ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
EN Official Journal of the European Union L 321/40

COUNCIL DECISION

of 30 November 2009

on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and Barbados on the short-stay visa waiver

(2009/898/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular point 2(b)(i) of Article 62, in conjunction with the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) and the first subparagraph of Article 300(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament (1),

Whereas:

(1) The Commission has negotiated on behalf of the European Community an Agreement with Barbados on the short-stay visa waiver (hereinafter ‘the Agreement’).

(2) The Agreement was signed on behalf of the Community on 28 May 2009 and has been provisionally applied since that date, subject to its conclusion at a later date, in accordance with Council Decision 2009/479/EC (2).

(3) The Agreement should be approved.

(4) The Agreement establishes a Joint Committee for the management of the Agreement, which should adopt its rules of procedure. It is appropriate to provide for a simplified procedure for the establishment of the Community position on the adoption of those rules of procedure.

(5) In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and without prejudice to Article 4 of the said Protocol, these Member States are not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and are not bound by it or subject to its application,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Agreement between the European Community and Barbados on the short-stay visa waiver (3) is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

Article 2

The President of the Council shall give the notification provided for in Article 8(1) of the Agreement (4).

Article 3

The Community shall be represented by the Commission, assisted by experts from Member States, in the Joint Committee of experts established by Article 6 of the Agreement.

Article 4

The position of the Community within the Joint Committee of experts with regard to the adoption of its rules of procedure as required under Article 6(4) of the Agreement shall be taken by the Commission after consultation with a special committee designated by the Council.

Article 5

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 30 November 2009. For the Council The President B. ASK

(1) Opinion of 20 October 2009 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2) OJ L 169, 30.6.2009, p. 9.

(3) For the text of the Agreement see OJ L 169, 30.6.2009, p. 10.

(4) The date of entry into force of the Agreement will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union by the General Secretariat of the Council.
2.

Annex III is replaced by the following: ‘ANNEX III MODEL HEALTH CERTIFICATES FOR THE IMPORTATION FROM THIRD COUNTRIES OF TECHNICAL GELATINE TO BE USED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHIC INDUSTRY Notes (a) Veterinary certificates for the importation of technical gelatine to be used by the photographic industry shall be produced by the exporting country, based on the model appearing in this Annex III. They shall contain the attestations that are required for any third country and, as the case may be, those supplementary guarantees that are required for the exporting third country or part thereof. (b) The original of each certificate shall consist of a single page, both sides, or, where more text is required, it shall be in such a form that all pages needed are part of an integrated whole and indivisible. (c) It shall be drawn up in at least one of the official languages of the EU Member State in which the inspection at the EU border inspection post shall be carried out and of the EU Member State of destination. However, these Member States may allow other languages, if necessary, accompanied by an official translation. (d) If for reasons of identification of the items of the consignment, additional pages are attached to the certificate, these pages shall also be considered as forming part of the original of the certificate by the application of the signature and stamp of the certifying official veterinarian, in each of the pages. (e) When the certificate, including additional schedules referred to in (d), comprises more than one page, each page shall be numbered — (page number) of (total number of pages) — on its bottom and shall bear the code number of the certificate that has been designated by the competent authority on its top. (f) The original of the certificate must be completed and signed by an official veterinarian. In doing so, the competent authorities of the exporting country shall ensure that the principles of certification equivalent to those laid down in Council Directive 96/93/EC are followed. (g) The colour of the signature shall be different to that of the printing. The same rule applies to stamps other than those embossed or watermark. (h) The original of the certificate must accompany the consignment at the EU border inspection post until it reaches the photographic factory of destination.
EN Official Journal of the European Union L 353/69

COUNCIL DECISION

of 22 December 2009

appointing a Portuguese member of the Committee of the Regions

(2009/1026/EU)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 305 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal of the Portuguese Government,

Whereas:

(1) On 24 January 2006, the Council adopted Decision 2006/116/EC appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions for the period from 26 January 2006 to 25 January 2010 (1).

(2) A member’s seat on the Committee of the Regions has become vacant following the end of the term of the mandate of Mr José MACÁRIO CORREIA,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The following is hereby reappointed to the Committee of the Regions as a member for the remainder of the current term of office, which runs until 25 January 2010:

Mr José MACÁRIO CORREIA, Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Faro.

Article 2

This Decision shall take effect on the day of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 22 December 2009. For the Council The President A. CARLGREN

(1) OJ L 56, 25.2.2006, p. 75.
EN Official Journal of the European Union L 9/51

COUNCIL DECISION

of 8 December 2008

appointing the Chairman of the Military Committee of the European Union

(2009/22/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 28(1) thereof,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 207 thereof,

Recalling Council Decision 2001/79/CFSP of 22 January 2001 setting up the Military Committee of the European Union (1),

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to Article 3 of Decision 2001/79/CFSP, the Chairman of the Military Committee is to be appointed by the Council on the recommendation of the Committee meeting at the level of the Chiefs of Defence.

(2) At its meeting on 29 October 2008, the Committee meeting at the level of the Chiefs of Defence recommended that General Håkan SYRÉN be appointed Chairman of the Military Committee of the European Union,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

General Håkan SYRÉN is appointed Chairman of the Military Committee of the European Union for a period of three years as from 6 November 2009.

Article 2

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 8 December 2008. For the Council The President B. KOUCHNER

(1) OJ L 27, 30.1.2001, p. 4.
EN Official Journal of the European Union L 51/8

COUNCIL AND COMMISSION DECISION

of 16 February 2009

on the conclusion of the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union

(2009/153/EC, Euratom)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

AND THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 310 in conjunction with the second sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2), and the second subparagraph of Article 300(3) thereof,

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 Act of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania and in particular Article 6(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the assent of the European Parliament (1),

Having regard to the Council’s approval pursuant to Article 101 of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community,

Whereas:

(1) The Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, has been signed on behalf of the Community on 15 July 2008 in accordance with Council Decision 2008/800/EC (2).

(2) The Protocol should be concluded,

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Croatia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union is hereby approved on behalf of the European Community, the European Atomic Energy Community and the Member States.

Article 2

The President of the Council shall, on behalf of the European Community and its Member States, deposit the instruments of approval provided for in Article 12(2) of the Protocol. The President of the Commission shall simultaneously deposit these instruments on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community.

Done at Brussels, 16 February 2009. For the Council The President O. LIŠKA For the Commission The President José MANUEL BARROSO

(1) Assent given on 16 December 2008 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2) OJ L 286, 29.10.2008, p. 45.
EN Official Journal of the European Union L 75/11

COMMISSION DECISION

of 11 March 2009

concerning derogations from certain provisions of Regulation (EC) No 177/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common framework for business registers for statistical purposes

(notified under document number C(2009) 1568)

(Only the Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, French, German, Greek, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish and Slovak texts are authentic)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2009/252/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 177/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 February 2008 establishing a common framework for business registers for statistical purposes and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 2186/93 (1), and in particular Article 14 thereof,

Having regard to the requests made by the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, Ireland, the Hellenic Republic, the French Republic, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EC) No 177/2008 established a new common framework for business registers exclusively for statistical purposes in order to maintain the development of business registers in a harmonised framework.

(2) Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 177/2008 provides that when business registers require a major overhaul, the Commission may grant a derogation at the request of a Member State for a transitional period that shall not exceed 25 March 2010. For agriculture, forestry and fishing, public administration and defence, and compulsory social security, and for the additional characteristics relating to enterprise groups, the Commission may grant a derogation at the request of a Member State for a transitional period that shall not exceed 25 March 2013.

(3) Some Member States have requested such derogations to be granted.

(4) It seems justified to grant those derogations, as the Member States’ requests are based on a legitimate need to further adapt their national statistical systems,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Derogations are hereby granted to the Member States listed in the Annex, under the conditions and subject to the limits set out therein, in order to enable those Member States to bring their respective national statistical systems into conformity with Regulation (EC) No 177/2008.

Article 2

This decision is addressed to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, Ireland, the Hellenic Republic, the French Republic, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic.

Done at Brussels, 11 March 2009. For the Commission Joaquín ALMUNIA Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 61, 5.3.2008, p. 6.
EN Official Journal of the European Union L 127/10

COUNCIL DECISION

of 12 May 2009

on the European Capital of Culture event for the year 2013

(2009/401/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Decision No 1622/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2007 to 2019 (1),

Having regard to the selection panel reports of September and October 2008 regarding the selection process of the European Capitals of Culture in France and Slovakia respectively and the opinion issued by the European Parliament,

Considering that the criteria referred to in Article 4 of Decision No 1622/2006/EC are entirely fulfilled,

Having regard to the recommendation from the Commission of 20 April 2009,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

Marseille (France) and Košice (Slovakia) are designated as ‘European Capital of Culture 2013’.

Done at Brussels, 12 May 2009. For the Council The President M. KOPICOVÁ

(1) OJ L 304, 3.11.2006, p. 1.
EN Official Journal of the European Union L 149/73

COMMISSION DECISION

of 8 June 2009

on the intention of the United Kingdom to accept Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations

(notified under document number C(2009) 4427)

(2009/451/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, in particular to Article 11a thereof,

Having regard to the letter from the United Kingdom to the Council and the Commission of 15 January 2009,

Whereas:

(1) On 18 December 2008, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (1).

(2) Pursuant to Article 1 of the Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Community, the United Kingdom did not participate in the adoption of Regulation (EC) No 4/2009.

(3) In accordance with Article 4 of that Protocol, the United Kingdom notified the Council and the Commission by letter of 15 January 2009, received by the Commission on 17 January 2009, of its intention to accept Regulation (EC) No 4/2009.

(4) On 21 April 2009 the Commission gave a positive opinion to the Council on the United Kingdom’s intention to accept Regulation (EC) No 4/2009,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 shall apply to the United Kingdom in accordance with Article 2.

Article 2

Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 shall enter into force in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2009.

Article 2(2), Article 47(3) and Articles 71, 72 and 73 of the Regulation shall apply from 18 September 2010.

The other provisions of the Regulation shall apply from 18 June 2011, subject to the 2007 Hague Protocol on the law applicable to maintenance obligations being applicable in the Community by that date. Failing that, the Regulation shall apply from the date of application of that Protocol in the Community.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 8 June 2009. For the Commission Jacques BARROT Vice-President

(1) OJ L 7, 10.1.2009, p. 1.
(7)

The assessment of the action taken by the United Kingdom to correct the excessive deficit by 2009/2010 in response to the Council Recommendation under Article 104(7) leads to the following conclusions: (a) subsequent to the Article 104(7) Council Recommendation in July 2008, the UK authorities announced additional deficit-increasing discretionary measures. On 16 July 2008 the government announced the postponement of the inflation-linked increase in fuel excise duty that was scheduled to take place in October 2008, at an estimated cost of 0,05 % of GDP in foregone revenues in 2008/09. Additional deficit-increasing measures, equivalent to 0,1 % of GDP in 2009/10, were introduced in September 2008, including through higher spending on housing; (b) on 24 November 2008, the government presented its 2008 Pre-Budget Report (PBR). Due in major part to the unexpectedly strong negative fallout from the global financial crisis which unfolded from autumn 2007 onwards, the PBR presented a marked downward revision to the medium-term macroeconomic projections. Against this macroeconomic context, the government announced further discretionary fiscal loosening, aimed at supporting the economy, of around 1/2 % of GDP in 2008/09 and 1,0 % of GDP in 2009/10. The measures included a temporary reduction in the standard VAT rate, accounting for around half of the stimulus, and the frontloading of investment spending; (c) overall, the stimulus measures were in line with those envisaged in the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP) that was agreed by the European Council on 11 December 2008; (d) the macroeconomic and fiscal projections in the 2008 update of the UK’s convergence programme, submitted to the Commission on 18 December 2008, were identical to those in the 2008 PBR and projected a further increase in the deficit ratio in 2009/10 to 8,2 % of GDP. The greater part of the projected deterioration in public finances in 2009/10 over the preceding year reflects two, partly-interconnected factors: first, the overall contraction in GDP; and secondly, the sharp losses in tax revenue from two hitherto major sources, the financial sector and the housing market. Nevertheless, around one-third of the forecast increase in the deficit in 2009/10 reflects the adopted fiscal stimulus measures; (e) the 2008 convergence programme update also projects a government debt ratio in 2009/10 of around 60 % of GDP, sharply higher than the debt ratio of close to 46 % that was forecast by the UK authorities in March 2008; (f) the Commission services January 2009 interim forecast projects a deficit in 2009/10 of 9 1/2 % of GDP, 1 1/4 pp. higher than in the convergence programme, primarily on account of the significantly worse macroeconomic economic context foreseen in the Commission services’ January 2009 forecast, with the level of nominal GDP about 5 % lower. Meanwhile, the public finances data that were published subsequent to the Commission services’ January 2009 interim forecast indicate that the out-turn for public finances in 2008/09 is likely to be worse than expected.
EN Official Journal of the European Union L 299/17

POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE DECISION BiH/15/2009

of 11 November 2009

on the appointment of an EU Force Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

(2009/836/CFSP)

THE POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular the third subparagraph of Article 25 thereof,

Having regard to Council Joint Action 2004/570/CFSP of 12 July 2004 on the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1), and in particular Article 6 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to Article 6 of Joint Action 2004/570/CFSP, the Council authorised the Political and Security Committee (PSC) to take further decisions on the appointment of the EU Force Commander.

(2) On 21 November 2008, the PSC adopted Decision BiH/14/2008 (2) appointing Major General Stefano CASTAGNOTTO as EU Force Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

(3) The EU Operation Commander has recommended the appointment of Major General Bernhard BAIR as the new EU Force Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

(4) The EU Military Committee has supported the recommendation.

(5) In accordance with Article 6 of the Protocol on the position of Denmark annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Denmark does not participate in the elaboration and implementation of decisions and actions of the European Union which have defence implications.

(6) The Copenhagen European Council adopted on 12 and 13 December 2002 a Declaration stating that the ‘Berlin plus’ arrangements and the implementation thereof will apply only to those EU Member States which are also either NATO members or parties to the ‘Partnership for Peace’, and which have consequently concluded bilateral security agreements with NATO,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Major General Bernhard BAIR is hereby appointed EU Force Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Article 2

This Decision shall take effect on 4 December 2009.

Done at Brussels, 11 November 2009. For the Political and Security Committee The Chairman O. SKOOG

(1) OJ L 252, 28.7.2004, p. 10.

(2) OJ L 319, 29.11.2008, p. 80.