PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, of the other part, to take account of Croatia's accession to the European Union.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2019/610 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union.

CONTENT: the Council adopted a Decision on the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the Union.

The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, was signed on 20 November 1995. It entered into force on 1 June 2000.

Croatia became a Member State of the European Union on 1 July 2013. In accordance with the Act of Accession of Croatia, its accession to that Agreement must be approved by the conclusion of a Protocol to the Agreement between the Council, acting unanimously on behalf of the Member States, and the State of Israel.

On 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the State of Israel. The Protocol to the Agreement to take account of Croatia's accession to the European Union was signed on behalf of the Union and its Member States in Brussels on 20 December 2018.

Under the Protocol, Croatia is included in the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 8.4.2019.

The European Parliament adopted by 565 votes to 44, with 46 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take into account the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union.

The European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the protocol.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the report by Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP, RO) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union.

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

The Republic of Croatia became a Member State of the European Union on 1 July 2013. In accordance with the Act of Accession of the Republic of Croatia, its accession to this Agreement must be approved by the conclusion of a Protocol to the Agreement between the Council, acting unanimously on behalf of the Member States, and the State of Israel.

On 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the State of Israel. The negotiations were successfully concluded.

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, 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: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, of the other part, was signed on 20 November 1995. The Agreement entered into force on 1 June 2000.

Croatia became a Member State of the European Union on 1 July 2013.

In accordance with Article 6(2) of the Act of Accession of the Republic of Croatia, the accession of Croatia to this Agreement is to be agreed by means of a protocol to the Agreement concluded between the Council, acting unanimously on behalf of the Member States, and the State of Israel.

On 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the State of Israel. The negotiations were successfully concluded.

In accordance with a Council Decision, the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union was signed on behalf of the Union and its Member States.

It is now necessary to approve this Protocol on behalf of the Union.

CONTENT: the Council seeks to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, 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: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, of the other part, was signed on 20 November 1995. The Agreement entered into force on 1 June 2000.

Croatia became a Member State of the European Union on 1 July 2013.

In accordance with Article 6(2) of the Act of Accession of the Republic of Croatia, the accession of Croatia to this Agreement is to be agreed by means of a protocol to the Agreement concluded between the Council, acting unanimously on behalf of the Member States, and the State of Israel.

On 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the State of Israel. The negotiations were successfully concluded.

In accordance with a Council Decision, the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union was signed on behalf of the Union and its Member States.

It is now necessary to approve this Protocol on behalf of the Union.

CONTENT: the Council seeks to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, 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: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: according to its Act of Accession, Croatia undertakes to accede to the international agreements signed or concluded by the European Union and its Member States by means of a protocol to those agreements.

The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, of the other part, was signed in Brussels on 20 November 1995 and entered into force on 1 June 2000.

The negotiations with the State of Israel were successfully concluded on 28 September 2017.

The Commission judges the results of the negotiations to be satisfactory and requests the Council to adopt the attached proposal for a Decision on the conclusion of the Protocol after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament.

In accordance with EU policy, this Protocol shall not apply to the geographic areas that came under the administration of the State of Israel after 5 June 1967.

CONTENT: the Commission calls on the Council to adopt a decision to approve, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

The text of the Protocol is attached to the proposal.