THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4), first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

The Convention on a common transit procedure (1) (‘the Convention’) was concluded between the European Economic Community, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland, the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden and the Swiss Confederation and entered into force on 1 January 1988.

(2)	Pursuant to point (a) of Article 15(3) of the Convention, the EU-CTC Joint Committee established pursuant to Article 14(1) of the Convention (‘the EU-CTC Joint Committee’) may adopt, by means of decisions, amendments to the Appendices to the Convention.

(3)	On 25 August 2022, the EU-CTC Joint Committee decided to invite Ukraine to accede to the Convention and on 31 August 2022, Ukraine deposited its instrument of accession.

(4)	The accession of Ukraine will require the relevant adaptation of the guarantee documents and the insertion of certain technical terms in the Ukrainian language.

(5)	It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on behalf of the Union within the EU-CTC Joint Committee, as the amendments to the Convention, if approved, will have legal effects in the Union.

(6)	All Member States of the Union have expressed their positive opinion as regards the proposed amendments within the EU-CTC Working Group on common transit.

(7)	As the Decision of the EU-CTC Joint Committee will amend the Convention, it is appropriate to publish it in the Official Journal of the European Union, following its adoption.

(8)	The position of the Union within the EU-CTC Joint Committee should therefore be based on the attached draft Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on behalf of the Union within the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure (‘the EU-CTC Joint Committee’) at its next meeting or by means of the next written procedure of the EU-CTC Joint Committee, as regards amendments to the Appendices to that Convention, shall be based on the draft Decision of the EU-CTC Joint Committee attached to this Decision.

Minor technical changes to the draft Decision may be agreed to by the representative of the Union in the EU-CTC Joint Committee.

Article 2

After its adoption, the Decision of the EU-CTC Joint Committee shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 3

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