COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2022/2101

of 13 October 2022

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Council of Members of the International Olive Council as regards the conditions for the accession of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular 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 Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 (‘the Agreement’) was signed on behalf of the Union in accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2016/1892 (1) on 18 November 2016, subject to its conclusion at a later date. The Agreement entered into force provisionally on 1 January 2017 in accordance with Article 31(2) thereof.

(2) The Agreement was concluded on 17 May 2019 by Council Decision (EU) 2019/848 (2).

(3) Pursuant to Article 29 of the Agreement, the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (‘the Council of Members’) is to establish the conditions for the accession of a Government to the Agreement.

(4) The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has formally applied to accede to the Agreement. The Council of Members should therefore be invited, during a future session thereof, or within the framework of a procedure for adoption of decisions by the Council of Members by exchange of correspondence, to establish the conditions for the accession of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in respect of the participation shares in the International Olive Council and the time limit for the deposit of the instrument of accession.

(5) Given that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is developing its olive sector as regards consumption and intends to develop its production, its accession under certain conditions could reinforce the International Olive Council, in particular as regards the achievement of uniformity in national and international law relating to the characteristics of olive products, in order to prevent any obstacle to trade.

(6) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Council of Members, as the decisions to be adopted will have legal effects on the Union by impacting the decisional balance within the Council of Members when decisions are not adopted by consensus in accordance with Article 10(4) of the Agreement,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the Council of Members of the International Olive Council during a future session thereof, or within the framework of a procedure for adoption of decisions by the Council of Members by exchange of correspondence, as regards the conditions for the accession of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Agreement, is set out in the Annex.

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

Done at Luxembourg, 13 October 2022. For the Council The President P. BLAŽEK

(1) Council Decision (EU) 2016/1892 of 10 October 2016 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 (OJ L 293, 28.10.2016, p. 2).

(2) Council Decision (EU) 2019/848 of 17 May 2019 on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 (OJ L 139, 27.5.2019, p. 1).