Decision No 1/2003 of the European Community - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Cooperation Council

of 24 April 2003

concerning the changing of its rules of procedure

(2003/343/EC)

THE COOPERATION COUNCIL,

Having regard to the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part(1), and in particular Articles 33 and 36 thereof,

Having regard to the Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part(2), and in particular Article 37 thereof,

Having regard to the rules of procedure of the Cooperation Council established by the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and in particular Article 7 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia entered into force on 1 January 1998.

(2) The Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, entered into force on 1 June 2001.

(3) The rules of procedure of the Cooperation Council established by the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia were adopted by Decision No 1/98 of the European Community - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Cooperation Council of 20 March 1998(3),

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The Annex to Decision No 1/98 of the European Community - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Cooperation Council of 20 March 1998 is hereby replaced by the text in the Annex to this Decision.

Done at Brussels, 24 April 2003.

For the Cooperation Council

The Chairman

(1) OJ L 348, 18.12.1997, p. 2.

(2) OJ L 124, 4.5.2001, p. 2.

(3) OJ L 190, 4.7.1998, p. 48.

ANNEX

WORKING PARTY ON ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL MATTERS

Terms of reference

1. The general objectives of the working party are a review of economic developments and policies as well as the monitoring and joint analysis of economic, technical and financial cooperation in accordance with Articles 4, 10 and 11 of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Articles 31 and 32 of the Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, with a view to contributing to the economic development of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and strengthening economic ties between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the European Community.

2. The working party shall deal in particular with the following specific subjects:

- macroeconomic developments and policies in the European Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,

- structural reforms, including financial sector reform,

- development of small and medium-sized enterprises/entrepreneurship,

- facilitation of the movement of capital and its progressive liberalisation,

- statistical systems.

WORKING PARTY ON AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

Terms of reference

1. The general objective of the working party is to deal with agricultural, processed agricultural and fishery products. The working party shall monitor implementation of the obligations of the Parties in these sectors and conduct a joint analysis of cooperation in agriculture in accordance with Articles 6 and 9 of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Articles 11 to 17, Annexes III, IV and V and Protocol 3 of the Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, as well as the Wine Protocol.

2. The working party shall deal in particular with the following subjects:

- examination of problems related to the development of the agricultural sector, agricultural policy and rural development in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and in the European Community,

- processed agricultural products,

- fisheries and aquaculture,

- veterinary and phyto-sanitary matters and examination of the possibility of developing cooperation in this area,

- food safety.

WORKING PARTY ON INTERNAL MARKET AND COMPETITION

Terms of reference

1. The general objective of the working party is a review of legislative reform in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The working party shall establish priorities, identify policies, and monitor and analyse alignment of the legislation of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on Community legislation, in accordance with Article 68 of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, and Articles 33 to 35 of the Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part.

2. The working party shall deal with the gradual approximation of the legislation of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia with the Community acquis in the sectors linked to the internal market and in particular in the following specific areas:

- competition and State aid,

- intellectual, industrial and commercial property rights,

- public procurement,

- company law,

- accounting,

- data protection,

- standardisation, certification, conformity assessment and market surveillance,

- consumer protection.

WORKING PARTY ON TRADE, IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS, CUSTOMS AND TAXATION

Terms of reference

1. The objectives of the working party are to discuss and monitor all matters relating to commercial policy and to cooperation in customs matters, in accordance with Articles 2 to 10, 18 to 30, and 36, Annexes I and II and Protocols 1, 2, 4, and 5 of the Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part.

2. The working party shall deal in particular with the following issues:

- free movement of goods: monitoring of implementation of the obligations of the Parties and discussion of any difficulties which might arise in the commercial regime for industrial products, including textiles and iron and steel products,

- trade-related aspects of intellectual, industrial and commercial property rights,

- trade-related aspects of public procurement,

- trade-related aspects of standardisation, certification, conformity assessment and market surveillance,

- customs cooperation and discussion of all matters relating to the implementation of the rules of origin, and as appropriate the Protocol on mutual assistance, the anti-fraud clause and any other matter relevant to the customs enforcement sector,

- exchange of information on compatibility and developments in the field of taxation.

3. For the purposes of implementing Protocol 2 on steel products of the Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, this working party shall convene as the "Contact Group on Iron and Steel products".