2008/306/EC: Council Decision of 17 March 2008 on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and Ukraine in relation to export duties
Date: 2008-03-17
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Ukraine, export policy, free-trade agreement, international agreement, ratification of an agreement, trading operation

L 106/14

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.4.2008

COUNCIL DECISION

of 17 March 2008

on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European
Community and Ukraine in relation to export duties

(2008/306/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(7)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community, and in particular Article 133(1)
with the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) thereof,

establishing the European
in conjunction

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

has

negotiated

During the WTO accession process of Ukraine the
Commission
the
Community an Agreement in the form of an Exchange
of Letters between the European Community and
Ukraine, whereby Ukraine
committed to eliminate
export duties on trade in goods upon the entry into
force of the future EU-Ukraine FTA Agreement.

behalf

on

of

Whereas:

(8)

The Agreement should be approved on behalf of the
Community,

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

On 14 June 1994 the European Communities and their
Member States and Ukraine signed in Luxembourg the
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement
(PCA), which
entered into force on 1 March 1998.

Considering the commitment of the Community and its
Member States
to strengthen the
economic integration which constitutes an essential
basis of their partnership.

and of Ukraine

Since March 2007 negotiations have been opened for a
new Enhanced Agreement between the EU and Ukraine
to replace the PCA.

It is intended that the Enhanced Agreement provide for
the creation of a deep and comprehensive Free Trade
Area
the Enhanced
Agreement, following the accession of Ukraine to the
World Trade Organization (WTO).

element of

(FTA),

core

as

a

In the context of the WTO accession negotiations of
Ukraine the Commission, on behalf of the Community,
negotiated comprehensive market-opening commitments
on the part of Ukraine which are of particular
in a
importance
Memorandum agreed
of
Ukraine and the Commission on 17 March 2003.

as
between the negotiators

to the Community,

set out

(6)

These commitments will be embodied in the Protocol of
Accession of Ukraine to the WTO.

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between
the European Community and Ukraine in relation to export
duties is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

The text of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of
Letters is attached to this Decision.

Article 2

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate
the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreement in order to
bind the Community (1).

Article 3

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the
European Union.

Done at Brussels, 17 March 2008.

For the Council
The President

I. JARC

(1) The date of entry into force of the Agreement will be published in
the Official Journal of the European Union by the General Secretariat of
the Council.