PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and Switzerland on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and Switzerland on trade in agricultural products.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2011/738/EU on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products.

BACKGROUND: the Agreement entered into force on 1 June 2002. Article 12 of the Agricultural Agreement provides that the Agricultural Agreement may be reviewed at the request of either Party.

The Commission negotiated, on behalf of the Union, an Agreement between the European Union and Switzerland on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, which amends the Agricultural Agreement by inserting a new Annex 12.

The Agreement should now be approved on behalf of the European Union.

CONTENT: with this Decision, the Agreement between the European Union and Switzerland on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and Switzerland on trade in agricultural products is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

The objective of the Agreement is to ensure the mutual recognition of protected designations of origin (PDOs) and protected geographical indications (PGIs) in order to improve the c onditions of bilateral trade, to promote quality in the food chain and to retain the value of sustainable rural development.

Procedure : a technical procedure is provided to facilitate the mutual protection of designations of origin and geographical indicators. This procedure is managed by the Joint Committee referred to in Article 6(3) of the 2002 Agreement.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: the Decision shall enter into force on 20 October 2011. The Agreement shall enter into force as soon as the necessary procedures have been completed.

Decision 2011/738
OJ L 297 16.11.2011, p. 0001

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Switzerland on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and Switzerland on trade in agricultural products.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

T7-0352/2011

A7-0247/2011

A7-0247/2011

The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Béla GLATTFELDER (EPP, HU) recommending the European Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products.

PE456.631

PE456.789

PURPOSE: the conclusion of an agreement between the European Union and Switzerland on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: the agreement between the European Community and Switzerland on trade in agricultural products entered into force on 1 June 2002. Article 12 of the Agricultural Agreement provides that the Agricultural Agreement may be reviewed at the request of either Party. A Joint Declaration on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin of agricultural products and foodstuffs has been attached to the Final Act of the Agricultural Agreement.

The Commission negotiated on behalf of the European Union, an agreement between the European Union and Switzerland concerning the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs that amended the Agricultural Agreement by adding Annex 12.

It is therefore appropriate now to conclude the agreement on behalf of the EU.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was undertaken.

LEGAL BASIS: the first subparagraph of Article 207(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a)(v) thereof.

CONTENT: with this proposal, the agreement between the European Union and Switzerland on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products is approved on behalf of the Union.

As regards matters relating to Annex 12 to the Agricultural Agreement and the Appendices thereto, specific provisions are laid down defining the procedure for deciding the Union's position on these matters.

The text of the agreement is attached to the proposed Decision.

For further information regarding the content of this agreement, please refer to the summary of the previous initial legislative document dated 09/11/2010.

BUDGETARY IMPACT: the proposal has no impact on the EU’s budget.

16198/2010

16199/2010

PURPOSE: the conclusion of an agreement between the European Union and Switzerland on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: the agreement between the European Community and Switzerland on trade in agricultural products entered into force on 1 June 2002. Article 12 of the Agricultural Agreement provides that the Agricultural Agreement may be reviewed at the request of either Party. A Joint Declaration on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin of agricultural products and foodstuffs has been attached to the Final Act of the Agricultural Agreement.

The Commission negotiated on behalf of the European Union, an agreement between the European Union and Switzerland concerning the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs that amended the Agricultural Agreement by adding Annex 12.

It is therefore appropriate now to conclude the agreement on behalf of the EU.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was undertaken.

LEGAL BASIS: the first subparagraph of Article 207(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a)(v) thereof.

CONTENT: with this proposal, the agreement between the European Union and Switzerland on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products is approved on behalf of the Union.

As regards matters relating to Annex 12 to the Agricultural Agreement and the Appendices thereto, specific provisions are laid down defining the procedure for deciding the Union's position on these matters.

The text of the agreement is attached to the proposed Decision.

For further information regarding the content of this agreement, please refer to the summary of the previous initial legislative document dated 09/11/2010.

BUDGETARY IMPACT: the proposal has no impact on the EU’s budget.

16198/2010

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation on the protection of designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs, amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was carried out.

LEGAL BASIS: first subparagraph of Article 207(4) thereof, in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a)(v) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: the two parties, the European Union and the Swiss Confederation, aim to ensure the mutual recognition of protected designations of origin (PDOs) and protected geographical indications (PGIs) in order to improve the conditions of bilateral trade, to promote quality in the food chain and to retain the value of sustainable rural development.

The present proposal is the result of bilateral negotiations, conducted from October 2007 to December 2009. The agreement provides for the mutual protection of designations of origin and geographical indications protected by the respective Parties.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: this proposal has no implications for the EU budget.

COM(2010)0648
EUR-Lex