Proposal for a Council Decision relating to the acceptance, by the European Community of the amendment to the Agreement of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean establishing an autonomous budget for that Organisation
20. 1. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 15/13 Proposal for a Council Decision relating to the acceptance, by the European Community of the amendment to the Agreement of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean establishing an autonomous budget for that Organisation (1999/C 15/05) COM(1998) 690 final - 98/0332(CNS) (Submitted by the Commission on 2 December 1998) the amendments Whereas GFCM adopted, at its meeting of 13 to 16 the October 1997 agreement to the effect of instituting the autonomous budget. Whereas the autonomous budget represents a new obligation to GFCM contracting parties in the sense of Article X. 2 of the GFCM Agreement; text of the to Whereas new obligations can only enter into force upon adoption by two thirds of GFCM members; and with respect to each member, only on acceptance by that member; Whereas it is therefore necessary that the Community adopts an instrument of acceptance of the autonomous budget of GFCM, Whereas the acceptance of an autonomous budget for GFCM implies that the Community will provide a the financial contribution volume of this contribution makes it necessary to adapt the declaration of competence and voting rights deposited at the time of the accession of the Community to GFCM, that budget; whereas to DECIDES: Sole article The Community shall accept the establishment of an autonomous budget in the General Fisheries Commission for the its instrument declaration of competence and voting rights accordingly. in accordance with amend and annex, the Mediterranean, in contained THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in conjunction with Article 228, paragraph 2, first sentence and paragraph 3, first subparagraph, in particular Article 43 thereof Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having Parliament, regard to the opinion of the European Whereas the European Community is a member of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM)Ø(˛); Whereas the management of fish stocks in the MediterÜ ranean requires that action be taken at multilateral level to regulate the fishing activities in the high seas; whereas the development of aquaculture can benefit from multiÜ lateral co operation; whereas the GFCM is the approÜ priate framework for these actions; Whereas GFCM has recently adopted amendments to its activities by creating a the effect of reinforcing scientific advisory committee and by making the periÜ the new odicity of the meetings annual; whereas activities of the necessary financial means; this organisation require Whereas GFCM depends entirely on the budget of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO); whereas the limitations in this budget do not allow to finance the activities of GFCM which are necessary to accomplish its new, reinforced role; whereas it is therefore necessary that GFCM disposes of its own autonomous budget; (˛) Council Decision (98/416/EC) of 16 June 1998 on the accession of the European Community to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (OJ L 190, 4. 7. 1998, p. 34). C 15/14 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 20. 1. 1999 ANNEX Instrument of acceptation of the autonomous budget of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean Sir, I have the honour to inform you that the European Community has decided to accept the newly estabÜ lished rules for the autonomous budget of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. I therefore convey to you this instrument by which the Community accepts the new Article VIII bis and IX bis as well as the amendments to Articles II, VII and IX of the Agreement as adopted at the meeting of 13 to 16 October 1997, in accordance with Article X. 2 thereof. As the Community will become, after the entry into force of the said amendments, a major contributor to the budget, the actual declaration of competence and voting rights annexed to the instrument of accession of the European Community to GFCM will be replaced as from that date on by the declaration of competence and voting rights annexed to this letter. I have the honour to be, Sir, yours faithfully, Mister Diouf Director General Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations Via delle Terme di Caracalla IÜ00100 Roma President of the Council of the European Union