2004/583/EC: Council Decision of 26 July 2004 concerning the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation amending the Agreement between the European Coal and Steel Community and the Government of the Russian Federation on trade in certain steel products
Date: 2004-07-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Russia, enlargement of the Union, iron and steel product, quantitative restriction, trade agreement (EU)

31.7.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 255/31

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL DECISION

of 26 July 2004

concerning the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the Russian
Federation amending the Agreement between the European Coal and Steel Community and the
Government of the Russian Federation on trade in certain steel products

(2004/583/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

trade in certain steel products (2) (hereinafter referred to
as ‘the Agreement’), approved on behalf of the ECSC by
Commission Decision 2002/603/ECSC (3).

establishing the European
Having regard to the Treaty
Community, and in particular Article 133 in conjunction with
the first sentence of Article 300(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement establishing
a partnership between the European Communities and
their Member States, of one part, and the Russian
Federation, of the other part (1), entered into force on
1 December 1997.

trade

Article 21 of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement
in European Coal
and Steel
that
provides
‘the ECSC’)
referred to as
Community (hereinafter
products
that
III of
to be governed by Title
is
Agreement, save for Article 15 thereof, and by the
provisions of an Agreement on quantitative arrangements
concerning exchanges of ECSC steel products.

(3)

On the 9 July 2002 the ECSC and the Government of
the Russian Federation concluded such an Agreement on

(1) OJ L 327, 28.11.1997, p. 3. Agreement as last amended by
Agreement
the
Government of the Russian Federation (OJ L 9, 15.1.2004, p. 22).

European Communities

between

and

the

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

The ECSC Treaty expired on 23 July 2002 and the
European Community took over all rights and obli-
gations contracted by the ECSC.

Pursuant to Article 10(2) of the Agreement the Parties
agreed that it should be continued and that all rights and
obligations of the Parties should be maintained after such
expiry.

The Parties entered into consultations as provided for in
Article 2(4) of the Agreement and agreed to increase the
quantitative limits set out in the Agreement to take into
account the enlargement of the European Union.

Furthermore, the Parties agreed to increase the quanti-
tative limits also with regard to Declaration No 1 of
the Agreement on the setting up of service centres in
the European Union.

(8)

The amending Agreement should be approved,

(2) OJ L 195, 24.7.2002, p. 55.
(3) OJ L 195, 24.7.2002, p. 54.

L 255/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

31.7.2004

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 2

Article 1

The Agreement between the European Community and
1.
the Government of
the Russian Federation amending the
Agreement between the European Coal and Steel Community
and the Government of the Russian Federation concerning trade
in certain steel products is hereby approved on behalf of the
Community.

2.

The text of the Agreement is attached to this Decision.

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate
the person empowered to sign the Agreement in order to bind
the Community.

Done at Brussels, 26 July 2004.

For the Council
The President

B. BOT