COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2020/520

of 18 November 2019

on the signing, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of the Protocol to the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States and Ukraine to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia and Romania to the European Union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 172, in conjunction with Article 218(5) thereof,

Having regard to the Act of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania, and the Act of Accession of Croatia, and in particular Article 6(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States and Ukraine (1) (‘the Agreement’) was signed on 1 December 2005 and entered into force on 1 December 2013.

(2) Bulgaria and Romania became Member States of the Union on 1 January 2007 and Croatia became a Member State of the Union on 1 July 2013.

(3) In accordance with Article 6(2) of the Act of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania and Article 6 (2) of the Act of Accession of Croatia accession to the Agreement is to be agreed by means of a protocol to the Agreement. Those provisions provide for a simplified procedure whereby a protocol is to be concluded by the Council, acting unanimously on behalf of the Member States, and by Ukraine.

(4) On 23 October 2006 and on 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the third countries concerned in order to conclude protocols to international agreements concluded by the Union and its Member States.

(5) The Commission successfully concluded the negotiations with Ukraine on the Protocol to the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States and Ukraine to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia and Romania to the European Union (‘the Protocol’), by exchange of notes verbales.

(6) The Protocol should be signed on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, subject to its conclusion at a later date,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The signing on behalf of the Union and its Member States of the Protocol to the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States and Ukraine to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia and Romania to the European Union is hereby authorised, subject to the conclusion of the Protocol (2).

Article 2 The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Protocol on behalf of the Union and its Member States.

Article 3 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 18 November 2019. For the Council The President J. LEPPÄ

(1) OJ L 125, 26.4.2014, p. 3.

(2) The text of the Protocol will be published together with the decision on its conclusion.