EN Official Journal of the European Union L 304/91

COUNCIL DECISION

of 9 October 2014

on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the Stabilisation and Association Council established by 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, as regards the replacement of Protocol 4 to that Agreement, concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation, by a new protocol which, as regards the rules of origin, refers to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin

(2014/734/EU)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 207(4) in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) Protocol 4 to 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 (1) (‘the Agreement’) concerns the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation, (‘Protocol 4’).

(2) The Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin (2) (‘the Convention’) lays down provisions on the origin of goods traded under relevant agreements concluded between the contracting parties to the Convention. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and other participants to the Stabilisation and Association Process from the Western Balkans were invited to join the system of pan-European diagonal cumulation of origin in the Thessaloniki agenda, endorsed by the European Council of June 2003. They were invited to join the Convention by a decision of the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference of October 2007.

(3) The Union and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia signed the Convention on 15 June 2011.

(4) The Union and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia deposited their instruments of acceptance with the depositary of the Convention on 26 March 2012 and 14 June 2012 respectively. As a consequence, in application of Article 10(3) of the Convention, the Convention entered into force in relation to the Union and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 1 May 2012 and on 1 August 2012 respectively.

(5) Article 6 of the Convention provides that each contracting party to the Convention is to take appropriate measures to ensure that the Convention is effectively applied. To that effect, the Stabilisation and Association Council established by the Agreement should adopt a decision replacing Protocol 4 by a new protocol which, with regard to the rules of origin, refers to the Convention.

(6) The position of the Union within the Stabilisation and Association Council should therefore be based on the attached draft decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1. The position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the Stabilisation and Association Council established by 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, as regards the replacement of Protocol 4 to that Agreement, concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation, by a new protocol which, as regards the rules of origin, refers to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin, shall be based on the draft decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council attached to this Decision.

2. Minor changes to the draft decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council may be agreed to by the representatives of the Union in the Stabilisation and Association Council without further decision of the Council.

Article 2

The decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 3

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

Done at Luxembourg, 9 October 2014. For the Council The President A. ALFANO

(1) OJ L 84, 20.3.2004, p. 13.

(2) OJ L 54, 26.2.2013, p. 4.