawal Agreement’). The Withdrawal Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2020. |
| --- | --- |

(2)

On 30 January 2020, the Council adopted Decision (EU) 2020/135 on the conclusion of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (1) (the ‘Withdrawal Agreement’). The Withdrawal Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2020.

| (3) | On 25 February 2020, the Council adopted Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/266 (2) authorising the Commission to open negotiations with the United Kingdom for a new partnership agreement. Those negotiations have been conducted in light of the negotiating directives of 25 February 2020. |
| --- | --- |

(3)

On 25 February 2020, the Council adopted Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/266 (2) authorising the Commission to open negotiations with the United Kingdom for a new partnership agreement. Those negotiations have been conducted in light of the negotiating directives of 25 February 2020.

| (4) | The negotiations resulted in a Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (the ‘Trade and Cooperation Agreement’), an Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information (the ‘Security of Information Agreement’) and an Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Atomic Energy Community for Cooperation on the Safe and the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (the ‘Nuclear Energy Agreement’). |
| --- | --- |

(4)

The negotiations resulted in a Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (the ‘Trade and Cooperation Agreement’), an Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information (the ‘Security of Information Agreement’) and an Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Atomic Energy Community for Cooperation on the Safe and the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (the ‘Nuclear Energy Agreement’).

| (5) | The Trade and Cooperation Agreement establishes the basis for a broad relationship between the Union and the United Kingdom involving reciprocal rights and obligations, common actions and special procedures. The Security of Information Agreement is a supplementing agreement to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, intrinsically linked to the latter in particular with regard to the dates of entry into application and termination. The decision on the signing of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Security of Information Agreement (the ‘Agreements’) should therefore be based on the legal basis providing for the establishment of an association allowing the Union to enter into commitments in all areas covered by the Treaties. |
| --- | --- |

(5)

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement establishes the basis for a broad relationship between the Union and the United Kingdom involving reciprocal rights and obligations, common actions and special procedures. The Security of Information Agreement is a supplementing agreement to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, intrinsically linked to the latter in particular with regard to the dates of entry into application and termination. The decision on the signing of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Security of Information Agreement (the ‘Agreements’) should therefore be based on the legal basis providing for the establishment of an association allowing the Union to enter into commitments in all areas covered by the Treaties.

| (6) | In view of the exceptional and unique character of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which is a comprehensive agreement with a country that has withdrawn from the Union, the Council is hereby deciding to make use of the possibility for the Union to exercise its external competence with regard to the United Kingdom. |
| --- | --- |

(6)

In view of the exceptional and unique character of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which is a comprehensive agreement with a country that has withdrawn from the Union, the Council is hereby deciding to make use of the possibility for the Union to exercise its external competence with regard to the United Kingdom.

| (7) | It is appropriate to define the arrangements for the Union’s representation in the Partnership Council and the Committees established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Commission, as provided for in Article 17(1) TEU, is to represent the Union and to express the Union’s positions as established by the Council in accordance with the Treaties. The Council is to exercise its policy-making and coordinating functions as provided for in Article 16(1) TEU by establishing the positions to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Partnership Council and the Committees established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Furthermore, where the Partnership Council or the Committees established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement are called upon to adopt acts having legal effects, the positions to be taken on the Union’s behalf in those bodies are to be established in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 218(9) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). |
| --- | --- |

(7)

It is appropriate to define the arrangements for the Union’s representation in the Partnership Council and the Committees established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Commission, as provided for in Article 17(1) TEU, is to represent the Union and to express the Union’s positions as established by the Council in accordance with the Treaties. The Council is to exercise its policy-making and coordinating functions as provided for in Article 16(1) TEU by establishing the positions to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Partnership Council and the Committees established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Furthermore, where the Partnership Council or the Committees established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement are called upon to adopt acts having legal effects, the positions to be taken on the Union’s behalf in those bodies are to be established in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 218(9) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

| (8) | Each Member State should be allowed to send one representative to accompany the Commission representative, as part of the Union delegation, in meetings of the Partnership Council and of other joint bodies established under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. |
| --- | --- |

(8)

Each Member State should be allowed to send one representative to accompany the Commission representative, as part of the Union delegation, in meetings of the Partnership Council and of other joint bodies established under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

| (9) | With a view to enabling the Union to take rapid and effective action to protect its interests in accordance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and until a specific legislative act regulating the adoption of remedial measures under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is adopted and enters into force in the Union, the Commission should be empowered to take remedial measures, such as the suspension of obligations under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement or any supplementing agreement, in cases of breaches of certain provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement or non-fulfilment of certain conditions, in particular with regard to trade in goods, the level playing field, road transport, air transport, fisheries and Union programmes, as specified in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as to take remedial measures, rebalancing measures and countermeasures. The Commission should fully inform the Council in a timely manner of its intention to adopt such measures with a view to allowing a meaningful exchange of views in the Council. The Commission should take the utmost account of the views expressed. One or more Member States may request the Commission to adopt such measures. If the Commission does not respond positively to such a request, it should inform the Council in a timely manner of its reasons. |
| --- | --- |

(9)

With a view to enabling the Union to take rapid and effective action to protect its interests in accordance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and until a specific legislative act regulating the adoption of remedial measures under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is adopted and enters into force in the Union, the Commission should be empowered to take remedial measures, such as the suspension of obligations under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement or any supplementing agreement, in cases of breaches of certain provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement or non-fulfilment of certain conditions, in particular with regard to trade in goods, the level playing field, road transport, air transport, fisheries and Union programmes, as specified in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as to take remedial measures, rebalancing measures and countermeasures. The Commission should fully inform the Council in a timely manner of its intention to adopt such measures with a view to allowing a meaningful exchange of views in the Council. The Commission should take the utmost account of the views expressed. One or more Member States may request the Commission to adopt such measures. If the Commission does not respond positively to such a request, it should inform the Council in a timely manner of its reasons.

| (10) | In order to allow the Union to react in a timely manner where relevant conditions are no longer met, the Commission should be empowered to take certain decisions suspending benefits granted to the United Kingdom under the Annex on Organic Products and the Annex on Medicinal Products. The Commission should fully inform the Council in a timely manner of its intention to adopt such measures with a view to allowing a meaningful exchange of views in the Council. The Commission should take the utmost account of the views expressed. One or more Member States may request the Commission to adopt such measures. If the Commission does not respond positively to such a request, it should inform the Council in a timely manner of its reasons. |
| --- | --- |

(10)

In order to allow the Union to react in a timely manner where relevant conditions are no longer met, the Commission should be empowered to take certain decisions suspending benefits granted to the United Kingdom under the Annex on Organic Products and the Annex on Medicinal Products. The Commission should fully inform the Council in a timely manner of its intention to adopt such measures with a view to allowing a meaningful exchange of views in the Council. The Commission should take the utmost account of the views expressed. One or more Member States may request the Commission to adopt such measures. If the Commission does not respond positively to such a request, it should inform the Council in a timely manner of its reasons.

| (11) | Whenever the Union is required to act in order to comply with the Agreements, such action is to be taken in accordance with the Treaties, while respecting the limits of the powers conferred upon each Union institution. It is therefore for the Commission to provide the United Kingdom with the information or notifications required in the Agreements, except where the Agreements refer to other specific institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the Union, and to consult the United Kingdom on specific matters. It is also for the Commission to represent the Union before the arbitration tribunal where a dispute has been submitted to arbitration in accordance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. In compliance with the duty of sincere cooperation referred to in Article 4(3) TEU, the Commission is to consult the Council beforehand, for example by submitting to it the main points of the intended Union submissions to the arbitration tribunal and taking the utmost account of comments made by the Council. |
| --- | --- |

(11)

Whenever the Union is required to act in order to comply with the Agreements, such action is to be taken in accordance with the Treaties, while respecting the limits of the powers conferred upon each Union institution. It is therefore for the Commission to provide the United Kingdom with the information or notifications required in the Agreements, except where the Agreements refer to other specific institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the Union, and to consult the United Kingdom on specific matters. It is also for the Commission to represent the Union before the arbitration tribunal where a dispute has been submitted to arbitration in accordance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. In compliance with the duty of sincere cooperation referred to in Article 4(3) TEU, the Commission is to consult the Council beforehand, for example by submitting to it the main points of the intended Union submissions to the arbitration tribunal and taking the utmost account of comments made by the Council.

| (12) | The Trade and Cooperation Agreement does not exclude the possibility for Member States to enter into bilateral arrangements or agreements with the United Kingdom concerning specific matters covered by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement in the areas of air transport, administrative cooperation in the field of customs and VAT and social security under certain conditions. |
| --- | --- |

(12)

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement does not exclude the possibility for Member States to enter into bilateral arrangements or agreements with the United Kingdom concerning specific matters covered by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement in the areas of air transport, administrative cooperation in the field of customs and VAT and social security under certain conditions.

| (13) | It is therefore necessary to set out a framework to be followed by the Member States where they decide to enter into bilateral arrangements or agreements with the United Kingdom in the areas of air transport, administrative cooperation in the field of customs and VAT and social security, including the conditions and procedure for Member States to negotiate and conclude such bilateral arrangements or agreements, in such a way as to ensure that they are compatible with the purpose of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and with Union law and take into account the internal market and broader Union interests. In addition, Member States which intend to negotiate and conclude bilateral agreements with the United Kingdom in areas not covered by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement should, in full respect of the principle of sincere cooperation, inform the Commission of their intentions and of the progress of the negotiations. |
| --- | --- |

(13)

It is therefore necessary to set out a framework to be followed by the Member States where they decide to enter into bilateral arrangements or agreements with the United Kingdom in the areas of air transport, administrative cooperation in the field of customs and VAT and social security, including the conditions and procedure for Member States to negotiate and conclude such bilateral arrangements or agreements, in such a way as to ensure that they are compatible with the purpose of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and with Union law and take into account the internal market and broader Union interests. In addition, Member States which intend to negotiate and conclude bilateral agreements with the United Kingdom in areas not covered by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement should, in full respect of the principle of sincere cooperation, inform the Commission of their intentions and of the progress of the negotiations.

| (14) | It is recalled that, in accordance with Article FINPROV.1(3) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and in line with the declaration of the European Council and of the European Commission on the territorial scope of future agreements included in the minutes of the European Council meeting of 25 November 2018, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement neither applies to Gibraltar nor has any effects in that territory. As foreseen in that declaration, ‘this does not preclude the possibility to have separate agreements between the Union and the United Kingdom in respect of Gibraltar’ and, ‘without prejudice to the competences of the Union and in full respect of the territorial integrity of its Member States as guaranteed by Article 4(2) of the Treaty on European Union, those separate agreements will require a prior agreement of the Kingdom of Spain’. |
| --- | --- |

(14)

It is recalled that, in accordance with Article FINPROV.1(3) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and in line with the declaration of the European Council and of the European Commission on the territorial scope of future agreements included in the minutes of the European Council meeting of 25 November 2018, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement neither applies to Gibraltar nor has any effects in that territory. As foreseen in that declaration, ‘this does not preclude the possibility to have separate agreements between the Union and the United Kingdom in respect of Gibraltar’ and, ‘without prejudice to the competences of the Union and in full respect of the territorial integrity of its Member States as guaranteed by Article 4(2) of the Treaty on European Union, those separate agreements will require a prior agreement of the Kingdom of Spain’.

| (15) | The exercise of Union competence through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is without prejudice to the respective competences of the Union and of the Member States in relation to any ongoing or future negotiations for, or signature or conclusion of, international agreements with any other third country, or in relation to any future negotiations for, or signature or conclusion of, any supplementing agreements referred to in Article COMPROV.2 [Supplementing agreements] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. |
| --- | --- |

(15)

The exercise of Union competence through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is without prejudice to the respective competences of the Union and of the Member States in relation to any ongoing or future negotiations for, or signature or conclusion of, international agreements with any other third country, or in relation to any future negotiations for, or signature or conclusion of, any supplementing agreements referred to in Article COMPROV.2 [Supplementing agreements] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

| (16) | Being a country that has withdrawn from the Union, the United Kingdom is in a different and exceptional situation with regard to the Union compared to other third countries with which the Union has negotiated and concluded agreements. Under the Withdrawal Agreement, Union law applies to and in the United Kingdom during the transition period, and, at the end of that period, the basis for cooperation with the Member States of the Union is therefore at a very high level, in particular in the areas of the internal market, the common fisheries policy, and freedom, security and justice. The transition period will end on 31 December 2020, after which the provisions on other separation issues provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement will settle the smooth closure of such cooperation in a number of areas. If the Agreements do not enter into force from 1 January 2021, the cooperation between the Union and the United Kingdom will fall to a level that is neither desirable nor in the Union interest, causing disruptions in the relationship between the Union and the United Kingdom. Such disruptions can be limited through the provisional application of the Agreements. |
| --- | --- |

(16)

Being a country that has withdrawn from the Union, the United Kingdom is in a different and exceptional situation with regard to the Union compared to other third countries with which the Union has negotiated and concluded agreements. Under the Withdrawal Agreement, Union law applies to and in the United Kingdom during the transition period, and, at the end of that period, the basis for cooperation with the Member States of the Union is therefore at a very high level, in particular in the areas of the internal market, the common fisheries policy, and freedom, security and justice. The transition period will end on 31 December 2020, after which the provisions on other separation issues provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement will settle the smooth closure of such cooperation in a number of areas. If the Agreements do not enter into force from 1 January 2021, the cooperation between the Union and the United Kingdom will fall to a level that is neither desirable nor in the Union interest, causing disruptions in the relationship between the Union and the United Kingdom. Such disruptions can be limited through the provisional application of the Agreements.

| (17) | Therefore, given the exceptional situation of the United Kingdom with regard to the Union, the urgency of the situation with the transition period ending on 31 December 2020, as well as the need to give sufficient time to the European Parliament and the Council to appropriately scrutinise the envisaged decision on the conclusion of the Agreements and the texts of the Agreements, the Agreements should be applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for their entry into force. |
| --- | --- |

(17)

Therefore, given the exceptional situation of the United Kingdom with regard to the Union, the urgency of the situation with the transition period ending on 31 December 2020, as well as the need to give sufficient time to the European Parliament and the Council to appropriately scrutinise the envisaged decision on the conclusion of the Agreements and the texts of the Agreements, the Agreements should be applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for their entry into force.

| (18) | Due to the very late completion of the negotiations of the Agreements only seven days before the end of the transition period, it has not been possible to proceed to the final legal-linguistic revision of the texts of the Agreements before their signature. Therefore, starting immediately after the signature of the Agreements, the Parties should proceed to the final legal-linguistic revision of the texts of the Agreements in all 24 authentic languages. That legal-linguistic revision should be completed in due time. The Parties should then, by exchange of diplomatic notes, establish those revised texts of the Agreements in all such languages as authentic and definitive. Those revised texts should replace ab initio the signed versions of the Agreements. |
| --- | --- |

(18)

Due to the very late completion of the negotiations of the Agreements only seven days before the end of the transition period, it has not been possible to proceed to the final legal-linguistic revision of the texts of the Agreements before their signature. Therefore, starting immediately after the signature of the Agreements, the Parties should proceed to the final legal-linguistic revision of the texts of the Agreements in all 24 authentic languages. That legal-linguistic revision should be completed in due time. The Parties should then, by exchange of diplomatic notes, establish those revised texts of the Agreements in all such languages as authentic and definitive. Those revised texts should replace ab initio the signed versions of the Agreements.

| (19) | The Agreements should be signed, and the attached Declarations and Notification approved, on behalf of the Union. |
| --- | --- |

(19)

The Agreements should be signed, and the attached Declarations and Notification approved, on behalf of the Union.

| (20) | The signing of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as regards matters falling under the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (the ‘Euratom Treaty’) is subject to a separate procedure, |
| --- | --- |

(20)

The signing of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as regards matters falling under the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (the ‘Euratom Treaty’) is subject to a separate procedure,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1.   The signing, on behalf of the Union, as regards matters other than those falling under the Euratom Treaty, of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, is hereby authorised, subject to the conclusion of the said Agreement.

2.   The signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information is hereby authorised, subject to the conclusion of the said Agreement.

3.   The texts of the Agreements are attached to this Decision.

Article 2

1.   The Commission shall represent the Union within the Partnership Council, Trade Partnership Committee, Trade Specialised Committees and Specialised Committees set up pursuant to Articles INST.1 [Partnership Council] and INST.2 [Committees] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as in any additional Trade Specialised Committee or Specialised Committee that is established in accordance with point (g) of paragraph 4 of Article INST.1 [Partnership Council] or point (g) of paragraph 2 of Article INST.2 [Committees] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Each Member State shall be allowed to send one representative to accompany the Commission representative, as part of the Union delegation, in meetings of the Partnership Council and of other joint bodies established under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

2.   In order for the Council to be in a position to exercise fully its policy-making, coordinating and decision-making functions in accordance with the Treaties, in particular by establishing the positions to be taken on behalf of the Union within the Partnership Council, Trade Partnership Committee, Trade Specialised Committees and Specialised Committees, the Commission shall ensure that the Council receives all the information and documents related to any meeting of those joint bodies or to any acts to be adopted by written procedure sufficiently in advance of that meeting or that usage of written procedure, and in any case not later than eight working days prior to that meeting or that usage of written procedure.

The Council shall also be informed in a timely manner about the discussions and the outcome of the meetings of the Partnership Council, Trade Partnership Committee, Trade Specialised Committees and Specialised Committees and the usage of written procedure, and shall receive draft minutes and all documents relating to such meetings or usage of procedure.

3.   The European Parliament shall be put in a position to exercise fully its institutional prerogatives throughout the process in accordance with the Treaties.

4.   For a period of five years from 1 January 2021, the Commission shall report annually to the European Parliament and to the Council on the implementation and application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Article 3

1.   Until a specific legislative act regulating the adoption of the measures listed in points (a) to (i) below enters into force in the Union, any decision by the Union to take such measures shall be taken by the Commission, in accordance with the conditions set out in the corresponding provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as regards:

| (a) | the suspension of the relevant preferential treatment of the product(s) concerned as set out in Article GOODS.19 [Measures in case of breaches or circumvention of customs legislation] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(a)

the suspension of the relevant preferential treatment of the product(s) concerned as set out in Article GOODS.19 [Measures in case of breaches or circumvention of customs legislation] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (b) | the application of remedial measures and the suspension of obligations as set out in Article LPFOFCSD.3.12 [Remedial measures] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

the application of remedial measures and the suspension of obligations as set out in Article LPFOFCSD.3.12 [Remedial measures] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (c) | the application of rebalancing measures and countermeasures as set out in Article LPFOFCSD.9.4 [Rebalancing] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(c)

the application of rebalancing measures and countermeasures as set out in Article LPFOFCSD.9.4 [Rebalancing] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (d) | the application of remedial measures as set out in Article ROAD.11 [Remedial measures] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(d)

the application of remedial measures as set out in Article ROAD.11 [Remedial measures] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (e) | compensatory measures as set out in Article FISH.9 [Compensatory measures in case of withdrawal or reduction of access] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(e)

compensatory measures as set out in Article FISH.9 [Compensatory measures in case of withdrawal or reduction of access] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (f) | the application of remedial measures as set out in Article FISH.14 [Remedial measures and dispute resolution] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(f)

the application of remedial measures as set out in Article FISH.14 [Remedial measures and dispute resolution] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (g) | the suspension or termination of the participation of the United Kingdom in Union programmes, as set out in Article UNPRO.3.1 [Suspension of the participation of the United Kingdom in a Union programme by the European Union] and Article UNPRO.3.20 [Termination of the participation of the United Kingdom in a Union programme by the European Union] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(g)

the suspension or termination of the participation of the United Kingdom in Union programmes, as set out in Article UNPRO.3.1 [Suspension of the participation of the United Kingdom in a Union programme by the European Union] and Article UNPRO.3.20 [Termination of the participation of the United Kingdom in a Union programme by the European Union] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (h) | an offer or acceptance of temporary compensation or the suspension of obligations in the context of compliance following an arbitration or panel of experts procedure under Article INST.24 [Temporary Remedies] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, except as provided in Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3); |
| --- | --- |

(h)

an offer or acceptance of temporary compensation or the suspension of obligations in the context of compliance following an arbitration or panel of experts procedure under Article INST.24 [Temporary Remedies] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, except as provided in Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3);

| (i) | the safeguard measures and rebalancing measures as set out in Article INST.36 [Safeguard measures] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. |
| --- | --- |

(i)

the safeguard measures and rebalancing measures as set out in Article INST.36 [Safeguard measures] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

2.   The Commission shall fully inform the Council in a timely manner of its intention to adopt measures referred to in paragraph 1 with a view to allowing a meaningful exchange of views in the Council. The Commission shall take the utmost account of the views expressed. The Commission shall also inform the European Parliament, as appropriate.

3.   Where there is a particular concern of one or more Member States, that or those Member States may request the Commission to adopt measures referred to in paragraph 1. If the Commission does not respond positively to such a request, it shall inform the Council in a timely manner of its reasons.

4.   The Commission may also adopt measures reinstating the rights and obligations under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as they existed prior to the adoption of measures referred to in paragraph 1. Paragraphs 2 and 3 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

5.   Before a specific legislative act regulating the adoption of the measures referred to in paragraph 1 is adopted, the Council shall conduct a review of the arrangements set out in this Article.

Article 4

Where one or more Member States raise a substantial difficulty resulting from the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, in particular with regard to fisheries, the Commission shall examine that request as a matter of priority and shall seize as appropriate the Partnership Council of that matter, in accordance with the provisions set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Where no satisfactory solution has been found, that matter shall be addressed within the earliest possible timeframe, in the context of the reviews provided for in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Where that difficulty persists, the necessary steps shall be taken with a view to negotiating and concluding an agreement making the necessary amendments to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Article 5

1.   The Commission shall be authorised to take, on behalf of the Union, any decision to:

| (a) | confirm or suspend the recognition of equivalence following the reassessment of equivalence to be carried out by 31 December 2023 in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 3 [Recognition of equivalence] of Annex TBT-4 [Organic Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(a)

confirm or suspend the recognition of equivalence following the reassessment of equivalence to be carried out by 31 December 2023 in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 3 [Recognition of equivalence] of Annex TBT-4 [Organic Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (b) | suspend the recognition of equivalence in accordance with paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article 3 [Recognition of equivalence] of Annex TBT-4 [Organic Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

suspend the recognition of equivalence in accordance with paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article 3 [Recognition of equivalence] of Annex TBT-4 [Organic Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (c) | accept official Good Manufacturing Practice documents issued by an authority of the United Kingdom for manufacturing facilities located outside the territory of the issuing authority and to determine the terms and conditions under which the Union accepts those official Good Manufacturing Practice documents in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 5 [Recognition of inspections] of Annex TBT-2 [Medicinal Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(c)

accept official Good Manufacturing Practice documents issued by an authority of the United Kingdom for manufacturing facilities located outside the territory of the issuing authority and to determine the terms and conditions under which the Union accepts those official Good Manufacturing Practice documents in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 5 [Recognition of inspections] of Annex TBT-2 [Medicinal Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (d) | adopt any necessary implementing arrangements for the exchange of official Good Manufacturing Practice documents with an authority of the United Kingdom under Article 6 [Exchange of official GMP documents] of Annex TBT-2 [Medicinal Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and for the exchange of information with an authority of the United Kingdom regarding inspections of manufacturing facilities under Article 7 [Safeguards] of that Annex; |
| --- | --- |

(d)

adopt any necessary implementing arrangements for the exchange of official Good Manufacturing Practice documents with an authority of the United Kingdom under Article 6 [Exchange of official GMP documents] of Annex TBT-2 [Medicinal Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and for the exchange of information with an authority of the United Kingdom regarding inspections of manufacturing facilities under Article 7 [Safeguards] of that Annex;

| (e) | suspend recognition of inspections or acceptance of official Good Manufacturing Practice documents issued by the United Kingdom and notify the United Kingdom of its intention to apply Article 9 [Suspension] of Annex TBT-2 [Medicinal Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and enter into consultations with the United Kingdom in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 8 [Changes to the applicable legislation] of that Annex; |
| --- | --- |

(e)

suspend recognition of inspections or acceptance of official Good Manufacturing Practice documents issued by the United Kingdom and notify the United Kingdom of its intention to apply Article 9 [Suspension] of Annex TBT-2 [Medicinal Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and enter into consultations with the United Kingdom in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 8 [Changes to the applicable legislation] of that Annex;

| (f) | suspend totally or partially, for all or some of the products listed in Appendix C to Annex TBT-2 [Medicinal Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the recognition of inspections or acceptance of official Good Manufacturing Practice documents of the other Party in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 9 [Suspension] of that Annex. |
| --- | --- |

(f)

suspend totally or partially, for all or some of the products listed in Appendix C to Annex TBT-2 [Medicinal Products] to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the recognition of inspections or acceptance of official Good Manufacturing Practice documents of the other Party in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 9 [Suspension] of that Annex.

2.   Paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Article 3 shall apply.

Article 6

1.   The Member States are empowered to negotiate, sign and conclude the arrangements referred to in paragraph 4 of Article AIRTRN.3 [Traffic rights] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, subject to the following conditions:

| (a) | those arrangements shall be entered into solely for the purpose laid down in paragraph 4 of Article AIRTRN.3 [Traffic rights] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and in accordance with its terms, and shall not govern any other matters whether or not such matters fall within the scope of Title I of Heading Two of Part Two [Air transport] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(a)

those arrangements shall be entered into solely for the purpose laid down in paragraph 4 of Article AIRTRN.3 [Traffic rights] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and in accordance with its terms, and shall not govern any other matters whether or not such matters fall within the scope of Title I of Heading Two of Part Two [Air transport] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (b) | those arrangements shall not discriminate between Union air carriers. |
| --- | --- |

(b)

those arrangements shall not discriminate between Union air carriers.

The procedure set out in Article 8 of this Decision shall apply.

2.   The Member States are empowered to grant the authorisations referred to in paragraph 9 of Article AIRTRN.3 [Traffic rights] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement subject to its terms and in accordance with the applicable provisions of Union and national law. In granting those authorisations, the Member States shall not discriminate between Union air carriers.

3.   The Member States are empowered to negotiate, sign and conclude the arrangements referred to in paragraph 9 of Article AIRTRN.3 [Traffic rights] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, subject to the following conditions:

| (a) | those arrangements shall be entered into solely for the purpose laid down in paragraph 9 of Article AIRTRN.3 [Traffic rights] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and in accordance with its terms, and shall not govern any other matters whether or not such matters fall within the scope of Title I of Heading Two of Part Two [Air Transport] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; |
| --- | --- |

(a)

those arrangements shall be entered into solely for the purpose laid down in paragraph 9 of Article AIRTRN.3 [Traffic rights] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and in accordance with its terms, and shall not govern any other matters whether or not such matters fall within the scope of Title I of Heading Two of Part Two [Air Transport] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;

| (b) | those arrangements shall not discriminate between Union air carriers. |
| --- | --- |

(b)

those arrangements shall not discriminate between Union air carriers.

The procedure set out in Article 8 of this Decision shall apply.

Article 7

The Member States are empowered to negotiate, sign and conclude bilateral agreements with the United Kingdom in accordance with Article 41 of the Protocol on administrative cooperation and combating fraud in the field of Value Added Tax and on mutual assistance for the recovery of claims relating to taxes and duties or in the area of social security coordination as regards subject matters not covered by the Protocol on Social Security Coordination, subject to the following conditions:

| (a) | the envisaged agreement shall be compatible with, and shall not undermine, the functioning of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement or of the internal market; |
| --- | --- |

(a)

the envisaged agreement shall be compatible with, and shall not undermine, the functioning of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement or of the internal market;

| (b) | the envisaged agreement shall be compatible with Union law, and shall not put at risk the attainment of an objective of the Union’s external action in the area concerned or otherwise be prejudicial to the Union’s interests; |
| --- | --- |

(b)

the envisaged agreement shall be compatible with Union law, and shall not put at risk the attainment of an objective of the Union’s external action in the area concerned or otherwise be prejudicial to the Union’s interests;

| (c) | the envisaged agreement shall comply with the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of nationality enshrined in the TFEU. |
| --- | --- |

(c)

the envisaged agreement shall comply with the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of nationality enshrined in the TFEU.

The procedure set out in Article 8 of this Decision shall apply.

Article 8

1.   Each Member State that intends to negotiate a bilateral arrangement as referred to in Article 6(1) and (3) or a bilateral agreement as referred to in Article 7 shall keep the Commission informed of the negotiations with the United Kingdom on such arrangements or agreements and, where appropriate, invite the Commission to participate in the negotiations as an observer.

2.   Upon completion of the negotiations, the Member State concerned shall submit the resulting draft arrangement or agreement to the Commission. The Commission shall inform the European Parliament and the Council thereof without delay.

3.   No later than three months from the receipt of the draft arrangement or agreement, the Commission shall take a decision as to whether the conditions set out in the first subparagraph of, respectively, Article 6(1) or (3) or Article 7 are fulfilled. If the Commission decides that those conditions are fulfilled, the Member State concerned may sign and conclude the arrangement or agreement in question.

4.   The Member State concerned shall provide the Commission with a copy of the arrangement or agreement within one month of its entry into force or, where the arrangement or agreement is to be applied provisionally, within one month of the start of its provisional application.

Article 9

The Member States which intend to negotiate and conclude bilateral agreements with the United Kingdom in areas not covered by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement shall, in full respect of the principle of sincere cooperation, inform the Commission in due time of their intentions and of the progress of the negotiations.

Article 10

The exercise of Union competence through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement shall be without prejudice to the respective competences of the Union and of the Member States in any ongoing or future negotiations for, or signature or conclusion of, international agreements with any other third country, or in relation to any future negotiations for, or signature or conclusion of, any supplementing agreements referred to in Article COMPROV.2 [Supplementing agreements] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Article 11

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreements on behalf of the Union.

Article 12

1.   Subject to reciprocity, the Agreements shall be applied on a provisional basis as from 1 January 2021, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for their entry into force.

2.   The Union shall notify the United Kingdom of the completion of the Union’s internal requirements and procedures necessary for that provisional application provided that, prior to the date referred to in paragraph 1, the United Kingdom has notified the Union that its internal requirements and procedures necessary for provisional application have been completed.

3.   The versions of the Agreements in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish languages shall be subject to final legal-linguistic revision.

The language versions resulting from the legal-linguistic revision referred to in the first subparagraph shall be established as authentic and definitive by exchange of diplomatic notes with the United Kingdom.

The authentic and definitive texts referred to in the second subparagraph shall replace ab initio the signed versions of the Agreements.

4.   The President of the Council, on behalf of the Union, shall give the notification provided for in paragraph 2 and submit the diplomatic note referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 3.

Article 13

The President of the Council, on behalf of the Union, shall give the notification(s) provided for in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and in Article 19 of the Security of Information Agreement.

Article 14

The Declarations and Notification attached to this Decision shall be approved on behalf of the Union.

Article 15

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 29 December 2020.

For the Council

The President

M. ROTH

---

(1)  Council Decision (EU) 2020/135 of 30 January 2020 on the conclusion of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 29, 31.1.2020, p. 1).

1

(2)  Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/266 of 25 February 2020 authorising the opening of negotiations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for a new partnership agreement (OJ L 58, 27.2.2020, p. 53).

2

(3)  Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 concerning the exercise of the Union's rights for the application and enforcement of international trade rules and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 3286/94 laying down Community procedures in the field of the common commercial policy in order to ensure the exercise of the Community's rights under international trade rules, in particular those established under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (OJ L 189 27.6.2014, p. 50).

3

---

| 31.12.2020 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 444/11 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

31.12.2020

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 444/11

---

COUNCIL DECISION (Euratom) 2020/2253

of 29 December 2020

approving the conclusion, by the European Commission, of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Atomic Energy Community for Cooperation on the Safe and Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy and the conclusion, by the European Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular the second paragraph of Article 101 thereof,

Having regard to the recommendation from the European Commission,

Whereas:

| (1) | On 25 February 2020, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the United Kingdom for a new partnership agreement. Those negotiations resulted in a Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (the ‘Trade and Cooperation Agreement’), an Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information (the ‘Security of Information Agreement’) and an Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Atomic Energy Community for Cooperation on the Safe and Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (the ‘Nuclear Energy Agreement’) (the ‘Agreements’). |
| --- | --- |

(1)

On 25 February 2020, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the United Kingdom for a new partnership agreement. Those negotiations resulted in a Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (the ‘Trade and Cooperation Agreement’), an Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information (the ‘Security of Information Agreement’) and an Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Atomic Energy Community for Cooperation on the Safe and Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (the ‘Nuclear Energy Agreement’) (the ‘Agreements’).

| (2) | The Trade and Cooperation Agreement covers matters falling under competences of the European Atomic Energy Community (the ‘Community’), namely the association with the Research and Training programme of Euratom and with the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy governed by Part Five of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (Participation in Union programmes, sound financial management and financial provisions). The Trade and Cooperation Agreement should therefore be concluded on behalf of the Community as regards matters falling under the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (the ‘Euratom Treaty’). The signing and conclusion of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on behalf of the Union is subject to a separate procedure. |
| --- | --- |

(2)

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement covers matters falling under competences of the European Atomic Energy Community (the ‘Community’), namely the association with the Research and Training programme of Euratom and with the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy governed by Part Five of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (Participation in Union programmes, sound financial management and financial provisions). The Trade and Cooperation Agreement should therefore be concluded on behalf of the Community as regards matters falling under the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (the ‘Euratom Treaty’). The signing and conclusion of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on behalf of the Union is subject to a separate procedure.

| (3) | It is recalled that draft bilateral agreements between a Member State of the Community and the United Kingdom within the purview of the Euratom Treaty, including agreements for the exchange of scientific or industrial information in the nuclear field, may be concluded provided that the conditions and the procedural requirements set out in Articles 29 and 103 of that Treaty are complied with. |
| --- | --- |

(3)

It is recalled that draft bilateral agreements between a Member State of the Community and the United Kingdom within the purview of the Euratom Treaty, including agreements for the exchange of scientific or industrial information in the nuclear field, may be concluded provided that the conditions and the procedural requirements set out in Articles 29 and 103 of that Treaty are complied with.

| (4) | Given the exceptional situation of the United Kingdom with regard to the Union and the Community, and the urgency of the situation with the transition period ending on 31 December 2020, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as regards matters falling under the Euratom Treaty, should be signed and applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force. For the same reasons, the Nuclear Energy Agreement should be signed and applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force and of the completion of the final legal-linguistic revision and the establishment of such finally revised language versions as authentic and definitive by the Parties |
| --- | --- |

(4)

Given the exceptional situation of the United Kingdom with regard to the Union and the Community, and the urgency of the situation with the transition period ending on 31 December 2020, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as regards matters falling under the Euratom Treaty, should be signed and applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force. For the same reasons, the Nuclear Energy Agreement should be signed and applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force and of the completion of the final legal-linguistic revision and the establishment of such finally revised language versions as authentic and definitive by the Parties

| (5) | Due to the very late completion of the negotiations of the Agreements only seven days before the end of the transition period, it has not been possible to proceed to the final legal-linguistic revision of the texts of the Agreements before their signature. Therefore, starting immediately after the signature of the Agreements, the Parties should proceed to the final legal-linguistic revision of the texts of the Agreements in all 24 authentic languages. That legal-linguistic revision should be completed in due time. The Parties should then, by exchange of diplomatic notes, establish those revised texts of the Agreements in all such languages as authentic and definitive. Those revised texts should replace ab initio the signed versions of the Agreements. |
| --- | --- |

(5)

Due to the very late completion of the negotiations of the Agreements only seven days before the end of the transition period, it has not been possible to proceed to the final legal-linguistic revision of the texts of the Agreements before their signature. Therefore, starting immediately after the signature of the Agreements, the Parties should proceed to the final legal-linguistic revision of the texts of the Agreements in all 24 authentic languages. That legal-linguistic revision should be completed in due time. The Parties should then, by exchange of diplomatic notes, establish those revised texts of the Agreements in all such languages as authentic and definitive. Those revised texts should replace ab initio the signed versions of the Agreements.

| (6) | The conclusion, by the Commission, of the Nuclear Energy Agreement should be approved. |
| --- | --- |

(6)

The conclusion, by the Commission, of the Nuclear Energy Agreement should be approved.

| (7) | The conclusion by the Commission, acting on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, as regards matters falling under the Euratom Treaty, of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement should be approved, |
| --- | --- |

(7)

The conclusion by the Commission, acting on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, as regards matters falling under the Euratom Treaty, of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement should be approved,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1.   The conclusion by the Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Atomic Energy Community for Cooperation on the Safe and Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy is hereby approved, subject to the conditions set out in Article 2.

2.   The conclusion by the Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, including its provisions on provisional application, is hereby approved as regards matters falling under the Euratom Treaty, subject to the conditions set out in Article 3.

3.   The text of the Agreement referred to in paragraph 1 is attached to this Decision.

The text of the Agreement referred to in paragraph 2 is attached to Council Decision (EU) 2020/2252 (1).

Article 2

1.   Prior to its conclusion and subject to reciprocity, the Agreement referred to in Article 1(1) shall be signed and shall be applied on a provisional basis as from 1 January 2021, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force and of the procedures referred to in paragraph 2.

2.   The versions of the Agreement referred to in Article 1(1) in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish languages shall be subject to final legal-linguistic revision.

The language versions resulting from the legal-linguistic revision referred to in the first subparagraph shall be established as authentic and definitive by exchange of diplomatic notes with the United Kingdom.

The authentic and definitive texts referred to in the second subparagraph shall replace ab initio the signed versions of the Agreement referred to in Article 1(1).

3.   The provisional application referred to in paragraph 1 shall be agreed by means of an exchange of letters between the Community and the Government of the United Kingdom. The texts of those letters are attached to this Decision.

Article 3

1.   Prior to its conclusion and subject to reciprocity, the Agreement referred to in Article 1(2), as regards matters falling under the Euratom Treaty, shall be signed and shall be applied on a provisional basis as from 1 January 2021, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force.

2.   The notification to the United Kingdom in accordance with Article 12(2) of Decision (EU) 2020/2252 regarding the completion of the Union’s internal requirements and procedures necessary for provisional application shall be given by the President of the Council provided that, prior to the date referred to in paragraph 1, the United Kingdom has notified the Union that its internal requirements and procedures necessary for provisional application have been completed.

3.   The versions of the Agreement referred to in Article 1(2) in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish languages shall be subject to final legal-linguistic revision.

The language versions resulting from the legal-linguistic revision referred to in the first subparagraph shall be established as authentic and definitive by exchange of diplomatic notes with the United Kingdom.

The authentic and definitive texts referred to in the second subparagraph shall replace ab initio the signed versions of the Agreement referred to in Article 1(2).

Article 4

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 29 December 2020.

For the Council

The President

M. ROTH

---

(1)  Council Decision (EU) 2020/2252 of 29 December 2020 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, and of the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information (OJ L 444, 31.12.2020, p. 2).

1

---

| 31.12.2020 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 444/14 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

31.12.2020

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 444/14

---

TRADE AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY, OF THE ONE PART, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, OF THE OTHER PART

---

| 31.12.2020 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 444/1463 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

31.12.2020

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 444/1463

---

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND CONCERNING SECURITY PROCEDURES FOR EXCHANGING AND PROTECTING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION

---

| 31.12.2020 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 444/1475 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

31.12.2020

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 444/1475

---

Declarations referred to in the Council Decision on the signing on behalf of the Union, and on a provisional application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and of the Agreement concerning security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information

JOINT DECLARATION ON FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATORY COOPERATION BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE UNITED KINGDOM

| 1. | The Union and United Kingdom agree to establish structured regulatory cooperation on financial services, with the aim of establishing a durable and stable relationship between autonomous jurisdictions. Based on a shared commitment to preserve financial stability, market integrity, and the protection of investors and consumers, these arrangements will allow for:






  — | bilateral exchanges of views and analysis relating to regulatory initiatives and other issues of interest; |
| --- | --- | --- |

1.

—

bilateral exchanges of views and analysis relating to regulatory initiatives and other issues of interest;

| — | transparency and appropriate dialogue in the process of adoption, suspension and withdrawal of equivalence decisions; and |
| --- | --- |

—

transparency and appropriate dialogue in the process of adoption, suspension and withdrawal of equivalence decisions; and

| — | enhanced cooperation and coordination including in international bodies as appropriate. |
| --- | --- |

—

enhanced cooperation and coordination including in international bodies as appropriate.

| 2. | Both Parties will, by March 2021, agree a Memorandum of Understanding establishing the framework for this cooperation. The Parties will discuss, inter alia, how to move forward on both sides with equivalence determinations between the Union and United Kingdom, without prejudice to the unilateral and autonomous decision-making process of each side. |
| --- | --- |

2.

JOINT POLITICAL DECLARATION ON COUNTERING HARMFUL TAX REGIMES

The European Union (1)and the United Kingdom (the ‘Participants’) endorse the following Joint Political Declaration on Countering Harmful Tax Regimes.

The Participants, reflecting the global principles of fair tax competition, affirm their commitment to countering harmful tax regimes, in particular those that may facilitate base erosion and profit shifting in line with Action 5 of the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action Plan. In this context, the Participants affirm their commitment to applying the principles on countering harmful tax regimes in accordance with this Joint Political Declaration.

Harmful tax regimes cover business taxation regimes that affect or may affect in a significant way the location of business activity, including the location of groups of companies, within the Participants. Tax regimes include both laws or regulations and administrative practices.

If a tax regime meets the gateway criterion of imposing a significantly lower effective level of taxation than those levels which generally apply in the Participants, including zero taxation, it should be considered potentially harmful. Such a level of taxation may operate by virtue of the nominal tax rate, the tax base or any other relevant factor.

In this context, and considering the approach set out at the global level, when assessing whether a business taxation regime is harmful, account should be taken of whether one or more of the following key factors apply:

| a) | whether advantages are ring-fenced from the domestic economy so that they do not affect the national tax base or are accorded only to non-residents; |
| --- | --- |

a)

whether advantages are ring-fenced from the domestic economy so that they do not affect the national tax base or are accorded only to non-residents;

| b) | whether the regime granting the advantages fails to require any substantial economic activity and substantial economic presence within the Participant offering such tax advantages; |
| --- | --- |

b)

whether the regime granting the advantages fails to require any substantial economic activity and substantial economic presence within the Participant offering such tax advantages;

| c) | whether the rules for profit determination in respect of activities within a multinational group of companies departs from internationally accepted principles, in particular the rules agreed upon within the OECD; |
| --- | --- |

c)

whether the rules for profit determination in respect of activities within a multinational group of companies departs from internationally accepted principles, in particular the rules agreed upon within the OECD;

| d) | whether the tax regime lacks transparency, including where legal provisions are relaxed at administrative level in a non-transparent way or where there is no effective exchange of information with respect to the regime. |
| --- | --- |

d)

whether the tax regime lacks transparency, including where legal provisions are relaxed at administrative level in a non-transparent way or where there is no effective exchange of information with respect to the regime.

The Participants should encourage, within the framework of their constitutional arrangements, the application of these principles in the territories for which they have special responsibilities or taxation prerogatives.

The Participants should hold an annual dialogue to discuss issues in relation to the application of these principles.

JOINT DECLARATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE UNITED KINGDOM ON MONETARY POLICIES AND SUBSIDY CONTROL

The Parties confirm their mutual understanding that activities conducted by a central bank in pursuit of monetary policies do not fall within the scope of Chapter 3 [Subsidy control] of Title XI [Level playing field for open and fair competition and sustainable development] of Heading One [Trade] of Part Two of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

JOINT DECLARATION ON SUBSIDY CONTROL POLICIES

The European Union and the United Kingdom (“the Participants”) endorse the following Political Declaration on Subsidy Control Policies.

The guidance in this joint declaration represents the Participants’ shared understanding of the appropriate subsidy policies in the areas set up below.

While it is not binding on the Participants, they may take this guidance into consideration in their respective systems of subsidy control.

The Participants may agree to update this guidance.

Subsidies for the development of disadvantaged areas

| 1. | Subsidies may be granted for the development of disadvantaged or deprived areas or regions. When determining the amount of subsidy, the following may be taken into account:






  • | the socio-economic situation of the disadvantaged area concerned; |
| --- | --- | --- |

1.

•

the socio-economic situation of the disadvantaged area concerned;

| • | the size of the beneficiary; and |
| --- | --- |

•

the size of the beneficiary; and

| • | the size of the investment project. |
| --- | --- |

•

the size of the investment project.

| 2. | The beneficiary should provide its own substantial contribution to the investment costs. The subsidy should not have as its main purpose or effect to incentivise the beneficiary to transfer the same or a similar activity from the territory of one Party to the territory of the other Party. |
| --- | --- |

2.

Transport

| 1. | Subsidies to airports for infrastructure investments and operating costs may be granted taking into account the size of the airport in terms of annual passenger volume. In order to receive subsidies to fund operating costs, an airport, other than a small regional airport, should demonstrate its ability to ensure future viability within a period of time which would allow for the subsidy to be progressively phased out. |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Subsidies to road infrastructure projects may be granted if they are not designed selectively to benefit an individual economic actor or sector, but instead provide benefits to society at large. When granting the subsidy, it should be ensured that open access to infrastructure is available to all users on a non-discriminatory basis (2). |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Subsidies to ports may be granted for dredging or for infrastructure projects if they are limited to the minimum amount necessary to commence the project. |
| --- | --- |

3.

Research and development

Subsidies may be granted for research and development activities (3). This includes fundamental research, industrial research and experimental development, in particular the development of new and highly innovative technology which drives productivity growth and competitiveness, if they are necessary, proportionate, and do not have as their main purpose or effect the transfer or closure of such activities in the territory of the other Party. Subsidies may also be granted in connection with other initiatives, such as for new production processes, relevant infrastructure, innovation clusters and digital hubs. The amount of subsidy should reflect, amongst other factors, the risk and amount of technological innovation involved in the project, how close the project is to the market and the project’s contribution to knowledge generation.

JOINT DECLARATION BY THE UNION AND THE UNITED KINGDOM ON ANNEX ENER-4

The Parties understand that the objective of maximising the benefits of trade referred to in Annex ENER-4 means that, within the constraints set out in that Annex, the trading arrangements:

| — | should be as efficient as possible; and |
| --- | --- |

—

should be as efficient as possible; and

| — | should, under normal circumstances, result in flows across electricity interconnectors being consistent with the prices in the Parties’ day-ahead markets. |
| --- | --- |

—

should, under normal circumstances, result in flows across electricity interconnectors being consistent with the prices in the Parties’ day-ahead markets.

JOINT DECLARATION ON ARTICLE EXC.1 [GENERAL EXCEPTIONS] AND ARTICLE EXC.4 [SECURITY EXCEPTIONS]

The Parties confirm their common understanding that:

| 1. | Article EXC.1 [General Exceptions] and Article EXC.4 [Security Exceptions] are not mutually exclusive. In particular, it is not excluded that a security interest of a Party qualifies simultaneously as an “essential security interest” for the purposes of Article EXC.4 [Security Exceptions] and as a matter of “public security” or “public order” for the purposes of Article EXC.1 [General Exceptions]. |
| --- | --- |

1.

Article EXC.1 [General Exceptions] and Article EXC.4 [Security Exceptions] are not mutually exclusive. In particular, it is not excluded that a security interest of a Party qualifies simultaneously as an “essential security interest” for the purposes of Article EXC.4 [Security Exceptions] and as a matter of “public security” or “public order” for the purposes of Article EXC.1 [General Exceptions].

| 2. | Article EXC.1 [General exceptions] and Article EXC.4 [Security Exceptions], including in particular the terms “essential security interests”, “public security”, “public morals” and “public order” are to be interpreted in accordance with the rules of interpretation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom, as set out in Article COMPROV.13 [Interpretation] and Article OTH.[4a] [WTO case law]. |
| --- | --- |

2.

Article EXC.1 [General exceptions] and Article EXC.4 [Security Exceptions], including in particular the terms “essential security interests”, “public security”, “public morals” and “public order” are to be interpreted in accordance with the rules of interpretation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom, as set out in Article COMPROV.13 [Interpretation] and Article OTH.[4a] [WTO case law].

JOINT POLITICAL DECLARATION ON ROAD HAULIERS

The Parties note that while the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom does not deal with visa or border arrangements for road hauliers operating in the territory of the other party, the good and efficient management of visa and border arrangements for road hauliers is important for the movement of goods, in particular across the United Kingdom-Union border.

To this end, and without prejudice of the rights of each Party to regulate the entry of natural persons into, or their temporary stay in, its territory, the Parties agree to facilitate appropriately within their respective laws the entry and temporary stay of drivers carrying out the activities permitted under Title I [Transport of goods by road] of Heading Three [Road transport] of Part Two [Trade, transport and fisheries] of this Agreement.

JOINT POLITICAL DECLARATION ON ASYLUM AND RETURNS

While the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom does not include provisions on asylum, returns, family reunion for unaccompanied minors, or illegal migration, the Parties note the importance of good management of migratory flows, and recognise the special circumstances arising from the juxtaposed control arrangements, roll-on roll-off ferry services, the Channel Fixed Link and the Common Travel Area.

To this end, the Parties take note of the United Kingdom’s intention to engage in bilateral discussions with the most concerned Member States to discuss suitable practical arrangements on asylum, family reunion for unaccompanied minors or illegal migration, in accordance with the Parties’ respective laws and regulations.

JOINT POLITICAL DECLARATION ON TITLE III [PNR] OF PART THREE [LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JUDICIAL COOPERATION IN CRIMINAL MATTERS]

The Parties acknowledge that the effective use of passenger name record (PNR) data concerning modes of transport other than flights, such as maritime, rail and road carriers, presents operational value for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorism and serious crime, and declare their intention to review and, if necessary, extend the agreement reached in Title III of Part Three of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom if the Union establishes an internal legal framework for the transfer and processing of PNR data for other modes of transport.

The Agreement does not affect the possibility for the Member States and the United Kingdom to enter into and operate bilateral agreements for a system for collecting and processing PNR data from transportation providers other than those specified in the Agreement, provided that the Member States act in compliance with Union law.

JOINT POLITICAL DECLARATION ON TITLE VII [SURRENDER] OF PART THREE [LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JUDICIAL COOPERATION IN CRIMINAL MATTERS]

Article LAW.SURR.77 [Principle of proportionality] of Title VII [Surrender][of Part Three [Law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters] provides that cooperation on surrender must be necessary and proportionate, taking into account the rights of the requested person and the interests of the victims, and having regard to the seriousness of the act, the likely penalty that would be imposed and the possibility of a State taking measures less coercive than the surrender of the requested person, particularly with a view to avoiding unnecessarily long periods of pre-trial detention.

The principle of proportionality is relevant throughout the process leading to the surrender decision set out in Title VII [Surrender]. Where the executing judicial authority has concerns about the principle of proportionality, it shall request the necessary supplementary information to enable the issuing judicial authority to set out its views on the application of the principle of proportionality.

Both Parties note that Articles LAW.SURR 77 [Principle of proportionality] and 93 [Surrender decision] enable the competent judicial authorities of the States to consider proportionality and the possible duration of pre-trial detention when implementing Title VII [Surrender], and note that this is consistent with their respective domestic laws.

JOINT POLITICAL DECLARATION ON TITLE IX [EXCHANGE OF CRIMINAL RECORD INFORMATION] OF PART THREE [LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JUDICIAL COOPERATION IN CRIMINAL MATTERS]

The Parties acknowledge that it is important for employers to have information regarding the existence of criminal convictions and regarding any relevant disqualifications arising from such convictions, in relation to persons they recruit for professional or organised voluntary activities that involve direct and regular contacts with vulnerable adults. The Parties declare their intention to review and, if necessary, extend Title IX [Exchange of criminal record information] of Part Three [Law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters] if the Union amends its legal framework in this respect.

JOINT EU-UK DECLARATION ON THE EXCHANGE AND PROTECTION OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION

The Parties acknowledge the importance of entering as soon as possible into arrangements that enable the exchange of classified information between the European Union and the United Kingdom. In this regard, the Parties will exert their best endeavours to complete negotiations on the Security of Information Agreement’s implementing arrangement, as soon as it is reasonably practicable, to allow the Security of Information Agreement to apply, as required under Article 19(2) of the Agreement. In the meantime, the Parties may exchange classified information, in accordance with their respective laws and regulations.

JOINT DECLARATION ON PARTICIPATION IN UNION PROGRAMMES AND ACCESS TO PROGRAMME SERVICES

The Parties recognise the mutual benefit in cooperation in areas of shared interest, such as science, research and innovation, nuclear research and space. To encourage future cooperation in these areas, it is the Parties’ intention to establish a formal basis for future cooperation in the form of the participation of the United Kingdom in the corresponding Union programmes under fair and appropriate conditions and, where appropriate, in the form of access to certain services provided under Union programmes.

The Parties acknowledge that the text of Protocol I “Programmes and activities in which the United Kingdom participates” establishing an association of the United Kingdom for participation in certain Union programmes and activities, and Protocol II “on access of the United Kingdom to certain services provided under Union programmes and activities” could not be finalised during the negotiations of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom, as the Multiannual Financial Framework and corresponding Union legal instruments have not yet been adopted at the time of signature of the Agreement.

The Parties affirm that the draft protocols set out below have been agreed in principle and will be submitted to the Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes for discussion and adoption. The United Kingdom and European Union reserve their right to reconsider participation in the programmes, activities and services listed in Protocols [I and II] before they are adopted since the legal instruments governing the Union programmes and activities may be subject to change. The draft protocols may also need to be amended to ensure their compliance with these instruments as adopted.

It is the Parties’ firm intention that the Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes will adopt the Protocols at the earliest opportunity to allow their implementation as soon as possible, in particular with the ambition that United Kingdom entities would be able to participate from the beginning of the programmes and activities identified, ensuring relevant arrangements and agreements are in place, insofar as possible and in accordance with Union legislation.

The Parties also recall their commitment to the PEACE+ programme which will be the subject of a separate financing agreement.

DRAFT PROTOCOL I

Programmes and activities in which the United Kingdom participates

Article 1: Scope of the United Kingdom’s participation

| 1. | The United Kingdom shall participate in and contribute [as of 1 January 2021] to the Union programmes and activities, or parts thereof, established by the following basic acts:






  a) | Regulation XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the space programme of the Union and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) No 912/2010, (EU) No 1285/2013, (EU) No 377/2014 and Decision 541/2014/EU (4), insofar as it concerns the rules applicable to the component referred to in point (c) of Article 3 of that Regulation; [Copernicus] |
| --- | --- | --- |

1.

a)

Regulation XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the space programme of the Union and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) No 912/2010, (EU) No 1285/2013, (EU) No 377/2014 and Decision 541/2014/EU (4), insofar as it concerns the rules applicable to the component referred to in point (c) of Article 3 of that Regulation; [Copernicus]

| b) | Regulation XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination (5), insofar as it concerns the rules applicable to the components referred to in paragraph 3(a) and (aa) of Article 1 of that Regulation; |
| --- | --- |

b)

Regulation XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination (5), insofar as it concerns the rules applicable to the components referred to in paragraph 3(a) and (aa) of Article 1 of that Regulation;

| c) | Decision XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (6); |
| --- | --- |

c)

Decision XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (6);

| d) | Council Regulation XXX establishing the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community, Euratom, for the period 2021-2025 complementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (7) (the ‘Euratom Programme’); |
| --- | --- |

d)

Council Regulation XXX establishing the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community, Euratom, for the period 2021-2025 complementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (7) (the ‘Euratom Programme’);

| e) | Council Decision 2007/198/Euratom establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER (‘F4E’) and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it (‘F4E Council Decision’) (8)
  . |
| --- | --- |

e)

Council Decision 2007/198/Euratom establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER (‘F4E’) and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it (‘F4E Council Decision’) (8)
  .

Article 2: Duration of the United Kingdom’s participation

| 1. | The United Kingdom shall participate in the Union programmes and activities, or parts thereof, referred to in Article 1 [Scope of the United Kingdom’s participation] from [1 January 2021] for their duration or for the duration of the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027, whichever is shorter. |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | The United Kingdom or United Kingdom entities shall be eligible under the conditions laid down in Article UNPRO.1.4 [Compliance with programme rules], with regard to Union award procedures, which implement the budgetary commitments of the programmes and activities or parts thereof, referred to in Article 1 [Scope of United Kingdom’s participation] within the time limits set out in the first paragraph of this Article. |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | This Protocol shall be extended and apply for the period 2026-2027 under the same terms and conditions to the successor of the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community, Euratom (“Euratom Programme”), unless within 3 months of the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of that successor programme either Party notifies its decision not to extend this Protocol to that successor programme. In case of such a notification, this Protocol shall not apply as of 1 January 2026 in respect of the successor to the Euratom Programme. This shall be without prejudice to the participation of the United Kingdom in other Union programmes and activities, or parts thereof. |
| --- | --- |

3.

Article 3: Specific terms and conditions of participation in the Space Programme

| 1. | Subject to the provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom and in particular of Article UNPRO.1.4 [Compliance with programme rules], the United Kingdom shall participate in the Copernicus component of the Space programme and benefit from Copernicus services and products in the same way as other participating countries (9). |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | The United Kingdom shall have full access to the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. The modalities of activation and use shall be subject to a specific agreement.
  Detailed rules for the access to such services shall be laid down in the respective agreement including in relation to the specific operation of Articles UNPRO.3.1(4), UNPRO.3.2(4) and UNPRO.3.3(5). |
| --- | --- |

2.

Detailed rules for the access to such services shall be laid down in the respective agreement including in relation to the specific operation of Articles UNPRO.3.1(4), UNPRO.3.2(4) and UNPRO.3.3(5).

| 3. | The United Kingdom shall have access as authorised user to the Copernicus Security Service components to the extent the cooperation between the parties in the relevant policy areas is agreed. The modalities of activation and use shall be subject to specific agreements.
  Detailed rules for the access to such services shall be laid down in the respective agreements including in relation to the specific operation of Articles UNPRO.3.1(4), UNPRO.3.2(4) and UNPRO.3.3(5). |
| --- | --- |

3.

Detailed rules for the access to such services shall be laid down in the respective agreements including in relation to the specific operation of Articles UNPRO.3.1(4), UNPRO.3.2(4) and UNPRO.3.3(5).

| 4. | For the purposes of paragraph 3, negotiations between the United Kingdom or United Kingdom entities and the relevant Union body shall start as soon as possible after the participation of the United Kingdom in Copernicus has been established in this Protocol and in accordance with the provisions governing the access to such services.
  Should such an agreement be substantially delayed or prove impossible, the Specialised Committee on Participation on Union Programmes shall examine how to adjust the participation of the United Kingdom in Copernicus and its financing taking into account this situation. |
| --- | --- |

4.

Should such an agreement be substantially delayed or prove impossible, the Specialised Committee on Participation on Union Programmes shall examine how to adjust the participation of the United Kingdom in Copernicus and its financing taking into account this situation.

| 5. | Participation by the United Kingdom's representatives in the Security Accreditation Board meetings shall be governed by the rules and procedures for participating in this board taking into account the status of the United Kingdom as a third country. |
| --- | --- |

5.

Article 4: Specific terms and conditions of participation in the Horizon Europe Programme

| 1. | Subject to Article 6, the United Kingdom shall participate as an associated country in all parts of the Horizon Europe programme as referred to in Article 4 of Regulation XXX implemented through the specific programme established by Decision XXX on establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and through a financial contribution to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology established by Regulation (EC) No 294/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2008. |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Subject to the provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom and in particular of Article UNPRO.1.4 [Compliance with programme rules], United Kingdom entities may participate in direct actions of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and in indirect actions under equivalent conditions as those applicable to Union entities. |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Where the Union adopts measures for the implementation of Articles 185 and 187 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the United Kingdom and United Kingdom entities may participate in the legal structures created under those provisions, in conformity with the Union legal acts relating to the establishment of these legal structures. |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | Regulation (EC) No 294/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2008 establishing the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (10), as amended, and Decision XXX on the Strategic Innovation Agenda of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) 2021-2027: Boosting the Innovation Talent and Capacity of Europe (11), as amended, shall apply to participation of United Kingdom entities in Knowledge and Innovation Communities in conformity with Article UNPRO.1.4 [Compliance with programme rules]. |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | Where United Kingdom entities participate in direct actions of the Joint Research Centre, representatives of the United Kingdom shall have the right to participate as observers in the Board of Governors of the Joint Research Centre, without voting rights. Subject to that condition, such participation shall be governed by the same rules and procedures as those applicable to representatives of Member States, including speaking rights and procedures for receipt of information and documentation in relation to a point that concerns the United Kingdom. |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | For the purposes of calculating the operational contribution pursuant to Article UNPRO.2.1(5) the initial commitment appropriations entered in the Union budget definitively adopted for the applicable year for financing Horizon Europe, including the support expenditure of the programme, shall be increased by the appropriations corresponding to external assigned revenue under [Article XXX] of Council Regulation [XXX] establishing a European Union Recovery Instrument to support the recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic (12). |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | United Kingdom rights of representation and participation in the European Research Area Committee and its subgroups shall be those applicable to associated countries. |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | The United Kingdom may participate in a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (‘ERIC’) in accordance with the legal acts establishing that ERIC and taking into account its participation in Horizon 2020 in accordance with the terms which apply to that participation immediately before this Protocol entered into force and its participation in Horizon Europe as established in this Protocol. |
| --- | --- |

8.

Article 5: Modalities on the application of an automatic correction mechanism to the Horizon Europe Programme under Article UNPRO.2.2 [Programmes to which an automatic correction mechanism applies]

| 1. | Article UNPRO.2.2 [Programmes to which an automatic correction mechanism applies] shall apply to the Horizon Europe programme. |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | The following modalities shall apply:






  a) | for the purposes of calculating the automatic correction, ‘competitive grants’ means grants awarded through calls for proposals where the final beneficiaries can be identified at the time of the calculation of the automatic correction with the exception of financial support to third parties as defined in Article 204 of the Financial Regulation (13) applicable to the general budget of the Union; |
| --- | --- | --- |

2.

a)

for the purposes of calculating the automatic correction, ‘competitive grants’ means grants awarded through calls for proposals where the final beneficiaries can be identified at the time of the calculation of the automatic correction with the exception of financial support to third parties as defined in Article 204 of the Financial Regulation (13) applicable to the general budget of the Union;

| b) | where a legal commitment is signed with a coordinator of a consortium, the amounts used to establish the initial amounts of the legal commitment referred to in the first paragraph of Article UNPRO.2.2 [Programmes to which an automatic correction mechanism applies] shall be the cumulative initial amounts allocated in the legal commitment to members of a consortium that are United Kingdom entities. |
| --- | --- |

b)

where a legal commitment is signed with a coordinator of a consortium, the amounts used to establish the initial amounts of the legal commitment referred to in the first paragraph of Article UNPRO.2.2 [Programmes to which an automatic correction mechanism applies] shall be the cumulative initial amounts allocated in the legal commitment to members of a consortium that are United Kingdom entities.

| c) | All amounts of legal commitments shall be established using the European Commission electronic system eCorda; |
| --- | --- |

c)

All amounts of legal commitments shall be established using the European Commission electronic system eCorda;

| d) | ‘Non-intervention costs’ means operational programme costs other than competitive grants, including support expenditure, programme-specific administration, other actions (14); |
| --- | --- |

d)

‘Non-intervention costs’ means operational programme costs other than competitive grants, including support expenditure, programme-specific administration, other actions (14);

| e) | amounts allocated to international organisations as legal entities being the final beneficiary (15) shall be considered as non-intervention costs. |
| --- | --- |

e)

amounts allocated to international organisations as legal entities being the final beneficiary (15) shall be considered as non-intervention costs.

| 3. | The mechanism shall be applied as follows:






  a) | Automatic corrections for year N in relation to the execution of commitment appropriations for year N shall be applied based on data on year N and year N+1 from eCorda referred to in point (c) of paragraph 2 in year N+2 after any adjustments pursuant to Article UNPRO.2.1(8) have been applied to the United Kingdom’s contribution to Horizon Europe. The amount considered will be the amount of competitive grants for which the data is available. |
| --- | --- | --- |

3.

a)

Automatic corrections for year N in relation to the execution of commitment appropriations for year N shall be applied based on data on year N and year N+1 from eCorda referred to in point (c) of paragraph 2 in year N+2 after any adjustments pursuant to Article UNPRO.2.1(8) have been applied to the United Kingdom’s contribution to Horizon Europe. The amount considered will be the amount of competitive grants for which the data is available.

| b) | The amount of the automatic correction shall be calculated by taking the difference between:






  i) | the total amount of these competitive grants apportioned to United Kingdom entities as commitments made on budget appropriations of year N; and |
| --- | --- | --- |

b)

The amount of the automatic correction shall be calculated by taking the difference between:

i)

the total amount of these competitive grants apportioned to United Kingdom entities as commitments made on budget appropriations of year N; and

| ii) | the amount of the United Kingdom adjusted contribution for year N multiplied by the ratio between:






  (A) | the amount of competitive grants made on commitment appropriations of year N for this programme, and |
| --- | --- | --- |

ii)

the amount of the United Kingdom adjusted contribution for year N multiplied by the ratio between:

(A)

the amount of competitive grants made on commitment appropriations of year N for this programme, and

| (B) | the total of all the legal commitments made on commitment appropriations of year N, including support expenditure. |
| --- | --- |

(B)

the total of all the legal commitments made on commitment appropriations of year N, including support expenditure.

Where any adjustment for situations where United Kingdom entities are excluded, is made, pursuant to the application of Article UNPRO.2.1(8), the corresponding competitive grant amounts shall not be included in the calculation.

Article 6: Exclusion from the European Innovation Council Fund

| 1. | The United Kingdom and United Kingdom entities shall not participate in the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund established under Horizon Europe. The EIC Fund is the financial instrument which is the part of the EIC Accelerator of Horizon Europe that provides investment through equity or other repayable form (16). |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | As from 2021, and until 2027, each year, the contribution of the United Kingdom to Horizon Europe shall be adjusted by an amount obtained by multiplying the estimated amounts to be allocated to beneficiaries of the EIC Fund established under the programme, excluding the amount stemming from repayments and reflows, by the contribution key as defined in Article UNPRO.2.1(6). |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Following any year N in which an adjustment has been made under paragraph 2, the United Kingdom’s contribution shall in subsequent years be adjusted upwards or downwards, by multiplying the difference between the estimated amount allocated to beneficiaries of the EIC Fund, as referred in Article 6(2), and the amount allocated to beneficiaries of the EIC Fund in year N, by the contribution key, as defined in Article UNPRO 2.1(6). |
| --- | --- |

3.

Article 7: Specific terms and conditions of participation in the Euratom Programme

| 1. | The United Kingdom shall participate as an associated country in all parts of the Euratom Programme. |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Subject to the provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom and in particular of Article UNPRO.1.4 [Compliance with programme rules], United Kingdom entities may participate in all aspects of the Euratom Programme under equivalent conditions as those applicable to Euratom legal entities. |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | United Kingdom entities may participate in direct actions of the JRC in accordance with Article 4(2) of this Protocol. |
| --- | --- |

3.

Article 8: Specific terms and conditions for participation in activities of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy, the ITER Agreement and the Broader Approach Agreement

| 1. | The United Kingdom shall participate as a member of the Joint Undertaking for ITER and the development of Fusion Energy (F4E) in accordance with the F4E Council Decision, and its Statutes attached to it (the ‘F4E Statutes’), as last amended or to be amended in the future, contributing to the future scientific and technological cooperation in the field of controlled nuclear fusion through the United Kingdom’s association to the Euratom Programme. |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | Subject to the provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom and in particular of Article UNPRO.1.4 [Compliance with programme rules], United Kingdom entities may participate in all the activities of F4E under the same conditions as those applicable to Euratom legal entities. |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Representatives of the United Kingdom shall participate in the meetings of the F4E in accordance with the F4E Statutes. |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | In accordance with Article 7 of the F4E Council Decision, the United Kingdom shall apply the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities to the Joint Undertaking, its Director and staff in connection with their activities pursuant to the F4E Council Decision. In accordance with Article 8 of the F4E Council Decision, the United Kingdom shall also confer all the advantages provided for in Annex III to the Euratom Treaty on the F4E Joint Undertaking within the scope of its official activities. |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | The Parties agree that:






  a) | The Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the joint implementation of the ITER project (ITER-Agreement) shall apply to the territory of the United Kingdom, and for the purposes of the application of this Article, this Protocol shall be considered as a relevant agreement for the purposes of Article 21 of the ITER-Agreement; |
| --- | --- | --- |

5.

a)

The Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the joint implementation of the ITER project (ITER-Agreement) shall apply to the territory of the United Kingdom, and for the purposes of the application of this Article, this Protocol shall be considered as a relevant agreement for the purposes of Article 21 of the ITER-Agreement;

| b) | The Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project (Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities) shall apply to the territory of the United Kingdom, and for the purposes of the application of this Article, this Protocol shall be considered as a relevant agreement for the purposes of Article 24 of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities; and |
| --- | --- |

b)

The Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project (Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities) shall apply to the territory of the United Kingdom, and for the purposes of the application of this Article, this Protocol shall be considered as a relevant agreement for the purposes of Article 24 of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities; and

| c) | The Agreement between Euratom and the Government of Japan for the joint implementation of the Broader Approach Activities in the field of fusion energy research (Broader Approach Agreement) shall apply to the territory of the United Kingdom, in particular the privileges and immunities under Articles 13 and 14.5, and for the purposes of the application of this Article, this Protocol shall be considered as a relevant agreement for the purposes of Article 26 of the Broader Approach Agreement. |
| --- | --- |

c)

The Agreement between Euratom and the Government of Japan for the joint implementation of the Broader Approach Activities in the field of fusion energy research (Broader Approach Agreement) shall apply to the territory of the United Kingdom, in particular the privileges and immunities under Articles 13 and 14.5, and for the purposes of the application of this Article, this Protocol shall be considered as a relevant agreement for the purposes of Article 26 of the Broader Approach Agreement.

| 6. | The United Kingdom shall be informed by Euratom if the ITER Agreement, the Broader Approach Agreement or the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities are to be amended. Any amendment that would affect the United Kingdom’s rights or obligations shall in this respect be discussed in the Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes with a view to adjust the participation of the United Kingdom to the new situation. Any amendment that would affect the United Kingdom’s rights and obligations requires the United Kingdom’s formal agreement before taking effect in respect of the United Kingdom. |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | Euratom and the United Kingdom may agree in a specific agreement that legal entities established in the Union may be eligible to participate in United Kingdom activities related to the activities carried out by F4E. |
| --- | --- |

7.

Article 9: Reciprocity

For the purpose of this article "Union entity" means any type of entity, whether a natural person, legal person or another type of entity, who resides or which is established in the Union.

Eligible Union entities may participate in programmes of the United Kingdom equivalent to those referred in points (b), (c) and (d) of Article 1 [Scope of the United Kingdom’s participation] of this Protocol in accordance with United Kingdom law and rules.

Article 10: Intellectual property

For the programmes and activities listed in Article 1 [Scope of the United Kingdom’s participation] and subject to the provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom and in particular of Article UNPRO.1.4 [Compliance with programme rules], United Kingdom entities participating in programmes covered by this Protocol shall, as regards ownership, exploitation and dissemination of information and intellectual property arising from such participation, have equivalent rights and obligations as entities established in the Union participating in the programmes and activities in question. This provision shall not apply to the results obtained from projects started before the application of this Protocol.

DRAFT PROTOCOL II

on access of the United Kingdom to services established under certain Union programmes and activities in which the United Kingdom does not participate

Article:1 Scope of the access

The United Kingdom shall have access to the following services under the terms and conditions established in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom, the basic acts and any other rules pertaining to the implementation of the relevant Union programmes and activities:

| a) | Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) Services as defined in Article 54 of Regulation XXX (17) [the Space Regulation]. |
| --- | --- |

a)

Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) Services as defined in Article 54 of Regulation XXX (17) [the Space Regulation].

Pending the entry into force of the implementing acts setting the third country conditions to the three publicly available SST services, SST services as referred to in Article 5.1 of Decision 541/2014/EU shall be provided to the United Kingdom and public and private spacecraft owners and operators operating in or from the United Kingdom in accordance with Article 5.2 of this decision (or any legislation replacing it with or without modification).

Article 2: Duration of the access

The United Kingdom shall have access to the services referred to in Article 1 for their entire duration or for the entire duration of the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027, whichever is shorter.

Article 3: Specific terms and conditions for access to SST services

Access of the United Kingdom to publicly available SST services referred to in point (a), (b) and (c) of Article 54(1) of that Regulation shall be granted (18) in accordance with Article 8(1) of Regulation XXX ,upon request and subject to conditions applicable to third countries.

Access of the United Kingdom to SST services referred to in point (d) of Article 54(1) of the basic act shall, when available (19), be subject to conditions applicable to third countries.

DECLARATION ON THE ADOPTION OF ADEQUACY DECISIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE UNITED KINGDOM

The Parties take note of the European Commission’s intention to promptly launch the procedure for the adoption of adequacy decisions with respect to the UK under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Law Enforcement Directive, and its intention to work closely to that end with the other bodies and institutions involved in the relevant decision-making procedure.

---

(1)  For the purposes of the commitments in this Declaration, with respect to the European Union, references to Participants are understood as being to the European Union, its Member States, or the European Union and its Member States, as the case may be.

(2)  For this purpose, discrimination means that comparable situations are treated differently and the differentiation is not objectively justified.

(3)  Research and Development as defined in the OECD Frascati Manual

(4)  [insert OJ reference]

(5)  [insert OJ reference]

(6)  [insert OJ reference]

(7)  [insert OJ reference]

(8)  [insert OJ reference] (as amended)

(9)  References to “participating countries” to be finalised in line with terminology of basic acts when adopted

(10)  OJ L 97, 9.4.2008.

(11)  [OJ L ...]

(12)  [OJ L ...; COM(2020) 441]

(13)  Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 (OJ EU L 193, 30.7.2018, p. 1).

(14)  “Other actions” might include prizes, financial instruments, provision of technical/scientific services by JRC, Subscriptions (OECD, Eureka, IPEEC, IEA, ...), delegation agreements, Experts (evaluators, monitoring of projects).

(15)  International organisations would only be considered as non-intervention costs if they are final beneficiaries. This will not apply where an international organization is a coordinator of a project (distributing funds to other coordinators)

(16)  This definition shall be replaced by the definition from a legislative act with a reference in a footnote to this legislative act in the final version of the protocol (last definition of the EIC Fund in Horizon 2020 is decision C(2020) 4001 of the Commission amending decision C(2019) 5323). In case there is no definition available in relation with Horizon Europe when the protocol is finalised, the definition might have to be revisited.

(17)  Regulation XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the space programme of the Union and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) No 912/2010, (EU) No 1285/2013, (EU) No 377/2014 and Decision 541/2014/EU[COM/2018/447 final] [OJ L ...].

(18)  This is subject to the final condition of the basic act and provided that both Parties agree on the condition for the provision of the SST service.

(19)  This is subject to the final condition of the basic act and provided that both Parties agree on the condition for the provision of the SST service.

---

| 31.12.2020 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 444/1486 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

31.12.2020

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 444/1486

---

EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - Notification by the Union

The European Union hereby notifies the United Kingdom of the following in relation to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (the 'Trade and Cooperation Agreement').

A.   
  NOTIFICATION ON BEHALF OF THE UNION REGARDING THE EUROPEAN PUBLIC PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE (EPPO)

Article LAW.OTHER.134(7), points (d) and (g)

| 1. | In accordance with Article LAW.MUTAS.114 [Definition of competent authority] of Part Three [Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and point (d) of Article LAW.OTHER.134(7) [Notifications] of that Agreement, the Union, on its own behalf, hereby notifies the United Kingdom that the EPPO, in the exercise of its competences as provided for by Articles 22, 23 and 25 of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 (1), shall be deemed to be a competent authority for the purposes of Title VIII [Mutual Assistance] of Part Three [Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. This notification shall apply as of the date determined by the decision of the Commission adopted in accordance with Article 120(2) of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939. The United Kingdom will be informed of that date. |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | In accordance with Article LAW.CONFISC.21(2) [Authorities] of Part Three [Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and point (g) of Article LAW.OTHER.134(7) [Notifications] of that Agreement, the Union, on its own behalf, hereby notifies the United Kingdom that the EPPO, in the exercise of its competences as provided for by Articles 22, 23 and 25 of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, shall be deemed to be a competent authority for the purpose of making and, if appropriate, executing freezing requests made under Title XI [Freezing and Confiscation] of Part Three [Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as a central authority for the purpose of sending and answering to such requests. This notification shall apply as of the date determined by the decision of the Commission adopted in accordance with Article 120(2) of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939. The United Kingdom will be informed of that date. |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | Requests shall be sent to the Central Office of the EPPO. |
| --- | --- |

3.

B.   
  NOTIFICATION ON BEHALF OF THE UNION REGARDING THE CHOICES MADE BY THE MEMBER STATES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE APPLICATION OF THE TRADE AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT

| 1. | Due to the late signing of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the notification of the Union regarding the choices made by the Member States in relation to the provisions listed hereinafter will be made at the latest on 31 January 2021.
  List of provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement which require a notification to be made upon the entry into force or start of application of that Agreement:






  a) | Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(a): Notification of the Passenger Information Units established or designated by each Member State for the purposes of receiving and processing PNR data under Title III [Transfer and processing of passenger name record data (PNR)]; |
| --- | --- | --- |

1.

List of provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement which require a notification to be made upon the entry into force or start of application of that Agreement:

a)

Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(a): Notification of the Passenger Information Units established or designated by each Member State for the purposes of receiving and processing PNR data under Title III [Transfer and processing of passenger name record data (PNR)];

| b) | Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(b): Notification of the authority competent by virtue of the domestic law of each Member State to execute an arrest warrant; |
| --- | --- |

b)

Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(b): Notification of the authority competent by virtue of the domestic law of each Member State to execute an arrest warrant;

| c) | Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(b): Notification of the authority competent by virtue of the domestic law of each Member State to issue an arrest warrant; |
| --- | --- |

c)

Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(b): Notification of the authority competent by virtue of the domestic law of each Member State to issue an arrest warrant;

| d) | Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(c): Notification of the authority competent for receiving requests for transit through the Member State’s territory of a requested person who is being surrendered; |
| --- | --- |

d)

Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(c): Notification of the authority competent for receiving requests for transit through the Member State’s territory of a requested person who is being surrendered;

| e) | Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(e): Notification of the central authority competent for the exchange of information extracted from the criminal record under Title IX [Exchange of Criminal Record Information] and for the exchanges referred to in Article 22(2) of the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters; |
| --- | --- |

e)

Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(e): Notification of the central authority competent for the exchange of information extracted from the criminal record under Title IX [Exchange of Criminal Record Information] and for the exchanges referred to in Article 22(2) of the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters;

| f) | Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(f): Notification of the central authority responsible for sending and answering requests under Title XI [Freezing and Confiscation], and for executing such requests or for transmitting them to the authorities competent for their execution. |
| --- | --- |

f)

Article LAW.OTHER 134(7)(f): Notification of the central authority responsible for sending and answering requests under Title XI [Freezing and Confiscation], and for executing such requests or for transmitting them to the authorities competent for their execution.

| 2. | In accordance with Article SSC.11(2) [Detached workers] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the Union hereby notifies the United Kingdom that the following Member States fall within:






  — | Category A: Member States which have expressed their wish to derogate from Article SSC.10 [General rules] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as from 1 January 2021: Austria, Hungary, Portugal, Sweden; |
| --- | --- | --- |

2.

—

Category A: Member States which have expressed their wish to derogate from Article SSC.10 [General rules] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as from 1 January 2021: Austria, Hungary, Portugal, Sweden;

| — | Category B: Member States which have expressed their wish not to derogate from Article SSC.10 [General rules] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as from 1 January 2021: - ; |
| --- | --- |

—

Category B: Member States which have expressed their wish not to derogate from Article SSC.10 [General rules] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as from 1 January 2021: - ;

| — | Category C: Member States which have not indicated whether or not they wish to derogate from Article SSC.10 [General rules] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as from 1 January 2021: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain. |
| --- | --- |

—

Category C: Member States which have not indicated whether or not they wish to derogate from Article SSC.10 [General rules] of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as from 1 January 2021: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain.

| 3. | The notifications in relation to provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement regarding the choices of the Member States which may be made after entry into force or start of application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement will follow in due course, within the timeframes set out in that Agreement as the case may be. |
| --- | --- |

3.

---

(1)  Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) (OJ L 283, 31.10.2017, p. 1).

---