COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2021/1853

of 18 October 2021

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Association Council set up by the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, of the other part, as regards the extension of the validity of the EU-Egypt Partnership Priorities until new updated Partnership Priorities are adopted by the Association Council

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 217 in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)	The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, of the other part (1) (the ‘Agreement’) was signed on 25 June 2001 and entered into force on 1 June 2004.

(2)	In the Association Council of 25 July 2017, the European Union and Egypt agreed on the Partnership Priorities, as set out in Recommendation No 1/2017 of the Association Council (2).

(3)	Both sides agreed that the validity of the EU-Egypt Partnership Priorities should be extended as a guiding document to consolidate the partnership pending the adoption of new updated Partnership Priorities.

(4)	Under Article 76 of the Agreement, the Association Council has the power to take decisions for the purpose of attaining the objectives of the Agreement.

(5)	The Association Council is to adopt a recommendation by written procedure to extend the validity of the Partnership Priorities until new updated Partnership Priorities are adopted by the Association Council.

(6)	It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Association Council, as the recommendation of the Association Council will have legal effects.

(7)	The position of the Union within the Association Council should therefore be based on the draft Recommendation of the Association Council,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the Association Council set up by the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, of the other part, as regards the extension of the validity of the EU-Egypt Partnership Priorities until new updated Partnership Priorities are adopted by the Association Council, shall be based on the draft Recommendation of the Association Council (3).

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Luxembourg, 18 October 2021.

For the Council

The President

J. BORRELL FONTELLES

(2) Recommendation No 1/2017 of the EU-Egypt Association Council of 25 July 2017 agreeing on the EU-Egypt Partnership Priorities (OJ L 255, 3.10.2017, p. 26).