COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2021/1234

of 13 July 2021

on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Thailand pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

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

Whereas:

(1) On 15 June 2018 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Kingdom of Thailand for an agreement relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the Union.

(2) The negotiations have been concluded, and the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Thailand pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (‘the Agreement’) was initialled on 7 January 2021.

(3) In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2021/373 (2), the Agreement was signed on 7 May 2021.

(4) The Agreement should be approved,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Thailand pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union is hereby approved on behalf of the Union (3).

Article 2

The President of the Council shall, on behalf of the Union, give the notification provided for in Article 4(1) of the Agreement (4).

Article 3

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

Done at Brussels, 13 July 2021.

For the Council

The President

A. ŠIRCELJ

(1)  Consent of 23 June 2021 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2)  Council Decision (EU) 2021/373 of 22 February 2021 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Thailand pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (

OJ L 72, 3.3.2021, p. 1

).

(3)  See page … of this Official Journal.

(4)  The date of entry into force of the Agreement will be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

by the General Secretariat of the Council.