Introductory text

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 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 Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam on forest law enforcement, governance and trade (‘the Agreement’) was concluded by the Union by means of Council Decision (EU) 2019/854^f1 and entered into force on 1 June 2019.

The Joint Implementation Committee established pursuant to Article 18(1) of the Agreement (‘the JIC’) is to establish its rules of procedure in accordance with Article 18(3) of the Agreement.

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the JIC, as the rules of procedure of the JIC will be binding on the Union.

It is appropriate for the Union to support the adoption of the rules of procedure, which will ensure smooth and transparent collaboration between the Union and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam from the outset on the implementation of the Agreement and eventually on the implementation of the forest law enforcement, governance and trade licensing scheme,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: