Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 thereof, in conjunction with the first sentence of Article 300(2) and the first subparagraph of paragraph 3 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,^f1

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,^f2

Whereas:

The European Community is a member of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM); when acceding to this organisation, the Community deposited a single declaration by the Community on the exercise of competence and voting rights^f3.

GFCM adopted, at its meeting from 13 to 16 October 1997, amendments to the text of the agreement establishing an autonomous budget.

The Community accepted, by Council Decision of 17 July 2000, the amendment of the Agreement establishing the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean with a view to establishing an autonomous budget for that organisation^f4.

The amendments relative to the autonomous budget entered into force on 29 April 2004.

The implementation of an autonomous budget for GFCM implies that the Community will provide a financial contribution to that budget; the volume of this contribution makes it necessary to adapt the declaration of competence and voting rights deposited at the time of the accession of the Community to GFCM,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: