EC/Jordan agreement: Euro-Mediterranean association agreement following the accession of Bulgaria and Romania. Protocol

PURPOSE: the conclusion of the protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Jordan, on the other, in order to take into account the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: the protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Jordan, on the other, in order to take into account the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU was signed on behalf of the European Community and its Member States on condition of its conclusion at a later date. In accordance with Article 8 (2) of the protocol, the protocol has applied on a provisional basis since 1 January 2007. It is now appropriate to approve the protocol on behalf of the EU.

IMPACT ANALYSIS: no impact assessment was undertaken.

LEGAL BASE: Article 217, in conjunction with Article 218 (6) (a) (i) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU).

CONTENT: with this proposed decision, the protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Jordan, on the other, in order to take into account the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU is approved on behalf of the EU.

It should be noted that following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, on 1 December 2009, the European Union has replaced and succeeded the European Community and, since that date, exercises all the rights and assumes all the obligations of the European Community. As a result, the references to the ‘European Community’ or ‘the Community’ in the text of the protocol may be taken to mean ‘the European Union’. For further information on the content of the agreement, please refer to the text of the previous legislative document dated 06/11/2007.

FINANCIAL IMPACT: the proposal has no impact on the EU’s budget.