approving the conclusion, by the European Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the 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 Republic of Croatia to the European Union

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The attached proposal constitutes the legal instrument for the Recommendation for a Council Decision approving the conclusion of the Protocol, by the European Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, 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 Republic of Croatia’s accession to the European Union. The proposal includes the following:

(i)recommendation for a Council Decision approving the conclusion of the Protocol, by the European Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community.

This proposal is presented jointly with a:

(ii)proposal for a Council Decision on the signature and provisional application of the Protocol on behalf of the European Union and its Member States;

(iii)proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the Protocol on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

According to its Act of Accession, Croatia undertakes to 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 establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agreement’, was signed on 21 June 1996 and entered into force on 1 July 1999.

A Council Decision of 14 September 2012 authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the non-EU countries concerned, in order to conclude the relevant protocols. Negotiations with the Republic of Uzbekistan were successfully concluded by the exchange of notes verbales.

The proposed Protocol incorporates the Republic of Croatia as a contracting party to the Agreement and commits the EU to providing the authentic version of the Agreement in the Croatian language.

The Commission has judged the results of the negotiations to be satisfactory and requests the Council to recommend a Council Decision approving the conclusion, by the European Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the 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 Republic of Croatia’s accession to the European Union.

Recommendation for a

COUNCIL DECISION

approving the conclusion, by the European Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the 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 Republic of Croatia to the European Union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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 recommendation from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)In accordance with Article 6(2) of the Act of Accession of the Republic of Croatia, the accession of the Republic of Croatia 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 (‘the Agreement’) is to be agreed by means of a protocol to the Agreement.