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, on the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of the other part with regard to the establishment of a Joint Consultative Committee by the EU-Estonia Association Council
Date: 2001-08-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Estonia, European Association Agreement, advisory committee (EU), comitology, joint committee on EU matters

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 14.08.2001
COM(2001) 482 final

Proposal for a

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(presented by the Commission)

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The Europe Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and
their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  Republic  of  Estonia,  of  the  other  part,  which
entered  into  force  on  1  February  1998,  provides,  in  the  article  114  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.

The Joint Declaration N(cid:176)  8 of the Europe Agreement referring to Article 114 agreed “that the
Association  Council,  in  accordance  with  Article  114  of  the  Agreement,  will  examine  the
creation  of  a  consultative  mechanism  composed  of  members  of  the  Economic  and  Social
Committee of the European Union and the correspondent partners of Estonia.”

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 Estonian economic and social partners on the part of the Republic of Estonia.

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 Estonian
social partners, who will familiarise 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
familiarise  themselves  with  the  social  dimension  of  the  reforms  of  the  economic  and  social
structures taking place in the Republic of Estonia. 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.

The establishment of the proposed Joint Consultative Committee does not have any financial
impact on the Community budget, the Estonian 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.

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 December 1997 on the conclusion of the aforementioned Europe
Agreement, is attached hereto.

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Proposal for a

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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 in particular to Article 300 (2), second and third subparagraphs, of the Treaty
establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Article 2(1) of the Council and Commission Decision of 19 December 1997
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  Estonia,  of  the
other part,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission1,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Article 114 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.

Dialogue  and  co-operation  between  economic  and  social  interest  groups  in  the
European Union and the Republic of Estonia can make a major contribution to the full
implementation of the Europe Agreement.

It  seems  appropriate  that  such  co-operation  should  be  between  the  members  of  the
Economic  and  Social  Committee  of  the  European  Communities  and  the  Republic  of
Estonia’s economic and social partners,

1

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3

                                                
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 Estonia, of the other part, in relation to the establishment of a
Joint  Consultative  Committee  shall  be  based  on  the  draft  decision  of  the  said  Association
Council which is annexed to the present decision.

Done at Brussels,

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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  Estonia,  of  the
other part, and in particular Article 114 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Dialogue  and  co-operation  between  economic  and  social  interest  groups  in  the
European Community and the Republic of Estonia can make a major contribution to
the development of their relations,

It seems appropriate that such co-operation be organised between the members of the
Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities and the Republic of
Estonia’s  economic  and  social  partners,  by  the  setting  up  of  a  Joint  Consultative
Committee,

This  means  that  the  rules  of  procedure  of  the  Association  Council,  adopted  by
Decision 1/1998, have to be amended accordingly,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

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The following rules shall be added to the Rules of Procedure of the Association Council:

“Article 15

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A  Joint  Consultative  Committee  is  hereby  established  entrusted  with  the  task  of  promoting
dialogue and Co-operation between the economic and social interest groups in the European
Union  and  the  Republic  of  Estonia.  Such  dialogue  and  Co-operation  shall  encompass  all
economic  and  social  aspects  of  relations  between  the  European  Union  and  the  Republic  of
Estonia, 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 16

The  Joint  Consultative  Committee  shall  comprise  four  representatives  of  the  Economic  and
Social Committee of the European Communities and four representatives of the Republic of
Estonia’s economic and social interest groups.

5

The Joint Consultative Committee shall carry out its tasks on the basis of consultation by the
Association  Council  or,  as  regards  the  promotion  of  dialogue  between  economic  and  social
circles, 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
Community and the Republic of Estonia.

The  Joint  Consultative  Committee  shall  be  co-chaired  by  a  member  of  the  Economic  and
Social Committee of the European Communities and an Estonian member.

The Joint Consultative Committee shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.

Article 17

The Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities, on the one hand, and the
Estonian  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
Estonian  expenditure  in  connection  with  interpreting  or  translation  into  or  from  Estonian,
which shall be born by the Estonian economic and social interest groups.

Other expenditure relating to the material organisation of meetings shall be born by the Party
which hosts the meetings.”

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This Decision shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date of
its adoption.

Done at Brussels,

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