DECISION No 1/2016 OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONAL CONVENTION ON PAN-EURO-MEDITERRANEAN PREFERENTIAL RULES OF ORIGIN

of 28 September 2016

as regards the request of Georgia to become a Contracting Party to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin [2016/2126]

THE JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin(1), hereafter ‘the Convention’,

Whereas:

(1) Article 5(1) of the Convention provides that a third party may become a Contracting Party to the Convention provided that the candidate country or territory has a free trade agreement in force, providing for preferential rules of origin, with at least one of the Contracting Parties.

(2) Georgia submitted a written request for accession to the Convention to the depositary of the Convention on 23 September 2015.

(3) Georgia has a free trade agreement in force with two Contracting Parties to the Convention and complies with the condition set out in Article 5(1) of the Convention to become a Contracting Party.

(4) Article 4(3)(b) of the Convention provides that the Joint Committee shall adopt by decision invitations to third parties to accede to the Convention.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Georgia shall be invited to accede to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin.

Article 2

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

Done at Brussels, 28 September 2016.

For the Joint Committee

The Chair

Péter KOVÀCS

(1)

OJ L 54, 26.2.2013, p. 4