COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 22.09.1995 
COM(95) 438 final 
PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ON THE COMMUNITY POSITION IN 
RELATION TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE 
TO BE DECIDED ON BY THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL ESTABLISHED BY THE 
EUROPE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND HUNGARY 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
1. The Europe Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and 
their Member States, on the one hand, and the Republic of Hungary, on the other hand, 
which entered into force on 1 February 1994, provides, in the Article 109 thereof, that the 
Association Council may decide to set up any other special committee or body that can assist 
it in carrying out its duties. 
2. Though the establishment of a consultative mechanism for dialogue between the social and 
economic interest groups of the two Parties is not explicitly provided for in the 
aforementioned Europe Agreement, the Commission proposes that a Joint Consultative 
Committee representing the social and economic interest groups of both parties be set up by 
the Association Council in support of the keen interest expressed, in this respect, by the social 
partners from both sides, represented by the Economic and Social Committee, on the part of 
the Community, and by the National Council for the Reconciliation of Interests, on the part 
of Hungary. The Commission recalls that the possibility to set up such a mechanism is 
provided for in certain Europe Agreements with other Central and Eastern European countries 
which were signed later than the Agreement with Hungary. 
3. The proposed Joint Consultative Committee is intended to constitute a forum for dialogue 
between the social partners of both sides which would be equally beneficial to the Hungarian 
social partners, who will familiarize themselves with the process of consultation taking place 
within the Economic and Social Committee and with the dialogue between the social partners 
in the European Union in general, and to the social partners of the European Union who will 
familiarize themselves with the social dimension of the reforms of the economic and social 
structures taking place in Hungary. The Association Council may also consult the proposed 
Joint Consultative Committee before taking decisions in areas of obvious social interest. 
Consultation of the committee remains, however, at the discretion of the Association Council. 
4. The establishment of the proposed Joint Consultative Committee does not have any financial 
impact on the Community budget, the Hungarian participants being responsible for their own 
expenses and the expenses on the Community side being covered by the budget of the 
Economic and Social Committee. 
5. The text of the proposal for a Council decision on the position to be taken by the Community 
in the Association Council, as provided for by Article 2(1) of the Council and Commission 
decision of 13.12.1993 on the conclusion of the aforementioned Europe Agreement, is 
attached hereto. The Council is asked to adopt this text. 
x 
PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ON THE COMMUNITY POSITION IN 
RELATION TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE 
TO BE DECIDED ON BY THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL ESTABLISHED BY THE 
EUROPE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND HUNGARY 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing a European Community, the Treaty establishing a 
European Coal and Steel Community and the Treaty establishing a European 
Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), 
Article 2(1) of the Council and Commission Decision of 13.12.1993 on 
conclusion of the Europe Agreement establishing an Association between the 
European Communities and their Member States, on the one hand, and the 
Republic of Hungary, on the other hand, 
Having regard to the Commission proposal, 
Whereas Article 109 of the said Europe Agreement provides that the Association Council may 
decide to set up any special committee or body that can assist it in carrying out its 
duties, 
Whereas dialogue and co-operation between economic and social interest groups in the 
European Union and Hungary can make a major contribution to the full 
implementation of the Europe Agreement, ' 
Whereas it seems appropriate that such co-operation should be between the members of the 
Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities and Hungary's 
National Council for the Reconciliation of Interests, 
HEREBY DECIDES AS FOLLOWS: 
The position to be adopted by the Community within the Association Council established by Article 
104 of the Europe Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and 
their Member States, on the one hand, and the Republic of Hungary, on the other hand, in relation 
to the establishment of a Joint Consultative Committee shall be based on the draft decision of the said 
Association Council which is annexed to the present decision. 
Done at Brussels, 
EU-Hungary Europe Agreement 
Association Council 
DRAFT 
DECISION N° .../ 
of the Association Council 
on the setting-up of a 
Joint Consultative Committee 
The Association Council 
having regard to the Europe Agreement of 16 December 1991, and in particular Article 109 
thereof, 
whereas dialogue and cooperation between economic and social interest groups in the 
European Union and Hungary can make a major contribution to the development of 
EU/Hungary relations, 
whereas it seems appropriate that such cooperation should be between the members of the 
Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities and Hungary's 
National Council for the Reconciliation of Interests, 
has adopted the following decision: 
Article 1 
A Joint Consultative Committee is hereby established with the task of promoting dialogue and 
cooperation between the economic and social interest groups in the European Union and Hungary. 
Such dialogue and cooperation shall encompass all economic and social aspects of relations between 
the European Union and Hungary, as they arise in the context of implementation of the Europe 
Agreement. The Joint Consultative Committee shall express its views on questions arising in these 
areas. 
Article 2 
The Joint Consultative Committee shall comprise six representatives of the Economic and Social 
Committee of the European Communities and six representatives of economic and social interest 
groups within Hungary's National Council for the Reconciliation of Interests. 
The Joint Consultative Committee shall carry out its activities on the basis of consultation by the 
Association Council or on its own initiative. 
Members shall be chosen to ensure that the Joint Consultative Committee is as faithful a reflection 
as possible of the various economic and social interest groups in both the European Union and 
Hungary. 
The Joint Consultative Committee shall be co-chaired by a member of the Economic and Social 
Committee of the European Communities and a Hungarian member. 
The Joint Consultative Committee shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure. 
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Article 3 
The Economie and Social Committee of the European Communities, on the one hand, and the 
economic and social interest groups within Hungary's National Council for the Reconciliation of 
Interests, on the other hand, shall each defray the expenses they incur by reason of their participation 
in the meetings of the Committee and of its working groups with regard to staff, travel and 
subsistence expenditure and to postal and telecommunications expenditure. 
Expenditure in connection with interpreting at meetings, translation and reproduction of documents 
shall be borne by the Economic and Social Committee, with the exception of expenditure in 
connection with interpreting or translation into or from Hungarian, which shall be borne by the 
economic and social interest groups within Hungary's National Council for the Reconciliation of 
Interests. 
Other expenditure relating to the material organisation of meetings shall be borne by the Party which 
hosts the meetings. 
Done at Brussels, 
The secretaries The Chairman 
for the European Union 
foe the Republic of Hungary 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(95) 438 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 11 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-95-479-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-93713-0 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
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