Proposal for a Council Decision on the Community position in relation to the establishment of a Joint Consultative Committee to be decided on by the Association Council established by the Association Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cyprus
Date: 2001-10-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Cyprus, EU agriculture committee, advisory committee (EU), comitology

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 21.02.2002
COM(2001) 562 final/2

2002/0049 (ACC)

CORRIGENDUM
Nouvelle page de couverture
(ajout de l’acronyme),
concerne les 11 versions linguistiques.

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the Community position in relation to the establishment of a Joint Consultative
Committee to be decided on by the Association Council established by the Association
Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cyprus

(presented by the Commission)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The  Association  Agreement  between  the  European  Economic  Community  and  the
Republic of Cyprus which entered into force on 1 June 1973, provides, in Article 14
(3) thereof, that the Association Council may decide to set up any committee that can
assist it in the discharge of its tasks.

Though  the  establishment  of  a  consultative  mechanism  for  dialogue  between  the
regional and local authorities of the two Parties is not explicitly provided for in the
aforementioned  Association  Agreement,  the  Commission  proposes  that  a  Joint
Consultative  Committee  representing  the  regional  and  the  local  authorities  of  both
Parties be set up by the Association Council in support of the keen interest expressed
in  this  respect  by  both  sides,  represented  by  the  Committee  of  the  Regions,  on  the
part of the Community, and by the Cypriot Liaison Committee for Co-operation with
the  Committee  of  the  Regions  of  the  European  Community,  on  the  part  of  the
Republic of Cyprus.

The  proposed  Joint  Consultative  Committee  is  intended  to  constitute  a  forum  for
dialogue and co-operation between the regional and local authorities in the European
Community and local authorities in the Republic of Cyprus, which can make a major
contribution  to  the  development  of  their  relations  and  to  the  integration  of  Europe.
The  dialogue  and  co-operation  will  prepare  for  future  work  with  the  Committee  of
the Regions and for membership of the European Union; it will facilitate exchanging
information on current issues of mutual interest, in particular by providing an up-to-
date  state  of  play  on  the  EC  regional  policy  and  accession  process;  encourage
information exchange in practical implementation of the principle of subsidiarity in
all  aspects  of  life  on  the  regional  and  local  levels;  and  allow  discussion  of  other
relevant matters proposed by any side. The Association Council may also consult the
proposed  Joint Consultative Committee  before taking decisions  in  areas  of  obvious
regional 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  Cypriot  participants  being
responsible  for their own expenses and the  expenses  on  the  Community  side  being
covered by the budget of the Committee of the Regions.

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 3 of the Council
Regulation  (EEC)  No  1246/73,  of  14  May  1973,  on  the  conclusion  of  the
aforementioned Association Agreement, is attached hereto. The Council is asked to
adopt this text after consultation of the European Parliament.

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2002/0049 (ACC)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the Community position in relation to the establishment of a Joint Consultative
Committee to be decided on by the Association Council established by the Association
Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cyprus

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  a  European  Community,  and  in  particular  Article
300, paragraph 2, second and third indent, thereof,

Having regard to Article 3 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1246/73, of 14 May 1973, on the
conclusion  of  an  Agreement  establishing  an  Association  between  the  European  Economic
Community and the Republic of Cyprus,

Having regard to the Commission proposal1,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Article 14 (3) of the said Association Agreement provides that the Association Council
may  decide  to  set  up  any  special  committee  that  can  assist  it  in  the  discharge  of  its
tasks,

Dialogue  and  co-operation  between  regional  and  local  authorities  in  the  European
Union  and  in  the  Republic  of  Cyprus  can  make  a  major  contribution  to  the  full
implementation of the Association Agreement,

It  seems  appropriate  that  such  co-operation  should  be  between  the  members  of  the
Committee  of  the  Regions  of  the  European  Community  and  of  the  Cypriot  Liaison
Committee  for  Co-operation  with  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  of  the  European
Community,

1

OJ C , , p. .

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HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

The position to be adopted by the Community within the Association Council established by
Article 14 (3) of the Agreement establishing an Association between the European Economic
Community  and  the  Republic  of  Cyprus  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,

For the Council
The President

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.

ANNEX

Draft

DECISION No. …/2001 OF THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

between the European Community and the Republic of Cyprus

Amending, through the setting up of a Joint Consultative Committee between the Committee
of the Regions and the  Cypriot  Liaison  Committee for  Co-operation  with  the  Committee  of
the Regions, Decision No 1/73 adopting the rules of procedures of the Association Council

THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

Having regard to the Agreement establishing an Association between the European Economic
Community and the Republic of Cyprus and in particular Article 14 (3) thereof;

(1) Whereas  dialogue  and  co-operation  between  the  regional  and  local  authorities  in  the
European  Community  and  those  in  the  Republic  of  Cyprus  can  make  a  major
contribution to the development of their relations and to the integration of Europe;

(2) Whereas it seems appropriate that such co-operation should be organized at the level
of  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  of  the  one  part,  and  of  the  Cypriot  Liaison
Committee for Co-operation with the Committee of the Regions, of the other part, by
setting up of a Joint Consultative Committee;

(3) Whereas this means that the rules of procedure of the Association Council, adopted by

Decision No 1/73, need to be amended accordingly;

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

The following Articles shall be added to the rules of procedure of the Association Council:

Article 1

«Article 20

A  Joint  Consultative  Committee  (hereinafter  referred  to  as  the  “Committee”)  is  hereby
established  with  the  task  of  assisting  the  Association  Council  with  a  view  to  promoting
dialogue  and  co-operation  between  the  regional  and  local  authorities  in  the  European
Community  and  those  in  the  Republic  of  Cyprus.  Such  dialogue  and  co-operation  shall  be
aimed in particular at:

1.

preparing  Cypriot  local  authorities  for  activity  in  the  framework  of  future
membership of the European Union;

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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

preparing  Cypriot  local  authorities  for  their  participation  in  the  work  of  the
Committee of the Regions after accession of the Republic of Cyprus;

exchanging information on current issues of mutual interest, in particular on up-to-
date state of play concerning EU regional and environmental policies and accession
process as well as preparation of Cypriot local authorities for these policies;

encouraging multilateral structured dialogue between a) Cypriot local authorities and
b)  regions  and  local  authorities  from  EU  Member  States,  including  through
networking  in  specific  areas  where  direct  contacts  and  co-operation  between  them
might prove the most effective way of solving particular problems;

providing  regular  exchange  of  information  on  inter-regional  co-operation  between
regional and local authorities from the Republic of Cyprus and Member States;

encouraging  exchange  of  experience  and  knowledge  in  the  field  of  regional  and
environmental  policies  and  structural  interventions,  between  a)  Cypriot  local
authorities and b) regions and local authorities from EU Member States, in particular
know-how and techniques concerning preparation of regional and local development
plans or strategies and most efficient use of Structural Funds;

assisting  Cypriot  local  authorities  by  means  of  information  exchange  in  practical
implementation of the principle of subsidiarity in all aspects of life on regional and
local level;

discussing any other relevant matters proposed by any side, as they can arise in the
context of implementation of the Association Agreement and in the framework of the
Pre-accession strategy.

Article 21

The Committee shall comprise eight representatives of the Committee of the Regions of the
European  Community,  on  the  one  hand,  and  eight  representatives  of  the  Cypriot  Liaison
Committee for Co-operation with the Committee of the Regions, on the other hand. An equal
number of alternate members shall be appointed.

The  Committee  shall  carry  out  its  activities  on  the  basis  of  consultation  by  the  Association
Council  or,  as  concerns  the  promotion  of  the  dialogue  between  the  regional  and  local
authorities, on its own initiative.

The Committee may make recommendations to the Association Council.

Members shall be chosen to ensure that the Committee is as faithful a reflection as possible of
the  various  levels  of  regional  and  local  authorities  in  both  the  European  Union  and  the
Republic of Cyprus.

The Committee shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.

The  Committee  shall  meet  at  intervals,  which  it  shall  itself  determine  in  its  Rules  of
Procedure.

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The  Committee  shall  be  co-chaired  by  a  member  of  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  of  the
European Community and a member of the Cypriot Liaison Committee for Co-operation with
the Committee of the Regions.

Article 22

The Committee of the Regions of the European Community, on the one hand, and the Cypriot
Liaison  Committee  for  Co-operation  with  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  on  the  other  hand,
shall each defray the expenses they incur by  reason of their participation in the  meetings of
the  Committee  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 in any EU official languages shall be borne by the Committee of the Regions,

Other expenditure relating to the material organization of meetings shall be borne by the Party
which hosts the meetings. »

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

Article 2

Done at Brussels,

For the Association Council
The Chairman:
The Secretaries:

For the Cypriot side

For the European Community

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