2006/356/EC: Council Decision of 14 February 2006 concerning the conclusion of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part

• Published date: 30 May 2006
• Subject Matter: Association Agreement,External relations
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Union, L 143, 30 May 2006

30.5.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 143/1

---

COUNCIL DECISION

of 14 February 2006

concerning the conclusion of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part

(2006/356/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 310 thereof, in conjunction with the second sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) and the second subparagraph of Article 300(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the assent of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1) The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part, has been signed on behalf of the European Community, in Luxembourg on 17 June 2002, subject to the reserve of an eventual conclusion at a later date.

(2) The Agreement should be approved,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1. The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part, the annexes and protocols to the Agreement, as well as the joint declarations and the declarations of the European Community included in the final act, are approved on behalf of the European Community.

2. The texts mentioned in paragraph 1 form part of this Decision.

Article 2

1. The position to be taken by the Community in the context of the Association Council and of the Association Committee, is to be defined by the Council, on the proposal of the Commission, or, if the case arises, by the Commission, in conformity with the relevant provisions of the Treaties.

2. In conformity with Article 75 of the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement, the President of the Council will chair the Association Council. A representative of the Commission will chair the Association Committee, according to the agreed procedural rules.

3. The decision to publish the decisions of the Association Council and of the Association Committee in the Official Journal of the European Communities will be taken in each case respectively by the Council and the Commission.

Article 3

The President of the Council is authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to proceed, in behalf of the European Community, to deposit the act of notification foreseen in Article 91 of the Agreement.

Done at Brussels, 14 February 2006.

For the Council

The President

K.-H. GRASSER

---

EURO-MEDITERRANEAN AGREEMENT

establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part

THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM,

THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK,

THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,

THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC,

THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN,

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,

IRELAND,

THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,

THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG,

THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS,

THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA,

THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC,

THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND,

THE KINGDOM OF SWEDEN,

THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND,

Contracting Parties to the Treaty establishing the European Community, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Member States’, and

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Community’,

of the one part, and

THE REPUBLIC OF LEBANON, hereinafter referred to as ‘Lebanon’,

of the other part,

CONSIDERING the proximity and interdependence which historic links and common values have established between the Community, its Member States and Lebanon;

CONSIDERING that the Community, its Member States and Lebanon wish to strengthen those links and to establish lasting relations, based on reciprocity, solidarity, partnership and co-development;

CONSIDERING the importance which the Parties attach to the principles of the United Nations Charter, particularly the observance of human rights, democratic principles and economic freedom, which form the very basis of the Association;

CONSIDERING recent political and economic developments both on the European continent and in the Middle East, and the resulting common responsibilities with regard to the stability, security and prosperity of the Euro-Mediterranean region;

CONSIDERING the importance for the Community and Lebanon of free trade, as guaranteed by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 1994 (GATT) and by the other multilateral agreements annexed to the Agreement establishing the WTO;

CONSIDERING the difference in economic and social development existing between Lebanon and the Community and the need to strengthen the process of economic and social development in Lebanon;

CONFIRMING that the provisions of this Agreement that fall within the scope of Part III, Title IV of the Treaty establishing the European Community bind the United Kingdom and Ireland as separate Contracting Parties, and not as part of the Community, until the United Kingdom or Ireland (as the case may be) notifies Lebanon that it has become bound as part of the Community in accordance with the Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community. The same applies to Denmark, in accordance with the Protocol annexed to those Treaties on the position of Denmark;

DESIROUS of fully achieving the objectives of the association between them by implementing the relevant provisions of this Agreement to bring the levels of economic and social development of the Community and Lebanon closer to each other;

CONSCIOUS of the importance of this Agreement, which is based on reciprocity of interests, mutual concessions, cooperation and dialogue;

DESIROUS of developing a regular political dialogue on bilateral and international issues of mutual interest;

TAKING ACCOUNT of the Community's willingness to provide Lebanon with support in its endeavours to bring about economic reconstruction, reform and adjustment and social development;

DESIROUS of establishing, maintaining and intensifying cooperation, sustained by regular dialogue, on economic, scientific, technological, social, cultural and audiovisual issues in order to achieve better mutual understanding;

CONVINCED that this Agreement will create a climate conducive to growth in economic relations between them, more particularly in the trade and investment sectors which are essential to the success of the economic reconstruction and restructuring programme and to technological modernisation,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1. An association is hereby established between the Community and its Member States, of the one part, and Lebanon, of the other part.

2. The aims of this Agreement are to:

(a) provide an appropriate framework for political dialogue between the Parties, allowing the development of close relations in all areas they consider relevant to such dialogue,

(b) establish the conditions for the gradual liberalisation of trade in goods, services and capital,

(c) promote trade and the expansion of harmonious economic and social relations between the Parties, notably through dialogue and cooperation, so as to foster the development and prosperity of Lebanon and its people,

(d) promote economic, social, cultural, financial and monetary cooperation,

(e) promote cooperation in other areas which are of mutual interest.

Article 2

Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of this Agreement itself, shall be based on respect of democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.

TITLE I

POLITICAL DIALOGUE

Article 3

1. A regular political dialogue shall be established between the Parties. It shall help build lasting links of solidarity between the partners which will contribute to the prosperity, stability and security of the Mediterranean region and bring about a climate of understanding and tolerance between cultures.

2. Political dialogue and cooperation are intended in particular to:

(a) facilitate rapprochement between the Parties through the development of better mutual understanding and regular coordination on international issues of common interest;

(b) enable each Party to consider the position and interests of the other;

(c) contribute to consolidating security and stability in the Mediterranean region and in the Middle East in particular;

(d) promote common initiatives.

Article 4

Political dialogue shall cover all issues of common interest to the Parties, examining in particular the conditions required to ensure peace and security through support for cooperation. The dialogue shall also seek to create new forms of cooperation directed towards common objectives.

Article 5

1. Political dialogue shall take place at regular intervals and whenever necessary, notably:

(a) at ministerial level, mainly in the framework of the Association Council;

(b) at senior official level of Lebanon, on the one hand, and of the Presidency of the Council and of the Commission on the other;

(c) by taking full advantage of all diplomatic channels including regular briefings by officials, consultations on the occasion of international meetings and contacts between diplomatic representatives in third countries;

(d) where appropriate, by any other means which would make a useful contribution to consolidating dialogue and increasing its effectiveness.

2. A political...