The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Inmaculada RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO FERNÁNDEZ (S&D, ES) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of the Third Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Chile, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union.

The committee recommended that Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the protocol.

As outlined in the explanatory memorandum accompanying the report, this Protocol adds a maximum of 1000 metric tonnes of pig meat to the existing 8400 tonnes (following standard calculations on compensations), updates to the schedule on services for integrating the schedule for Croatia and adjusts public procurement to integrate Croatian entities. 

However, the rapporteur called for:

• enhanced information sharing with the Committee on International Trade (INTA) throughout full life-cycle of international agreements;
• the relevant Commission services to prepare summaries containing information explaining to the general public and stakeholders the effects of international agreements such as this one;
• limit the use of provisional application prior to Parliament’s consent, as provided for in Article 218 (5) of the TFEU.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Third Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Chile, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.

BACKGROUND: the Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, on the one hand, and Chile, on the other, was signed on 18 November 2002 in Brussels and entered into force on 1 March 2005.

On 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the third countries concerned in view of the accession of Croatia to the EU. The negotiations with Chile were successfully concluded and the Protocol to the Agreement was signed on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

This proposal constitutes the legal instrument for the conclusion of the Third Additional Protocol to the Agreement to take account of Croatia’s accession to the European Union.

It is now necessary to conclude the Protocol on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

CONTENT: under this proposal, the Council is called on to approve, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, the Third Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Chile, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

The Protocol incorporates Croatia as a contracting party to the Agreement. The texts of the Agreement and the Final Act in the Croatian language will become authentic under the same conditions as other language versions of the Agreement.

The Protocol will apply retroactively with effect from 1 July 2013.

PURPOSE: to conclude an Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Chile, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.

BACKGROUND: in accordance with the Act of Accession of Croatia, the accession of Croatia to, inter alia, the Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Chile, of the other part is to be agreed by means of a protocol to that Agreement through a simplified procedure.

On 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the third countries concerned in view of the accession of Croatia to the Union. The negotiations with Chile were successfully concluded and the Protocol was signed, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Protocol should now be approved.

CONTENT: with this proposal, the Council is required to approve, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, the 3rd Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, and Chile, on the other, to take account of Croatia's accession to the European Union.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Third Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Chile, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.

BACKGROUND: the Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, on the one hand, and Chile, on the other, was signed on 18 November 2002 in Brussels and entered into force on 1 March 2005.

On 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the third countries concerned in view of the accession of Croatia to the EU. The negotiations with Chile were successfully concluded and the Protocol to the Agreement was signed on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

This proposal constitutes the legal instrument for the conclusion of the Third Additional Protocol to the Agreement to take account of Croatia’s accession to the European Union.

It is now necessary to conclude the Protocol on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

CONTENT: under this proposal, the Council is called on to approve, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, the Third Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Chile, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

The Protocol incorporates Croatia as a contracting party to the Agreement. The texts of the Agreement and the Final Act in the Croatian language will become authentic under the same conditions as other language versions of the Agreement.

The Protocol will apply retroactively with effect from 1 July 2013.