DECISION No 1/2012 OF THE EU-KOREA COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

of 27 June 2012

on the adoption of the rules of operation of the Civil Society Forum as required by Article 13.13 of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part

(2012/741/EU)

THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,

Having regard to the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, signed in Brussels on 6 October 2010 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Agreement’), and in particular Article 13.13 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Article 13.13 of the Agreement provides that members of the Domestic Advisory Group(s) from each Party shall meet at a Civil Society Forum.

(2) The composition of the Civil Society Forum shall ensure a balanced representation of members of the Domestic Advisory Group.

(3) The Parties shall agree by decision of the Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development on the operation of the Civil Society Forum no later than one year after the entry into force of this Agreement,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The rules of operation of the Civil Society Forum, as set out in the Annex to this Decision, are hereby established.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption

Done at Brussels, 27 June 2012.

For the Trade and Sustainable Development Committee

Co-chair of the Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Korea

Kyungduck AN

Sanghoon KIM

Co-chair of the Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development of the European Union

Peter THOMPSON

ANNEX

RULES OF OPERATION OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM

Article 1

The Civil Society Forum will be composed of 12 members of the EU Domestic Advisory Group and 12 members of the Domestic Advisory Groups of Korea designated by the Domestic Advisory Groups themselves. Members may be accompanied by expert advisors. Representatives of the Civil Society Forum from each Party shall include at least 3 representatives of business organisations, trade unions and environmental non governmental organisations respectively.

Article 2

The Civil Society Forum shall have an EU and a Korean co-chair. The co-chairs will be appointed by the EU Domestic Advisory Group and the Korean Domestic Advisory Group(s), respectively, among their participants in the Civil Society Forum.

The co-chairs will draw up the agenda of the Civil Society Forum meetings, based on requests by their respective Domestic Advisory Groups. In addition, the agenda shall include the following regular items:

(a) Information by the Parties on the implementation of the Chapter on Trade and Sustainable Development;

(b) Reports of consultations undertaken under Article 13.14 and about work undertaken by Panel of experts under Article 13.15.

Article 3

The Civil Society Forum shall meet at least once a year, alternating between Brussels and Seoul, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties. An extraordinary meeting may be held upon request of one of the Domestic Advisory Groups.