COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2021/1855

of 18 October 2021

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Association Council set up by the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part, as regards the extension of the validity of the EU-Lebanon Partnership Priorities until new updated joint documents are adopted by the Association Council

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 217 in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part (1) (the ‘Agreement’) was signed on 17 June 2002 and entered into force on 1 April 2006.

(2) The Association Council adopted the EU-Lebanon Partnership Priorities, including the EU-Lebanon Compact annexed thereto (the ‘Compact’), by its Decision No 1/2016 (2) for the period 2016-2020.

(3) In an Exchange of Letters, both sides agreed that the validity of the EU-Lebanon Partnership Priorities, including the Compact, should be extended as guiding documents to consolidate their partnership pending the adoption of new updated joint documents.

(4) Under Article 76 of the Agreement, the Association Council has the power to take decisions for the purpose of attaining the objectives of the Agreement.

(5) The Association Council is to adopt a decision by written procedure to extend the validity of the Partnership Priorities, including the Compact, until new updated joint documents are adopted by the Association Council.

(6) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Association Council, as the decision of the Association Council will have legal effects.

(7) The position of the Union within the Association Council should therefore be based on the draft Decision of the Association Council,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the Association Council set up by the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part, as regards the extension of the validity of the EU-Lebanon Partnership Priorities until new updated joint documents are adopted by the Association Council, shall be based on the draft Decision of the Association Council (3).

Article 2

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

Done at Luxembourg, 18 October 2021.

For the Council

The President

J. BORRELL FONTELLES

(1)  

OJ L 143, 30.5.2006, p. 2

.

(2)  Decision No 1/2016 of the EU-Lebanon Association Council of 11 November 2016 agreeing on EU-Lebanon Partnership Priorities (

OJ L 350, 22.12.2016, p. 114

).

(3)  See document ST 12263/21 on http://register.consilium.europa.eu.