Introductory text
United Kingdom
Council Decision (EU) 2017/434
of 13 February 2017
on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, of the other part
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 Articles 207 and 209, 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:
(1)
In November 2011, the Council authorised the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to open negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on a Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development (‘the Agreement’).
(2)
Negotiations on the Agreement were successful and the Agreement was initialled on 2 July 2015 in Kabul.
(3)
Article 59 of the Agreement provides for the provisional application of the Agreement before its entry into force.
(4)
The Agreement should be signed on behalf of the Union and certain provisions of the Agreement should be applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its conclusion.
(5)
The signing of the Agreement on behalf of the Union and the provisional application of parts of the Agreement between the Union and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan are without prejudice to the allocation of competences between the Union and its Member States in accordance with the Treaties,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: