on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of the Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Turkmenistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, Romania, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The attached proposal constitutes the legal instrument for the conclusion of a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Turkmenistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, Romania, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union (hereinafter referred to as 'the Protocol').

According to their Acts of Accession in 2003, 2005 and 2011 respectively, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania, the Republic of Croatia shall accede to the international agreements signed or concluded by the European Union and its Member States by means of a protocol to those agreements.

The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and its Member States, of the one part, and Turkmenistan, of the other part, hereinafter referred to as 'the Agreement', was signed in Brussels on 25 May 1998 (the Agreement is currently undergoing ratification and has not yet entered into force).

Following the Council Decision of [….] on the signing, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of the Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States and Turkmenistan to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union, the Protocol was signed in […] on [….].

The proposed Protocol incorporates the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, Romania, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic as contracting party to the Agreement and commits the EU to providing the authentic version of the Agreement in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish languages.

The Commission requests the Council to conclude, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, the Protocol.

The European Parliament will be called upon to give its consent to the Protocol.

2016/0041 (NLE)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of the Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Turkmenistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, Romania, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 207 and 209 in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a) thereof,

Having regard to the 2003 Act of 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, and in particular Article 6 (2) thereof,

Having regard to the 2005 Acts of Accession of the the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania, and in particular Article 6 (2) thereof,

Having regard to the 2011 Act of Accession of the Republic of Croatia, and in particular Article 6 (2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament;