COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2019/2156

of 7 October 2019

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Association Council set up by the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part, as regards the adoption of a recommendation on the extension of the EU-Morocco Action Plan implementing the advanced status (2013-2017)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 217 in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part (1) (the ‘Agreement’) entered into force on 1 March 2000.

(2) Pursuant to Article 80 of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement, the Association Council may issue recommendations.

(3) The Association Council is to adopt, by means of an Exchange of Letters, a recommendation for a further extension of the EU-Morocco Action Plan implementing the advanced status (2013-2017) (‘Action Plan’) of two years.

(4) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Association Council with regard to the adoption of a recommendation approving the Action Plan, as the recommendation is binding on the Union.

(5) The extension of the Action Plan will constitute the basis of EU-Morocco relations for 2019 and 2020 and will enable new priority areas for EU-Morocco relations to be established for the years ahead,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Association Council set up by the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of a recommendation approving the extension of the EU-Morocco Action Plan implementing the advanced status (2013-2017) by two years (2019 and 2020) shall be based on the attached draft recommendation.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Done at Luxembourg, 7 October 2019.

For the Council

The President

A.-M. HENRIKSSON

(1)  

OJ L 70, 18.3.2000, p. 2

.

DRAFT

RECOMMENDATION No 1/2019 OF THE EU-MOROCCO ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

of …

approving the extension of the EU-Morocco Action Plan implementing the advanced status (2013-2017) by two years

THE EU-MOROCCO ASSOCIATION COUNCIL,

having regard to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part (1),

Whereas:

(1) The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part (the ‘Agreement’) entered into force on 1 March 2000.

(2) Pursuant to Article 80 of the Agreement, the Association Council may issue any recommendation which it considers appropriate for the purposes of attaining the objectives of the Agreement.

(3) In accordance with Article 90 of the Agreement, the Parties are to take any general or specific measures required to fulfil their obligations under the Agreement and to ensure that the objectives set out in the Agreement are achieved.

(4) Article 10 of the rules of procedure of the Association Council provides for the possibility of issuing recommendations between sessions by written procedure.

(5) The Action Plan implementing the advanced status (2013-2017) (‘Action Plan’) was extended by one year in 2018. The further extension of the Action Plan by two years will constitute the basis of EU-Morocco relations for 2019 and 2020 and will enable new priority areas for EU-Morocco relations to be established for the years ahead,

RECOMMENDS:

Sole Article

The Association Council, acting by written procedure, recommends the extension of the EU-Morocco Action Plan implementing the advanced status (2013-2017) by two years.

Done at …, ….

For the EU-Morocco Association Council

The President

(1)  

OJ L 70, 18.3.2000, p. 2

.