2007/648/EC: Council Decision of 26 September 2007 on the signing, on behalf of the European Community, and provisional application of the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006
Date: 2007-09-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: international agreement, signature of an agreement, tropical wood

L 262/6

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

9.10.2007

(Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom Treaty whose publication is not obligatory)

II

DECISIONS

COUNCIL DECISION

of 26 September 2007

on the signing, on behalf of

the European Community, and provisional application of

the

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006

(2007/648/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

establishing the European
Having regard to the Treaty
Community, and in particular Articles 133 and 175 in
conjunction with the first sentence of the first subparagraph
of Article 300(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

(6)

(7)

Whereas:

All the Member States have expressed their intention to
sign, and to contribute as appropriate towards the provi-
sional application of the 2006 Agreement.

tropical

As
the compulsory contributions by the consumer
members of the International Tropical Timber Organi-
the
sation (ITTO) are assessed primarily in terms of
volume of
the
timber which they import,
European Community will contribute to the ITTO’s
Administrative Account, once the 2006 Agreement
enters into force, while the Member States, as well as
to make
the European Community, will be
voluntary financial contributions to planned actions via
the ITTO’s voluntary contribution accounts.

able

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

On 27 January 2006 the negotiating conference estab-
lished under the aegis of the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development (Unctad) approved the text of
the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006 (the
2006 Agreement).

The 2006 Agreement was negotiated to replace the Inter-
national Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, as extended,
which will remain in force until the entry into force of
the 2006 Agreement.

The 2006 Agreement is open for signature and deposit
instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval
of
from 3 April 2006 and will
remain so until one
month after the date of its entry into force.

The objectives of the 2006 Agreement are consistent
with both the common commercial policy and the envir-
onmental policy.

(8)

The 2006 Agreement should be signed and provisionally
applied, subject to its conclusion at a later date,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The signing of the International Tropical Timber Agreement,
2006 (the 2006 Agreement) is hereby approved on behalf of
the European Community, subject to the conclusion of the said
Agreement.

The text of the 2006 Agreement is attached to this Decision.

Article 2

The European Community is a party to the International
Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994. The 2006 Agreement
European Union’s
will
sustainable development objectives and it is therefore in
its interest to approve the 2006 Agreement.

to promote

continue

the

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate
the person(s) empowered to sign the 2006 Agreement and
deposit
attached to this
the Community, with the Secretary-
Decision, on behalf of
General of
in accordance with Articles
36(1) and 36(3) of the 2006 Agreement.

the United Nations,

the declaration of

competence

9.10.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 262/7

Article 3

Subject to reciprocity, the 2006 Agreement shall be applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion
of the procedures for its formal conclusion (1).

The President of the Council shall notify, on behalf of the Community, the depositary that the Community
will apply the 2006 Agreement provisionally when it enters into force.

Done at Brussels, 26 September 2007.

For the Council
The President

J. SILVA

(1) The date from which the Agreement will be provisionally applied will be published in the Official Journal of the

European Union by the General Secretariat of the Council.