COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2022/2524

of 12 December 2022

on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4), first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament (1),

Whereas:

(1) On 15 June 2018 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 on the apportionment of the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the Union.

(2) Negotiations with New Zealand were concluded on 20 December 2021 with the initialling of the Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (‘the Agreement’).

(3) The Agreement was signed on behalf of the Union on 20 July 2022, subject to its conclusion at a later date, in accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2022/781 (2).

(4) The Agreement should be approved,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union is hereby approved on behalf of the Union (3).

Article 2

The President of the Council shall, on behalf of the Union, give the notification provided for in Article 5(1) of the Agreement (4).

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 12 December 2022.

For the Council

The President

Z. NEKULA

(1)  Consent of 22 November 2022 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2)  Council Decision (EU) 2022/781 of 16 May 2022 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (

OJ L 140, 19.5.2022, p. 1

).

(3)  See page 61 of this Official Journal.

(4)  The date of entry into force of the Agreement will be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

by the General Secretariat of the Council.