2007/444/EC: Council Decision of 22 February 2007 on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the Government of Canada on the conclusion of GATT Article XXIV:6 Negotiations

29.6.2007 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 169/53
COUNCIL DECISION
of 22 February 2007
on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the Government of Canada on the conclusion of GATT Article XXIV:6 Negotiations
(2007/444/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 133 in conjunction with the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) On 22 March 2004 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with certain other Members of the WTO under Article XXIV:6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT), in the course of the accessions to the European Union of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic.
(2) Negotiations have been conducted by the Commission in consultation with the Committee established by Article 133 of the Treaty and within the framework of the negotiating directives issued by the Council.
(3) The Commission has finalised negotiations for an Agreement between the European Community and the Government of Canada on the conclusion of GATT Article XXIV:6 Negotiations. The Agreement should be approved.
(4) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (1),