EU/Colombia and Peru Trade Agreement: accession of Croatia to the EU. Protocol

2014/0234(NLE)

The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Santiago FISAS AYXELÁ (EPP, ES) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of the Additional Protocol to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union.

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

In the short justification accompanying the report, it is recalled that the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, was signed in Brussels on 26 June 2012, and some of its provisions have been applied pursuant to Article 330 thereof between the European Union and Peru since 1 March 2013 and between European Union and Colombia since 1 August 2013.

On 24 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with Colombia and Peru in order to conclude an Additional Protocol to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.  The Agreement liberalises trade in agricultural and industrial products as well as in services. It also contains provisions on the origin of goods, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, competition, intellectual property and public procurement.

In general, the Trade Agreement is a natural consequence of its EU accession. This is why it is recommended that the Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the additional protocol on the participation of Croatia in the abovementioned Trade Agreement.