COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2022/2488

of 14 November 2022

establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the International Sugar Council concerning the accession of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the International Sugar Agreement, 1992

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The International Sugar Agreement, 1992 (‘the Agreement’) was concluded by the Union by means of Council Decision 92/580/EEC (1) and entered into force on 1 January 1993.

(2) Pursuant to Article 45(2) of the Agreement, the International Sugar Council is able to extend the Agreement for successive periods, not exceeding two years on each occasion. Since its conclusion, the Agreement has regularly been extended for further periods of two years. The Agreement was last extended on 30 November 2021 and remains in force until 31 December 2023.

(3) Article 41 of the Agreement states that the Agreement is open for accession by Governments of all States in accordance with the conditions established by the International Sugar Council.

(4) The accession of a new member to the Agreement after the entry into force of the Agreement requires the allocation of votes of the new member within the International Sugar Council, as well as the adjustment of the votes of the existing members, in accordance with Article 25 of the Agreement.

(5) On 16 February 2021, the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia formally applied for accession to the Agreement. The International Sugar Council is set to establish, during a future session thereof, or within the framework of a procedure for adoption of decisions by the International Sugar Council by exchange of correspondence, the conditions for the accession of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Agreement.

(6) The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important actor in the sugar sector at world level, and an important trade partner of the Union in the area of agricultural and food products, including sugar. Approving the accession of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Agreement in accordance in Article 25 of the Agreement is in the interest of the Union.

(7) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the International Sugar Council, concerning the accession of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the International Sugar Agreement, 1992,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the International Sugar Council during a future session thereof, or within the framework of a procedure for adoption of decisions by the International Sugar Council by exchange of correspondence, shall be to approve the accession of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the International Sugar Agreement, 1992, and to ensure that the number of votes to be allocated to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are calculated in accordance with Article 25(4) of the Agreement.

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

Done at Brussels, 14 November 2022. For the Council The President J. BORRELL FONTELLES

(1) Council Decision 92/580/EEC of 13 November 1992 on the signing and conclusion of the International Sugar Agreement, 1992 (OJ L 379, 23.12.1992, p. 15).