COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2021/463

of 9 March 2021

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Administrative Committee established by the Customs Convention on the international transport of goods under cover of TIR Carnets, as regards the amendments to that Convention

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 Customs Convention on the international transport of goods under cover of TIR carnets of 14 November 1975 (the ‘TIR Convention’) was approved on behalf of the European Economic Community by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2112/78 (1) and entered into force, as regards the Community, on 20 June 1983.

(2) A consolidated version of the TIR Convention was published as an Annex to Council Decision 2009/477/EC (2). That Decision provides that the Commission is to publish future amendments to the TIR Convention in the Official Journal of the European Union indicating their date of entry into force.

(3) Pursuant to the TIR Convention, the Administrative Committee established by the TIR Convention (the ‘Administrative Committee’) may adopt amendments to the TIR Convention and the Annexes thereto by a two-thirds majority of its members present and voting.

(4) The Administrative Committee, during its 74th session on 9-12 February 2021 or a subsequent session, is to adopt several amendments of the Annexes to the TIR Convention.

(5) In order to take into account the previously adopted amendment of Article 18 of the TIR Convention, which has increased the total number of customs offices which may be involved in a TIR operation, it is necessary to amend Annex 1 to the TIR Convention and update the layout of Version 1 and Version 2 of model of the TIR Carnet.

(6) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Administrative Committee, with regard to the amendments to the TIR Convention, as those amendments will be binding on the Union.

(7) The position of the Union within the Administrative Committee should therefore be based on the draft amendments attached to this Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the Administrative Committee established by the Customs Convention on the international transport of goods under cover of TIR carnets, during its 74th session on 9-12 February 2021 or a subsequent session, as regards the amendments to that Convention, shall be based on the draft amendments attached to this Decision. Minor technical changes to the draft amendments may be agreed to by the representatives of the Union in the Administrative Committee, without further decision of the Council.

Article 2 The position referred to in Article 1 shall be expressed by the Commission. Member States shall express the Union position when a formal vote is taken in the Administrative Committee, acting jointly in the interest of the Union.

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

Done at Brussels, 9 March 2021. For the Council The President A. P. ZACARIAS

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 2112/78 of 25 July 1978 concerning the conclusion of the Customs Convention on the international transport of goods under cover of TIR carnets (TIR Convention) of 14 November 1975 at Geneva (OJ L 252, 14.9.1978, p. 1).

(2) Council Decision 2009/477/EC of 28 May 2009 publishing in consolidated form the text of the Customs Convention on the international transport of goods under cover of TIR carnets (TIR Convention) of 14 November 1975 as amended since that date (OJ L 165, 26.6.2009, p. 1).