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, to take account of the accession of the Republic 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 Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Lebanon, of the other part was signed in Luxembourg on 17 June 2002 and entered into force on 1 April 2006.
Croatia became a Member State of the European Union on 1 July 2013.
Under the terms of Article 6(2) of the Act of Accession of Croatia, the accession of Croatia to the Agreement is to be agreed by means of a protocol to the Agreement concluded between the Council, acting on behalf of the Union and unanimously on behalf of the Member States, and Lebanon.
On 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with Lebanon. The negotiations were successfully concluded and 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 to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union has been signed on behalf of the Union and its Member States.
The Protocol should be approved on behalf of the EU and its Member States.
CONTENT: with this proposal, the Council is called upon to approve, on behalf of the EU, 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 to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.
The text of the Protocol is attached to the draft decision.