Council Decision (EU) 2016/342 of 12 February 2016 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and Kosovo *, of the other part

What it is

to conclude a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and of Kosovo, of the other part. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. BACKGROUND: in June 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with Kosovo on an EU-only Stabilisation and Association Agreement and adopted negotiating directives. The negotiations resulted in the initialling of the draft text of the agreement on 25 July 2014 which is the subject of this proposal. CONTENT: in this proposal, the Council is called upon to adopt the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and of Kosovo, of the other part, on behalf of the European Union, for the parts falling under the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. CONTENT: under this proposal, the Council is invited to approve, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, and Kosovo, on behalf of the Union for the parts falling under the TEU and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Legal basis : the ‘First agreement on principles governing the normalisation of relations’ was reached on 19 April 2013 in the framework of the EU-facilitated dialogue. It provides for the establishment of an association between the Union and Kosovo involving reciprocal rights and obligations, common actions and special procedure. It also contains provisions falling within the scope of Chapter 2 of Title V of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) concerning the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the Union. The decision to conclude the Agreement should therefore be based on the legal basis providing for the establishment of an association allowing the Union to enter into commitments in all areas covered by the Treaties and on the legal basis for agreements in areas covered by Chapter 2 of Title V of the TEU. The commitments and cooperation to be entered into by the Union under this Agreement relate only to the areas covered by the EU acquis or existing Union policies. Main objectives of the Agreement : the Agreement provides for wide-ranging cooperation in various policy areas, including in justice and home affairs ( for details of these objectives, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative proposal dated from 30/04/2015 ). Recognition of Kosovo’s international status : it is important to note that the conclusion of the future agreement is without prejudice to Member States' position on the status of Kosovo, which will be decided in accordance with their national practice and international law. The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the report by Ulrike LUNACEK (Greens/EFA, AT) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and Kosovo, of the other part. Member called on the Parliament to give its…

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