CELEX: 52009SC1062
Language: en
Date: 2009-07-27 00:00:00
Title: Recommendation from the Commission to the Council to authorise modifications to the negotiating directives for a Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the Republic of Iraq

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 ---pagebreak---                   COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                    Brussels, 27.7.2009
                                                    SEC(2009) 1062 final
        RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
   to authorise modifications to the negotiating directives for a Trade and Cooperation
                           Agreement with the Republic of Iraq
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 ---pagebreak---    1.       EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
   On 23 March 2006 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate a Trade and
   Cooperation Agreement with Iraq and issued negotiating directives in this regard
   (doc. 6511/06 COMEM 23 WTO 38 RESTREINT UE).
   At the seventh round of EU-Iraq negotiations, held from 25 to 26 February 2009 in Baghdad,
   both Iraq and the Commission agreed to enhance the status of the draft Agreement,
   specifically through the creation of a Cooperation Council, meeting regularly at Ministerial
   level, and by changing the title of the Agreement from Trade and Cooperation Agreement to
   “Partnership and Cooperation Agreement”.
   This approach was endorsed by the Council (working group MOG) both prior to and
   following the seventh negotiation round. The Commission therefore recommends reflecting
   these changes in the negotiating directives and invites the Council to authorise the proposed
   modifications.
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 ---pagebreak---    2.        RECOMMENDATION
   In the light of the above, the Commission recommends that the Council authorises the
   following modifications to the negotiating directives:
   (1)     Change of the title of the Agreement
             • The title of the Agreement will be changed from “Trade and Cooperation
                Agreement” to “Partnership and Cooperation Agreement” in the negotiating
                directives whenever it appears.
   (2)     Establishment of the Cooperation Council
             • A new point will be added in section D (Institutional, general and final
                provisions), Title III:
   “A Cooperation Council will be established to supervise the implementation of this
   Agreement. The Cooperation Council will meet at ministerial level. It will examine any major
   issues arising within the framework of this Agreement.”
             • The current point D.1 shall be amended in order to reflect the establishment of the
                Cooperation Council:
   Paragraph 1 - new text
   “A Cooperation Committee will be established with a view to assist the Cooperation Council
   in its duties.”
   Paragraph 2 - remains unchanged.
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