EC/Mexico Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement: accession of Croatia to the EU. Protocol

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, a Third Additional Protocol to the Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, on the one part, and the United Mexican States, on the other hand, to take into account Croatia’s accession 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 Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Mexico, of the other part (Global Agreement), was signed on 8 December 1997 and entered into force on 1 October 2000.

In accordance with Article 6(2) of the Act of Accession of Croatia, the accession of Croatia to the Global Agreement is to be agreed by means of a protocol to the Global Agreement concluded between the Council, acting unanimously on behalf of the Member States, and Mexico.

On 14 September 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with Mexico with a view to concluding the Third Additional Protocol to the Global Agreement to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union. The negotiations were successfully concluded and the Protocol was signed.

It is now necessary to approve the Protocol on behalf of the Union.

CONTENT: the Council seeks to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Third Additional Protocol to the Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Mexico, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.