Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 44(2), the last sentence of Article 47(2), and Articles 55, 57(2), 71, 80(2), 93, 94, 133 and 181a, in conjunction with the second sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) and the first subparagraph of Article 300(3) thereof,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular the second paragraph of Article 101 thereof,

Having regard to the Act of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania, and in particular Article 6(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament^f1,

Having regard to the Council’s approval pursuant to Article 101 of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community,

Whereas:

The Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, was signed on behalf of the European Community and the Member States on 9 December 2008 in accordance with Council Decision 2009/173/EC^f2.

Pending its entry into force, the Protocol has been applied on a provisional basis as from 1 January 2007.

The Protocol should be concluded,

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: