COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2020/1757

of 19 November 2020

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the International Sugar Council concerning the accession of the United Kingdom 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 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 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. The Agreement was initially concluded for a period of three years.

(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 10 July 2019 and remains in force until 31 December 2021.

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

(4) On 2 October 2020 the United Kingdom formally applied for accession to the Agreement as from 1 January 2021.

(5) During the 57th session of the International Sugar Council, which is scheduled to take place on 27 November 2020, the International Sugar Council is set to establish the conditions for the accession of the United Kingdom to the Agreement.

(6) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the International Sugar Council.

(7) The United Kingdom is a major producer of sugar. Approving the accession of the United Kingdom to the Agreement is in the interest of the Union.

(8) The United Kingdom’s accession to the Agreement should only take effect after 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 (2). The Agreement should not be provisionally applied in respect of the United Kingdom before the end of that period,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf during the 57th session of the International Sugar Council on 27 November 2020 shall be to approve the accession of the United Kingdom to the International Sugar Agreement, 1992, provided that the accession does not take effect, and the Agreement 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, 19 November 2020. For the Council The President M. ROTH

(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).

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