Proposal for a COUNCIL AND COMMISSION DECISION on the conclusion of the Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

L'accord de partenariat et de coopération (APC) entre les Communautés européennes et leurs États membres, d'une part, et la République d'Ouzbékistan, d'autre part, est un accord "mixte" qui est entré en vigueur le 1er juillet 1999, c'est-à-dire avant l'élargissement de l'Union à la République tchèque, à la République d'Estonie, à la République de Chypre, à la République de Lettonie, à la République de Lituanie, à la République de Hongrie, à la République de Malte, à la République de Pologne, à la République de Slovénie et à la République slovaque. Il est en conséquence nécessaire d'adjoindre à l'APC un protocole permettant l'adhésion des dix nouveaux États membres à l'accord conformément à l'article 6, paragraphe 2, de l'acte d'adhésion annexé au traité d'adhésion du 16 avril 2003. Le protocole couvre également certains ajustements techniques liés aux développements institutionnels et juridiques au sein de l'Union européenne.

Le 8 décembre 2003, le Conseil a autorisé la Commission à ouvrir des négociations, au nom de la Communauté et de ses États membres, avec l'Arménie, l'Azerbaïdjan, le Belarus, la Georgie, le Kazakhstan, le Kirghizstan, la Moldova, la Fédération de Russie, le Turkménistan, l'Ukraine et l'Ouzbékistan afin de conclure des protocoles aux accords de partenariat et de coopération.

Les négociations avec la République d'Ouzbékistan sont à présent achevées. Le texte du protocole négocié figure ci-joint.

Les propositions jointes concernent (1) une décision du Conseil relative à la signature et à l'application provisoire du protocole et (2) une décision du Conseil et de la Commission relative à la conclusion du protocole.

La Commission propose au Conseil :

-d'adopter une décision concernant la signature et l'application provisoire du protocole au nom de la Communauté européenne et de ses États membres;

-de conclure le protocole au nom de la Communauté européenne et de ses États membres et d'approuver sa conclusion par la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique.

2004/0092 (CNS)

Proposal for a COUNCIL AND COMMISSION DECISION on the conclusion of the Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 44(2), the last sentence of Article 47(2), and Articles 55, 57(2), 71, 80(2), 93, 94, 133 and 181a, in conjunction with the second sentence of Article 300(2) and the first subparagraph of Article 300(3), thereof,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular the second paragraph of Article 101 thereof,

Having regard to the Treaty of Accession of 16 April 2003, and in particular Article 2(3) thereof,

Having regard to the Act of Accession annexed to the Treaty of Accession, and in particular Article 6 (2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, [1]

[1] OJ Reference to be added

Having regard to the Council's approval pursuant to Article 101 of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community,

Whereas:

(1) The Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union, and providing for certain technical adjustments linked to the institutional and legal developments within the European Union, was signed on behalf of the European Community and the Member States on [DATE TO BE ADDED] in accordance with Council Decision No.....

(2) Pending its entry into force, the Protocol has been applied on a provisional basis as from the date of accession.

(3) The Protocol should be concluded,

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union is hereby approved on behalf of the European Community, the European Atomic Energy Community and the Member States.

The text of the enlargement Protocol is annexed to this Decision.

Article 2

The President of the Council shall, on behalf of the European Community and its Member States, give the notification provided for in Article 4 of the Protocol. The President of the Commission shall simultaneously give such notification on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community.

Done at Brussels,

For the Commission For the Council

The President The President

ANNEX

DRAFT

PROTOCOL TO THE PARTNERSHIP AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT

establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia, and the Slovak Republic to the European Union

THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM,

THE CZECH REPUBLIC,

THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK,

THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,

REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA,

THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC,

THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN,

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,

IRELAND,

THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,

REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS,

REPUBLIC OF LATVIA,

REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA,

THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG,

REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY,

REPUBLIC OF MALTA,

THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS,

THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA,

REPUBLIC OF POLAND,

THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC,

REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA,

THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC,

THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND,

THE KINGDOM OF SWEDEN,

THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

hereinafter referred to as the 'Member States', represented by the Council of the European Union, and

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY,

hereinafter referred to as 'the Communities' represented, by the Council of the European Union and the European Commission,

of the one part,

and the Republic of Uzbekistan

of the other part,

HAVING REGARD TO the accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia to the European Union on 1 May 2004,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia shall be Parties to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, signed in Florence on 21 June 1996 (hereinafter the 'Agreement') and shall respectively adopt and take note, in the same manner as the other Member States of the Community, of the texts of the Agreement and of the documents attached to it.

Article 2

To take account of recent institutional developments within the European Union, the Parties agree that, following expiry of the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, existing provisions in the Agreement referring to the European Coal and Steel Community shall be deemed to refer to the European Community, which has taken over all rights and obligations contracted by the European Coal and Steel Community.

Article 3

This Protocol shall form an integral part of the Agreement.

Article 4

1. This Protocol shall be approved by the Communities, by the Council of the European Union on behalf of the Member States, and by the Republic of Uzbekistan in accordance with their own procedures.

2. The Parties shall notify each other of the accomplishment of the corresponding procedures referred to in the preceding paragraph. The instruments of approval shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union.

Article 5

1. This Protocol shall enter into force on the same day as the Treaty of Accession of 2003 [2], provided that all the instruments of approval of this Protocol have been deposited before that date.

[2] OJ L 236, 23.9.2003

2. Where not all the instruments of approval of this Protocol have been deposited before that date, this Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the first month following the date of the deposit of the last instrument of approval.

3. Where not all the instruments of approval of this Protocol have been deposited before 1 May 2004, this Protocol shall apply provisionally with effect from 1 May 2004.

Article 6

The texts of the Agreement, the Final Act and all documents annexed to it are drawn up in the Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovene and Slovak languages.

These texts are annexed to this Protocol and are equally authentic with the texts in the other languages in which the Agreement, the Final Act and the documents annexed to it are drawn up.

Article 7

This Protocol is drawn up in duplicate in the Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovene, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish and in Uzbek languages, each of these texts being equally authentic.

Done at.... on.... in the year 2004

FOR THE MEMBER STATES

FOR THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN