Proposal for a Council Decision On the conclusion of an exchange of letters between the European Community and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) concerning additional funding in 2001 under the current EC-UNRWA Convention for the years 1999-2001
Date: 2001-12-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Middle East, UNRWA, aid to refugees, international convention, supplementary financing

30.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/21

Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of an exchange of letters between the European
Community and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East (UNRWA) concerning additional funding in 2001 under the current EC-UNRWA Convention
for the years 1999-2001

(2002/C 103 E/04)

COM(2001) 741 final — 2001/0288(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 7 December 2001)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 181 in conjunction
with Article 300(3) first subparagraph thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

(4) The current Convention between the European Community
and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East
for the
years 1999 to 2001 (EC-UNRWA Convention (1)), and in
particular Article 6 thereof
foresees adjustments to the
financial contributions,

(UNRWA)

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Whereas:

Article 1

(1) The current crisis in the Middle East has put additional

burden on UNRWA.

(2) The Community assistance to UNRWA is an important
element in stabilising the situation in the Middle East and
furthermore forms part of the campaign against poverty in
developing countries and therefore contributes
to the
sustainable economic and social development of the popu-
lation concerned and the host countries in which the popu-
lation lives.

The exchange of letters between the European Community and
the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees (UNRWA) concerning an additional contribution of
EUR 15 million to the existing funding in 2001 under the
current Convention is hereby approved.

The text of the exchange of letters is attached to this Decision.

Article 2

(3) Support of UNRWA operations would be

likely to
contribute to the attainment of the Community objectives
described in the above paragraph.

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate
the persons empowered to sign the exchange of letters in order
to bind the Community.

(1) OJ L 261, 7.10.1999, p. 36.

C 103 E/22

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

30.4.2002

AGREEMENT

in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) concerning additional funding under
the EC-UNRWA Convention for the years 1999 to 2001

A. Letter from the European Community

Done at Brussels,

Sir,

I have the honour to refer to the negotiations between the representative of the European Community and
UNRWA concerning additional funding under the Convention, signed on 19 September 1999, between the
European Community and UNRWA covering aid to refugees in the countries of the Near East, for the years
1999-2001.

to Article 6 of

Pursuant
the
Community agrees to provide a contribution to UNRWA in addition to the contribution for the year
2001 referred to in Article 2. The size of this additional contribution shall be EUR 12,7 million for the
education programme and EUR 2,3 million for the general health programme.

the abovementioned Convention, we are pleased to inform you that

All other conditions of the Convention shall remain unchanged.

I shall be grateful if you could confirm the agreement of UNRWA to the foregoing.

Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.

On behalf of the European Community

B. Letter from UNRWA

Done at Brussels,

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of today's date with the following content:

the European
‘I have the honour to refer to the negotiations between the representative of
Community and UNRWA concerning additional
funding under the Convention, signed on 19
September 1999, between the European Community and UNRWA covering aid to refugees in the
countries of the Near East, for the years 1999-2001.

Pursuant to Article 6 of the abovementioned Convention, we are pleased to inform you that the
Community agrees to provide a contribution to UNRWA in addition to the contribution for the year
2001 referred to in Article 2. The size of this additional contribution shall be EUR 12,7 million for
the education programme and EUR 2,3 million for the general health programme.

All other conditions of the Convention shall remain unchanged.

I shall be grateful if you could confirm the agreement of UNRWA to the foregoing.

Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.’

I confirm the agreement of UNRWA to the foregoing.

Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.

For UNRWA