Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

The Agreement establishing an Association between the European Economic Community and Turkey^f1 (‘the Agreement’) aims to promote the continuous and balanced strengthening of trade and economic relations between the Union and Turkey, and establishes an Association Council to ensure the implementation and the progressive development of the Association.

Decision No 1/98 of the EC-Turkey Association Council^f2 establishes the trade regime for agricultural products. Protocol 2 to that Decision contains details of the preferential regime applicable to the importation into Turkey of agricultural products originating in the Union, including a preferential regime for the importation of frozen bovine meat.

The Union and Turkey have held consultations and have agreed to amend the preferential regime applicable to the importation into Turkey of bovine meat originating in the Union, and to extend the scope of the existing tariff quota, set out in the Annex to Protocol 2 to Decision No 1/98, to fresh and chilled bovine meat.

Pursuant to Article 35 of the Additional Protocol to the Agreement^f3, the scope of the preferential treatment granted to each other by the Union and Turkey may be amended by a Decision of the Association Council.

The position of the Union within the EU-Turkey Association Council should therefore be based on the attached draft Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: