EN Official Journal of the European Union L 129/39

COUNCIL DECISION

of 12 February 2008

on the signing and provisional application of a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, on a framework Agreement between the European Community and the State of Israel on the general principles governing the State of Israel’s participation in Community programmes

(2008/372/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 310 thereof in connection with Article 300(2) first paragraph, first and second sentence,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) On 18 June 2007 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement with the State of Israel on a framework Agreement on the general principles governing the State of Israel’s participation in Community programmes.

(2) These negotiations have been concluded to the satisfaction of the Commission.

(3) The text of the Protocol negotiated with the State of Israel provides, in Article 10, for the provisional application of the Protocol before its entry into force.

(4) Subject to its conclusion at a later date, the Protocol should be signed on behalf of the Community and its Member States and applied provisionally,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign, on behalf of the Community and its Member States, the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States and the State of Israel, on a framework Agreement between the European Community and the State of Israel on the general principles governing the State of Israel’s participation in Community programmes.

Article 2

This Protocol shall apply provisionally as from the date of its signature, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

Done at Brussels, 12 February 2008. For the Council The President A. BAJUK

EN Official Journal of the European Union L 129/40

PROTOCOL

to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, on a framework Agreement between the European Community and the State of Israel on the general principles governing the State of Israel’s participation in Community programmes

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Community’,

of the one part,

and

THE STATE OF ISRAEL, hereinafter referred to as ‘Israel’,

of the other part,

Whereas:

(1) Israel entered into a Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, on 20 November 1995 (1).

(2) The Brussels European Council of 17/18 June 2004 welcomed the Commission’s proposals for a European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and endorsed the related Council conclusions of 14 June 2004.

(3) The Council has, on numerous further occasions, adopted conclusions in favour of this policy.

(4) The Council, on 5 March 2007, expressed support for the general and global approach outlined in the Commission’s Communication of 4 December 2006 to enable ENP partners to participate in Community agencies and Community programmes on their merits and where the legal bases so allow.

(5) Israel has expressed its wish to participate in a number of Community programmes.

(6) The specific terms and conditions, including financial contribution and reporting and evaluation procedures, regarding Israel’s participation in each particular programme should be determined by agreement between the Commission, acting on behalf of the Community, and Israel,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Israel shall be allowed to participate in all current and future Community programmes opened to the participation of Israel in accordance with the provisions adopting these programmes.

Article 2

Israel shall contribute financially to the general budget of the European Union corresponding to the specific programmes in which Israel participates.

Article 3

Israel’s representatives shall be allowed to take part, as observers and for the points which concern Israel, in the management committees responsible for monitoring the programmes to which Israel contributes financially.

Article 4

Projects and initiatives submitted by participants from Israel shall, as far as possible, be subject to the same conditions, rules and procedures pertaining to the programmes concerned as are applied to Member States.

Article 5

The specific terms and conditions regarding Israel’s participation in each programme, in particular the financial contribution payable and reporting and evaluation procedures, will be determined by agreement between the Commission, acting on behalf of the Community, and the competent authorities of Israel (Memorandum of Understanding).

If Israel applies for Community external assistance to participate in a given Community programme on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1638/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006 laying down general provisions establishing a European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (2) or pursuant to any similar Regulation providing for Community external assistance to Israel that may be adopted in the future, the conditions governing the use by Israel of the Community assistance shall be determined in a financing agreement.

Article 6

Each Memorandum of Understanding shall stipulate, in accordance with the Community’s Financial Regulation, that financial control or audits will be carried out by, or under the authority of, the Commission, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the Court of Auditors.

Detailed provision shall be made for financial control and auditing, administrative measures, penalties and recovery enabling the Commission, OLAF and the Court of Auditors to be granted powers equivalent to their powers with regard to beneficiaries or contractors established in the Community.

Article 7

The present Protocol concerning a framework Agreement shall apply for the period for which the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, is in force.

This Protocol shall be signed and approved by the Community and by Israel in accordance with their respective procedures.

Either Contracting Party may denounce this Protocol by written notification to the other Party. This Protocol shall be terminated six months after the date of such notification.

Article 8

No later than three years after the date of entry into force of this Protocol, and every three years thereafter, both Contracting Parties may review the implementation of this Protocol on the basis of Israel’s actual participation in one or more Community programmes.

Article 9

This Protocol shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty establishing the European Community is applied and under the conditions laid down in that Treaty, and, on the other hand, to the territory of Israel.

Article 10

This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the date on which the Parties notify each other through diplomatic channels of the completion of their procedures necessary for its entry into force.

Pending its entry into force, the Parties agree that, notwithstanding the completion of their internal procedures, they shall provisionally apply the provisions of this Protocol from the date of its signature, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

Article 11

This Protocol is drawn up in duplicate in each of the official languages of the Contracting Parties.

Each of the language texts is equally authentic.

Article 12

This Protocol shall form an integral part of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part.

Съставено в Брюксел на петнадесетия ден от месец април две хиляди и осма година. Hecho en Bruselas, el quince de abril de dos mil ocho. V Bruselu dne patnáctého dubna dva tisíce osm. Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den femtende april to tusind og otte. Geschehen zu Brüssel am fünfzehnten April zweitausendacht. Kahe tuhande kaheksanda aasta aprillikuu viieteistkümnendal päeval Brüsselis. Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις δέκα πέντε Απριλίου δύο χιλιάδες οκτώ. Done at Brussels on the fifteenth day of April in the year two thousand and eight, which corresponds to the tenth day of Av in the year five thousand seven hundred and sixty eight in the Hebrew calendar. Fait à Bruxelles, le quinze avril deux mille huit. Fatto a Bruxelles, addì quindici aprile duemilaotto. Briselē, divtūkstoš astotā gada piecpadsmitajā aprīlī. Priimta du tūkstančiai aštuntų metų balandžio penkioliktą dieną Briuselyje. Kelt Brüsszelben, a kétezer-nyolcadik év április havának tizenötödik napján. Magħmul fi Brussell, fil-ħmistax-il jum ta' April tas-sena elfejn u tmienja. Gedaan te Brussel, de vijftiende april tweeduizend acht. Sporządzono w Brukseli, dnia piętnastego kwietnia roku dwa tysiące ósmego. Feito em Bruxelas, em quinze de Abril de dois mil e oito. Adoptat la Bruxelles, cincisprezece aprilie două mii opt. V Bruseli dňa pätnásteho apríla dvetisícosem. V Bruslju, dne petnajstega aprila leta dva tisoč osem. Tehty Brysselissä viidentenätoista päivänä huhtikuuta vuonna kaksituhattakahdeksan. Som skedde i Bryssel den femtonde april tjugohundraåtta. За Европейската общнoст Por la Comunidad Europea Za Evropské společenství For Det Europæiske Fællesskab Für die Europäische Gemeinschaft Euroopa Ühenduse nimel Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα For the European Community Pour la Communauté européenne Per la Comunità europea Eiropas Kopienas vārdā Europos bendrijos vardu Az Európai Közösség részéről Għall-Komunità Ewropea Voor de Europese Gemeenschap W imieniu Wspólnoty Europejskiej Pela Comunidade Europeia Pentru Comunitatea Europeană Za Európske spoločenstvo Za Evropsko skupnost Euroopan yhteisön puolesta För Europeiska gemenskapen За държавата Израел Por el Estado de Israel Za Stát Izrael For Staten Israel Für den Staat Israel Iisraeli Riigi nimel Για το Κράτος του Ισραήλ For the State of Israel Pour l'État d'Israël Per lo Stato di Israele Izraēlas Valsts vārdā Izraelio Valstybės vardu Izrael Állam részéről Għall-Istat ta' l-Iżrael Voor de staat Israël W imieniu państwa Izrael Pelo Estado de Israel Pentru Statul Israel Za Izraelský štát Za Državo Izrael Israelin valtion puolesta För Staten Israel

(1) OJ L 147, 21.6.2000, p. 3.

(2) OJ L 310, 9.11.2006, p. 1.