COUNCIL DECISION
of 23 September 2013
on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Committee on Cultural Cooperation set up by the Protocol on cultural cooperation to the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, as regards the adoption of the rules of procedure of the Committee on Cultural Cooperation
(2014/640/EU)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 167(3) in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)
On 23 April 2007 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate a free trade agreement with the Republic of Korea on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.
(2)
Those negotiations were concluded and the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part (1) (‘the Agreement’) was signed on 6 October 2010. The Agreement contains a Protocol on cultural cooperation (‘the Protocol’) which, according to Article 1 thereof, sets up the framework within which the Parties cooperate for facilitating exchanges regarding cultural activities, goods and services, including, inter alia, in the audiovisual sector.
(3)
Pursuant to Article 15.10.5 of the Agreement, it has been in part provisionally applied by Council Decision 2011/265/EU (2) (‘the Decision’) since 1 July 2011, subject to its conclusion at a later date.
(4)
Pursuant to Article 3 of the Decision, Articles 4(3), 5(2), 6(1), 6(2), 6(4), 6(5), 8, 9 and 10 of the Protocol have not been provisionally applied.
(5)
In accordance with Article 4(1) of the Decision, the Commission is to provide notice in writing to Korea of the Union's intention not to extend the period of entitlement to audiovisual co-production pursuant to Article 5 of the Protocol following the procedure set out in Article 5(8) thereof unless, on a proposal from the Commission, the Council agrees four months before the end of such period of entitlement to continue the entitlement. If the Council agrees to continue the entitlement, that obligation to provide notice is to become applicable again at the end of the renewed period of entitlement. For the specific purposes of deciding on the continuation of the period of entitlement, the Council is to act by unanimity.
(6)
Article 3 of theProtocol provides for the establishmentof a Committee on Cultural Cooperation which, among its tasks, is tooversee the implementation of the Protocol.
(7)
Pursuant to Article 6 of the Decision, the representatives of the Union in the Committee on Cultural Cooperation are to comprise senior officials of both the Commission and the Member States who have expertise and experience in cultural matters and practices, and who are to present the position of the Union in accordance with the Treaty.
(8)
The decisions of the Committee should not confer rights or impose obligations which can be directly invoked before Union or Member States courts and tribunals.
(9)
The preparatory bodies of the Council competent in the field of culture and audiovisual matters should be involved at an early stage in establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the Union in the Committee on Cultural Cooperation.
(10)
This Decision should not affect the respective competences of the Union and the Member States.
(11)
The Union should determine the position to be taken within the Committee on Cultural Cooperation as regards the adoption of the rules of procedure of the Committee on Cultural Cooperation,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Committee on Cultural Cooperation set up by the Protocol on cultural cooperation to the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, as regards the adoption of the rules of procedure of the Committee on Cultural Cooperation shall be based on the draft decision of the Committee on Cultural Cooperation attached to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 23 September 2013.