Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the Council of Members of the International Olive Council concerning the prolongation of the 2005 International Agreement on olive oil and table olives

The 2005 International Agreement on olive oil and table olives will expire on 31 December 2014 unless the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (IOC) decides to prolong it in accordance with Articles 47(1) and (2) of the Agreement.

This International Agreement on olive oil and table olives fosters international cooperation and contributes to the development and stability of markets in the product concerned and to the achievement of Union objectives in the areas of trade and agricultural policy.

The Commission received a negotiating mandate from the Council of the EU in September 2013 under which it was authorised to open negotiations on behalf of the EU for the conclusion of a new international agreement on olive oil and table olives (COM(2013)646 final of 19 September 2013).

The renewal of the Agreement is currently being negotiated. Progress with discussions is such that it will not be possible to complete negotiations as originally intended by the end of December 2014, when the existing Agreement will expire.

The new Agreement will require the European Union to contribute to IOC budgets. That contribution is budgeted under item 05 06 01 of the EU budget (International agricultural agreements).

In the light of the above, the Commission proposes that, in accordance with Articles 43(2) and 218(9) of the TFEU, the Council should authorise the Commission to request within the Council of Members of the IOC that the existing Agreement be prolonged by one year and to vote in favour of such prolongation if it is included in the agenda of a meeting of the IOC Council of Members.

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: COM(2014)438: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2014:438:FIN

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