COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2021/1920

of 28 June 2021

on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Agreement on air transport between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the State of Qatar, of the other part

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and in particular Article 100(2), in conjunction with Article 218(5), thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) On 7 June 2016 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the State of Qatar for an agreement on air transport. The negotiations were successfully concluded with the initialling of the Agreement on air transport between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the State of Qatar, of the other part (‘the Agreement’) on 4 March 2019.

(2) The signing of the Agreement on behalf of the Union and its provisional application do not affect the allocation of competences between the Union and its Member States. This Decision should not be interpreted as making use of the possibility for the Union to exercise its external competence with regard to areas covered by the Agreement falling within shared competence to the extent that such competence has not yet been exercised internally by the Union.

(3) The Agreement should be signed and applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The signing on behalf of the Union of the Agreement on air transport between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the State of Qatar, of the other part, is hereby authorised, subject to the conclusion of the said Agreement (1).

Article 2

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreement on behalf of the Union.

Article 3

The Agreement shall be applied on a provisional basis in accordance with Article 29(3) thereof, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force.

Article 4

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

Done at Luxembourg, 28 June 2021.

For the Council

The President

M. do Céu ANTUNES

(1)  See page 3 of this Official Journal.