PURPOSE: to conclude a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Lebanon, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and Lebanon on the general principles for the participation of Lebanon 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 the act.
BACKGROUND: in accordance with a Council Decision, the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Lebanon, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and Lebanon on the general principles for the participation of Lebanon in Union programmes was signed on behalf of the Union.
The Protocol should be approved on behalf of the Union.
CONTENT: under this proposed Decision, the Council is requested to conclude the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Lebanon, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and Lebanon on the general principles for the participation of Lebanon in Union programmes on behalf of the Union.
Objectives of the Protocol: the objective of the Protocol is to lay down the financial and technical rules enabling Lebanon to participate in certain Union programmes. The horizontal framework established by the Protocol sets out principles for economic, financial and technical cooperation and allows Lebanon to receive assistance, in particular financial assistance, from the Union pursuant to those programmes.
That framework applies only to those Union programmes for which the relevant constitutive legal acts provide for the possibility of the participation of Lebanon.
The conclusion of the Protocol does not therefore entail the exercise of powers under the various sectoral policies pursued by the programmes, which are exercised when establishing the programmes.
For further details of the Protocol, please refer to the summary of the Commission’s initial legislative proposal dated 31/03/2014.