COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2020/1490

of 12 October 2020

establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the EPA Committee set up by the stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Côte d’Ivoire, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, concerning the adoption of the procedures for the settlement of disputes and the code of conduct for arbitrators

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 stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Côte d’Ivoire, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part (the ‘Agreement’) (1) was signed on behalf of the Union pursuant to Council Decision 2009/156/EC (2). It has been applied on a provisional basis since 3 September 2016.

(2) Pursuant to Article 59(1) of the Agreement, the EPA Committee is to adopt the rules of procedure for dispute settlement procedures.

(3) The EPA Committee, at its next annual meeting, is to adopt a decision establishing the procedures for the settlement of disputes and the code of conduct for arbitrators annexed to them.

(4) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the EPA Committee concerning the adoption of the decision establishing the procedures for the settlement of disputes and the code of conduct for arbitrators, as that decision will be binding on the Union.

(5) The position of the Union within the EPA Committee should therefore be based on the draft Decision of that Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the EPA Committee set up by the stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Côte d’Ivoire, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, shall be based on the draft decision of the EPA Committee concerning the adoption of the procedures for the settlement of disputes and the code of conduct for arbitrators (3).

Article 2

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

Done at Luxembourg, 12 October 2020.

For the Council

The President

J. BORRELL FONTELLES

(1)  

OJ L 59, 3.3.2009, p. 3

.

(2)  Council Decision 2009/156/EC of 21 November 2008 on the signature and provisional application of the stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Côte d’Ivoire, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part (

OJ L 59, 3.3.2009, p. 1

).

(3)  See document ST 10612/20 on http://register.consilium.europa.eu