Council Decision

of 7 November 2000

concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the Community, of the Convention for the Protection of the Rhine

(2000/706/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(1) and the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) and the first subparagraph of Article 300(3),

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

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

Whereas:

(1) By Decision 77/586/EEC(2), the Community concluded the Convention for the Protection of the Rhine against chemical pollution and the Additional Agreement to the Agreement, signed in Berne on 29 April 1963, concerning the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine against Pollution.

(2) At the 25th meeting of the Coordinating Group of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine, the riparian States considered it necessary to provide for a new Convention for the Protection of the Rhine and to open negotiations to that end.

(3) The European Commission, acting on behalf of the Community, took part in these negotiations in accordance with the negotiating directives given by the Council and these negotiations were completed in January 1998.

(4) In the light of the outcome of these negotiations, the Council decided in March 1999 that the Community would sign the new Convention for the Protection of the Rhine, subject to its subsequent conclusion, and authorised this signing on behalf of the Community. The new Convention for the Protection of the Rhine was signed on 12 April 1999 in Berne (Switzerland),

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Convention for the Protection of the Rhine is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

The text of the Convention is attached to this Decision.

Article 2

The President of the Council is authorised to designate the person or persons empowered to deposit the instrument of approval with the Government of the Swiss Confederation in accordance with Article 17 of the Convention.

Done at Brussels, 7 November 2000.

For the Council

The President

D. Voynet

(1) Opinion delivered on 17 May 2000 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2) OJ L 240, 19.9.1977, p. 35.