THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207 in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)
The Economic Partnership Agreement between the CARIFORUM States, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part (‘the Agreement’), was signed on 15 October 2008, and is provisionally applied as of 29 December 2008.
(2)
Article 232(2) of the Agreement provides for its Joint Council to decide on the civil-society participation in the CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee, to ensure a broad representation of all interested stakeholders.
(3)
It is important to set up all the institutions provided for by the Agreement, especially the CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee that has not yet been convened, despite its role in promoting dialogue, cooperation and monitoring under the Agreement.
(4)
The European Economic and Social Committee has expressed its willingness to assist the CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee, by organising the selection of the European representatives for that Committee, and by assuming the function of the secretariat of that Committee in the initial period after it is set up.
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: