Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 91 and Article 100(2), in conjunction with point (a) of Article 218(6) and Article 218(7) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament^f1,

Whereas:

The Commission negotiated, on behalf of the Union, a Treaty establishing the Transport Community (‘the Transport Community Treaty’) between the European Union and the Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo^f2, Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia.

The Transport Community Treaty was signed on behalf of the Union on 9 October 2017, subject to its conclusion at a later date, in accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2017/1937^f3, and it has been applied on a provisional basis in accordance with Article 41(3) of the Transport Community Treaty.

The Transport Community Treaty furthers the development of transport between the Union and the South East European Parties on the basis of the provisions of the Union acquis.

Meetings of the Ministerial Council or the Regional Steering Committee established, respectively, under Articles 21 and 24 of the Transport Community Treaty, should be properly prepared within the Council, based on proposals and other documents from the Commission, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The Commission should be empowered to approve, on behalf of the Union, amendments to the lists of Union acts set out in Annex I to the Transport Community Treaty, in accordance with point (a) of Article 20(3) thereof and after appropriate consultation.

The Transport Community Treaty should be approved,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: