COUNCIL DECISION
of 28 June 2011
on the position to be taken by the European Union within the Joint Management Committee for Sanitary and Phytosanitary matters set up by 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 as regards the amendment of Appendix V.A. to Annex IV to that Agreement
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2011/449/EU)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 168(4)(b) in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)
By Decision 2005/269/EC (1), the Council approved on behalf of the Community the conclusion of 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 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Association Agreement’).
(2)
Annex IV to the Association Agreement contains an Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures applicable to trade in animals and animal products, plants, plant products and other goods and animal welfare (hereinafter referred to as ‘the EU-Chile SPS Agreement’).
(3)
Pursuant to point (c) of Article 16(2) of the EU-Chile SPS Agreement, the Joint Management Committee for Sanitary and Phytosanitary matters (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Joint Management Committee’), established by Article 89(3) of the Association Agreement, is empowered to modify, by means of a decision, Appendices I to XII to the EU-Chile SPS Agreement.
(4)
Appendix V.A. to the EU-Chile SPS Agreement should contain priority sectors or sub-sectors in order of priority for which equivalence may be recognised.
(5)
The Republic of Chile would like to apply a processing treatment to bivalve molluscs which is not provided for in the relevant Union legislation.
(6)
In order to evaluate if the proposed processing treatment could meet the same level of consumer protection as accomplished by the treatment provided for by the Union legislation, it is necessary to assess the equivalence of both treatments.
(7)
The second subparagraph of Article 7(4) of the EU-Chile SPS Agreement requires that Appendix V.A. to the EU-Chile SPS Agreement be amended to identify priority sectors or sub-sectors before consultations to assess equivalence can be initiated. The sector ‘fish products’ and its sub-sector ‘bivalve molluscs’ should therefore be introduced in the list of priorities in that Appendix.
(8)
The Union should therefore take the position set out in the attached draft Decision of the Joint Management Committee with regard to the amendment of Appendix V.A. to Annex IV to the Association Agreement,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The position to be taken by the European Union within the Joint Management Committee for Sanitary and Phytosanitary matters (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Joint Management Committee’), established under 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 regarding the amendment to Appendix V.A. to the EU-Chile SPS Agreement shall be based on the draft Decision of the Joint Management Committee, attached to this Decision.
Article 2
The Decision of the Joint Management Committee on the amendment to Appendix V.A. to the EU-Chile SPS Agreement shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union as soon as it has been adopted.
Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Luxembourg, 28 June 2011.