COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2021/924

of 3 June 2021

on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the International Cocoa Council as regards the extension of the International Cocoa Agreement 2010

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 207(4), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The International Cocoa Agreement 2010 (the ‘Agreement’) was concluded by the Union by Council Decision 2012/189/EU (1) and entered into force on 1 October 2012.

(2) Pursuant to Article 62(1) of the Agreement, the Agreement remains in force until 30 September 2022, unless extended.

(3) Pursuant to Article 7(1) of the Agreement, the International Cocoa Council of the International Cocoa Organization (the ‘ICCO Council’) is to exercise all such powers and perform or arrange for the performance of all such functions as are necessary to carry out the express provisions of the Agreement. Pursuant to Article 62(4) of the Agreement, the ICCO Council may adopt a decision extending the Agreement beyond its current expiry date for two periods not exceeding two cocoa years each, that is until 30 September 2024 for the first period and until 30 September 2026 for the second period.

(4) The ICCO Council is to adopt a decision on the extension of the Agreement following its 103rd session on 22 and 23 April 2021.

(5) It is appropriate to establish the position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf in the ICCO Council, as the ICCO Council’s decision as regards the extension of the Agreement will be binding on the Union.

(6) It is in the interests of the Union that the Agreement be extended and that the Union remain a party to it, considering the importance of the cocoa sector for a number of Member States and for the economy of the Union.

(7) Extending the Agreement for a maximum of four years should give members of the ICCO Council appropriate time to undertake a substantial revision of the Agreement that focuses on its modernisation and simplification,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf within the International Cocoa Council of the International Cocoa Organization as regards the extension of the International Cocoa Agreement 2010 shall be to vote in favour of its extension for two periods not exceeding two cocoa years each, that is until 30 September 2024 for the first period and until 30 September 2026 for the second period.

Article 2

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

Done at Luxembourg, 3 June 2021.

For the Council

The President

P. N. SANTOS

(1)  Council Decision 2012/189/EU of 26 March 2012 on the conclusion of the International Cocoa Agreement 2010 (

OJ L 102, 12.4.2012, p. 1

).