COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2018/1031

of 13 July 2018

on the signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Status Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Albania on actions carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Albania

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular points (b) and (d) of Article 77(2) and point (c) of Article 79(2), in conjunction with Article 218(5) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to Article 54(4) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1624 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1), in cases where it is envisaged that European Border and Coast Guard teams will be deployed to a third country in actions where the team members will have executive powers, or where other actions in third countries require it, a status agreement is to be concluded by the Union with the third country concerned.

(2) On 16 October 2017, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Republic of Albania for a status agreement on actions carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Albania (the ‘Agreement’).

(3) Negotiations on the Agreement were opened on 13 December 2017 and were successfully finalised by the initialling of the Agreement on 12 February 2018.

(4) This Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen

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in which the United Kingdom does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2000/365/EC (2); the United Kingdom is therefore not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

(5) This Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen

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in which Ireland does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2002/192/EC (3); Ireland is therefore not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

(6) In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 22 on the position of Denmark, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application. Given that this Decision builds upon the Schengen

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, Denmark shall, in accordance with Article 4 of that Protocol, decide within a period of six months after the Council has decided on this Decision whether it will implement it in its national law.

(7) The Agreement should be signed and the text of the joint declaration with regard to Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein annexed to this Decision should be approved,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Status Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Albania on actions carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Albania (the ‘Agreement’) is hereby authorised, subject to the conclusion of the said Agreement (4).

Article 2

The text of the joint declaration annexed to this Decision shall be approved on behalf of the Union.

Article 3

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreement on behalf of the Union.

Article 4

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

Done at Brussels, 13 July 2018.

For the Council

The President

H. LÖGER

(1) Regulation (EU) 2016/1624 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2016 on the European Border and Coast Guard and amending Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EC) No 863/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 and Council Decision 2005/267/EC (

OJ L 251, 16.9.2016, p. 1

(2) Council Decision 2000/365/EC of 29 May 2000 concerning the request of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen

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(

OJ L 131, 1.6.2000, p. 43

(3) Council Decision 2002/192/EC of 28 February 2002 concerning Ireland's request to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen

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(

OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20

(4) The text of the Agreement will be published together with the decision on its conclusion.

ANNEX

JOINT DECLARATION WITH REGARD TO ICELAND, NORWAY, SWITZERLAND AND LIECHTENSTEIN

The Contracting Parties take note of the close relationship between the European Union and Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, particularly by virtue of the Agreements of 18 May 1999 and 26 October 2004 concerning the association of those countries with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen

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In such circumstances it is desirable that the authorities of Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, on the one hand, and the Republic of Albania, on the other hand, conclude, without delay, bilateral agreements on actions carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Albania in terms similar to those of this Agreement.