EU/Egypt Framework Agreement: participation of Egypt in Union programmes. Protocol to the EC/Egypt Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and the Arab Republic of Egypt on the general principles for the participation of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Union programmes.

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: in accordance with a Council Decision, the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and the Arab Republic of Egypt on the general principles for the participation of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Union programmes was signed on behalf of the Union.

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

CONTENT: the Council draft concerns the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and the Arab Republic of Egypt on the general principles for the participation of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Union programmes.

The objective of the Protocol is to lay down the financial and technical rules enabling the Arab Republic of Egypt to participate in certain Union programmes. The horizontal framework established by the Protocol sets out principles for economic, financial and technical cooperation measures and allows the Arab Republic of Egypt to receive assistance, in particular financial assistance, from the Union pursuant to those programmes.

The framework set up by the Protocol applies only to those programmes for which the relevant constitutive legal acts provide for the possibility of the participation of Egypt. The signing and provisional application of the Protocol does not, therefore, entail the exercise of powers under the various sectoral policies which are exercised when establishing the programmes.