CELEX: 51984PC0113
Language: en
Date: 1984-03-07
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ON THE CONCLUSION OF THE CONVENTION BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY AND THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES ( UNRWA ) CONCERNING AID TO REFUGEES IN THE COUNTRIES OF THE NEAR EAST

3.4.84                        Official Journal of the European Communities                 N o C 92/3
                                                      II
                                             (Preparatory Acts)
                                         COMMISSION
       Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the Convention between the
       European Economic Community and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
       Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) concerning aid to refugees in the countries of the Near
                                                    East
                                            COM(84) 113 final
                      (Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 9 March 1984)
                                               (84/C 92/03)
       THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
       Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in
       particular Articles 43 and 235 thereof,
       Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
       Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,
       Whereas the Community wishes to continue its programme of aid to Palestine refugees
       in the Near East;
       Whereas the Convention concluded with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
       for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) concerning aid to refugees in the countries of the
       Near East, approved on 21 December 1981 (') and amended on 21 December 1982 (2),
       expired on 31 December 1983;
       Whereas a new Convention should be concluded with UNRWA so that the
       Community's aid can continue to be provided as part of a comprehensive operation
       offering a measure of continuity,
       HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
                                                  Article 1
       The Convention between the European Economic Community and the United Nations
       Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) concerning aid to refugees
       in the countries of the Near East is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.
       The text of the Convention is attached to this Decision.
                                                  Article 2
       1.    Questions relating to the EEC programme of assistance to UNRWA shall be
       examined following the procedure defined in Articles 5 and 6c of Council Regulation
       (EEC) No 3331/82 (3).
       (') OJ No L 392, 31. 12. 1981, p. 4.
       O OJ No L 371, 30. 12. 1982, p. 42.
       O OJ No L 352, 14. 12. 1982, p. 1.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 92/4                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                3.4.84
               2.    Questions relating to the application of the Convention shall be examined by the
               Commission together with UNRWA.
                                                         Article 3
              The President of the Council is hereby authorized to designate the persons empowered
               to sign the Convention in order to bind the Community.
                                                    CONVENTION
               between the European Economic Community and tb.e United Nations Relief and Works
               Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) concerning aid to refugees in the countries of
                                                      the Near East
                          Article 1                              estimates of future expenditure, and the yearly
                                                                 statistics of U N R W A / U N E S C O Department of
Desirous of continuing its assistance to Palestine               Education.
Refugees, the European Economic Community
(hereinafter referred to as 'the Community') hereby
concludes this Convention with the United Nations                3.     UNRWA shall inform the Community of any
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees                   significant changes planned to the education services
(hereinafter referred to as 'UNRWA') in order to                 offered by the Agency.
confirm its commitment to a programme of aid to
UNRWA. This aid shall take the form of contri-
butions in kind or in cash for a three-year period for           4.     In the event of any significant changes to the
the following UNRWA programmes:                                  education services offered by UNRWA during the
                                                                 period of this Convention, the Community reserves
— the education programme,                                       the right to stipulate which specific actions with the
                                                                 education or other programmes organized by
— the programme for distribution of rations to                   UNRWA should benefit from the Community contri-
     special hardship cases,                                     bution.
— the feeding programme in training centres,
                                                                                          Article 3
— the supplementary feeding programme.
                                                                              Aid for the feeding programmes
                          Article 2                               1.    The Community shall contribute food aid in
                                                                 kind or in cash to the following UNRWA
             Aid for the education programme                     programmes: the programme for distribution of
                                                                 rations to special hardship cases, , the feeding
 1.    The Community shall pay to UNRWA annually
                                                                 programme in training centres and the supplementary
a cash contribution towards the cost of the education
                                                                 feeding programme.
programme. This shall be formalized by an annual
exchange of letters between the Community and
UNRWA. The size of this contribution shall be as                  2.    The size and content of the Community contri-
 follows:                                                         bution to these programmes and the conditions on
                                                                 which the aid is given shall be decided annually
 for 1984: 16 million ECU,                                        taking into account UNRWA's needs and after
                                                                  consultation between the Community and UNRWA,
 for 1985: 17 million ECU,                                        and shall be formalized by an exchange of letters.
 for 1986: 18 million ECU.
                                                                  3.    The products which may be purchased by
 2.    UNRWA shall provide the Community annually                 UNRWA by means of Community aid during the
 with a report on the use to which the Community                  period covered by this Convention shall include
 contribution has been put. UNRWA shall provide the               corned beef, tomato paste, burghol, tea, and fresh
 Community with all documentation relevant to the                 fruit and vegetables, which shall be purchased on the
 implementation of the education              programme,          Community market or on the market of a developing
 including detailed accounts of expenditure, budgetary            country.
 ---pagebreak---  3.4.84                             Official Journal of the European Communities                           No C 92/5
 4. The Community shall make contributions in                                           Article 4
 cash to UNRWA for the feeding programmes as
 follows:                                                                            Information
                                                               UNRWA shall take all reasonable steps to inform the
                                                               Palestine refugees and the authorities of the host
— a specific sum per tonne of each product given to            countries of the aid received from the Community
     UNRWA by the Community in the context of the              and from its Member States.
     rations for special hardship cases and the feeding
     in training centres programmes to cover transport                                  Article 5
     and distribution costs,
                                                               UNRWA shall give every facility to any person
                                                               nominated by the Community for the purpose of
— a cash sum in the context of the supplementary               observing the Agency's use of the Community's aid.
     feeding programme for use as a contribution to            UNRWA shall also provide such supplementary
                                                               information as may reasonably be requested by the
     the costs of operating the programme.
                                                               person so nominated.
                                                                                        Article 6
5. Any products supplied in excess of requirements
                                                               Any questions arising out of this Convention shall be
in any one year shall be used exclusively in other
                                                               settled between the two parties by consultation at the
UNRWA programmes. Any cash paid in excess of
                                                               request of either party.
requirements shall be transferred to UNRWA's
general budget, provided agreement has been given                                       Article 7
by the Commission of the European Communities. In
these circumstances the Community may reduce its                             Duration of the Convention
contribution in kind or cash for the following year.          This Convention shall cover a period of three
                                                               calendar years: 1984, 1985 and 1986.
6. UNRWA shall provide the Community annually                                           Article 8
in April with a report on the operation of the feeding
programmes, including the number, category and                This Convention is drawn up in two copies in the
location of recipients and the services provided, the          Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek and
cost of the programmes and the use made of                     Italian languages, each version being equally
Community contributions in kind and in cash.                   authentic.