COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2023/1116

of 25 May 2023

on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol amending the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization, as regards the Agreement on fisheries subsidies

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4), first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament (1),

Whereas:

(1) The Union is a Member of the World Trade Organization (‘WTO’) which launched the Doha Round of trade negotiations, known as ‘the Doha Development Agenda’, in November 2001. The task of the WTO negotiations on fisheries subsidies was to deliver on Target 14.6 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

(2) The Commission negotiated with other WTO Members in consultation with the Committee established by Article 207(3) of the Treaty.

(3) The negotiations were concluded at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference on 17 June 2022. That Conference adopted the Protocol amending the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (‘the Protocol’) and declared it open for acceptance by the WTO Members.

(4) The Annex to the Protocol contains the Agreement on fisheries subsidies which will be inserted, upon entry into force of the Protocol, into Annex 1A to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization.

(5) The Protocol should be approved,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Protocol amending the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (‘the Protocol’) is hereby approved on behalf of the Union (2).

Article 2

The President of the Council shall designate the person(s) empowered to deposit, on behalf of the Union, the instrument of acceptance as provided for in paragraph 5 of the Protocol (3).

Article 3

The Protocol shall not be construed as conferring rights or imposing obligations which can be directly invoked in courts of the Union or Member States.

Article 4

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 25 May 2023.

For the Council

The President

J. FORSSELL

(1)  Consent of 19 April 2023 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2)  See page 3 of this Official Journal.

(3)  The date of entry into force of the Protocol will be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

by the General Secretariat of the Council.