Council Decision

of 20 December 2005

on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the United States of America on trade in wine

(2006/232/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 133, 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 23 October 2000 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate an agreement on trade in wine between the European Community and the United States of America.

(2) The negotiations have been concluded and the Agreement between the European Community and the United States of America on trade in wine (hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement") was initialled by both Parties on 14 September 2005. The Agreement represents a first-stage agreement and the Parties should begin negotiations within ninety days from the date of entry into force of the Agreement with a view to concluding one or more agreements that further facilitate trade in wine between them.

(3) The Agreement should therefore be approved.

(4) In order to facilitate the implementation and possible amendment of the Annexes to the Agreement, the Commission should be authorised to adopt the necessary measures in accordance with the procedure laid down in Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine [1],

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Agreement between the European Community and the United States of America on trade in wine (hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement") is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

The text of the Agreement is attached to this Decision.

Article 2

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreement in order to bind the Community.

Article 3

For the purposes of applying Article 5(4), Article 7(2), Article 8(2), Article 9(5), Article 11(5) and (6), Article 13(1) and Article 14 of the Agreement, the Commission is hereby authorised to adopt, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 75(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, the measures necessary to implement the Agreement and to modify its Annexes, the Protocol and its Appendices.

Article 4

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 20 December 2005.

For the Council

The President

M. Beckett

[1] OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2165/2005 (OJ L 345, 28.12.2005, p. 1).

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