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 Interim Agreement with a view to an Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Central Africa Party, of the other part^f1 (‘the Agreement’), was signed on behalf of the Union by Council Decision 2009/152/EC^f2 and has been applied on a provisional basis since 4 August 2014.

In accordance with Article 80(1) of the Agreement, the EPA Committee is required to lay down the rules of procedure and the code of conduct on the settlement of disputes.

In accordance with Article 88 of the Agreement, the EPA Committee may decide to amend Title VI of the Agreement and the Annexes thereto.

The EPA Committee, at its next annual meeting is to adopt a decision establishing the rules of procedure for mediation, the rules of procedure for arbitration, and the code of conduct of arbitrators.

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken, on behalf of the Union, in the EPA Committee concering the adoption of the envisaged decision, as that decision will be binding on the Union.

It is therefore appropriate that the position of the Union in the EPA Committee be based on the attached draft Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: