EN Official Journal of the European Union L 113/48

COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2015/709

of 21 April 2015

on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the EU-Turkey Association Council as regards the replacement of Protocol 3 to Decision No 1/98 of the EC-Turkey Association Council on the trade regime for agricultural products, concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation, by a new protocol which, as regards the rules of origin, refers to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin

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) Protocol 3 to Decision No 1/98 of the EC-Turkey Association Council on the trade regime for agricultural products (1), concerns the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation (‘Protocol 3’).

(2) The Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin (2) (‘the Convention’) lays down provisions on the origin of goods traded under relevant agreements concluded between the Contracting Parties.

(3) The Union and Turkey signed the Convention on 15 June 2011 and 4 November 2011 respectively.

(4) The Union and Turkey deposited their instruments of acceptance with the depositary of the Convention on 26 March 2012 and 4 December 2013 respectively. Consequently, in application of Article 10(3) of the Convention, the Convention entered into force in relation to the Union and Turkey on 1 May 2012 and on 1 February 2014 respectively.

(5) Article 6 of the Convention provides that each Contracting Party is to take appropriate measures to ensure that the Convention is effectively applied. To that effect, the EU-Turkey Association Council should adopt a decision replacing Protocol 3 by a new protocol which, with regard to the rules of origin, refers to the Convention.

(6) The position of the Union within the EU-Turkey Association Council should therefore be based on the attached draft decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the EU-Turkey Association Council as regards the replacement of Protocol 3 to Decision No 1/98 of the EC-Turkey Association Council on the trade regime for agricultural products, concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation, by a new protocol which, as regards the rules of origin, refers to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin, shall be based on the draft decision of the EU-Turkey Association Council attached to this Decision.

Minor changes to the draft decision of the EU-Turkey Association Council may be agreed to by the representatives of the Union in the EU-Turkey Association Council without further decision of the Council.

Article 2

The decision of the EU-Turkey Association Council shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 3

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

Done at Luxembourg, 21 April 2015. For the Council The President E. RINKĒVIČS

(1) OJ L 86, 20.3.1998, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 54, 26.2.2013, p. 4.