PURPOSE: the conclusion of a Protocol to the
Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between
the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and
Tunisia, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the
European Union and Tunisia on the general principles for the
participation of that country in Union programmes.
PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the
act only if Parliament has given its consent to it.
BACKGROUND: as part of the European Neighbourhood
Policy (ENP), the gradual opening up of certain European Union
programmes and agencies to ENP partner countries is one of many
measures to promote reform, modernisation and transition in the
European Unions neighbourhood. The Commission has expanded on
this in its Communication on the
general approach to enable European Neighbourhood Policy partner
countries to participate in Community agencies and Community
programmes. The Council endorsed this approach in conclusions
on 5 March 2007.
The Council, on 18 June 2007, issued directives to the
Commission to negotiate Framework Agreements with Algeria, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Moldova,
Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Ukraine, on
the general principles for their participation in Community
programmes. To date, Protocols have been signed with Armenia,
Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Moldova, Morocco and Ukraine.
In December 2013, Tunisia expressed its interest in
participating in the broad range of programmes open to partner
countries of the European Neighbourhood Policy. The text of the
Protocol negotiated with Tunisia is attached and the subject of
this proposal. It is now appropriate for the European Union to
conclude the protocol.
LEGAL BASIS: Article 212 of the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union, in conjunction with Article
218(6)(a) and Article 218(7) thereof.
CONTENT: this is a proposal for a Council Decision on
the conclusion of the Protocol. This Protocol contains a Framework
Agreement on the general principles for the participation of
Tunisia in Union programmes. It contains standard conditions that
should be applied to all European Neighbourhood Policy partner
countries with whom such protocols are to be concluded.
Objectives: the protocol
seeks to define the financial and technical rules permitting
Tunisia to participate in certain EU programmes.
The horizontal framework established by the Protocol
sets out principles for economic, financial and technical
cooperation measure and allows Tunisia to receive technical
assistance, in particular financial assistance, from the
European Union pursuant to the European Union
programmes.