CELEX: 52014PC0088
Language: en
Date: 2014-02-17
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the signing, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, and provisional application of an Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Iceland, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union

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		52014PC0088
		
			Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the signing, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, and provisional application of an Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Iceland, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union /* COM/2014/088 final - 2014/0045 (NLE) */
			
				
		
		
			
			   	EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
The Agreement between the European Economic
Community and the Republic of Iceland, hereinafter referred to as ‘the
Agreement’, was signed on 22 July 1972 and entered into force on 1 April 1973.
The attached proposal creates the legal
instrument for the signature and provisional application of an Additional
Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the
Republic of Iceland, to take account of the accession of the Republic of
Croatia to the European Union (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Additional
Protocol’).
According to the Act of
Accession of the Republic of Croatia, Croatia shall accede to the international
agreements signed or concluded by the European Union and its Member States by means of a protocol to those agreements.
On 24 September 2012[1], the
Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the third countries
concerned to conclude the relevant protocols. Negotiations with Iceland were conducted in the framework of the negotiations for the adaptation of the Agreement on
the European Economic Area for the period 2009-2014, in view of the enlargement
of the European Union to include Croatia, and were successfully concluded by
the initialling of the Additional Protocol.
The proposed Additional
Protocol makes the Republic of Croatia a contracting party to the Agreement and
commits the EU to providing an authentic version of the Agreement in the new
official language of the EU. It also provides for additional fish trade
concessions for Iceland, given Croatia’s accession to the European Economic
Area.
Pending the completion
of the relevant procedures for its formal conclusion and entry into force, the
provisional application of the Protocol should begin as of the first day of the
third month following the deposit of the last notification of the Parties to
this effect.
The Commission has judged the results of
the negotiations to be satisfactory and asks the Council to adopt the attached
decision on the signature and provisional application of the Additional
Protocol.
2014/0045 (NLE)
Proposal for a
COUNCIL DECISION
on the signing, on behalf of the European
Union and its Member States, and provisional application of an Additional
Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the
Republic of Iceland, to take account of the accession of the Republic of
Croatia to the European Union
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207 in
conjunction with Article 218(5) and the second subparagraph of Article 218(8)
thereof,
Having regard to the Act on the conditions
of accession of the Republic of Croatia annexed to the Treaty of Accession, and
in particular Article 6(2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the
Commission[2],
Whereas:
(1)       On 24 September 2012 the
Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations, on behalf of the Union
and its Member States and the Republic of Croatia, with Iceland to conclude a
Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the
Republic of Iceland, to take account of the accession of the Republic of
Croatia to the European Union.
(2)       These negotiations have
been successfully completed and, subject to its possible conclusion at a later date,
the Additional Protocol should be signed on behalf of the European Union and
the Member States.
(3)       The Additional Protocol
should be applied on a provisional basis with effect from the first day of the
third month following the deposit of the last notification of the Parties to
this effect,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The signing of the Additional Protocol to
the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Iceland, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the
European Union (the ‘Additional Protocol’) is hereby approved on behalf of the
Union and the Member States, subject to the conclusion of the said Additional
Protocol.
The text of the Additional Protocol is
attached to this Decision.
Article 2
The Council General Secretariat shall
establish the instrument of full powers to sign the Additional Protocol,
subject to its conclusion, for the person(s) indicated by the negotiator of the
Protocol.
Article 3
Subject to its conclusion at a later date and
pending its entry into force, the Additional Protocol shall be applied on a
provisional basis from the first day of the third month
following the deposit of the last notification to this effect in accordance
with Article 4 of the Protocol.
Done at Brussels,
                                                                       For
the Council
                                                                       The
President
[1]               Council decision authorising the opening of
negotiations for the adaptation of agreements signed or concluded between the
European Union, or the European Union and its Member States, with one or more
third countries or international organisations, in view of the accession of the
Republic of Croatia to the European Union (Council doc. 13351/12 LIMITED).
[2]               OJ C […], […], p.[…].