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Council Decision

of 18 December 2006

concerning the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and Brazil relating to the modification of concessions in the schedules of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic in the course of accession to the European Community

(2006/963/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 133 in conjunction with the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) On 22 March 2004 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with certain other Members of the WTO under Article XXIV.6 of the GATT 1994, in the course of the accessions to the European Union of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic.

(2) Negotiations have been conducted by the Commission in consultation with the Committee established by Article 133 of the Treaty and within the framework of the negotiating directives issued by the Council.

(3) The Commission has finalised negotiations for an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and Brazil.

(4) The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters should be approved,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1U.K.

The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and Brazil relating to the modification of concessions in the schedules of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic in the course of accession to the European Community, is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

The text of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters is attached to this Decision.

[X1Article 1a U.K.

The Commission shall adopt the detailed rules for implementing the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 1b(2) of this Decision.

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Article 1b U.K.

1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Management Committee for Cereals instituted by Article 25 of Regulation (EC) No 1784/2003 of 29 September 2003 on the common organisation of the market in cereals (1) or the relevant committee instituted by the corresponding Article of the Regulation for the common market organisation for the product concerned.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC (2) shall apply.

The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at one month.]

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Article 2U.K.

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters in order to bind the Community.

(1)

[X1 OJ L 270, 21.10.2003, p. 78 . Regulation as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1154/2005 ( OJ L 187, 19.7.2005, p. 11 ).]

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