Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 37 thereof,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207 and Article 212(1), in conjunction with Article 218(5) and the second subparagraph of Article 218(8) thereof,

Having regard to the joint proposal from the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

On 25 June 2012, the Council authorised the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to open negotiations with New Zealand on a Framework Agreement to replace the Joint Declaration on relations and cooperation between the European Union and New Zealand of 21 September 2007.

The negotiations on the Partnership Agreement on Relations and Cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and New Zealand, of the other part (the ‘Agreement’) were successfully concluded on 30 July 2014. The Agreement reflects both the historically close relationship and increasingly strong links developing between the Parties, and their desire to further strengthen and extend their relations in an ambitious and innovative way.

Article 58 of the Agreement provides that the Union and New Zealand may apply provisionally certain provisions of the Agreement, determined mutually by the two Parties, pending its entry into force.

The Agreement should therefore be signed on behalf of the Union and some of its provisions should be applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its conclusion,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: