The position to be adopted by the European Union, within the Stabilisation and Association Council established by Article 115 of the SAA in relation to a Decision of this Stabilisation and Association Council adopting its rules of procedure, shall be based on the draft Decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council, annexed to this Decision.

(5)Article 120 of the said Agreement provides that the Stabilisation and Association Council may decide to set up other special committees or bodies that can assist it in carrying out its duties. It further provides that the Stabilisation and Association Council shall, in its rules of procedure, determine the composition and the duties of such committees and bodies and how they shall function,

(4)Article 118 of the SAA also provides that the Stabilisation and Association Council shall, in its rules of procedure, determine the duties of the Stabilisation and Association Committee and that the Stabilisation and Association Council may delegate any of its powers to the Stabilisation and Association Committee.

(3)Article 118 of the SAA provides that the Stabilisation and Association Council shall be assisted by a Stabilisation and Association Committee.

(2)Article 116 of the SAA provides that the Stabilisation and Association Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure.

(1)Article 115 of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, of the other part (hereinafter referred to as "the SAA"), establishes a Stabilisation and Association Council.

Having regard to the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 217 in conjunction with Article 218, paragraph 9 thereof,

establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Stabilisation and Association Council established by the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, of the other part, concerning a Decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council adopting its rules of procedure

For the information of the Council, the draft rules of procedure of the relevant sub-Committees and special groups are provided in a separate document.

The Council is therefore invited to adopt the attached proposal for a Decision on the European Union's position concerning a Decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council on its rules of procedure.

In accordance with Article 218 (9) of the TFEU, the position to be taken by the Union in the Stabilisation and Association Council concerning a Decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council adopting its rules of procedure shall be established by a decision of the Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission.

As provided in Article 116 of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, the Stabilisation and Association Council shall establish its rules of procedure. In conformity with Article 118 of the Agreement, these rules of procedure determine the duties of the Stabilisation and Association Committee, which shall assist the Stabilisation and Association Council in the performance of its duties.

The Stabilisation and Association Council established by Article 115 of the said Agreement supervises the implementation of the Agreement and examines any major issues arising within its framework and any other bilateral or international issues of mutual interest.

The Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, of the other part, has entered into force on 1 June 2015.

establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Stabilisation and Association Council established by the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, of the other part, concerning a Decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council adopting its rules of procedure

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 29.7.2015 COM(2015) 368 final ANNEX to the



PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION



establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Stabilisation and Association Council established by the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, of the other part, concerning a Decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council adopting its rules of procedure



Decision No 1 of the EU – Bosnia and Herzegovina Stabilisation and Association Council of [date] adopting its rules of procedure THE Stabilisation and Association COUNCIL, Having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, of the other part, and in particular Articles 115, 116, 118 and 120 thereof, Whereas that Agreement entered into force on 1 June 2015, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 Chairmanship The Parties shall hold the chairmanship of the Stabilisation and Association Council alternately for a period of 12 months. The first period shall begin on the date of the first Stabilisation and Association Council meeting and end on 31 December 2015. Article 2 Meetings The Stabilisation and Association Council shall meet at ministerial level once a year. Special sessions of the Stabilisation and Association Council may be held at the request of either Party, if the Parties so agree. Unless otherwise agreed by the Parties, each session of the Stabilisation and Association Council shall be held at the usual venue for meetings of the Council of the European Union at a date agreed by both Parties. Meetings of the Stabilisation and Association Council shall be jointly convened by the Secretaries of the Stabilisation and Association Council in agreement with the Chairman. Article 3 Representation The members of the Stabilisation and Association Council may be represented if unable to attend. If a member wishes to be so represented, he must notify the Chairman of the name of his representative before the meeting at which he is to be so represented. The representative of a member of the Stabilisation and Association Council shall exercise all the rights of that member. Article 4 Delegations The members of the Stabilisation and Association Council may be accompanied by officials. Before each meeting, the Chairman shall be informed of the intended composition of the delegation of each Party. A representative of the European Investment Bank shall attend the meetings of the Stabilisation and Association Council, as an observer, when matters which concern the Bank appear on the agenda. The Stabilisation and Association Council may invite non-members to attend its meetings in order to provide information on particular subjects. Article 5 Secretariat

An official of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union and an official of the Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union shall act jointly as Secretaries of the Stabilisation and Association Council. Article 6 Correspondence Correspondence addressed to the Stabilisation and Association Council shall be sent to the Chairman of the Stabilisation and Association Council at the address of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. The two Secretaries shall ensure that correspondence is forwarded to the Chairman of the Stabilisation and Association Council and, where appropriate, circulated to other members of the Stabilisation and Association Council. Correspondence circulated shall be sent to the Secretariat-General of the Commission, the Permanent Representations of the Member States and the Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union. Communications from the Chairman of the Stabilisation and Association Council shall be sent to the addressees by the two Secretaries and circulated, where appropriate, to the other members of the Stabilisation and Association Council at the addresses indicated in the second paragraph. Article 7 Publicity Unless otherwise decided, the meetings of the Stabilisation and Association Council shall not be public. Article 8 Agendas for meetings 1.The Chairman shall draw up a provisional agenda for each meeting. It shall be forwarded by the Secretaries of the Stabilisation and Association Council to the addressees referred to in Article 6 not later than 15 days before the beginning of the meeting. The provisional agenda shall include the items in respect of which the Chairman has received a request for inclusion on the agenda not later than 21 days before the beginning of the meeting, although items shall not be written into the provisional agenda unless the supporting documentation has been forwarded to the Secretaries not later than the date of despatch of the agenda. The agenda shall be adopted by the Stabilisation and Association Council at the beginning of each meeting. An item other than those appearing on the provisional agenda may be placed on the agenda if the two Parties so agree. 2.The Chairman may, in agreement with the two Parties, shorten the time limits specified in paragraph 1 in order to take account of the requirements of a particular case. Article 9 Minutes Draft minutes of each meeting shall be drawn up by the two Secretaries. The minutes shall, as a general rule, indicate in respect of each item on the agenda: –the documentation submitted to the Stabilisation and Association Council, –statements requested for entry by a member of the Stabilisation and Association Council, –the decisions taken and recommendations made, the statements agreed upon and the conclusions adopted. The draft minutes shall be submitted to the Stabilisation and Association Council for approval. When approved, the minutes shall be signed by the Chairman and the two Secretaries. The minutes shall be filed in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, which will act as depository of the documents of the Association. A certified copy shall be forwarded to each of the addressees referred to in Article 6.

Article 10 Decisions and recommendations 1.The Stabilisation and Association Council shall take its decisions and make recommendations by common agreement of the Parties. The Stabilisation and Association Council may take decisions or make recommendations by written procedure if both Parties so agree. 2.The decisions and recommendations of the Stabilisation and Association Council, within the meaning of Article 117 of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, shall be entitled respectively "Decision" and "Recommendation" followed by a serial number, by the date of their adoption and by a description of their subject matter. The decisions and recommendations of the Stabilisation and Association Council shall be signed by the Chairman and authenticated by the two Secretaries. Decisions and recommendations shall be forwarded to each of the addressees referred to in Article 6 above. Each Party may decide on the publication of decisions and recommendations of the Stabilisation and Association Council in its respective official publication. Article 11 Languages The official languages of the Stabilisation and Association Council shall be the official languages of the two Parties. Unless otherwise decided, the Stabilisation and Association Council shall base its deliberations on documentation drawn up in these languages. Article 12 Expenses The European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina shall each defray the expenses they incur by reason of their participation in the meetings of the Stabilisation and Association Council, both 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 as well as other expenditure relating to the organisation of meetings shall be borne by the Party hosting the meetings. Article 13 Stabilisation and Association Committee 1.A Stabilisation and Association Committee is hereby established in order to assist the Stabilisation and Association Council in carrying out its duties. It shall be composed of representatives of the Council of the European Union and of representatives of the European Commission, on the one hand, and of representatives of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the other, normally at senior civil servant level. 2.The Stabilisation and Association Committee shall prepare the meetings and the deliberations of the Stabilisation and Association Council, implement the decisions of the Stabilisation and Association Council where appropriate and, in general, ensure continuity of the association relationship and the proper functioning of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. It shall consider any matter referred to it by the Stabilisation and Association Council as well as any other matter which may arise in the course of the day-to-day implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. It shall submit proposals or any draft decisions/recommendations for adoption to the Stabilisation and Association Council. 3.In cases where the Stabilisation and Association Agreement refers to an obligation to consult or a possibility of consultation, such consultation may take place within the Stabilisation and Association Committee. The consultation may continue in the Stabilisation and Association Council if the two Parties so agree. 4.The rules of procedure of the Stabilisation and Association Committee are annexed to this Decision. Done at For the Stabilisation and Association Council The Chairman





ANNEX

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Decision No 1 of the EU – Bosnia and Herzegovina Stabilisation and Association Council of [date] Rules of Procedure of the Stabilisation and Association Committee Article 1 Chairmanship The Parties shall hold the chairmanship of the Stabilisation and Association Committee alternately for a period of 12 months. The first period shall begin on the date of the first Stabilisation and Association Council meeting and end on [31 December 2015]. Article 2 Meetings The Stabilisation and Association Committee shall meet when circumstances require, with the agreement of both Parties. Each meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Committee shall be held at a time and place agreed by both Parties. Meetings of the Stabilisation and Association Committee shall be convened by the Chairman. Article 3 Delegations Before each meeting, the Chairman shall be informed of the intended composition of the delegation of each Party. Article 4 Secretariat An official of the European Commission and an official of Bosnia and Herzegovina shall act jointly as Secretaries of the Stabilisation and Association Committee. All communications to and from the Chairman of the Stabilisation and Association Committee provided for in this Decision shall be forwarded to the Secretaries of the Stabilisation and Association Committee and to the Secretaries and the Chairman of the Stabilisation and Association Council. Article 5 Publicity Unless otherwise decided, the meetings of the Stabilisation and Association Committee shall not be public. Article 6 Agendas for meetings