COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2020/1324

of 21 September 2020

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the International Grains Council concerning the accession of the United Kingdom to the Grains Trade Convention, 1995

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) The Grains Trade Convention, 1995 (‘the Convention’) was concluded by the Union by means of Council Decision 96/88/EC (1) and entered into force on 1 July 1995. The Convention was concluded for a period of three years.

(2) Pursuant to Article 33 of the Convention, the International Grains Council is able to extend the Convention for successive periods not exceeding two years on each occasion. Since its conclusion, the Convention has regularly been extended for further periods of two years. The Convention was last extended by decision of the International Grains Council on 10 June 2019 (2) and remains in force until 30 June 2021.

(3) Pursuant to Article 27(2) of the Convention, the Convention is open for accession by the Governments of all States upon such conditions as the International Grains Council considers appropriate.

(4) On 9 April 2020, the United Kingdom formally applied for accession to the Convention as from 1 January 2021.

(5) The United Kingdom is a major producer of cereals, in particular barley and wheat. Should approval of the United Kingdom’s application to accede to the Convention and consequently to participate in the International Grains Council be granted, the United Kingdom will be an importing member in accordance with Article 12 of the Convention. As the Union is an exporting member, the accession of the United Kingdom will not impact the number of votes allocated to the Union for voting purposes under Article 12 of the Convention. The accession of the United Kingdom will, however, reduce, as from the financial year 2021/22, the number of votes allocated to the Union under Article 11 of the Convention, which determines the financial contribution of members.

(6) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the International Grains Council and to approve the accession of the United Kingdom to the Convention provided that the accession does not take effect and the Convention is not provisionally applied in respect of the United Kingdom before the end of the transition period referred to in Article 126 of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (3),

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the International Grains Council shall be to approve the accession of the United Kingdom to the Grains Trade Convention, 1995, provided that the accession does not take effect and the Convention is not provisionally applied in respect of the United Kingdom before the end of the transition period referred to in Article 126 of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community.

Article 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 21 September 2020. For the Council The President J. KLOECKNER

(1) Council Decision 96/88/EC of 19 December 1995 concerning the approval by the European Community of the Grains Trade Convention and the Food Aid Convention, constituting the International Grains Agreement 1995 (OJ L 21, 27.1.1996, p. 47).

(2) Council Decision (EU) 2019/813 of 17 May 2019 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the International Grains Council with respect to the extension of the Grains Trade Convention, 1995 (OJ L 133, 21.5.2019, p. 19).

(3) OJ L 29, 31.1.2020, p. 7.