32003E0537

Council Joint Action 2003/537/CFSP

of 21 July 2003

appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East peace process and amending Joint Action 2002/965/CFSP

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 14, 18(5) and 23(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Council Joint Action 2002/965/CFSP of 10 December 2002 amending and extending the mandate of the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East peace process(1) was extended by Council Joint Action 2003/445/CFSP(2) until 31 December 2003.

(2) Joint Action 2003/445/CFSP provides that the Council should appoint a new EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process following the resignation of Mr Miguel-Angel MORATINOS.

(3) On 14 July 2003, the Council decided to appoint Ambassador Marc OTTE as the new EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process.

(4) Joint Action 2002/965/CFSP should be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

Article 1

Mr Marc OTTE is hereby appointed European Union Special Representative for the Middle East peace process.

Article 2

Article 1 of Joint Action 2002/965/CFSP and Article 2 of Joint Action 2003/445/CFSP are hereby deleted.

Article 3

This Joint Action shall enter into force on 14 July 2003.

It shall apply until 31 December 2003.

Article 4

This Joint Action shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 21 July 2003.

For the Council

The President

F. Frattini

(1) OJ L 334, 11.12.2002, p. 11.

(2) OJ L 150, 18.6.2003, p. 70.