Introductory text
United Kingdom
Council Decision (EU) 2016/1876
of 13 October 2016
on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the Association Committee in Trade configuration established by the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the first paragraph of Article 207(4) in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)
The Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, and their Member States of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other partf1 (‘the Agreement’) entered into force on 1 July 2016.
(2)
In accordance with Article 173 of the Agreement, the Republic of Moldova is to gradually achieve conformity with the relevant Union acquis, in accordance with the provisions of Annex XVI to the Agreement.
(3)
In accordance with Article 273 of the Agreement the Republic of Moldova is to ensure that its public procurement legislation is gradually made compatible with the relevant Union acquis, in line with the schedule provided in Annex XXIX to the Agreement.
(4)
Several Union acts listed in Annexes XVI and XXIX to the Agreement have been amended, recast or repealed and replaced by new Union acts since the initialling of the Agreement on 29 November 2013. Certain Union acts listed in Annex XVI to the Agreement are also listed in other Annexes. It is appropriate, in the interest of clarity of obligations, to align the deadlines for approximation applicable to those acts.
(5)
In accordance with Article 269 of the Agreement the value thresholds for public procurement contracts provided for in Annex XXIX-A to the Agreement are to be revised regularly, beginning in the year of entry into force of the Agreement.
(6)
It is furthermore appropriate to take into account the progress made by the Republic of Moldova in the process of approximation to the Union acquis by amending certain deadlines.
(7)
It is therefore necessary to update Annexes XVI and XXIX in order to reflect the developments to the Union acquis listed therein, and revise the value thresholds for public procurement contracts provided for in Annex XXIX-A to the Agreement.
(8)
In accordance with Article 269 of the Agreement, the revision of the thresholds provided for in Annex XXIX-A to the Agreement shall be adopted by decision of the Association Committee in Trade configuration.
(9)
In accordance with Article 436(3) of the Agreement, the Association Council shall have the power to update or amend the Annexes to the Agreement.
(10)
Article 1 of the Association Council Decision No 3/2014 of 16 December 2014 delegates the power to update or amend the trade-related annexes to the Agreement to the Association Committee in Trade configuration, including Annex XVI pertaining to Chapter 3 (Technical Barriers to Trade, Standardisation, Metrology, Accreditation and Conformity Assessment) and Annex XXIX pertaining to Chapter 8 (Public Procurement) of Title V (Trade and trade-related matters) of the Agreement.
(11)
It is appropriate to establish the position to be adopted on the Union's behalf within the Association Committee in Trade configuration with regard to the update of Annexes XVI and XXIX to the Agreement,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: