COUNCIL DECISION
of 18 January 2011
on the position to be taken by the European Union within the Joint Committee on Agriculture set up by the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products, as regards the adaptation of Annex 3 to the Agreement
(2011/53/EU)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4) first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)
The Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products (1) (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agreement’) entered into force on 1 June 2002.
(2)
Article 6 of the Agreement sets up a Joint Committee on Agriculture to be responsible for the administration of the Agreement and to ensure its proper functioning.
(3)
Article 11 of the Agreement provides that the Joint Committee on Agriculture may decide to amend Annexes to the Agreement.
(4)
In order to take into account the full liberalisation in bilateral trade in cheeses, with effect from 1 June 2007 and the protection of geographical indications, to be provided for in a new Annex 12 to the Agreement, which calls for consistency in the specifications in particular those of cheeses, the necessary adaptations of Annex 3 to the Agreement should be made.
(5)
The first subparagraph of Article 5(2) of Decision 2002/309/EC, Euratom of the Council and of the Commission as regards the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, of 4 April 2002 on the conclusion of seven Agreements with the Swiss Confederation (2) provides that the European Union position within the Joint Committee on Agriculture shall be adopted by the Council on a proposal from the Commission.
(6)
The Union should therefore take the position set out in the attached draft Decision within the Joint Committee on Agriculture,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The position to be taken by the European Union within the Joint Committee on Agriculture set up by the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products, as regards the adaptations of the Agreement as far as bilateral trade in products falling under heading 0406 of the Harmonised System is concerned to take account of the fully liberalised trade in the sector, shall be based on the draft Decision of the Joint Committee on Agriculture attached to this Decision.
Article 2
The Decision of the Joint Committee on Agriculture shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union without delay after its adoption.
Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 18 January 2011.