EC/Switzerland agreement: free movement of persons

On 3 April 2000, the Council presented the single and consolidated legislative instrument with the purpose of the approval of 7 agreements between the Community and its Member States, on the one hand, and the Swiss Confederation, on the other. This proposal for a decision integrates within a single legal instrument the 7 proposals for decision previously presented by the Commission by introducing the required amended text and procedures with a view to the proper implementation of the various agreements in question. The Council decision specifies the internal procedures for the proper operation of each of the agreements: in this context, certain tasks will be accorded to joint committees set up by the agreements (in particular, competence for the amendment of certain aspects of their sectorial annexes). The Commission would be enabled to proceed with necessary technical amendments and to adopt appropriate decisions for the implementation of the agreements. In specific cases, the Council will reserve the right to itself determine the Community's position upon proposal from the Commission (in particular, in the area of the free movement of persons). It is also specified, as far as the agreement on the free movement of persons is concerned, that the undertakings contained in the agreement relating to the third pillar of the EU Treaty does not bind the UK, Denmark and Ireland with respect to obligations with regard to Community law but in respect of obligations arising from an undertaking between these Member States and Switzerland. This agreement, which provides for shared competences, will be ratified in the name of the European Union by the European Parliament and the parliaments of the Member States. The 6 other agreements will be ratified by the European Parliament because they fall within the competence of the Community. However, as all the agreements were negotiated together, they will be concluded and will enter into force on the same date. There are, therefore, no provisional measures to be taken before the entry into force of the abovementioned agreements. It should be noted that 6 of these agreements are approved in the name of the Community and only one of them (the agreement on scientific and technological cooperation) is approved in the name of the European Community and EURATOM.�