Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation

The EU and Armenia have agreed to move forward with the deepening and broadening of EU- Armenia relations within the Eastern Partnership (EaP) framework. In this framework, the EU has recognized the importance of enhanced people-to-people contacts. During the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit in May 2009, the EU reaffirmed its political support towards full liberalization of the visa regime in a secure environment, and towards promoting mobility by concluding visa facilitation and readmission agreements with EaP countries.

According to the common approach for the development of EU policy on visa facilitation agreed at the level of CORE PER by the Member States in December 2005, a visa facilitation agreement would not be concluded without a readmission agreement being in place. In 19 December 2011, the Council formally authorised the Commission to negotiate a readmission agreement between the European Union and Armenia.

In February 2012 the Commission transmitted a draft text to the Armenian authorities following which the first round of formal negotiations was held in Yerevan on 27-28 February 2012. Two further formal rounds of negotiations took place, lastly in Yerevan on 19 July 2012. The agreed text was subsequently initialled on 18 October 2012 in Brussels. Member States have been regularly informed and consulted at all (informal and formal) stages of the readmission negotiations. On the part of the Union, the legal basis for the Agreement is Article 79(3), in conjunction with Article 218 of TFEU.

The attached proposal constitutes the legal instrument for the conclusion of the readmission agreement. The Council will decide by qualified majority. The European Parliament's consent will be required for the conclusion of the Agreement, in accordance with Art. 218(6)(a) of TFEU.

The proposed decision concerning the conclusion sets out the necessary internal arrangements for the practical application of the Agreement. In particular, it specifies that the Commission, assisted by experts from Member States, represents the Union within the Joint Readmission Committee set up by Article 19 of the Agreement. Under Article 19(5), the readmission committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure. As in the case for the other readmission agreements so far concluded by the Union, the Union position in this regard shall be established by the Commission in consultation with a special committee designated by the Council. As regards other decisions to be taken by the Joint Committee, the Union position shall be established in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Treaty.

ESO: Background information: Proposal for a Council Decision on the signature of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation http://www.europeansources.info/record/proposal-for-a-council-decision-on-the-signature-of-the-agreement-between-the-european-union-and-the-republic-of-armenia-on-the-readmission-of-persons-residing-without-authorisation/

EUR-Lex: COM(2012)704: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2012:704:FIN

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