Council Decision

of 20 November 2008

on the signature and provisional application of the interim agreement with a view to an Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Central Africa Party, of the other part

(2009/152/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 133 and 181 in conjunction with the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) On 12 June 2002, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with a view to concluding Economic Partnership Agreements with ACP countries.

(2) These negotiations have been concluded and the interim agreement with a view to an Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Central Africa Party, of the other part (comprising Cameroon) (hereinafter referred to as the "interim agreement with a view to an EPA") was initialled on 17 December 2007.

(3) Article 98(4) of the interim agreement with a view to an EPA provides for its provisional application pending its entry into force.

(4) The interim agreement with a view to an EPA should be signed on behalf of the Community and applied, as concerns elements falling within the competence of the Community, on a provisional basis subject to its conclusion at a later date,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The signing of the interim agreement with a view to an Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Central Africa Party, of the other part, is hereby approved on behalf of the Community, subject to the Council Decision concerning the conclusion of the said Agreement.

The text of the interim agreement with a view to an EPA is attached to this Decision.

Article 2

For the purposes of Article 92(2) of the interim agreement with a view to an EPA, the EPA Committee shall be composed, on the one hand, of the members of the Council and of representatives of the Commission and, on the other hand, of representatives of the Governments of the signatory Central African States. The Commission shall propose to the Council, for its Decision, the position of the Community with a view to the negotiation of the EPA Committee's rules of procedure.

Article 3

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the interim agreement with a view to an EPA on behalf of the European Community subject to its conclusion.

Article 4

As concerns elements falling within the competence of the Community, the interim agreement with a view to an EPA shall be applied on a provisional basis, as provided for in Article 98(4) thereof, pending completion of the procedures for conclusion. The Commission shall publish a notice providing information on the date of provisional application.

Done in Brussels, 20 November 2008.

For the Council

The President

B. Laporte

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