EC/Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Agreement: accession of Croatia to the EU. Protocol

PURPOSE: to conclude a Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Montenegro, of the other part, to take account of the accession 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: on 24 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States and Croatia, with Montenegro in order to conclude a Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Montenegro, of the other part, to take account of the accession Croatia to the European Union.

These negotiations started on 22 November 2012 and the Protocol was initialled by the Commission and the Government of Montenegro on 16 May 2013.

This proposal concerns the Council Decision to conclude the said Protocol.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was undertaken.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 217 in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a) and the second subparagraph of Article 218(8) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: with this proposal, the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Montenegro, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union is hereby approved on behalf of the European Union and the Member States.

The main amendments are made to the Montenegrin concessions on agricultural products, fisheries products and on the rules of origin.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: this proposal has no implications for the EU budget.