Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4) first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

Joint Declaration V^f1 to Decision No 2/2000 of the EU-Mexico Joint Council^f2 established by the Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the United Mexican States, of the other part, signed in Brussels on 8 December 1997^f3 (hereinafter referred to as ‘Decision No 2/2000’) provides that the EU-Mexico Joint Committee established by that agreement is to review the necessity to extend beyond 30 June 2003 the application of the rules of origin set out in Notes 2 and 3 of Appendix II(a) to Annex III to Decision No 2/2000.

On 22 March 2004 and on 14 June 2007 the Joint Committee adopted Decisions No 1/2004^f4 and No 1/2007^f5 extending the application of the rules of origin established in those Notes until 30 June 2006 and 30 June 2009, respectively.

In accordance with the analysis of the relevant economic conditions undertaken according to Joint declaration V, it is considered appropriate to extend once again, on a temporary basis, the application of the rules of origin established in Notes 2 and 3 of Appendix II(a) to Annex III to Decision No 2/2000, thereby ensuring the continuity of application of the mutual advantages provided under that Decision.

An extension of the application of the rules of origin established in Notes 2 and 3 of Appendix II(a) to Annex III to Decision No 2/2000 granted by Decision No 1/2007 of the Joint Committee expired on 30 June 2009, therefore in order not to introduce disruption in existing economic conditions it is considered appropriate to apply the proposed decision for a new extension retrospectively, from 1 July 2009,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: