Council Decision (EU) 2017/876 of 18 May 2017 on the accession of the European Union to the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)
EU Decision 2017/876 · Adopted 18 May 2017 · Extends to United Kingdom
Council Decision (EU) 2017/876
of 18 May 2017
on the accession of the European Union to the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(3) and (4), in conjunction with Article 218(6) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Having regard to the consent of the European Parliamentf1,
Whereas:
(1)
The Union is a member of a number of international commodity bodies, but it is not a member of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (‘ICAC’).
(2)
On 27 April 2004, 27 May 2008 and 10 May 2010 the Council, in its Conclusions on the EU Action Plan on agricultural commodity chains, dependency and poverty, on the EU-Africa Partnership in support of cotton-sector development and on enhancing Union action in the area of commodities, respectively, invited the Commission to consider Union membership of the ICAC.
(3)
On 16 September 2013 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate, on behalf of the Union, the accession of the Union to the ICAC in accordance with Sections 1 and 2 of Article II of the ICAC Rules and Regulations, stating that membership of the ICAC is in the interest of the Union, owing to the significance of cotton to the Union's agricultural and industrial economy and trade businesses. The Union is a producer of cotton and has evolved from a net cotton importer to, as of 2009, a net cotton exporter. Furthermore, the Union textiles and clothing industry is a major user of cotton cloth. Cotton is also an important area for European development cooperation, the Union remaining one of the main donors to the African cotton sector.
(4)
The Union will pay a contribution in accordance with Section 2 a.(2)(c) of Article II of the ICAC Rules and Regulations. The Union cannot be held liable for any current or future financial arrears of any members of the ICAC.
(5)
It is necessary for Protocol 4 on cottonf2, annexed to the 1979 Act of Accession, to continue to be taken into account after the Union's accession to the ICAC.
(6)
The Union should therefore accede to the ICAC,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Annotations to the whole text
Footnotes
- f1
-
Consent of 16 May 2017 (not yet published in the Official Journal).
- f2
Contents
1
The accession of the European Union to the International Cotton Advisory Committee is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.
The ICAC Rules and Regulations are attached to this Decision.
2
The President of the Council shall designate the person(s) empowered to make, on behalf of the Union, the communication referred to in Section 2 a. of Article II of the ICAC Rules and Regulations.
3
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Signature
Done at Brussels, 18 May 2017.
For the Council
The President
C. Abela
Office of the Secretariat
1629 K Street NW Suite 702
Washington DC 20006 USA
Telephone: (202) 463-6660
Fax: (202) 463-6950
Email: [email protected]
RULES AND REGULATIONS
of the
INTERNATIONAL COTTON ADVISORY COMMITTEE
As adopted by the 31st Plenary Meeting — June 16, 1972
(With amendments through December 11, 2015 at the 74th Plenary Meeting)
ARTICLE I — TERMS OF REFERENCE
The functions of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (hereinafter referred to as ICAC) are:
- a..
To observe and keep in close touch with developments affecting the world cotton situation.
- b..
To collect, disseminate, and keep complete, authentic and timely statistics and other information relating to world production, trade, consumption, stocks and prices of cotton; and other textile fibers, or of textiles, insofar as they affect the cotton economy and do not duplicate assignments that Members have given to other international bodies.
- c..
To suggest to Members of the ICAC, as and when advisable, any measures the ICAC considers suitable and practicable for the furtherance of international collaboration directed towards developing and maintaining a sound world cotton economy.
- d..
To be the forum for international discussions on matters related to cotton prices, without, however, prejudicing discussions currently being carried on elsewhere, for example, in the UNCTAD. Such discussions should take place regularly both in the Standing Committee and at annual Plenary Meetings.