COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 07.04.1998 
COM(1998) 218 final 
PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION 
ON THE POSITION TO BE TAKEN BY THE COMMUNITY 
WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL 
ESTABLISHED BY THE EUROPE AGREEMENT 
BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES, 
OF THE ONE PART, AND THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA, 
OF THE OTHER PART, WITH REGARD TO 
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE 
BY THE EU-BULGARIA ASSOCIATION COUNCIL 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
1. The Europe Agreement establishing an Association between the European 
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Bulgaria, 
of the other part, which entered into force on I February 1995, provides, in the article 
110 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. The Joint Declaration N° 17 of the Europe Agreement referring to Article 110 agreed 
"that the Association Council will examine the creation of a consultative mechanism 
composed of members of the Economic and Social Committee of the Community and 
the corresponding partners of Bulgaria." This has been confirmed at the last meeting of 
the EU/Bulgaria Association Committee on 27/28 October 1997. 
3. The Commission proposes therefore 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 Bulgarian economic and social partners on the part of 
Bulgaria. 
4. 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 Bulgarian 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 
Bulgaria. 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. 
5. The establishment of the proposed Joint Consultative Committee does not have any 
financial impact on the Community budget, the Bulgarian 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. 
6. 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 the Commission decision of 19.12.1994 on the conclusion of the aforementioned 
Europe Agreement, is attached hereto. The Council is asked to adopt this text. 
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PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION 
ON THE POSITION TO BE TAKEN BY THE COMMUNITY 
WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL 
ESTABLISHED BY THE EUROPE AGREEMENT 
BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES, 
OF THE ONE PART, AND THE REPUBLIC OF BULÇARIA, 
OF THE OTHER PART, WITH REGARD TO 
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE 
BY THE EU-BULGARIA ASSOCIATION COUNCIL 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
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), 
Having regard to Article 2(1) of the Council and Commission Decision of 19.12.1994 on the 
conclusion of the Europe Agreement establishing an Association between the European 
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Bulgaria, of the 
other part, 
Having regard to the Commission proposal, 
Whereas Article 110 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 Bulgaria can make a major contribution to the full implementation of 
the Europe Agreement, t 
Whereas it seems appropriate that such co-operation should be between the members of the 
Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities and Bulgaria's economic and 
social partners, 
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 
The position to be adopted by the Community within the Association Council established by 
the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the 
one part, and the Republic of Bulgaria, of the other part, in relation to the establishment of a 
Joint Consultative Committee shall be based on the draft decision of the «aid Association 
Council which is annexed to the present decision. 
Done at Brussels, 
For the Council 
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DRAFT 
DECISION No 798 
of the Association Council 
Association between the European Communities and 
their Member States, of the one part, 
and the Republic of Bulgaria, of the other part, 
of 1998 
on the setting-up of a 
Joint Consultative Committee 
The Association Council 
having regard to the Europe Agreement establishing an association between the European 
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Bulgaria, of the 
other part, and in particular Article 110 thereof, 
whereas dialogue and cooperation between economic and social interst groups in the 
European Union and Bulgaria can make a major contribution to the development of 
EU/Bulgaria's relations, 
whereas it seems appropriate that such cooperation should be between the members of the 
Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities and Bulgaria's economic and 
social partners, 
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 
Bulgaria. Such dialogue and cooperation shall encompass all economic and social aspects of 
relations between the European Union and Bulgaria, as they arise in the context of the 
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 ad six representatives of Bulgaria's 
economic and social interest groups. 
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 Bulgaria. 
The Joint. Consultative Committee shall be co-chaired by a member of the Economic and 
Social Committee of the European Communities and a Bulgarian member. 
The Joint Consultative Committee shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure. 
Article 3 
The Economie and Social Committee of the European Communities, on the one hand, and 
the Bulgarian economic and social interest groups, on the other hand» shall each defray the 
expenses they incur by reason of their participation in the meetings for 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 born by the Economic and Social Committee, with the exception of 
Bulgarian expenditure in connection with interpreting or translation into or from Bulgarian, 
which shall be born by the Bulgarian economic and social interest groups. 
Other expenditure relating to the material organization of meetings shall be born by the Party 
which hosts the meetings. 
Done at Brussels, 
For the Association Council 
The President 
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ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(98) 218 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 11 06 02 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-234-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-33119-8 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg