DECISION No 2/2021 OF THE EU-PLO JOINT COMMITTEE

of 24 December 2021

on the extension of the temporary amendments provided for by Point A of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union, of the one part, and the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of the other part, providing further liberalisation of agricultural products, processed agricultural products and fish and fishery products [2022/190]

THE EU-PLO JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Euro-Mediterranean Interim Association Agreement on trade and cooperation between the European Community, of the one part, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of the other part, signed in Brussels on 24 February 1997, and in particular Article 63(2) thereof,

Having regard to the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union, of the one part, and the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of the other part, providing further liberalisation of agricultural products, processed agricultural products and fish and fishery products and amending the Euro-Mediterranean Interim Association Agreement on trade and cooperation between the European Community, of the one part, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of the other part, signed on 13 April 2011, and in particular point C, paragraph 1(a) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Article 63(1) of the Euro-Mediterranean Interim Association Agreement on trade and cooperation between the European Community, of the one part, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of the other part (the ‘Interim Association Agreement’) gives the Joint Committee for European Union- Palestinian Authority trade and cooperation (the ‘Joint Committee’) the power to take decisions in the cases provided for in the Interim Association Agreement as well as in other cases necessary for the purpose of attaining the objectives set out in that Agreement.

(2) Pursuant to Point C, paragraph 1(a) of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union, of the one part, and the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of the other part, providing further liberalisation of agricultural products, processed agricultural products and fish and fishery products and amending the Euro-Mediterranean Interim Association Agreement on trade and cooperation between the European Community, of the one part, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of the other (the ‘Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters’), the Joint Committee may take a decision on an extension of the temporary amendments provided for under Point A of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters.

(3) The time limit for the Joint Committee to take such a decision has been set to allow operators to adapt to the new situation and does not affect the powers of the Joint Committee as such. Both Parties already indicated in 2020 their intention to continue the temporary amendments for an additional period of 10 years.

(4) Article 10 of the Rules of Procedures of the Joint Committee provides for the possibility of taking decisions by written procedure between sessions if both Parties so agree,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The temporary amendments provided for under point A of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union, of the one part, and the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of the other part, providing further liberalisation of agricultural products, processed agricultural products and fish and fishery products and amending the Euro-Mediterranean Interim Association Agreement on trade and cooperation between the European Community, of the one part, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of the other, shall apply for an additional period of 10 years.

Article 2

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

It shall apply as of 1 January 2022.

2.   This Decision shall be drawn up in the official languages of the Parties to the Interim Association Agreement, each of those texts being equally authentic.

Done at Brussels, 24 December 2021.

For the Joint Committee

The Chairman

C. HALLERGARD