The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution based on the report drafted by Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (EPP-ED, PL) and gave its assent to the conclusion of the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the EC and Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU.

PURPOSE: to include Romania and Bulgaria in the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement between the EU and Israel.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2008/207/EC on the conclusion of the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

CONTENT: the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, and entered into force on 1st June 2000 (see AVC/1995/0276 ) that is before the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU. It is therefore necessary to attach a new protocol to the Agreement in order to take account of the accession of these two new Member States to the initial Agreement.

The aim of this decision is to approve, on behalf of the Community and its Member States, the protocol on the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, on the one hand, and Israel, on the other, to take account of Bulgaria’s and Romania’s accession to the European Union.

The text of the protocol is attached to the decision.

This proposal for a decision constitutes the final legal act by which the European Communities and their Member States, on the one hand, and Israel, on the other, intend to conclude a Protocol on the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement to take account of Bulgaria’s and Romania’s accession to the European Union on 1 January 2007.

The decision will require the assent of the European Parliament.

The text of the protocol is attached to the proposed decision and is available in Council doc. 12412/07 .

This proposal for a decision constitutes the final legal act by which the European Communities and their Member States, on the one hand, and Israel, on the other, intend to conclude a Protocol on the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement to take account of Bulgaria’s and Romania’s accession to the European Union on 1 January 2007.

The decision will require the assent of the European Parliament.

The text of the protocol is attached to the proposed decision and is available in Council doc. 12412/07 .

The Council document 12412/2007 constitutes the final version of the draft protocol on the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, on the one hand, and Israel, on the other, to take account of Bulgaria’s and Romania’s accession to the European Union.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the report by Mr Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (EPP-ED, PL) under the simplified procedure (Article 43, para 1 of the Rules of Procedure), recommending that the European Parliament gives its assent to the proposal for a Council Decision regarding the conclusion of a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

PURPOSE: to sign and conclude a provisional application of a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement between the Community and the State of Israel, in order to take account of Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to the EU.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, and entered into force on 1st June 2000 (see AVC/1995/0276 ) that is before the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU.

According to the Act of Accession (Article 6 (2)) any new EU Member State, in this case Romania and Bulgaria, will have their accession to the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement agreed by means of a Protocol. The Protocol should be approved through a simplified procedure.

Negotiations to modify the Protocol commenced between the Commission and State of Israel in October 2006. The negotiations have now been concluded. The purpose of this proposal, therefore, is firstly, for the Council to sign the Protocol and secondly, to conclude the Protocol.

The most important aspects of the Protocol are the provisions for the accession of the new Member States to the EU-Israel Association Agreement and the inclusion of the new official languages of the EU in order to take account of enlargement. The Protocol also sets out a series of tariff concessions on imports into the Community of goods originating in Israel in particular processed agricultural products (citrus bases for preparation of soft drinks and beverages containing by weight at least 30% of concentrated fruit juices and no more than 50% of sucrose, not containing milk or milk products).

The European Parliament will be called upon to give its assent to this Protocol.

PURPOSE: to sign and conclude a provisional application of a Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement between the Community and the State of Israel, in order to take account of Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to the EU.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the State of Israel, of the other part, and entered into force on 1st June 2000 (see AVC/1995/0276 ) that is before the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU.

According to the Act of Accession (Article 6 (2)) any new EU Member State, in this case Romania and Bulgaria, will have their accession to the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement agreed by means of a Protocol. The Protocol should be approved through a simplified procedure.

Negotiations to modify the Protocol commenced between the Commission and State of Israel in October 2006. The negotiations have now been concluded. The purpose of this proposal, therefore, is firstly, for the Council to sign the Protocol and secondly, to conclude the Protocol.

The most important aspects of the Protocol are the provisions for the accession of the new Member States to the EU-Israel Association Agreement and the inclusion of the new official languages of the EU in order to take account of enlargement. The Protocol also sets out a series of tariff concessions on imports into the Community of goods originating in Israel in particular processed agricultural products (citrus bases for preparation of soft drinks and beverages containing by weight at least 30% of concentrated fruit juices and no more than 50% of sucrose, not containing milk or milk products).

The European Parliament will be called upon to give its assent to this Protocol.